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The world according to Daddio
By juliezavala in My Turn
February 10, 2011

Image Daddy and his "guard cat" Felix

At lunch today my husband Robert and I were talking about the slightly (okay, the NOT so slightly) skewed vision of life that Dad has with Alzheimer's. Some are very endearing and some are just plain puzzling. Here are the top 10:

  1. The t.v. series "Gunsmoke" is producing new episodes. Well heck, he sees them every day on t.v. nowadays--they gotta' be new! (We watch Gunsmoke on Netflix)

  2. Radio stations are playing Mantovani songs on the radio . The same ones that were popular years ago are making a come-back! (Dad's iPod is full Mantovani songs that Robert downloaded--Dad thinks he's listening to the radio. Don't bother to explain... I've tried)

  3. Everyone in Victoria drives new, extremely clean vehicles. And Dad is extra partial to black cars and he comments time after time about how nice they look.

  4. If he wants to go on a train ride he just has to stand by the tracks and flag one down. (He was a railroad man so the train conductor will recognize him from far off and stop the train so he can board). He told me he can get me on the train, too. For free!

  5. Everyone can hear the music that he's listening to with his headphones on. (What do you mean, you can't hear it? Ya' need your ears cleaned?)

  6. He's going to have a singing career. He just has to practice a little but it won't take long for him to be discovered.

  7. Dad is a cage fighter. He expressed concern the other day that some of the younger fighters (you know, the 70-year-olds) are wanting to fight him. He didn't think it would be a fair fight, them being younger and all.

  8. In his mind he lives in Beaumont, not Victoria. We'll be driving and he'll say, "Turn right here on Calder." Unfortunately, there is no Calder Street in Victoria.

  9. There are camping facilities at Saxet Lakes. Just pitch your tent anywhere - there's plenty of space!

  10. He is an 86-year-old dedicated employee of the Southern Pacific Railroad. (Even though he retired 26 years ago)

Through it all, through the confusion and the forgetfulness, he is such a sweet man; very polite and gentlemanly. And so funny. I love him.