The Angst of Christmas Shopping…

 

Really, leaving aside my dark patch of the present, what the hell is the hoo haa, agony, & sheer distress, of people doing “Christmas Shopping’.

This year, due to various financial necessities & ‘reasons’ as Thirdcat might say, we decided to do the “Secret Santa’ thing.

This entails each person listing up to  3 choices of what they may like to receive. A monetry limit was set between blah blah & hah blah. Some drawees, decided they needed to spend the Hah blah amount.

Unfortunately, seeing we are a small family group, we all worked out who got who. I am appalled at who got my choices, which, though very moderate, &, I felt reasonable to any budget, are proving to be a little ‘off beat’. I know the person concerned is trying to do the ‘right thing’. But the agony it is causing is not worth it.

If I had my ‘druthers’ as the Americans say, I would opt for us all to just buy a gift for a needy child to gift to a tree, & leave it at that. After all, we all have enough ‘things’ to last a lifetime. We are not wanting for any creature comfort, so anything outside that, has to be just surplus to our needs, in fact, an utter indulgence!

The butterflies are quite happy with our Buddleia  shrub, though I have yet to capture any sitting on the flowers.

My vegetable garden endeavours all ended in disaster, & I may in fact, be lucky to pick a tomato or two when they ripen… always supposing they will get that far.

 

The Ivy Geranium seem almost indestructable & I still have some Oregano.

The Basil tends to come & go, due to lack of water. The Thyme, which is one of my favourites is trying to strike up random plants from a shrub I had for many months.

 

 

If you look really closely here, you may see tomatoes, but they will amount to very little, I fear.

I have strawberries the size of less than my small fingernail, …sweet, but useless really.

The Radishes I planted looked so good when they sprouted, but are being eaten by snails--- where the f are the lizards I see lazing about the garden??? I thought they loved to eat them??

I thought to buy one of those snail bait thingies, where the dogs are protected, because they are too heavy to overturn & it is a bait motel, where the snails & slugs enter to gorge & thence die. At 30% discount to leave a cost of $30 each I decided I will troll garage sales for large, heavy, ugly, ashtrays!

This morning I went to collect SG to take him for the Bus stop to school. He was delighted to find a pink feather for his sister –“She loves Pink!” I am not sure, but I think he wrecked it, so no more was said.

We were so proud of him, he got the Class Award this year, & has a love medal as a prize.

 

Encounters outside the Professional Arena

 

Alas! No pics to illustrate the post,

I saw lots of lovely bark trunks to take pics of, but I was not allowed to stop!!

We had some reason in the recent past, to engage the services of a ‘financial person’. A very pleasant male, who came to counsel, & seemingly, give wise advise.

Today, whilst out shopping in some ghastly crowded Mall, we chanced upon this person. He was extremely embarrassed upon being recognized, so therefore pretended non recognition, & skipped off to other areas, where we would not encounter him again. Why??

The fact that he was in casual garb, should not be cause for shame, surely?

The fact that he normally met us in white shirt, collar & tie is not cause for embarrassment?/ We had liked this person as he appeared- a nice genuine human, who had a life outside his ‘office persona’.

Is this an indication that he gave us sh!thouse advice? Is he ashamed of himself? I found it rather disquieting, to watch him dodge us with such lack of grace.

Had I been able to locate him, I would have forced a greeting. (could it be, that I am a b!tch??)

**********

In other news, we have learned our Male GP has suffered an aggressive form of Prostate cancer. He is hopeful it is under control, & his wife, also a GP we see, tells us the news is all good.

I have recently lost a relative to this hideous disease, & so we are hoping all is going well.

 

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

I am grappling other personal demons at present.

You know what they say… Life is a bitch… & then you either marry one… or your turn into one!!

Apologies to my friends who neither like nor wish to read, of profanities!

Long time gone. Past encounters.

I do not like this conversation..

 

I am tired of this conversation I am lately having with myself.

I am trying to change things around in my life, to somehow restart the sewing  spark. Or even the writing spark would be nice. Indeed, any spark at all !

Apparently I am not a very ‘Motivational Speaker’ judging by the results!

