Some People Walk Dogs...

...Today I walked my caretaker.

He had a stroke last fall, and found out (while being treated for the stroke) that he has high blood pressure and diabetes. Among other things, he was told to get a certain amount of exercise. However, since the stroke came on while he was out for a walk, he's been rather scared to go far from the apartment, since he wouldn't be able to phone for help then. Instead, he's been walking the apartment hallway.

Now, if this was a real sized apartment, this wouldn't be too bad. But it's a tiny apartment block... and so the length of the hallway is two stairways less than the length of my apartment. He uses a deck of cards to keep track of how many times he's paced back and forth. (Each time he moves a card from on step to the lower one.) I feel bad for him.

Tonight, after putting a load in the dryer (~58 minutes), I saw that he was doing his pacing. Rather than going upstairs and washing dishes so that I could cook dinner, I decided to take him for a walk around the block instead. After circling twice, I asked if he wanted to go again, or if he had enough. He decided that was enough for today.

Usually when I see him pacing, I'm busy with lots of other stuff. I think I'll try to make time for him more often, though. (It's not really exercise for me, because he doesn't walk very fast.) I'm thinking I should also introduce him to the 96-year-old gentleman in the neighbourhood who still walks daily, but has been getting more and more frail looking... the two of them could act as security for each other. They only live half a block away from each other, and if they made arrangements by phone (and called afterwards), they'd even have some security for that half block that one of them is alone.

While out and about on our walk today, I introduced him to my dad's dog, Nicky. He noticed the chives beside the sidewalk that were blooming. I think he recognized that they were related to onions, and remarked that they looked nice. I said I planned to put some in the apartment garden, and said that they were edible. I picked one for him to try. Then I said that even the flowers were edible, and picked one of those for him too. He said he planned to put it in his potato salad. I picked one for myself, and ate it on the spot. I hadn't eaten one of the flowers before... they're quite good. I thought they were supposed to be stronger tasting than the leaves, but it seemed milder to me.

In other news, weather conditions have not been favourable for gardening yet again. (The ground is sopping wet.)

Today I washed the shower walls and tub (that took quite a while, since it's still draining slowly... the landlord is going to have his plumber friend in), did laundry, washed dishes, cooked shrimp pasta for dinner, made hummus for lunches, and baked bread. I also sat and talked to the new neighbour for a bit (I'm trying to get his dog used to me, so it doesn't bark whenever I go to my mom's), and called my grandma.

I meant to bake banana muffins for the neighbourhood barbecue tomorrow, but it got too late to start them tonight. I should be able to manage that before it starts. I also want to try the "grandma's chocolate cobbler" recipe I saw on Pioneer Woman Cooks (a Tasty Kitchen recipe). I'm not sure how much cocoa I have, and I know I don't have milk... but I do have skim milk powder, and that might work just as well. If it looks like I have time, I'll check what ingredients I have. ;)