MERRY CHRISTMAS

I know I've been very spasmodic this past year with blogging but I've done my best and to anyone who may still be checking out my blog (and I know who some of the faithful are) I would like to send you best wishes from Phil and myself (and Candy too of course) for a safe and happy Christmas.

When the new year of 2018 arrives I hope it will treat you all kindly for its whole 365 days.  I will endeavour to stay in touch but I'm making no unbreakable promises.  I am getting a tad old and that is the truth of the matter.

P.S.  My thanks to the lady who telephoned me today to thank me for my blog.  I am sorry I don't know your name but believe you said you live in Pemberton (a beautiful place in WA).

TUNEFUL TUESDAY

Whoops running late with this one so a quick decision as to which I shall choose.  How about Tennessee Ernie Ford with "Shenandoah"?  A beautiful deep voice singing a delightful song and of course it is from YouTube.

THURSDAY THOUGHTS

Firstly, Phil has asked me to say thank you to those of you who wished him a happy birthday.  I think he is still amazed that he has made it this far and says the important thing about his age is that he can still enjoy life and that he is actually here.  I am hoping he will make it to 90 but perhaps one shouldn't look too far ahead.  They do say to be careful of what you wish for.

 CANDY CAT:  Candy has now been with us for over 3 years and she has taken charge and rules the roost.

I will never understand the vagaries of cats and their habits.  For the first year she slept in different places and then took over Phil's bed, sleeping high up the bed in cold weather and at the foot of the bed in summer.   Suddenly, early November this year, she jumped up and went to sleep on my bed and has done so ever since.  Some nights she will wander up to where Phil's head is, look him in the eye as though to say "goodnight" and she is back on my bed.   We are now wondering how long she will keep that up.

She is a cat that always wants to be where we are and in that way seems more like a dog.  I'd always wanted a cat that would jump up and lay on my lap for a while.  I got more than I'd bargained for with Candy.  She will jump on my lap when I sit in my armchair in the lounge but it's not just for a short time; if she had the chance she would stay there for hours.  I don't mind if I'm watching TV but even then one does have to move occasionally and it's playing havoc with my crocheting as she likes to play with the yarn, given half a chance.

Out here in my workroom there is a comfy chair with a cushion on it where Phil while we have a chat about what we have to do, what we'll eat etc.  Some time ago Candy would steal that chair so I decided on another chair and so now Candy has one of her own, complete with cushion.  Not to be satisfied with that I've found her a couple of times recently sleeping in my office chairs which also has a cushion.  I can assure she is told what's what in no uncertain manner.  After all there have to be limited to her power!!!

This is madam on her own chair earlier this week:

Again about my frangipani.   Karen gave me a small one for Mother's Day called Heidi.  It was  single stem about 25cms/9ins high but after I'd had it for some weeks the top began to look not quite right.  Eventually it did rot and I spoke to our gardening chap about it and said it needed to be cut off until it began to 'bleed'.  Out came his secateurs and off came the top in a very clean cut.  On 7th December I took this photo of 3 shoots than had begun to form:

Today when inspecting the plants I found those shoots had grown so much longer and this was the pic I took of them today:

This is I think why so many of us are frangpani fans as you can never be sure just what they will do and I was really astonished at the size of these vey new leaves.  Of course I don't expect it to flower this year but just to have had it survive is what amazes me.

Karen also gave me a Madison White (probably for my birthday).  It was only a small plant but this year has decided to flower.  I have a traditional white but this Madison White has a much smaller, more delicate flower with a really delightful light perfume.  I have lots of other frangipani with flower buds and you can be sure I will show them to you as they flower....so you have been warned.

It would seem the most important things in my life (apart from my children and grandies) are Phil, Candy and my frangipani and definitely in that order.

TUNEFUL TUESDAY

Listening to Akker Bilk playing "Stronger on the Shore" always gives me goose bumps.  I know there are other gifted clarinet players but he is right up there with them.  I hope you will enjoy this rendition. (From YouTube).

