Grumpy

 

Himself sent me the above. It tickled my sense of humour. I hope it doesn't offend anyone but we all need to lighten up a bit these days. There is so much gloom and doom in the news. This morning I heard about businesses being targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters to the point that honest people can't get to work or are too intimidated. It's like the climate change protesters who block roads - a few weeks ago a woman gave birth on the side of the road because she couldn't get through to the hospital. I have no problem with demonstrating but when it impacts innocent people enough is enough and I damn sure that being inconvenienced by a protest is never going to get me to see their side of the story.

Sorry, I seem to be in a bit of a grump today!

Criminology was fascinating. We looked at a stalking case that our facilitator was directly involved in and which changed the laws to make stalking a criminal offense in three states. Sadly, the woman in question was stabbed to death by her stalker - a man who had a long history but when she went to the NSW courts to plead for help and a restraining order and asked the magistrate to contact the Victorian authorities for their findings said magistrate replied he wasn't interested in the past and believed the stalker when he said he had done nothing. Two days later the woman was dead. I wonder how the magistrate felt. The stalker/murderer was killed by a train shortly after. Suicide? We don't know. This happened 30 years ago and we still have too many women killed in domestic violence.

I mentioned to the facilitator after class about our run ins with CW and she agreed the woman is a concern but also agreed an intervention order might just tip her over the edge. She said all we can do is keep detailed records so if things to escalate we have proof. I don't think Himself is taking this seriously though and he is definitely the object of her obsession - she makes no attempt to approach if I am there. He did say they crossed paths yesterday when he was walking the dogs and ignored each other. I just don't trust her to not make false accusations against him. Thank goodness we have people who have witnessed her bizarre behaviour.

Craft after criminology which is always a pleasant change! Today we talked about fishing, people who don't know the rules about fishing, how to store circular needles (after I produced my tangled mess), vets, disabled toilets and much more. I still hadn't received the yarn to start my shadow knitting (it arrived whilst I was at craft!) so I took a jumper I started knitting for Himself a couple of years ago. I just have the sleeves to do and I reckon I spend half an hour trying to remember how to pick up and get going. But I did and that will be my project for the foreseeable future. I need to finish something.

The osteo gave me some exercises to do and told me to start walking short distances so I did a very short walk this afternoon after the exercises and my hip doesn't like me very much at all. I know things would be easier if I lost some weight but it all gets too damn hard when you're in pain. Whinge whinge.

Himself has a spag bol simmering away and it smells delicious. 

He is currently up at the new house seeing a fencer and just rang to say the garage door is being installed. 

Yay. Something is happening.

Late

A very quick post tonight as it's getting late.

History was great fun and very educational. I did not know how far south the Japanese subs got in WW2. A ship was torpedoed off shore not that far from here and a lot further south than the midget subs that invaded Sydney Harbour that we know about. 

Himself and I had a late brunch at our favourite cafe.

The osteo helped my back but flared up my hip which was to be expected.

A good chat with Mermaid, dinner from the freezer (casserole with rice) and I am nearly ready for bed.

Liars!

That is what CW calls us but in this instance I am using it to call out the weather people.

They promised us a glorious autumn day and failed to deliver.

It was chilly and overcast until very late in the day when the sun finally bathed the town in a watery light.

Himself is still crook. He sleeps most of the day but is slowly improving. I think it might have been a bit more than man flu.

Tomorrow is history at U3A and then an appointment with the osteo to see if he can help my back. I am not a follower of fish slapping and chanting in the moonlight but a good osteo (ie not a nutter) can be as helpful as a physio. And we have an osteo here but no physio! 

I am sure I have shared this before but it always makes me laugh.

Yesterday we had a late lunch at our favourite cafe then a lovely long natter with a couple of neighbours in our new house. 

I can't wait to move in.

Sad times

Well yesterday turned out to be a very sad day.

First of all I found out from Fave Sis in Law that her brother (who is only in his very early 60s) has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. He is angry and in denial and the family are trying to work out what to do, powers of attorney, etc. FSiL and Other Brother are due to head back to Italy in three weeks and she is the go to person in the family even though there are two other siblings who can step up. Their mother is in her late 80s and will be so upset. The brother in question has a son who is about 7 or 8 and an interesting relationship with the boy's mother. A difficult situation for so many people.

