A geriatric grandmother

ANOTHER MILESTONE IN MY LIFE

2012-01-02T12:34:00.000+08:00

Today I celebrate my 80th birthday.....hard to believe as I sit here at my computer looking outwards but then I will later see myself in a mirror and realise that it is true. I have quite a lot of grey in my hair but much of it is still brown, and I often think if it was all white I would then believe I really AM 80. Of course the physical me is not good because of chronic osteo arthritis but mentally I think I am still doing rather well for which I must be thankful.

I had a fantastic 70th birthday but today is going to be more low key which suits me fine as I'm not quite the youngster now that I was 10 years ago. The family are coming for afternoon tea which I am hoping we can enjoy under the trees in our front garden with a nice cooling sea breeze blowing. Today is forecast to be 31C (87.8F) which is better than my last two birthdays when it has been 40C (104F) so one must be thankful that the weather is being somewhat kinder today. The sea breeze has arrived early today so I am hoping it stays with us until at least late afternoon.

My daughter blogged about my birthday and said some very kind words. I have not always been perfect but I have tried my best and hope through the years I've not caused bad hurt to anyone, or at least not more than was perhaps necessary at times.

MOH game me a really pretty 80th birthday card and the printed words in the card were:

"Your 80th birthday is a time of great celebration. A special day that's all about you; a time to feel the happiness that's warmly wished for you by your family and friends, today and always". He added his only lovely greeting (and some xxx's of course).

I think that says it all. I am grateful to have been given these many years of life and however many more days are going to be granted to me will also be grateful received. Today I especially remember with fondness all those that have already left this mortal coil and only wish they were still here to share this day with me. I think of them often and am so glad they were my family and friends.

I hope everyone had a most enjoyable Christmas and New Year's Eve and may this year of 2012 bring everyone peace, good health and much happiness.

I intend to try and find something worthwhile writing about, at least occasionally, and hope I will meet up with old friends on here from time to time.

SEASON'S GREETINGS

2011-12-24T23:03:00.000+08:00

I am not sure anyone saw my post of 13 December so this is a quick wish for a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS and my hope that you will have a safe, healthy, peaceful and prosperous NEW YEAR.
May everything you wish for yourself come true (within reason of course).

WISHING ONE AND ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS

2011-12-13T20:47:00.000+08:00

I know Christmas is nearly two weeks away but being an oldie one can decide to do something and then suddenly realise "Oh gosh, I meant to do that last week!!"

All I wanted to say was I hope everyone has a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR which with it will bring prosperity, good health and all you wish for yourselves in 2012.

Whether you stay at home or go away please keep yourselves safe as you are very precious to me and I really want to think you will be around next year.

WHY DID PEGGY BECOME MARGARET?

2011-12-12T13:31:00.000+08:00

I mentioned in my previous blog re my dual birth registration that on the second certificate my given name was shown to be Margaret and not Peggy. On the original Ruston certificate the name WAS given as Peggy but there is a reason for the change.

I had never really liked the name Peggy/Peg nor the nicknames that came with it...Peg leg etc. The final straw was when in a letter from Mum's father who lived in London he made comment about my name (Mum always spoke or wrote of me as Peg) saying that he didn't much like my given name as it reminded him of a common household utensil!!! You can imagine the effect this would have on a 'sensitive' child who didn't much like the name anyway so I immediately asked if my name could be changed to Margaret..."please Mum"!!!

At that time I was about to go to a different school and on the entry form for Perth College (a C/E school) there was a question that asked where had the child been christened. As Mum had been brought up in the Baptist church in England where children weren't baptised until age 15 or more she had not bothered about it. We didn't go to church and as Dad wasn't at all religious the subject had never arisen. I guess I wanted to be the same as other kids at the school so off we went to meet with the Dean of St George's Cathedral in Perth to arrange for me to be christened. In order for me to be christened Margaret, Mum had my given name changed officially.

It was thus that Peggy Anderson, Peggy Ruston became Margaret Ruston. So this person has had various names: Peggy Anderson, Peggy Ruston, Margaret Ruston, Margaret Lewis and now Margaret Elvis. I think I have managed to adapt to each name as I went along and am certainly more than happy with the name I now have as I share the surname with MOH which I am more than happy about as I love him so much.

I WASN'T REALLY BORN TWICE

2011-12-12T12:38:00.000+08:00

On checking out the Western Australian historical records on the Department of Justice website recently I found out that my birth had been registered twice. Wow! Not many people have that happen. The two entries read as follows:

Anderson, Peggy F Registered in Fremantle Reg. No 18/1932 and

Ruston, Margaret F Registered RGFremantle Reg. No.4/1933

My birth mother's surname was Anderson and the name of my father was not given on the certificate (I found out many years later who he was). I was born in North Fremantle so the registration would have been at the Fremantle Registry Office.

My adopted parents' surname was Ruston and the reason my given name is shown as Margaret is because when I was 11 years old I was christened and at the same time my name was legally changed from Peggy to Margaret (at my own request, and therein lies another tail). I don't know what the RG stands for before Fremantle on the second certificate. Incidentally on the original Ruston certificate my given name was Peggy.

Confused? No, there is only one of me for which I am sure many people are very thankful. Do I have a dual personality? No, not really but it is a bit of fun to say my birth has been registered twice.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD

2011-12-11T23:16:00.002+08:00

Today I was thinking of all the items available in the stores (and online as well) that can be bought for everyone (if you have the money to do so but then of course there are always credit cards!!)

I was born in 1932 during the Great Depression and was fortunate to be adopted by a loving couple who had a farm in the deep south of Western Australia. I don't remember a great deal about my first nearly 6 years so from that I know it must have been an extremely happy time. Unfortunately owing to my mother being very unwell we had to leave the farm and come to the big smoke "Perth". This was just a couple of months before I turned 6.

I had never been told why but it seems mum and dad had to just walk off the farm bringing with them only some personal items and clothing (all their possession from England had perished in a house fire before my birth). I was told that Dad had about five pounds ($10) in his pocket which was not a lot of money even back then. I doubt there was anything like private health insurance and as mum was in hospital for quite some weeks it would have been a drain on the household purse and following on from the depression would have left them with very little money. I do know that when I was adopted they were people of 'means' or would not have been a position to adopt a child. It is strange how families (at least back then) didn't talk about that type of thing. Now all the people that may have known are gone so it left for me to assume this, that and the other.

My half-brother drove for Yellow Cabs (a taxi firm back then when the drivers had to wear a uniform, including leggings, and they looked very smart). I am lucky to have a photo of Len and myself (I was about 7 at that time) and he is wearing his 'work finery'. I treasure that photo so much. The firm had allowed Len to drive his cab down to Narrikup (near Albany) to collect us and bring us to the city. I have no idea if he paid for the petrol but drive us he did.

For several years we lived in rooms in large houses and my memories are quite scant of those times and yet I can only remember happiness. We had little money and first of all Dad got a job going door to door selling pots and pans (saucepans etc) and then his next job was selling appointments for people to have their photographs taken which I think was mainly aimed at photographing children.

Finally when I was about 10 we managed to find a very nice house to rent in North Perth and then moved to another house also in North Perth when the owners of the first house decided to sell as there had been a marriage breakup. We rented several places after that (including when we became grocers of a small corner shop in Swanbourne) and finally Mum and Dad built their own home in Joondanna when I was 20 years of age. That meant we had been boarding or renting for about 15 years with many changes of address in various suburbs.

I have been told that we often suppress bad things that occur in our lives but I know that nothing of that kind took place during my childhood so I just know how much I was loved and cared for. How fortunate I was to be wanted as much as that.

Getting back to what I was thinking about Christmas and all that it entails in this modern age...I was going on 8 when WW2 broke out and although we in Perth were safe from the conflict itself we of course had family and friends who were in the forces (Len was in the RAAF) and we had rationing of food (butter, sugar and tea); clothing (coupons were required to buy clothing and material); petrol and cigarettes. This went on for several years after the war ended in 1945 and I remember Mum needing a ball gown and as it would have meant using lots of coupons she bought a length of beautiful shot silk curtaining (no coupons needed for curtains for some reason) and had the dressmaker make a lovely gown for her. As I was tall for my age and a wee bit larger as well I got extra coupons for clothing and as I always wore a school uniform there were no problems for me with regard to clothes.

For several years there was very little to choose from in the stores in the way of gifts and items like books were very difficult to obtain because of the shortage of paper. By this time Dad had become a very successful Rawleighs dealer and he would often go to the auction houses searching for items some of his customers were hoping to find (he would perhaps spend two pounds and make a few shillings by selling it on to that particular customer) and while there he would buy books for me so that at Christmas I would receive this large pile of secondhand books which would delight me as I loved to read.

As my birthday is only 8 days after Christmas I think there could be a combination of gifts covering both Christmas and birthday but I really don't recollect if that was so. Mum would often make me something such as a nice dressing gown and there would be a few other small items and of course always a few new shiny pennies in the bottom of the pillowcase which served as a Christmas stocking.

From about the age of 8 Mum, Dad and I always went away to Mandurah for holiday so never spent Christmas or my birthday) at home. Hence there was never a decorated tree in the house or any decorations and I often wonder what this did to my sense of Christmas. Sure, we had a wonderful time in the guest house where we stayed as the same families went there year after year so we were like one big happy family and there would be decorations in the dining room and a traditional Christmas dinner

I am sure all this gave me a different feeling about how to celebrate Christmas at home and I am not sure that I've ever really got the hang of it. My first husband was never very good about Christmas (or birthdays for that matter) and I remember that one year he wouldn't even let our children open their presents until about 5 in the afternoon and all the pleading by the 3 of us wouldn't make him change his mind. I have never worked out why he behaved like that but it was one more thing that spoiled the festive season for me. His own dad had died when he (my 1st hubby) was only 8 and I often wonder if that coloured his ideas of these celebrations.

MOH came from England when he was 30 and for him to celebrate Christmas in Australia is so different from what he remembers it being 'back home' where it was cold and you had a yule log on the fire and and made holly wreaths and it was 'just so different'. Although he loves living in Australia I think this time of year brings with it a little sadness as well. I know for a fact that one thing that would make the festive season better for me would be if it were COLD. Perhaps it is my northern European ancestry that makes me feel that way or is it I just don't like the heat of summer? Who knows!!

I am sorry if this has been a little long-winded but I just wanted to put my thought down as I am always trying to work out what makes me tick and why I feel as I do as Christmas approaches; sort of sad. I made an effort to make Christmas (and birthdays) great for my two children and I hope they enjoyed themselves as much as was possible. I do know that I get upset about the amount of money that is spent (I am glad there were no credit cards years ago) and it can also be a time of upheaval among family members when I think it should be a time of closeness. I always dread to hear of tragic accidents on our roads and losses that families must bear on those occasions. I can't even imagine what it would be like to suddenly lose a family member or friend in that way and my thoughts always go out to those families even though I don't know them.

You can tell I do have very mixed feelings about a time when people are supposedly celebrating the birth of one whom I believe was a very good man (son of God or not doesn't matter as far as I am concerned) and I feel then it should be a time for families to be together if possible and love each other as much as they can without feeling they must get into debt etc., trying to buy, buy, buy items which in many cases are put into a cupboard and forgotten. It is also a good time to think of those who are less fortunate and perhaps make a donation to a worthwhile charity who can help others have a slightly better chance in life.

I hope I have not annoyed anyone by what I said in the previous paragraph as I respect everyone's beliefs and hope they will forgive me if I've upset them at all. As I approach 80 I have my own thoughts about life in general and sincerely believe that we should treat others as we would like them to treat us. If we all lived by that philosophy hopefully the world would be a slightly better place with peace for everyone.

I wish anyone who may have got this far through this somewhat lengthy blog A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR.

SMALL THINGS THAT PLEASE + B/DAY GREETINGS

2011-12-02T15:52:00.000+08:00

I am sure as one ages that little happenings can cause much delight. Today, for the first time in over 5 months I was able to wash my hair without any help. That may sound a bit daft but it is the first time, since dislocating my left shoulder on 20 June, that I have been able to raise my arm high enough to reach nearly to the top of my head.

MOH has been so wonderful helping me wash my hair over the months and fortunately mine is not the type of hair that needs washing every day or two and I can go 5 days (or even 7 days at a pinch in cold weather) before it looks too grotty.

Today MOH celebrates his 82nd birthday and I am so grateful to him for the wonderful care he has shown me, not only since the shoulder thingie, but over the years. Sure, there have been ups and downs on occasion, but as we age I believe we mellow and realise that getting out knickers in a knot over trivial things is just ridiculous so we now try to tolerate each other's idiosyncrasies and laugh off any differences we may have.

It is quite hot here today (34C - 93.2F - so far) so a quiet and peaceful day....he with his books and listening to music on the radio and me out here messing around on the computer. We spend some time together and then do our own thing which we find is beneficial to us both.

Tonight we go to our favourite Chinese restaurant for dinner which we will both enjoy. As diabetics we can't eat Chinese food too often (the rice is the problem more than anything...too much carb) but for special occasions (or cheating occasionally on our rather strict diet) it's great for a change. He thinks he has had his presents but another one will arrive this evening. I have bought him an above the ground garden bed (and our daughter and her hubby will also be giving him one) which will help ease the burden on his slightly arthritic back. I have to make sure he keeps fit as I need him more than ever these days...I'd truly be lost without him.

A WORRYING FEW DAYS

2011-11-19T23:10:00.000+08:00

Last December MOH had a really bad virus and with a cough that hung on for many weeks. He was even too sick to enjoy his own birthday but fortunately got well enough to enjoy Christmas. More recently he had a similar infection complete with cough so off we went to the doctor. He was given antibiotics specific for this type of infection and over a matter of several weeks he gradually got better.

We had reason to see the doctor again (for scripts etc) and I mentioned that MOH had never had a lung function test and as he'd been told he had mild emphysemia back in 2006 and was using asthma type puffers I was surprised that this hadn't been done. The doctor decided a chest x-ray would also be a good idea so off MOH went for that and the lung function test.

The x-ray came back showing what appeared as a nodule on his right lung. Straight off to have a CT scan of his chest and a 2 day wait that seemed like 2 months. To cut a long story short off we went back to our doctor yesterday afternoon for the dreaded results. GOOD NEWS. It would seem there was a type of scarring on his lung most possibly as a result of a lower respiratory tract infection. He of course still has emphysema and some bronchial damage but the relief we felt that the 'nodule' was not something nasty was overwhelming.

The lung function test showed somewhat decreased lung capacity but the doctor said that was nothing to worry about as MOH had been a smoker (he gave up over 40 years ago) and this would partly be attributable to that and also his age.

To celebrate we had take away Chinese for dinner (and it was delicious) and both breathed a big sigh of relief. This type of happening though is more or less a wake up call that we are indeed getting somewhat older and should perhaps make more definite plans for our future.

One good thing though is that MOH will be able to enjoy his 82nd birthday in a couple of weeks time.

PLEASANT THOUGHTS OF A SPECIAL COUPLE

2011-11-13T18:02:00.002+08:00

Yesterday my lovely daughter and her hubby celebtrated their 34th wedding anniversary and it got me to thinking about how and when they met.

Way back in the 1970s MOH and I used to play badminton in a hall near our home. They were a great bunch of folk and among them were two young men that I liked very much. My daughter at that time was on her own with her little girl and I thought it may be nice for her to join in and play badminton with us and also meet these two young men as well.

She came along to the hall and with her little girl being so well behaved she was able to bring her along too which was great. She (our daughter and not the 2 year old) seemed to enjoy herself and played badminton quite well and got on so well with the people that we invited them as well as family and other friends, along to the 21st birthday party we arranged for her. We felt sad that she was on her own so hired a hall, had the party catered for and had a DJ to put on some music so there could be dancing as well. We had a lovely cake made and I also made my daughter a very pretty dress to wear. You did that type of thing for 21st birthdays way back then.

Eventually one of the young men asked our lass to go on a date and their friendship grew from there until finally there was a marriage, 3 children to add to the little girl my daughter already had so a nice family of 6, and today they are real soul mates and it always makes my heart so glad that I was instrumental in them meeting. They have had their ups and down but have always come up smiling and I can only hope they have many, many more happy years ahead to spend together. I love them both very much and they are wonderful to MOH and me in our declining years for which I thank them so much.

MOTHER LOVE

2011-11-04T15:40:00.000+08:00

I often think of my mum (the one that adopted me when I was very tiny) and also the one that gave birth to me and was forced to give me up. To have been so fortunate in being adopted by a wonderful couple was I think perhaps more than I deserved. I hope I never really let them down and I will always be grateful for their love and care. Thinking about this today reminded me of a verse in Mother's Day card I received some time back and I would like to share it with you.

Mums always show their caring in so many different ways
By giving warm encouragement, support and words of praise.
They give their understanding and they take the time to share
Warm moments of companionship that show how much they care.
Mums always give a special gift that really stands above
Any other gift in life - the priceless gift of love.

My real mother of course was never given the opportunity to do any of the above and I feel so sad that she was denied this. My 'other mother', although she had not given birth, had the pleasure of being able to do all the above for her chosen daughter and she did it without reserve of any kind.

My only hope is that I too have been a reasonably good mum to my children (and grandmother to my grandchildren as well) and have managed to instill in them the values I hold dear and that were taught to me. To my way of thinking one of the most important of all these beliefs is to endeavour always to treat others as you'd like them to treat you. If you can do that throughout your life you will cause little deliberate hurt and hopefully not be hurt by others.

As usual, I hope everyone out there in blog land is keeping well and happy.

AN AMUSING STORY ABOUT A FRIEND OF MINE

2011-10-31T23:08:00.002+08:00

I have a Facebook friend in New Zealand that I met back in 2010. We both love playing Scrabble and have about 60 games going between us on Facebook and I must admit we are pretty well equal in our successes.

She is 23 years younger than me (actually almost the same age as my own daughter). This lass though is the eldest of 11 children which probably makes her a little different to my daughter who only had a younger brother to deal with. Her mother is proving to be a bit of a problem to the family by being very stubborn about her care whereas I, of course, am never a problem to my daughter (I'd not mention that to her though as she perhaps wouldn't entirely agree with that comment *_*).

As we can't converse in the normal way we sort of chat as we play Scrabble or sometimes playing Farm Town (another addictive game on Facebook). I will leave a message or a comment for my friend and next time she plays she will reply or leave another message for me. This may annoy some people but she and I really enjoy it very much.

The other day I played the word TRUANT at the same time leaving this message for her (I bet you've never played truant have you?) Next day came her reply "Yes I have a little bit and once I wanted to go to another High School so along I went with my birth certificate and told them that my mother was too busy working to come along with me and so I enrolled myself."

I thought this quite hilarious and next time I played Scrabble I asked how long it was before her mum knew she had changed high schools. The answer came the next day "When the other school rang mum and asked her why I'd not been to school for a month." A Month!!!! Wow what was that school thinking leaving it so long before contacting her mother?

When I asked my friend her reason for changing schools she said that all her friends were going to the school she had chosen and she didn't know anyone at the first school. This I felt an excellent reason for her doing this and it certainly didn't do any harm as she (when living in Western Australia years back) took up nursing and her use of words is excellent that a good education was obviously hers.

Just needed to share this little story with anyone who cares to read it as I felt it very amusing and hope you do as well.

AND THEN THE REAL TRUTH STRUCK ME

2011-10-30T19:21:00.001+08:00

As you know MOH and I are getting on years and we are not complaining about that one little bit as the alternative is not even worth thinking about but.....

Over the past couple of years we keep saying to each other "I don't know why I am feeling so weary today" and words to that effect.

The other day MOH said exactly that to me and the truth suddenly hit me. MOH is approaching his 82nd birthday and me my 80th birthday come January. While we are sitting in our comfy chairs reading, crocheting (me not MOH) or watching TV or doing absolutely nothing at all I still more or less feel as I did when I was 35 or perhaps 45 and I could spring up and do anything I felt like doing. Now there's the rub. I can't do much of whatever it is I feel like doing at all and even though MOH is much better physically than I now am he too is finding he tires very quickly.

What was that inevitable truth that had to be recognised one day? I turned to MOH and said "You often wonder why you tire much more easily these days and I get frustrated because of so many tasks I now cannot do that I once took for granted. It's not just because we are getting older it is because we are OLD.

This does not mean we are giving up but only that we have to face the fact that much water has passed under various bridges since we were born. We are not giving up or giving in but at last will be able to stop trying to find answers to the question "Why is this happening" 'cos now we both know why. We can now stop worrying ourselves sick about what is wrong with us but just get on and enjoy all we can in the years remaining to us.