 

Gom has had his annual checkup for his hearing aids. I did not accompany him this time.  I did not tell, of his latest trick, which is to remove his aids, remove his spectacles, and sit, with his ears & eyes closed. As though to shut out his world.

Which includes me, of course.

This fact comes around in my self talks.

Somehow, when we were young, the thought of retirement was attractive. It would give us time to pursue things we had no time for, when we were busy earning our crusts and crumbs.

Travel was one of my dreams. It is lucky we did do some travelling, when there were funds available, and the body was able.

The likelihood of travel now, is about zero. It is not Gom’s fault, that he is losing his sight, so why do I feel cheated?

I need to change the way I look at things, myself.

 

As I sat,in our car,  waiting for the test to be completed, I read my trusty book, and contemplated the passing parade of various types. Most of which were perfectly normal and nice looking people.

Then, I heard the raucous screaming, screeching foul language. A couple, who appeared to be drug affected came screaming, and swearing,  up the street. It was just after 3 pm. Parents were collecting their small children from the nearby Primary School.

This hideous couple, stopped to screech at each other, right where children were crossing the street. The woman’s shrilly voice berated the male for his F…ing this & F…ing that. Pointing her finger, waving her arms about, while the dopey male whined '”But Babes… But Babes”…

Then they turned & did it all in  reverse, going down the street again. They seem to lose all sense of decency, of dignity.

I felt tempted to leap out of the car, & give them each a good slapping!! Though I am sure their drug fuelled fury would have seen me beaten to the pavement! That is not really what I have in mind, when thinking of changes!

Recently, one of my Nephew’s had an ‘80s Party to mark his 30th Birthday.

Today is my Beloved Brother’s birthday- sadly it it not his 30th!

In honour of his birthday here he is as he appeared at the Party, AKA Willie Nelson!

Happy Birthday Bro!

 

Technorati Tags: Buddy Holly,Fools Paradise. BB Birthday,Self talk.

Have you seen this person??

 

You must have seen this person. Mostly a female, but sometimes a male. They have dyed their hair in clumps & stripes. So when one is sitting dreamily contemplating the Passing Parade, one is fooled into thinking one has just seen a high cat passing by one’s vision!

A very Elevated Tortoiseshell cat, in fact! One sneaks a second look, sniggers ~almost~ as one realizes it is just another middle aged Breakout Artist, wishing to assert His/Her freedom of choice!

 

I used to look upon such things with jaundiced eye. I used to think to myself, “What the hell was s/he thinking?”

Now, while I could never do such a thing myself, I secretly admire her/his guts. Not so much on the young set. On the older set~ definitely!!

Why should the young have all the fun, after all?

 

Now I see, on older persons ‘Cankles’  ankle tattoos. I also used to think, a little sneeringly, “What the Hell was this person thinking??” Surely, when the ankles are really no more recognizable as such, why would you draw attention to these swollen body parts?

Now, I judge no more, & think to myself, if it makes them happy, so be it.

Life is, after all, rather short.

 

In light of recent personal events, here is a Passionflower. I have been told this is a Passionfruit vine, but I am unconvinced. The leaves are not the same as previous Passionfruit  we have grown.

Yesterday, whilst engaged in conversation, with a half sister, we discussed how much be both detest cartoons.We reminisced about how we had loathed the cartoons at the movies, when we were young. We both disliked- intensely- Charlie Chaplin, Keystone Cops, all those pie-in-he-face Slapstick ‘comedies’.

We never thought them funny, in most senses of the word. Certainly, never humorous!!

I love this sister, my full brother & I both love her. We wish we had known her growing up. We were raised separately, and grew to adult-hood not knowing each other, until we we met, at almost, middle age.

We have so many points of similarity. So many habits are recognizable. We have such fun, discovering how much we have in common, in spite of our different upbringing. Nature or Nurture??

We have other siblings, not familiar to us. Raised in another life, perhaps with completely different expectations. It is nice to know we love them too. We do feel a kinship with these brothers & sisters. We mourn the one who died. The sister we have never met is missed.

This is a source of some of my joy.

Such a pretty ring. So hard to photograph.

When I say, Do you Know this Person? I think I mean me. The greying, slowing person who composes this blog…

 

 

I cant find the labels option on this post format? I am trying out Windows live Writer…

Labels are: Do you know this person. Life is short-yes?

