It's been a sad week. You remember Big Marge, my assigned supper mate table partner. She had a chronic cough that she insisted was bronchitis. She would not wear a mask. I quickly caught the cold, was sick for weeks, and wound up at another table.
Big Marge developed leg ulcers, was hospitalized for a while, and had an assistant when she returned. I made a point of speaking to the three remaining table mates. Gloria and Little Marge are the other two. These two are well into their nineties, and Gloria told me her name happened because she was born on a glorious summer day.
Names are Big Marge's chief problem, or the biggest I deal with. She remembers no name but her own. She asks me mine several time in a conversation. She has other problems with memory that I am aware of, but which don't affect me. Recently an aid let slip a memory issue, and followed by telling us Marge would be moving to assisted living soon. Marge was told Friday afternoon, and Friday evening as tough for her.
Friday afternoon was a cheerful throwback time. Those who wanted to made tie-die shirts. I arrived to watch and found my friend Mary Lou very frustrated. She was late because her physical therapist kept her late. We glanced briefly at the instructions, then went to work on her shirt. She accordion folded it and secured it with rubber bands.
Several people were already dying shirts folded exactly the same. So I took her shirt and rolled it up into a flat plate. Mary Lou got rubber bands in place in a timely fashion. She went off to dye and I fell in with the ladies cleaning up.
.jpg)
The shirts will steep overnight and be rinsed and rinsed today and returned on Monday. That should be fun.
Then there is the matter of the construction out the window.
.jpg)
One or two men are working on it, daily. I take the older to be the supervisor and the other a younger helper. Well, that's it for the week!
I remember tie-dying. Well. And shirts, t-shirts that I wore to death (and beyond).
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a sad week. Poor Marge.
Tie-dying t-shirts -- that would be fun! I've never done it, but I've always liked those tees! Impossible to be sad when you're wearing a cheery tie-dye shirt!
ReplyDeleteThat is a sad week.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for Marge. But the tie dyeing looks like fun.
ReplyDeleteI have never tie-dyed anything but I like the look. Maybe I should learn how. It's probably a good thing Big Marge is going to assisted living, she will get more care. I hope her leg ulcers heal.
ReplyDeleteI find this extremely sad as I'm sure you do as well. At the very least, I hope Marge's friends can visit with her. The tie-dying looks fun. It will be interesting to see the colors and designs produced.
ReplyDeleteCrafts would be a nightmare for me.
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteI suppose such enforced moves are going to be come a fimiliarity - par for the course, as it were. We can only wish Bit Marge well. And tie dying was once a favourite pastime... and now a followup photograph will be expected!!! YAM xx
Dying I only did once in my life (I do hope very much that I made no involuntary pun here - I mean: dipping thing into colour and not the Grim Reaper :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was in the test phase for Waldorf-Kindergarten (which failed the test...my son is left-hander and in their eyes or dear Rudolf S's ones left-handers are punished (!) by their left-handedness for a life before their new child life - in that incarnation they used to live a highly voluptuous life --- Honestly! I do not make that up!)
But the dying was fine: of course done only with natural ingredients - and I adored the colour "Pfirsichblüt" - a pale rose colour, "Blüt" is an old-fashioned word (as "Ye Olde Shoppe" :-) and means "colour of the peach blossom."
Not wearing a mask while having a cold (even if it isn't Covid) is very un-emphatic and selfish.
You’ll be getting a bad name - encouraging others to not follow procedures! Your friend’s shirt will be patterned in a different fashion to those who folded as per instructions 😊
ReplyDeleteI remember tie-dying -never looked as good as I hoped.
ReplyDeleteStrange looking building
Condolences to Marge. It's sad that many come to the end of life in this way.
ReplyDelete'Off to dye...' There is a hairdresser near here called, 'Curl Up and Dye'.
ReplyDeleteAssisted living isn't a term we really use here. I suppose it is an old people's home to us.
ReplyDeleteI feel for Marge. The tie-dying is interesting though.
ReplyDeleteOh, poor Marge! As if the physical problems of aging weren't enough.
ReplyDeleteI used to tie-dye little baby t-shirts for my kids. I think of that now and sort of cringe but smile, too.
Joanne, do they offer pottery or knitting at your new place?
ReplyDeleteIt's chilling when this happens within your circle Joanne. A reminder of what can lurk for any of us.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
It's good to catch up with your week, though it has some sadness in it.
ReplyDeleteMy older daughter loved tie dye but it was SO messy! And then the washer would take the brunt of the dye. Ugh. So sorry about Big Marge (I wanted to write Large Marge) because change is difficult at any stage of life, but especially as we age. Hope she adjusts well to her new place.
ReplyDeletePoor Marge. Doesn't sound as if she had any choice in the matter.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you have such an interesting activity to do. I love the look of tie dye, and saw some beautiful Nigerian tie dye cloth used in a display of African fashion recently. Unfortunately the traditional craft is being lost now that there is such easy access to cheap fabrics in many colours. I know it's probably progress, but I hope they can keep the traditional craft going somehow, too.
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying your weekly roundups.
ReplyDeleteWill look forward to seeing you decked out in your tie dye at the next weekly rountdup!
ReplyDeleteYou never know about supervisors and workers. I am almost 64 and my supervisor is 27. He's the best I've ever had.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Tie dye is fun. You can even use permanent markers, draw a design, then hit it with a spray of rubbing alcohol. Turns out okay, but kind of faded. So sorry for your friend Marge. I seem to find more things that I am no longer adept at and dread the day my girls will lose patience with me and commit me to a facility for care. My son would be quick to ignore my shortcomings to keep me around longer. He is my favorite, after all.
ReplyDeleteMy memory is dreadful, but I can remember the name of the person I'm talking to!
ReplyDeleteI've never made tie-dye anything, unfortunately. It does look like fun. Had you also made tie-dye clothes back when they were first in fashion? I can sort of see you having done that. Be well!
ReplyDeleteI haven't tie-dyed a shirt in a hot minute but it was fun when we did it. Hope the rest of your week has steadily improved. Take care, Joanne.
ReplyDelete