She uses the purse like a suitcase and keeps everything in there from toothpaste to notepads (usually three or more) to the remote control for her TV. The laundry basket holds everything else in the room that she can jam into it. It doesn't matter that Tracy attached a big label to it that says "Dirty Clothes".
One of the things we really liked about KG was that they had memory boxes outside each room where you could place photos and mementos and other things that would remind the resident of family and home. However, we can't get Blanche to stop emptying that. Yesterday, she finally beat us! We did not even try to put back any of the pictures or little moose figurine that we had been putting in there during every visit. She wins because I doubt we will try again.
We're also getting better at leaving. One time she insisted on walking us to the door and since it's a locked facility, she can only go so far. Then she just stood with her nose pressed against the glass until we were out of her sight and that was slightly disconcerting to both of us. So now we walk her out to the common area and if there's an activity about to start, we make sure she is participating before we leave. Last night there was a tea party scheduled for 7 p.m., so that was when we made our exit.
One of these days we'll also learn that we have to bring tissues with us when we take her out to eat. She is the biggest nose blower I have ever met! Three times now while we have been out eating, she has blown her nose in the cloth napkins before we could stop her! Last night I just looked at Tracy and said, "no really, how stupid are we?" because once again we forgot to bring tissues to give her at dinner... one of these days.
That's it for this update.