Benefits

I am finding the uploading of photos, in the order I choose to be very difficult, with the new formatting of Blogger.

Am I alone in this? Or is it more complicated  confusing, than it used to be?

I am so lucky to have friends. Look what I got this week! A wonderful gift, from a friend, who knows just how to make me happy! I LOVE this book! I has some brilliant quilt patterns. The Instructions are marvellous, & I am sure I will be making more than one quilt from this great book.

There was the added bonus of these magazines... which I did not have already! There is a quilt in one, which I am about to cut for.

Several other brilliant ideas, which never go amiss, as we Quilters know!

We have had SG -Small Grandson- staying for a few nights.

He was a model guest & an absolute delight to have.

Here he is showing Nanna his Nintendo DS. He spent some time assisting his Grandfather to play Mario, and though Gom's eyesight is failing, he made a great effort to get the hang of it all!

Now, this is where it gets a little strange in the posting 'compose' mode.

On my screen, I see the Christamas stocking first.

However on the preview I see the Reality pic of the back yard garden is the next.

See the giant Phallic Symbol tree, belonging to our Neighbour?

It houses Indian Myna bird nests, & we hope he has trimmed them so that they are frightened away... somehow I doubt it.

According to the Preview, the next pic is my lovely Cousin's jump start on Christmas!

Lovely Bright Red Stockings. I think my other lovely Cousin, her sister, is going to have them on her stall. Good luck!

Preview indicates the next pic is the beautiful quilt my Beloved Cousin J made, to gift to the Hospice, which I understand, is where here SIL passed away. It is called Promise of Peace. The Hospice intend to hang it in the "Quiet Room", which I feel is very appropriate. I love the soft colours.

Last but not least, how sweet is this!

What sweet little bundles of love, complete with labels!!

If you are lonely, or bereft, please consider adopting a pet. They all deserve a chance at life, & can often save lives, just by being so loving & giving, to owners who may have been in despair.

The plainest looking pet, can give love & devotion that can far outweigh the 'face'value!!

Do You Think???

Do you think, there are times when you miss someone, who has died, and passed out of your life, ... you miss them soooo much you dream them back into your life??

I think this must be true. Because I keep dreaming of my friend, who is gone.
I keep holding his living body in my dreams.
I keep feeling his living body, the warmth, the joy, the life force.
His vital, living being, ... I feel it still, in my dreams.
I enfold his physical body. I crush him to my warmth with love and affection.

We were never physical lovers, yet I feel his presence. I feel his body, his being.
Which goes against all I believe of how we are.

His favourite song for us...

Mary Hopkin, Those Were The Days My Friend.

So what have they been doing on Blogger??

So, while I wasn't paying attention, they have changed blogger all around, & now I can't tell WTH I am doing! Grrrrr.

I find it very disconcerting to have the cursor in the center of the page before I begin to type.

I have also been having   fun tedious trouble getting the photos in the preferred order for posting.

Today this gorgeous girl, light of our lives, is 40 years old.

As I have previously stated, she has been both our Rainbow, & our Pot of Gold.

I am quite dismayed to see the old photos are becoming damaged.

I used to take our children for regular photographs at an excellent outlet called "While-U-Wait" and in about an hour you could collect as many prints as you chose.

Since we lived in the South Island, & my relatives all lived in the North Island, I found this service affordable, & an easy way to keep the rellies updated with growth progress.

My photographic skills were seriously lacking in those days, with many a missing head or legs.

Bless the advent of Digital Cameras!

This happy shot was taken when our baby returned to the nest after a year of 'Overseas Experience'.

Natally speaking this is another busy month for our family.

This gorgeous boy, my nephew,  turned 30 on Monday. I think he was about 4 when this was taken.

Here he is today, all grown up, and still a gorgeous man!

It was also Honey's 9th Birthday, and next is my sister, then Gom's sister -not that they are on friendly terms, but I still think of her. Then it is my Beloved Brother's birthday.

I was looking forward to having a real rant today. The subject matter was to be "UGLY PEOPLE".

By ugly I don't necessarily mean the ugliness of the physical kind, though that can be a factor, however, that is often a unfortunate side effect.

