Laundry Duties.

 I've spent most of the day on laundry duties with Sheena. It's not really my fav job but the weather is a bit rubbish at the moment so at least I was out of that, also Sheena is okay to work with.

Grandfather was out and about for the first time today, I'm not sure what he was doing but I don't think it would have been too strenuous as he's under instructions from Ms Oliver to take it easy for a while.

Cindy has asked me to go round to their flat tonight if I wanted company, I may go depending on what mood grandfather is in.

Some Cabin Work.

 Grandfather continues to recover from his food poisoning episode and is now eating a little more. He has continued with the toast but has also had some soup for his evening meal. He's not yet ventured out of the flat other than to go to the bathroom. He is still feeling quite weak and spends quite a bit of time sleeping. Because he is unable to go about his duties I once again had to undertake most of them which meant I was out most of the day. Apart from yard jobs I also had to do a couple of runs out to the cabins. One with bread and milk and the other was to change over a gas cylinder.

After dinner I've spend time writing the next back entry to carry on from leaving the bus to Durness, I'm not sure when I will get it finished being busy with grandfathers work and what have you.

A While Longer.

 Today has been much the same as yesterday in that I haven't been doing a great deal. Grandfather has continued to improve although not enough to leave the sofa yet. I've said to him several times how he needs to drink and maybe try something to eat but he wasn't interested in eating at all and would only take small amounts of warmed water. Then this morning Ms Oliver came to visit him to see how he was and she suggested having a slice of toast to him and he jumped at the idea like as if it was the first chance he got offered anything to eat, so that was annoying. When she left she told me to make sure I looked after him. I'm trying not to think to much into that comment.

I've been toying with the idea of phoning my parents seen as it's nearly a year since I last spoke to any of them but I'm a bit scared if I'm honest. Scared of their reaction. I think in my mind I'm hopeful that time has healed some of the feelings and I could maybe make a return but I find the thought of that not being the case would be so painful that I am better off not knowing. As grandfather is a bit more mellow than usual at the moment I asked what he thought about the idea and his reply was simply, 'How often have they contacted you since you came here'?

I hate it when he asks questions that he already knows the answer to.

I guess I will leave it a while longer. 

Christmas Day 2024

 As with yesterday I was up before grandfather who was snoring slightly as I passed through his room so I left him undisturbed and went down to breakfast. Because I wasn't here for the Christmas Eve tea party I didn't get to open presents with everyone else so they were waiting for me and Ivan at the breakfast table.

When I got back to the flat grandfather was up and sitting on the sofa in his dressing gown so I made him a cup of tea which he stated was horrible. I got the log burner going to warm the place up before going out to see to the dogs and some of the other little jobs that grandfather would have done had he been well. Ivan had come out to help with some of the work so I was pleased about that. Everyone was having Christmas dinner downstairs together today so when I got everything done outside and hauled wood up to the flat and checked if grandfather wanted anything I went back down and gave Cindy a hand in the kitchen as my ban is now lifted.

I was hoping to get a good piece more of my back story written today but I decided to sit with grandfather instead as he was not interested in getting off the sofa so I felt I should keep him company seen as its Christmas Day. We didn't talk much, just watched TV. I spent last Christmas alone in my room so although this one hasn't been anything special it's an improvement on the last one. I guess this is as good as it will get now, although there is room for improvement as usually Christmas Eve wouldn't be spent at the hospital.

Christms Eve Poisoning.

 Well today has been a proper carry on. I got up this morning as usual to discover my grand father was still in his bed which is not usual at all. Because of his early morning attitude towards conversation of any kind I was loathed to disturbe him so made sure he was breathing and then went downstairs for breakfast which was still being prepared so I went outside just to see what the weather was like and to get some fresh air. I'm still barred from helping out with kitchen work or I would have given Cindy a hand. When I came back in I could hear my grand father kicking up a fuss which surprised me. Not because of the fuss but the fact that he was downstairs. It seems he had come down wanting someone to help him but when someone offered he just complained and screamed out in pain and threatened to passout and just generally being all dramatic which I found ironic considering all the times he's accussed me of being over dramatic. Anyway Ms Oliver came then and she made him sit down while she called a doctor or someone like a doctor who asked a load of questions and then decided to send an ambulance to take him away, until she found out where we live so then changed her mind and said we should get him to a hospital to get checked out by a doctor and have some tests done. So it was decided that me and Ivan would have to take him to the hospital - oh joy! We didn't get back until after 10pm So we missed the Christmas Eve tea party but at least now we know that grand father has food poisoning - no, it wasn't me! He's saying that it's caused by the cheap pork pie that Ivan got instead of his usual one! Of course it couldn't have anything at all to do with the fact that he never washes his hands before eating or anything like that.

Bellyaching

 Today grumpy grandpa is even more grumpy than usual, he's got bellyache, and don't we have to know about it.

Okay, so you're not well, I get that and I'm genuinly sorry and will do what I can to help but when I do help don't give me a hard time just because it wasn't ready instantly.

I was supposed to be helping Cindy in the kitchen getting things ready for the Christmas Eve party but Ms Oliver barred me in case I've been infected by my grand father. So instead I've been helping Ivan in the garden, just clearing up old leaves and rubbish.

Christmas Porkie is Missing.

 Oh dear! It seems that Ivan isn't able to get grandpa his Christmas pork pie this year. Well thankfully he can't blame me, although I will no doubt be the one to suffer.