The following promises to be very boring so if you don't have the time to spare then don't read any further. : )
Having settled the dispute between my GP and my endocrinologist (no actually they settled it with the latter telephoning the former) I have now rebooked my appointment with the SKG nuclear medicine department for a scan of my parathyroid glands. This will take place this coming Wednesday. It is one of those long-winded procedures where I have to be there at 9.20am for about 75mins of this and that and then go home, drink lots of water and return after a couple of hours for more scanning.
This has to be fitted in before MOH attends his appointment with our endocrinologist at 2.45pm. I will be cancelling my 2.30pm appt with him and reschedule to see him when he has the results of the scan.
This scan all has something to do with certain calcium levels and PTH levels not being what they apparently should be. Scan ordered by the professor queried by my GP but the Prof. rang the GP and said even though levels had improved with last blood tests he still wanted the nuclear scan to go ahead.
It's always nice to have one's doctors really care what is happening to one. Takes me back to when I was young and after a visit to or from our GP he would always say "ring me tomorrow morning at 9am and let me know how you (or the children) are. That would continue until he knew everything was back to normal. He even had surgery each Sunday between 5pm and 6pm when he would appear after his bath in his pyjamas and dressing gown. Woe betide you though if you weren't there about something serious but about something that could have waited until Monday morning!!
I can then have Thursday off to do some household chores and on Friday our lovely cleaning lass comes in to whiz through and vacuum carpets and wash floors as well as cleaning the bathroom etc. We are not very grubby people but a bit untidy and we try to put everything out of Jenny's way so she can get her job done thoroughly. I know this doesn't sound like much but we feel quite bushed after making beds, moving chairs etc., and putting things away. Still it is nice to have the house cleaned fortnightly and left to us I know it would get neglected somewhat. Our spirits are willing but the flesh is often weak....and weary.
We will drift through the weekend as we usually do...quietly, with little happening, and prepare for next week.
Monday: Shopping for the following week's foodstuffs etc.
Tuesday: Our hairdresser comes to our home now to cut our hair which is so convenient. Appt
11.30am.
Wednesday: 9.30a.m. To our physio's exercise group for an hour's exercise and always some fun.
11.00 a.m. We both visit our podiatrist for foot care.
Thursday: A real fun day as I prepare for a colonoscopy AND endoscopy on the Friday. I've had a
colonoscopy previously but the endoscopy will be a new experience. This caused by my
iron levels being somewhat low of late and trying to find out why. 2 litres of 'gunk' to
drink etc. etc. and care about what medications to take and not to take. What more fun
could one ask for?
Friday: Present myself at the hospital at 8a.m. for all the fun of the fair and hopefully some good
results and nothing sinister found whatsoever.
Saturday: We have to go to the local school as we are having state elections in Western Australia.
Could be an interesting result. Our vote usually doesn't count in our electorate it is
a stronghold of the 'other' party.
Now, don't you reckon the above is enough for any 81 year old to have to cope with and her 83 year old hubby to support her through. Hopefully I will come out the other side with some good answers and no new problems. It is certainly an exciting life we lead. : )
Monday, February 25, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
I STILL HAVE MY ICECREAM EVERY NIGHT
Some of you will remember that in July, 2010 I was taken by ambulance to Fremantle Hospital as I had dislocated my left shoulder quite badly. Pulled tendons etc., as well and with me being an oldie these soft tissue injuries take forever to mend.
That night I felt I needed a treat to deaden the pain!!! My other half popped down the street and bought me a drumstick which is one of my favourite icecreams. It tasted just so yummy that I said "I am going to have an icecream every night until this shoulder is completely better and I can do all the things with this arm I could do before."
Surprisingly enough it took many, many weeks before I could do most of the things I had done before without thinking about it but eventually, after much cussing on my part and soothing on the part of MOH, I found I could once again wash my hair and other everyday things we take for granted when we have two good arms. It actually took longer than I expected to stretch my arm up and it still needs encouragement but there is no pain now.
Now to the present time....it is now 19 months since that dislocation happened and I can do everything I could do before, even hang washing on the line which was quite difficult BUT there is one thing I cannot do. I try and try but I cannot do up my bra!!! I have found a way of undoing it one handed although with some difficulty but for some reason I can't twist the 'bad' shoulder around enough to hold the one side still while I hook the hooks up.
It's no good saying 'put it on and button it at the front and twist it around'. That does not work for me and never has and I've tried front opening bras and they won't work either. So it turns out there is still one thing I am unable to do and ergo I can still have my drumstick every night without feeling guilty.
I do have one of those AAAAH type bras but because of the shoulder I do battle putting it on and taking it off so that didn't solve the problem either. Now when I am getting dressed I depend entirely on MOH to do up my bra. What amazes me though is how I can (could) do them up behind my back but he, poor man, still has problems with those hooks and eyes. The question for me over past years is this "what would I do without that wonderful man?"
PROGRESS ON OUR UNDERGROUND POWER
There have been several men in orange jackets, a number of huge white trucks, digging machines and lots of holes in our street that have that plastic orange trellis round them. There has been some, not overwhelming, noise and the appearance of several new wireless light poles on the other side of the street.
They have now moved to nearby streets but many of the holes are still in our verges and I feel perhaps a few more lamp posts need to be installed.
This is a BEFORE/NOW shot taken several weeks ago and I look forward, eventually, to being able to take an AFTER shot.
Having tried, without success, to find out when this work will be completed and through to our homes we now wait with bated breath (well, not really) for the finality of this absolutely huge undertaking. It could be weeks or even months before it is all done but it will be so good to get rid of those huge wooden light poles and all those wires.