Random observations,

Whilst waiting at the Bus stop with SG, a large vision resembling a sack of pumpkins, accompanied by a rather unfortunate cringing child. I immediately nicknamed the pumpkin vision Mrs Oxenslat.

It proved an apt name. She stopped close behind me, & proceeded to bellow out in unintelligable screeches, what sounded like "Looka this bitch! Muz beadyejob, whaddya reckon? Same as moin-same colour"

I am sure that is not what she actually said, but her shrill twisted tones were beyond interpretation... to me anyway.

SG & I froze on the spot. I may have even cowered a little, expecting a gigantic thump, from a pumpkin limb.

The people she was apparently addressing, Mr & Mrs Limp & Shrimp, were waiting across the road at the opposite bus stop.

Mr & Mrs Limp & Shrimp froze too, looked aghast, then attempted nods, mutters & grunts. I am sure they had no more idea than I did, what Mrs Oxenslat had actually said.

Yesterday, we took SG to the local Village to get bread.

Mr Seedy was striding about, accompanied by a nice looking lad, I took to be his son. Out in the carpark, Son of Seedy was stainding waiting patiently with a trolley containing some goods.

Next thing Mr Seedy barrells up to the boy, snarling "For F***'s sake get a bloody move on!"

The poor boy. I noted he didn't flinch, so I guess that is a normal way to be addressed.

What are these monsters doing to these innocent children?


We have SG staying for a couple of days, while his parents are away together. This morning we took him down to catch his regular bus to school.
The bus almost zoomed right on by, but he stopped in front of our car, & SG got on board. Imagine our consternation, when the bus paused, then did a U turn, & roared off with SG, going in the wrong direction!

We remained, anxiously waiting to see if the bus would return. I walked to the corner to see if it was at the other stop. Just as I was panicking, it came around the corner, the bus driver waved, & SG waved & off it went, to collect other little passengers along the normal route!
I wonder what that was all about!

Now it is November..

How relaxed should we be?
I would say this is Nirvana, in Relaxation!!

I love the way the tail is just laid there, to designate total trust!!
"I will just lie here, & you will just admire, & adore me!!"

I won't go into the horrible threats that have been made against this gentle Girl. An old, sicko, whose idea of animals is to torture them..
Please send positive vibes for Sweet Mindy!!

Edited to add, Mindy is not my cat~ wish she was!~ she lives in New Zealand and belongs to my cousin J.

We have been having some threatning looking skies. I must say, they are tame compared to last year's skies.
I have been revisiting last year's posts, & am dismayed to realise how many no longer comment.
Am I boring? Am I repetitive?

The tree, once referred to as the Coffee Table Tree, still remains.The site of it's home is now for sale for $900,000. It is scary to think it is to be sold to the highest bidder.

Even if I could afford it, I would never bid for it. It is Heritage listed. Therefore, can never be re~created, or effectively remodelled. Is that why there is no photograph of the kitchen??

The bedrooms have individual fireplaces. Not a modern advantage?

Nor even a modern option?

It is sad, to think that it may not be sold, nor respected, as local lore would expect.

I suspect most folks herabouts, could not care less, nor would they bid on such a deadend proposition.

The skies above it all, give nothing away.

Why would they?

Time stands still for no man.

I show my age here, with this really old Jukebox song from my youth.

Russ Hamilton, Rainbow.

Surprise Reactions

It is now over fourteen years since my mother died. I find that very hard to believe.

I cried, at the mention, or thought of her, for five years after her passing.

There are times when I still miss her desperately.

I can remember her telling me the same thing, about her mother.

I guess, we never, ever, get over the loss or our mother, if we had a close relationship.



My Beloved Brother has just had a series of surgeries. Not related. But one of those 'patches' ~ or 'batches'~ which seem to attack us from time to time.

He is recovering, well, from his second surgery, which was less serious than the first.

He mentioned that he keeps 'smelling' our mother with him. In his vehicle. In his house, in the Hospital, both before, & after his surgery.



I know what he means, & I too 'smell' our mother in times of stress. Or even, in times of relaxed contemplation.



After our Mother had died, & I had returned to my home in Australia, I was driven, you might say, to plant growing things.

