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Mary has Vascular Dementia (Part One)

Updated: Mar 4, 2021

Before I get to Mary, I really wanted to share the latest reviews for It’s Raining in Moscow and I Forgot my Umbrella, which have made me very happy!


Firstly I was absolutely delighted to have this review added to the Amazon site on Saturday. I don’t know who the ‘Amazon Customer’ is, but if you are reading, thanks so much!


Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 February 2021

Verified Purchase

I'm not an avid reader and when I do I very rarely finish the book... With the exception of this belter! I felt like I was reading two completely different stories, both just as engrossing as the other, culminating in a fantastic finale that ties it all together. I can't recommend this read enough, regardless of age.


I also want to thank the person who has written the review below. It’s perfect and I'm really touched. It takes courage to write a public comment! 😊


Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 2021

Verified Purchase

I Enjoyed, found it sad at times I wanted to read it all day and I really hope there is a second book because the book still feels like there is so much more to tell.


So, to Mary…

Mary is one of the characters who lives at the Autumn Days Care Home and she has Vascular Dementia. She is based on three lovely ladies I met when my mother-in-law had dementia.


The first was Francis, who was in hospital. She was Irish (like Mary) and muttered prayers all day whilst running her beads through her fingers. She liked to keep her beads 'safe' in her bag, in her food or in her dressing gown. One day I arrived and she was in a bit of a state.


“My beads! My beads!” she kept repeating.


I knew how important Francis’ beads were to her, but I wasn’t entirely sure how appropriate it was for me to rummage around in her belongings. This was pre-Covid, but even so, it felt a bit personal.


I asked Francis if her beads might be in her handbag or any of the other usual places. No, no, no. They were nowhere to be seen.


Then I noticed she kept looking surreptitiously at the tray next to her. She had finished her lunch and there were remnants of food and other debris on it. There was also an empty packet of biscuits. The type which holds three biscuits. I followed her gaze to the empty packet.

“Shall I have a look in the packet?” I asked.


Francis had a wonderful twinkle in her eye. It was perfectly clear that she had put the beads in the biscuit packet. What I will never know is a) Was Francis just playing a game all the time to create some sort of entertainment? b) Had Francis hidden the beads, forgotten where she had put them and then become genuinely distressed.


Anyway the beads were retrieved to a wonderful Irish, “Would you believe it!” from Francis. She just had to appear in my book, and became part of Mary’s cheeky, spirited character. That’s the thing about the Oldies. Some of the time there is nothing behind their eyes; but occasionally the twinkle resurfaces and when it does, it’s a treat.


Mary has a string of shiny glass beads and she holds them in her hands running them through her fingers and muttering under her breath. When she reads the newspaper she says things like, “Would you look at that, not even all the king’s horses and all the king’s men could put him back together again!”

"What a book...Caroline writes in such a way that you get lost in amongst the pages and before you know it you've finished the book! An incredible authoress, fantastic book and a must to add to your basket."




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