The Matriarch is still in hospital, and whilst there has been some improvement, I’m still unclear if they will send her home soon. A nurse was asking all sorts of questions about her home life and between my Mother and I, we managed to answer them. This suggests maybe they are planning to send her home? She’s been moved 3 times whilst on the one large ward, and now she’s on a totally different ward at the far end of the hospital. Seriously, it must be at least a mile’s walk from the car park, and up 3 flights – the lifts are mostly out of order. It’s exhausting!

It’s costing me over £5 each time I visit in petrol costs and car park fees. It takes 4 hours out of my day as it takes so long to get home again in rush hour traffic (visiting times are pretty rigid) and if you don’t arrive early, you simply won’t get a space in the car park. All this of course must have the car park owners rubbing their greedy little hands in glee. Add to this washing her nighties which she is now wearing – nobody else is doing it, and leaving her some money to buy magazines, drinks and so on, and it’s crippling. I haven’t done a proper food shop since she’s been in hospital as I’m so tired, not to mention broke.

My kid sister is now poorly with a chest infection she says, so I’m the only one visiting. My Mother has 4 children and loads of grandchildren. I live furthest away and I’m the only one visiting. I’m starting to feel very put upon; not by my Mother I hasten to add; bless her, she’s just grateful to have a visitor.

We were supposed to take my stepdad in to see her today (Wednesday) but I can’t manage his very heavy wheelchair on my own so that will have to wait until either my sister visits again with me, or else she’s sent home whichever happens first. My niece, her live-in carer, hasn’t visited once and states she’s cleaning house and catching up on sleep that my Mother constantly interrupts, so I’m told. Goodness knows what will happen if she’s taken poorly again once I’ve left the area; it’s a 260-mile round trip from where I plan to move to.

On that note, I’ve had 2 landlords respond that they will allow the dog, but each one is too far from the university for my son. He says it will cost too much in time and travel costs. I try… Even more frustrating than the constant rejection because I have a dog, is the agents who simply don’t respond to my emails! Who knew moving to a new house could be so frustrating and stressful…

The landlord has been over to measure up and sort some things out. He’s asked me twice to leave the furniture, so he can let the house furnished but the answer is no. It would save on moving costs, no doubt, and he’d pay me, however a lot of my furniture is pine, is good quality, and has proven to be long lasting. I doubt I could easily replace it with similar quality at a reasonable cost, plus, I don’t want to move in, and have to buy furniture in an area I don’t know well. He also asked, again, why my ex isn’t helping. What a laugh! He washed his hands, financially, of our son the moment our son turned 18. The only concession he was willing to make? If our son moved to Oz and lived with him, he would pay his university costs. Well, our son isn’t that easily bought or bribed.

Sorry, I’m having a vent. I feel a bit better now…