I was beyond the age to have babies.

I longed for living things. I longed for new creation.

I longed for a baby to cuddle. I would wish my children would produce more grandbabies, for me to cuddle, & confirm, the continuity of life.

I am told this is not unusual.

It is all about the primitive urge to produce life, to keep on living.



Reproduction. Such a Primitve urge. We really have little control over ourselves, if we think about it.

The Human Condition, seems bound to want to reproduce.



I planted pots with lots of plants. I grew from branches of wonderful plants existing in the garden. I had lovely success, & I rescued plants from 'Death Row'.



This Brunfelsia was one such rescue. I took it from a seedling in our rented garden.

I look at it now, beside this Strelitzia, which we bought, & planted, when it was very very small. How proud it seems now.

This strange & slightly Magical plant is flourishing in our garden. I cannot find the name of it, though I have searched the Internet. It is a very pretty pale pink & I love it for living in spite of me!!

Here it is beside another Brunfelsia, which a kind neighbour gave us, when we were redesigning our garden bank.

As I was out there, taking photos, I saw these holes in the bank under the Maple. I hope they are from Cicadas, hatching out.

I hope they are NOT funnel web spider lairs!!

When we redid the garden, we were advised there were several Funnel Web spider lairs! I am such a coward...

I really have no idea what these next plants are. I bought them at a Garage sale, & they have continued to live on the bank, in the shade of the Grevillea, & various other trees.

The slugs seem to adore them, so they never get very large, or vigorous!

I suspect that death, will always awaken an urge to live on, & we will contine to follow that urge throughout the ages.

Joan Baez, Luba the Baroness.

Green Springy Bits... and Pieces.

This has thus far, been a very odd Spring. It has been the wettest October for blah blah blah. You know the story, every day there seem to be some new record of the hottest, dryest, wettest etc...

The green things seem to like all this rain.
The Basil is flourishing!

Lunch out was without incidence of bums or other annoying appendages. The fish was so fresh it was fantastic.
The lettuce are delicious.

SG came for a day.
"Nan" he said, "My tummy is sore. I think it is my body telling me it is missing school!"
"Oh?" said Nan doubtfully...
Then there was a popping noise.
"Oops" said SG.
"Ah," said Nan, "I think your body is telling you it needs a poo!"
SG raced off giggling. "Yes!" he said.

Why do my violets thrive, so?
With narry a bloom.
But I see they are now minted!

I have not tried the blood & bone.
I have been told dogs will try to eat it, and will become very ill, should they do so!

All this rain suits the strawberries. At least they are flowering.
I just hope we get enough sun sometime soon, to set the fruit, and ripen the berries.


It seems a most curious thing.. the larger more vigorous plants do not seem to be flowering, or doing much growing.
However the smaller ones, are positively flourishing!

Attending a fund raising Rumble sale, Jumble sale, call it what you like.

Looking at assorted rubbish donated goodies. Grabbing a couple of good quilting magazines. Upon asking the price, from a young girl clutching bags to contain the goods, the girl is accosted and accused of "Taking our bags! Look, you've got our bags.What are you doing?"

The poor girl, blushing deeply, meekly tells the accuser, that she is a volunteer, & she is, in fact, helping!

She places my magazines into a bag, & I make my way round further tables.

I overhear several b!tch sessions taking place, about how 'disorganized things are' and how 'someone should have told her' 'what does he think he is doing' 'who told her she could..', etc etc.

Always the same story in every club or gathering.

It is partly why I remain a non joiner.



My cooking is benefitting greatly from the herbal growth.

This wonderful Oregano, was a gift from friends. It died down but has made a splendid comeback! I love it in salads too.

There is a chive plant in there too, doing it's best to survive.

On clickage, you can see a little pink flower on a shrub- well I thought it was a shrub, but it is turning out to be much larger than I anticipated.

It is growing up to the Maple, & the Allamanda is desperately trying to beat off competition on the fence.


You are now looking at a $20 mushroom!!

Doesn't look like much of a mushroom does it?

The story is, I bought a mushroom garden in a box, some time ago.

I did all the right things, & sat back to watch my garden flourish.

Except... you guessed it... it did not flourish.

