Family time.

We played Happy Family at the weekend.
Took Okaasan downtown in the car, delivered her to the hair salon and then 2 hours later picked up an amazingly transformed, classy-cut lady and took her to dinner in a department store.
;-)

Haircut SO improves Okaasan. Probably inside the head, as well as out.

When we go out with her the little Okaasan-isms are there all the time : the constant checking questions, the ready-way-ahead-of-time, the clothing oddities ("I need to take my toweling dress to the hair salon to wear OVER my blouse and pants, in case it is cold") and the ramdom comments about things glimpsed from the car.
But she was happy. It all wasn't too stressful for us. Mission Accomplished.

Random bits here too:

# Day car manager came for a regular meeting last week, and Okaasan appeared to agree that she would like to go to the center TWICE a week. We doubt that was a real, understood decision. Probably just being polite and agreeing with a visitor.
I find it interesting that she actually qualifies for two days a week - I thought it was only once a week. Maybe they start everyone at one and try to increase it? Would be wonderful if she'd go.....we'll see if she continues at once a week in April and whether twice in May is doable.

#WE just bought a DVD player for Okaasan's TV. We've just recorded and watched a great program about amateur videos shot in Japan between 1946-1960 - ordinary life and big events - and we think Okaasan would LOVE to see this program (and others like it). Japanese TV is recently waking up to the fact that increasing numbers of viewers are oldies and want nostalgia programs...so now there are more and more about old singers, reruns of old dramas and the like.
Okaasan stares at the TV all day - often TV shopping and the weather channel (when she presses the wrong button on the remote), the DVD player would mean we could show her programs we think she'd enjoy.

And, in another family...

:-)  I had lunch with an old colleague last week - who has been caring for her dementia-suffering mother alone for years. Now mum is finally in care.
I asked what had finally forced her to use full-time care. Did something happen? Mum had a meltdown? Violence?
"Yes, my blood pressure went way up!".......

:-( But less smiley face. The same friend said that recently her mother's face looks unhappy when one care center staff enters the room, and finally the other day mum managed to get out the word "bullying"...now she is worried what is happening to her mum and the other old residents when family members are not around. She is going to leave a secret recording device next to mum's bed.

Okaasan is SO lucky to be with Dear Son and his amazing girlfriend.