I've Just had an interesting experience because I hadn't realised just how bad my short term memory is! As you know/remember.........I have a local bar/cafe up the road from me and Marie, the owner, runs it on her own, employing someone as and when necessary to help with serving meals. For me it's somewhere to go for some company and a lovely big hot chocolate to the occasional glass of rose if it's after 6pm!
.....I'd drop the plates or glasses, so don't offer to help out (unpaid) in that respect, but there she was Friday evening folding paper serviettes in preparation for a week of hectic large bookings before Xmas. Good quality and nearly as thick as linen ones!
So I offered to help. Shame she only had red and cream - red and green would have looked better, given their shape because when finished, they looked like little booties for Santa's elves!
All I had to do was all the straight line folds, 5 of them, ready for her to fold over to make the final shape. She showed me how to start.....then I tried my 1st one - aaaagh by time I got my hands on it I'd forgotten! She showed me again very patiently.....I always used to find it easier to learn by doing rather than reading.....so after 2 or 3 patient reminders, I was well away. She'd already done about 25 when I started, of the 120 there.
We hadn't done all she needed - 240!
Yesterday afternoon I went back to start doing the other 120. Started on 1 st one, oh no I'd forgotten again,,but after that I was well away.
The concentration level was astounding, and yes repitition, repitition, repition, understandably boring, when I let myself be distracted by either, talking, looking up at TV (French) on the wall, or customers coming in to buy a drink, I almost forgot order of the folds again.
I'd always said over the years, I wouldn't want to work on a factory production line, too boring - but thats the whole point, repition and concentration is necessary for us, because before our BI problems, things came more naturally and without thinking too much!
So there I was learning my own very valuable lessons, patience is a virtue and 'if at first we don't succeed, try, try and try again' . I was happy to help someone out because it made her life a easier as well for that time! - it took me 3.5 hours but I don't care and neither did she, she got her pixie boots, with regular breaks to serve customers and have a chat while I continued, and she could come back to piles of folder serviettes waiting for the final comlletion - we finished together and did a great big high five 
The brain IS an amazing organ!
HAPPY XMAS EVERYBODY and A HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all!
Joyeux noël et bon année à tous
ESPECIALLY TO OUR LOVELY PEOPLE AT HEADWAY
x x x x x x x x x
From Shirley.
PS - I'm spending Xmas day from midday, with her and her v large family! :-)) she'd invited me 2 weeks ago and I've been forbidden to take any gifts with me. Their family Xmas is celebrated Xmas Eve, Xmas day will be my day! Must remember to record Downton!
Entente cordiale - loving and living - sharing and giving!
It's been a while.... 
Coming to terms. ...
What my TBI did to my relationship with my sister
recovery from a mild brain injury, post concussion syndrome and lapses