Thus far, this is the one & only mushroom to appear.

I know it must be my fault somehow, but I am beggered if I know how, or why.

In the Supermarket, a woman was having a very lively discussion about the merits of various packages of meat..... which was fine. Until I noticed she was totally alone! She seemed to be talking to the meat! No, she did not have a mobile phone in her hand or anywhere that I could see.

She seemed quite unconcerned, when she noticed that I had noticed her. She made her choices, them moved on, to talk to the breads, and bread rolls.



Here for your viewing pleasure is a delightful photo of young O, with his proud Dad. They were at the local Tractor Show.

Peas in a pod?

His mother, had a wonderful time, watching people's faces, as she told them she has named her son after a tractor!






Not for any particular reason... just that I love Bob Seger.

Roll Me Away.

Blasts from the Past.

Sometimes a scent or a song, or even a colour will suddenly send me right back to a former life, with a former me, feeling just as I did way back then.

One such song, is Boys of Summer, sung by Don Henley.

I was a shop owner back in that life. I could please myself what I served and how. I had a menu of 'healthy' foods, most of which I prepared myself, fresh, each day in my shop.

I had a Silver Torana car, which I loved driving, & I would have the radio playing loudly on my way to & from work.
One of the hits of that time was Don Henley's Boys of Summer. So every time I hear that song, I am instantly transported back to the freedom of my own car, my own shop, my own hours of trading.

Occasionally Gom would come to help me in the shop. Sometimes our Daughter came & helped me. I had one assistant, a girl, who worked part time, & she & I got along very well. We both loved the same music and both had the similar senses of humour.

She was married to a lean, mild looking man, who periodically turned into some type of Swamp Monster, for want of a better term. He did not drink, but he would turn suddenly into a fiend from Hell, and beat his wife. She would run to her Mother in Law's house, with her two children. Her MIL would slap, & hit, her son, when he came rampaging after his wife.

It seemed incredible. I would never have believed him capable of such lunacy, if I had not witnessed the broken teeth, the black eyes, the bite marks on her body. The scratches.

Her tales of splintered wardrobes, shattered mirrors, sounded farfetched.
His rage seemed to somehow, completely transform him, and give him incredible strength. As I said he was a smallish built man, who seemed so couth, so sane.

Everyone advised her to leave him. Each attack seemed to escalate. She finally did leave him, before he killed her. They remained 'friends', unbelieable as that sounds. I don't think even he knew what demons drove him.

She came to visit me, when I was another person, living another life entirely. I was so happy to see her, and see how well she looked.

The life and times of the Boys of Summer had passed by then.
Boys of Summer had meant a new house.
A son staying before he left for his Overseas Experience.
Another son, gaining an apprenticeship he really wanted.
That same son meeting the girl, who was to be the one of his dreams, for the next seventeen years. We loved her too.
Our Daughter, leaving a huge hole in my life, as she went back to live in New Zealand.

As in Fairytales, the world turned, our lives dramatically changed.
I sold my shop.
I found another life as an office worker. I became another me, happy enough.
Then our lives changed again.
I became another me, entirely different to any other, previous 'me'.

The Boys of Summer, didn't sing in this new life.
I no longer had my lovely house.
I no longer had my beloved Silver Torana.
On Saturday nights, nerve shattering music invaded my life, shattering more than my nerves.
I broke.

From the ashes came a new me.
I can listen to Boys of Summer now, and recapture the wonderful feeling of driving in my car, the happiness of that era.
I can see past the sadness, the sounds of other music, and still feel the joy of that music .

Don Henley, Boys of Summer

Five Random Words.

Today, I am playing Five Random Words. My words were chosen by Violet Sky., at my request, so it is an optional game.
I like these games. I never know what I am likely to come up with, until I begin to write.

Well sometimes I think about it, and do have an idea, but often it is not until I am in the process, that it flows.

