A day in the Life of...Eleanor

A day in the life of … Eleanor

 

Today is Monday so I am giving interactive concerts for residents with dementia in two care homes in Thamesmead. Every other Monday I go to a third care home but this is their week off.

I wake up about 7am and my husband brings me a cup of tea. We chat about any worries or about future plans, then I get up and go to my ‘boudoir’-  a room of my own where I write, think and sometimes take a nap! Boudoir in French means to sulk, so it is my sulking room. I write three  pages of thoughts and meditate for 15 minutes. Then I shower and get dressed. I go to my small practice cabin in the garden for 45 minutes - today it is Brahms Cello Sonata in F major. I have a quick breakfast, pack up the car with my keyboard, music and percussion instruments, and drive to Thamesmead. Today in the session at Brook House care home we sang some songs for Easter: - ‘Sing Hosanna’, ‘Lord of the Dance’ and ‘In your Easter Bonnet’ from Easter Parade. Afterwards, I go for a swim at the local pool and have lunch, usually a sandwich but today a quarter pounder! I catch up on emails and phone calls in my car where it is quiet. The next place is Weybourne House. There is one lady who gets so excited about the music she jumps up and down. They especially enjoy Tina Turner songs here. Then I drive home, unload the car and drink some tea and say hello to the cats. I practise again before supper. If my husband is in, we eat together and sometimes watch TV. I go to bed around 9.30pm and sometimes I have a bath to rehearse my pieces in my head or read before going to sleep (a re-read of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin). But every day is different!