Incidentally we live right up the other end of the street; second last house on the right side.
They have now moved to nearby streets but many of the holes are still in our verges and I feel perhaps a few more lamp posts need to be installed.
This is a BEFORE/NOW shot taken several weeks ago and I look forward, eventually, to being able to take an AFTER shot.
Having tried, without success, to find out when this work will be completed and through to our homes we now wait with bated breath (well, not really) for the finality of this absolutely huge undertaking. It could be weeks or even months before it is all done but it will be so good to get rid of those huge wooden light poles and all those wires.
Incidentally we live right up the other end of the street; second last house on the right side.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
TASTY....BUT IS IT HEALTHY?
Several weeks ago when my other half was at Woolworths doing the grocery shopping he was handed (at the checkout) a sample bag of goodies. There was shampoo, conditioner, hand cream, fabric softener etc. You name it and it was there. There were also two little bars, one of which was intended for lunch boxes and seemed reasonably healthy, but the other one was a NEW 23g bar made by a very well known breakfast cereal manufacturer. MOH and I decided we'd eat half each which meant we both had 9.2gms carbs and 3.4gms of sugar. The complete bar itself of course had 18.4gms of carbs and 6.7gms of sugar. Perhaps OK for a 'tween meals snack if you are not overweight or diabetic so if you like really sweet things then go for it.
I carefully checked the ingredients list as we are advised to do and which we do on a regular basis. First of all I checked on fats and noticed they were mainly vegetable fats (no idea which vegetable this was obtained from) and PALM OIL which we've been warned against using. Just for the fun of it here is the ingredients list:
CORNFLAKES 48% = SUGAR, salt, MALT EXTRACT, vitamins C and E, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, iron, zinc oxide. (Yes, the vitamins and minerals are good for us but salt as well as sugar?).
CHOCOLATE COMPOUND 15% (there is a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of this bar) = SUGAR, vegetable fat, MILK SOLIDS, cocoa power, emulsifiers, SOY LECITHIN 476.492, flavour, salt, GLUCOSE, DEXTROSE, SUGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, vegetable oils, hydrogenated soybean oil, antioxidant 320, hydrogenated PALM oil, sorbitol, glycerol, MALT EXTRACT, flavour and soy lecithin.
I know the whole bar only weighed 23g so you don't get much of any one item in any quantity but there is just so much sugar of different types and if it is already that sweet why does it also need sorbitol and glycerol?
I must admit MOH and I both enjoyed the couple of mouthfuls we each had of this bar but we definitely won't be buying it. Too much sugar altogether and that is something we can do without on a daily basis. It seems harmless enough but then so do so many foodstuffs today. The more they update the ingredients list the better it will be for everyone. It did strike me as strange that 48% + 15% only adds up to 63% so I wonder what the other 37% consists of??
Incidentally this tiny bar had 63mg of salt and nearly 100 calories. Enough said.
I carefully checked the ingredients list as we are advised to do and which we do on a regular basis. First of all I checked on fats and noticed they were mainly vegetable fats (no idea which vegetable this was obtained from) and PALM OIL which we've been warned against using. Just for the fun of it here is the ingredients list:
CORNFLAKES 48% = SUGAR, salt, MALT EXTRACT, vitamins C and E, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, iron, zinc oxide. (Yes, the vitamins and minerals are good for us but salt as well as sugar?).
CHOCOLATE COMPOUND 15% (there is a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of this bar) = SUGAR, vegetable fat, MILK SOLIDS, cocoa power, emulsifiers, SOY LECITHIN 476.492, flavour, salt, GLUCOSE, DEXTROSE, SUGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, vegetable oils, hydrogenated soybean oil, antioxidant 320, hydrogenated PALM oil, sorbitol, glycerol, MALT EXTRACT, flavour and soy lecithin.
I know the whole bar only weighed 23g so you don't get much of any one item in any quantity but there is just so much sugar of different types and if it is already that sweet why does it also need sorbitol and glycerol?
I must admit MOH and I both enjoyed the couple of mouthfuls we each had of this bar but we definitely won't be buying it. Too much sugar altogether and that is something we can do without on a daily basis. It seems harmless enough but then so do so many foodstuffs today. The more they update the ingredients list the better it will be for everyone. It did strike me as strange that 48% + 15% only adds up to 63% so I wonder what the other 37% consists of??
Incidentally this tiny bar had 63mg of salt and nearly 100 calories. Enough said.
HEY...IT RAINED
Yes it did. Not a lot..probably only 1mm but the sound of the rain on the roof was a sheer delight and am glad to say the thunder wasn't too close by. Not sure there's more rain to come and it is going to be very hot today (38C...100.4F) but it is just so wonderful to look out at the garden and it's wet!!! Hopefully far too early in the season to bring up the winter weeds but those little critters don't take much encouragement do they?
I guess if you live in a place where you get lots of rain all year round this post may sound incredibly stupid but when you go weeks without rain and then there is unexpected precipitation....you just go a wee bit bonkers for a few minutes.
Wonder when it will rain again? One can only hope!!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
I REALLY AM SOOOOO TIRED
I know I am getting old and tiredness can be expected along with aging but of late I've just been tired and lethargic. I really think this HOT summer has taken its toll on my other half and me as he seems to be in the same state of lethargy. We still eat OK and the shopping gets done as needed and we do the laundry and similar tasks but only of necessity.
