A smalltown boy
I am sitting in a coffee shop (a Costa drive thru) that was not here a year ago, everything in my home town seems to change and also seems to remain the same, it seems to have a lot of drive-thru cafes etc. which seems very American in a poor tribute to suburban USA. I have not lived here properly since 1988 with a small period spent here from June 1992 to August 1993 then never came back. So here I sit, trying to work between looking after my dad who had knee replacement surgery on Monday (it is now Friday). He is improving but I never know how real carers cope, it is hard on everyone. My dad has not reacted well to being helped, especially relating to bathroom things. I think it is tough on a 78 year old man to have his wife and his son helping him in the bathroom, I know I didn't enjoy it. The experience of seeing your father as a frail person is tough, it seems to erase the memories of childhood, memories of him carrying you, swimming etc. Another thing about caring for paren