Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 41 & a Monday

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from March 31 - April 6, and April 7.


We still had some eggs to experiment so we went for pancakes. Especially since auntie seems to find something inherently exhilarating about the cakemaking process. With the spring gathering momentum, we'd take longer trips outdoors, even explore the street a little. In recent weeks auntie had developed a keen interest towards spruce-cones piling up on the lawn. (The stone collection, apparently, was satisfactory for the time.) She'd gathered a few handful of those already when she vocalized a new hypothesis: could it perhaps be that if you placed one of those in the ground, a tree would come up? Later on I noticed she had placed a bunch of cones into a bowl and watered them.

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 40 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from March 24 - 30.


During one of her discover&interact rounds, auntie had discovered a carton of eggs and formed a theory that those could be used for making food. I confirmed that her theory was sound; after pondering over the options, we settled on boiling some. The only minor setback occurred when I plain dropped one of the chosen atop the stove (it still had plenty of substance left for boiling afterwards). Once our prey was secured on plates and stripped of shells, I sliced mine on a piece of bread and asked auntie how she was planning to prepare hers. After a moment of creative silence she whispered: "I know exactly what I'm going to do."
[And scene.]

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 39 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from March 17 - 23.


I had noticed that the auntie had become consistently accurate in memorizing/ guessing the "coffee numbers" and got curious about it. So, in the midst of the morning coffee ritual (I pour the water and announce the number of cups, she fishes out the filter and fold it, I deploy the filter while she manages the coffee tin open, I dig the coffee pack out of the tin, we both sniff the aroma, then I ask how many cups it was, then measure out the coffee and finally ask her to push the 'on' switch) I inquired what the secret was. She proudly showed the "finger count" she'd been grasping. So how would she keep track of a tricky number like four-and-half ? One finger bent of course!

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 38 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from March 10 - 16.


We'd fully developed the habit of going up to my old room/study/sundeck after breakfast - for some advanced weather watching and carspotting. (The road and traffic are constantly a big deal, sometimes the target of despise, other times of fascination.) The auntie has this rock-solid theory that the passing cars, once they're out of our view, turn around and return. (Rock-solid because the idea is based on the traffic reality back home.) I had her pick distinctive-looking vehicles going one direction and then watch out for their return (yay for sneaky memory exercises). When none did, she had her eyes widen in revelation and partially accepted the idea that it might not be the same ones going back and forth, but some coming and some going. (There are also various theories floating around about where they all might be headed; also attempts to make traffic-based guesses of what the weekday might be.)

The end of the week brought some surprise snow. March as usual, good news for the still-not-uprooted snowdrops. 

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 37 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from March 3 - 9.


That week the Flower Digging Season got started. The auntie had been eyeing the snowdrops for a while and finally gathered enough momentum for the dig mode. The ground proved still frozen so the flowers gained a few more days of mercy - until the inevitable could no longer be postponed.

There were other developments as well. I'd already let the auntie mostly manage the kitchen stove herself - but that week the stoveside emancipation reached to a new level. Occasionally I spend nights in my old room/ study and return to "refugee camp" for medicine time and a bit of followup nap, opening the stove dampers on the way. That week, going downstairs I found the kitchen stove (as well as auntie herself) already in full throttle. To my inquiry about how she managed to reach the damper, she gleefully demonstrated the climb-atop-some-firewood-reach-out-the-knife manoeuvre. (That would be the same kitchen knife depicted with snowdrops.) As impressive as I found the creative use of tools and environment, I recognized the safety issues involved and decided to remain downstairs for the nights to come. The next morning, awakened to dispense the morning medicine, I found the stove already going once again. Knowing I wouldn't be able to keep up with the early rising contest, I, too turned to some inventive tool use. After deploying the long-handle ladle with just the perfect hook, there has been no more evidence of firewood-stack-parkour.

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 36 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from February 24 - March 2.

