My mother is so frustrating ……. an adult life of running away when things get hard …… mean that she just won’t settle down.
She is caring for her elderly parents, and somehow has worked it around so that (apparently its their idea) they have packed up all their furniture, and are on this great road trip. It doesn’t matter that they are both in their late 80’s, or that Pop is blind, and Nan is slowing giving in to dementia, or that Pop has major skin cancers that need treatment, or that Nan has been ill for months now, and the latest scan shows a major shadow on her lungs. All three oldies are in a small caravan, and basically leapfrogging from family to family, living off others.
They can’t afford it. They only have their pension to survive on, and a major vehicle breakdown, means they are stranded for weeks or months. They want to travel to outback SA, which given how sick they all are, is practically suicide.
And I can’t convince her otherwise. She can’t see that this lifestyle is killing her parents, and herself too, for that matter. And she is looking for any opportunity that results in them living off others, instead of just finding a rental, or DOCs housing …. and just staying put. If they did that and they needed anything, one of the family will help. But sponging off us, while being so irresponsible, is just frustrating.
I am regularly hit for money. Usually for bills or unexpected expenses. I wonder …… maybe I should start saying no? :'(