BOATS
Boats tend to make me rather nervous. I seem to have a type of motion aversion/sickness. I once travelled on the InterIsland Ferry from Wellington to Lyttleton. It was an overnight journey, with hard bunks to sleep on. I spent most of the night sitting on the edge of the bunk, watching the horizon through the porthole. It was the only way I could prevent the feeling that I was about to vomit. I rocked & rolled for days after that trip. My sense of balance was well & truly out of whack. The service no longer runs, but I would never have wanted to repeat my night of sailing.
I have done the InterIsland trip from Picton in the South Island, to Wellington, in the North Island. That is a much shorter trip, but depending upon the weather, it can be rather unpleasant, or quite mildly enjoyable. Cook Strait is notorious for being unpredictable, so it is not always plain sailing, so to speak. Not very pleasant with small children though! Nervous mothers and boats do not mix!
I did think I would love to go on a cruise, but we never did. I have been on Yachts, sailing in Auckland Harbour. I have wished I was anywhere but on the yacht! I have ridden on the Harbour Ferries on Sydney Harbour. Mostly those trips have been pleasant.
I once went for a Dinner Cruise, on a Chinese Junk, in the Harbour at Singapore.
My brother & I once travelled on the RiverCat up the Parramatta river, & that was a lovey trip. Much more pleasant than a stuffy train.
I have ridden on boats on the canal waterways on the Gold Coast. I detested the smell, and the noise.
No, you can keep your boats, I will always prefer to fly.

SPOONS
As it happens, I am rather particular about spoons. Which spoons for what purpose. Gom is inclined to eat his icecream with a soup spoon, if that is the first one he enouncters in the cutlery drawer. As far as I am concerned, the only use for soup spoons, is to eat soup. Dessert spoons are for dessert. Teaspoons are more versatile, I will use them for all sorts of things, from cups of soup to sneaking slurps of Chocolate spread from the jar.
Has any one else noticed how there is a dearth of Tablespoons these days? Once upon a time, any self respecting canteen of cutllery contained at least two large tablespoons. Now they are like hens teeth, ...unable to be found except in the set of measuring spoons. Or at Garage sales of deceased Mother's odd collection of utensils, which the family regard with disdain.
I still wonder where the teaspoons of my life have all gone. I suspect they must sneak off with the odd socks, to dance in some secret dimension. How else to explain their mysterious disappearances?

LANGUAGE
Language is a tricky word to write about. I have only one language, English. The English I know and speak is not exactly the same as the English others speak. Much of it is the same, but there are the words which have grown over the years and generations, and have come to mean different things, in different countries, though we may all speak 'English'. Even in New Zealand, where I grew up, there are regional differences in the use and meaning of certain words.
Then there are the 'colourful' language words, some of which are universal I suspect. Some words regarded by the English as 'swear' words, are quite meaningless as such to another person from a different language speaking background. A Dutch friend once told us how he could never understand why anyone would want to use the term bullsh!t as a swear word. He said to him, it simply meant the feces of the bull, and therefore was unremarkable.
My mother often complained about the improper use of terms in everday use. We could not convince her that language is a living thing, and therefore is constantly evolving with time and use.


BEARDS
Ah yes, beards. Not everyone's choice. My brother has a full beard, which he grew when he was quite young, and he has only shaved it off once since he first grew it. Our mother had nagged at him for years to get rid of it. She used to hate finding hairs in the handbasin, after he had trimmed it up. It seemed no matter how careful he was, there were always some hairs to be found. I don't know that his wife cared one way or the other. She had only ever known him with a beard. When he did shave it off, everyone was horrified, including himself. When he had first grown the whiskers, he was a very thin man. When he eventually shaved it off, he was a much larger man. I think he frightened himself, as much as anyone, at the stranger who looked out from his face. Of course, he regrew it, and I am sure he will never take if off again.
I don't recall ever going out with a man with a beard. Gom once grew a short lived moustache when they were 'in', back in the day.


POTATOES
Last word. Potatoes. We love our potatoes, and would hate to be without them. We like them most ways you can cook or eat them. In New Zealand we also had Kumera, which were the equivalent to Sweet Potatoes here, in OZ. The sweet potatoes they call Kumera over here, just do not taste the same.
We were suprised when an Australian girl bemoaned the fact that her NZ inlaws were feeding her potatoes every day, and she felt this was causing her weight gain. We grew up with potatoes being a daily accompaniment to meals, and never felt they were 'fattening'.
I still love the New Zealand South Island potatoes the best of all. I am not sure why, but perhaps it is the soil, or the fact that it is colder than the North Island, but somehow, they just taste wonderful.
Though my MIL & I were worlds apart in every way, she could cook the best roast potatoes I have ever tasted.

