September 2023

 I usually go out walking on Tuesday's with my friends Kerrie and Deb. We all worked together at Southside Physio for a number of years. We call ourselves the Tuesday Girls. We are usually accompanied by our hats! Recently we have been exploring some of the areas around Canberra and a few weeks ago we went out to Googong Dam and surrounds. We had a lovely time exploring an area we hadn't been too but not far from home.

Here are our hats enjoying the view of Googong Dam.

This was the view downstream of Googong Dam

Another week we headed down to the southern end of Googong Foreshore and did a walk that took us out to the London Bridge Arch. Somewhere I have been meaning to go in the 29 years we have been in Canberra and finally got there. Driving out was lovely, through Burra, into the hills and all the wattle that was in bloom.

Floriade started last week so the Tuesday Girls played tourist in their own town. We live on the Southside and the Light Rail is on the Northside and we haven't been on it, so decided it was time. Deb was dog and house sitting at her dad's place in Watson, so Kerrie and I drove there, we walked down to the Light Rail stop and caught the tram into Civic. We were a bit disconcerted when we got on the tram and the young people in the priority seats got up to give us a seat- that means we look old to young people- oh dear! The tram was well patronised and we didn't have to wait long to catch it.

We walked through Civic, past the Big Magpie

And over the bridge to Floriade.

It was a beautiful spring day and the flowers were just beautiful.

The Tuesday Hats enjoying the sun.

Deb and Kerrie with the tea cup and saucer

Checking in the with the Frost menagerie

Lyra checking out some Gumnut Patisserie cakes she is not allowed to have!

Budgie and Hawk hanging out

Lucy and Hugo hanging out. They are good little buddies and love chasing around the house and garden.

Hugo had some baby teeth removed and was desexed. He was supposed to be kept quiet for 2 weeks and wear a collar to stop him licking his wound. The vet sent him home with a plastic collar that they couldn't get on him, so we got this inflatable collar for him from Pet Barn which he adapted too pretty quickly. It made him look even cuter! As for keeping him quiet that was nigh impossible, probably managed 48 hours, then he was jumping on the bed and play fighting with Lucy. However he had a check up after two weeks and all was good!

July and August Update

 As you can see I have been rather slack with updating my blog so trying to make amends.

My mum had a fall 3 days into her holiday to Townsville in June. She ended up fracturing her hip, sacrum and pelvis. Fortunately she didn't need surgery but had to be off her right leg for 6 weeks. She got good care in Townsville Hospital and spent 4 1/2 weeks there. My brother Michael flew up and spent 10 days up there and was able to keep us informed of what was happening and what needed to be done. Mum handled it all amazingly well and was very positive and determined, was very good at doing all the exercises she was given by the physios. It turns out mum had a nephew in Townsville, so Linley Ward and his wife Sarah were a great help to mum. Members from the church and the missionaries came in to visit mum, she was well cared for which was great with us all being so far away.

                                                            

Kim was up in Cairns on a work trip with his wife Filomena, they were driving south so were able to call in to see mum.

My sister in law Arlene flew up to Townsville and spent two weeks there helping mum out and taught mum how to text and gave her lessons on her mobile phone so mum is better at using her mobile now which is great. 

I flew up and helped Arlene bring mum home on the plane once they found a rehab bed for her in Casey Hospital. Here we are early in the morning waiting for the wardsman to come and collect mum to take her to the taxi. Mum was so excited about going home she barely slept.

Here is mum on the plane ready to fly home Business Class. We got her safely back!

Mike had her all settled into Casey Rehab Hospital. Mum spent about 5 days there. They did her x-rays and found the fractures were healing and then they had her up and walking around on a wheelie walker and doing physio and she was soon ready to come home.

Meanwhile back in Canberra I had an appointment with a neuro-ophthalmologist to try and figure out what was going on with my dilate pupil. She was pretty sure it was Aides pupil. My right pupil is dilated, responds slowly to light, it is likely caused by an infection and should eventually return to normal size within 12 months. I have had all sorts of tests on my eyes, all seems to be okay. Have had a CT scan and they are getting me to do a MRI scan of my brain and eyes, mainly just as a precaution. Has been a busy time with lots of appointments!

We had our front door painted- Burnt Embers- very pleased with the result and have tidied up the front porch and managed to pick up a pot which almost matches.

We had a run of minus 5 and 6's in July but beautiful sunny mornings as a result. Bill's favourite swan family is growing- he has been feeding them cornflakes most mornings.

They weren't there for a few days and it turned out the mother had walked them down to the nearby Point Hut Pond, probably just under a kilometre away. The pond is a lot bigger so probably better food supply. 

At church we had our annual service project where we help out the Zonta Breakfast Club- an amazing group of well organised women, to pack birthing kits for women in developing countries. This year we packed 2500 kits. It is such a privilege to be associated with this program and this group of women.

At the beginning of August I headed down to Melbourne to spend two weeks with mum to help her settle back into life at home. I drove to Berwick via Cooma, Bombala, Cann River and stopped of at Lakes Entrance where I walked across the bridge, up the sand dune to see the ocean.

Mum was settling in well, it was good to see her and spend two weeks with her. We got lots done.

Mum had quite a few appointments I needed to take her too, had to drive in all that Melbourne traffic, put up with lots of people everywhere, made me appreciate living in Canberra.

I was able to drop mum of at her Wednesday morning 500 Card game group. She had a great time catching up with all her friends and playing 500. They were pleased to have her back.

 Mum was moving around well with her wheelie walker, gave her back her independence and kept her safe.

I got to work weeding and tidying up her courtyard. Moved some of the pots around so she had better access. A before shot.

And after shot.

I have been having piano lessons this year, I took my music down to Melbourne with me and practiced on this lovely piano in the Auditorium at mum's retirement village. It was lovely to play on, mum and I would head down when it was empty, usually around 5pm in the afternoon. Mum would walk around on her wheelie walker, do her exercises and sit and read while I practiced.

Pam is now a great grandmother- my niece Natalie and her husband Dylan produced the first great grand child in June this year.

While I was in Melbourne I got to meet little Robbie and have a cuddle- that makes me a great aunt- sounds rather old!

 

Mum and I also visited Ella and Kieran and got to meet their very friendly, handsome rag doll cat - Louie

It was time to head home and on the way stopped for lunch at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, one of my favourite places. It was also their hot chocolate festival. Yum oh.

I arrived home Tuesday, on Wednesday Amy and Bill went and met Hugo the 7 month old havanese puppy. Looks like he is staying, didn't realise we had ordered a desk dog.

He has settled in well. He is 3.5kg to Lucy's 5.5kg. That makes a total of 9kg- we could get another 4 sets of dogs to be the equivalents of a 50 kg Luna! I think we will just stick with these 2. He is a lovely little dog and he and Lucy are getting on well. Lucy didn't eat much for the first 3 days after Hugo arrived, she wasn't sure about no longer being the only dog but now seems to be used to the idea.

Have been enjoying some lovely walks in the recent sunshine. Last week I did a walk to the old dry stone wall built in the late 1800's, it used to be the boundary between two properties. Enjoyed walking along the Murrumbidgee to get there.

Took Amy shopping for a new bed- I mean bath. We had the ensuite renovated in May, now it is time to get the main bathroom done. Fun and games.