Day 841 in the Nanny June Care Home

The one with the toenails and the birthday cake.

The New Day

June 6th

To be given a new day is to be given a new lease of life. Don’t snatch at God’s gifts without a thank you as if your mere existence entitled you to expect a fresh supply of blessings every morning. Accept the gift of a new day with reverence, grace and gratitude.

From “The Morning Watch” (Patience Strong’s Thought For Everyday)

Not sure I can take much longer looking at Nanny June’s gnarly yellow toenails with reverence, grace and gratitude.

Anyway... Nanny June is 88 today! When we got to the care home they had just sung Happy Birthday and had cake, and there was HUGE happy birthday banner up with JUNE and 88 slotted in. We took cake and a pretty pink fuschia plant.

Growing up I remember there being an abundance of these little ballerina flowering fuschias around the place. But nothing from Nanny June today apart from an observation of nice. No memories. Is a favourite flower still a favourite if it’s not a stand out preference any more? Although I think it might have been roses were her favourite.

We risk taking our parents so much for granted in the younger part of our life that we often don’t even care about their favourite places, people, flowers, memories, food, journey, holiday, job, colour... When age or time robs us of our older relatives we miss our moment to absorb them and take on board their younger selves. I remember taking an afternoon nap on my mums bed when I was in my twenties and it smelling just so familiar - it wasn’t yet an old lady smell, just a sort of laundry detergent, stale perfume, “smell of my mum” kind of smell.

Dementia and time can be a heartless thief. Giving birthdays with one hand, taking the past with the other.