Oh yeah, went to a 'gala'...

Y'know... some things can really 'get' you. Got to Gamlitz, Peter was 'improved', in that he was fairly alert, and coherent, so I made jokes about 'the gala', and everything... I fully expected it to be a train wreck in slow motion.

See the white-haired guy way in the back on the far left of the picture? We often land in the courtyard out front for a snigarette, and he is very nice, and sometimes very funny. The lady in pink next to him in the wheel-chair is his wife. She had two strokes, and won't be able to leave the home again, but he is there every day, and she recognises me when I come, and gives me her 'good' hand, and I greet her as kindly as I can. He worked VERY hard as a heavy machinist in a factory in Graz, but lives down there now to be close to his wife. He is a really good guy. Third from the left is a lady I met in the elevator today. She was looking so depressed during the whole thing, my heart went out to her.

I'd taken Peter out and shoved him up the steep side of the hill so that he could take in the lovely scenery, and just enjoy the view. And he said, 'You know, this is a beautiful place, it is so peaceful.' That cut me...

and then it was show-time. We had been out in the courtyard beforehand, when 'machine guy' had arrived. He told he, 'If it's horrible, will join you down here for a cigarette, but they do lots to not make anyone's day monotonous. I agreed, and he said, 'This is the best thing that ever happened to this town, and I can't imagine travelling far to be with my wife every day.'

But he was sceptical as well, and thought it would be kinda sucky.... So we went in, and Juliana and her assistant from Admin, were all aflutter, and stopped us, and asked us if we were going to attend. And I said, 'Well I wouldn't miss it for the world...' And once in, the other one whose name I still don't know, came over and said, 'I can't believe it.... He won't come to our Volksmusik days.' Peter HATES Volksmusik, he likes classical, and musicals.

So we all weren't expecting much... I took Peter upstairs to do his business before the 'Fun' began, and we trundled over to the dining hall, and out came the quartett.

I must say, they had very fine voices. I didn't care for the talking-down tone that often came out, but there were people there who didn't know what in the world was happening.


Despite the toning down of the presentation, it was actually nice. Although sometimes over the top for 'outrage'. Which is French for hamming it up, and going over the top. Which is also sort of condescending in this case... but on the other hand, some people were so out of it, you can only reach them that way. It was supposed to be Operetta, Opera Arias, and from Musicals. The 'not-Juliana' was taking pictures. And whispered to Peter, was he making nasty comments... he wasn't. If they did something we thought was a bit 'off', I only had to look at him, and he was near to busting out laughing. And said, 'Don't LOOK at me like that, I'm going to LOSE it and fall apart.' Which was nice... nearly like having the 'old' Peter back. But I have to admit, they had excellent voices, and despite the fact that more was said about what would be on the programme, they stuck to operetta, which REALLY isn't my thing. The Schmalz runs out your ears.

Graz guy was thrilled and clapping and mouthing the text along, he loved it.

To each his own. I slipped out toward the end, went down to admin, and left some money to get Peter a haircut and a shave asap. He looks like Rasputin. But I think he enjoyed the hour of something new.

The soprano was very lovely. And a terrific voice. She kept moving, and my camera couldn't really get her sharp. But she was moving. She was very good.

For the first time in a month, Peter was alert, sometimes funny, not whiny and morose, and that was good. I tried to talk him into getting into the twice monthly small motor courses they have, so that he can button his shirt himself again, and it looked fairly good.... They have terrific things, no one just vegetates in there if they don't want to, and he seemed. interested in doing that.

'That wouldn't be so BAD...' So I got hopeful.... Graz guy told me his wife goes to therapy for hand therapy since her second stroke, and now she has more dexterity, and can lift her right arm and has made tremendous progress. And I said, 'Hear that, Peter?' It wouldn't hurt you to go do that. 'Oh, you just want to EXPOSE me.' 'Nope, I think it would help. You just HEARD what the man said...'

I'm still waiting for the 'death panels', because it IS single payer health care, after all.

As sad as it all can be... all I see is people treating people and helping retain their dignity.

So if this has been since March, and never seeing a single sign of malfeasance.... um, where is the problem?