We're doing well right now

 I'm very pleased to be able to tell you that the reason for my lack of posts recently is not, as some of you may have thought, that things have been difficult.  On the contrary we've had a very lovely few days with smiles and laughter all round which is something to be savoured in the weird and wonderful world we inhabit.

I told you in my last post about Ash's birthday lunch with old work friends but I didn't know then how long the effect of that lunch would last.  His confidence has gone through the roof, much of his energy has come back and he's barely stopped smiling since.

We went to the pub for lunch on his birthday (Saturday) along with Jake and the 8 year old and that was a success, we met friends for coffee and cheese scones at a local churchyard on Easter Monday and that was a success, in fact for the past six days it's been fun almost all the way.

Just in case you feel a need to warn me, I really don't expect it to last and this morning I actually thought it was all over.  I'd arranged to go for coffee with a friend and almost cancelled but, although Ash's head was fogged when he first got up, by 10am it was obvious that the fog had started to clear so I took a deep breath and drove off for a glimpse of the sea.

Got home to find him calm and collected and on his way up onto the patio with his lunch.  It's hard to explain what a breakthrough this is, for Ash and for 'us'.  In a previous life, during the summer when he wasn't at work ,Ash was renowned for wearing shorts and going barefoot.  That all came to an end when dementia came calling and he was, I think, so focused on getting through each day he was frightened to relax.  Last summer there were glimpses of the old him but this summer that person is almost back as he was.  Not as quick or as capable of course but definitely laid back and lighter all round.

As for me the return of something resembling the old Ash is also having an effect.  Do you remember my fixation with matching clothes pegs?  Well over the weekend I found myself hanging clothes on the washing line without even noticing which pegs I was using.

That, my friends, is progress indeed.

Don't forget you can share specific posts with others by clicking on the 3 dots at the top right hand corner of the page, you can share the blog by copying and pasting the web address www.memoryfortwo.com or you can email me at memoryfortwo@gmail.com if you have anything you want to say privately.  You can also now follow me on twitter, just search for Memory For Two, and you can find me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/Memory-for-Two-287197572048864.