I had a bit of a spring in my step this morning as I had a gardening job to do at Ruth’s place ,
So because she has been away in respite at Rose lodge , I thought I’d put a smile on her dial and I picked her a poise of petunias out of my garden and wrapped the bottom in an elastic band and then wrapped them tight in foil .
When I arrived we met on the back step and I gave her the flowers and was pretty pleased .
Then she asked me where was I last time I was supposed to be gardening there?
I said that they canceled me as it was Anzac Day
and a public holiday .
Robert then announced to me that Ruth was going back to Rose Lodge to live permanently next week ,
I was shocked because I had asked Robert if his respite time was good and he said no that he missed Ruth too much and that he will bring her home overnight often.
Then they asked me what I had been up to so I explained the fish project and showed them a little bit of footage , Ruth surprised me and asked me if it smelt , I laughed and said that some bits are real and some made up and there isn’t any fish flesh on it at all just fibreglass
Then Ruth and I casually wandered around the garden chatting while I randomly pulled out weeds.
I asked her whether she liked Rose Lodge and what it was like there as my dad , Curly senior was in there now for respite .
Ruth said it was just wonderful and I asked her how the food is as Dad had said to me that it was different.
She said the food was fantastic and asked me if my dad was like me ?.
I jokingly said good looking ? ,
she said yes lol, I told her that not really that I was more like my mother and probably more of an emotional person than dad .
We both then wandered to a vine plant that a month ago had green fruit hanging on it , the fruit was all a deep crimson red and hanging all over the plant.
I have never seen one of these vines before and now I can’t recall the name of it.
Ruth invited me to taste one and to also take a few home , so I opened it as she taught me with the passion fruit by putting it in my mouth and biting it in half , I scraped half into my mouth with my teeth and to me the taste was somewhere like between a melon and passion fruit pretty yummy .
We kept wandering through the garden chatting whilst I weeded when one of her carers turned up to help Ruth pack her clothes so they both went inside .
I took the opportunity to get my trusty weed sprayer out of the Ute and spray all of the front paths white no one was looking .
Then I just pruned a few branches and popped them into the green waste to be recycled .
I had to manage a last grin when I came across an old pot pushed into the bush off the path.
It was full of strips of ti tri bark that Ruth usages as mulch , I could picture this old lady tearing shreds off her tree .
Then came the dreaded bit where I had to say goodbye to Ruth but taking comfort knowing that when my Dad is in respite next , chances are that Ruth will also be there ,
They say that in this life when one door closes another one opens ,
My time spent with Ruth over the previous months has been incredible and I was privileged to meet such a fine lady.
I’m pretty sure that we will cross paths again soon .
Cheers
