D Day -1

Three sent me this. It gave me a giggle.

Right.

It is late morning and I am gearing up for my final bits and pieces. I will schedule this to post later this evening in case something important happens (highly unlikely).

I have a large loaf of bread proving for Himself. I said he could freeze it. He laughed. I doubt there will be any left by Friday.

I have the final packing to do and several lists to tick off.

Himself is off having his stress test. We will then go and have lunch together before doing the final supermarket shop for bottled water and nuts and dried fruit for the drive. I don't like using bottled water but make exceptions for times like this. I am never sure of the quality of water in some of the places one stops for fuel.

The mermaid is babysitting her grandkids on the other side of town today and won't be home til around 6.30. I will leave here around 5.30. We will get something to eat and hopefully I will sleep well. I was contemplating taking a sleeping pill but don't want to be groggy in the morning. I must keep reminding myself that if I get tired I do have another driver - except I am a lousy passenger!

My shoulders and neck are still very tender from yesterday's massage but I do feel looser and will take my hand held massager to ease any tight spots.

I haven't decided what to do with the blog while I'm away. I will only have my phone so might just do photos with brief descriptions and do a full account when I am back.

What I do know, though, is that I won't be reading and commenting on other blogs. It is too hard on my phone for one, and for two, I spend nearly two hours a day reading and commenting and that is not what I am going away for! I need to spend time with the people I am with.

As Sally says "Put down the screen and be present in the moment".

That doesn't mean I won't be thinking about my beloved blog friends and wondering what you are all up to.

Stay safe, stay well and be present in the moment.

Catch you all next week.

Later ....

And just like that things have changed! Me and my big mouth.

So. Himself had his stress test. The doctor saw something that he couldn't explain so next Wednesday Himself is having an angiogram +/- stent. If they insert a stent he will be admitted overnight. Problem: the dogs. If he doesn't have a stent he cannot drive home and cannot be alone overnight. Problem: me not here.

After discussing options with the kids, the dog sitter and the Mermaid I have come up with my solution.

Ebs will drop Himself at the hospital at 1.30 on Wednesday afternoon. Three is taking the afternoon off and will pick him up. The Mermaid and I will cut our trip short by one day and I will be home late afternoon on Wednesday so will be here to keep an eye on Himself overnight. If he does have a stent put in Three gets an afternoon off and I will be home to look after the dogs and will pick the patient up on Thursday morning. 

I could have cancelled the whole trip but Himself wouldn't hear of it.

I could have had one of the kids come and let the dogs in and out but they would be so stressed. I would have been gone for a week and now dad has gone? I could see two very unhappy dogs and that isn't fair on them. The dog sitter said she could take them but that wouldn't change the stress levels as they know when things aren't right. And it's extra expense. It also didn't account for Himself not being allowed to be alone on Wednesday night if he comes home then. 

I cancelled the booking in Merimbula and the hotel was most accommodating. I didn't have to pay a cancellation fee. I was able to move the Lakes Entrance booking back a day with no cost. 

We will still have time to explore both places and relax and I said to the Mermaid we can go away again later in the year. Sometimes it's nice to just go away with a friend where you can chill and natter.

I am now going to finish packing, write a list of things Himself needs to know about and remember I am not going to the back of Bourke if I find I have forgotten something. As long as I have my meds (which I do) anything else can be bought. 

Hopefully this will my last entry for today!

How embarrassment!

Thank you for your words of support on yesterday's post.

I got up this morning and baked a batch of pfeffernusse to take up to Two. They were his favourite Christmas biscuits as a kid. While I was doing that Himself took himself off for an echo-cardiogram. Tomorrow he has a stress test and next Thursday he sees the cardiologist. Nothing serious - just a routine follow up.

When I was doing my trial pack yesterday I realised I needed some new knickers. The last lot I bought were cheap and fitted really badly. Some were more uncomfortable than others. Think slide up your bum and hide in the crack uncomfortable.

I had a shower and decided to wear the worst pair of knickers as I was going to toss them (why not get one more wear?) and I also put on my least effective bra as I was saving my better ones for the trip.

After lunch we went to Karingal. I bought everything that I needed from Big W and realised that one of the reasons I was apprehensive about the drive north was the fact that my back, neck and shoulders have been sore and played up badly after just a two hour drive each way to see Dr Teacher.

"I'll get a massage" I said to Himself.

So I popped into the local Chinese massage place (Aussies will know what I am talking about) and asked for a neck and shoulder massage and explained I was driving to Sydney in the next day or so.

The delightful young Chinese bloke asked me to take my top off and lie down on the table. 
"Oh bother", I thought. Not a good bra.

He then proceeded to press up and down my spine, neck, buttocks and legs eliciting squeals of pain with every touch. Tried to turn my head with limited results.

"Very bad - not good driving to Sydney".

"Do what you can", I said.

And he did.

He undid the bra. Not unusual when you are getting a decent back massage. He then pulled the waistband of my leggings down. Again, not unusual when they want to get to your lower back.

He then proceeded to REMOVE the leggings which, again, isn't unusual for a proper full back massage but THE KNICKERS! Those damned knickers that were sitting happily halfway up my bum and had buried themselves in my intergluteal cleft. 