I have no idea how many 'centuries' we've experienced during our Perth summer this year but doing a quick count it seems there was about 16 days (so far) above the 100F mark and most other days above 30C....86F. We have had almost no rain whatsoever during these past months so garden watering two days a week is a must in an endeavour to keep plants in the garden alive if not thriving. Hand watering also has to be considered especially for plants in pots on a daily basis.
There have also been some medical issues over past weeks too and here was I hoping that 2013 would be better for both of us. MOH has a problem with his eGFR so had to have an ultrasound of his renal tract.....nothing appears to be wrong but he will see our endocrinologist next Wednesday for a full account of that ultrasound. Also hubby's B/P seemed to be low enough for him to stop taking a mild B/P medication which he did. Now when he tests his B/P at home it is higher than before so perhaps back on that medication. His cough also worries me and it is difficult to get him to use his ventolin as often as he should but then he is a man.
Me? I've had two attacks of vertigo so far this year and the one last Sunday lasted from 8a.m. till well into the evening and even when going to bed I was still wonky on my legs. I was very disappointed too as we were going up to our daughter and son-in-law's home to spend time with more of the family and to see great-granddaughter Immy and give her the gifts we had for her 5th birthday. I guess they will keep but we see so little of them and I was so looking forward to the afternoon.
Another strange thing that has happened is my blood glucose levels seem to be dropping so was told to use slightly less insulin for a few weeks to see the outcome. Difficult to tell right now as I had cortisone in my ganglion last week and that always raises the BG levels for a while. Hopefully when that has all settled down I will be able to see how the BG is going on a regular basis.
I am also feeling medically a little like the meat in the sandwich. Some blood tests I had recently immediately made my endocrinologist send me for scans in the nuclear medicine section of SKG but when I told my GP what was to happen he said to cancel that appointment and have a further blood test done. I now have that result and will see him on Monday to hear his thoughts on the subject. I am hoping GP and specialist will sort this out between them. To scan or not to scan is the answer I need from one or both of them. It is apparently something to do with my parathyroids and I have no idea if it is serious or not but I am going to find out next week that's for sure. Watch this space!!
There has of course been the concern about our girl's operation and it is wonderful to know that she
has come through it so well and is now eating fairly normal meals although in much smaller quantities. Then there were the rotten scoundrels that burgled them twice in two weeks and we worry about them being worried and their safety too knowing full well we can do nothing to help other than care about them and give them all the moral support we can.
Are the above happenings really enough to wear out a couple of oldies or are we just becoming lazy in our old age? We did go to our physio exercise group this morning and enjoyed it as we usually do as they are a really great group of people and we do have some laughs as well as do some much needed exercise. There's usually about 10 of us plus our physio and after so many years we are just like a little family, as one of the ladies said to me this morning. We care about each other and if someone is absent for some reason or other they are always missed and we look forward to their return.
I guess I have written this today not so much to complain but to try and put some perspective into what has been happening of late. We should not grizzle about our life as we have a roof over our heads and food on the table and there are so many millions on this earth so much worse of than we are but sometimes you just have to sit down and think about what's going on and that is what I've just done. Boring for others but hopefully beneficial for yours truly.
I have no idea how many 'centuries' we've experienced during our Perth summer this year but doing a quick count it seems there was about 16 days (so far) above the 100F mark and most other days above 30C....86F. We have had almost no rain whatsoever during these past months so garden watering two days a week is a must in an endeavour to keep plants in the garden alive if not thriving. Hand watering also has to be considered especially for plants in pots on a daily basis.
There have also been some medical issues over past weeks too and here was I hoping that 2013 would be better for both of us. MOH has a problem with his eGFR so had to have an ultrasound of his renal tract.....nothing appears to be wrong but he will see our endocrinologist next Wednesday for a full account of that ultrasound. Also hubby's B/P seemed to be low enough for him to stop taking a mild B/P medication which he did. Now when he tests his B/P at home it is higher than before so perhaps back on that medication. His cough also worries me and it is difficult to get him to use his ventolin as often as he should but then he is a man.
Me? I've had two attacks of vertigo so far this year and the one last Sunday lasted from 8a.m. till well into the evening and even when going to bed I was still wonky on my legs. I was very disappointed too as we were going up to our daughter and son-in-law's home to spend time with more of the family and to see great-granddaughter Immy and give her the gifts we had for her 5th birthday. I guess they will keep but we see so little of them and I was so looking forward to the afternoon.
Another strange thing that has happened is my blood glucose levels seem to be dropping so was told to use slightly less insulin for a few weeks to see the outcome. Difficult to tell right now as I had cortisone in my ganglion last week and that always raises the BG levels for a while. Hopefully when that has all settled down I will be able to see how the BG is going on a regular basis.
I am also feeling medically a little like the meat in the sandwich. Some blood tests I had recently immediately made my endocrinologist send me for scans in the nuclear medicine section of SKG but when I told my GP what was to happen he said to cancel that appointment and have a further blood test done. I now have that result and will see him on Monday to hear his thoughts on the subject. I am hoping GP and specialist will sort this out between them. To scan or not to scan is the answer I need from one or both of them. It is apparently something to do with my parathyroids and I have no idea if it is serious or not but I am going to find out next week that's for sure. Watch this space!!
There has of course been the concern about our girl's operation and it is wonderful to know that she
has come through it so well and is now eating fairly normal meals although in much smaller quantities. Then there were the rotten scoundrels that burgled them twice in two weeks and we worry about them being worried and their safety too knowing full well we can do nothing to help other than care about them and give them all the moral support we can.