I still love to read, I crochet when my old hands will let me and I really love my computer and can type quite well for an oldie. We don't see as much of family as we once did nor are we now able to lend assistance as we could before which is regrettable. We used to love to have our grandchildren stay here and also take them on holidays with us. We are no longer able to look after little ones which is something we both regret but it would not really be safe for us to do so. We have so many happy memories of time spent with family and these memories will hopefully always remain with us. Photographs also help us pinpoint moments in time that were and still are so memorable.

Does all the above mean we are now enjoying a new lease of life? No, it does not but we will continue to be thankful we have been given the chance to spend so long on this earth in what is a very special and wonderful country (and of course in my view the best city in this great country too). MOH was born in the UK and lived there for 30 years. He has never had the inclination to return even for a holiday and now considers himself an Australian. He even has his Certificate of Naturalisation to prove it which he always tells everyone he signed with tomato sauce.

Now I have turned this corner in my life I am hoping I can return to blogging if I can find anything I think may be of any interest to anyone or perhaps just of interest to me. It is over 3 months since I dislocated my left shoulder and the arm is still not right so off I go tomorrow morning to have an injection in it (under ultrasound to make sure they hit the spot) which I am hoping will do the trick. My eyes are recovering well from the cataract operations (the specialist was extremely pleased with the results of the ops) and on Tuesday I am off to get new specs which will make a big difference as well. Still not too good outside when the glare is too bright but have been told the retinas will gradually adjust after 'being in the dark' for a while so that too will be good.

Oh boy! Am I being positive or am I? Hopefully this mood will stay with me and me and my family will see good times when we reach the new year of 2012 which is only only 2 months away. Oh heck that means Christmas too. I wonder will my fantastic daughter decide on Secret Santa pressies again this year? I think it worked out well last year and I can already think of a couple of items to put on my list.

I trust everyone out there in blogger land is keeping well.....just love and care for each other is all I can ask of you.

THE GALAHS ARE BACK IN THEIR TREE

2011-09-28T22:24:00.000+08:00

I really must have my camera with me next time we are near the post office. Stopped there today and on THE tree were a pair of galahs. I am presuming they have babies in the hole in that tree as they obviously did last year.

It is amusing to watch them eating the bark of the tree and there is now a huge area with no bark. Am hoping they won't eventually ring bark it as it is a very large eucalypt but I think it would take them a while to do that much damage.

Galahs are such delightful birds and comedians as well. I've often seen them on the light wires turning somersaults and really enjoying themselves having fun.

I will have that camera with me one day and then fathom out how to get the picture on here. All things on computers are getting a tad complicated for this old brain to fathom out at times but I'll at least give it a go.

MY DESTINY IN LIFE

2011-09-27T20:28:00.000+08:00

It suddenly struck me recently that my destiny in this life is to nearly always be the one that has to replace the used toilet roll.

In our home I guarantee it is my job 90% of the time and when in hospital recently having a cataract op I went to the loo and would you believe....no toilet paper so who was it that had to pop the new roll on the holder? Yes, yours truly.

I suppose there are worse jobs in this world but I am quite sure that this was certainly destined to be one of mine.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?

2011-09-25T19:15:00.000+08:00

I hope so rather than it be a train coming in the opposite direction!

Had scans and x-ray of bad shoulder yesterday and I have a full thickness tear in my supraspinatus tendon. I also have a bursa on my left hip which would have resulted from the same fall that caused my dislocated shoulder.

Now we know what the damage is I am hoping beyond hope that my GP can now do something to give me back full use of my arm which will also hopefully reduce the constant ache in that arm.

All this is one reason I've not been back blogging. My eyes are great but still have to have 4 x 3 drops each day in the left one and an ordinary eye drop in the right eye to try and help it put up with some of the allergies that come with our spring weather. Looking forward to seeing the specialist for a final OK on 21st October and then mid-November off to get tested for new specs.

When there are aches and pains and other medical problems one doesn't want to constantly be grizzling about them as that is boring for all of us but at times like this one's mind tends to dwell on everything that is wrong. There are millions of folk in the world that in many different ways are far worse off than I am but at this moment in time it is my problems that I have to confront. They tend to take over and one's concentration is upset so best to withdraw for a while until all is well again and one can think normally.

Hopefully come Christmas 2011 all will well again, or as well as can be expected by someone as ancient as I am.

Once again I hope everyone in blogging land is well and happy. Just keep loving each other and the world will be a much better place.

REMEMBERING WHEN

2011-09-25T18:44:00.001+08:00

Yesterday was the 54th birthday of my only son, a son who nearly 10 years ago chose not to have anything to do with me or this side of his family.

I found it very sad yesterday knowing where he lives and not being able to see him. He and his family live about 15 kms south of us and we spent some great times in his home prior to him making his decision to split from us. In some way it was worse knowing it was his birthday and that he was alive than if he had died way back then. At least then I could remember him with honest regret rather than very sad regret.

Please don't get me wrong....I don't wish him ill but am just trying to explain how I feel when these anniversaries come around.

I will be 80 in January and my one hope is that perhaps he will remember that and make contact but there is really nobody to remind him so I doubt very much if it will even enter his mind to do so.

I often wonder if I will ever see him, his wife or my grandchildren again before I leave this mortal coil. I can only desperately hope that I will.

WHAT'S IN YOUR FRIDGE?

2011-09-13T13:51:00.001+08:00

Now that is perhaps a strange question but I am not really being nosy. This morning I was searching in our fridge for a small item that was hiding and realised that one shelf is nearly completed dominated by MOH's thyroid medication (they didn't say to keep it in the fridge for 20 years or more but then suddenly it was imperative it was kept cold...strange) and packets and packets of insulin pens for us both. I only have one injection a day but MOH has one before each meal and when you collect them from the chemist you receive enough to last about six months. They take up quite a lot of room

Nowadays we seldom entertain 'cos I just can't cope with it any more and so if anyone comes it is usually for a cuppa and cake so we don't need the space in our fridge so all is well.

All this is part of growing older and the medical profession very kindly endeavouring to keep us from dropping off the perch which unfortunately has happened to a number of our friends. I often say we are still here 'cos only the good die young but I feel we also owe thanks to various doctors who do seem to have our interests at heart.

Thursday morning I am to have my second cataract op so up early about 5pm to get to the hospital EARLY and then another month of 3 drops 4 times a day. Another of life's little pleasures. No complaints though as it will be great to have both eyes in tandem again and see everything lighter and brighter.

If anyone does check in here I hope you are keeping well and all is going OK for you and yours. When I think of something worthwhile writing about I will return but not being out and about in the big outside world much these days means I am very limited in what I can write about. Never mind I hope I will think of something eventually.

A DAY OF INFAMY

2011-09-11T12:45:00.000+08:00

Today...11/9/11 one's thoughts go back 10 years to the horrific happenings in America when so many innocent lives were lost and the effect it had on the lives of those left behind.

There is not a lot one can say as it has all been said by better writers than I am but it is necessary to always remember that dreadful day and do our best to make the world a better place for future generations. If only people could keep their beliefs to themselves and be content to let others have their beliefs so we can all live in peace.

NOT BACK INTO WRITING MODE AS YET

2011-09-05T16:03:00.001+08:00

I thought I'd be back here much sooner than this but the shoulder is still far from right and having to have 12 drops in my eye each day....well it's sort of tiring so the old thought processes are a little slow.

Yesterday was Father's Day in Oz and also our eldest great-granddaughter turned 15 so a double celebration. Family all met at the Hog's Breath Cafe in Rockingham where we all enjoyed a lovely meal and each other's company as well.

CT at 15 is a delightful lass and I feel she really did enjoy her birthday yesterday and received some lovely gifts, including money so she can go on a spending spree and buy things she would like to have. I now kakka has talked a lot about her eldest granddaughter so I don't need to go into details about the accident and all that. CT looked very attractive last night and still has the most beautiful smile.

I asked CT what her work experience job is this term and apparently she is at a cafe/restaurant where she does some of the cooking, takes payments for meals and of course the one job that is interminable in a cafe....washing dishes. She seems to be enjoying it which is the main thing. All this work experience is good for her as she learns different tasks and has a lot of contact with people in the 'outside' world.

Youngest great-granddaughter was also there with her folks and she had lots of fun with her grandma playing electronic games on the iPad and having the story about Green Eggs and Ham read to her a couple of times. She had brought with her a little pull along dog which had to be taken outside for a walk a couple of times. She really is a trick and she looked lovely with her curly hair and pretty clothes.

MOH has had a nasty persistent cough of late so I waited until he was out on Friday and rang and made an appointment with out GP and I hope when MOH sees the doctor he will tell him he's been feeling poorly and not try and make out all is well, which it isn't. It's great to greet a doctor which a big smile and all that but sometimes I think we have to let them know that things are not quite right or otherwise how are they supposed to know.

I hope everyone out there in blogging land is keeping well and happy. I am sorry I've not visited many blogs of late but I do think of all of you and when I get this shoulder right and the second cataract done on the 15th of this month (followed by lots more drops) I hope all will be back to some sort of normality.
Just keeping loving each other and all hopefully will be well with everyone.

HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW POTATO

2011-08-22T19:47:00.000+08:00

Well it is new to us anyway. Diabetic dietician told us about them...they are a carisma potato sold only by Coles and they are very low GI. We were using kumura instead of ordinary potato but apparently they are intermediate GI which is not quite so good. We still use kumura as we love 'em but in lesser quantity than before.

The carisma potatoes are a delight and cook (boiled) in only about 10 minutes or would be over done. So, not only have we discovered a new potato but also one that saves cooking time which is good as well. MOH has been peeling them but when I cooked some I just gave them a good scrub and they were quite OK like that. The peel is very very thin so easy to clean them.

At the moment I am eating some delicious cherries and have no idea where they come from. We usually only have cherries here in Western Australia from about December through to February so being able to buy some in August is wonderful and they are of course a very good fruit for diabetics. These cherries are super size and just sooooo enjoyable.

A PROGRESS REPORT

2011-08-22T19:30:00.000+08:00

First cataract op is over and went just so well and I have rediscovered what white looks like and can't wait till the other eye is 'done' on 15 September. A little soreness a couple of hours after the op and one codeine tablet did the trick and ever since all has been well. A little swelling of the lower eyelid but am told that will subside with time. Everything is looking so bright and beautiful and I realise now what I've been missing colourwise. Even the sky is bluer with one eye than with the other.

Three lots of drops to use four times a day and poor MOH has to administer them as I still can't get my right arm over to my right eye to hold eyelid in place while in instil the drops. That wonderful husband of mine has just so much patience and still gives me a cuddle and tells me he loves me and I don't ever want to be without him.

Shoulder not as good as I'd hoped and all I did yesterday is help MOH hang out some washing and then fold up towels etc when they were dry and pop them away but apparently that was a bit much to do. A bit better today and more physio etc., due on Wednesday morning when I will have a chat to Jenny to see what she thinks of the progress it is making. She said 8 weeks and it is only coming up to 5 weeks so perhaps I'm being impatient. I do have to remember all the soft tissue that was affected is nearly 80 years old so maybe I'm expecting a little too much of it. At least it is great not having to wear the sling any more.

BIG DAY TOMORROW

2011-08-18T20:15:00.001+08:00

First cataract op tomorrow morning. Had a call from the hospital today telling me that they want me to be there at 6.30 a.m. I hadn't realised there was such a time in the morning.....gee, the streets aren't even aired at that time are they?

For someone who often sleeps in till 9 a.m. this will be quite a shock to the system but I am sure we will get there in plenty of time even if still half asleep. Fortunately MOH is a good driver at any time of the day or night so no problem there.

If you are wondering why we sleep late, we tend to be night owls and go to bed late and often read for quite a while too. We had years of having to get up early to go to work etc., so now that we are retired we do it our way.

Apparently I will be able to read, watch television etc., even though one eye will have a 'patch' over it but if I have to wash my hair (which apparently I can do the same day) I have to keep the eye shut. So, I washed my hair tonight so that should be all right for a few days anyway.

Am I worried about this op? Not really although I'm not a great one for eye drops and apparently one has to have a series of eye drops over a period of a couple of hours so that should be loads of fun.

The shoulder is certainly getting lots better. Yesterday ultrasound and massage by Jenny brought further improvement to it athough some movements are still definitely not possible.

It has been such a dreadfully medical time of late for MOH and me but there were so many people in my life who didn't live long enough to have these problems so I must never complain. Thankfully we are still here to face anything that life throws at us with the philosophy 'we are at least here to experience it' and one must always remember that 'at least pain proves you are still alive'.

With that I will say au revoir once again. Looks like it will have to be an early night tonight and that will be a first for a while.

Everyone out there keep well and happy and be good to each other.

GETTING THERE....VERY GRADUALLY

2011-08-15T19:55:00.001+08:00

I had hoped by now to be back blogging fulltime but after paying a visit to Jenny (my physio) last Friday and having more massage (ouch) on the muscles surrounding THE shoulder I find I am still quite restricted and need to wear the sling for a few hours a day. Have a couple more exercises to do and I certainly can do more than I could last week.

More physio next Wednesday morning and then a visit to my endocrinologist in the afternoon to find out how he feels about my blood glucose level (it has gone down 0.1% which is better than it going up).

Then next Friday it is the first cataract op (right eye) and I couldn't believe it, but if it is a morning op I have to fast from midnight (not even a drop of water) and if an afternoon op then fasting from 6 a.m. that day. Can't imagine myself getting up at 5 a.m. for a snack so am hoping it will be in the morning. Fingers crossed for that one. It seems the second op on 15 September will be in the morning so that is good to know. Had a letter today about that op and they only mentioned morning. Whoopeee.

MOH is now my official 'carer' which I am very pleased about as he really does so much for me and even more over the past nearly 4 weeks. What a truly wonderful man he is and I am so glad that at 81 he is still so fit. Sure he gets tired but I make sure he gets plenty of rest.

It's very windy today and we've had some more rain which is just so welcome here in Perth. There is warmth coming back though (24C forecast for later in the week) so it seems as though spring may be just around the corner. Once again I am not looking forward to another hot summer but I've enjoyed the cooler winter days so have to be thankful for them.

Once again I hope everyone out there in blogger land is keeping well and happy. Remember to be kind to each other and I'll try and be back soon with a little less medical 'stuff'.

A SURPRISE VISIT

2011-08-11T20:06:00.001+08:00

Mid-afternoon and MOH and I were sitting in the living room dozing on and off when suddenly our little cat leapt from her chair and fled from the room. This immediately told us that someone was walking up our front path as she is so timid when it comes to strangers and her hearing is so acute.

She was right and there at the front door was my half-brother whom we hadn't seen for some months although I am in contact with him on Facebook almost daily.

He had driven his daughter and her family to Fremantle where they were to board a ship for a cruise so he decided he'd make a slight detour and call in and see how the 'invalid' was doing. It was a thrill to see him and we spent a pleasant couple of hours chatting and enjoying a cuppa.

He lives in Margaret River which is about 280km south of Perth but he is an accomplished driver and the trip seems not to worry him at all. He left at about 6pm for the journey back home. He often drives to Perth and returns on the same day.

He is 14 years younger than I am but we get on very well and one day I will tell the story of how I discovered that he and his sister (my half-sister) existed and how we eventually met. It was wonderful to find I actually had siblings I'd known nothing about for many years.

I really appreciated his taking the time to call in as we have few visitors and it makes a nice change.

AN INTERRUPTED RETURN TO BLOGGING

2011-08-07T18:31:00.002+08:00

I had hoped to be back blogging more regularly than I have but after seeing my physiotherapist last Friday I now realise it could be several weeks before things are back to anywhere near normal as far as this shoulder is concerned.

Jenny massaged some very sore spots which I think has helped a lot and also gave me some exercises to do. I can take the sling off 3 times each day and do the exercises but it means that, although I can type with both hands for a few minutes, I am still quite restricted.

I have been told that soft tissue damage can take up to six weeks (and beyond) to mend and being an older person I guess I have to be even more careful that I don't dislocate the shoulder again which would be catastrophic for all of us.

MOH has been wonderful and has been like a mother to me and the meals cooked for us by members of our family immediately after this mishap took place were ever so much appreciated and gave us a few days breather to get ourselves organised. The flowers that Kakka had delivered to me were truly beautiful and I've managed to remove the spent flowers and keep the arrangement looking quite lovely even more than 2 weeks after it arrived.

I have another appointment with Jenny next Friday and once again we shall take it from there and follow her advice to the letter.

This is all I can manage at one time so until next time if anyone out there sees this I just want to say keep well and keep happy and hope to catch up again before too long.

OUR WINTER WEATHER IN PERTH

2011-08-03T17:08:00.002+08:00

Wonderful to actually be having a proper winter in Perth and only just about 10mm short of our average July rainfall too. I love winter and do so enjoy it at night when I am in bed and this shoulder has kept me awake a little of late and I, who am not at all poetically inclined, came up with this little poem. Just thought I'd share it with anyone who happened to wander into my blog.

WINTER NIGHTS

The wind is whistling round our house

And how I love the sound of it.

The rain is drumming on the roof

As I listen to the pound of it.

The lightning tears the sky asunder

Followed then by claps of thunder.

On nights like this my thanks be said

I'm snug and cosy in my bed.

The last time I wrote a poem was when I was aged about 11 or 12 back in about 1943/44 when my brother was home on leave from the RAAF during WW2. Only 2 poems in 79 years? Well

there are some folk that don'e even write one.

AN UNEVENTFUL EVENT

2011-08-03T16:45:00.003+08:00

Well my girl that didn't really get you very far did it?

Waited 30 mins at orthopaedic clinic and then another 10 mins in examination room. In comes Registrar who asks "How is the shoulder?" I tell him and he says I need physio and I say I have an appt with my own physio on Friday morning next.

"O.K." says he "We can discharge you from here". (Fremantle Hospital that is)

"You don't want me to take the sling off and check out the shoulder at all?" I ask. No. he doesn't.

Now what was I expecting? I am now not at all sure! Apparently I should leave the sling on most of the time and my physio will give me strengthening exercises and I should follow her advice. Just as well I have faith in Jenny. In the mean time don't move my arm this way or that way etc., and out I went. I hadn't actually intended to anyway but I guess he felt I expected him to tell me something and that was it!

Seems it will be a while before I get back to much typing (or much else for that matter)

altho' I am using my left hand for a few of the letters on the left side of the keyboard which is an improvement on previously.

Anyway I WILL be back here and I'm not sure if that is a threat or a promise. I have to chat to someone and I guess my blog is that someone and a good listener at that.

APPREHENSION RE TOMORROW

2011-08-02T22:54:00.003+08:00

Tomorrow I report to the orthopaedic clinic at Fremantle Hospital.

Will I be allowed to stop wearing this sling on my left arm because of the shoulder that I dislocated nearly 2 weeks ago? I do hope so as my right shoulder (my usually bad shoulder) is beginning to suffer 'cos of some of the awkward manouvres it has been having to undertake.

I think I also jarred my back in the fall 'cos what was a really painful area is worse than before the fall. The hospital didn't check out anything other than the shoulder and the fact that I could walk probably lead them to believe everything else was OK.

I seem to be a bundle of aches and pains and full of frustrations because of so much I just cannot do right now. Even washing dishes becomes a big task using just the one hand.

MOH has been super fantastic and so patient with me and meals cooked by members of our wonderful family last week went a long way to help us manage this crisis in our lives.

Fingers crossed that as of tomorrow afternoon I will be allowed to use my left arm again, even with limitations would be so wonderful.

I see my lovely physiotherapist on Friday morning who hopefully will be able to set me on the path to a full recovery, at least in regard to the damaged shoulder.

Spell check is a big help when typing with just one hand as it illuminates typos that I make. It will be great to get back on to my blog and have these wee grizzles and chats to myself again; some of which may even be shared with others if they are interested.

Till next time.....goodnight and pleasant dreams.

EXPLAINING MY ABSENCE

2011-07-22T19:26:00.003+08:00

I am having to type with one hand as on Wednesday night I took a nasty tumble ending up in hospital suffering from a dislocated shoulder...fortunately the left one. Some wonderful medical staff put it back in place but I now have to wear a sling for two weeks and not use the arm at all.

Having been a typist since I was 15 I can touch type quite quickly still but with just the one hand I don't do very well and it is just sooooooo slow.

I'll still be checking out others blogs but I hope you will understand if I don't comment for a while.

Full story of how the fall happened when I return. Until then au revoir. Keep well; keep happy.

OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS ARE BACK AGAIN

2011-07-13T23:23:00.002+08:00

I wonder if any of you remember me writing about first twenty eight parrots and then pink and grey galahs nesting in a large tree near our local post office.

We stopped to collect our mail on the way home this morning and lo and behold there was a 28 parrot on that same tree. I didn't have time to take a proper look but it would seem they are nesting there again although I thought it perhaps a little early in the year for that. Maybe the 28s want to make sure of their territory before the galahs arrive.

