I have not written a new post for awhile as we have been traveling.  Travels can turn into travails, but this was a very nice road trip, and the fall colors were in all their glory, in various stages as we went through mountain, plains, etc.  We cannot fly anymore, as Bob is sure he knows which gate we leave from (not the right one ever) and is sure he can get up during the flight even if the "fasten seat belt" sign is on, and cannot be dissuaded otherwise on either of these things.  But riding in the car with easy listening music on is very peaceful and he can nap easily.  (I drink coffee to stay awake then, or crunch on ice, or eat celery sticks!)  I had a music station on Sirius XM this time that was NOT easy listening, and it had quite a beat to it.  I was jigging my head to the music and he said "I don't jiggle my head around like that.  I am very careful with my brain, and how I use it and who I use it on."  LOL!  Another one of his sayings that makes me giggle is when people ask him how he is doing and he replies "I am just as happy as if I had good sense".
Last year at this time we were traveling Scottsdale, AZ where the grandkids lived then, back to KC.  We had never seen Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and it was on my bucket list, so we took a more southerly route to divert and see them.  We were walking along the mile long roped off path through the Caverns and I stopped to take a picture.  For those of you who know me well, imagine that!  I turned around after taking the picture and he was GONE!  I called out and only got the echo in response.  I thought maybe he had gone ahead and needed to use the restroom, so he was walking faster, and he would have had to stay on the trail (hopefully!)  I kept asking Park Rangers I came to if they had seen him and they all said they had; there weren't many people there that day.  I got to the end, and got to the underground lobby area and called into the men's restroom, but there was no answer.  Now I was really panicked!  I didn't think he would have gotten on the elevator, but I got on and went up the 70 stories to the main entrance.  There he was, telling a Park Ranger that he had lost his wife.  Such relief flooded over me.  I went up to Bob and said, "Well!  I have lost my husband, so why don't we get together?"  And off we went, as the Ranger winked at me!  Needless to say I am more careful now to keep him in my sights!  I have gotten bracelets for both of us to wear with phone and contact info.  His says "Alzheimer's" and mine says "Caregiver".  I didn't think he would wear his, but since I have bragged that we have matching bracelets, he will wear it.  Since I am still able to go out and run errands etc. and leave him at home, I got to thinking what would happen if something happened to me while I was out, like an auto accident.  If I wasn't able to speak, no one would know there was someone at home that needed help, until they got ahold of our daughter, the emergency contact.  The Alzheimer's Association says 60% of Alzheimer's patients wander (my dad did).  But Bob seems very content to stay home and watch TV, and nothing is amiss when I return home.  He has NEVER in this life touched the stove, so why would he now?!  It may change at some point that I am unable to leave him, and then will have to have someone come in to sit with him.  I have already had people volunteer to do this!  But for now, it is a huge blessing to be able to go out, and even have lunch with friends.
Anyway, this trip we went to Chattanooga, TN where the grandkids that lived in AZ moved last summer.  My parents had retired near there, so it deja vu going back there, and seeing all the familiar things.  We watched the grandkids while our daughter-in-law went to a convention in Phoenix, of all places!  (I miss traveling to AZ!)  Things went pretty well until near bedtime, when Bob starts having sundown syndrome, the 6 year old is so tired she is grumpier than a bear coming out of hibernation, the 12 year old granddaughter needs help taking the new Bichon Poo puppy out, and I am trying to convince the 14 year old grandson to find the channel the KC Royals championship games are on so I can at least listen to them!  I feel like a need the arms of an octopus!  And brain of something bigger than me, like an elephant!
The hardest part was when our son who lives in Nashville joined us for a family birthday dinner on the last evening.  The grandkids cannot remember the cardinal rule of Alzheimer's communication--"Never argue, instead agree."  But they told Pop Pop that Ron was his son, and Bob would not agree to that.  He kept saying "That is not my son".  And they could not understand why he couldn't understand that.  I finally was able to divert the conversation to another subject.  When the grandkids were toddlers, that was the key word Bob and I used, "DIVERT!"  It helps in a lot of situations now!
We stopped in St. Louis on the way back where our other grandson lives.  He is 11, and has perfected the science of dealing with Pop Pop.  He was on his device the whole time Bob talked to him--for 2 solid hours nonstop--and had Bob totally tuned out!  I went in the room at one point and Jaden looked up at me and grinned sheepishly!
So we are home and back to familiar surroundings, and back to our regular routine, which helps!
Happy trails,
Betty