So that wraps up my five words.
Violet Sky got hers from Ian at and I still think so..
I am sure, if you would like five words from either they would oblige.... or I would be happy to provide five words if you would like some.

Crowded House, Distant Sun.

Life's Little Grumbles.

Not so many of the Life's Free Treats. Recently, they have been mixed with Life's Little Grumbles.

Our Daughter has been having crap vehicle car troubles again, so we lend her our car, so that she can keep her job.
Gom walks Leo most evenings, so he is fitter than I am. On the other hand he does not have a buggered worn out knee. Plus, Honey is getting older like me, & her little knees have problems too.

He walked down to the shops for luxuries staples, such as bread, & milk.

One day we decided we were both a little stir crazy, so we hobbled- me walked-he, down to the local Pub, to have lunch.
It was rather a windy day, so we were helped along on the way down, with a back wind, & the fear of falling branches!

As it happened there was a large crowd for lunch, including a 'party' of some sort, which consisted of a lot of aged people- around our age, actually, but we won't dwell on that.
I always endeavour to sit in a corner, as I abhor sitting in 'alleyways' where the constant stream of 'traffic' bumps my chair, or the waitress whizzes past with precariously balanced meals, in danger of landing in my lap.
Gom however, seems to think in terms of economy, & chooses to sit at a table for two, where possible, regardless of where it is situated.
So, here we were, seated next to the longest table of the Party Of Elders, henceforth to be referred to as POE.

Most of the POE had actually finished their meals, so it was time for coffee, & chit chat, & visiting each other, about the table. Some played musical chairs, which was fine. However some chose the "lean-over-and-poke-your-bum-out" option.

One elderly man chose this option just after my meal arrived, so I spent most of my mealtime with a large bum to the left of my face. I kept thinking he would realise, & remove himself, or at least redirect the aim of his rear! Alas, he seemed totally unaware of anyone but himself. I felt peeved & wondered why, so many elderly seem to feel they have the 'Right Of Way' just because they are .... well, old!

Of course, mentally, I was standing up and loudly berating him for his ignorance! Asking would he mind removing his bum from my face, while I enjoyed my lunch?
I am a coward.

I spent a good deal of yesterday in a Medical Center, with our GD.

She was far from well, (So looked nothing like the above pic!) & spent a lot of time asleep, lying on a series of chairs, with her head in my lap.

We were at the center for 3 1/2 hours, in fact. It is a very large Center, & she was depriving noone of a seat. There is a LOT of seating. At times, it does get full! Most people check in, then take off for a couple of hours.
I wont dwell on what I think of the Center. We are lucky to have G Ps we really trust, who will see us in reasonable time, & appointments are available, with reasonable waiting times. It is GD's choice to go to the Medical Center.

As I sat & watched the -extremely slow- passing parade of really elderly & bent/slow, I wondered what it is, that keeps old people clinging so determinedly on to life. Even when the quality of it all has ceased to be of much value, to outside appearances, they still have that urge to live.

To sit, and spend hours, literally, waiting to see a Doctor, for perhaps 2 minutes, tops, for young ones, it seemed like a waste of productive young people's working lives.

That same time spent by the elderly doesn't matter. What else have they got to do with their time? I know that sounds a little harsh, & let's face it, I am getting on myself, so may change my thinking here.

Our son was thinking the same thing, as he attempted to attend a Medical Center close to his work, yesterday, only to find it completely clogged with really old folks, who were most likely just suffering from old age, all clamouring for attention, at the not-yet-opened-doors of the Center.
He took his injured hand, & returned to work.


The Birthday of Small Grandson was celebrated by his family. His silly sister insisted on going to work, after she finally saw a GP. He told her have the day off, but no, she wanted to work, so she was absent from her small brother's 7th Birthday.
Here he is with Gom.
He was teaching Gom the intracacies of Electronic games. He knows far more than we will ever know, even at Seven!

He was excited about his cake, so he stood on the kitchen stool to admire it, then blow out his candles, and make his wish!

David Gray, Babylon.