Sunday, September 8th

Popped in to see dad a little after 10 this morning.  He was watching football on tv in the big room, and had just gotten back from church.  He asked me who I was, and I told him one of his daughters.   Told me  looked like a boy.   (Probably.  It was raining really hard today, so I just put on a baseball hat and a t shirt).  He hadn't been to church in several weeks, and he said he enjoyed himself.   Looked pretty good, sitting there with his John Deere hat on.   Guess the speak at church was named Charlie, and when they called his name, dad got up.   The volunteer gently helped him sit down.  Dad said, "I found out something today."  Asked him what.   "I can't sing."  Told him he has never been able to sing, and he laughed.   Asked him if he remembered sitting on the stand and mouthing the words to the songs in church.  He was thinking really hard, and then said, "Yup.  I was the bishop."  Wow - can't remember his kids, but he can still remember this.  Amazing.   He asked me how old I was.  Told him 51.  He about fell off his chair and said, "I should be long gone by now."  Told him he just turned 85 last month.  Again, he was thinking really hard and said he remembered.  Said he was ready to go to his room and sit on his couch.  He dozed and mumbled a bit, but was awake enough when Maritza, the aide, told him she liked the sweet Charlie better than the mean one, that he smiled.   I took him to the table when it was time for lunch.   They were telling him what they were having and he perked right up at the mention of turkey, mashed spuds and gravy, and strawberry cream pie.   Got him settled, gave him a hug and a kiss and told him I would be back soon.   He said ok, and that it was sure nice to visit.  It was good to see him today, and not asleep.   Guess he has had a pretty good week - eating and sleeping.    Eric and mom stopped in tonight, and Eric said he was still awake and talking.   He did start to doze, though, after a while.