I had my second AZ vaccination today. A lovely chat with a lovely nurse about the different opinions and the amount accurate research being quoted.
I am fed up with people spouting that they have a right to not get vaccinated. Fine. I also have a right to not associate with you.
Time for a gin and tonic.
One of my earliest memories is receiving a recording of Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" read by Vivien Leigh. My memory was that the record was red. I asked my trusty mate, Google, and my memory served me correctly. Two songs on it still pop into my head on a regular basis. Mrs Rabbit's song and Peter's lament. The former's chorus goes "we're a happy family, yes a happy family and we live at the foot of a big fir tree ..." Poor Peter asks "why do I do it? what can it be? There's naughtiness in everyone but twice as much in me ..."
This was also where I got a doozy of a scar above my right eye courtesy of a large ginger cat who didn't appreciate me bugging him. I remember mum being less than sympathetic and telling me I should have left the cat alone.
I remember watching fascinated from a window as a large (everything was large in those days!) snake slithered out of a crack in a stone wall and ate a frog.
The smells and the sounds of the jungle below the house. Drinking pink milk (milk with cochineal drops) on the verandah and breaking the glass by trying to hold it in my teeth - again, mother wasn't impressed with me. My brother spilling the whole bottle of gentian violet on the bedspread and me getting the blame - "Stewart said he didn't do it and he's too young to lie". Yeah right, bro. You still owe me.
Above all there was a feeling of security even though where we were living wasn't a particularly safe place for Europeans to be at the time. Yes, we had servants - everyone did. They were part of the family and I think showed my brother and me more affection than did our own parents. It was the Colonial 1950s after all.
It's the only way we will get out of this. Under 40s can now get the jab and I really hope that most do as it's that age group that is being hit hard. I get my second on Monday.
My hands and knees are a bit bruised but not as bad as they could have been. My chin and forehead aren't pretty.
I ordered another loom - don't tell Himself! I made the mistake of buying a small inkle loom (inkle is an olde englishe worde for strap, I believe - think guitar straps) and it's too fiddly for a beginner so I have ordered the larger version. I kept dropping hints that SOMEONE could build me one but have given up. I can think of other things he can do around the house.
He managed to get in touch with someone else from the garage door company. They are blaming Covid for not getting in touch - the office is closed. Um .... work from home? Anyway, we shall see.
Today I shall warp up my loom and start on a scarf for a friend.
Himself tries to walk the dogs every day. I don't actually like walking with him and them as he tends to let them criss cross and I end up walking two steps behind like the servant! Yesterday I was feeling a bit stiff so agreed to a gentle walk in the sunshine. We were walking through a park and I had Jinx on the lead, he had Murphy. Murphy crossed in front of Jinx and me and down I went like a sack of spuds. Right onto my knees, then my hands then my chin and forehead. It all appeared to happen in slow motion. I am lucky I didn't break a wrist or something. This morning I am a bit bruised and my right hand is swollen. I'm glad we're in lockdown so I have an excuse not to go out until my grazed chin and forehead heal.
So another day of staying inside, weaving, knitting and reading. Not sure what we will have for dinner. Need to think about breakfast first!
90 seconds doesn't sound much. But it's enough time to go to the loo and wash your hands and return to the kitchen before the packet of rice has finished microwaving. You're welcome.
Yes, my life has shrunk to this. With all the horrifying news that came in overnight - Afghanistan (that was a waste of 20 years, too many lives and billions of dollars and all for nothing), Covid numbers in NSW out of control, our numbers doubled overnight and the sad death of Sean Lock - I am more than ever inclined to bury my head in the sand and focus on the little things. It's that, or go crazy. OK, more crazy.
We have had a run of gorgeous late winter/early spring weather. August is usually a cold, wet, miserable month but it has given us some lovely days. Himself has been able to get on with replacing the retaining wall thanks to a delivery of timber as we can't visit the hardware store in person. I sit in my craft room/study with the sun streaming in on me and listen to interesting podcasts whilst I weave and knit and read and generally fritter away my time. Things will get better.
On 15th September Amy is being induced so there is another granddaughter to look forward to. Assuming our lockdowns don't get more severe she has asked me to be there as her mother will be recovering from a hysterectomy. Three is quite happy with this so fingers crossed. Not sure how I feel but if it's what she wants I will be there.
Mother in law is ok. The facility have suspended the move into the memory support unit as she is being well managed with 15 minute checks. Staff locate her and redirect her and she seems happy with this. She is now on full assistance with meals as she is unaware if food is in her mouth - she thinks she is eating regardless. This is something I really struggle with as does Himself but we cannot fault the care they are giving her. It's just the progression of this awful disease. She has her annual assessment with a geriatrician on Monday. That could be interesting.
Well I guess it was to be expected. Our lockdown was extended another week. We are still getting cases so I guess we'll have to wait and see if we get lifted at the end of next week. NSW are still stuffed and their premier really does have to take some blame. The outbreak in Byron Bay was caused by someone going to look at real estate (he claimed) which is permitted under their lockdown rules. Um. NO!
Enough of that. We are stuck with this virus and will have to learn to live with it. If people choose not to get vaccinated they can live with the results of that.
Himself heard back from that garage door dude who was blaming lockdown for the lack of contact. Sorry, mate, that doesn't wash. We still haven't seen a refund or been given an installation date so the jury is still out on that one. But he will be getting a scathing review.
The days certainly seem to be speeding past. I turn 65 next month and have been thinking about my life in blocks of 5 years. The early years seemed to last for so long whereas the past 5 years have passed in the blink of an eye. When I was 15 we left Hong Kong to start afresh in Australia (my father retired from the British Colonial Service). Over the next 5 years I finished school, left home, worked in several places, had a few boyfriends and got married at 20. So much crammed into 5 years. Since turning 60 I have briefly worked 2 jobs (and left them both), greeted 5 granddaughters, farewelled my father in law, brother in law and some good friends and moved house. It's all seems so recent. It doesn't feel like the 5 years of my youth and the important things happened to other people but had some effect on me. I guess when we are young it's all about us.
My depression and anxiety have flared again. I realise this is the norm for me at this time of year even though I love winter. Interestingly my first anxiety episode was in August 1971 (I didn't know what it was at the time but never forgot that feeling). We were living in Hong Kong at the time so it certainly wasn't seasonal as it was a hot sticky summer. After 50 years I am learning to cope better and allow myself down time when needed.
Enough navel gazing. It's a glorious day. Time for a coffee and some oats.
Spring is just around the corner. I love being able to pick flowers from my garden and the scent is superb.
The placemat in the background is one of a pair I finished yesterday. The runner is one that my mother in law had on her table for as long as I can remember. Towards the end she used to "hide" money underneath it. We found hundreds of dollars. Now it sits on our table and we always have a $50 note under it. It is obviously hand made and I would love to ask her who made it but her blindness and dementia make that an unlikely quest.
We are still in our weeklong lockdown with no indication whether it will be extended or not. NSW seem to be completely stuffed with infected people travelling wherever they seem to choose.
Himself ordered the garage door and paid a hefty deposit (probably should have been a red flag) and now we cannot get in touch with the dude or his company. Needless to say he is feeling a little foolish but it really was a professional approach and the bloke spent ages here measuring up and offering suggestions. Himself has been to the bank to see if he can get the transaction reversed and will contact consumer affairs. I told him to go to the current affair shows. They love this sort of thing but I don't really think he wants it to be made public for the world to see.
I swear this dog thinks she's a cat!
