Another mixed week.

Mutterings continued.

After the good news about my own health on Wednesday, I got a phone call from Dad telling me Mum was back in hospital. The pain medication wasn't working and so Silver Chain arranged for her to go to Armadale Kelmscott Hospital for observation. I've spent the last few days picking Dad up and spending the evenings with her. I rang Dad at lunch time today and he said she was looking a lot better this morning and can come home on Monday. She doesn't do well in hospitals and I don't blame her. Her failing eyesight means she can't read, there's nothing on the telly, so she spends most of her time just staring at the clock. She's in a ward by herself so there's no one to talk to. Dad's been visiting twice a day but it's taking its toll on him.

Her doctor contacted her oncologist yesterday and they've decided against any more radiation therapy. I'll be picking Dad up about 2.30 today for a visit with her this afternoon and then I'm having dinner with R and L and M (Mark) at the tavern across the road from my place.

It feels like summer out there. It may be overcast with the threat (promise) of rain but it def. feels summery. Dammit.

Our emergency procedures have been under scrutiny the last couple of days - on Thursday we had a Code 1 (ie dangerous animal) escape and yesterday a drill simulating a fire in the Savannah. The first emergency response went like clockwork and was over in about 10 minutes.
The fire drill, however, brought out some of the bad acting skills in our keepers - "Cough...cough...the smoke's getting too much....hack....coff...I'm getting out of here...coff choke...."

From Friend Kim - The Gallery of Regrettable Food. "This is a simple introduction to poorly photographed foodstuffs and horrid recipes. It's a wonder anyone in the 40s, 50s and 60s gained any weight; it's a miracle that people didn't put down their issue of Life magazine with a slight queasy list to their gut, and decide to sup on a nice bowl of shredded wheat and nothing else." The Knox's Gelatin recipes are particularly........revolting.

"This recipe, you might note, adds "the Midas touch," meaning that after your guests have handled the meal, you can melt them down and pour their bodies into ingots. Alchemy: it's the hidden advantage of Gel-Cookery!"