Day Drinking is a Thing
Since the day in the life of a Caregiver is never ending, waiting for a proper hour to have a glass of wine isn’t always an option. Who am I kidding? After a few hours of cooking, cleaning, and waiting on my Mother, I need a glass of wine.
And a great deal is expected from the wine. Sometimes the wine calms my nerves and prevents me from screaming at the top of my lungs. Sometimes, I sit still for a bit and have a glass of wine in an effort to convince myself that I am relaxing. Sometimes at the end of the evening, I drink a glass to signify the end of the day. In general, at least every other day involves wine. And my feeling is that whatever the time, it can always be Wine O’clock.
My Mother enjoys a glass of wine too; however due to her medications, her doctor recommends no more that 2-3 glasses per week. And he doesn’t really recommend that. He has simply accepted the fact that she is going to have a few glasses of wine and he counts on me to monitor her intake. I must admit that I enjoy her company much more after she’s had a glass of wine. And she seems to sleep better at night. Benefits of the wine that help to make my life a tad easier. I also think that if she sometimes drives me to drink that the same can probably be said about me. And so just in case I am driving her to drink, I give her an occasional glass of wine when she would much prefer a Gin & Tonic.
While cleaning unpleasant messes, a glass of wine is helpful in taking the focus off the reality of what I am cleaning and just get the job done. And I’m not ashamed to say… Well perhaps I am a little ashamed to say, but since I am writing about my conscience, the thing to do is write the truth. There are some days when I begin the day with a glass of wine. I call it wine juice. And it sets the tone for the day. What tone? That all depends on the day.
Then there are those rare occasions when I’m feeling creative, and I have a glass of wine while I write. Many authors like Hemingway, and Tennessee Williams drank (and not just wine) while they wrote their classic works. Knowing this and emulating their behavior helps me feel more like a Writer and less like a Caregiver. At least for a moment. In case you’re wondering, I am not drinking now. But today is the day I go Grocery Shopping with my Mother (that’s another story) and so I see a glass of wine in the near future.
After the first year of being a Caregiver while not truly acknowledging that I was indeed a Caregiver, I realized that day-drinking is definitely a thing. As mentioned though, a lot is expected from this little glass of wine. Thank God it comes in bottles.
https://www.caregiversconscience.com/the-grocery-store/
” THE GROCERY STORE”
Should I feel guilty about all the wine?
No Guilt! No judgement!
Wow… Do I understand this!
Becoming a full time caregiver to a parent can be an eye opener!
It will surely have you reaching for the bottle opener as you make light of it all!
Wine (why) Not
Wine-down
Thought the part about enjoying your mom’s company better after she had a glass was funny!