Next time we go to the post office I must remember to have my camera with me to see if I can perhaps get a photo of the bird/s.

It is just so lovely to see them persevering with living in such close proximity to we humans.

ANOTHER WEDNESDAY IN OUR LIFE

2011-07-13T23:14:00.004+08:00

Exercise group this morning and we worked hard but had fun at the same time which is so important as laughter really is good medicine.

After that I went and saw my very nice podiatrist who looks after my feet so well. I have no choice as I just can't reach my toes any more and John also checks all is well with my feet as they are one part of our body that can be badly affected by diabetes.

I am getting on well with injecting the insulin myself now and it doesn't hurt a bit and I am so pleased to report that my blood glucose readings are actually going down...at last. On 24th June my highest morning reading was 9.9 (shock horror) but this week I've now had a 5.2 and this morning 6.5. I am seeing a diabetes educator tomorrow morning and will discuss with her if I should keep my injection at 22 units as it now is. It is often difficult with something like using insulin for the first time to know just how far to go without going too far.

We got some laundry done with me helping MOH hang it on the line and bring it in and with the temperature at 20C today with a slight breeze we got it all dry. More rain due at week's end so it's great not to have to rely on getting out the clothes horse to hang damp clothing on.

MOH and I both go to our hairdresser to have hair cuts tomorrow. She's a lovely lass who works from home and we get to see her three gorgeous little girls while we are there. Oh, I must remember to buy some Freddos or something so I have something to give them when I see them.

THAT WAS THE REST OF THE WEEK THAT WAS

2011-07-11T17:31:00.003+08:00

I just didn't get back here as the downward spiral continued when we found that a branch of our bank had made a stupid error on MOH's credit card. Fortunately I do use internet banking and on paying a couple of bills on Thursday I discovered his Visa balance was much higher than it should have been. We both pay our credit cards in full every month 'cos it's the only way to keep our heads above water on our age pensions.

Anyway as was his usual habit MOH went to a nearby bank after he had made claims at HBF and Medicare to cadge all he could from them and he then pays the balance owing from his savings a/c using his Access card. When I found the wrong total on his Visa I checked and found no payment was made from him during July!!! Panic stations! We checked his bank dockets only to find that the teller had taken money out of his Access a/c and promptly redeposited it into his Access a/c and not into his Visa a/c. It is all fixed now (and interest charged will be refunded) after we made a visit to the bank on Friday but........

I rang that bank on Thursday morning and got "we are either closed or busy with customers....please leave your name and number and we will get back to you". We'd heard nothing by mid-afternoon (I did mention the matter was rather urgent when I left my message) so I had MOH call them and once again there was the message to leave name and number etc. The really annoying thing about all this is that here we are at 5.38pm on Monday and they have still not returned our calls. If I was on my own and had to rely on taxis or private transport to get around I would need to have telephone communication with the bank. I have actually complained to the powers that be that this is not good enough but whether anything will be done about it I don't know. This by the way is not the only time we've received that message and from another branch as well. Otherwise I can't fault our bank thank goodness.

So now you may realise why I sort of stopped in my tracks. MOH lost his wallet so rush to contact banks etc., re putting a stop on cards being used; then waiting for cards to arrive in the mail; then setting new PINs and periodic payments having to be set up again and firms receiving those payments need also to be notified about new card numbers etc. Mainly insurance and a couple of charities MOH sends small amounts to each month.

Phew!! Now hopefully I can get back to trying to get my diabetes into some semblance of order and think about the upcoming cataract ops in August and September My eyes are to be measured for new lenses next Monday so another little medical appointment. Oh the joys of old age but when one thinks of the alternative one puts up with these little inconveniences with a smile.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO WEDNESDAY?

2011-07-07T17:43:00.002+08:00

Wednesday came and went quite quickly as for us it was a busy day.

MOH and I went to our physio exercise group in the morning and worked well with sit down and stand up exercises and using weights. I decided to go back to 2kg (one in each hand) to see how I'd go and managed OK so may try and gradually work back to 3kg which I used to use last year. A lot depends on how painful my hands and wrists are on any given day.

Midday the young man that does work in our garden arrived and I had him pop a few more plants out in the front garden, do some weeding there and also some weeding round plants in the back garden. Boy in a week the rain came along and so did the weeds, thousands of them. Mainly wild oats and winter grass so MOH will have to be out with the whipper snipper soon before any seeds appear. We did that last year so where did this year's weeds come from????

MOH tells me that his dad (back in the UK) would always say that if you could sell weeds they just wouldn't grow! Perhaps we need to find a market for weeds???

Mid afternoon our lovely cleaning lady arrived and vacuumed our living areas and washed all the floors for us so the house is looking neat and tidy (well not sure about the tidy) again.

It may not sound like very much but at our ages it's amazing that even having people come to do jobs entails quite a bit of work on our part as well and we just get a little weary.

So that was Wednesday and I was too tired last night to even open my blog let alone post anything.

TUNEFUL TUESDAY

2011-07-05T23:35:00.005+08:00

While I am sitting here pondering what I could write about today I am listening to one of my Roger Whittaker CDs.

His is a voice I really love and although he is now 75 he is still a very good singer. I first heard Roger Whittaker sing when he was the first to record "Wind Beneath My Wings" way back in 1982. I loved that song when I first heard and still do but back then I was far too busy to take much notice of music that was on the wireless.

In the early 1990s I bought a double CD with a variety of artists and two of the songs were sung by Roger Whittaker..."I Don't Believe In If Any More" and "The Last Farewell" and loved both songs and kept replaying them and still do.

When I got a computer and became used to using the internet and could order things online I began looking for CDs featuring Roger Whittaker and I now have a collection of about a dozen of them. He sings a lot of his songs in German (in fact he is very popular in that country) but I prefer songs sung in French if they are to be in a foreign language.

I am 79 and Roger is 75 so I guess we are contemporaries at least in age if not in talent. I like songs that tell a story and also a singer that sings so I can understand the words he is singing.

One of my very favourite songs he sings is Albany which he collaborated in writing with someone with the surname of Munro (don't know who that would be).

Enough about that. MOH cooked chilli con carne for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Enough for tomorrow so that is another day I won't have to cook.

We are off to our exercise group tomorrow. Not sure how I will go as I am quite stiff and sore lately but I will go because I know it will do me good. I like Pennye but will be very glad when our usual physio comes back to take the group. I know Jenny began back at work on Monday just doing three half days a week for a while and not taking the exercise group. I think I may have mentioned she has been recuperating after a very specialised knee operation and she has to be careful for a time not to undo the good that has hopefully been done.

Cold here tonight (2C) so electric blanket set on 1 all night methinks and I am sure Precious will approve of that as well as she snuggles up on my bed or perhaps it will her turn on MOHs bed tonight. She has been on mind for a couple of weeks now so must be his turn soon

Goodnight everyone...hope all is going well for all of you and catch you later.

MOTIONLESS MONDAY

2011-07-04T23:58:00.002+08:00

That's about all it was too....apart from stripping the beds and cooking a nice steak with vegies for midday meal I did very little. It has been very cold and although I do enjoy winter I am wondering if that is why I seemed sore everywhere today?

I am not getting a cold or anything like that but don't have the energy to do anything of consequence and I hurt. Oh well, days like that come along to try us from time to time and MOH has been rather quiet today as well. Perhaps we are hibernating!!!

Tomorrow I must get on and take advantage of the fine weather this week to get some laundry done. I must. I must. I must.

Haven't even decided what is for dinner tomorrow which shows how slack I've been.

Hope everyone has had a good day and will have a good week as well. Goodnight.

SATISFYING SUNDAY

2011-07-03T22:39:00.004+08:00

I think before I attempt to go any further I'd best go and get my specs. They may not be wonderful but although I can see this without them I sort of get a pain in the muscles in my head if I don't wear glasses. Something to do with the muscle strain in my eye or something like that.

Ah! that is better. Not that I can see much better but my head doesn't hurt so that's an improvement thank goodness.

The reason I said it is a satisfying Sunday is for several reasons: My lovely daughter rang me this afternoon and had we a lovely long chat about this, that and the other and I always enjoying having a chin wag with her. I don't speak to many other people (apart from MOH) so it always a joy when she rings me. I left her do the telephoning because she is a busy person with many demands and she is the one who knows when she has the time to spare.

Over the past months I have been a really terrible non-doer. O.K I spend lots of time on this computer and love doing so. I have a Facebook page and may have mentioned I play dozens of games of Scrabble with a dear friend in New Zealand. We are pretty equal when it comes to games won which makes it very interesting. I also play a game called Farm Town which is time consuming and quite a challenge as well (if you let it get that way).

Today I plugged my Elna sewing machine in for probably the first time in about two years. One drop of oil is all that is needed to get it running well and yes, it sewed beautifully which is more than it was doing previously. It is well over 30 years old and really does need an overhaul so must ring Elna and get a quote. Elna machines are (or were) more or less guaranteed for the life of the machine but wear and tear of course is not covered in that guarantee. It's like my body I guess...wear and tear happens!!!

I have some large sheets which are in perfect condition which I need to cut down to fit our twin beds and some fitted sheets where the elastic has gone kaput. Mum used to say buttons were sewn on with a hot needle and burnt thread and I think the elastic they use on fitted sheets is a little like that. Almost worn out before you begin using the sheets. Whether they use better elastic on very expensive sheets I don't now as I can't afford to buy them.

Anyway what I intend to do is to sew some tape for 40-50 cms each side of a corner (in one continuous piece) and run elastic through it so the fitted sheet will once again stay put on the corners of the bed. It will take a bit of playing about with i.e. how much elastic of course (MOH will give me a hand tomorrow...he promised he would) but if I can get it to work I will then have enough fitted (and top) sheets in my linen cupboard to last for years.

I began sewing when very young and started making my own clothes when I was about 15 and have always loved doing it. I made nearly all my daughter's clothes when she was young (plus her wedding dresses) and quite a few for my son when he was little. Have also made shirts for my first husband and also MOH. Unfortunately my hands are so arthritic now I can't cut out patterns etc., nor am I very good at using a hand sewing needle but the machine I can still use.

These are two quite tiny satisfactions to many people but to me they are tremendous as I feel I am once again becoming a little useful.

MOH made some delicious vegetable soup in the slow cooker and we had two helpings today (lunch and tea) along with ham and tomato sandwiches. Simple meals on a Sunday made it a satisfactory day as well. Tomorrow ... we have splashed out and are having t-bone steak with lots of vegies. The pork cutlets were delicious last night and I'm hoping the steaks will be just as tender.

The weekend has been quite a good one overall and I am looking forward with confidence to the coming week. Hope everyone is keeping well and enjoying their lives.

SATURDAY NIGHT ...QUITE LATE

2011-07-02T23:08:00.003+08:00

Not a lot to report today....mostly about our Aussie Rules football. Our local AFL team Fremantle had a good win, the top team on the ladder got beaten which is always a good thing (unless it's your team) and the team I follow in Adelaide had a good win in dreadful weather conditions.

I am trying to do the right thing and fill in the daily sheet of what I eat and do BG tests two hours after breakfast, lunch and dinner but tonight we had a very late main meal so not sure how that will go for testing before bed.

The dietician asked me to complete the daily resumes and bring them when I see her in 4 weeks times. I guess it will give her an idea of how food I eat is affecting my diabetes. As I increase the insulin dosage every few days I will have to be careful to eat sufficient without eating too much. It is so difficult when you are overweight but you know you have to eat. My morning BG readings are improving so I hope that it won't be too long before I know the number of units of insulin I need to use each night.

I am sorry but this must be boring for most but it is good for me to set it down here so I can sort of discuss it with myself (if that makes sense).

There have still been some showers here today but next week is promising to be fine but VERY cold which many people I know won't enjoy but then they had months of hot weather in summer so now it is the turn of we winter lovers to enjoy the cooler days (and nights). It's nice to be able to rug up whereas in hot weather there is only so much you can take off in the way of clothing.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and, wherever you are, that you are enjoying yourself and keeping well and happy. May all your troubles be little ones. Goodnight.

FRUITFUL FRIDAY

2011-07-01T15:42:00.003+08:00

This afternoon I had an appointment with a diabetic dietician which I felt was necessary now I am injecting insulin nightly at bedtime. As my glucose hopefully goes lower I am going to be at the risk of having "lows". I needed advice about what to eat and when to eat and yet keep the quantities down to try and stop my weight increasing again. Unfortunately insulin tends to put weight on and it is always a battle to keep my weight levels OK at the best of times. I am lots overweight anyway mainly because of inability to do much exercise so do NOT need to carry any more weight as it also causes more arthritic problems.

Cheryl was really helpful and I now have to test my BG 4 times a day, write down what I eat (I hate having to do that because of the measuring etc) for four weeks and then see her again. I know I must do all of this in order to to endeavour to bring things under control.

One thing that amused me was that Cheryl said severe pain can increase blood glucose. I had mentioned this to my two doctors both of whom sort of brushed the idea away so am now wondering who is correct. I feel it is worth pursuing this idea and could be interesting to see if there is any empirical evidence one way or the other. Back in a few minutes......Yes, I found a few websites that definitely confirm that pain DOES increase blood glucose levels. OK so we are fighting on two fronts here but somehow we will win in the long term. Hopefully.

Cool here today with more rain on its way and quite a cold weekend forecast with quite cold nights of between 3-4C. July and August are always our coldest months so nothing new about that. If it keeps raining for the next few months we will be very fortunate indeed.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend. Keep happy and healthy if you can. Life is good.....even with the aches and pains.

TRAUMATIC THURSDAY

2011-06-30T18:51:00.004+08:00

It actually began last night when MOH returned from a trip to the chemist declaring he couldn't find his wallet. He drove back down there, checked out the area where he had walked, and asked if the wallet had been left behind (hopefully) or handed in. No luck in either case. I immediately had him phone the bank to put a stop on his bank cards and also the mastercard he has which is actually used on my account.

Today we had to sort out exactly which cards were in the lost wallet. Fortunately no money was there but our NDSS (diabetes) cards are gone (we use them for subsidised needles, strips etc) and also his Medicare and HBF (private health insurance) cards. There will be problem receiving new cards but some will take up to 14 working days to receive and with his Medicare card being reissued means mine will be as well so MY card is now obsolete. I have been given numbers to use for the NDSS and Medicare cards should we need to make a claim and fortunately my HBF card is not affected by the loss of his card which is a relief.

I feel sad for MOH as I know it gives him a sense of failure when anything of this kind happens but to me it just proves we are all human and prone to making mistakes throughout our lives. It will be inconvenient for a while as he has to wait for his new Access Card and Visa Card to access money or pay bills but fortunately I can lend him a little cash to tide us over.

Another offside about having to apply for new bank cards is that he will then have to rearrange for periodic payments all over again and then contact all concerned with new card numbers etc. Still, it'll give him something to do.

I think we ladies sometimes find carrying a handbag can be a bit of a nuisance but perhaps it is one reason we tend not to lose things like wallets etc. One of the ladies I spoke to today said it was a real man thing....this business of lost wallets. I have noticed of late that many men do carry small bags or have a bag over their shoulder and perhaps it is not a bad idea as long as, of course, they don't leave the bag behind somewhere.

I asked MOH where he would keep his wallet many years ago when he wore a suit or a sports jacket and he said "in my inside pocket of course" and I think perhaps this is a problem with men's modern clothing especially in climates where we don't wear coats very much...just not so much security for items such as wallets. MOH would never wear those trousers with button down pockets on the leg or similar style and a lot of trouser styles these days are not designed for the safety of wallets and the like.

It is still raining nicely here in Perth and we have had the wettest June in 6 years which is great news with more rain on the way tomorrow and during the weekend. Seems there will be a big rush next week to get a few loads of washing done and out on the line before more rain comes our way.

Had a good hot midday meal today so once again an easy tea with sandwiches. I am glad as my right arm/shoulder is still not happy when I use it too much. I am hoping it will soon come good as I really don't want to go to the doctor about it as I doubt there is much can be done.

WEARY WEDNESDAY

2011-06-29T17:36:00.002+08:00

Aahhhh That was a big yawn. for some reason I am very weary today....we went to our exercise group this morning and it was as much fun as ever but I had done something to my right arm just before leaving home which made it a little difficult to do all the exercises especially with the weights.

When I came home I sat down to enjoy a cup of tea and listen to the radio and couldn't believe that I actually dozed off for about 30 minutes. I just don't sleep in the daytime so must have been really tired. Took me a moment to realise just where I was. Poor old duck!!!

I've had trouble with this shoulder/arm before and hope it is not the same problem. Hopefully when I get up in the morning all will be well. I just don't need another part of me aching.

We had a very nice hot meal midday so just ham and tomato sandwiches for tea tonight which will make it easier.

A very quiet day today with little achieved so nothing to report. Oh did get some postcards off to great-granddaughter so she should have them tomorrow. Perhaps I'll send off a second lot on Friday to make up for missing out on sending them last week. Can't have the little one being disappointed when her mail box is empty for far too long.

An earlier than usual night could be the order of the day. Perhaps 11pm instead of midnight.

I JUST HAD TO SHARE THIS

2011-06-28T19:05:00.005+08:00

A few minutes ago the telephone rang and a little voice said "hello" to which I replied "hello darling how are you?" The voice then asked "Is that Mimsie?" to which I replied "Yes, it is".

The reason for this call from my 3 year old great-granddaughter? For a few weeks now I have been sending her picture postcards. I used to collect them years back and have thousands of them and I learned that it is good for little ones to receive mail and that postcards are a good way of sending them that mail.

I had been regularly sending the cards, sometimes one at a time and occasionally 6 or more in an envelope, but last week had other things on my mind and didn't send any. Bad oversight on my part.

The next part of the conversation went like this. "Thank you for the postcards Mimsie and can you please send me some more?"

Now I have to quickly find some more cards and pop them in the mail tomorrow. Her mother tells me she checks the mail box every day but I guess it is all part of her learning about life in that the things we want to happen don't always happen when we want them to.

Our children are wonderful, our grandchildren are great but our great-grandchildren? They are so very, very special. Thank you little one for that phone call...it really made my day.

MY FIRST BORN CHILD

2011-06-28T17:03:00.004+08:00

I was first married in July of 1953 and am not really sure that we spoke of having children or when but feel it was definitely part of our plans for the future. After we'd been married about 16 months I began to feel unwell and decided I'd best see my very nice old doctor fearing something dreadful was wrong with me. "Well my girl" he said "I think you may be pregnant and you could be in danger of losing the baby so I'll send you to a specialist who will look after you".

This came as somewhat of a shock as I'd not experienced any signs of pregnancy, or what I understood any such signs should have been. Off I went to see this specialist who turned out to be a delightful man and he said that indeed I was pregnant and in danger of losing this baby, that I should stop work immediately and rest up as much as possible for the next month or so.

I followed all these instructions carefully and after an 8 month pregnancy I was delivered of a beautiful baby girl that weighed in at 5lbs 8oz (don't ask me to put them into grams), was 18 inches long and had almost no hair and definitely nor eyebrows or eyelashes.

I had heard tales of being in labour but I woke at about 3a.m. and knew something wasn't right. Called a friend who had had a baby 6 weeks previously who said she thought I was beginning labour. My then husband actually drove down to our GP and asked what to do. "Get your wife to the hospital" was the barked reply. Off to the hospital, water broke going up the front steps of the building and to make a short story even shorter...the baby was born at 5.30a.m. Just as well I got there in time!!!

Had a modern doctor who said it was OK for me to walk to my room and after breakfast I could have a shower. I was the envy of nearly all the other new mums on the ward as their doctors made them stay in bed for at least a week after giving birth and we all stayed in hospital for 10 days before being allowed home.

Now for the difference between then and back then. I was a smoker and continued smoking right through my pregnancy. That first morning I noticed my room mate lighting a cigarette and I asked the nurse (they were all nuns in that hospital in those days) if I should perhaps give up smoking now I had a baby. Her answer would astound people today and was as follows:

"Oh no dear, don't even think about giving up smoking. The shock of doing so could make you lose your milk!" That is honest truth and so I continued to smoke and through my second pregnancy as well at which time I had another premature birth. Was it the smoking that caused that to happen I wonder. Today those that know such things would say yes for sure but I was heading for toxemia and my specialist felt it was Mother Nature's way of saving the baby and perhaps me as well in having them born early.

My little baby was so special and as she grew her little eyelashes popped out and her hair began to grow and she had beautiful pale pink skin and everyone adored her. She unfortunately suffered from severe wind pains for the first couple of months but only during the evening and at other times she was very good. Once I got her to sleep she would usually sleep through the night so I can't complain of losing sleep or any of those things that often happen to new mums. Has perhaps distance lead enchantment? No, I don't believe it has because I can't remember having a bad pregnancy once I knew I was actually pregnant nor real problems with the baby (apart from that nightly colic).