Are the above happenings really enough to wear out a couple of oldies or are we just becoming lazy in our old age? We did go to our physio exercise group this morning and enjoyed it as we usually do as they are a really great group of people and we do have some laughs as well as do some much needed exercise. There's usually about 10 of us plus our physio and after so many years we are just like a little family, as one of the ladies said to me this morning. We care about each other and if someone is absent for some reason or other they are always missed and we look forward to their return.
I guess I have written this today not so much to complain but to try and put some perspective into what has been happening of late. We should not grizzle about our life as we have a roof over our heads and food on the table and there are so many millions on this earth so much worse of than we are but sometimes you just have to sit down and think about what's going on and that is what I've just done. Boring for others but hopefully beneficial for yours truly.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
MY FAMILY....MY 'NATURAL' FATHER
I have hesitated to include this man among family members but as I guess his blood flows in my veins I should do so. I never met this man and I'm not sure I would have wanted to had I found out who he was prior to his death in 1987 at the age of 77.
To begin with he denied he had anything to do with my conception and yet I really believe my birth mother told the truth in her statutory declaration, the maintenance order and finally the adoption papers wherein she mentioned his name without hesitation. I doubt she snatched his name out of fresh air.
Prior to my birth he married another woman (their marriage was in October, 1931 and I was born in January, 19320 and they had a child later in my birth year. I feel his mother had something to do with that marriage, perhaps because she didn't fancy my mother as a daughter-in-law. My grandmother did some strange things in her life but I won't go into that right now...perhaps later if I feel like airing more family skeletons.
Their marriage didn't last many years and ended when his wife came home one day to find another woman in their home who refused to leave. Their divorce became absolute on 11 May, 1937 and he married his second wife on 25th May of that year. There was even an article in the Western Australian newspaper telling of the incident described above.
He went on to have two more children both of whom I have met and I get on with both very well, especially my half-sister. I don't see her very often but we keep in contact through Facebook which is good for both of us as she lives quite some distance from our home.
Various things I have heard from different people have always had me somewhat concerned about the behaviour of this man...I don't call him my father and why should I? If I need to speak of him I just call him "Wally". He had no interest in me at all and deserted my birth mother to deal with her pregnancy on her own.
I have to defer to the fact that he apparently was my father and now I have done that I will let the matter rest.
P.S. When my half-brother telephoned an old family friend after learning of my existence the old family friend laughed and said "I'm not at all surprised at the news. Probably lots more around somewhere". I felt that spoke volumes from someone who had known Wally for many years.
P.P.S. I feel badly that I didn't mention that Wally was a soldier and was involved in some really bad fighting during WW2 when he became a prisoner of war of the Germans. He wrote a diary while he was a POW which I typed out (from the original that my half-sister has.....she couldnt' read most of it) and we submitted it to a website that tells stories of POW of many nationalities. The website is
www.pegasusarchive.org/pow/frames.htm and there are some very interesting stories there. Wally was in Stalag VIIA and Oflag 79. He was a Lieutenant so I think was treated reasonaby well.
To begin with he denied he had anything to do with my conception and yet I really believe my birth mother told the truth in her statutory declaration, the maintenance order and finally the adoption papers wherein she mentioned his name without hesitation. I doubt she snatched his name out of fresh air.
Prior to my birth he married another woman (their marriage was in October, 1931 and I was born in January, 19320 and they had a child later in my birth year. I feel his mother had something to do with that marriage, perhaps because she didn't fancy my mother as a daughter-in-law. My grandmother did some strange things in her life but I won't go into that right now...perhaps later if I feel like airing more family skeletons.
Their marriage didn't last many years and ended when his wife came home one day to find another woman in their home who refused to leave. Their divorce became absolute on 11 May, 1937 and he married his second wife on 25th May of that year. There was even an article in the Western Australian newspaper telling of the incident described above.
He went on to have two more children both of whom I have met and I get on with both very well, especially my half-sister. I don't see her very often but we keep in contact through Facebook which is good for both of us as she lives quite some distance from our home.
Various things I have heard from different people have always had me somewhat concerned about the behaviour of this man...I don't call him my father and why should I? If I need to speak of him I just call him "Wally". He had no interest in me at all and deserted my birth mother to deal with her pregnancy on her own.
I have to defer to the fact that he apparently was my father and now I have done that I will let the matter rest.
P.S. When my half-brother telephoned an old family friend after learning of my existence the old family friend laughed and said "I'm not at all surprised at the news. Probably lots more around somewhere". I felt that spoke volumes from someone who had known Wally for many years.
P.P.S. I feel badly that I didn't mention that Wally was a soldier and was involved in some really bad fighting during WW2 when he became a prisoner of war of the Germans. He wrote a diary while he was a POW which I typed out (from the original that my half-sister has.....she couldnt' read most of it) and we submitted it to a website that tells stories of POW of many nationalities. The website is
www.pegasusarchive.org/pow/frames.htm and there are some very interesting stories there. Wally was in Stalag VIIA and Oflag 79. He was a Lieutenant so I think was treated reasonaby well.
Monday, February 11, 2013
OUCH IT HURTS!!
Another whinge from yours truly.....not my back this time but......
Ganglion....Pathol. a cyst or enlargement in connection with the sheath of a tendon, usually at the wrist.
Yes I have such an enlargement but not right on my wrist but rather to the right side of my right arm at the end of the ulnar. I first noticed it before Christmas and wondered if I had strained a tendon or something although I couldn't remember having done so. I do use my computer quite a lot and during my working life I had been a typist. I am right-handed so this poor old wrist has had lots of wear.
I recently found that when I used my keyboard this 'lump' was painful and it ached when I was motiionless so mentioned it to my GP when I saw him last week. He sent me for an x-ray and ultrasound "just to be sure it's nothing sinister".
