Update and Today’s kitty

I spoke to my mom this afternoon. It’s a cold damp day so she can’t sit in the courtyard. She’s getting used to her new place and she’s delighted that she has birds visiting her feeder. Her cats like the feeder, too. Lol.

She has about 6 of her kitty cards now. She loves all of her cards. I guess we are going to have to get her a binder or something for her to put them in.

This kitty sketch was requested by Sherri Jones on the Sktchy app using the #ginapleasedrawmycat hashtag on Sktchy. I really appreciate the support I am getting. It’s tough to have a parent start to lose their memory, and I am trying to give my mom something to focus on, like going to the mailbox, etc, to look for the cat cards. She’s adjusting to assisted living even though occasionally sounds like it’s a prison😂. Getting mail is always fun.

Berni’s kitty

My friend Berni sent me a photo of her kitty to sketch for my mom. I had a little fun doing this one. It’s mixed media. I forgot to ask Berni what is the name of her cat!

If you would like me to draw your kitty for my mom, please post your cat photos on Sktchy app with the hashtag #ginapleasedrawmycat and I will look for photos under that hashtag.

An update and today’s kitty for mom

Mom received several of her kitty cards. She was really excited. She was a little confused, she wanted to know where I “bought” them. I had to remind her that I did them. She loved the Mother’s Day card with her cats and couldn’t stop laughing about it. She kept saying it looked like the bird feeder outside her window. Uhm, it was the bird feeder outside her window, we bought it and put it up for her, but she was a little forgetful today so things weren’t clicking too well. I suggested that she hold it up and look toward the window and then she realized that I drew her window, blinds and all. Lol.

I am glad it brightened her day. Here is the kitty that I am mailing out in the morning.

Happy Mother’s Day

My mom is in assisted living now.  We had to move her there a few weeks ago so she can be supervised and be in a safe environment.  The place she moved to allows pets, so her cats, Barney & Pumpkin, went with her.  Alas, my mom has long forgotten her cats names so she calls them by their colors. When I tried to correct her, she insisted that their names are Mr Blackman & Mr L’Orange.  I have learned not to argue with someone with dementia.  It’s like trying to correct a stubborn five year old.  You just change the subject and hope they don’t remember they were trying to win a debate.

She likes the place for the most part, then complains she’s bored.  We scratch our heads because when she was at home, she did nothing but stare at the TV.  Now she socializes and participates in activities and can even attend Mass now.  It’s not easy to see her memory declining, but she is more spunky and healthier looking now,  It’s actually a really nice place.  All one floor and the residents can’t go AWOL.

On Friday, John and I drove the three hour drive to see her.  We hung some of my paintings on her wall and we gave her a bird feeder for Mother’s Day, to hang outside her window.  We figured Barney and Pumpkin might like that, too.  We installed the feeder, played checkers while we waited for my son and grandson.  We entertained my mom and her fellow residents by accusing each other of cheating at checkers.  We basically stirred the pot a bit, LOL.  After “entertaining” the place,  we took my mom out for pizza with my son and grandson. After spending the afternoon with her, we made the long drive back to Long Island.

I have been promising my mom a little sketch of her cats.  I already gave her a really cute card for Mother’s Day, but I made this little postcard of Barney & Pumpkin deciding what to give her.  I figured it might make her feel more at home to get mail.   She doesn’t use a computer so she will see this when it is delivered.fullsizeoutput_653

Enjoy your day and have a Happy Mother’s Day.