My little girl grew up did well at school, had some nice friends and was generally a happy child. She eventually decided she'd like to leave school and get a job and then she met a boy and they got married and had a little girl of their own who was also a beautiful baby. My daughter has since remarried and had three more lovely children and is married to a wonderful man which makes me feel so happy but...........

I have suffered with arthritis most of my life and once I reached about 60 years of age it began to get rapidly worse and by the time I was 65 I began to have injections to help relieve it. Now at 79 I can only walk a very short distance and stand for but a few minutes before the pain sets in. This though is not about me....it is about that girl I love so much. She is 23 years younger than me but is already suffering much of the pain I suffer and with so much of her life still ahead of her I can feel the mental pain she is suffering when she wonders what the next years have in store for her. If there was only some miracle cure that could make her life free of pain and give her the ability to be able to get out and about and enjoy her life. I can only hope that some new drug without nasty side affects will come along to help her.

I just hope she will not give up. She has so much ability and a lot to offer and there are things she can do without mobility but when pain becomes severe it does affect one's abilities to do things. Don't give up but just keep hoping that before too long things will improve and you will be mobile once again and at least reasonably free of pain.

TEEMING TUESDAY

2011-06-28T16:13:00.004+08:00

A strange title perhaps but it has been teeming down here during the night and morning and our own gauge showed 40mm which is wonderful with more rain on the way later in the week. The south-west of Australia (where we live) has been having drought conditions for some time now and it is certainly great to have this rain in the first month of our winter. I understand the rain has got through to the wheatbelt so the farmers will be happy about that.

Well our 'young' 47yo friend visited yesterday and connected my scanner for me and it works and I watched what he did and have tried to remember what to do but not sure it has registered. There are all these symbols showing that I have to try and understand and sometimes this old brain rebels a little at all the thinking needed. I will sit down and try and make sense of the instructions and give it a go...perhaps tomorrow. Don't want to turn today into traumatic Tuesday if I can't get it to work.

Had a bad night Sunday night and wasn't feeling too well yesterday. No idea what was wrong but just felt yuk most of the day. In some ways it was good to have RT here as it sort of took my mind off myself which is always good if you feel a bit crook.

Feeling lots better today after a wonderful night's sleep. Only woke up once during the night and straight back to sleep so overall I think I got good 8 hours which I really needed.

MOH is going to cook dinner tonight (chilli con carne) so all I will have to do is boil up some rice (long grained of course for we diabetics) and that will be my contribution.

He did say he is going go the library this afternoon and as it is now 4.20pm now I'd best get on his ginger or it is going to be late when he gets back. I hope he can find me a good novel to read as I am running out of authors that I enjoy reading. I tend to like mysteries and don't mind a good murder occasionally as long as it is not a book full of brutality.

Well off I go to stir MOH into action. Hope everyone is having a good day and keeping well and happy.

MONDAY MADNESS

2011-06-27T00:11:00.002+08:00

I am going to endeavour to post a small blog each day so I will then know what I am doing or have been doing. No not really but just thought I'd give it a go.

It actually is Monday as it is 12 minutes past midnight. In the morning a young friend of ours (well he is young compared to MOH and me altho' he is in his mid-40s) is driving up from Mandurah to have lunch with us but mainly to show old photos he has been printing out and to do me a favour.

I have had a scanner for nearly 18 months now and not connected it to this computer. Not so much that I can't connect it but need tuition about actually using it. I am hoping that RT will be able to teach me so I can scan some really old tiny photos (and some more recent ones too) and enlarge them if possible. If I have a good collection then there is something to leave my family that they can include in our family history.

I get nervous when trying to learn new things about the computer and its attachments (or whatever you call them) so it will certainly be a bit of a mad Monday for this dear old soul.

Wish me luck!!! and goodnight.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN OLD AGE PENSIONER

2011-06-21T16:00:00.003+08:00

We slept in this morning until 10.10am and it was the fault of Precious that this happened. MOH opened the back door for her after 7am but she wouldn't go out 'cos we think that awful tom from 3 doors up may have been lurking. She just sat and looked through the screen door and after a while back she came with her little 'I need to go out' miaow so MOH got up again and popped her out the front door where she can sit on a chair or table on the verandah and feel safe.

A while later back came Precious with here "I am back now" loud miaow and disturbed us again. Having had rather a late night last night we decided to stay in bed and that is when the damage was done....we slept in.

So, what the heck? We are retired and only have to answer to each other (and the cat of course).

Had a cuppa and some cereal and played around on Facebook for a while (I run some 'farms' on there which is a lot of fun and play scrabble with a friend in New Zealand).

More or less a fine day so a couple of loads of washing to be done. Towels, sheets and undies mainly. I sit near the clothes line and hand the items plus pegs to MOH and he hangs out the washing. I can't stand for long enough to do that now plus I am a little unsteady on my feet. Not sure it is a good drying day though as it is very overcast and practically no wind. Probably leave it all on the line overnight and hope it will be dry in the late morning tomorrow. Have a bit more washing to do as they are forecasting showers tomorrow night and then more showers over coming days. I don't have a dryer and never have had one and have always managed OK even when we were both out working all week.

Now wasn't that all exciting?? Made sandwiches for our lunch and we sat and watched question time in Federal Parliament for an hour....I say watched as we don't listen to a lot of it as we get sick of the government patting themselves on the back (not really deserved in my opinion) but some of it is interesting and you can learn a little about this and that.

MOH still hasn't been up in the roof with the rat trap so that treat still awaiting us. I have to hold the ladder for him 'cos as mentioned previously we can't afford any accidents to happen to him.

The rest of the day? I will soon shower and wash my hair and for dinner tonight we will have grilled pork cutlets and vegetables. MOH will have a small glass of red wine which he really enjoys and it is good for him so why not? As television is pretty terrible these nights we will probably watch a couple more episodes of West Wing on DVD (what a wonderful series that was....I think the US producers excelled themselves with that one).

We will eventually make it to bed before midnight after having had our two little squares of dark chocolate which our specialist says is very good for us. Just before I pop into my bed MOH will inject my insulin for me and then it's drops in his eyes for his glaucoma. The cat will start off on the end of my bed and possibly stay there or transfer over to MOH's bed depending on whom she feels deserves her presence tonight.

After reading the above you will realise why my blog is not all that interesting. I don't have children at home nor do we have visitors other than my daughter occasionally. We don't go out much 'cos I can't walk far and everything is very expensive these days anyway. There have been no holidays for about 9 years so can't report on them either. A dull life by many standards but...

Are we happy? Yes, I would say we are in our own quiet way. We pay our bills, we stay out of trouble and get things done as and when we can at our own pace. It's not a bad life after all.

R.A.T.S.

2011-06-21T12:25:00.005+08:00

Yes, RATS. They are back in our ceiling again and the white ant man told us the other day that they have chewed a hole in one of the reverse cycle airconditioning silver ducting thingies which is not good as our aircon can be somewhat temperamental at times without help from outside sources.

MOH has bought this complicated rat trap that looks like a small water tank and in a few minutes he is going to climb the ladder and pop this trap in the ceiling. Apparently the best bait is peanut paste (I did ask MOH if it should be smooth or crunchy and I got this sort of funny look from him). I hate killing any creature, but rats we really don't need as they can do so much damage and they are not the healthiest of neighbours to have.

A few years back we had neighbouring back gardens that were nothing but weeds and I think it is possible rats were nesting and breeding in there. Now those areas have been cleared and houses built on them so the rats obviously had to find new homes but what attracts them to people's ceilings is beyond me but then I am not a rat.

I'm not keen on MOH climbing the ladder as he has osteoporosis and I always dread him having a fall but someone has to do it and me...I have never been able to get past the first rung of a ladder even when quite young. While up in the ceiling MOH is going to try and mend the hole in the duct thingie so I wish him well there.

I hope this rat trap works and the rat dies quickly, if indeed we catch one at all. It costs a fortune to have specialists do the job and when on an age pension there are some things we just have to try and do ourselves. Here's hoping for a quick result and a quick kill.

AN UNFULFILLED DREAM OF MINE

2011-06-20T17:49:00.004+08:00

MOH came from near Coventry and my ancestors from Scotland, Denmark and England so all lived in countries where it snowed quite frequently. I experienced snow when holidaying in New Zealand back in the early 1980s and found it quite fascinating and even built a snowman!

I don't know if it is genetic but I do not like hot weather and have often dreamed of living in a cold climate where the temperature rarely rises about 25C but would I like it? MOH says no I wouldn't. He said snow is pretty on Christmas cards and the like but can be a nuisance especially when it begins to melt and also it can become quite slippery and dangerous when walking or driving.

This picture was taken from MOH's cousin's home in England. She (85) and her husband (90) live in Solihull in the West Midlands and he sent me this photo during their last very cold and very snowy winter. I don't think they found it all that enjoyable but it is certainly very pretty.

I realise I will never now know what a cold climate is really like to live in and my memories up in the snow in New Zealand all those years back will have to stay with me as my one peek at another world.

SHARING HERSELF AROUND....OUR CAT

2011-06-20T11:13:00.003+08:00

Our little cat has decided to share herself between MOH and myself at night. She sleeps on my bed for a week or two and then over she goes to MOH's bed. We can't work out why she does this but in her mind she must feel we both need her company but she cant split herself in two so it's my bed for a while and then on to his. We both love her and she obviously loves both of us equally. A home is not a home without a pet.

CHRISTCHURCH AND ITS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SUFFER

2011-06-15T16:23:00.003+08:00

We keep hearing of these continuing so-called after shocks that are happening in and around Christchurch and one wonders just how much longer the people of that city can continue to go about their daily activities without suffering severe nervous strain.

MOH and I stayed in Christchurch in the 1980s and we quite fell in love with the city and its surrounds. We spent many hours walking (I could walk in those days without difficulty) around the magnificent botanical gardens and Hagley Park and along the Avon River. It was such a wonderful experience.

The city itself was very beautiful and to think that so many of the lovely buildings are either already destroyed or are listed for demolition is truly heartbreaking. One can only imagine how the people themselves are feeling.

They are saying that some of the outskirts of the city may no longer be able to sustain housing so people who have lived their lives in those areas now have the prospect of moving to other areas where it will take them some time to resettle.

Our hearts go out to Christchurch and its people and our thoughts are with them on a daily basis and we continue to hope that it will not be too long before the earth stabilises and they can resume a normal life again.

I ALWAYS KNEW HE WAS WONDERFUL

2011-06-15T16:16:00.005+08:00

MOH and I visited our GP today and I had reason to ask him for a copy of a couple of reports about both of us that I had promised to send to our diabetes specialist to keep him up to speed with what had been happening in regard to certain problems.

Two of these reports were from a doctor in regard to MOH's mild anaemia and I was chuffed to read the opening sentence of the first report. It said:

"Thanks you for referring this DELIGHTFUL EIGHTY ONE YEAR OLD MAN..............

I 've known for years that MOH can be quite delightful but it is nice to have it confirmed and now I know it is not just prejudice on my part .... he is also obviously regarded by others as being delightful.

I am waiting for the day when somone says we are a delightful couple. That would be nice!!!

TODAY HAS BEEN MUCH BETTER

2011-06-13T20:05:00.003+08:00

Great news when the Eye Clinic rang and my two cataract ops have been brought forward a month so now in August and September. It will be good as all my specs are becoming increasingly useless to me so looking forward to new ones come October.

MOH and I had to both fill in pages and pages of questions today in regard to a diabetic study that is being carried out by Fremantle Hospital (we go to the hospital every two years for extensive tests) and this time we sat down and answered the questions together which was a big help to me as I really couldn't see some of them properly.

These questionnaires take a lot of thought to fill in correctly but we feel that if we can do anything that helps future generations in regard to this insidious disease then it is worth the little time we devote to it. We get something out of it as well as it is possible the tests we have could discover a problem we have that we are not aware of.

I also had to fill in TWO forms for admission to the hospital for when I have the eye ops done....one for each day although they are identical forms. Hope I put the same answers on each one.

One question intrigued me...."Do you smoke?/Have you been a smoker?" Yes / No. NO I don't smoke but YES I was a smoker. Do you tick both Yes and No? Hope I didn't confuse them with my answer!!

Enough forms filled in to last us quite a while.....boy oh boy all that thinking!!!!

AM I PERHAPS TOO OLD TO DEAL WITH EVERYTHING

2011-06-12T23:27:00.004+08:00

I always do try to keep the glass half full the same way Kakka does but there are times when it takes so much effort and I am beginning to wonder if I am perhaps too old to deal with being this old and all the problems it is bringing with it.

I should be used to arthritic problems as they first presented themselves when I was just 22 years old and before I had my two children. I've had two total hip replacements and they work pretty well but the rest of me just hurts so much at times. I sometimes can't believe that pain in my hands can be so intense, even when I am actually not doing anything. My arthritis begins in my head and neck and spreads right through my body now although (touch wood) I have no problems in my elbows..wonder why that is? I suppose I need to have just one part of me that doesn't hurt (yet). Fortunately my gout is fairly well controlled although there is still the occasional twinge but only a twinge thank goodness.

Now my diabetes has really taken a turn for the worse and nearly two weeks on insulin doesn't seem to be having any impression on my readings. Am I perhaps being too impatient and expecting miracles. Why after 16 years has this happened. You are told 'it happens". Big help.

I have put up with the tinnitus for about 15-20 years or more and it has now become an expected background type of noise that I can live with but still wish it wasn't there. That is a minor problem compared with the rest.

For some years it was MOH I looked after, watching what he ate when his cholesterol went too high and putting drops in his eyes every night for his glaucoma (he does that now and I look after the little timer for him..he has to wait for 2 minutes after each drop goes in holding his finger in the corner of his eye to stop the fluid going anywhere than in the eye). I still do remind him to do his insulin injections and also ask that he has remembered to take his tablets but it is he that is now looking after me more than me looking after him.

I've never been a person who wants to be the centre of attention and I am not taking to kindly to being so dependent on MOH as I am now. We share household chores and that is OK but he puts my pressure stockings on for me each day (they are SO tight that it is quite a job for him)and we do the lympathic massage on my legs each day (I do the thighs and he does the calves and feet). He rubs Dencorub and the like on my aching back a couple of times a day as I can't reach now and if he hears me cry out any time he is always there to see if all is OK. Now he is doing the insulin injection for me each night when we are ready to go to bed. He is not a demonstrative man but I do know what I mean to him and we to each other.

Another thing I find is not really being needed much any more after being there for folks in the past. I know MOH still needs me (as much as I need him really) and my little cat needs me as she is a one and a half person cat (she shares herself with MOH but she is usually in the same room I am in). All older members of my family and my close friends have left this mortal coil and my family are now self-sufficient so I am not needed there any more.

I knew of two ladies who at about my age decided their lives meant nothing to them any more and I hope I will never begin to feel like that. Perhaps it was because they were both widows and their grown up families had made their own lives they felt there were no longer needed. When I was told this several years ago by their daughters I found it hard to believe but I am beginning to understand what they felt and they were quite happy to die when their time came.

I am so thankful to have MOH and our cat and while I still have them I hope that the glass will most times remain at least half full if not even fuller at times.

MORE EYE NEWS

2011-06-08T19:33:00.002+08:00

Well everything is progressing well albeit slowly but at least I now know the schedule is all set.

18 July....eye measurements to be taken so they know the size lenses to use
15 September....cataract op of right eye
13 October....cataract op of left eye
About mid-november....back to my optomertrist for new specs and then hopefully the world be a clearer, brighter place.
Just wish I could get rid of the 'floaters' in my left eye but guess I must be thankful for what can be done and put up with the little flock of thingies that I can see whenever I look at the computer screen. Just one of those little things that come to try us as we age I guess.

HAS ANYTHING REALLY CHANGED IN 20 YEARS?

2011-06-08T15:28:00.004+08:00

I am not sure if this will be of any interest to others but I always enjoy finding old newpapers and checking out some of the articles they contained. I was turning out a cupboard today and came across a newspaper cutting I had kept and on the reverse side was the following article:

The West Australian..Friday 22 November, 1991.

"Cigarettes up 90 cents and Beer up 5 cents....

A packet of 25 cigarettes would go up from $3.65 to $4.53 and a middy of beer would cost 5 cents more.

An Opposition health spokesman said that 25 per cent increase in tobacco excise was the most effective way to curb smoking among young Australians and reduce tobacco-related disease.

Tobacco Institute chief executive officer John Welch said the proposed increase was a callous grab at the 3.5 million adult smokers.

Alcohol would go up even though the excise on liquor would remain the same and indexation would be abolished. A 140ml glass of wine would cost 5 cents more and a nip of spirits would be 10 cents dearer.

The decision to abolish fuel excise would save motorists almost 19 cents a litre for petrol and diesel and a business user almost 26 cents a litre.

That should save the average family travelling 20,000km a year $11.40 for a 60 litre tank, or $390 a year."

When you think of how much it costs these days to fill your petrol tank we could do with some price reductions as well.

I am not sure that the large increase in the price of cigarettes really reduced the number of young people smoking as I see quite a few today that smoke. It didn't affect MOH and myself back in 1991 as we had become non-smokers way back in 1971 but I am sure we were glad of the saving in fuel.

Now our Federal government in their wisdom want cigarettes to come in plain packaging that shows large health warnings. Wonder what the next big idea will be?

WELL THAT WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE

2011-06-07T18:27:00.002+08:00

I saw an optometrist last week who said he felt it was time I had my cataracts attended to as they were quite seriously affecting my vision. When I arrived home that day I rang the specialist's rooms and was fortunate they had a cancellation for this morning at 11.10a.m.

MOH and I set off and arrived in plenty of time so I 'signed in' and was given a form to complete and asked to take a seat. I saw two friends of ours who had both had cataracts ops in the past few months and she was I think waiting to get the all clear to to get herself new specs. I will see them tomorrow and find out how she got on.

After about 50 minutes a young man called me in and did some tests and also put drops in my eyes which makes one's vision go all blurry and allergic to bright light. "OK I thought. Now we are getting somewhere." But no, I was wrong. I lost count of how many people saw the specialist before me but it was well after 1pm when my name was called.

"Yes" said the specialist "your cataracts are quite advanced and I'd like to do the right one first followed by the left eye about a month later". "Fine with me" said I "it would be great to be able to see properly again." I was given a form to take to the reception area as apparently my eye as to be measured so they know what size the replacement lens needs to be when they remove mine.

The receptionist said she wasn't sure if the measurement could be done 'this morning' Bear in mind it was already well into the afternoon. No, it couldn't be done today but an appointment would be made for me to come back. I ventured to say that I hoped I wouldn't have to wait two hours next time. (I said it quite politely...really I did). I was told I'd not have a long wait so hope she knows what she's talking about.

Appointment for measuring my eyes.....18th July....not June but July. Oh well I guess these things take a while. I believe I will also receive advice when the first op will take place and hope it will be this year. Oh dear sarcasm is not a good thing!!! It is only a half day stay in the day surgery part of the hospital and I am told one has to keep still for 20 minutes while the procedure takes place and it is NOT painful so fingers crossed all will be well when it is eventually done.

I've written before about having confidence in one's medical team and I did really like this specialist and think he will do a good job. He gave me a pamphlet explaining the procedure which of course contained a list of things that could go wrong but I was assured that this type of procedure has a 99% success rate so who am I to worry.

Hopefully about next August I'll be able to give a running commentary on what it is like to have cataract surgery.

TWO BEAUTIFUL CATS

2011-06-06T16:51:00.008+08:00

I just wanted to share Precious with my friends. She will be 10 years old in October and we love her so much and we know she loves us as she always wants to be with us. She does go outside in the daytime but usually sleeps up on the pergola or sits on the carport roof keeping out of the way of other cats that sometimes cause trouble in our garden. Why they choose to come here to air their differences is beyond me but Precious keeps well and truly out of their way whenever she can.

Precious is, and always been, a very timid cat and it is only in the past year or two that she has begun to come into the living room when anyone other than MOH and I are there.

Going on 10 years ago Kakka and I went to the Cat Haven with the idea of getting ONE cat as our dear old black cat had succumbed to cancer several months before. We saw this very lively white and grey kitten climbing and jumping everywhere in the very large 'room' where the kittens were and decided he would be great friend to have. As we were deciding this I noticed this tiny face peeking out from under a blanket watching the other kittens frolicking about and I asked the attendant if she would bring her our for me. This she did and once I held this wee tiny kitten in my arms I just knew I had to take her home.....so, we went home with two kittens.

These two kittens played together and would curl up and sleep together but as Henry grew he got a little bossy and if Precious found a nice place to curl up and sleep, the next thing you would see Henry had taken over that spot. They still played but he was sometimes a little rough and I don't think he knew his own strength as occasionally you'd hear Precious give a little growl to tell him to cut it out.

