Creamy mushroom pasta

As usual, mum woke me up this morning to say she wasn’t feeling well.

I suppose it’s one of the small mercies of her memory condition that she doesn’t really remember that she felt just as unwell yesterday, and the day before that, and for several weeks before that.

With mum’s head pounding, and no options for relief available to me, I started to compose an email to the GP asking once again for help.

Then I thought that my words would carry more weight if I had followed up on their recommendation that mum get an appointment with the local mental health team. The person I spoke to was immensely helpful, and mum is now booked in for an assessment early next month.

Once I had fulfilled my urgent need for a cup of coffee, I went back to my email, which prompted me to realise that I hadn’t heard back from the optician about a home visit to test mum’s eyesight (and mine, while we’re at it). One phone call later, that was also booked, for the middle of next month.

I talked mum through what I had done, then my phone rang for my twice-monthly Job Centre meeting, which I had completely forgotten about. I’m now booked in for an in-person appointment next week, and have been warned that spending my inheritance on something frivolous like a holiday might be looked on unfavourably if I need to claim again in the future. I suppose I can see their point – they don’t want benefits claimants in my position to blow all their money on luxuries and then have to fall back on benefits again – but the fella I spoke to agreed that a holiday would be completely justified in my situation.

I did get confirmation that a mobility scooter would be considered a necessity, though, which is good as I have every intention of buying one. I have invited mum to come with me on my scooter shopping trip, but her head hurt badly enough that she couldn’t even really contemplate going out.

Then I placed an order with Graces Bakery for a loaf of bread and some rolls, as we’re nearly out, as well as some fruit scones as they’re one of the things mum will reliably eat. Unfortunately there’s a delivery charge of £5 for orders under £15, so I had to order some doughnuts to get above that amount. What a pity, eh?

As meal time rolled around, mum asked me what was for dinner. I replied “mushroom pasta”, only to discover that mushrooms are moving towards inclusion on the ever-growing list of things mum doesn’t like. She asked me to chop the mushrooms finely rather than slicing them, which is why the finished product looks like someone had already eaten it. (A thought that I really wished had occurred to me after eating.)

It tasted OK, but not imo good enough to make up for its unfortunate visual appearance.

Now I’m sitting / sliding off my orthopedic chair, looking forward to going to bed as all those phone calls have left me exhausted.

Which is why this post is just going to stop suddenly here.