Dry Kidneys

 Mum remains in hospital. She is a bit hit and miss with her phone, but every time I have been able to get through to her she seems in remarkable good humour. She remains a somewhat unreliable narrator in her confinement however, and actual information is hard to come by. My brother, Edward, got through to her today and gleaned the following: she has an infection in her foot, which we knew - its the reason she's in hospital in the first place - but its nice to have the confirmation. She also has "dry kidneys" and has been advised by the doctors to drink more water. 

"But I don't like water." she says. Stalemate. A compromise is reached and my brother Barry is duly dispatched to get lime cordial to make her water more palatable. 

My mother doesn't like drinking water. That's an amazing thing to say. But there you have it - she's an amazing woman.