A strange thing happened about 5 years ago. MOH and I decided to buy twin beds as we felt we would both get a better night's sleep in separate beds. Now, the cats used to sleep between us on the queen size bed but the twin beds caused all sorts of confusion and it was as though they thought MOH and I had fallen out as the two of them just didn't seem to get on so well from then on. It was quite weird. You'd still see them playing chasy out in the garden at times but there just wasn't the same camaraderie between them as before.

We lost our Henry in August of 2009. He and Precious were lying close to each on the carpet by my feet (in front of the little fan heater) when suddenly Henry gave a great 'sigh' and I just knew that at that moment he had left us. Previous knew too as she got up and began to wash him. I said to MOH "Henry just died" and poor man thought I was joking but it didn't take him long to realise I was serious about it. Henry lies out in our back garden and a cairn of stones has been built over his grave and a plant I have put there I hope will grow and cover it up nicely. We do miss that big cat and often have a laugh about the funny things he would do.

Precious in the picture is in her winter finery. She loses all the fluffy hair before summer and becomes quite a short-haired cat. I have never before seen any cat I've had or known lose so much hair as the weather warms and then grow it all back each year. MOH always reckons when he empties the vacuum cleaner bag that there is enough hair in their to cover a complete cat.

I have had many cats through my life but these two have been so very special and Precious still is to both of us. We know we are too fond of her but just hope she will be with us for many more years to come,

EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE

2011-06-04T19:45:00.003+08:00

A short while ago the following conversation took place between me and MOH:

MOH "Meant to tell you that James Arness (of Gunsmoke fame) has died"

ME "Oh right, how old was he?"

MOH "He was 88"

ME "Oh, not that old then!!"

What??? The man WAS 88. Strange thing though when you yourself are approaching the 80 mark and MOH is already 81 that 88 doesn't seem all that old at all. I guess when I was about 50 I'd have said "Oh well, he's had a good innings" and left it at that.
Perhaps we all consider ourselves immortal but underneath know we are not and thus my reaction.

I am not sure if others will see the humour in the above but it did strike me as really very funny. I am just so glad MOH and I could both laugh about it. You have to laugh or otherwise at times you might shed a few tears instead and that would never do.

HOW GOOD IT IS TO HAVE A GOOD MEDICAL TEAM

2011-06-04T16:36:00.003+08:00

Approaching the age of 80 as I am brings with it (in my case anyway) various medical problems and I have always felt that one must feel at ease with, and confident in, any medical people one has to deal with about any medical problems.

I have had some really good GPs over the year and if I've found one I am not comfortable with then I change to another that works. The one MOH and I have right now is a fantastic fellow with whom we both feel very comfortable and in my case he is good because he does have a great understanding of muscles, tendons and joints. He is a doctor with an AFL (Aussie Rules)football club here in W.A. so deals each week with those type of problems. He also deals with other problems we have and tries his hardest to solve any of those problems for us. He was wonderful when I had shingles on my face last year.

Our endocrinologist is a professor but there is nothing lardie dah about him and he is just so easy to talk to and you feel that you can ask questions and receive straightforward answers. My diabetes (after 15 years) had decided the tablets I was taking were not doing there job any more so when I saw the professor last Wednesday I heard the dreaded words "It's time for insulin". Coming from him it didn't sound all that bad!! Fortunately MOH has been using insulin (3 times a day) for nearly 18 months now so I didn't need any instructions from a diabetes educator as I have at home with me someone who wields a pretty good needle. I only have to have the insulin on retiring and it's great not having to do it myself. That man of mine is so good to me and I love him so much for all the things he does to help me.

Our podiatrist is a good chap too (MOH only goes once a year to have his feet checked) but I go every 8 weeks cos I can't reach my toenails..not just my size but my joints won't let me do it... but John is very thorough and when he massages my feet at the end of the visit with Sorbolene...mmm it is a great feeling.

We also have a terrific dermatologist we visit each year as this being a very sunny country can play havoc with our skins. MOH and I are fortunate in not having much in the way of skin problems although MOH did have a small skin cancer cut from his ear a year or so back. I have had a type of laser treatment to stop my face having that rosy glow and it has done the trick very well (I must admit it hurts a bit....feels like an elastic band snapping on the skin). We see him again in July and are quite looking forward to it.

Now..about eyes. MOH has glaucoma and see his opthamologist every 6 months for testing and they get on well together without any problems. Me? I too have visited him several times and I just don't feel confident with him. I rang recently to see when I was due to see him next and they didn't even have a bring up for me which I thought was bad. He had sent me to an optician who was very good but the spectacle firm for whom he worked did not perform very well at all. I had to go back 4 times for the lenses to be changed and they are still not right. My daughter (Kakka) recommended an optometrist she and her family have been seeing for 20 years or more so I made an appointment to see him last Thursday. He was an absolute delight but was full of surprises. I have cataracts and the fellow MOH and I see when asked what was the prognosis about my cataracts said in a flippant manner "Oh we may have to do something in one or ten years". That did not go down well with me. I know these things are unpredictable but...really. On Thursday I was asked if I was averse to having a cataract operation to which I said "No of course not. Why?" The reponse was that both my eyes needed to be done and I have been referred to an opthamologist who I will be seeing next Tuesday. I just hope I find him as reassuring as my visit to Mr P last week. I am interested to know what this doctor will have to say about it all.

I know this has been a little longwinded but I feel very strongly about the medical care we receive. We must feel comfortable with those that care for us and we must always ask questions and receive reassuring answers and not be fobbed off in any way. I know doctors have hard decisions to make and it must be unbelievably bad to have to tell someone they don't have long to live so I feel for them about that. Nevertheless whether it is an ingrown toenail or something more serioius like diabetes etc., we patients need to know what is going on (after all they are OUR bodies) so never hesitate to ask appropriate questions.

P.S. I forgot my wonderful physios....one lady in particular who manages to keep me mobile most of the time and the other who has set up this lymphatic massage which has stopped my feet being waterlogged following my 2 hip replacement ops. MOH and I do this massage between us each evening and with the use of pressure knee highs it has been magic. I takes a while and can be a little tiring but well worth it. It's only leg and foot massage so nothing compicated.

We don't get out and about much these days so I guess a lot of our outings are to medical appointments etc but it always pays to feel good about anyone in that field you are about to see. I now feel confident about all who care for me and MOH for which I am very thankful and grateful.

WHEN OUR CITY WAS A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE

2011-05-30T18:34:00.003+08:00

Heard talk today about council rates possibly being raised as the cost of street lighting is due to rise and it is the local councils that pay for street lighting. Now people are afraid our street lights will be turned off early.

Thinking about that I then realised that years ago all street lighting in the suburbs was turned off at 1a.m. and yet we were safe and felt no need for our streets to be lit after that time.

I know our city has grown a lot since then but what has happened to the population that a need is felt for streets to be lit up right through the night? It seems the world has gone to pot when folk are fearful of venturing out in the dark for fear of something bad happening to them.

My years on this mortal coil are numbered as I am nearing age 80 but my concerns are for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as other citizens of this beautiful state of ours. What sort of world are they moving into? I have no answer and I doubt anyone else has either. It saddens me as I remember the past and attempt to look into the future.

I ACTUALLY DID A LITTLE WORK OUTSIDE

2011-05-22T14:49:00.002+08:00

The area around our back door (under our patio) was getting really grotty so I decided the geraniums in pots should be pruned and put round the side of the house near the lavender where they would get more light..they were growing too rangy so I pruned them first.

Of course had to ask MOH to move the pots for me but when they were gone I picked up the broom and actually managed to sweep up all the leaves and pop a few simple potted plants in place of the geraniums and it's looking so neat and tidy now.

All this probably only took me about 20-30 minutes (with an occasional sit down in between) but I did it and it made me feel good about myself. I can't bend down much or lift anything that weighs more than a couple of kilos but I DID SOMETHING I've not done for a good while.

This may not seem much of an achievement but to me it was and with the advent of this cooler weather I am hoping to get the rest of the area out there really looking good over the next week or so.

FOR PINKPATENTMARY JANES

2011-05-22T14:39:00.003+08:00

I have been trying to respond to your comment but it won't have it for some reason. I've tried the help section but it is all too complicated for this non-technical mind to take in. I've been able to comment on my own blog in the past but not any more!! I can comment on blogs that belong to others OK so what the heck is happening.

What I just wanted to say was how much I appreciated the comment you made and it in turn made me glad I had written the second post so quickly after the first as that first one was all doom and gloom wasn't it (apart from the appreciation of the rain).

I know young people today have lots to contend with but I somehow feel that perhaps we oldies have a little more spare time in which to ponder our woes which overall is not all that good for us.

When there is just the two of us perhaps one doesn't want to worry the other too much so we bottle up our feelings a little too much. All my friends have left this mortal coil (far too soon many of them) and the one that is left has had tragedies in her own life recently so she is not the one I can use for a shoulder to cry on.

Perhaps I shouldn't use thig blog to express how I am feeling as it is not my intention to worry others.

P.S. TO MY PREVIOUS POST

2011-05-20T18:06:00.005+08:00

After writing the previous post I went in and had a muffin and cup of coffee that MOH had prepared (it was delicious too) and my little cat came in from outside and asked to be brushed (she does that every day) which she and I both enjoy.

I then sat for several minutes and stroked said cat (they say it is good for our blood pressute) and realised that yes, it IS all worthwhile.

MOH and Precious cat both need me even if I'm not very useful and I need to be here for them and regardless of all the grizzles I have about myself they put up with me very well so my thanks to them for bringing me back down to earth.

MOH will rub Dencorub into my back before I go to bed tonight and I'll help him with the drops he puts in his eyes for glaucoma and earlier in the evening we will both do the lymphatic massage which has brought my feet and ankles back to normal size.

We've managed quite well so far so whatever the future may bring we'll get through it together as long as we have each other. Lets hope it stays that way for a few more years.

A DAY OF MIXED FEELINGS

2011-05-20T16:55:00.004+08:00

I am blue!! It is not the weather as I love the sound of rain on the roof and goodness alone knows, we need it and so much more too. I am a winter person so the wind and the rain and cloudy skies are my friends.

Why am I blue? I am getting so tired of not being able to do THINGS. OK I can stand and wash dishes and cook meals even if the old back starts to howl after a few minutes but it's the not being able to carry things or bend down in the garden etc. etc. I begin to do something and have to sit down again so I sort of give up and do nothing which I realise is wrong but that's how it is. I see so many things that I once used to do and know darned well I can't do them now no matter how much I want to. I know I still have two legs and two arms and can see and hear (fairly well) andall that but the frustration does get to me.

On top of that for some unknown reason my diabetes has taken quite a sudden turn for the worse. I have increased one of my pills to the maximum and it doesn't seem to be making a tad of difference. There is nothing else I can take now except insulin. My MOH has been injecting insulin for his diabetes for over a year now and it doesn't really worry him but then he doesn't have any other real problems, and certainly not physical ones although he has slowed down a bit and does less now. Even he gets a little frustrated at times and seems to think that at 81 he should still be doing what he was doing at 30.

We see our endocrinologist on 1 June and before that I have to have a blood test and I dread to find out what my glycated haemoglobulin will be. Fortuanately I always ask that a copy of the pathology results be sent to my home so I am forewarned before I see the professor of the results.

I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping beyond hope that insulin is not going to be the answer. I guess I will have to be philosophical about all this but too many of these problems begin to make you wonder..is it all worth it?

A BETTER DAY TODAY

2011-05-18T17:26:00.003+08:00

This morning up bright and early (for us anyway) and off to our exercise group which was enjoyable as usual....I still have problems with my right side and right knee but manage most of the exercises and the weights OK. I often wish I could afford to go more often but I could and should do most of the things at home. I wonder why it is exercising alone is so boring which tends to put me off bothering to do it. MOH exercises with the group but trying to encourage him to exercise with me at home....no go.

Later I saw my podiatrist who has been off seeing the world with his family. We'd missed him since last year as he is also doing some study and so I had been seeing a locum (a really lovely Vietnamese lass) this year but it was nice to see John again. He does look after my feet so well and when one is diabetic that is just so very important. I used to go to the podiatrist about avery 4-5 weeks but my toenails grow so slowly these days I've extended the time between visits to 8 weeks. My fingernails grow very quickly so why not my toenails? Circulation problems..I do hope not.

Came home and did a few (little) necessary chores, had lunch and then onto Facebook and my farms that I have on there (all so much fun).

I then decided to get onto Centrelink to register and had to answer questions which I thought I'd done quite well but it seems I hadn't 'cos I got the response that I had failed and couldn't register! What? One question under my spouse's details was 'Maiden Name' and as my spouse is a man I thought that a little odd so put in my maiden name but perhaps that was wrong. Goodness how I hate government departments and their red tape. Why is it that nothing is stated in plain straight forward English? I consider myself a well educated and intelligent adult person but....I ask you. Perhaps I'll get on the 'phone tomorrow and ask them what answers they would like me to give.

One interesting and confusing statement was this: You will be asked certain questions so make sure you have the necessary information available before you start. How on earth was I supposed to know what information I should need to have with me before I knew what they were going to ask???

One question was: bank account details payments made to: Did they want to know which bank..my bank account details (number etc)..or who the payments were made to? There was only room for about 9 characters so wasn't sure what to put in that little window so perhaps put the wrong answer there.

Apart from this little glitch the day is going quite well...the weather is cooler and we had rain yesterday .. 12mm in our rain gauge at home (nearly half an inch) and we are keeping fingers crossed for more rain later in the week. With the beginning of winter only two weeks away we certainly should have had a lot more rain by now and think though our garden thoroughly enoyed the rain that fell yesterday.

Tomorrow is another day and I am hoping it will be even better..now the weather is cooler I am beginning to feel I am alive again so on to bigger and better things..well perhaps anyway.

MY SUPPORT FOR STAY AT HOME MUMS

2011-05-16T22:43:00.002+08:00

I have recently heard many people say (including our government) that young mothers should be able to return to the workforce while their child is quite young. On a discussion forum I was watching tonight I actually heard a single childless career woman say she resented any of her taxes being used to support families in any way and that mothers that chose to stay home made no contributiion to the economy or anything else.

Do all new mums want to go back to work and leave their little one to be cared for by others? Surely not. If it is possible for them to be fulltime stay at home mums then I don't think they should be made to feel they are not making any contribution to our country.

A mother is many things: a wife, housekeeper, nurse, accountant, teacher, etc. etc. You cannot tell me that doing all these things and being there to teach her child right from wrong (which is very necessary these days) is not making any contribution. She must teach her youngsters to be caring and understanding of others and everything else that turns a child into a worthwhile adult and Australian citizen.

Men and women are different...women are physically able to bear children - men are not. If a woman and her husband/partner decide it is time to have a child then hopefully they will also decide if they can afford for the new mum to at least spend the first few years home with the new arrival, should she wish to do so.

Many people in this modern world appear to want to have everything that is available in the way of big houses, swimming pools, spas, home theatres...you name it and they want it. On top of that they decide they want a family so what happens. A baby arrives and after only a few months he/she is left each day at a child care centre and mum goes back to work. If that is the mother's choice then so be it.

I know I am old-fashioned but I cannot come to terms with wanting it all. It is of course once again the way of the modern world and has been accepted as the norm but are we teaching our children to be unselfish or are they going to be even more selfish than many of the modern generation. They will be brought up in homes where everything is laid on and wll expect the same for themselves when they grow up. What has happened to the anticipation of being able to buy something one wants after saving hard for it? Not to expect all to be laid on and unhappy if it is not?

I would support any young mother who felt she needed to be there for her young child until at least that child was going to kindergarten when the mother could begin to think of finding a part-time job and still be there for her child out of school hours.

Financial circumstances forced me to return to the workforce when my two children were 10 and 12 years of age and yet I still felt guilty that I was away from our home during each weekday in case they should be ill or need me for some reason. Fortunately it did work out well and I think those two children were sufficiently shown right from wrong that neither got into any trouble. I may be wrong here but do feel that my being home with them during their formative years helped in some small way for that to happen.

ENJOYING THE COOLER WEATHER

2011-05-16T19:22:00.003+08:00

After months of high temperatures above 30C (86F) we are now enjoying cooler weather in the mid 20Cs.. I don't know if it is that we are just recovering after the heat but MOH and I don't seem to have any energy....all our get up and go has got up and gone.

You keep promising you will do certain jobs when the weather cools down and then when it does those same jobs are still there staring you in the face so why can't we get on with them?

We will have to make an effort because before we know it (time seems to fly by so quickly these days) it will be spring (our winter is only about 3 weeks away) and it will begin to get hot again.

Oh boy! Sound like the voice of doom don't I? I guess all this is really part of getting old and we have to allow for it. It is so easy when sitting back in a comfy chair or even here at my computer...you think of something you are going to do but when you get up to do it? Ouch!! The poor old back tells you you'd be better off sitting down again. What a wimp I am!!

They say never put off till tomorrow what you can do today but my motto seems to be 'never do today what you can put off until tomorrow".

Okay my girl you've put it all into words.....now stop feeling sorry for yourself and tomorrow you ARE going to begin to sort through those clothes that have been sitting waiting for so long. Hopefully I can put summer dresses away and begin to take out some warmer clothes to wear.

That is not the only job waiting to be done but at least it will be a start.

FAMILY MEMBERS...#2 MY MUM

2011-05-11T22:34:00.001+08:00

I didn't purposely put Dad first but gave him precedence as he was the older of the two.

My adoptive mum (the one who chose me to be her daughter) was born in London, England in 1897, towards the end of the Victorian era. Her father was a lawyer and from what I can make out (and after re-reading some of his letters from years back) I feel he was somewhat of a snob. He was for many years involved in Freemasonry and was a Grand Master and mixed with very high ranking people throughout his life. I googled Percy Rockliff and up came pages and pages of history of the Masons that involved Percy throughout those many pages.

Mum had a sister 7 years older than herself and a very gentle, quiet mother who eventually, with her two daughters, was forced to leave the family home because it would seem that she was nor suitable as a wife for her husband Percy. I think he kept them for many years and educated his daughters but had his wife sign an agreement that she would never sue for divorce as the Masons did not believe in divorce. I doubt that piece of paper was legal but he went on with his wonderful life whereas his wife lead a very quiet life on her own. Those were the good old days (for men anyway).

Mum had a good education and found employment in the Sugar Commission where she was secretary to one of the head of the commission. This is of course where she met dad not knowing at first that he was a widower or had a small son. From what she told me she fell in love with this much older man (she was 19 and he 31 when they first met. They married in December 1917 in South Tottenham and as England was still involved in WW1 there were many restrictions...no photographs could be taken (not sure why) and they were able to get only a few days for a honeymoon.

Family members came down with the Spanish 'flu which swept through the world after the cessation of hostilities and dad was very sick as was mum's sister Amy. It was only procuring oxygen that saved Amy's life. She had worked for an oxygen company and mum appealed to the boss of that company who made the oxygen available.

To cut a long story short dad was told that his health was failing and it was suggested he emigrate to a warmer climate. The decisiion was made to come to Western Australia and so mum and dad sold their home and possession and along with dad's young son sailed on the "Euripides" and disembarked in Albany in May, 1920.

Their object was to take up farming and you must remember these two people had come from good homes and good jobs and had absolutely no experience of farming. Obviously they considered it would a healthy lifestyle but they had many trials and tribulations through the ensuing years which included the Great Depression, being burnt out and flooded out to name a few.

When I was 4 mum had a major operation and developed thrombosis in both legs so was bedridden for some time and she and I spent some time in Albany while she convalesced. Eventually the doctor told dad that he couldn't guarantee mum's survival if they didn't leave the farm. I am not sure anyone in the Western world today could imagine how hard the work was back then and the long hours they worked. They grew potatoes which is a backbreaking job when you sow the seed potatoes by hand and only have a a horse and plough to dig the furrows.

The hard decision was made for us to move up to Perth...I don't know the financial details but I feel that medical bills and mum not being able to work on the farm had meant perhaps borrowing from the bank. All I know is that they walked off the farm with very little but their clothing and aboud five pounds in their pockets.

All this after 17 years of really hard yakka must have been devastating but they seem to have taken it in their stride regardless of what they had to go without. I know mum only had one good dress and very little else in the way of clothing but somehow I was always well dressed (mum made my clothes...possibly borrowing a sewing machine) and I have a photograph taken when I was 7 of a very smart little outfit she had made me.

As told in dad's story he eventually found a very good job but I have never managed to work out how they managed to send me to college from the age of nearly 6 until I was 15. At no time was I ever made to feel we were poor...they were two very proud people who would never allow their poverty to be evident. I don't think I ever thanked mum for all she did for me and perhaps haven't realised this fact until after her death when I've had time to really consider it all.

