And on the seventh day, she didn't rest...

[wiseheart]

In the morning, Mum and I went to the church because today is Grandma's birthday - she'd be 121, hadn't she stopped at 96. Since we can't go to the cemetery right now, we thought a short prayer in the church would do. Circumstances and all.

Afterwards, I started to clean the furniture that's going back to the balcony tomorrow. It took me several hours, since they are rarely moved and just superficially cleaned on a semi-regular basis, so yeah. They were dirty.

While I was battling decades-old accumulated dirt, Mum cooked lunch: Faschiertes mit Kartoffelbrei. Yum. But it is a lot of work for someone of her age, not to mention the washing-up afterwards. Which she insists on doing, despite my protests. You just can't reason with the elderly if they are in the mood of being helpful. *sigh*

After all this, I felt the serious urge to do something that was actually fun, so I cut out all the parts for the oven mittens I'm planning to make for Theo to go with the cookbook. They won't be finished until his birthday, which is in next month, but at least I already have the right idea for a fitting Christmas gift. ;)

Tomorrow the cleaning will continue, this time with help. I can't wait this whole ordeal to be over.

Comments

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

I feel with you. Especially since all those things from the balcony are restriting your range of motion! Your mum is incredibly tough! And she´s definitely a good cook judging by her choice of meals!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

She is both of those things indeed. :)
When we want to eat something traditional (and yummy), she is cooking. When we want to eat something experimental or simply new that we've come to like, I am cooking. That way each of us does what she can do better.

[meathiel]

Faschiertes is minced meat, isn't it? It's such a typical Austrian word, we don't use it here.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Was sagt ihr denn? Frikadellen?
Das Deutsch das ich in der Familie gelernt habe ist maßgeblich mit dem österreichischen Sprachgebrauch verwandt. Als ich im Kloster war in Deutschland, wir haben es genossen, mit den österreichischen Mitnovizinnen über Kukuruz und Karfiol und ähnlichem zu sprechen, und die deutschen Schwestern haben verdutzt geguckt. *g*

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

I have finally sat down to my computer, having a quiet day at home for a change. I've read your past 2 weeks' of posts:) These past two weeks must be enough to tear your hair out, with the renovations to the balconies, and all the work involved in insulation, windows and blinds. And going through all the storage items! I would be exhausted.

One thing you noted early on, that perhaps The Leak will be fixed for once and for all! I nearly cheered aloud when I read that! Time (and a good rain) will tell, and I have my fingers crossed for you. And insulation and new windows — wonderful improvements!

My mouth watered over your cooking and baking, as usual:) Those almond triple layer cookies look delicious!

Wishing you best of luck with the rest of the balcony project. And I'm so happy to hear your Mum continues to feel well and is getting out and about with you here and there!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The windows won't be new, though; just the blinds need to be re-sized because now the window openings have become somewhat smaller. But I definitely hope that the leak has been fixed — if I had to sacrifice my satellite dish and an obscenely large amount of money, at least it should work!

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

Oops, I was thinking the windows has to be redone also, that the new insulation made them smaller:) whew one less thing needing a redo!

I was sorry to see your satellite connection got cut. Hopefully you'll still find means to view your favorite channels.

Also I forgot to tell you how I commiserate with you on cleaning blinds. At our old house we had blinds on 8 windows and I dreaded cleaning them!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I never did until now; and I decided that I'll be able to ignore dirt in the future, too. *g*

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

LOL I'm with you on that:)

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

That was a nice way to remember your grandmother.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

We'd have preferred to go to the cemetery, but since that was not possible I thought this would do.

[amedia.livejournal.com]

You just can't reason with the elderly if they are in the mood of being helpful. *sigh*

You know how certain things become a "saying" in a family, especially if they're repeated often? My family has the saying, "Sit down, Ma!" because that's what my dad was constantly saying to my Nana whenever we visited; she was always springing up to offer to get something for someone.

I'm sure your Grandma appreciated the prayer in the church. ♥

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I think she did. She liked to be the centre of attention — but in a good way. :)

[medievalrosalie.livejournal.com]

At least every day is another day closer to having it all finished! A good scrub down will make the furniture look brighter when it all goes back too!

I'm pretty excited about the little mitts you're planning to make. They sound really cute.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

They won't be really small, just perhaps a tad smaller than the ones made for adults. But yeah, I think they'll be cute.

[disthrainsdotte.livejournal.com]

Getting decades of dirt off things can be a pain in the backside at times but it does feel good when it is done. By the sound of it your grandmum would be about as old as my maternal grandmun and granddad would have been had they been alive (104 and 105 respektively).

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Quite frankly, all I could think of while cleaning the dratted blinds was that I for my part can ignore dirt quite well...

[disthrainsdotte.livejournal.com]

So can I, at least on some things.

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

Hope you and your Mum have smooth sailing ahead.