Wedding help with Granny

But she’s already said she wants to go off and see the town and do some shopping. I think she is making it clear she doesn’t want to be involved in any pre- wedding jobs. As I said before, she is an adult who is capable of managing her own day, and there is nothing to stop her going back to the hotel at 8 if she is tired- I am always happy to go home around then myself, weddings do seem to drag on.

I suppose that did sound a bit harsh, Jalima. I was just imagining that she might like to feel really useful, rather than being parked out of the way, and, as has been said, she is an adult. I do like the idea of sorting photos though.

Again, depending on how fit she is, is there some ironing or shoe-cleaning she could do?

I would have a few choice words if anyone asked me to do that

What about booking a hair appointment for her?

Will there be any teenagers around who get on with her and could take her under their wing? They could go for a walk round the shops, and kill 2 birds with one stone.

Again, depending on how fit she is, is there some ironing or shoe-cleaning she could do?

It depends how fit she is - I have a friend who is 91 and had a job to keep up with her when we went shopping one day last year!

Finding old photos to put into an album is a good idea Eglantine - she could make a kind of 'This is Your Life' for her grandson, writing labels for each photo as well.

Otherwise can you organise a taxi trip around the town to see the sights?

If the ceremony is at 3 many grannies would be tired before 8 no matter what they did in the morning. Making sure she can leave when she wants to will be as important as helping to occupy herself during the morning.
Or could you offload or swap some of your own tasks so that you are under less pressure yourself?

Good heavens, she’s an adult not a toddler! Surely she can decide for herself what she wants to do? She’s already said she wants to do some shopping and explore, so why not let her? She obviously doesn’t want to have to do any pre- wedding jobs. If the wedding is at 3 then presumably you will meet up at the b&b to get ready before 2, so she could explore a bit, shop, and have some lunch well before then. I would be cranky by 8 if I had to hang around until 3, then perhaps not have anything to eat until 4 or 5. My mother, 90, went for a walk, had lunch, had a sit down, got ready, went to my daughter’s wedding, then around 8.30 called herself a taxi and went back to the hotel, saying thank you to everyone and she’d really enjoyed herself, but she was going now.

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Oh or book her in for some kind of beauty treatmemt if you’ve got a salon earth the B &B. A foot spa or a hand treatment. Brief them to take ages!

Do you have a big box of old photos she could sort through. Tell her she can only chose 20 to be put in a little album.

The bride and groom mayalreadybe planning a board of photos but a little album, just photo size, can sit unobtrusively beside it.

Can’t you give her a ‘job’ to do whilst she is in the B and B? Writing lists of something or other? Or some thing small to do with the wedding .?
I’m sure you can think of something for her to do that means she has to stay indoors and not go out, the landlady might be able to help you on this one.

Hey Coolgran,
The wedding location is not near her home nor mine; no friends or relations in the town at all, no garden center but likely a coffee shop, however she is not the type to go to a coffee shop and read the papers.
I need to "keep her" quiet and not out and walking getting herself tired before the entire event happens otherwise she will be cranky and tired by 8 pm.

Oops. Posted too soon.
Visit to local garden centre. Most of them have a lovely coffee shop now.

Do you have a good friend who would invite mum out for coffee and visit to the local garde