Today it is my brother Daniel’s birthday. Regular readers are probably well aware of him as I have mentioned him many times over the years. He is a fantastic brother, wonderful friend and one of the few people who can have me crying with laughter.His sense of humour and quick wit is wicked but highly amusing and he has a tongue as sharp as a knife.Although his intentions are always genuine, he can be unreliable because he tends to get caught up in other things such as work and he will realise a week later, that he was meant to be somewhere for dinner etc. Daniel is an excellent communicator, dedicated employee and has experiences and stories that leave most people speechless( that is probably because no one else can get a word in LOL), He has lived life and that is one of the many things I love and admire about him. Happy Birthday Danny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today if the rain holds off , I intend to get out into the garden and mow the lawn. The tropical conditions of the past 2-3 weeks has caused the grass and weeds to grow at an incredible rate and if I don’t get them under control the yards will soon look like Jurassic Park! I also have to devote some time to reading over the week-end , as the finals are approaching.
Suicide claims the lives of more Australians each year than the road toll – over 2000 people every year (Source: ABS 2007 statistics). It is the biggest killer of men and women 15-35 years old. For every person who takes their own life, it is estimated that up to 10 people make an attempt. That means each year approximately 20,000 people are directly effected.
Take some time to ask this question and you could save a life!
Other that wooziness in the head from medication, I am feeling well today. There were thunderstorms over night and this morning and lay awake for hours, listening to the thunder and rain. Today it is very steamy, reminiscent of Cairns or the Pacific Islands and something I could adapt to quite easily!
Prue seems to be feeling better each day and has been taking walks and moderate exercise on an exercise bike to build her stamina, although she is still reluctant to eat any more than a light diet for fear of becoming nauseous but she is introducing new foods into her diet each day.I am so happy that she is making such a good recovery!
I have emails to write and bills to pay( ) so I best go and do it.
I am curently listening to Madeleine Peyroux. Enjoy!
After I returned home from class on Monday night, I felt a migraine developing and it has got progressively worse. So much so, that I have an appointment with my GP later this afternoon.Migraines make me feel I am such a burden, as it means D has to finish early so he can drive me to my DR. (and D gets cranky because he doesn’t like it when I am ill). You would think after 30 years of marriage I would get over feeling so guilty about imposing on D but I am not. I realise I shouldn’t feel this way but the sad fact is I do and D makes no secret that he feels put out!
We had a week-end of much-needed rain, so my plans to get out and do some more gardening were put on hold. I managed to get a few things done and also spend some time studying in preparation for the course(which concludes in 3 weeks) assessment.A friend of Prue, who has just returned from the US came to stay on Saturday night and after a late dinner, we enjoyed hearing about her trip and all of her adventures.The quiet week-end was a pleasant respite.
It is our anniversary tomorrow… 30 years! We don’t have any plans to go out and celebrate but I am sure we will acknowledge it is some way. D thought it was Saturday until Prue informed him on Friday night that is was not.He even argued the point with her until I told him he was mistaken LOL.
Over the past few months, I have caught up with quite a few friends from my youth and in some cases, even childhood. Such was the case yesterday, when I caught up with an old friend, whom I have not seen for about 40 years!It was delightful and for some reason, very comforting. Is this what we seek as we get older? Being soothed by memories of a time when life was easy,we were young and carefree?Perhaps it is because these are the people who really know you, where you come from, your roots, family and the environment that influenced the person you have become?
We swapped stories and reverted back to the uncomplicated ease we used to have so many years ago. I was concerned that being well known high flyer in legal circles may have changed him but my concerns were unfounded. He is sophisticated, charming and still the person I knew all those years ago.
As I am writing this I have been listening to some of my favourite tunes. This is playing now
I cannot believe it is one week today since Prue had her surgery. The first few days, although very sore and slightly disoriented due to the medication, Prue said she was feeling really well but the last two days have not been so good. Her body has had a negative reaction to some of the medications and the side effects have been uncomfortable(the symptoms have been exacerbated by the hot weather) and are making her miserable. Hopefully, the worst is over and she will start to feel better each day.
Yesterday,Prue was going to take her Siamese Cat (Bea Arthur) to be micro-chipped but was in no condition to go, so loaded Bea into the car, in her flashy carrier and took her. The vet is not far away and the procedure took all of 30 seconds. Bea was a little champion and did not flinch at all but the vet was rude and dismissive. Maybe he is just lacking social skills or was having a bad day?All I know is that he was unpleasant and although I was tempted to comment about his demeanor I didn’t and swiftly got Bea back into her carrier, paid the bill and left. My main concern was not having Bea out in the hot weather for longer than she needed to be. Prue is happy that Bea has been micro- chipped because she lost her other Siamese earlier this year(she suspects she was stolen and was heartbroken , as she had been with Prue for several years) who was not micro-chipped and would be devastated if it happened to Bea. At least now , if she does go missing she can be easily identified.