Result: "The patient's palpable lump is a fluid filled ganglion measuring 13 x 24mm arising from the ulnar aspect of the wrist joint. No solid component is seen".
At least it is only a ganglion but one finding did surprise me "there is an old ununited ulnar styloid fragment". I have extremely solid bones so to have chipped a bit off my ulnar surely meant I had given my wrist a solid bang but I have no memory of doing anything like that so when and how? Not that it has ever been painful but you do wonder at times don't you?
I also discovered that my right hand is in a very bad way with "advanced degenerative change involving the thumb carpometarcarpal joint and all the remaining finger and thumb metacarpopohalangeal joints."
I know I can no longer knit, crochet or sew by hand (can't even use scissors now) and it is frustrating not to be able to do these things. One thing I am so pleased about though is I can still use my sewing machine and I can still use this keyboard......thank goodness for the latter in particular. Otherwise I'd not be able to get on here and whinge about the weather etc., and tell weird stories about my youth and family and bore the pants off anyone who ventures to read my blog!!!
On Thursday I go to the radiologist and the doctor will aspirate this lump and then inject it with cortisone and all should be well. Hopefully I won't be told to rest the arm for any length of time or what would I do. I am sure that won't be the case and you're not going to be rid of me that easily. You can take that as a promise....or a threat!! : )
Ganglion....Pathol. a cyst or enlargement in connection with the sheath of a tendon, usually at the wrist.
Yes I have such an enlargement but not right on my wrist but rather to the right side of my right arm at the end of the ulnar. I first noticed it before Christmas and wondered if I had strained a tendon or something although I couldn't remember having done so. I do use my computer quite a lot and during my working life I had been a typist. I am right-handed so this poor old wrist has had lots of wear.
I recently found that when I used my keyboard this 'lump' was painful and it ached when I was motiionless so mentioned it to my GP when I saw him last week. He sent me for an x-ray and ultrasound "just to be sure it's nothing sinister".
Result: "The patient's palpable lump is a fluid filled ganglion measuring 13 x 24mm arising from the ulnar aspect of the wrist joint. No solid component is seen".
At least it is only a ganglion but one finding did surprise me "there is an old ununited ulnar styloid fragment". I have extremely solid bones so to have chipped a bit off my ulnar surely meant I had given my wrist a solid bang but I have no memory of doing anything like that so when and how? Not that it has ever been painful but you do wonder at times don't you?
I also discovered that my right hand is in a very bad way with "advanced degenerative change involving the thumb carpometarcarpal joint and all the remaining finger and thumb metacarpopohalangeal joints."
I know I can no longer knit, crochet or sew by hand (can't even use scissors now) and it is frustrating not to be able to do these things. One thing I am so pleased about though is I can still use my sewing machine and I can still use this keyboard......thank goodness for the latter in particular. Otherwise I'd not be able to get on here and whinge about the weather etc., and tell weird stories about my youth and family and bore the pants off anyone who ventures to read my blog!!!
On Thursday I go to the radiologist and the doctor will aspirate this lump and then inject it with cortisone and all should be well. Hopefully I won't be told to rest the arm for any length of time or what would I do. I am sure that won't be the case and you're not going to be rid of me that easily. You can take that as a promise....or a threat!! : )
Sunday, February 10, 2013
THE NEW LOOK
When in my teens (1940s) women wore their frocks either knee length or just below the knee. Then suddenly we had what became known as the 'new look'. The new fashion dictated that skirts should finish only a few inches above the ankle, certainly much longer than mid-calf.
June and I, along with other friends, used to go dancing usually twice every weekend (Friday and Saturday nights). These dances were held at various tennis clubs in the suburbs and our favourite was at Mt Lawley TC but we also attended dances at the Alexander Park TC, the Nedlands TC and also the dance that was held in the refrectory at UWA.
June and I nearly always made our own clothes....young women did that a lot back then....so we decided to be daring and make ourselves black skirts to be worn with pretty tops for when we went to these dances. Mine was made of satin backed crepe and it fitted nicely and I made a few tops to wear with the skirt.
The first night we wore out new length skirts I must admit we couldn't help wondering what people would think of this latest, quite extreme fashion but were pleasantly surprised and pleased to be complimented by quite a few of the folk we knew. It wasn't long before others were following this fashion themselves.
I don't think the new look idea lasted very long and skirts eventually reverted to being shorter...perhaps mid-calf for a while....but it was a bit of an adventure at the time for two young teenager friends.
P.S. Although we now live quite some distance apart June and I still keep in touch mainly with birthday and Christmas cards. Perhaps I will ring her one day soon and remind of her when we decided to start a new fashion among our friends.
June and I, along with other friends, used to go dancing usually twice every weekend (Friday and Saturday nights). These dances were held at various tennis clubs in the suburbs and our favourite was at Mt Lawley TC but we also attended dances at the Alexander Park TC, the Nedlands TC and also the dance that was held in the refrectory at UWA.
June and I nearly always made our own clothes....young women did that a lot back then....so we decided to be daring and make ourselves black skirts to be worn with pretty tops for when we went to these dances. Mine was made of satin backed crepe and it fitted nicely and I made a few tops to wear with the skirt.
The first night we wore out new length skirts I must admit we couldn't help wondering what people would think of this latest, quite extreme fashion but were pleasantly surprised and pleased to be complimented by quite a few of the folk we knew. It wasn't long before others were following this fashion themselves.