Misbehaving knickers notwithstanding, I had a brilliant massage. He found every sore spot and worked it out. He used hot rocks and did some cupping. Although I am feeling battered and bruised I am sure I will have a far more comfortable drive.

I have booked to see him in a fortnight. 

I will wear a pair of my new knickers.

Cold feet

On Tuesday night I will go and stay with the Mermaid so we can make an early start on Wednesday. 

In the past I have done lots of long drives. Mostly on my own and have loved them and looked forward to them.

This time my anxiety is climbing and I am worrying about the whole trip.

Is this because I am getting older? Because my confidence took a battering during lockdowns? 

I know I can do this. I have checked google maps. I have GPS in my car and have put the google map directions on my phone. I have choices of navigation methods. I have booked the accommodation. I have started to pack. I am overpacking but what the hell. I roll my clothes and they don't take much room.

The last time I did a trip like this was in 2019. It was a doddle. I even coped with having to wee in the bushes by the side of the road because the loo stops by the highway had big trucks with big truckies in them (I hit the road really early). The worst part of that pit stop was bringing a nest of massive bitey ants back into the car with me and battling them for the next few 100 ks! Shortly after collecting the ants a cockatoo hit my windscreen. I wasn't fazed. Surprised but not fazed. I drove until I felt like a break. Filled the car and had a coffee. Hit the road again. I have got lost in Sydney's outer suburbs but my GPS got me back on track.

This time I will have a friend for company. We are breaking the journey. We have fun together. We are taking the scenic route home and stopping at lovely seaside towns. 

I am looking forward to this trip.

I just wish I didn't feel so overwhelmed.

Just last night's sunset.

 I am still not 100%. Fingers crossed it's nothing that will stop me leaving this week. 

So you get the gorgeous unfiltered, unshopped pics from yesterday.

Headache

 I am feeling under the weather. Probably because of the weather. And maybe worries about Three.

I went to a new shop with J. It's an interesting concept. Full of shelves that people can rent and them place their goods (usually handmade) for sale. There were lots of lovely things and it has given us some ideas for selling stuff down the track. There is a waiting list for shelves so will give time to build stock. I think it would be great for Amy as she creates some lovely things but struggles with volume.

A knit and a natter afterwards (dodging the pouring freezing rain) and home to bludge for the rest of the afternoon.

That is all I have so I leave you with this amazing contraption. Sound on ...

The sky is crying, too.

Lily started school today. I have slightly hidden her face.

You may remember when we had the driveway done a while ago. They did the path at the same time but didn't rip the old one up - just put the bitumen over the top. We had some issues with cracking which got really bad lately and grass and other weeds started growing though. Himself contacted the chap who did the job and he said he would fix it. Today they rocked up and started ...

It turns out the old path was just poured over an even older brick path!

All ripped up and properly prepared. We should get the bitumen laid next week when he has a larger job. 

And he won't talk price with Himself as he says he should have done it properly the first time. How's that for service in this day and age. We will get some slabs of beer for his workers and a bottle of something nice for him.

I love the way these two squeeze onto the chair. Inevitably she is there first and he decides to join her and just shoves her further into the back of the chair. The way bits of him sort of hang off always gives me a giggle.

How are these for some mighty fine whiskers?

Three has got himself (with the help of his wife) into some serious financial shit. Whoever invented after pay (and the like) should be shot and disembowelled. It is the cause of so much pain. It is nothing more than a pay day loan in another coat. Add to that the pressure from anti-social media and it is no wonder so many young 'uns struggle. Anyway, I won't go into too much detail right now but he rang me in tears the other day. He has reached out for help a couple of times to so called advisors for those in financial strife and all they want to do is effectively have him declared bankrupt and charge him for the privilege. He is coming over tonight to discuss options with us. I wish he had done this first. And a long time ago. We knew a while ago things weren't good but he assured us he had turned things around.

I know this is 100% down to their own own mismanagement but I fully understand the pressures that put them there. Especially in her case - I would hate to be an insecure young mother in these days with all the mummy shaming that goes on (when she took Sally to a mothers' group in the very early days she was criticised BY THE OTHER MUMS for not having her in "proper" clothes; she was in a onesie but that was considered pyjamas. The kid was 3 months old FFS). Hopefully we can help them through this and they can put this all behind them. It will mean some massive tightening of belts but they can do it.

I invited him to stay for dinner and asked him what he wanted. He chose a tuna broccoli mornay which is a favourite comfort food from his childhood. My baby is hurting and it makes me so sad. 

The heavens have opened and it is pouring with rain. Sort of matches my mood right now.

 

Just home

It's nigh on 7pm and I am just home.

I had a lovely day with Fave Sis in Law (FSIL) and we had a delicious lunch in a Thai restaurant. A real treat for me as Thai restaurants are very thin on the ground in my leafy suburb. ANY decent eatery is thin on the ground. We than had peppermint tea and cake for afternoon tea. 

Dropped a grumpy Other Brother off at the hospital and picked him up several hours later. 

He is much more comfortable now. I think his grumpiness is anxiety but that doesn't give him the right to be rude.

Himself found a curry in the freezer and got that on the go so I will go and heat the rice.

I'll catch you tomorrow.