“Remember?  I’m thinking of Honey.  I wish she were here.”

(Honey was a white poodle that Audrey watched for her son, Vaughn and daughter-in-law Patricia.  However, Audrey got attached to Honey and could not part with the dog when they came to pick her up.  We are all grateful to Pat for letting Mother adopt Honey.  Honey added many happy years to Audrey and Milton’s life.)

(Heather:  A penny for your thoughts?)

“I wonder how many pennies are hiding in the dark.”

(Again this is evidence of Audrey’s aphasia, “a language disorder having difficulty remembering words to being completely unable to speak…”.)

(Douglas arrived at Kent Regency with his guitar for a sing along.  Mother wanted to lead the sing along and wanted to go get the other residents.  Doug explained that the staff would get the other residents, so she did not have to do that.)

“Just hold on to me (when I get out of this chair). I’ve done this before. Let’s go.”  (Audrey still longing for her mobility and longing to help her children.)

(The staff was there to gather the residents and there was a nice sing along by the nurses’ station.)

“It’s so so.”

(Heather:  A penny for your thoughts?)

“A penny for your thoughts is in my heart.  I’ve had it said to me by older people, but no young person every said it.”

(Heather:  Yes, I guess we can call that an old-fashion saying, but I love it.  Well, I’m in my 60s.  I am not sure whether I am young or old but I’ll ask again.  A penny for your thoughts?)

“I’m looking at that crate and wondering what it is for.  Stuck in there.”

(Mother, you are amazing.  It is the attractive packaging that I put up there on top of the wardrobe closet to get it out of the way. You have an eye for décor  It is very obvious that you were on full scholarship at the Rhode Island School of Design for three years. You never lost that eye for décor.  Mother, you amaze me.)

“I didn’t know that. I realize I’ve done it all my life.  Figuring it out for myself.”

(Heather:   A penny for your thoughts?)

“Nothing.  I don’t like New Hampshire, the word.  Right then and there, it didn’t appeal to me.  Now it sounds good.”

(Heather:  A penny for your thoughts?”)

“I’m thinking that Spencer saying a penny for your thoughts.  He says that to Brenda.  I don’t think my boys were very good to their wives.  They don’t go out of their way at all to say “Dear”, “Honey”.  You know.

(Heather:  You should tell them.)

“I will.  I think their lives are better than their wives.  I think they aren’t too sweet to their wives.”

“Good thing we have all our doings inside.”

(Heather:  A penny for your thoughts?)

“I want to know what you are thinking.” (laughter)

Having read David McCullough’s book “1776” where he mentioned interviewing a descendent of General Nathaneal Greene in Warwick, I looked in the phone book to find this descendent, Thomas Casey Greene living on the Greene homestead and the birthplace of Nathanael Greene in Warwick, R.I.

Mr. Greene, an older gentleman, said he would be happy to meet Mother who was named after her ancestral great (7 times) grandmother, Audrey Greene.  Douglas–from New York– drove Mother and me–from California– in Lisa Gayle’s Rhode Island van to the homestead in the pouring rain. Thomas Casey had graciously agreed beforehand to come out with his “galoshes” and an umbrella to meet Audrey. He stood outside the car window in the rain for nearly an hour talking to Audrey about their history.

When we left, Mother put her hand up to him as if to say good-bye and thank you for your time conversing with us.  This gesture let us know that Mother was very much aware of the visit and conversation that I had planned for her.

(“Tell those people to quiet down.  We are trying to sleep.” (Audrey, with this episode of aphasia, was trying to get comfortable in her wheel chair. We were trying to decide which chair [companion or wheel] would be most convenient as well as most comfortable for her)

(One of the grandchildren said:  But Gramma, they haven’t seen one another in a long time.)

“Well, as long as they are descent.”

(Later one of her grandchildren said:  I’m going home to eat.)

“Why didn’t you have some of the free stuff they have handed out all day.”

“My mouth is feeling funny.”

“I don’t want to die.”

(This would have been another opportune time for me to talk with Mother about not fearing the afterlife and to reassure her that she would be going to heaven where she would be with Dad and her mother and father. Audrey’s early religious teaching had sustained her throughout her life.)