A quick one

Himself and I are about to go out to dinner with Ebs' mum and stepdad.  We are fortunate to get on well with One's inlaws.  It's a good thing that they asked us out as Himself and I do have a tendency to hibernate and just enjoy each others company.  Not really healthy in the long term.

Today we bought a whole lot of LED downlights to replace our halogen ones.  We have been assured by many this will have a positive effect on our electricity bill.  We are also looking at getting solar panels.  Anything to save a bit of money in retirement!

Ebs' step dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer a year ago and on the advice of his oncologist has been following a plaeo way of eating since.  The difference in them both is amazing and he is doing well with his cancer battle.  All things that keep prodding me in that direction.  It's just a huge change and one we will need to make together or it will be hard to stick to.  Himself and I both have some significant niggling health issues that I know will resolve with diet.  *sigh*

OK.  time to go.  I'll pop back in the next day or so.

dusting away the cobwebs

Well, hello.

Long time between drinks.

Over two years since I tended this poor neglected blog.

And what a two years it has been.

Dot points and I'll come back and address them all ...

In no particular order

• Himself is now retired. He commuted between Melbourne and Sydney for over 2 years.  Every week.  The novelty soon wore off
• My job with the psychiatrist was fun while it lasted,  Until I realised that we had different moral values.  I quit in June last year.
• Ma died on 24/11/13 and Pa on 17/4/14.  So much to say about those times.  Still struggling with things and it's damned annoying the way grief sneaks up when you least expect it and whacks you over the back of the head.
• One and Ebs got married in July 2013.  Such a happy day.
• Two and Mads left Australia 5 days later for an extended overseas trip. Not such a happy day.
• They came home in May this year after realising that Australia is the best place to make a go of things (well, that's my interpretation!). They are now living in Sydney.  Both have good jobs and are happy.
• Three moved back home when Two left and then moved out again in January
• Dogs and cats are well.
• I have some amazing friends.  

So my plan is to natter about what I did each day and also address something from the dot point list

But as we all know, the best laid plans and all that.

For now though ....

Today

It's been 2 months since I managed to convince Himself to pull the pin and come home.  He was going to be home mid September anyway but was so miserable I talked him into coming home early August.  He reaches pension age in a fortnight and we are getting things together so we can draw down pension and super and hopefully live well for many years to come.  We don't live extravagant lives ... we don't travel overseas or eat at expensive restaurants.  We should be fine.

One thing we have started to do is stay up waaaay too late and then sleep in the next morning.  We need to get some structure into our days.  This is a huge learning curve for us - as I'm sure it is for many new retirees. 

I have rediscovered my love of craft and have several projects on the go.  

So today we slept in really late (thanks to daylight saving starting) and after filling in forms for the super fund we went to two hardware stores looking for a particular frypan and I went to Spotlight and bought ONE REEL OF COTTON!!!  To finish a quilt I have made ebony for christmas.  But Spotlight, Me and only buying what I went to buy?  Unbelievable!!

The past

So much to talk about.  I am still struggling with the grief from my parents' deaths and am then struggling with why I have so much grief seeing as we didn't have the best of relationships.  As Christmas approaches I know it will get harder.

***********************************************

Time for dinner.  The plan is to write more frequently than every couple of years!

I have a job ... I work two days a week for a psychiatrist doing admin stuff and I love it.

I spent 5 days in Coolongatta with 28 close friends!!  We had a ball. 

Himself is slowly coming to terms with working in Sydney.  Nothing against Sydney but he misses his dogs.  And cats.  And wife.  Sometimes I think it's in that order!!

The parents are fading quietly.  Things are settling a bit but Dad's short term memory is getting very bad and Mum has some word finding difficulties.

Dr Teacher gets married in just over 3 weeks. 

One and Ebs settle on their brand new house tomorrow after much fucking around by the builder.

Two seems to be happy living here.  Supposedly saving money for travelling overseas.

Three is thriving.  Moving out of home is the best thing he did.

So, all in all, life is pretty damn good.

touching base

One of the reasons I like keeping a blog is that I can look back and see what happened, how I felt, was life as good/bad as I remember etc.

This is one such entry.

On Tuesday I went up to the parents' unit to meet a real estate agent with the view of finally putting it on the market.

I met with said agent and graciously accepted all her praise at how well we've presented it but wasn't impressed with her quote.

So I've listed it with the village sales dept and we shall see.

It was a bitter sweet time as I am so pleased we are close to the end but Mum and Dad did have some happy times there and the garden looks great as does the unit.  I picked some camellias to bring home.

On the way home I popped into the supermarket and Mum rang asking me for some bits and pieces which I duly bought and dropped them round when I took the dogs to the park.

I walked into their room and was greeted with a barrage of complaints.  We had put her there to die.  The place was a lunatic asylum.  People kept coming to get her to practice for an upcoming event (which she asked to join) but how could she sing happy songs when she's so depressed.  She used to do so much in the village and so on and so forth.