In 1952 we moved to a new home dad had subconstracted to be built and very comfy it was too. It was while living there that I had celebrated my 21st birthday, my engagement to H#1 and my marriage. I later learned that mum had to borrow a little money from my half-brother to help pay for the wedding. Even then she was still battling 'cos dad had just not wanted to work after he sold the shop in 1947 so I think building the house may have incurred a mortgage.

I have to go back a few years now as I have somewhat jumped the gun here. When dad sold the shop in 1947 the rate of inflation in Australia hit an all time high so they were left with insufficient money to live on. Dad said he had retired and didn't intend to return to work so mum set about trying to find herself some type of work. She was still a skilled shorthand typist so looked around for something entailing secretarial work. The Women's Service Guild was seeking a part-time secretary which paid an honorarium of three pounds a week and she accepted the position and from there her life changed quite remarkably. The President of the Guild was a Mrs Bessie Rischbieth a wealthy woman from Peppermint Grove who worked untiringly for women's rights and those of the downtrodden in the world. They became fast friends and I am sure it was Bessie that got mum's mind on social work.

I had just begun work as a secretary when dad sold the shop and I was paying a small amount of board each week out of my two pound eight shilling weekly wage which I have always hoped helped mum a wee bit with the housekeeping.

Mum was still involved in a lot of social work when we moved to Joondanna (in the house they built there) and I somehow felt she needed to branch out on her own to pursue her interests and this may have been the foundation of her decision to tell dad it was time they separated.

Mum of course then had to find fulltime employment and this she did without any trouble. She was a very well spoken Englishwoman and impressed people when she first met them as being very competent, which she indeed was. He first job was as private secretary to the manager of Bouchers Industries in Osborne Park and when that firm I think was taken over by a larger firm (don't quote me on that) she then found a secretarial position with APT Shipping in Perth.

This is becoming a very long story but Mum's life had so many components which needs to be told. I will continue this in the next few days while I gather my thoughts about what happened in later years in this fantastic woman's life.

FAMILY MEMBERS #1..MY DAD

2011-05-10T15:37:00.006+08:00

I have decided for my own sake I am going to write a series of blogs as I remember members of my family I have known and perhaps eventually those I've never known but only learnt about.

My dad (the one that adopted me) was born in London in 1885 during the reign of Queen Victoria. He was one of 7 children one of whom died when she was less than one year old.

Dad was about 5'11" and had red hair although I only really ever remember his hair being grey and eventually white when he was much older. He was 46 when I arrived in his life so by the time I was concerned with hair colour and the like I'd probably missed the red hair stage. I do know he had to be careful when out in the sun and he did freckle very easily.

He was very upright and one may have thought he had been in the armed services. He did try and enlist during WW! but had hearing problems and was also employed in what was termed a 'reserved occupation' and therefore needed in the civilian workforce.

His father had his own business and was by trade a coach maker/wheelwright who employed several men so obviously was doing quite well. I knew nothing of his mother.

Dad never spoke of his family and I never unfortunately found out why this was. Mum said that when they married none of his family came to the wedding so whether he was the black sheep of the family or not I have no idea. He held an excellent position as Chief Clerk with the Sugar Commission in London.

He attended Buckingham Palace where he was presented with the MBE by King George VI (I have never known exactly what for but obviously for work done during WW1). I don't have his medal as it would have been given to his son who was a child of a previous marriage. Dad's first wife had died when only 32 years of age.

I know that Dad played soccer and was a goalie for Tottenham Hotspurs at a time when the players were all amateurs. He once told me that being amateurs they couldn't be paid but when they returned to their change rooms after a match they would find a one pound note tucked into one of their shoes. This would have been early in the 20th century.

I believe he also played for the England team but as all his medals, newspaper cuttings etc were burnt when their house was destroyed by fire prior to my birth I was never able to see or read anything relating to his football career. I do know he broke an ankle while playing for Spurs and many years later he broke a little finger.

We lived opposite a park in North Perth where the local soccer team used to practice and one day Dad wandered across to give them some tips on keeping goal. He apparently put his hand up to stop a ball and crack went a bone in a little finger. I guess when in his 60s his bones were perhaps a little too brittle for that type of treatment.

He was a great salesman and for a number of years was a Rawleighs dealer (went door to door selling their products and had quite a huge clientele). Mum helped him by making up pretty packages of cosmetics and the like and I believe she kept his books for him as well. He was awarded salesman of the year several times.

When I was about 12 he bought a corner shop in Swanbourne which they ran for a couple of years (this during the later years of WW2 with coupons and everything to deal with) and then in 1947 he suddenly decided it was time to retire so he sold the shop and we moved to a rental house in North Perth.

Dad enjoyed playing lawn bowls and belonged to the North Perth Bowling Club for a number of years. He smoked, but only a few cigarettes a day, and was never a drinker athough would occasionally have a shandy at the bowling club. He said he had seen too many problems caused by drink when he was younger and so there was never any alcohol in our house unil I was 20 and then only for my birthday party. I had to almost beg to have half a dozen bottles of beer for the young men coming to that party but finally mum and dad agreed. I don't think any of my female friends drank anything alcoholic back then. I certainly didn't.

Unfortunately in 1953 Mum took it into her head that she and Dad should separate and they both went their own ways. Dad eventually lived in a nursing home in East Fremantle where he died following a stroke in 1971 at the age of 85.

I remember him so well...he was a kindly man, loved by children 'cos he could make them laugh and his pet name for me when I was little was Tiddlywinks. One must remember he was born during the Victorian era and some of his ideas were perhaps just that....a trifle Victorian but all in all he was a father to be very proud of. I still love you Dad.

ANOTHER POEM WITH LOTS OF MEANING FOR ME

2011-05-10T13:14:00.003+08:00

This poem by Udiah is beautiful and although it was originally written as being from a man I dedicate it to my wonderful husband who cares for me so well each day of my life.

WHY I LOVE YOU

You give me hope and help me to cope
When life pulls me down you bring me around.
You teach me to care and help me to share.
You make me honest with kindness the best.
From you I learned love with grace from above
It's for you I live and want to give.
You are the reason that fills each season.
When I hear love I think of you
You are my world and best friend too.
I love you because you are so kind, thoughtful and caring
I love you because you are so pleasant, peaceful and sharing.

THANK YOU

In my case this definitely proves that second time around has been good for me. I couldn't manage without MOH. He does so many tasks I am now unable to do without one word of complaint. He just has to stay around 'cos I'd be lost without him.

A CUTE LITTLE POEM THAT MADE ME LAUGH

2011-05-10T12:58:00.002+08:00

This is a fun poem by Juan Olivarez which really took my fancy. I hope you will enjoy it too.

I once found heaven,
But couldn't stay.
My wandering feet
Led me away.

I once found an angel
That loved only me
But I left her in heaven
Because it couldn't be.

I once found true love
So true and sweet.
But I couldn't stop
My wandering feet.

So I took off my shoes
And threw them away
And found her again
And she let me stay.

I just hope they were both very happy.

NEIGHBOURHOOD CATS CAN BE SUCH A NUISANCE

2011-05-10T12:47:00.003+08:00

We have a dear little nine and a half year old fluffy female cat that never means any harm to anyone or any creature but recently she is being terrorised by cats from neighbouring homes.

I realise one can't keep cats behind fences as one can with most dogs but if people would only have their cats (especially male cats) neutered there would be far less problems with cats fighting.

There is a very large dark tabby and white cat that comes from 3 houses away and even if you shoo him away he stands his ground. I even threw a small rock not at him but near him and then he decided to jump on the fence and slowly make his way home. Talk about cheeky.

Next door (on the other side) is a neutered maie that for some reason seems to find our garden better than his!! He and the cat from up the road hate each other and choose our garden in which to do their caterwauling. Our poor little Precious runs and hides (inside the house) when she hears them.

There is also another tabby cat which is here occasionally but seems harmless so that is OK and a gorgeous black and white fluffy cat that is just so friendly and she and our cat seem to tolerate each other very well. Unfortunately it seems the little black and white cat may be scared of those other three big cats so she doesn't visit us as often which is a shame.

Our council even has a subsidy they pay people that have their cats neutered but I guess some are just too mean to pay the balance and so there will always be this cat problem caused by people that just don't care.

My daughter (Kakka) has been having the same problems over the years and it often means visits to vets to have wounds taken care of so an expense to cat owners through no fault of their own. Just so annoying.

TODAY BEGAN WELL AND CONTINUED THAT WAY

2011-05-08T19:37:00.005+08:00

After enjoying that delicious breakfast cooked by MOH we hurriedly got ready and set off to our daughter's home to meet up with her, her hubby and 3 of our granddaughters, the husband of one of them and our two great-granddaughters.

With a cooked breakfast not being part of our normal daily fare we then indulged in mini muffins, some delicious chocolate biscuits and even a small serve of mud cake. We also did the RIGHT thing and ate some fresh fruit which made us feel less guilty about all the forbidden things we'd eaten. Son-in-law served up a couple of really good cups of coffee to which topped it all off.

It was so nice to sit out in their back garden in the lovely sunshine and spend time with the family. Was sorry grandson couldn't be there but he works weekends more times than not so we don't see him often.

K&B have had reticulation installed in their garden recently and perhaps it is this that has helped but their back garden is really delightful this year and I only wish we could get ours to look even half as good. We are both a little too old (and I am just too decrepit) to do too much in the garden now but I feel inspired after seeing their garden today. Famiily gave me some Bunnings vouchers for Christmas which I haven't used so as soon as I feel I can walk for a short while I think we will be down there to buy some plants and hope that we eventually get more rain in Perth to help the garden recover from a long and very hot summer.

MOH and I decided we really didn't need lunch today but seems we both need a good solid meal tonight as we both did a glucose test and our readings were quite low. Of course all the food mentioned above is high GI so is absorbed much more quickly than our normal food so we now are a tad short of sugar.

For dinner tonight....a very enjoyable slow cooker meal that MOH made which is in the fridge so won't take long to serve up (I will boil up a small quantity of rice to go with it) and we will then be back to being good again (until the next time which will possibly be #2 granddaughter's birthday next month....no cooked breakfast that day though).

Thanks again to everyone who shared today with us......it was a good day.

A DIFFERENT BEGINNING TO THE DAY

2011-05-08T08:42:00.002+08:00

As we are both Type 2 diabetics MOH and I usually begin the day with a healthy breakfast of cereal and fruit followed by other also healthy meals throughout the day.

Today, being Mother's Day, MOH is cooking breafast and the smell coming from the kitchen is quite magical. I know there are sausages, bacon, tomato and egg and of course some toast to make up the carbs.

MOH has not done this before and it is a lovely surprise and I am really going to enjoy this meal.

Later today I will be spending time with some of my lovely family and that I am also looking forward to very much as, being very busy people, I don't see as much of them as I'd like. All time spent with them is so precious.

To anyone who may read my blog and is a mum I hope you too have a wonderful Mother's Day.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY READ MY BLOG?

2011-05-06T23:26:00.002+08:00

I just realised that I have written 147 posts since I began blogging which I realise is a small number compared with many bloggers but I often wonder if more than 2 or 3 people ever read what I have written. I guess it's not all that interesting or perhaps I write things that puts people off. I just don't know the answer to that one. I seem to have (or did have) 4 followers, 3 of whom do occasionally make comment which I welcome with open arms so thank you for that.

Other bloggers seem to have numerous followers and I wonder how this comes about. Do bloggers perhaps recommend blogs to other bloggers or what? I know so little about the world of blogging that I feel I need some answers and wonder if anyone out there in blogger land can provide them for me. I feel that by now I should know much more than I do but I just don't.

If I knew how to put photos on my blog would that perhaps make it more interesting to people? I feel I certainly do need some help so how about a few hints to this lonely blogger...please, if you have the time.

SOME SAD THOUGHTS TODAY

2011-05-06T22:57:00.002+08:00

Today my youngest granddaughter turns 25. I am glad for her and feel she is having a wonderful life but sad to realise she was only 15 when I saw her last.

Thanks to my son (her father) who decided back in January 2002 to have nothing furhter to do with any of his family we have not seen our two youngest grandchildren since they were school children.

I am fortunate that my daughter-in-law keeps in touch via email and sends the occasional photo of the family and news about each of them so I do know they are all doing well but I have not seen any of them at all or spoken to them on the telephone.

I keep thinking of this grandchild of mine who is now a grown woman with a partner of many years and would give anything if she would perhaps telephone me one day or even send me an email. She did send us a letter with a Christmas card back in 2009 but that has been the only communication. There has never been any response to gifts sent for birthdays or Christmas which has been somewhat disappointing.

What has my son told her to make her keep away from her grandparents, aunt and uncle and 4 cousins or is it perhaps that she just doesn't care anyway? After all she is now well and truly an adult and one would imagine if she had the inclination to see any of us she would make the decision to do so.

We sent her a card wishing her well for her birthday and can only hope that she had a happy day today. We can do no more than that.

AN AMUSING STORY OF TWO PARROTS

2011-05-06T22:43:00.002+08:00

Way back then when we were living in Walcott Street we had a parrot. It was a little corella (those with the smaller beaks). I forget where he came from but he was a great little pet and never kept in a cage as we felt he deserved to be as free as possible. H#1 would clip his flight feathers annd he would wander around the yard during the day, sometimes spend time with us of an evening (he would perch on top of the door of the lounge room with a sheet of newspaper under the door, just in case). Of a night he had a perch in the large workshop in the back yard.

He said quite a few words and had a wonderful laugh. H#1 as told before, was a cabinetmaker and would spend quite a lot of time in his workshop of an evening. He had an old radio down there and in those days there would be loads of comedy programmes with of course the usual laughter. I think that is where cocky learned to laugh and he would often laugh along with the audience on the radio which was fun to see and hear. He really was quite a character.

One day I spotted a little corella on the footpath on the other side of Walcott Street and realised cocky had gone walkabout. I immediately called a young lad who lived next door and asked him to try and catch cocky for me. He came back some time later with the parrot sitting on his arm and put him on the outdoor table in the back garden for me. He was very friendly and I was glad to have him back until.....coming down the post from the upstairs back verandah was this little corella. Yes, our cocky had not gone walkabout so now we had two of them. The funniest thing of the lot was when the two of them were on the table together they began to talk to each other but not in cocky talk but in human talk. Words such "hullo cocky boy" said by each of them in turn or "cocky want a biscuit". It really was hilarious to watch them.

As I felt we couldn't really keep the two of them I asked the young lad who had caught the second cocky if he would like to have him. He delightly took him home but unfortunately it seemed he didn't stay long. I think he used to walk along the fence fronting Walcott Street and someone possible enticed him on their arm and took him away.

Came a time when H#1 forgot to clip the flight feathers of our cocky and he must have flown away and unlike pigeons they don't find their way home. We missed him and hoped that someone else had found him and given him a good home.

LIFE IN THE 1950s/1960s ....part 4.

2011-05-05T22:57:00.003+08:00

I've told about how we came to be living in the two storey house in Walcott Street and how we had to spend a great deal of time making it suitable for a family to live in and I now try to think back on some of the things that happened while my children were there from 1956 to 1966.

My daughter was one year old when we moved in in mid 1956 and as she was already very mobile it was quite a problem worrying about the stairs. Fortunately she didn't attempt to go up and down when unsupervised so nothing untoward happened. Was she always that obedient? No, but in this case I am so glad she was.

As it was such an old house with no conveniences upstairs at all (the toilet was outside the back door with a partition in front of it so it was sort of private). If you had to 'go' in the night it was quite an ordeal having to go downstairs and outside but there was no other way. Fortunately back then you felt quite safe going into your backyard during the night but I am not so sure I'd want to it today.

I also found the cleaning a bit of a trial as it meant hauling the vacuum cleaner and cleaning materials upstairs and then back downstairs and of course when you did the laundry you had to carry it upstairs to put it away. I often wonder at how popular double storey houses are these days and I am sure they do not all have lifts but of course they have amenities both down and upstairs. It would not be my choice.

There was one occasion that our daughter had what was thought to be German measles and as I didn't want her to be upstairs in bed on her own during the day (I was told to keep her in bed for a few days) it meant her safe cot (which M#1 had built and was able to be taken apart by removing a few large screws) had to be taken downstairs in the morning before he left for work and then collapsed and taken back upstairs of an evening in order to put the little one there to sleep.

Our son was born about 14 months after we moved into this house and he was also quite a good baby so we had few problems with him nor lack of sleep which was fortunate. He was quite thin when he was born but thrived through the next 12 months and by his first birthday he weighed 2 stone (28 lbs) and as he didn't walk until he was nearly 18 months it meant I had to carry him up and down the stairs all the time. I often wonder if some of my back problems have come from living in that house. When he was older he was a worry concerning the stairs and I insisted if we were to stay in that house M#! build doors at the top and bottom of the stairs so the lad couldn't climb over them. I was so thankful when these were finally finished and installed.

For quite a few years the two children shared the same bedroom but as they grew older we felt they needed their own space so we gave up our lovely large bedroom and moved into the smaller one although still quite a good size at 15' x 10'. We had two large wardrobes (also built of course by M#1) so these were placed back to back in the middle of the large bedroom and two folding doors placed diagonally across from the wardrobe to each side of the main door which fortunately was in the middle of that room.

We had an FE Holden sedan which M#! used for work and going away weekend fishing and hunting so I didn't have a car to use. A had a friend who lived just around the corner and she I would walk to the clinic with the little ones and even one day walked nearly into Perth for them to be immunised somewhere in Beaufort Street (I think it was the Salk vaccine against polio but not 100% sure of that). I feel it was one reason we kept reasonably slim and also quite fit as walking, as everyone knows, is a wonderful exercise for young and old if you can do it. I wish I still could.

After the children began attending North Perth Primary School I started to play 10 pin bowling and would walk down to the Rosemount Bowl (which used to be the Rosemount picture theatre when I was younger). It was a game I really enjoyed and I still have several trophies that I won. I met some lovely ladies during those few years and often wonder how they fared in their own lives.

We were fortunate in having a 'corner' shop only a few doors away in York Street and I'd write out a list of groceries I needed and Mr Woods would walk along with the things in a cardboard box and deliver them to my kitchen door. He and his wife were a lovely couple and I was very sad when she developed cancer and had to have a leg removed. In the other direction and only a short distance from the house there was a very good butcher too. You would ask for a cut of meat and he would say "come back in a couple of days and it will have been hanging long enough in the cold room". He wouldn't sell you very fresh meat but said it needed a few days to become tender and I must admit the meat we bught from him was exceptionally good and you can't buy any meat that good today.

I do so miss those small shops where they got to know their customers and what their customers liked and there was always service with a smile. There was also a delicatessen across the road from us on the other side of Walcott Street where we also shopped at times but as Walcott Street became busier it was sometimes a problem crossing the road although of course if we wanted to carch the trolley bus into Perth the road had to be carefully crossed. The trolley bus stop was right outside our side gate and I was always amazed at the collection of discarded tickets that would accumulate each day. People just threw them down as they alighted from te bus!! Today they call it littering!!

I could tell lots of other tales about that house but as they are probably more of interest to me than to other people I think I will leave it at that. It was quite an experience living in that house and I regret that the marriage didn't last but I think we grew apart and I place the blame at nobody's door even though others may do so. It had to end before something bad happened and I took the initiative and ended it quite dramatically and suddenly. If there had been any doubt that I would not have my two children with me I guess I would have had to try and make a go of it but fortunately I didn't have to make that decision.

Incidentally M#!'s uncle was willed that particular house when Grandpa died and it was eventually sold. Some years later more dwellings were built on the property and the original house modernised. It has been on the market several times and I think the last asking price was getting pretty close to one million dollars. I often smile when I think of what that placed looked like the first time we laid eyes on it.

STRANGERS FROM OVERSEAS

2011-04-26T20:01:00.003+08:00

I am becoming really concerned about these people that are entering our country illegally. We hear so many stories from so many sources and have no idea which of them are completely true. I guess it depends where they stand concerning these people that arrive here after dangerous journeys across treacherous seas brought here illegally by people smugglers and apparently at great cost too.

It worries me when these people who are now detained in various centres around the country when they decide to commit what can only be described as criminal acts such as damaging property and setting fires as well as threatening those in charge of them.

So many folk seem to think they should be allowed freedom of movement throughout the land but until we know positively who they are should this be alowed to happen?

If these people are genuine refugees then why do some of them destroy their personal papers and then can't prove who they really are. I know there are thousands of displaced persons all around the globe some of whom wait many years in detention centres in various countries en route to what they hope will be a safer and better life. They try to do it the right way by joining an endless queue of refugees.

