Mark’s been here for 5 days now and I think I’ve discovered the secret. It takes TWO. Two to drag Jerry along in a parking lot. Two to get him to the car. One person gets him outside and keeps him occupied while the other gathers whatever things are needed before getting in the car. You see, when Jerry and I go somewhere, normally, I get him down to the car and encourage him to go get in while I go back get the things I forgot (like my cell phone, my bank deposit slips, whatever). While I run back upstairs, he turns around and heads back up with me. Now, I know you are saying, go ahead and PUT him in the car and shut the door. Ah-ha.....I’ve already tried that. Whatever I do, if I go back upstairs, he is out of the car and headed back up too. AND if I let him get too far, he opens the gate and lets the dog out...then I have he AND the dog to round up again. Now, you’re saying...well, don’t forget anything. Yeah, right. Don’t tell me you’ve not had to run back in for something trivial from time to time.
SO, it was great yesterday, when, while I completed wedding response cards to put in the mailbox, I told Mark to go ahead and get Jerry to the car. By the time I got downstairs, they were throwing a ball in the driveway, and then Mark put the dog away and we ALL got in the car at one time. IMAGINE THAT!
Another TWO thing, is that one can clean up the house or walk the dog, while the other is making sure Jerry’s questions are answered or that he goes to the bathroom. One can cook, while the other one sets up the tray. One can clean up while the other one gets the correct channel on the TV. One can take him outside while the other makes a phone call (these would be phone calls that he doesn’t need to hear...like insurance, financial, medical, etc.) One can help him with his shoes and bring him off the sand, while one talks to a couple on the beach about assisted living facilities. The list goes on and on.
The job seems almost doable...manageable.
Course, Mark will eventually go home and I’ll be left without the other half of the team. I figured, he really doesn’t get up until 10:00. I get up at 6:00. I go to bed with Jerry at 10:00, Mark goes to bed at ....who knows. But, whatever, I figure the TWO thing needs to happen between 10:00 and 6:00. Hmmmm. A NANNY! Wonder how much nanny’s cost?
Course, a nanny needs to be a strong pioneer like moi. One who can also dig a trench in my front flower bed so that the water doesn’t settle on the carport and make things too slippery. One who can pull a weed or two. One who can fix the toilet paper holder that has fallen off the wall. Do you think nannies can do those things?
That would cost me a small fortune, but it sure wouldn’t be as expensive as assisted living.