I answered all her issues reasonably and gently (she said she had only had 3 falls!!!!) but eventually thought "stuff it".  And I told her ... "you spent the last 9 months sitting in your dressing gown. You only got dressed when you had a medical appointment.  You started on the sherry at 9.00 and continued until you finished with the scotch when you went to bed.  You weren't eating because I was buying the food and didn't need to at the end.  When we cleaned out the unit we threw away a whole fridge and freezer full of Choice (home delivered) meals.  You were existing on half a tiramisu and a shit load of alcohol and kept having falls and THAT is why you are here.  For your own safety."

I then asked her if she would like me to come with her to the performance that she refused to practice for and was told she would just sit and knit!

Came home feeling OK but sad.  Himself rang and I told him what had happened.  He said that he wished he could be here to give me a hug and then went on to say how much he hates being in Sydney.  Just what I needed to hear!!

Mum rang shortly after to apologise and we had a good chat.  I understand her frustration but it's often misdirected as in the cause isn't not necessarily what she complains about.

Today I popped in to see them and she said that noone had come to get her for the filming of the performance.  I said I wasn't surprised as she'd made it plain she didn't want to participate.  The reason today?  It made her cough and if she coughs she might burst a blood vessel and that would be embarrassing.

At least she was brighter today.

Himself still hates working in Sydney, though.

And the last thing to document is that clothes are getting smaller.

Or not.

She's not called Ninja for nothing!!

So.  On Wednesday I was sitting here faffing around on my computer.  Two had gone out.

All of a sudden I heard the scritching sound that a cat makes when they're climbing something.  And then the dogs went crazy.

Something in my cotton wool brain said "this doesn't sound good" and I got up, looked at the balcony door which was closed (I'd left it open) with a very floofed up Stig on the other side.

I raced downstairs and found both dogs in the kennel.  Actually I found two doggy tails wagging like crazy from the door of the kennel.  I yanked both dogs out of said kennel by said tails and then dived in.

There, in the corner, was The Ninja.  Very shocked and very wet but apparantly unhurt.

I picked her up and went to leave the kennel only to realise I was stuck.

Once the panic subsided I was able to wriggle out (I had got IN there so I had to be able to get out, surely) with Ninja.

Rang the vet and took her down for a check up.

No damage ... just a lot of dog dribble.

It looks as if the cats were outside and Two went out to look at clouds (he takes photos), came back in and automatically shut the door. How many sons shut doors?  Sheesh!

I don't know if Ninja jumped off the balcony or slipped but she ended up down stairs in the kennel with the dogs.

After what happened to Sheba I was actually pleased that she was OK.  It shows that the dogs aren't out for blood but just want to play.

If I hadn't been home I'm sure the ending would be horribly different.

Does she go back on the balcony?

Oh hell yeah!!

I can use the internets

Two and his girlfriend (Mad) have been giving me grief (well, Two has) about my web savviness.  Teasing me about using The Youtube and The Facebook but not up with The Tumblr (at least I can spell it, I think!) and I have no idea about the Twitty thing.

He was, however, mildly impressed when I told him I've been blogging since 2001!!  Sadly the original one got cancelled when a then online friend told me some stuff and nonsense and, in my ignorant naivety, I wiped the whole thing.  I wish I hadn't now.

So.

Himself is more or less settled in Sydney.  He has his studio apartment and was delighted when he got home on Friday night to be greeted by the dogs at the front door.  Angus heard him arrive before Bonnie or I did.

My man flu was, I think, flu.  Not just a nasty cold.  I had the chills, the temps, the aches, the headache etc and have been left feeling ooooh so tired. 

The whole eating/weight thing is doing my head in and all I'm doing is gaining weight.

My mental health is much better, though.  Our group has had some sessions with a psychologist and she has this amazing ability to pick the deep truth out of a statement and throw it back.  I plan to have ongoing sessions with her if the health fund covers it.

The dogs and the cats are showing signs of wanting to get to know each other.  At this stage the dogs are well and truly on the lead but there is much wagging of doggy tales and not much hissing or flooffing up from the cats.  Maybe one day.

One turns 28 tomorrow.  Where have the years gone?  The boys +/- girls will be over for dinner.

And on that note I shall go and read my book.  Chocolate might or might not be on the agenda.

I has man flu

Full of cold.  Watery eyes.  Sneezing.  Sore froat.  Coughing.  Headache.  Joint pain. 

I'm thinking it's my body's way of saying take a break and if you won't I'll make you. 

Only I have had so much to do this week that a day inside is a dream.  I have to exercise the dawgs twice a day to prove to Himself that they will be OK without him.  Even though he didn't exercise them every day if he was crook or the weather was foul.  Promised the parents a lunch out with a dear friend for her birthday.  Need to shop to feed Two (not at his request mind you!).

What's that I hear?

"Stop being a martyr!!!"

OK.

I have cancelled a few things this week .... thank goodness for understanding friends and personal trainer.

Himself moved into his studio apartment today.  He sounded so much brighter this evening.  Still lonely but at least it's HIS place.  He's off buying sheets, towels, a printer and all the other necessities.

Tomorrow ... sleep in. NOT walking the dawgs if I don't feel like it.  Coffee with a good friend (see above) and then home to veg and wait for Himself to get home.  Eventually.

And if I could remember how to upload photos from my phone you would have a lovely photo of two sorely deprived dogs.  Not!