The week began by pulling off an almost impossible feat that required aligning and balancing a lot of little things and processes just right: we managed to take the auntie to an Independence Day celebration with the Defence League. A formal event, that is. Inciting the process of "we're going somewhere today" was not that difficult in itself. Then again, convincing auntie that bare pantyhose does not quite qualify as festive attire ("But I am already dressed. See how pretty!") took quite some effort. Eventually she accepted the skirt I was offering - then added her little go-anywhere kitchen apron to the mix, just for the good measure. When on-site, all went well and we got to stuff our faces with cake. (No pictures of it that I'd care to share publicly.) Only after returning home did I realize the amount of focus and effort that I'd been exerting; a long slumber ensued.

The rest of the week was mostly quiet (my followup slumber sessions extended into several days). Plenty of trips outdoors, though. Some days the usual "outdoor quests" (check laundry, bring kitty, bring firewood) were not even necessary - the fresh spring-y air itself proved motivating enough.

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 34 -35 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from February 10 - 16 and February 17 - 23.


We went on an epic quest to find a good pot for the uprooted plant. The plant approved. I also managed to decrypt the Mystery Of Collectible Stones: apparently the auntie has formed a clear plan to hem in a flower patch back home; whether a specific or a hypothetical one, I could not tell.
Also - snowdrops popping up everywhere; heading towards an early spring suspected (in "long winter years" we get similar weather in April as we do in "short winter years" February).

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 33 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from February 3 - 9.

Among other things (incorporating the Sneaky Nimble Finger Training Tactics of coffee filter retrieval to the morning ritual, fixing a leaky kettle with some lucky leftover Sugru, marvelling over the jet streams in sky, some overall nest-space structuring and decorating) I managed to be "bad" influence. Or creative. In the deepest dark and cold of winter, I had not had the heart to throw away the carrot stubs that were sprouting green. Instead, I'd stuck the stronger sprouts into shot glasses and watered them (greenery ensued). One day (when returning from some errands upstairs - go figure) I found that the auntie had proudly followed my lead, uprooting some strands from a resident flowerpot and sticking them in water.

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 32 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from January 27 - February 2.


A most remarkable development occurred that week. A lot of my work with the auntie involves eating the proverbial red berries - and the results can vary a great deal. After I'd begun inviting her along to the shower she'd been enthusiastic to observe my endeavours close by but always refused when I'd invite her to join in. Then one morning, returning from some chores upstairs, I found her waiting to tell me something with determined look on her face, trying to hold on to an already fleeting thought. She requested that I take her along to the warm falling water and let her have some. Next time. If it wasn't too much trouble. Because "she's an elderly person and does not know these things." I cheered for the incredible coincidence that I was *just* about to go there myself, and improvised the logistics on the fly. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and we've taken on the recurring quest ever since.

 (Also, winter. )

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 30 & 31 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from January 13 - 19, and January 20- 26

A cold wave arrived and eliminated the "would there be any snow?" from the daily discussions list. Added bonus for me: basic workout without having to wander too far. (It had been quite clear from the get-go that regular town life would not offer the level of physical activity I'd become used to. So, looking for available ass-moving options, I'd promptly volunteered for the snow duty.) Sweeping a broom in the manner of wielding a scythe proved to be super effective. The cold wave also meant increased need for heating, meaning increased need for firewood, meaning more regular trips outdoors. I'd once again have to deal with the "what if there's work" challenge, trying to accommodate focused thinking-writing time to the available (and wishful) timeslots in my schedule. Around this time I started to invite the auntie along to the shower room to "assist" and watch me bathe (This would become relevant later).

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 26 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". 
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from December 16 - 22. 


The first week in town had been hectic but survivable. My on-duty schedule had gone from "24-hour watch" to "24-hour readiness" to "9-to-5 watch" in just a few days. Now it was all about finding the balance points within the day, establishing little routines, settling the daily paths, "calibrating the normal". Also, time to pick up the central objective of maintaining certain levels of activity, stimulation, motivation. My sister's lunchbreak visits proved very helpful - plenty of vegetables eaten, plenty of outdoor strolls taken. Missing garment mysteries also proved quite an incentive to go explore, and observe the unknown. (In the quest to find and rescue her beloved checkered jacket, auntie walked great lengths indoors and out with no objection, then diligently watched the washing machine go on about its business for half an hour.)
Recurring daily discussion topics: when would we go back home (and all the things to take along); would there be snow; neighbour's light decorations are pretty.

