OK here's the project

to use a laptop as a picture frame/show + clock + window.

The man is 90+ and gets disoriented on which part of the day it is so we need a large clock face with day of week and show which part of the day it is (morn, noon, evening, lunch dinner, supper etc)

I thought a cheap (2nd hand) laptop and a bit of s/w. Excel - can do it I have enough VBA already to see how to get started. The analogue clock face will be a challenge - though a full-screen clock program would be better. Anyone know any?

Then I thought pictures - again easy in Excel (or VB) - a slide show of his deceased wife, new additions to the family, relative in Spain etc. say changing once in 5 mins.

Then I thought (you can see the $$$ racking up) a PC good enough to work a webcam (via Wifi) so the camera can be sited looking at his farm he worked on until 5 years ago ( and shuffled round until a year ago). eg a new (movable) window without punching holes in walls.

The problem is that since his wife died he spends a lot of time looking out the window barely leaving his living room. Cars going by are not that interesting. Silent movies or TV he is not that bothered with.

How much notice he would take of a clock with pictures is a moot point but if it is always there on the wall and has some personal interest - just maybe the regularity will at least slow down the deteriation.

And I am being told by his daughter to book a week at Sidmouth Festival and my crystal ball is somewhat cloudy right now - this is a gamble but........

What else could I use the PC for in this context. (neither he nor she would use it as a computer)
All ideas considered - well the computer ones anyway.