79 Today

Happy Birthday to Dad.

If there was ever a good day to visit him it was today. He was in fine form. Some connection in that brain of his sparked and he was for the first time in a while quite chatty and lucid. He has the ability to surprise me sometimes. Just when I think we should give up expecting any memories out of him, he springs one on us.

Today I was helping him rearrange his Matchbox cars when he picked up the Port Adelaide Football Club team car. I told him it was Port Adelaide and he told me he used to live in Adelaide. Just like that. How he remembers that I do not know.

So we went for a walk in the garden, pottered in the sand and pebble box, wandered back to the common room and had some morning tea together. He was chatting all the while and hand in hand he actually lead me around instead of me leading him. Most unusual.

Unfortunately we know that these moments of clarity don't last and we have to appreciate and take advantage of them when they happen. I stayed a lot longer today than I normally do. He was good company. He even smiled for the camera without too much encouragment.

The ladies at the home told me they have arranged a birthday cake for Dad. They really do got to a lot of effort to make the oldies feel comfortable. I am very grateful. Some of the homes we looked a while back were quite institutional. This place is more like a 5 star hotel.

So it was a little bit emotional for me as I left today, although the experience put other things in my life into perspective. So it was refreshing if that is the right word. I hope he has many more birthdays but I suspect that this one for me will always be a special memory.