Mom camera mostly

I did decide to skip making cookies yesterday. I was going to have to stop at Walgreens anyway to get her a card, so figured I'd just get her some chocolates, too. Then last night dh is in the kitchen looking for a snack and said "I thought you were going to make cookies?" I told him I'll make some during my lunch break Monday/today. I just lost my energy to do it yesterday. He didn't care, I think he was mostly joking.

I stopped at Walgreens and got her a card and some Lindt chocolates. Got over to her apartment place and as I figured the parking lot was pretty full with all the visitors. There were a few open spots in between cars but their spots are so narrow and I'm still not comfortable maneuvering this bigger SUV into those kinds of spots, so I decided to drive around back where they have more parking. I was familiar with this parking area from when we moved her in. There were lots of empty spots and as I started to make the walk around to the front entrance I saw that the back door was open (I do have a key for it with the set of keys they gave me for her apartment and this door). This was the door we used to move her in. It goes into a little hall that accesses the "back door" of the elevator and the kitchen/dining area. Mostly the staff uses it. 

I decided to be a rebel and save the walk around to the front of the large complex and go in that door and into the elevator and straight up to mom's 3rd floor. I was bad and skipped going into the lobby to do the annoying check in procedure, haha. I was just going straight up to her apartment (she is next door to the elevator), staying a short visit, and straight back down.

Mom seemed surprised to see me, even though I had told her on the phone Saturday night and yesterday morning that I was coming. Then she (as typical) covered for her forgetfulness by saying "oh I remembered you were coming I just wasn't paying attention to what time it is". She liked the chocolates and opened them right up. Then she said she didn't get me anything. I said that's ok! I'm not your mom, haha and that my dd got me stuff :) While she was doing that and looking at the card I sat down at her desk chair and surreptitiously got out my phone and the little camera and got the device added to the system. Then I waited for her to get up and go to the bathroom or go into her bedroom for something. Nope, LOL. I needed to hide the camera down underneath her tv without her seeing me. Finally I messaged dd and said I might need you to call grandma to distract her so I can do this. Then she got up to look at her thermostat and was distracted long enough that I just set the camera down on the shelf below the tv, back a bit, next to her cable box. I really don't think she'll even realize it's there. The front of it is black and so is her tv stand and cable box. I checked the viewing from that position, on my phone app, and it was great. I could see her recliner, her sink area and a good portion of her main door. Also the night vision worked fine on this camera, so the other one must have the halo because it's on shiny white laminate and the infrared is reflecting. She still has not left the room long enough for me to grab her dining chair and get the black pillow case put up there, on top of the cabinet/under the camera, LOL. 

Her little bedroom alarm clock was wrong again. Now it said 7pm (it was 2pm) so I changed it again. I'm am definitely going to get her another one of those clocks like on her desk. I also think I'm going to spend a little extra (of her money!) and get two of the better ones that have automatic daylight savings time. She can certainly afford it and I know she uses the clock on her desk all the time to see what time it is.

She was watching tv last night when it was time to take her pills. Of course the tv is on kind of loud when her med dispenser started chiming. I watched and she got up and tried to answer the phone, as she often does. I was trying to make dinner (since I got home late) so I was watching to see if by chance she'd know to dispense and take them. She was standing at her desk and kept picking up papers like she was looking for something. Then she sat back down in her recliner. I knew the dispenser would chime again in 5 minutes and that's about the time I needed to finish and get dinner in the oven. Then I grabbed my phone and ipad and went upstairs to my office to watch again. She tried to answer her phone again, so I just called her and reminded her it's time for meds. She still keeps wanting to say "don't I need to take some of these in the morning?" How odd that she constantly remembers she supposed to take some of those in the morning (per old schedule) yet in the mornings she could never remember to take them!

She said she would take them right after we hung up. This is where the 2nd camera was most helpful. I could see her walk over to her sink and take them. Now when she hangs up and says she'll take them I can make 100% sure. I was also glad to see that her sink was completely clean and her sink area on the counter was too. She got all the silverware cleaned and put away in the past week and I'm sure now with all the meals in the dining room she won't be using much of her own silverware.

I did have a nice video chat with dd in the morning. Last night we were messaging and she said that for next year they are already making plans to come here for Mother's Day, so that will be nice.

Just a few minutes ago I clicked on the "mom camera" and could see her sitting at her desk trying to push the buttons for meds. Then I saw her pick up the phone and so I knew a call was coming, LOL. Again I had to remind her we are doing all her meds at 6pm now. She said she thought she wrote a note and I said I didn't see one yesterday. She said she had a pen and paper and was writing it and will stick it on there. To help her out I reminded her some tape is in her desk drawer. We hung up and I continued to watch her write the note and then she remembered where the tape was and she taped a note on the machine. I wonder if that will help, really. She doesn't seem to see notes now. Then I heard a knock on her door and she went and answered and it was one of the ladies who do wii bowling reminding her it was time to go down. That's nice that they remind her, because otherwise I'm sure she forgets half the time.

Dh found a recording of a community meeting from last week where all the candidates told about themselves and answered some pre-set up questions (same for each). We watched that on him computer while eating dinner last night. So, at least we got to see the 3 candidates for sheriff. That lady who wanted to get added on the ballot was able to get enough signatures. So far she is our pick. Tons of LEO experience (retired) and seems like she has the qualifications and could definitely bring some much needed professionalism to the town. Dh really liked her, too.  

I am still loving driving my new car. It just feels so nice and solid. I still can't park very straight (neither can dh!) with it. We can't figure out why it's so hard to pull in straight. Everytime I drive it and get back home I'm not ready to be done driving it. I'm enjoying the SiriusXm, too. The comedy channels are great.

I also texted with my half sis yesterday morning. She texted me this time to wish happy mothers day and we chatted for quite awhile, so that seemed back to normal, which was nice.