Almost April

Dan has gone to the Heath to play petanque. I am listening to an audio book from the Hampshire digital library. I have not visited the nursing home this week. Last night my uncle's niece, who is also his next of kin, telephoned from Swansea. She visited him on Sunday and subsequently telephoned the manager. It was suggested that Bill should be given a television. I know that the current manager has not been there long. I know she is busy and has not got the easiest job. However, she should have looked at my uncle's record before making that suggestion. He is registered blind/ severely sight impaired. When he first lived at Steep House he used to monopolise the television in the top lounge; he watched Sky News all the time. I would intervene if I was there and put another channel on. He would sometimes watch the TV in his room but in the end he could no longer follow the programmes. Before it got too difficult for me, I used to read the paper to him and  now Sandra, the head of activities, does that. Some days he is receptive and some days he is not. He did remember who Patricia is; he said she was his brother's daughter, which is true. Her father was killed in the war and she was brought up by Bill's parents. She is more like a younger sister than a niece.  When I was finally able to get in touch with her I wondered if she would resent me, but that has not happened. She lost her husband in 2009 and a few years ago her son died suddenly; I know how that feels. Bill was still cogent when Bryan died but could not take in the death of his great-nephew.

It is two weeks to Good Friday. I shall not have to work in the charity shop on Easter Monday, which will be a pleasant break. The following Friday we shall be leaving for Vence and I shall not be in the shop again until  Wednesday May 10th. I shall enjoy the break. There is much work to do in the apartment; I must get the big curtain down from the patio door to the terrace and wash it. There will be bedlinen to launder. Dan will rake up pine needles and olive leaves and we must entertain whichever English neighbours are there. I love that part of France. We shall go to Antibes for lunch and leave our car in the park and ride carpark. The shuttle (navette) used to be free but now costs a euro. We always walk back through the Vieux Port and look at the yachts. I used to buy presents for my two children at one time. Then Neil went to the Midlands and we seldom heard from him. When he came south again I used to  bring him gifts from holidays again; at the end of 2013 I stopped giving him presents at all. He never thanked me and Dan resented it. Neil had his 40th birthday two days after his sister's funeral, which he did not attend. I sent him a text message. It hurt me that I could not celebrate this birthday with him. I think that he is a deeply unhappy and troubled man, but he does not want my love or help.

I must compile a shopping list as we are going to Tesco. I also need to buy breakfast cereals from the shop in Lavant Street. We shall walk tomorrow and there are things that need doing here; I must sort out the linen chest and take the bedlinen that we no longer use to the charity shop. Our friend Sabine, whose opinion Dan values, agrees with me that the room where a new oak floor has just been laid should be a dining room and not a bedroom. I have always wanted that; when we bought this flat my father-in-law was eighty-two and his wife was eighty-one. His health was not of the best and we did not expect him to live as long as he has. They used to stay with us at Christmas and other times, when we took them to the theatre. Elizabeth was a good, sweet person and I think a true Christian. Katy loved her so much and Elizabeth returned her love. I miss them both.