Life After a Visitor

My friend Susan from New Zealand was here visiting for the last two weeks. She was wonderful about helping with the dishes. It was so nice to not have to do so many little things. She also took the dogs for at least one walk almost every day. It seemed so natural to have her here. I felt myself getting rather depressed the night before she left, and I noticed last night while lying in bed that I'd gotten accustomed to the feeling that there was someone downstairs below me in the basement, which is where she slept. I set up the bed I used to sleep in and it looked quite nice with the rug and bedside table.

We mostly hung out here and cooked and baked a lot--and ate a lot, too, of course. One day we drove (taking Mary along) to Berea. We also went out to Angie's over to Mom's a few times. One afternoon we drove through Cherokee Park, stopping at Dog Hill to let the dogs get out of the car and meet some other dogs.

Unfortunately, on Wednesday Mary woke up with diarrhea, which continued all day along with vomitting. Luckily, though, the nurse was supposed to come to release her, so she was able to check her out and give me some tips about what to do. She said she'd seen 10 other people that day with this bug. She came back on Friday, by which time Mary had gotten better. She told me about the BRAT diet, but I knew about that from Gina. She told me to wait 12 hours after the vomitting stopped to start the BRAT foods and then 12 hours after the diarrhea to start normal foods. She also said not to give Mary coke because that had a lof of acid in it, so it really wasn't good for someone with diarrhea--that's just an old wives' tale. She was also able to look through Mary's medications and tell me which ones weren't necessary while she was sick.

We were supposed to go out to Angie's yesterday because it was her 90th birthday. The weather was beautiful, although a bit cool. However, I was the one with diarrhea, so we didn't go. Mary was very tired today and it was stormy and rainy, so maybe we'll go Wednesday. Anna baked a cake. I have to admit that I partially didn't want to go because Angie's getting on my last nerve at the moment. The other day she said something to me which royally pissed me off. The more I think about it, the madder it makes me. She suddenly said, "I don't know where you get the money that you get things with. I don't want to know." I don't even know what we were talking about. Oh, that burns me up! What business is it of hers? And where does she think I get money from? She knows I don't have a cent to my name? I guess she's worried about Mary's stocks and bonds because that's what she was supposed to get in Mary's will. Plus, she annoyed me because she said we should bring Mary out regardless of her having diarrhea--just give her half an Immodium and half a banana. And in response to the rain today, she said, "What, are you afraid she's going to melt?" Also, Mary told her several times that she had sent the pink sweater that Angie got in the mail, and then when Angie finally understood, she yelled at Mary for not telling her when she'd asked--she was the one who hadn't understood! She said the other day that she was wearing her hearing aid--but in the wrong ear. Like that's going to help anything! I just get so tired of her selfishness, egotism and crass manners.

Just as I had suspected, Mary has been rather confused about where the little girl who was staying in the basement is. She's also been very confused about "going home" and surprised about this being her house. I don't know which is worse, mental or physical unwellness.