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 25 (Town edition)

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition".
During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. In December 2013 we had to relocate to town for a while - I'll be doing my best to keep up the weekly picture chronicles. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from December 9 - 15.

We set up refugee camp in the spare room in my parents' house - the same one where the aunt had been last winter. (Has its own kitchen and all.) My old room upstairs would double as storage, buffer space, and study. I had been bracing myself for another full-blown Week One, but the settling would actually go a lot easier. Even though auntie was not amused that we'd "stay there for the night" and "would not go home first thing in the morning,"she was mostly aware where we were and recognized-remembered the terrain and her previous routines on it. The move would still be very disruptive and traumatic for us both - but at least now I was finally able to fully focus on my actual grannysitting assignment and catch some breath. And hey, come to think of it, running water and indoor plumbing are kinda cool!

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 24 - and a weekend

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from November 30 - December 6, and December 7 - 8.

That week we saw the first proper cold this year - strong enough to paint all windows with frost. It made the most magnificent morning air - I celebrated the occasion with a tiny morning-coffee-stroll. Also in the week's weather menu: waves of snowfall (to auntie's great delight), followed by a warmer air mass gradually turning the skyward waters liquid again.

Grannysitting under Siege

These last few weeks I have been circulating this magnum opus among my contacts (in Estonian as well as in English). Now that I've caught up with the "present day"in my weekly chronology posts, it's time to publish it here as well. Playing dirty - sure enough. But hey, at least I'm broadcasting my own sensitive information in the process too.

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 23 November 2013 00:05
Subject: Social Spam: a bad case of Relatives, please help spreading the word

[I apologize in advance for such an out-of-nowhere Carpet Spamming. Viral news-spreading seems like a good extra remedy for the difficult situation I'm in. I’ve already sent out dozens of these in Estonian, now I’m reaching out in English.]


Dear folks

I turn to you in a gruesome exotic ailment - I have come down with a bad case of Relatives. Just one to be exact - my uncle.

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 23.

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from November 23 - 29.

This cold wave lasted a little longer, bringing along an abundance of pretty frost and some proper ice. The aunt sprung into action and called for some epic tub-turning, then attacking the ice with a stick (unprovoked, I might add). I gouged out the pieces and tried to keep up - what she lacked in efficiency (she'd grabbed the nearest scoop-looking object which just happened to be a sifter), she made up in determination. The tub well turned brings praise and cheers; additional cheers and praise for the cover job I'd done on the access point after the Epic Doodie Haul.

Later that week a little bit of first snow came - along with warmer airs, so bye bye pretty frost until next time. Indoors I gained some "ingenious womenfolk" (osav naisterhvas) points for changing a lightbulb - and the discarded one became "one with the nature", or in this case, with the interior decor.

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 22.

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from November 16 - 22.

About that time the auntie took the initiative to do the oven-stove heating herself. (Just the one, "her stove" using the prepared stack of "her logs".) I'm guessing it was a combination of outdoor activities getting scarce and my leaving the "toys" conveniently out there for exploring, also her fascination with building fires and concern over tending the stoves in general. I had made a small woodstack in the pantry, originally intended to serve as longterm extra stock for kitchen stove and doubling as wall insulation. During the stack'n'carry operation the aunt remained unimpressed; then she began little pantry inspection rounds, contemplating what all that wood would be good for. One day I heard her coming from the pantry, then appear to the doorway, victorious, with a bundle of logs which she started to line up inside the stove. The first few times I assisted more hands-on, helping to tear the newspaper-tinder, adjusting the burning logs myself, bringing matches. After a few times this was no longer necessary and i merely stood by for assistance and commenting on the process.