Later in the day I found out that a dear friend's son had been involved in a freak accident on a remote property resulting in severe leg and pelvis injuries. Fortunately he was with trained first aiders and they had an emergency beacon which alerted the authorities as there is no phone coverage. His mates kept him warm and still and when the ambos finally got in (about an hour and a half after the accident) they stabilised him and he was transferred via helicopter to hospital. He is still very unwell and surgery keeps being postponed as they find other issues but at least he is alive. 

Later still Cathy left a comment on yesterday's post telling me to check out Andrew's blog. His news is heartbreaking and I know that the blogging community will be thinking of him in this awful time and I am sure many of us will have shed tears.

We never know when things will happen. Tell people you love them. Hug them and appreciate every minute you have. If you go bush make sure you have the right emergency equipment - it saves lives. We cannot know what people are going through so let's make kind and understanding our default behaviour.

Tired

It's been a big day doing very little!

I gave my pint of blood (or whatever it is these days) and collected Murphy's meds from the vet. 

Usually I breeze through the whole process but today I struck someone who was very thorough to the point that she didn't want my blood if I might have a hip replacement within 3 months. I know you can't donate for 6 months after but I'd never heard about the pre surgery restrictions. We agreed I would discuss with the surgeon. Of course after all that my blood pressure was through the roof so that meant further delay until it came down!

The vet had given me a prescription but no tablets so that was another hurdle. I came home with both.

Himself is at the stage of his cold where if he was a child he'd be grizzling. Getting better but still not 100%.

I put my cloud photo from yesterday on the local Facebook page and it's received well over 150 likes. I'm a bit chuffed.

I think it will be an early night tonight.

A quiet day

Anzac Day is a day of reflection. We never make a conscious decision but that is how we seem to spend it. Quietly and at home.

Himself still has man flu so he spent most of the day in bed.

I spent the day playing on the computer and reading a gentle, English whodunnit. It has been chilly and windy. I even wore my tracky daks for the first time this year. Yes, winter is definitely approaching.

Once the invalid had risen from his sick bed and had a shower we popped into town for more panadol and some other bits and pieces.

The hoards had arrived for the long weekend. If there is a day between a weekend and a public holiday many will take it as a day of annual leave and it seems many had done just that.

We ducked around to Bullock Island to see how rough the Entrance would be with the wind. Not as rough as I have seen but still some good waves.

And behind me, this amazing light show of the sun through the clouds (this one is worth biggerising).

Tomorrow I am into Bairnsdale to donate blood. At least it's only a half hour drive unlike the two hours to Traralgon when I donate plasma!

Quiche and coleslaw for dinner with rhubarb and apple crumble to follow. None of it homemade because kitchen, oven, etc.

Rainbows and cake

It was very hazy yesterday evening. Lots of woodsmoke around and no wind.

It gave the whole place a bit of an eerie feel.

Overnight the wind came up and we had some rain and this was the view this morning.

It is still quite breezy and we have had rain on and off all day and this is the view right now. None of the photos have been touched up or fiddled with so you can see the difference in the light and the colour of the ocean.

It was coffee group today. There were only four of us but still a great way to spend a couple of hours. I bought two slices of ginger fluff sponge for dessert. All their pastries and cakes are made in house and the chef is amazing.

This morning we had the range hood replaced. Now we have a brand new, sparkling clean range hood that won't turn intself on in the middle of the night and refuse to work when we needed it to. Did I mention sparkling clean? Why don't people regularly clean their range hoods and ovens? It has left a gap above the tiles so I guess the owner is going to have to rectify that at some point! This afternoon the odd job bloke came and replaced fittings in taps and stopped a couple of doors from sticking. 

On Monday Himself complained about a sore throat. Yesterday he came down with man flu. Today I have an itchy nose and a sore throat but I can't get sick as I have an appointment to donate blood on Friday. Obviously I will cancel if I do get worse. 

Tomorrow is Anzac Day. I am not sure what it would equate to in other countries as we also observe remembrance day on 11th November. It is so lovely to see young people who have not had their lives touched by war pay their respects at dawn services. I guess it was the first time Australians served in a conflict under their own flag - even if it was fought many miles from home.

Sadly it wasn't the last.