Keith Boldy

Not my Daily Diary Thursday 29th October 2026 #DementiaAwareness A programme I really enjoy is "Celebrity Race Across the World". A new series started last night with the contestants travelling from Borneo to Australia, no phones, and only the price of an air ticket as their budget. Episode one got off to a terrific start. That was followed by "The Repair Shop", which always interests me, and then a return to "Grand Designs". A couple had transformed a 150-year-old Grade II listed barn into a beautiful home while keeping its character intact. We ended the evening with half an hour of Daniel O’Donnell, about which I will say no more. Before bed we had our little lounge shuffle. Tonight we danced to Chris de Burgh’s “Lady in Red.” I smiled when I heard the words. "Cheek to cheek There’s nobody here It’s just you and me It’s where I want to be" Just words from a song, yet so true for us. After tucking Chris into bed I went back downstairs for my nightly tipple. When I returned half an hour later she was already fast asleep. We both slept right through the night, something that doesn’t happen often enough, so I’m grateful when it does. I had thought about having a lie-in, but by nine o’clock I was ready to face the day. We had nothing particular planned for the morning, yet I was on a mission, to find more Dot-to-Dot books for Chris. My first call was to the Squiggle Dot-to-Dot distributors. They were very helpful and pointed me towards online retailers selling the books at a reasonable price. It proved productive, we should have a delivery in a few days. I mentioned yesterday how hard it’s been finding Chris’s Dot-to-Dot books. I never expected the response. Since then, several kind strangers have got in touch offering to help us find some. These books are a real lifeline for Chris. Seeing her settle down, joining the dots, is very comforting. To know that people we’ve never met have taken the time to reach out means more than I can say. Thank you, your kindness means a lot to us both. Even closer to home, our friend Sharon contacted us. She already had some books set aside for Chris, so we called round this afternoon to collect them. How good was that? Sharon also bought two packs of Christmas cards while we were there. Such thoughtful support. From there we headed to Chris’s sister Jacky and her husband Andy. I always feel better when I’m with them. Something about their company lifts the weight from my shoulders for a while. Andy has been through more than most people ever see, and somehow that experience has left him able to take almost any problem, turn it upside down, and usually find a joke in it. He never pretends life is simple, yet he refuses to let it beat him. Around him, the things that feel overwhelming start to look smaller. Jacky is a superb cook and baker, and with her wonderful milky coffees we usually get to sample her latest baking. Today it was a soft-centred cookie that melted in the mouth. Afternoon tea and resilience what more could we ask for? Thank you both Because of her dementia, Chris soon began asking to go home. This happens wherever we are. She feels so much safer at home, in her onesie. Everyone who knows her understands On the way back I called into the village chemist for Chris’s meds. Passing the fish-and-chip shop, the aroma drifting through the open door was too much to resist. A takeaway dinner for the evening, no cooking, no washing-up. I smiled when the bill came to £13. I’m of an age when I can still remember it costing two shillings (10p) and coming wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper. Still, it was lovely served in a carton Chris is happy this evening, she has her Dot-to-Dot books, which means I can settle down with "Titanic: Building the World’s Largest Ship". Later we’ll watch "The Madame Blanc Mysteries". Chris likes Sally Lindsay, so she’ll watch it Wherever you are in the world, we hope you’re having a lovely evening or day Keith and Chris xx

