[steffi 001]

This perhaps should have gone on Todds thread but I just wanted to share these precious precious moments with you. *Todd if you can use this for your study then feel free to copy and paste it.

Just to put you in the picture I have to report what a wonderful day I had yesterday...digging the garden,incredibly wonderful and stimulating conversation with a friend and an attempt at being creative in the evening.So...when bedtime came...for once I was physically,mentally and spiritually ready to sleep.Contentedly I climbed the stairs,slipped between freshly laundered sheets and ....THEN my daughter came in,sore throat,head heavy with a cold and saying her mouth w as dry so I offered to fetch her a drink.She followed me downstairs and suddenly sprang into life saying that she didn`t want to sleep and could we stay up talking.
Decisions decisions? Well I am glad to say I chose to stay up and chat...and had I have followed my desire to go back to bed...I would have missed the most delightful,entertaining,humorous intellect...that IS my daughter.
We lit candles,made comfort coffee...and we spent much of the evening behaving like college students. It was a simply lovely precious time which was meant to be and I wouldn`t have missed it for the world.

You know,before I was diagnosed I was convinced I had a brain tumour and vowed to make memories for my children.
Well...I know this sounds crazy but when I was told it was pd instead I felt I had been given a second chance at life...and vowed I would STILL make memories.I guess that is why I look at my cup always being half full,rather than half empty.
And last night was one heck of a memorable occassion.Our relationship has moved up a notch...no ...a few notches and I want to hold and capture those few hours for always.

So...I have not been to sleep and yet my brain is on fire and I am one happy happy mum.I have learned a little more about my daughter who for many months has been quite elusive,spending time in her room,emerging only for meals and being quite insular.What a joy to know that they do come round,go through stages, and that they can still enjoy your company.We laughed,cried,hugged,told rude jokes,exchanged fears and hopes and dreams.

And we roared with laughter at reading my 12 year old son`s homework for citizenship;

He loathes writing and applies HIS logic to the answers he gives.
This one had both of us wetting ourselves;

QUESTION;
What kind of problems might you expect from having an old person live with you?
ANSWER;
Well for a start they might die.

Sure son...that would solve your problems in one.

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT AGEISM;

ANSWER;
They are not with the times so they don`t know what machines do.Old people won`t be able to last long on tv.When old....wrinkles appear so they can`t be in any modelling ads.

Well HE knows what he meant.

And once,when presented with the task of writing a 4 page essay,the first sentence having been given by the teacher...
I was walking down a lane with my dog and....[the children carry on ]

My son`s logic;
"I haven`t got a dog so I wouldn`t be walking down a country lane with one."

END OF ESSAY.

Oh moments like these are like finding gold in sand.

It is so easy with an illness like this to ponder at length on the gloomy side,and of course that is our luxury.But when you hold...and I mean HOLD AND RETAIN little things like this we are richer for it despite the pain and misery of parkinson`s.
I am sure we could all make a wonderful collection of magical precious memories if we stepped out of the parkinsons circle for a few minutes.

I feel knackered...but positively YUMMY at this moment in time.

Well..it is 7.00am UK time and I have to go do my morning chores...and wake my two beautiful beautiful children.

And before I do..I am going to spend a few moments just taking in their sleepy little faces,and make some more precious memories.

x

[Virginia Therese]

As I read your post about your children...especially those most precious moments spent with your daughter, tears formed in my eyes...and, of course, your son's responses to the questions asked...just so humorous...must be that he has acquired your humor.
I will just say that I have 4 adult children...all of whom bring me such joy as adults. My youngest daughter in particular...extremely bright...and probably has the most spontaneous humor of anyone I know. Unfortunately, she lives much too far away from me to be able to spend time sitting and chatting...but I will tell you...our telephone calls are spent laughing for a good part of the conversation...kind of goes back to what I said to you, Steffi, not too long ago...that humor DOES require intelligence. This has been way too long...really just wanted to comment on your post about your children.

Therese

[steffi 001]

So lovely to read about your family.You know,when I read back what i had quoted from my sons work i was anxious that he would come over as not caring about the elderly when indeed he has a heart as big as a bucket.He is just so dry with his humour.Well actually no...he doesn`t realise that what he says is funny and when he stands there blinking looking all non plussesd...it is even more hysterical.
We affectionately refer to him as Mr Bean,the Rowan Atkinson character because some of the dippy things he does just leave our jaws dragging on the floor.Yet he is so so kind and extremely clever.But he kind of drifts into mishaps..a bit like me.A light on but no-one upstairs sometimes .
Oh...love him to bits.
Hope you get to see your long distance daughter soon.Lovely relationship you have.

I have name of q10 but it is downstairs and i am virtually immobile now.Typing with one very stiff finger.Will have it tomorrow.
XXX

[Teretxu]

Thanks Steffi! If children only knew how little it takes to make their parents happy! If only we knew in our teenage years how very much we hurt our parents with thoughtless remarks or smartalleck replies!
The trouble with life is that you learn from looking back and not from looking forward.

[Maureen]

Hi Steffi, I so enjoyed your story of the memory you made the other evening with your daughter and the love and enjoyment you both got over your son and her brother. You have a loving family. Thanks for sharing a beautiful story and such an intimate moment in your life. These are the moments that keep us going and the love children can bring to us when we least expect it. It's these memories that sustain us and make us cherish our children more.
Have a beautiful day, Maureen

[aftermathman]

where did you pick up slang like "Smartalex" (not sure if that is even the spelling).

Sorry mispelt your name in the header, its all going Pete Tong.

Neil.

[steffi 001]

...for these responses.
Smart Alec I think is the spelling Neil although I agree with you...Theresas command of the english language is better than some english peoples!!!!

Another gem from my sons citizenship book.

Q.WHAT STRATEGIES CAN YOU EMPLOY TO PREVENT BEING ROBBED .

A. Carry a spare wallet to give to the mugger.


"Why not invite them for tea too? "was my immediate reaction to reading this.lol.

[Thelma]

Now that is a good idea your son has.. My daughter when travelling uses a small little purse around her shoulder that holds her ID and money and another larger bag that carries her necesities on the outside.

Grab the bag and you get toothpaste.

Smart kid you got there.

I never even thought of doing this and my bag was grabbed once in front of the Pittsfield building in Chicago and I lost everything.

[EnglishCountryDancer]

Thanks for reminding us that it is the little seemingly unimportant things in life which are really the most important.
About a month ago I was talking to a youngish man who had travelled all over the world finding work where he could:an experienced traveller.He said he always carried two wallets ne full of monopoly type money and one with his important real stuff in it.At the first sign of getting mugged he handed over the wallet with monopoly type money.So your son was really quite worldly wise.

[Teretxu]

According to Collins English Dictionary:
smart aleck - an irritatingly oversmart person (from: Aleck, Alec, short for Alexander).

Although I am a sworn translator and have therefore read/translated thousands of texts in the last 30 years, slang expressions cannot really be learned from just reading. The secret is that I also lived in the USA for six years.

As to travel safety, for years now I have had a rip-proof Samsonite money belt, to be worn under one's clothes that's really flat. I'm sure there are other brands, but I only found this one online:

http://www.americantourister.com/web...ngId=-1&pc=C35