After World War 2 there was thousands of displaced persons in Europe many of whom came to our country and made good lives for themselves and helped make our country what it is today but I don't remember any of them rioting or making demands of any kind. Rather they were glad to be here and I think came through the right channels. I was only 13 when WW2 ended so probably don't know all the ins and outs of it all but I do know they came from some pretty horrific places.

MOH was in the British Army in Germany immediately following WW2 and saw for himself the vastness of the devastation there and people who were starving and would do anything they could to obtain food etc. Many were also in danger and needed succour from government who would take them in and help them to a better life.

I have rambled on a little here but I just don't like what is happening in our country right now and can only hope that something can be done by this government of ours to at least ease the situation before it gets completely out of hand. Desperation can sometimes lead to unpleasantness and I am sure that nobody wants that to happen.

MY SON-IN-LAW

2011-04-26T19:33:00.002+08:00

I first met my son-in-law before he had even met my daughter and I liked him instantly. I introduced the two of them and they seemed to hit it off immediately and it grew from there and eventually they married and have three children but that is another story. There actually are four children as he accepted my daughter's first child as his very own which was fantastic for all of them.

I am not sure if my son-in-law likes me or not but he always finds time to talk should I have reason to telephone him and he seems to care. I know he is very good to my daughter and has stuck with her through thick and thin and I love him for that. They have had some rough times and come through them really well.

What I notice though is that he does seem to have concern about me, and MOH as well, and an example was on Sunday when we went to #3 granddaughter's apartment for morning coffee and buns to celebrate Easter. Was a great morning too.

There are 15 steps up to her apartment (and down of course) and I am not at all good on stairs these days but made it up there OK. When we were leaving it was my son-in-law that offered to go down with me. I told him I would be OK and MOH said he's go first so I could land on him if anything went wrong. Not a good idea as I'd probably have squashed him. The point I am making is that son-in-law cared enough to want to help and he stayed at the top of the staircase until he was sure I'd made it down safely. I really appreciated that and although he is most unlikely to see this blog I just wanted to show how happy I was that he showed he cared. Thanks to a great bloke.

LIVE IN THE 1950s Part 3

2011-04-16T22:17:00.002+08:00

To make it easier than saying my husband all the time I will call him H#1 as he was after all my first husband (1953-1967).

I had got to where Mum had decided to move into her house and the grandfather of M#1 said we could rent a house of his in Walcott Street in Mount Lawley. We went to check it out and couldn't believe how dingy and dirty it was. It had for many years been rented to an elderly couple who now had to move into a retirement home. I don't think anyone had ever really looked at the place for some time or, if they did, they were not concerned about the state the house was in.

It was a two storey house with two huge rooms upstairs and two the same size downstairs but no real kitchen or bathroom. The closed in back verandah downstairs had been used as a kitchen but there was no sink and the only way of heating water for the bath was by lighting the copper and ladling the water in a bucket into the bath, a somewhat hazardous operation as the water was of course very hot.

The walls were really dirty and I said I would not move in with a one year old child until at least her room was cleaned and painted all over. This we did and tried to clean the rest of the house as much as possible before shifting in.

M#1, being a cabinet maker, built a kitchen cupboard and installed a terazzo (secondhand) sink and made a small kitchen table as well. There was a wood stove but no gas or electric stove to cook on. M#1 eventually bought a very large secondhand gas stove which was a delight to use. In the meantime, being winter when we moved in, I cooked on the wood stove which also warmed the kitchen as well so it was very cosy.

There were two cement wash troughs in the laundry/bathroom and the bottom of one appeared to have algy growing in it. I think the lady who lived there used to strain her vegetables in there and didn't clean it out very well. A good scrub soon did the trick and I had Mum's little Hoover washer still to use so was able to do the laundry OK. I often wondered where the previous tenant washed her dishes etc.

We managed quite well with heating the water for the bath for some time and then M#1 bought an electric element to attach to the shower head and in that way we could have hot showers which was quite a luxury. I used to bath my little girl in the kitchen sink until she was older which also worked very well.

The folks that had lived in the house previously apparently grew lots of onions and they had erected an old metal bed outside the kitchen (this was under what was the upstairs verandah so protected from the elements) and used it to store the onions. It had some sort of linoleum on it as well and when we took it down we found it to be full of cockraches...a real delight. Ugh.

This house had been built before Walcott Street had been laid down and the top storey of the house was actually level with the road so a walkway (bridge) had been built leading to the front door upstairs. Also the council had built a retaining wall (I think with railway sleepers) so the bottom storey of the house was well below road level. There was a grassy bank running down from street level and when the children were older they, and their friends, would have a great time 'surfing' down the grassy bank on some type of skis we had obviously acquired from somewhere.

The garden was run down and M#1 was never a great gardener but we tidied it up and he would borrow his step-father's electric lawn mover. It was about one third of an acre so quite a large block with lots of lawn down one side of the house and across the back. Even if not beautiful the garden was always neat and tidy. I used to grow a large patch of strawberries and would make jam from them which I always felt very proud about. I also grew a few flowers and some Chinese gooseberries came up of their own accord and they were delicious.

We eventually painted the whole house from top to bottom which was quite an achievenent as the walls downstairs were at least 12' high and then there were the walls at top and bottom of the stairs. It all look rather splendid when finished and I made curtains for the windows and we were more than comfortable. Three of the large rooms had corner fireplaces and all were used at one time or another so no other heating was needed.

There is more to tell about this house where I lived for 10 years with M#1 and our two children so will continue this story in a few days time.

OUT AND ABOUT TODAY

2011-04-14T22:49:00.002+08:00

I have often mentioned that I don't get out and about much because of my limited ability to walk very much.

Today I suggested to MOH that perhaps we should go and have a nice lunch at our favourite little cafe in a nearby shopping centre and he readily agreed so it was both of us into the shower (one after the other of course) and off we set.

We both had salmon patties with very well cooked chips and a light salad on the side. Delicious. This cafe has recently been renovated and is always really neat and clean and their food is well cooked and nicely presented and the young staff are very pleasant.

I then went to Big W to buy Easter eggs for family and friends and was able to find some 70% dark chocolate for MOH. When we do eat chocolate we choose the dark variety as it is better for our health and being diabetics we are limited to how much we can have at any one time. Once at Easter we would eat all our eggs in a couple of days but now we manage to make them last, not that we get that many but there are always a few each for us.

MOH had mentioned that he'd like to buy a new lightweight jacket so while he popped the Easter eggs in the car I went in search of a jacket in Big W. They had quite a variety and I did find a nice lightweight one which I pointed out to him. He tried it on and found it was just what he was after and even a little less than $25 which was even more to his liking. Incidentally I had told him that if he was to buy a new jacket then it made sense to perhaps get rid of one of the old ones and I hope he does.

I've not said much about MOH buying a larger than usual size. He has for some time been using insulin injections three times a day for his daibetes and unfortunately the use of insulin tends to stack on the kilos and always around the middle which is not good healthwise but seems to be unavoidable. The weather has been so very hot for well over three months that MOH has not been playing golf nor going for his quite often daily walk so hopefully that will change when it is cooler.

While I sat and rested MOH went to Woolworths to buy a few provisions we needed for tonight's tea....bread, ham and the like. and then we headed back to the car.

I had used my walker but when I got home after only about two and half hours I was so sore I could hardly move but after resting I gradually came good although tonight I'm still a tad body weary. I used to ache in my lower back but the aches now have spread upwards as far as my neck so I do become a 'bit of a pain' for a while. Even MOH said he felt tired and a little stiff but then he always complains that shopping makes him feel like that. Walking round the golf course doesn't seem to affect him that way!!

All in all it was nice to get out and about and I wish I could do it more often and perhaps now the cooler weather is just around the corner a visit to the river or similar might just be on the cards. At least today I got some much needed exercise which is very important.

LIFE IN THE 1950S (Part 2)

2011-04-04T23:42:00.002+08:00

Ih part 1 of this story I was up to winter of 1955 when my daughter was born. Will deal with that in a different blog at a later time.

Not only was the winter of 1955 very wet and quite cold but the summer of 1955/56 was extremely hot and the only cooling in the house was a small electric fan. The house had high ceilings and a high roof as well and being double brick it actually kept relatively cool compared to the outside temperature.

To keep the baby cool in the daytime I would pop her in her pram with just a nappy on and sometimes no nappy at all and then place a wet nappy over the handle of the pram and put the fan on the other side of the wet nappy causing a cool breeze to waft over the pram. It was a cane pram and I think they were probably cooler than the plastic ones of today (or are today's prams made of leather..I really don't know).

I remember once trying to attend the Menora picture theatre with the baby but she was not one to settle down too well in the evening so that adventure was short lived and we didn't try that again. We found the drive-in theatres very useful when we had the two children and Jenny the labrador would come with us as well.

We at this time were living in 518 Fitzgerald Street in North Perth only 3 houses from the place (524) dad and mum had rented from when I was 15 years old till I turned 20 at which time they built a home of their own in Joondanna. My then hubby's grandparents lived at 526 and his mum lived further up at 556. In those days families didn't move very far away from each other and one could walk to each other's homes even at night when it was perfectly safe to do so.

My own mother was busy working in the social service field so we didn't see a great deal of her and my hubby's mum (much as I loved her) was not one for minding children so if I went somewhere the baby went with me; shopping, doctor's appointments etc. I used to walk down to the shops and put the groceries in the pram each side of the baby. It was a much simpler life then and we seemed to manage without much outside help. It was several years later that I would have a little old car of my own but that's another story.

I had mentioned in the previous blog on this subject that we had lived in 2 rooms (one up and one down) in Blake Street, North Perth, but forget to mention that the owner was marrying for a second time so we had to find other accommodation. We once again found two nice rooms with share bathroom and laundry in Queens Crescent, Mount Lawley. We were very comfortable there but mum then bought the house at 518 Fitzgerald and she divided the house into three. We had the main middle section, the two large rooms at the front were let to another couple and a small section at the back of the house was let to a single lady. We were still sharing bathroom and washhouse. Mostly in those days the laundry (then called the washhouse) was a separate area either attached to the back of the house or a separate building and the toilet was always outside the house as well and often down the end of the back garden.

All this sharing houses was very common then (I mentioned there being a housing shortage and we were too poor to even considering buying a house) but I wonder if young folk today could do the same thing, especially with a young child as well.

I think we had been children of the depression and had gone through the war when items were so short and there was rationing and we were used to not having things. I don't feel we had great expectations of what the world owed us and that we had to make our own way in life if we wanted to succeed. We were fortunate to have good jobs and there were always plenty of jobs to choose from if one wanted a change. My then husband was (as mentioned) a cabinetmaker and he changed employers several times.

After living at 518 for a couple of years mum decided she would like to come live in her own home so once again we had to move. It was fortunate that hubby's grandfather who had built many houses in North Perth and Mount Hawthorn through the years had a house becoming vacant in Walcott Street. We went and had a look at it and were horrified by what we found but felt we could make a home out of it so said yes we would rent it at three pounds ($6) a week.

There is a lot to tell about that house in Walcott Street so will make that part 3 of what looks like being rather a long ramble. Once I get going I seem to remember lots of things that just may be of interest to anyone who may read my writings.

COMPARISON OF TODAY'S LIFE TO LIFE IN THE 1950s (Pt 1)

2011-03-29T23:09:00.002+08:00

There has been talk by many people who seem to know what they are talking about criticising how folk are building bigger houses on smaller blocks and seem to want EVERYTHING....a home theatre, a swimming pool, a sauna and so it goes on. I really think we have become a world of purchasers...buying sometimes for the sake of buying and then discarding after a short time when something new takes our fancy. I can honestly say that I do not and cannot do that owing partly to lack of funds but I believe in keeping things for as long as possible and not constantly replacing everything, except perhaps my computer.

I then began to think back to 1953 when I married my first husband. My mother-in-law made me a really beautiful wedding gown and slso my going away outfit, including the hat. We managed to afford a honeymoon for a week before returning to live in the only accommodation available in those days. Remember this was only 8 years after the cessation of World War 2 and many items were still scarce, including houses.

When we arrived back in North Perth we had sufficient money to buy a broom and a dustpan and brush and to live until my husband's next payday. He was a very good cabinet maker and had a good job but of course I think his wage was about ten pounds a week ($20) or perhaps even less at that time. I forget how much rent we paid but it was not much and we had two rooms, one above the other built on the back of a house by the owner when his wife was dying of cancer. Her bedroom was upstairs and she had a magnificent view of our city and the suburbs in between. The kitchen was downstairs and we shared the bathroom and laundry.

Dave didn't have a washing machine so I had to boil cotton items in the copper (which had a wood fire underneath it) and then use a washing board in the trough to wash other items. They were then hand rinsed and put through a wringer that was attached between the two troughs. The sunshine was the only means of drying the washing that we had.

We didn't have a car at that time but after a few weeks we were able to buy a 1928 Willys utility. It was green and the two headlights were held in place by clothesline wire to stop them moving. It had running boards which made it easy to get into the cab and it ran quite well. I remember once taking my mum for a drive up to Toodyay (about 60 miles from Perth along what was the Red Hill Road with a gravel surface). All went well and we returned home safely only to find that the wheel nuts on one wheel had come loose and we realised how lucky we were to get to Toodyay and home again without mishap.

Another time we were driving up Beaufort Street and there was an awful clatter and my hubby stopped the car only to find the tail shaft had fallen off and was dragging along the bitumen road.

I often think we had more fun not having things and working for them than people do today that earn such huge salaries and seem able to buy nearly everything they want although very often using their credit cards. There were no such things as credit cards back in the 1950s and anything we were able to save for and buy was so much appreciated when we bought it.

I didn't have a refrigerator but my mother-in-law was buying a fridge so said she would give me her icechest which she eventually did. I think in the meantime we kept our milk etc., in Dave's fridge. It was a very good icechest and kept our food very fresh for days. The iceman would come around with the large block of ice resting on his shoulder on a hessian bag and he would use a large pair of grips to handle the ice with.

It was not until mid-1955 when our daughter was born that we managed to buy a fridge on hire purchase and then we had to ask for special dispensation to delay payments for several months when my hubby cut part of his left ring finger off using a buzzer at work. Fortunately the firm was kind and extended the hire purchase agreement by 3 months so we were able to keep our fridge.

My mother had a very small Hoover washing machine with a little wringer attached to it and she gave me this to make it easier now I had washing to do for a baby. It was a great little machine and in those days were told that washing powder was too strong to wash a baby's clothing and nappies in so we would grate Velvet soap up and use that in the machine instead of washing powder.

It was a very wet winter in 1955 but we were fortunate in the house we were renting that there was a magnificent two oven wood stove above which there was a stand on which newspaper could be spread and the nappies could be well aired. Still no driers then, not would I have bothered with one had they been available.

The only heating in the house was a wood fire in the lounge room but we never seemed to be very cold even though the hose pipes in the garden would sometimes be frozen when we awoke in the mornings. I think houses were better built then and kept warmer in winter and a lot cooler in summer than most modern homes do.

I think I will leave the story there as it is nearly bedtime and we have a fairly early start tomorrow (early for us anyway).

SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THIS MORTAL COIL

2011-03-29T17:46:00.002+08:00

It was when I heard of the death of Elizabeth Taylor who was born in 1932 (my birth year as well) that I realised that everyone I had known also born that year had also left this mortal coil, except my first husband who was still alive and kicking when he rang me for my birthday in January.

I can only put it down to the old adage which says that only the good die young....that must be why I am still alive although not a lot of kicking these days.

One thing though that I do know is that I miss all those people very much but am so grateful for people I have met on Facebook and on this blog which keeps me in touch with the outside world.

So many wonderful memories and not just of people born in 1932 but everyone that has been lost to me.

WHEN IS THIS SUMMER GOING TO END?

2011-03-21T09:40:00.002+08:00

Since just before Christmas 2010 it has been HOT in Perth, W.A. O.K. not too many days above 40C (104F) but nearly all of the past 3 months have seen days above 30C (86F), many of which have been in the very high 30Cs. I know people who live in colder climates may think this sounds wonderful but believe me it really is not.

One can actually become tired of blue skies day after day and having to try to keep our gardens alive. The coastal areas of our lower south-west are just pure sand and they do not hold water. Our water restrictions limit sprinkler use to 2 days a week during summer (none at all in cooler months) and you can only water between 6pm and 9am the next morning and supposedly for 10 minutes only on each 'spot'. You can spend a fortune on granules to spread on the ground that hold water and on mulch but when the heat continues it can become a losing battle. Driving through the suburbs last week I noticed quite a few trees and shrubs looking quite dead or dying which is so sad.

Today is the solstice and I am sure that is not going to change anything as our forecast for the coming week has days all in the 30s again and as high as 35C (95F). I heard a few black cockatoes fly over the other day and they are often a sign of a change in the weather but I think they were just perhaps hoping rather than knowing. This is supposedly autumn and our eastern states neighbours are already enjoying it with lots of rain as well.

The old bushies say that if the weather here doesn't break before Easter then it won't break until I think it is the second summer after Easter. Heaven help us this year as Easter is not till the end of April and even summer lovers won't be happy with that prediction. We are all 'over it'.

Some areas of Perth have had rain recently but here in Hamilton Hill not ONE drop for many, many weeks!!! I am waiting for the first fall and the lovely smell as the water hits the parched earth. There is actually a special name for this that I discovered recently and it is:

PETRICHOR - In 1964 2 Australian researchers, Bear and Thomas, in an article for NATURE magazine wrote "the smell of rain comes from an oil exuded by certain plants during dry periods whereupon it is absorbed by clay-based soils and rocks. During rain the oil is released into the air along with another compound, geosmin, producing the distinctive scent.

There are also other explanations for the smell of fresh rain but even though we have sandy soils I expect that the above explanation covers it quite well.

Even worse than all of the above is the effect the drought in southern W.A. is having on agriculture. Our wheat yield will suffer as well as other crops etc., and it is a very hard time for farmers who must be praying for rain every day.

Come on Hughie....send us some rain and break the drought and bring us cooler days.

TWO POSTS IN ONE DAY? YES THAT IS CORRECT!!

2011-03-20T16:40:00.002+08:00

After I logged off just now I remembered something that may be of interest to some folk; something rather unusual but it's been good for me. It is in a way medical but not in any way nasty.

I have been undergoing lympathic massage after seeing a very good physiotherapist (no not my regular lady but another one that works at the same practice) and it is working.

When I had the total left hip replacement back in June 2008 both my feet and ankles swelled and in particular my left foot. I could not wear normal shoes (not even sandals) for some months and then only an old pair of Kumfs I'd had for years. I had the total right hip replacement op in January of 2009 and still the swelling continued on and on.

I put up with it until in November last year I asked my wonderful GP why this was happening and he said that sometimes with a total hip replacement op it could cause disruption to the lympathic flow. I popped this into the filing cabinet I call my memory and mentioned it to my endocrinologist when I saw him in December and he confirmed this was quite possible.

"O.K." I thought to myself "that's it. You're stuck with it". This was until early February when on the radio a naturopath was talking about this and that. Now I don't usually take a lot of notice of them as I guess being older I am more familiar with what I call regular medicine but I pricked up my ears when a caller asked about lympathic massage in relation to her lymphoma. I forget the answer to her question but realised I had heard a term I'd not heard before.

Straight onto Google to find out what was what and it mentioned that it could help people with the same problem as mine. There were of course health places offering this type of treatment who were charging exhorbitant prices of up to $200 an hour which I could certainly not afford and of course there would not be a rebate from the health fund either. Next day when I saw my regular physio I asked her if she had heard of this type of procedure and she said yes, she knew a very good physio who specialised in it and as it happened that particular lady worked in the same rooms on certain days.

I left a message for her with the receptionist and that evening received a telephone call from Jenny G (my regular physio is Jenny F) and after lengthy discussion I made an appointment to see her the very next day. MOH and I immediately liked Jenny G and she explained what the procedure was and asked were we both prepared to undertake performing the massage on a daily basis and would I contemplate wearing knee high pressure stockings during the day. We of course agreed and were shown exactly what we had to do.

I must admit I was a little sceptical of something so gentle actually working but work it did and continues to do so. I still see Jenny G about every 3 weeks and although she charges $80 an hour (which is very reasonable for a professional physio) I have five visits under the government CARE plan and for those 5 visits I receive $59 from Medicare which is great. Jenny G measured my left foot (the bad one) a couple of weeks ago and it was actually 4cms (close to 2 inches) thinner/smaller than when we began and of course my ankles etc., had also 'shrunk'.

The massage is quite simple and MOH and I do some each, me on my thighs which I can reach and he on my calves and feet (each for 5 minutes). It is not easy for older people to do these things but we manage and MOH battles each day to put the pressure stockings on for me as there is no way I could manage even using a special gadget which I believe one can purchase. He has been and continues to be wonderful and without him I would be completely lost. He is now 81 and even in his wildest dreams he never considered he could be doing the things he does now both for me and for himself (that includes injecting himself 3 times a day with insulin to keep his diabetes under control).