I don't think the new look idea lasted very long and skirts eventually reverted to being shorter...perhaps mid-calf for a while....but it was a bit of an adventure at the time for two young teenager friends.
P.S. Although we now live quite some distance apart June and I still keep in touch mainly with birthday and Christmas cards. Perhaps I will ring her one day soon and remind of her when we decided to start a new fashion among our friends.
TO MELT OR NOT TO MELT
The picture of the sun from 'clipart' makes me think the sun really is angry with us 'cos that is how it feels if you venture outside and it's not the best inside either unless you have airconditioning, or at the very least overhead fans.
We are warned to look after ourselves during this heatwave which reminds me I must go and have another glass of water. Keeping hydrated is the instruction but as I am not moving around very much, hopefully that is not likely to happen.
Unfortunately our eastern states cousins will probably cop some of this heatwave in the days to come so to my friends over there....do try and keep cool if you can.
We are fortunate here in the West that so far any fires have been reasonably small ones but with this constant heat and a forecast of fairly strong easterly winds anything could happen but we can only hope that all will be well.
Monday, February 4, 2013
WILL I READ IT? PERHAPS...NOT SURE.
One of our physiotherapists works with an aborigine community in the far north of Australia and as they are not well equipped with anything she is always looking out for things for them. Footy boots and socks for the boys and that type of thing as well as simple furnishings etc. She recently began "$1 each of various items including books". I bought a Lee Child book I'd not read and one of the Harry Potter series for #1 g/granddaughter, both for one dollar each.
On my next visit there Norma grabbed me as she was adding more books to the 'for sale' box and said "You must buy this one" and handed me 'FIFTY SHADES OF GREY". I probably looked a wee bit startled but she said she had read all three of the series and had enjoyed them by looking at their content from a sort of psychological viewpoint. I said I'd read reviews that said the books were not all that well written but Norma seemed to think they were, perhaps by modern standards.
Anyway for one dollar I thought I couldn't go wrong and have actually read the first 25 or so pages. I'm not entirely sure how far into the book I will get but so far it has me intrigued but already I am beginning to see some of the criticisms from the review I had read.
I wonder if any of you have read this book and, if so, your thoughts on it. I have just finished the Lee Child book (and another of his I received for Christmas) so will persevere with '50 Shades' and see how far I get. Will let you know my thought in a later blog.
P.S. I also bought 3 small paintings (prints I think BUT they are still in the boot of our car...must get them in) that I will find homes for somewhere in our house. One of roses, a small Namatjira (print) and a village scene. These also cost $1 each. Always after a bargain, me.
On my next visit there Norma grabbed me as she was adding more books to the 'for sale' box and said "You must buy this one" and handed me 'FIFTY SHADES OF GREY". I probably looked a wee bit startled but she said she had read all three of the series and had enjoyed them by looking at their content from a sort of psychological viewpoint. I said I'd read reviews that said the books were not all that well written but Norma seemed to think they were, perhaps by modern standards.
Anyway for one dollar I thought I couldn't go wrong and have actually read the first 25 or so pages. I'm not entirely sure how far into the book I will get but so far it has me intrigued but already I am beginning to see some of the criticisms from the review I had read.
I wonder if any of you have read this book and, if so, your thoughts on it. I have just finished the Lee Child book (and another of his I received for Christmas) so will persevere with '50 Shades' and see how far I get. Will let you know my thought in a later blog.
P.S. I also bought 3 small paintings (prints I think BUT they are still in the boot of our car...must get them in) that I will find homes for somewhere in our house. One of roses, a small Namatjira (print) and a village scene. These also cost $1 each. Always after a bargain, me.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
MY OTHER FAMILY..MY BIRTH MOTHER
I have told you about my real family....my adopted parents etc., but now I feel I'd like to talk about my birth family. Yes, I guess they perhaps are my real family but as I have met so few of them and only known them for a short while they are still comparative strangers compared to those I knew for so much of my life.
I knew from age 12 that I had been adopted but I did nothing about making enquiries until after the death of my adopted mother in 1985. I always felt she would be hurt should I undertake such a project while she was alive and it has been my understanding that she would have preferred that nobody should know about the adoption. For her sake or mine I have never been sure. Once she was gone I felt it was my prerogative to tell or not to tell. I also needed to know my ancestry not just out of curiosity but in case there was any medical history that could be of use to my family.
In the late 1980s I contacted Jigsaw (name is self-explanatory) for help to find out who my birth parents were and Glenys pointed me in the right direction and, after being suitably counselled as to what I may find, I received a copy of my original birth certificate showing my mother's name ...but no father's name.
I then proceeded to try and find out if this lady had perhaps married or even died young. Nothing came to light until I paid for a search to be made over a number of years by the BDM office only to find she had in fact married in 1946 when she was 36 years of age. To cut a long story short, after much searching I found that in the late1980s/early 1990s she (now a widow) was living in a pensioner flat about a mile from our home but was now (approx 1994) resident in a retirement village about 2 miles away from us. Small world!!
My birth mother's name was Evelyn Maud Anderson and she was born in Perth on 24th December, 1910. She lived with her parents and sisters and brothers in the family home in Townshend Road, Subiaco. I am told she worked for a store in Perth and was in charge of the restaurant in that store. She was said to be an excellent cook which is a talent I've unfortunately not inherited from her. I also know she was in the Royal Australian Air Force from June, 1943 until she was discharged in November, 1945 and that in 1946 she met and married John Lloyd Nicol. They did not have any children. Her husband died in 1987.