MUSICAL MONDAY

Phil and I have always enjoyed the music of Andy Williams (I remember years ago watching the Andy Williams Show on TV) and here he is singing (from Romeo and Juliet) "A Time for Us".
I hope you will enjoy it along with me.  (From YouTube).

THOUGHTS ON THURSDAY

Something that has had Phil and me pondering about of late is all this confusion in Federal Parliament about whether members of parliament are dual citizens or not.  It is to do with a section of our Constitution that says member of Federal Parliament must be Australian citizens.

Two members of the Green Party resigned after they realised they had both been born overseas one in New Zealand and the other in Canada.   Fair enough as legally neither were Australian citizens.  This began a landslide of people quickly checking if they were indeed Aussie citizens as many had parents born overseas which automatically makes them citizens of their father's country of birth.

No my birth mother was born in Australia to Australian born parents although my birth father was born in London. My adopted parents (my legal parents) were both born in London so I am a dual citizen both ways.   I would never consider revoking my English citizenship as I was always in my mind, and proud to be, a British citizen until, in the 1970s, the Labor government decided that was no longer the case and we then needed an Australian passport to travel overseas.  I believe I could have acquired a British passport had I desired to do so as could Phil of course as he was born in England athough he became an Australian citizen back in the 1970s.

Today was the deadline when parliamentarians were supposed to supply proof that they were 100% Aussie citizens by, I thought, presenting their birth certificates and those of their parents and grandparents.  It seems some supplied documents showing they had received confirmation of revoking citizenship of other countries but one side of politics had said this was not sufficient evidence when the other side did it but now their members have done just that...it is all right.

Honestly, don't politicians make you laugh?  Talk about confusion.  Actually Phil and I both feel if their dual citizenship is of a Commonwealth nation then what's the problem.   One can perhaps understand it if the other country involved is not a member of the Commonwealth but......not so.

That's enough of that for now.  Hopefully the same-sex marriage bill will be passed before the end of the year and all this business about citizenship will be too.  The former will delight so many people whereas the latter I am certain will concern very few outside parliament.

By the way I think the injection in my finger has worked to a certain degree.  There is still some swelling and I can't bend it completely but it is much less painful (or are my morphine patches beginning to work?)   Speaking of the patches...I think there is some effect but my stupid back seems to be stopping me walking properly.  I am not complaining.....just mentioning it.

My dear old Phil is now 88 (last Saturday).  No big celebration as part of the family was tied up all weekend but Aimee and Caitlyn came to afternoon tea on Saturday and Karen and her hubby on Sunday afternoon.  Also B was kind enough to replace our 2 smoke alarms which Phil had not been able to do and also changed a kitchen curtain that needed doing.  Phil is OK up a ladder to do ordinary things but not having to look up with his arms above his head.  He reckons it's something to do with getting old.  

I found a birthday card that made Phil laugh...it said  AGE is MIND over MATTER and inside it said "If you don't mind then it doesn't matter".  Phil said he is just so thankful that he is still here to enjoy getting older.

This has been a muddled up post but I'm feeling a bit muddled up right now.  Not sure why but this weather is not helping.   We get 3 or 4 days about 30C (86F) and then a couple in the high 20s and so on.   It is warming up as the next seven days are all forecast to be above 30C with warm nights.  I watch how our eastern state cousins are getting more rain than they want in many places and much cooler weather.  Never mind you can be sure some of our heat will make its way across in a week or so, particularly to South Australia if not beyond.

TUNEFUL TUESDAY

Now for a real blast from the past.  There were some wonderful songs sung during WW2 and this is one I remember very well.  I remember singing them around the piano at home.  Here is the great Vera Lynn singing "The White Cliffs of Dover".  Once again from YouTube.

MUSICAL MONDAY

This is a song I've always really enjoyed and to me there is no better singer to perform it than Johnny Horton.  Here he is singing "North to Alaska" from the film of that name which I also enjoyed many years back.  As usual YouTube was the source for this music.