Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Mother and the birthday gift

Mother: What shall I buy my favourite son for his birthday? I know! He needs a Bluetooth connected device he can listen to in the shower. He can take phone calls and listen to radio and podcasts.

What I expect is that ABI Brother won the device at his club weekly raffle. 

While I haven't taken phone calls using the device, I have listened to radio. I tried to prise it from the shower door glass without too much effort and it would not remove freely. It has to be set quite loudly to hear over the shower noise and deeper voices are harder to hear than sharp lighter voices. I'll have to get it off when Household Management cleans my ensuite. 

I spoke to Sister last night. I recently asked Mother what her weight was at its maximum, I think when she was in her fifties. She replied 11 stone. I can't remember stones and pounds at all. Ok, 70kg/US154lbs. Sister told me Mother now weighs 38kg.

Her doctor who she calls Dumbo was booked out when she wanted an appointment. She was happy because that meant she could see the lovely Sri Lankan born doctor, with his 'big liquid brown eyes and constant white teethed smiling'. He patted her shoulder as she left the room and said "You'll be ok Mrs C. We'll look after you". In Mother's mind, that was a really good doctor's visit. Mother was only there to get blood pressure checked. I think she does this weekly. It was 190 but a few minutes later 170. Her upper blood pressure level is very variable, between 110 and 200. Of course she takes prescribed blood pressure medication but she obsesses about it. While she is a doctor's nightmare, she is a very profitable patient to have. 

Anyway, the device she gave me for my birthday is a bit of fun. It connected to my phone easily and works as it should. 


22 comments:

  1. Interesting. I have been very disappointed by the Blue Tooth devices. And since I got my new phone which has no earphone jack I am stuck.

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    1. Maribeth, we too have struggled with Bluetooth connections but for once this one just worked.

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  2. Just the thought of taking phone calls in the shower makes me shudder. I don't think I would happily listen to anything either. Himself is another matter (not the phone calls). I may have to think about that.
    Your mama's weight has dropped very low. And hooray for a doctor's visit she enjoyed.

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    1. EC, quite so about the phone. I would not. Most of Mother's medical problems are those of old age and incurable. It is care and doctor bedside manner that makes her feel better.

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  3. You are more up to date with technology than me. It is such a luxurious way to have shower listening to music

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    1. Roentare, while I have used it twice in three weeks, I can't see it staying there.

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  4. What a lovely thoughtful present! I wonder if ABI brother offered it up or if it was commandeered.
    38kgs is not much. Is she tiny in stature as well?

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    1. Caro, thoughtful my ... No. Bluetooth is beyond my brother's brain and phone. What to do with it? Give it to my favourite son for his birthday.

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  5. Is "Household Management " in fact Mister "R"?
    I love to listen to my shower radio when soaping my crevices and protuberances so I think that your dear old Mama chose wisely for the man who has everything.

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    1. YP, indeed HM is R. How far to you have to reach to soap all your protuberances?

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  6. Your post and many of these comments made me laugh. I'm sorry your family are such a trial.

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    1. Darla, they are for R because he cares too much. Of course we all care for our family but we don't let it get to us like R does.

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  7. 38kg isn't very much, perhaps an ice cream a day would help to bring that up a little? my heaviest weight was (holy doughnut!!) 83kg which is 13 stone. I'm now 12 stone and aiming for 10 (65kg).
    Why does anyone need to be listening to anything at all in the shower? Get in, get washed, get out.

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    1. River, 82 is my weight now. I'd be happy with 70. After a lifetime of quick showers before work I decided a shower should last at least five minutes. It is a luxury I can afford and there isn't a shortage of water now. Really, I like quiet in the shower. It is my thinking and planning time without distractions.

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  8. How long do you spend in the shower that you need the radio on or even the opportunity to answer the phone? All that big business is behind you now. As River said - in get wet soap up rinse off and out. Now soaking in the bath is entirely different 😊

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    1. Cathy, your shower advice is what I do if I am in a hurry. I seldom am. So I soak in the shower.

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  9. Happy Birthday For when it was Andrew.
    Handy device to have I know one of my sons would use something like that as he always has music loud so he can hear it when he's in his shower..

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    1. Mid October Margaret. Thanks. Maybe you as a mother could buy your son one for his birthday.

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  10. Well you live and learn. I can understand the pleasure of a radio in the bath but not a shower. With the shortage of water and the increase in energy bills, taking a long shower just doesn't seem right anymore.

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    1. Marie, for some of us a five minute shower is very therapeutic in more than one way. Once I take the radio off the shower door for cleaning I won't bother putting it back.

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  11. Do you dance to the music in the shower? My older brother used to sing in the shower. I thought he was pretty good. We could hear him throughout the house. Your mom is about like Comet at his end, lost most of his body weight but sure liked a kind a word and a pet. He couldn't keep his body heat properly either with such low body weight. I use a bluetooth player for music from my phone or computer. It works very well with good tone.

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    1. Strayer, no dancing or singing in the shower for me. Just the sound of running water is good. The trouble with my mother is that she is actually very sound, just frail. The quality of sound from small speakers now is amazing.

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