From what she told me about my father he was tall, dark and handsome and had a way with him. It would seem he certainly had a way with her and I was the result. I don't think she was completely blameless but her timing was possibly a bit out. He unfortunately, backed by his mother, denied all responsibility and although my mother obtained a maintenance order against him no payment was ever forthcoming. I feel my mother wanted to keep me or why apply for maintenance and yet she also told me that her father told her to 'have the baby, forget about it and get back home'. Sadly I was born just 9 days after my mother's 21st birthday so not a happy time for her.
There is some confusion about what exactly happened but as I've said I was adopted by two wonderful English people who at that time lived on a farm in the south of W.A. Strangely enough the adoption was not finalised until early 1933 although I had gone to them as a very young baby in early 1932. Perhaps I was fostered to begin with but as my adopted mum didn't talk a lot about it I am a little in the dark as to the true facts.
Evelyn Maud (I call her that these days to avoid confusiion) and I became quite good friends during out telephonic relationship but she would never meet me face to face. When Glenys visited her and asked her to meet me she refused after which Glenys told me I looked quite like my mother so perhaps she (E.M.) felt someone would se the likeness and put two and two together. Whatever the reason I had been taught to value other's feelings so did not force myself on her as some people thought I should have done.
A friend of mine used to visit a relation at the same retirement village and one day she was able to take a lovely photo of E.M. and I was so grateful to her for doing this. She apparently told E.M. that she wanted to use up her film so could she take a snap of her. The matron had been told of our relationship and she kindly also took a snap of my mother which she forwarded to me. Since then family members have given me photographs, some of her in her air force uniform.
I have letters and Christmas cards from her which I value highly and was much saddened when she told me mid-1996 that she had cancer but refused to have treatment. She sad "it is my body and my decision about what is to be done". Reading between the lines I felt she was quite unhappy where she was living and that death would perhaps be a happy release for her.
She rang me in the last week of August, 1996 and sounded quite distressed. I asked her once again if I could visit her but was told not to. I rang the matron and asked her to keep me posted and was most annoyed to find my mother's death notice in the paper and nobody had bothered to notify me. I had tried to ring Evelyn Maud on 30th August but her telephone was answered by who I now believe was her niece who told me that E.M. was quite ill. I of course could not say who I was and had to leave it at that. My birth mother died on 31 August and her funeral was held on 4 September, 1996 the same day that her first great-great-granddaughter was born. What a coincidence that was. I had told her she was to become a great-great-grandmother and felt she was quite pleased at the idea.
Do I have regrets that I never met had face to face? Of course I do but decided that it had been a big enough shock for her to be reminded of the child she had so many years before that to push her into meeting me would just not be the thing to do and could destroy the relationship we had. I have often hoped that her illness was not in any way caused by the stress that she may have felt when she was confronted with an event that she had probably put way into the back of her mind.
I do think of her quite often and relive some of the telephone chats we had. She had a strong voice and was quite a character. She had a dry sense of humour and often made me laugh at some of the things she said. She had promised to write a letter giving me more information and possibly the name of my father but I think death overtook her sooner than she expected so no letter was received by me. She did send me a beautiful large book of Australian poems and I often look at it and at her signature on the inside cover. Her sister-in-law gave me a slave bracelet that my mother had worn and it has been on my bed post for a number of years. Just a wee bit of closeness that we didn't have in real life. Rest in peace dear lady and thank you for giving me life. xxxx
I knew from age 12 that I had been adopted but I did nothing about making enquiries until after the death of my adopted mother in 1985. I always felt she would be hurt should I undertake such a project while she was alive and it has been my understanding that she would have preferred that nobody should know about the adoption. For her sake or mine I have never been sure. Once she was gone I felt it was my prerogative to tell or not to tell. I also needed to know my ancestry not just out of curiosity but in case there was any medical history that could be of use to my family.
In the late 1980s I contacted Jigsaw (name is self-explanatory) for help to find out who my birth parents were and Glenys pointed me in the right direction and, after being suitably counselled as to what I may find, I received a copy of my original birth certificate showing my mother's name ...but no father's name.
I then proceeded to try and find out if this lady had perhaps married or even died young. Nothing came to light until I paid for a search to be made over a number of years by the BDM office only to find she had in fact married in 1946 when she was 36 years of age. To cut a long story short, after much searching I found that in the late1980s/early 1990s she (now a widow) was living in a pensioner flat about a mile from our home but was now (approx 1994) resident in a retirement village about 2 miles away from us. Small world!!
My birth mother's name was Evelyn Maud Anderson and she was born in Perth on 24th December, 1910. She lived with her parents and sisters and brothers in the family home in Townshend Road, Subiaco. I am told she worked for a store in Perth and was in charge of the restaurant in that store. She was said to be an excellent cook which is a talent I've unfortunately not inherited from her. I also know she was in the Royal Australian Air Force from June, 1943 until she was discharged in November, 1945 and that in 1946 she met and married John Lloyd Nicol. They did not have any children. Her husband died in 1987.
From what she told me about my father he was tall, dark and handsome and had a way with him. It would seem he certainly had a way with her and I was the result. I don't think she was completely blameless but her timing was possibly a bit out. He unfortunately, backed by his mother, denied all responsibility and although my mother obtained a maintenance order against him no payment was ever forthcoming. I feel my mother wanted to keep me or why apply for maintenance and yet she also told me that her father told her to 'have the baby, forget about it and get back home'. Sadly I was born just 9 days after my mother's 21st birthday so not a happy time for her.
There is some confusion about what exactly happened but as I've said I was adopted by two wonderful English people who at that time lived on a farm in the south of W.A. Strangely enough the adoption was not finalised until early 1933 although I had gone to them as a very young baby in early 1932. Perhaps I was fostered to begin with but as my adopted mum didn't talk a lot about it I am a little in the dark as to the true facts.