That week we also had some more cold waves, bringing some proper November frost and "proper ice" on the rainwater tub. There was also a wave of indoor exploration (the aunt gets those sometimes) - resulting in some odd relocations of some odd items. I believe she dispersed some random toiletries in kitchen cabinets; I took that-old-photo-of-a-dude-we-don't-have-a-clue-about to warm and dry.

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 21.

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from November 9 - 15.

Around that time we started making breakfast together. So far the morning routine had gone something like this: the aunt awakes me and asks for the morning medicine, after the dispensary ritual I go to doze off for a wee bit more, around nine-ish I crawl out of the bunk again to brush teeth while sampling the morning air (sometimes "morning shower", i.e. One Bucket Fresh O'Well is in order), then I prepare the coffee and porridge, bring them to table and the two of us eat together. One morning I invited the aunt along to the preparation process an we've never looked back. She immediately adopted the role of Coffee Tin Guardian (sneaky fine-motoric bonus: she's opening and closing the lid lock thingie on her own initiative). The process is quite fun and rather awesome (if I do say so myself) - and I don't have any photos of it.

Speaking of photos, I finally found the time to go ahead and capture more of the obscure past treasures. Featured this time: accumulated coins and little wonders from the Aunt's husband's trips abroad (a rare treat in the deep Soviet times and the associated items quickly became relics of a sort).

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 20.

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from November 2 - 8.

There was one crowning moment to look forward to that week, and the one moment to define the week itself: the Epic Doodie Haul. Reaching the rich depths took a bit more of digging than anticipated, but the utility tech didn't mind (let's admit - the traffic sign stratigraphy used as insulation is an awesomeness you don't see every day). The aunt excitedly stood watch at the window while I snapped pictures on-sight and stood by for assistance. The rest of this week was dedicated to ecstatic reminiscence. (Auntie gave me extra praise for the whole photo-chronicle aspect.)

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 19.

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from October 26 - November 1.

That week I went to take the few-day "town break" - to disassemble my bunk for transportation (and also regain some strength for putting up with the tiring "Relatives+" situation). Sucking-cold floor finally averted, comfort achieved. The aunt was very much impressed with the "big work" of reassembly and suddenly came to accept the furniture arrangement I had worked out over time.
Also - more benefits of going digital in old age (some time ago we'd "walked" the nearby area with Google streetview and she had been able to give the directions for visiting a friend of hers). The white neighbourhood kitty, all posed up, escaped before the aunt could reach the window. But the habit of watching digital photos together (almost daily) let us delve into the moment with due attention (critical intel: she cares deeply for All Things Kitty but this one has been granted special affection.)

Granny-sitting Chronicles: Week 18.

In June 2013 I moved to countryside with my elderly aunt to run a "Grannysitting Expedition". During this time I have been taken pictures more or less constantly. I'll be posting these picture chronicles one week at the time. Previous week is in this post.


The following moments are from October 19 - 25.

I needn't have worried about how to keep up the outdoor activity level. Once the autumn leaves had all fallen, the aunt swiftly took it upon herself to bring in all the firewood. Mostly we'd go on a shed-raid together but when I happened to not be around for some reason, she had it all figured&settled - upon my return, I'd find a bundle waiting at my stove and her instructing how she'd already taken care of all the wood and not it was time for me to prepare the stove-ful and light it up.

At the same time she remained extremely sceptical about the plans to manoeuvre the outdoor stacks into a more sheltered location, i.e. to the shed. A foolish plan, and a useless one; she'd already carried in all the wood after all; why would we need to work on any more wood if there was already so plenty? So what if the snow comes - snow would not come this time around, after all it's not even here this time of the year yet ... More or less the same way she had initially felt about the original stock'n'stacks, although a lot more articulate this time.

Meanwhile, I kept observing the skies (a storm on the way, they said) and had my morning coffee out in the "porch", enjoying the scarce sunlight.