We all joke about mother in laws.
I am lucky. Mine is smashing. She has always been supportive and has never taken sides. She enjoys the odd MIL joke too.
In WW2, as a kid, she survived being strafed by the Luftwaffe by diving in to gorse bushes when out in the open and on another occasion bunked off school with her older brother and went in to the back garden to play just as their home exploded behind them curtesy of a lone raider. Shortly after AA guns were installed across the town.
She moved to the bright lights of London as soon as she could and worked in the city and joined lots of clubs including a choir which was in a command performance for Her Majesty.
Before Covid, she had a full social diary, but would always make time for family, though sometimes you had to fit in with bus time tables (she didn't drive). All her social activities kept her healthy, thinking and bright.
Covid changed all that and despite frequent visits from us, often at the far end of the garden (she had cancer so we couldn't risk her getting ill), she felt lonely, isolated and robbed of her independence.
Since lockdown reduced she has been going out with Mrs Z and SIL.
Then the week before last, on her first solo venture in to town on her own some lowlife targeted the frail 84 year old and mugged her. Luckily she wasn't hurt, just shaken.
She of course had her address on her key-ring (from more innocent times) so I changed all the locks that night.
On Monday, Mrs Z took her out for a walk along the seafront with the intention of getting some fresh air and exercise as well as the obligatory ice-cream.
Unfortunately moments after getting out of the car, she stumbled, fell and hit her head. She's on blood thinners so there was blood everywhere.
There were some good people around who came and helped Mrs Z try to comfort her mum and look after the dog until an ambulance arrived. She spent the day in hospital and though she looks like she has gone 9 rounds with Mike Tyson, she was sent home.
Mrs Z spent the night and yesterday with her and SIL is doing tonight and tomorrow and they will rotate until she feels well enough to stay alone - she wants her independence.
Why am I writing this at 4:30AM? Well, it's cathartic and I can't sleep; it really upset me to see someone I admire and don't mind saying love, change so much over the last few weeks and months and it also underlines the point that the COVID lockdown has hidden victims.
We know our job is to get her back to her former self.
Look after yourselves and your loved ones.
Zippy.
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A Hommage to Mother In Law new
A Hommage to Mother In Law new