It was delightful to hear from a good friend Terry, this week. He has been keeping a low profile because he has been closeted in his studio, working on several new paintings. He has invited us up to the Dandenongs (the mountain area of outer Melbourne for lunch and to view his latest works. I am looking forward to it, very much.
Once again big thanks you’s go out to Lita, Richard,Glen,Meghan Kelvin, Sonia, Beeha and everyone else who has been so supportive of Prue and sent her their get well messages , She appreciates them all and so do I. I am blessed to have so many good friends, from every corner of the world.
The year is starting to wind down and the family have started discussing Christmas. Who will be here this year?(that’s a question that no one really knows until the day). What will we eat? Then, there is the discussion about gifts. For me, Christmas is all about family, friends and welcoming new friends who would otherwise spend the Holidays alone. We gather to enjoy a happy day, share food and give thanks for everything we do have. It is not about gifts, not for me anyway but I do enjoy giving gifts to others.Quite frankly, I get embarrassed when I receive a gifts. When asked by D what I wanted this year, my answer was simple. I have it… the new bathroom and other than that all I can think of is to have a happy and peaceful day, surrounded by those I love and care about! No gifts???Yes, I am unusual , many would say downright crazy LOL
D on the other hand,adores gifts and the bigger the better. No clothes either, he says clothes don’t count as presents.Prue is always practical and although she has her wish list, she considers what she wants very carefully.We do not have the finances to indulge in massive gifts and we are certainly not going to go into debt over them!Too much emphasis is put on the material aspects of Christmas and it breaks my heart to see struggling parents spending up big on the plastic, only to be faced with enormous credit card statements , post-Christmas.
I look forward to a lunch that goes on until late in the evening, laughter, music ,banter and the silliness that seems to be part of what our family is all about.We are different and I think that’s why we always find we have new additions to our table each year
We are all feeling much more relaxed now, knowing that Prue’s surgery went well and that she is back here with us. I have never felt the anxiety I experienced on Friday( the day of her surgery) before and the waiting was almost unbearable. Parents will know exactly what I mean.Although sore and uncomfortable, Prue is doing very well and looking forward to renewed vigour and good health.
With everything that has been going on over the past 12 months or so, I have been ignoring changes that have been going on within my body and it is only this week that I have realised (or acknowledged) that menopause has started. Menopause is something that is rarely discussed for whatever reasons. Perhaps is it because is signals the end of fertility and a period of grieving sets in? Many women will feel unattractive and dread the onset of menopause because it heralds a new stage in their lives, the unfamiliar , often accompanied by unpleasant and often acute physiological changes. Personally, I am pleased. Not because my body is no longer youthful and fertile but because I am commencing a life changing period undertaken by all women since time began. A rite of passage. Finally, my body has decided to conform and do something as it should! Many years ago, my gynecologist told me that I had begun menopause and prescribed hormone replacement therapy for a while, only to discover a few years later that my body reverted back to its normal cycle, so the medication was ceased.I have no idea( either did my DR what that was about but all the symptoms ceased and everything returned to normal). Recently, I have been attributing hot flushes to the weather, stress, overheating, etc. but I now realise that was not the case at all. Hot flushes are waking me at night , in fact they strike anytime, which is a strange thing for me as I am a naturally cold person. I am forever dressing in multiple layers, so if a flush happens I can remove a layer of clothing as required. LOL
I have decided against hormone replacement therapy, increase my vitamin and mineral intake and investigate some natural therapies if the symptoms become a nuisance but other than that I am celebrating this new phase
Just a brief post for now because I am waiting for Prue to call from the hospital to let me know what time she is going to be discharged. Her surgery yesterday was successful, which is such a relief .
I want to pass on my sincere thanks to all of you who have been supportive and sent Prue so many messages and good thoughts. She appreciates the kindness and genuine concern very much and so do I. More later…….
It is so quiet here this morning. Bliss! D returned to work today, after having two sick days.I hope he copes ok today at work because it is going to be hot again. Prue is still asleep and I am not going to wake her because she has been having so many sleepless nights lately due to her health so it’s just me, the cats and the background sounds of talk back radio LOL
I received a call from a friend last night, inviting me to lunch at a fabulous restaurant on the Bay which was lovely but really as fantastic as that would be,I feel I cannot be so indulgent about spending money like that. Maybe once I get the new job, I will feel less guilty about it but right now I am feeling as if I am always putting her off and making excuses not to go out with her (exhibitions, theatre, etc).She is single, working and owns her own home and her only responsibility is herself but I would like to catch up with her before the Christmas Holidays. I have quite a few people I want to catch up with because over recent months I have been pre-occupied with other things. Being friends I know they understand and have had no expectations of me. The last 12 months have been a bit of a roller coaster and I do feel I am in need of some me time, to enjoy a few simple things like long walks and Pilates which Prue and I are going to do together, once she has recovered from her surgery.
