Appropriate to the name of our blog, the Art of Dementia, is about finding what those suffering from Alzheimer's and other dementias can still do and utilizing those skills to keep the mind working as much as possible. Life and caregiving often get in the way of creativity. And, even when we focus on these creative tasks, I often forget to post them. Duh!
Paul and I bought and beautifully carved wooden bench for each other on our tenth anniversary. We found it on our 10th anniversary date while perusing and antique store. We both fell in love and pushed our meager budget (three little kids and living on one income at the time) to purchase it. It's ugly golden/orange fabric was worn and torn. We set out to find a fabric we both thought would compliment it and its warm wood tones. We settled on a dark forest green fabric with impressionistic-type strawberries on it.
In 2012, we moved a good distance away from our children - who were adults by then. I could not stand looking at the tattered fabric. Although I love the Hallmark channels and cry at sappy commercial and YouTube videos, I tend NOT to be overly sentimental about things. Thus, it did not dawn on me other might have a strong attachment to the strawberry fabric... whoops. In the picture above you can see my second fabric choice. While still flowery, I thought the brown and golden tones fit better with its new home environment - out in the woods. However, when Paul and later our daughter, Shelby, saw the new fabric, both expressed significant disappointment. They said it was and always would be The Strawberry Bench.
As I have written about in prior posts. We recently moved again - back to the mid-Willamette Valley - to be near our family and additional caregiving help. Of course, this bench made the move with us. We set it near the front door. It has been here only 3 months, but the sun and rain beat down on it until it was just a shadow of its former beauty. Every time I walked out the front door, I regretted how it was fading. It reminded me so much of Paul and how he simply fades away - particularly when exposed to new stressors and difficult conditions. I committed to find to and a way to restore the bench again.
Friday was Paul's 54th birthday! Yay Paul! And, to my surprise he said he wanted to take a drive. This sparked and idea. We ended up at Joann's Fabrics to find outside fabrics we might find for our bench. I guided him through two aisles of outdoor fabrics. I was overwhelmed with all the styles and colors, but he managed well despite what would look to him like chaos. I tried to get him to pick three fabrics he liked and he struggled to narrow - until his eyes landed on birds and pineapples of all things. He LOVES pineapple. People with Alzheimer's lose their taste after awhile. They lack interest in eating because they can no longer distinguish flavor. They overuse salt and spices seeking some sort of reminder of what food should taste like. But, he can still taste the pineapple's strong acidic juice. He saw the pineapple on this print and decided he loved pineapple. Although not my taste in fabric, I was so excited by his excitement, we bought the fabric.
I helped him get started sanding the bench while I re-upholstered the bench back and seat. He managed to stick with his tasks for quite awhile before getting distracted. I got to finish the fabric as he napped, but he was able to help me reassemble the bench when he woke up again.
One last thought...it was while working on this I realized we carted this treasure around for 18 years - perhaps the only thing we have held onto and treasured consistently for that long - besides photo albums. Oh the stories it could tell and the sweet memories it holds for us and with us.