Evelyn Maud (I call her that these days to avoid confusiion) and I became quite good friends during out telephonic relationship but she would never meet me face to face. When Glenys visited her and asked her to meet me she refused after which Glenys told me I looked quite like my mother so perhaps she (E.M.) felt someone would se the likeness and put two and two together. Whatever the reason I had been taught to value other's feelings so did not force myself on her as some people thought I should have done.
A friend of mine used to visit a relation at the same retirement village and one day she was able to take a lovely photo of E.M. and I was so grateful to her for doing this. She apparently told E.M. that she wanted to use up her film so could she take a snap of her. The matron had been told of our relationship and she kindly also took a snap of my mother which she forwarded to me. Since then family members have given me photographs, some of her in her air force uniform.
I have letters and Christmas cards from her which I value highly and was much saddened when she told me mid-1996 that she had cancer but refused to have treatment. She sad "it is my body and my decision about what is to be done". Reading between the lines I felt she was quite unhappy where she was living and that death would perhaps be a happy release for her.
She rang me in the last week of August, 1996 and sounded quite distressed. I asked her once again if I could visit her but was told not to. I rang the matron and asked her to keep me posted and was most annoyed to find my mother's death notice in the paper and nobody had bothered to notify me. I had tried to ring Evelyn Maud on 30th August but her telephone was answered by who I now believe was her niece who told me that E.M. was quite ill. I of course could not say who I was and had to leave it at that. My birth mother died on 31 August and her funeral was held on 4 September, 1996 the same day that her first great-great-granddaughter was born. What a coincidence that was. I had told her she was to become a great-great-grandmother and felt she was quite pleased at the idea.
Do I have regrets that I never met had face to face? Of course I do but decided that it had been a big enough shock for her to be reminded of the child she had so many years before that to push her into meeting me would just not be the thing to do and could destroy the relationship we had. I have often hoped that her illness was not in any way caused by the stress that she may have felt when she was confronted with an event that she had probably put way into the back of her mind.
I do think of her quite often and relive some of the telephone chats we had. She had a strong voice and was quite a character. She had a dry sense of humour and often made me laugh at some of the things she said. She had promised to write a letter giving me more information and possibly the name of my father but I think death overtook her sooner than she expected so no letter was received by me. She did send me a beautiful large book of Australian poems and I often look at it and at her signature on the inside cover. Her sister-in-law gave me a slave bracelet that my mother had worn and it has been on my bed post for a number of years. Just a wee bit of closeness that we didn't have in real life. Rest in peace dear lady and thank you for giving me life. xxxx
Friday, February 1, 2013
THE CRAZY THINGS WE REMEMBER
We don't watch daytime television (unless we decide to torture ourselves watching question time in Federal Parliament) but we frequently watch "Becker" which is a favourite of MOH. He always says it is the only 'medical' show he ever watches. : )
Today, while the mute was on during those never-ending commercials, my mind for some reason wandered to when I was very young and two poems I learned when I was 5 came to mind. We at that time were still living on the farm down south and I was doing correspondence lessons. These are the two poems which I still think are so very cute:
MR MOONFACE
Hullo Mr Moonface way up in the sky
I love to see you shining while in bed I lie.
I'm not the least bit frightened; you only have to peep
But don't go Mr Moonface until I'm fast asleep.
The other poem is:
MR SUNFLOWER
Mr Sunflower big and yellow
Said "I'm such a lucky fellow.
To be small must seem so queer,
I get a lovely view up here.
I know they are very simple poems and I have no idea why they have stayed with me for over 75 years but there they are so hope you don't mind me sharing then with you. Strikes me as funny that way back then (in 1937) both the moon and the sunflower were males!! A sign of the times perhaps?
Is the old girl perhaps getting a wee bit gah-gah you ask. No, not really, but I still find much pleasure in the simple things of life....probably don't belong in this advanced technological world.....so it's always great to remember the things that were pleasurable.
I know I should have centred the poems under the picture but as I said I don't belong in this technological age so I am satisfied I at least managed to get the pics on here. The sunflower came from wikiHow website but the moon is just one of hundreds of moon pics but thanks to whoever supplied those beautiful pictures.
Today, while the mute was on during those never-ending commercials, my mind for some reason wandered to when I was very young and two poems I learned when I was 5 came to mind. We at that time were still living on the farm down south and I was doing correspondence lessons. These are the two poems which I still think are so very cute:
Hullo Mr Moonface way up in the sky
I love to see you shining while in bed I lie.
I'm not the least bit frightened; you only have to peep
But don't go Mr Moonface until I'm fast asleep.
The other poem is:
Mr Sunflower big and yellow
Said "I'm such a lucky fellow.
To be small must seem so queer,
I get a lovely view up here.
I know they are very simple poems and I have no idea why they have stayed with me for over 75 years but there they are so hope you don't mind me sharing then with you. Strikes me as funny that way back then (in 1937) both the moon and the sunflower were males!! A sign of the times perhaps?
Is the old girl perhaps getting a wee bit gah-gah you ask. No, not really, but I still find much pleasure in the simple things of life....probably don't belong in this advanced technological world.....so it's always great to remember the things that were pleasurable.
I know I should have centred the poems under the picture but as I said I don't belong in this technological age so I am satisfied I at least managed to get the pics on here. The sunflower came from wikiHow website but the moon is just one of hundreds of moon pics but thanks to whoever supplied those beautiful pictures.