Not my Daily Diary Wednesday 28th October 2026 #DementiaAwareness A programme we had never really watched was on last night, a repeat of "The Hairy Bikers". The two chefs took us through the stunning countryside of Scotland’s Dumfries and Galloway, sharing local cuisine along the way. It was a delightful hour we both thoroughly enjoyed, and I already look forward to finding more episodes. That was followed by "DIY SOS", which Chris loves. The team and three hundred volunteers transformed a house for a family in need. It’s still amazing to watch how they do it. Then came "Coronation Street", which seems to be getting "safter". For the next four months it appears to be coming from a prison while one of the characters, Gary, resides there at His Majesty’s pleasure. Finally we settled down with another episode of "New Lives in the Wild". Chris is rather taken with Ben Fogle, and this time he took us into the rugged wilderness of Chile. As always, we finished the evening with our little lounge shuffle, dancing to Nat King Cole’s “The Very Thought of You.” I put Chris to bed with "Escape to the Country" on the tv. When I went up later after my nightcap, poor Chris must have been exhausted after her early start. She was out like a light We slept right through the night. I got up at nine, showered and dressed, then woke Chris. It was a relatively early start for her because we were heading to Penkridge market, fifteen miles away, hoping to collect the Dot-to-Dot books we had ordered the week before. Choosing her clothes took a little thought. She needed to be warm enough for the outdoor market, yet still look her best for the afternoon choir, "Dementia: Singing with Friends". No dress today, brown corduroy slacks, a beige top and tan ankle boots, practical and smart for both occasions. We left the house in beautiful sunshine, only to drive straight into heavy rain. For a moment I wondered whether to turn back, but once we were the other side of Wolverhampton I spotted blue skies on the horizon, so we pressed on. Chris was excited about the prospect of more Dot-to-Dot books; I was looking forward to a bacon sandwich. We parked straight away and I pushed Chris in her chair towards the open stalls. We only had about forty-five minutes, but that was fine, we knew exactly what we wanted. Chris was so disappointed when the vendor told us he couldn’t get any more of the books, they simply weren’t available from the wholesalers. This could be a real problem for us. Tomorrow morning I intend to ring the publishers themselves. Buying from Amazon or similar is far too expensive for the number Chris goes through in a week. It wasn’t a complete waste of time, though. We still managed a bacon sandwich and a coffee before we left. We took the direct urban route back to Wombourne, where the choir meets, and arrived with only minutes to spare. Sitting at our usual table, I saw we were being entertained by the wonderful Maggie Page, or the Peaky Blondie, as she prefers to be known. Maggie is a professional and knows exactly what her audience wants. I’ve often described these afternoons as a party, and today it was Halloween themed. Every song fitted the occasion perfectly “Mack the Knife,” “Devil Woman,” “Monster Mash”, and, as we always finish with an Abba number, she brought the house down with “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! We had the best afternoon. Chris enjoyed every minute of it, even though her head and shoulder are still sore after her fall on Saturday. Back home she was glad to get into her onesie. Two early starts in a row and a day full of excitement had taken their toll, and by late afternoon she was tired. Dinner was lasagne with homemade oven chips. I’ve started adding half a tin of chopped tomatoes to the tray while the chips cook, it makes them so much tastier. We have about three hours of viewing ahead of us this evening. We wish you a lovely evening or day, wherever you are in the world. Keith and Chris xx

Not my Daily Diary Tuesday 27th October 2026 #DementiaAwareness Hospital waiting rooms have their uses. When they told us we might be there for several hours while they ran tests on Chris and we waited for results, I realised I could at least make a start on catching up with last night’s viewing. With only about half an hour of evening television that really suited Chris, with her dementia, I knew I had a challenge on my hands. The easy option would have been another Midsomer Murders, but then I remembered our long-time friend, Mark Llewellin up in Greater Manchester, suggesting Sky Arts. They show the stage productions of the musicals we love. We tuned into The Sound of Music, and what a lovely, refreshing watch it turned out to be. The sets were grand yet somehow intimate,  the abbey cloisters, the elegant von Trapp villa with its sweeping staircase, and the Alpine glimpses that made you feel you were right there among the mountains. It never looked like a television studio. It felt like a night at the theatre, captured beautifully for the screen. Carrie Underwood was a perfect Maria, joyful and free-spirited as she sang the familiar songs. Stephen Moyer made a strong, strict Captain von Trapp, and the chemistry between them felt genuine and touching. The children were an absolute delight, natural, lively, and completely winning. There were a couple of extra numbers written for the stage adaption, that gave the familiar story fresh eyes. We had a truly wonderful evening, exactly what we needed. How we managed to stay awake through it I’ll never know. We still found the energy for our little lounge shuffle, dancing to Don Williams’ “You’re My Best Friend.” There was every chance we were just holding each other up, but it was our moment all the same. Once Chris was tucked up, I was very soon beside her. We slept deeply, I think I was in a coma, and woke to the alarm at 7 a.m. We had to be at the hospital for 8 o’clock. The army has a saying, “Hurry up and wait,” and the NHS seems to have adopted it too. We arrived on time and waited. Once the well-oiled wheels started turning, though, Chris was dealt with very swiftly. It was all part of the follow-up to her head injury. She was discharged with a little more medication and we were home by 11 am. Because of the early start we had no intention of making our usual Tuesday trip to The Old Gate, but our brother-in-law Graham wanted to go out for lunch and join us, so plans changed. I am very easily talked into a pint of Bathams. It was a pleasant hour, the sun was shining and it wasn’t too cold to sit outside under the awning. It was also a chance to drop off some Christmas cards I’ve designed in aid of the Earnest Thomas II canal boat charity. Sammy has kindly agreed to sell them at the pub, £3.99 for a pack of five. Back home, Chris was looking forward to getting into her onesie while I cooked dinner. Knowing how much she likes spicy food these days, I’d bought a Chicken Tikka Masala with rice, but I added some Cajun diced potatoes just in case. Chris ate the potatoes. I ate her tikka masala. That one’s firmly off any future shopping list. We have a busy day ahead tomorrow, but after the last few days I would dearly love a quiet day just to recharge our batteries. Wishing you a lovely day or evening, wherever you are in the world. Keith and Chris xx @MarkLlewellin3