I have just returned from dropping Prue off at the hospital for her pre-admission check up. I did not stay because they told her it could take up to three hours, so she will call me when it is over to pick her up. I can see Prue is starting to get anxious about the surgery but that is to be expected after all it is major surgery but I think what concerns her is the anesthetic, due to her reaction to it in the past. I am sure she will discuss this with her anesthetist today and he will put her mind at rest.
It is hot here again today and we turned the air conditioning on a low setting early to keep the house cool. This is unusual weather for November and I think most people are feeling it because it began so quickly. It was cool, then almost within a week it was hot! As have mentioned before, I don’t mind the heat at all.
Last night’s lecture was good and there are only four more classes until the class concludes. I have been trying to decide what I want to study next year and it is proving to be a difficult decision.I would like to undertake a hypnotherapy course at some stage, maybe next year? I want to do so many things but as always, finances will dictate what I do. If there was one good thing that came out of the Whitlam Government back in the day, it was free university education.
It was a warm day yesterday, so much so that mid afternoon we turned on the air conditioning. Normally, I would not have bothered as the ceiling fans are usually all that is need to get some air circulating but Prue was feeling faint and quite unwell, so the a/c was a better option. There is something wonderful about the warmer weather, spring and the brilliant blue sky. Everyone seems happier, healthier and people get outdoors and make the most of day light saving, in the evenings.
I received an email last night from one of my closest friends Richard, which was delightful. He is a beautiful person, who loves his family and life and makes the most of each and every day. I am fortunate to have made so many wonderful friends here, through this blog!
Today, it is going to be hot again so I will concentrate on doing a few jobs indoors and catch up on some reading for tonight’s class.
D and I went out this morning to look for a mirror for the bathroom( he was not impressed by the mirror I had selected and intended to pick up this week-end). Our first stop was a fabulous gallery that Prue and I discovered during the week. It is only five minutes away and I have been passed it many times but it was not until the other day , that I actually ventured in to check it out. What a find! If I had the money, I could go mad there. So many beautiful and unusual items. I was in heaven but back to reality. We spoke to the owner and she said that they also framed mirrors so she showed us an extensive selection of frames.Visiting the gallery gave me plenty of inspiration in regard to frames because D is intent on having a frame( preferably chrome….yuk) to match the rest of the bathroom and did not like the bevelled edge mirror I had picked last week. I think the bathroom is beautiful but it needs texture, something organic, etc.
Well, I took D to the gallery this morning and he did see a couple of frames he liked but then began to argue with the owner about the coating on the frames. She said it was wooden, he said it was not but some acrylic material! Just another day out shopping as a couple…. embarrassing. lol. Finally the husband of the owner confirmed that there was a material baked onto the frame but it was not what D had thought. I thanked the owner and her husband and shuffled D out as quickly as I could. On to destination 2… the place where I has seen the mirror I liked. I think D is coming around to it ( mainly due to price LOL) and I am certain it will enhance the rest of the bathroom. Besides, I just want a mirror. so I can see what I am doing!
Later D went out to check out a few garage sales in the neighourhood and Prue opened a Flickr account for me in the hope that I will post some photos. I enjoy taking photos but I dislike having my photo taken. Prue’s love of self portraits does not come from me , that’s for sure. LOL I have started to post a few older photos and in time I will scan and post many more. The bathroom pics will be posted very soon
It’s Friday and I am so looking forward to the week-end. Warm weather is predicted and it will be perfect for getting out into the garden to weed and prepare the beds for some planting I have planned.I can also happily(overwhelmingly) that I had my first shower in the new bathroom, last Sunday night! It may seem a minor thing but for me it is one of the highlights of this year. It was wonderful. Other than decide upon a mirror( which is a bone of contention between D and I right now), the bathroom is complete. D has done a fabulous job and it was worth the wait. Pics will be posted soon.
Prue will be having he surgery one week from today and it can’t come fast enough. She had a bad day yesterday and to make it worse, she thinks she may have gone overboard with the painkillers which made her feel nauseated and fuzzy in the head.She really dislikes the side effects of the medication and tries to use them only when her pain becomes unbearable.I think overall though, she is in better condition since she returned home.
I just realised this morning that it will be our 30th wedding anniversary on the 24th! Could it really be that long? The years are flying by, that’s for sure.
) so I best go and do it. 
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