This lympathic massage has been a great success although I cheat about every 10 days and have a stocking-free day (a bit like having a piece of chocolate or a slice of cake occasionally when on a weight loss plan). It has worked and even on the days when I don't wear the stocks my feet and ankles swell so little it is difficult to notice any difference.

I hope this hasn't bored anyone but am hoping that perhaps it could even assist anyone who has a similar problem or knows of someone who does.

P.S. Jenny G was quite surprised that a GP would know about a hip replacement causing interruption of the lympathic flow but, as said above, we do have a wonderful doctor.

WHERE HAVE I BEEN SINCE DECEMBER LAST YEAR?

2011-03-20T15:54:00.002+08:00

That is a good question isn't it? My daughter arrived home today and telephoned (like the wonderful daughter she is) to let us know she is back from the Aussie Bloggers Conference she attended in Sydney. It seems she and her daughter (my #1 granddaughter) had a great time and possibly enjoyed the fact that it was a tad wet over there as we've had virtually no rain in Perth or most of the south-west of our State for months and months.

Anyway while talking to her she asked me why I'd not been blogging lately and I began to ponder that very question. One reason I often fail to blog is I am usually convinced that what I write is a load of nonsense and probably of little interest to anyone in the big world out there. I really began the blog for my own sake so I could air the occasional opinion about something and also to relate a little of my life through the past 79 years. I seem to have 4 followers but that number has not grown at all so should I continue?

Why nothing since 14th December, 2010? The main reason I think is there have bee so many tragedies in the world including firstly those that occurred in our own country with floods and cyclones in Queensland, flooding in Victoria and New South Wales and also in the northern regions of our own state (even as recently last as this past week) and of course the devastating fires where homes were lost about 40 kilometres south of Perth and those in the south-eastern suburbs of Roleystone and Kelmscott (where above daughter lives) when 72 homes were completely destroyed and many more damaged. That was because a very silly man using an angle grinder when there was a total fire ban on who was not taking the usual precautions that are obligatory when using that type of machinery. I feel so sorry for those that lost their homes but also sorry for that particular man who has to live with the memory of the destruction he caused. He apparently is a very well liked resident of the area and I doubt has ever done anything bad in his life before. So thankful there was no loss of life.

On top of all that was the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand a city which MOH and I fell in love with on our two visits to that beautiful country. The loss of life and property is so tragic and how those people will rebuild their lives is hard to imagine but knowing the Kiwi spirit I am sure they will eventually do so.

Then came the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I know very little of that country or its people (other than we were at war with them back in the 1940s but that event is past history) but we have watched in horror the loss of life and property and the danger they face from the atomic reactors which were damaged.

Totalling all of the above it seems more like a horror movie rather than it all happened in the space of a few months and at times I feel I have been in a state of suspended animation waiting for the next natural disaster to happen. We also of course hear daily of the battles in the Middle East and consequent loss of life and one can only ask "where will it all end"?

My excuse for not blogging this year is a culmination of all the above and our terribly hot summer months with most days for 3 months above 30C (86F) with very warm nights as well. I was fortunate in that my lovely daughter and her family (and MOH's contribution too) paid for and had installed a split level R/C airconditioner in this my little workroom so I have been able to use my computer (no not for blogging) and enjoy the friendship with people on Facebook and play Farm Town which is one of the 'games' on there that I enjoy and share with so many other great folk that I have met there.

Now I have to think about returning to the blogging world but what to write about? I do so very little in my daily life (my outings these days are mostly of the medical kind i.e. this coming week I have two physio appts, an ultrasound of my heart and then a visit to my podiatrist. None of that is of interest to anyone other than myself so will perhaps have to get back to earlier years and chat about little things that happened tome over the years and that type of thing. Just hope that someone, somewhere will find it interesting.

THE FEELING OF FAILURE

2010-12-14T22:32:00.003+08:00

Tonight my oldest granddaughter had on Facebook written but one word FAIL...I then suddenly realised just how I have been feeling of late...I too feel I am a failure.

Now my dear g/daughter has far different problems to me but her state of mind is obviously producing this feeling that she fails at everthing. Recently her baby boy died when she was only 16 weeks into her pregnancy and that is something only people who have lost an unborn child can really understand. She probably now has a feeling of sheer inadequacy which is infiltrating her everyday life. She has been trying so hard to return to normal and not always succeeding. There is support for her from all her family and her friends but sometimes people feel there is little they can do to heal the hurt for her. I am hoping time will heal this wound and that she will once again be her cheerful, busy self.

Thinking about her made me realise what my problem is too. My arthritis is so very bad of late that simple tasks such as writing Christmas cards, tidying up a few objects, washing dishes and getting meals have become little nightmares. There doesn't seem to be one part of me that doesn't hurt at some time or another which in itself is difficult to bear but when it interferes with tasks I am trying to do it it becomes unbearable. Now I do understand that this pain and inability to do very much is playing with my mind which make matters far worse. I know that people with arthritis and diabetes (of which I am Type 2) are prone to depression so I wonder is this what has happened to me? I simply refuse to take strong pain killers as they do tend to make the old mind very fuzzy and as for anti-depressants....I don't suffer clinical depression so am sure I don't need them either.

MOH is so very patient with me and tries to understand what is happening to me but he himself has been ill for a couple of weeks and only now recovering from whatever bug had invaded his body. As we head towards Christmas I can only hope that the rest of the Christmas cards will get written and posted and presents bought and wrapped in time for the big day. It's funny but even wrapping a parcel seems beyong me at times as my hands are very painful and don't function as well as they should.

Am I sorry for myself? No, not really as I have a loving husband and family who I know do care about how I am and as I always have said there are so many millions of people in the world who are so worse off than I am. Unfortunately I am the one who feels my pain and my inadequacy and therefore that I am a failure.

If only I could talk to my g/daughter about how I too feel I am a failure (for such different reasons) but I doubt somehow it would help her at all. I do however understand exactly what she meant when she typed that one word FAIL.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SOMEONE SPECIAL

2010-12-02T23:02:00.004+08:00

Today MOH celebrates the anniversary of the day of his birth but what a dreadful way to celebrate! A visit to our doctor and now antibiotics. On Monday night he complained of a sore throat and then he developed and nasty cough over the next day or two. Our doctor was away for two days (unusual for him) and I had already made an extended appointment with him for this afternoon for myself. I managed to have it split in two so MOH could be seen as well. I am so glad I did 'cos the doctor said MOH had a very raw throat and a bubbly sound in his chest. I managed to get a couple of important scripts I needed and also have the doctor complete the form to go to the *Department of Transport so my driver's licence will be renewed in January.

I cancelled a lunch appointment we had arranged with a friend to today and was so glad I did 'cos MOH just wouldnt have made it. A raincheck on that and also no alcohol as you don't drink when taking antibiotics.

Poor dear...not a good way to celebrate your 81st birthday but we will make up for it a couple weeks when you should be feeling so much better and will be able to have a glass of wine as well. Something to look forward to instead of looking back on today.

*Would you believe the Department of Transport have LOST all my medical information. Surely in this day and age a government department would have a back-up system so that records just do not get lost. Apparently not.

All is can say is this: Happy birthday and better luck next year when you turn 82. xxx

THAT GALAH FAMILY

2010-11-12T12:35:00.003+08:00

Stopped by the post office again today and both mum and dad galah were in attendance on their gum tree. She flew off when we arrived but papa was working away at the bark of the tree most industriously and you could see a huge area where he had been chipping away at it. Whether it is the bark itself or some insect in there I don't know but he kept right on regardless of vehicles driving past or people walking.

It was funny to watch him as a man walked behind the tree and the galah stretched out one way to see where the fellow was going and then the other way to make sure he continued walking on past the tree.

I whistled to the galah and he turned and gave ma a cheerful look and then continued on with chipping away at the bark.

Whether their young one has hatched or not is hard to tell but at least it was wonderful to see both the adults still very active.

They are both just SOOO beautiful and have adapted so well to suburban living.

TODAY THE TRUTH SUDDENLY HIT ME

2010-11-11T23:41:00.003+08:00

I have always known my daughter is important to me but suddenly today I realised just how important she is in my life.

At times I do get very lonely as I don't get out very much apart from medical appointments and the like and I often long for the sound of a friendly voice. Yes MOH is wonderful and I know he loves me very much (he actually toldl me so today), more perhaps than I deserve and we often sit and chat about this and that which is great but.... Today the truth hit me and I knew exactly which voice it was I missed the most. My daughter's voice.

She is a very busy lady and if she reads this blog I don't want her to feel I am burdening her with this realisation of mine. I am not putting pressure on her to do anything different in her life.

Let me explain: my daughter rang me yesterday and we had quite a long chat and I felt so much better afterwards. She rang me again today and it was another long chat and I felt as though a weight had lifted off me. I had come to life again.

Just two simple telephone calls and I found myself smiling unexpectedly..at nothing in particular ... but how long was it since that had happened?

How can I tell her that the sound of her voice, even briefly, lights up my life so much without her feeling I am indeed placing a huge burden on her shoulders which is the last thing I want to do.

I love to talk to my grandchildren as well and enjoy hearing any news they may have or listening to problems if they have them and will always welcome any calls I receive from them but the one most important voice is that of my only daughter...someone I have loved so very much from the very moment of her birth and also before that day too.

We may not always agree on everything but that is the way of human nature and a boring old world it would be if we couldn't have different opinions on various issues. There have been times when we've gone 'a bit cold' on each perhaps but the bond has never been broken and I am positive it never will be. Thank you for being who you are.

UPDATE ON OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS

2010-11-01T15:49:00.002+08:00

Last week it seems the galahs were still using the hollow in that gum tree near the post office...only one galah was present and he/she flew up on to the light post when some dogs ran down the street with their owners. No sign of a young one but I would imagine there must be one in the nest.

I looked up information about galahs on Wikipedia and it seems they incubate for 25 days and eventually leave the nest at about 49 days so it is possible I could be lucky enough to see the baby before it leaves home...I certainly hope I do.

NOTHING IN LIFE WILL LAST FOREVER

2010-10-30T22:22:00.003+08:00

So go the words of the song which continues:

"Hold on tight to those you love 'cos you don't know how long you're going to have them for.
Hold on tight to those you love 'cos they're the only thing worth living for."

This is so true but one wonders at times if one is trying to hold on too tight. There are of course other things in life that are important but those you love do and surely must come first before anything else.

Unfortunately I am not sure those you love always want to be held on to but prefer their freedom. My son chose that path and it is now nearly 9 years since he spoke to me or bothered with any of us. He must be serious because I have been in hospital 4 times during those nearly 9 years and never had a visit or any contact from him or his family at all. I have been fortunate that other family members have visited as well as some dear friends so I never felt neglected at those times.

There is a lot more going on in my mind right now but perhaps it would be diplomatic to leave it unsaid (unwritten) so maybe I am not having an opportunity to put into words what I feel. Never mind....I am only one person.

Others use blogging to express how they feel about all types of things and I wish I could but perhaps least said soonest mended so best to leave it at that.

MY HEART IS HEAVY

2010-10-30T22:15:00.002+08:00

I am feeling very heavy hearted and at the same time so helpless.

My daughter is sad as is at least one granddaughter and possibly one or two more of my granddaughters as well.

Events overtake people, events they have little control over but nevertheless these events bring a lasting sadness with them.

We cannot get into other people's mind to see exactly what is going on in there and no matter how many words we may utter we are never sure that what we say is what they want to hear. Sometimes one just keeps quiet for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

I know I am a good listener and am always willing to listen, without comment if need be, but perhaps I am now just little to old for people to bother talking to me. Perhaps nobody would think I would understand any more.

All I know is I am here should anyone need me and meanwhile I sit here feeling hopeless and unable to help....as much as I would like to do so.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS IT NOW SPOKE

2010-10-24T22:40:00.003+08:00

I have always loved words and the English language and believed one should be competent at spelling and grammar throughout one's life.

What appalls me these days is not only the way people speak but also the way they spell. I really think a lot of it is caused by the habit people have, particularly the younger ones, of constantly sending text messages to one another on their mobile telephones. Apparently it is important to keep these messages short if possible...I am not sure if this because of the cost factor or sheer laziness but it is quite common to see 'words' such as "wanna" "yr" "yep" and so on. It is quite extraordinary and at times quite difficult to decipher exactly what is being said/written.

We oldies were taught how to write, spell and speak and I imagine this has stayed with us throughout our lives but, only the other day, I found myself answering in the affirmative to a question and saying "yep". Shock...horror!!! Did I really say that? Yes, I did and now realise how easy it is to become word lazy.

I imagine if I came back to earth in say 30-40 years time I may have difficulty in understanding what people in the English speaking countries were saying or even writing. As it is unlikely that will happen I will just have to try and gently adjust to modern jargon but try to avoid using it myself if I can.

Talking of mobile telephones...the other day MOH asked a younger woman, aged he thinks between 30 and 40, just what it is that people seem to constantly be ringing each other about. Her answer was quite simple and straight forward, "Oh" she said "they will make calls just to let a friend know they have been to the bank or some such unimportant event" which really doesn't seem to us to warrant making a call about". Is it just that they have to continually use those 'phones because they have them? One also wonders when will they get the message that using mobiles when driving a car is not only dangerous but also illegal unless they are hands free and even then I feel they are a great distraction to the driver.

When I was young we still managed to keep in touch with family and friends quite easily without all these 'mod cons' such as mobiles and computers. Oh well, once again I must admit I do not belong in this modern age...I use a computer for fun although I find these days that even they have taken the place of a good old fashioned telephone conversation. I often long for the sound of a friendly voice but it seldom happens any more. More's the pity.

EVEN MORE ABOUT OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS

2010-10-20T22:18:00.003+08:00

Last week I said how sorry I was that the 28s and galahs seemed to have abandoned the nest in the big gum tree near the post office but lo and behold when we parked there today the galahs were back again.

Father galah flew off somewhere and then I saw mother galah come out of the hollow in the tree and pop back in again so I am sure there is a little one in there.

I have no idea what happened to the 28s....did the galahs take over the nest or was the baby 28 old enough to leave with its parents? I hope the latter was the case.

It is so worrying when you hear how so many of our native species are under threat of extinction and wonderful to see at least some of them hanging on in this dog eat dog world they now have to exist in. I am sure living in the wild is never easy and we certainly haven't helped their cause by taking over such vast areas of their natural habitat.

I'm not sure anyone has even read any of the reports about these birds (does anyone really bother to read my ramblings I wonder) but I like to keep the story of the birds up to date and will continue to do so while they are still around.

A CHILD LOST TO OUR FAMILY

2010-10-19T13:02:00.003+08:00

Recently my oldest granddaughter lost her baby boy at just 16 weeks into her pregnancy. My heart goes out to her and her wonderful husband but also to the rest of our family who have lost a grandchild and a nephew before they got to meet him.

As for myself, I of course have lost a great-grandchild which loss I feel very deeply particularly as I am not sure there is the likelihood of any more great-grandchilren likely to arrive in the near future. My son's children may of course eventually have children but as he has alienated his family from the rest of us it on the cards that I may not see any great-grandchildren that may arrive.

My regrets at the loss of this child are strong but I am now wondering how I am likely to feel should my son's daughter and son have children, knowing I have great-grandchidren I may never see? It is not a prospect I look forward to.

There are so many wonderful things that happen during our lives and one must always be thankful for them but at times they can unfortunately be overshadowed by the sad and bad things that occur from time to time. It is easy to say "life must go on" and go on it must but one has at times to take a moment to reflect on what might have been.

Over 50 years ago I lost a baby only a short time into my pregnancy and hadn't even realised I was expecting a child. It came as a shock to me but I'd not had the anticipation and delight of pregnancy so remembering back perhaps there was not a lot of sadness associated with this loss. It was also not a good time to bring a child into the world (shortage of money etc)so perhaps there could have also been a small sigh of relief? That sounds hard I know but I am sure there are many cases where it is also true.

Having said all that I have often wondered if the baby I lost was a boy or a girl and what he/she would have grown up to be. Who would the child have looked like and how would he/she succeed in life....all those things often come into one's thoughts no matter how long ago the event took place.

Once again my thoughts are with my granddaughter and other members of the family and I hope the sadness will eventually abate and allow everyone to go forward once again.

HOW WONDERFUL IS TUPPERWARE

2010-10-19T12:41:00.004+08:00

I have two of those beetroot/pickle containers (the ones with the insert with which you lift to make it easier to access the beetroot etc) and some months ago I realised one of the inserts was missing.
Although he is not sure it was himself MOH has a habit of wrapping potato peelers etc in with the compost and out it goes. We are often fortunate in being able to find it before it actually goes into the compost heap but not always.
Getting back to the beetroot thingie....As yesterday was pretty warm (33C) I decided it would be good to have salad for a change and when I opened the tin of beetroot (have to admit I don't cook beetroot any more) and grabbed the first beetroot container of course it was the one without the insert. I mentioned this to MOH and he said "Oh I think I may have found it in the compost heap!"
This morning, after giving it a very good wash, he produced it and would you believe it, it is as good as new. I was amazed and realised just what a good product Tupperware really is. I have now washed the insert several times, scrubbed it with a toothbrush and know that it is really clean so now I have both containers back in service which really pleases me.
I don't buy Tupperware these days as I prefer the old style items they sold years ago and one downer is that I can't remove the lids of many of the modern containers. They are just too much for my arthritic fingers/hands to deal with but perhaps just as well as I doubt I could afford them.
Incidentally, that insert must have been in the compost for at least 4-5 months since we were last having salads on a regular basis which I think speaks wonders for their product.

IT WOULD BE SO EASY TO GIVE UP

2010-10-16T17:17:00.004+08:00

Oh yes it would!!! Even simple tasks are becoming difficult and I can't see any chance of improvement; quite the reverse in fact.

I decided I'd go through my linen cupboard to perhaps add to items my daughter gave me to donate to an animal shelter (i.e. old sheets, towels etc) and would you believe after only about 10 minutes I had to sit down as my back had siezed up and that was that. Nowadays the hurt works its way from my lower back right up to my neck and just aches.

On Thursday I decided to go into the back garden and do some jobs that needed doing. Out I went with my trusty secateurs and did actually manage to prune a small bush and some wayward jasmine. I then spotted some dead heads in the Bird of Paradise bush so decided they had to go too. I did manage to remove some of them but daren't lean in too far in case I overbalanced. It was then a noticed a long jasmine trailer that was in a place it had no right to be so thought I'd trim that. Bad decision as it meant traversing some uneven ground. It was then I began to think what would happen if I did fall. MOH was out doing some banking and I knew if I hit the ground I would never get up. I used to spend hours working in our garden but now....not nice that I actually feel terrified when out there, especially when on my own.

Many would say I would be better living in a retirement village or similar but neither MOH or myself feel we are ready for that type of life, well not yet anyway. We like our little old house and hope to be carted out feet first perhaps.

I very much want to stay alive but the frustrations that beset me every day make me wonder why? I love my computer and get much pleasure from being in contact with friends on Facebook. I would love to see more of my family but realise that I am of little use to them these days and perhaps more a nuisance than anything. Theirs are busy lives and I don't want to be in the way.

I have to stay around for my cat who I know would miss me terribly and of course to help MOH get through his day as he takes tablets, has to inject insulin before each meal and have eye drops for his glaucoma each night. I must be here for him as he has told me he would be lost without me. I really believe that to be true in many ways. He is an exceedingly intelligent man but would he look after himself on his own? Not sure about that so here I have to try and stay.

This may sound rather pathetic but I can't help the way I feel at times. As I've said before there are millions of poor souls on this planet far worse off than I am but that doesn't make it any easier for me to accept my own problems.

It is rather fortunate that very few people bother checking my blog or this would bore them to tears but at least it has been good to put this into words and I apologise for whinging once again.

i WONDER THAT MY GIRLS STILL LOVES ME

2010-10-16T17:10:00.003+08:00

My daughter has unfortunately inherited genes from me that do her no good at all. I have had osteo arthritis since in my 20s and which now has become chronic and prevents me from doing a great deal while on my feet. 14 years ago I developed type 2 diabetes and now she has that as well. She must often wish I'd been born with different genes so she would perhaps not suffer from these disabilities and I apologise to her for it.

I think she has inherited my sense of humour and a reasonably nice nature which is good as she is certainly not like her father (and thank goodness for that) in any way.

I can only say I am so sorry my dearest girl that these horrible things have been passed down to you and can only hope that you can still enjoy your life as much as possible. I managed to do so until into my sixties and a little beyond that and you are taking steps to endeavour to stay mobile and I take my hat off to you for doing so. Even on a cold morning like this you were out there in the local outdoor swimming pool which I think is fantastic resolve on your part.