© irene waters 2017
Hi. You came at the right time. We have just got back from New Beith. Before we sit what can I get you. Coffee or any type of tea you like. It is such a cold day perhaps you would like a hot chocolate.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that New Beith is just over 2hours from where we live and probably a suburb of Brisbane. Although we desperately wanted rain as neither of us enjoy driving in it, today was the day it pelted down but we would have liked one of our lovely blue days. We’d gone to buy a second hand pool pump and salt water chlorinator as ours is desperately trying to pack it in. It now blows fuses on a regular basis and that is annoying for me working on my computer. It does mean I have become quite good at backing up my work every couple of seconds.
© irene waters 2017
If we were having coffee I’d tell you Roger is now happily trying to clean the equipment he bought and get it in working order. It keeps him happy whereas I would probably just go and buy a new one. Luckily for me (and him) he does seem to have a good knack with repairs and rarely has he given up on anything.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that my week has been spent writing, editing, blogging, eating out with friends and Mum, yoga, dancing and a tiny bit of housework and lots of gardening. Probably more taking photos of the garden. The flowers are really starting to bloom. Roger keeps buying plants for me to put in the garden but most need full sun and those spaces are fairly full. He doesn’t understand that you have to leave some room for the plants to grow.
© irene waters 2017
This flower, which, thanks to another blogger, I now know is an amaryllis, is giving me a lot of joy. You can see the next flower spike is about to open and there are two more to come after that. I think it will give a few weeks of pleasure.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you thatI am reading a book called Dare to Dream by Katherine Sinclair. This is one that has been on my shelves for a long time unread and it is time to read it. It is a different style of book to those I have been reading. I will review it when I have finished it.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that there was a bizzare tragic crocodile attack north of Cairns a couple of days ago which I can’t get out of my head. The victim was an elderly woman who suffered from dementia. 9 days ago she had moved from Canberra to Port Douglas into a nursing home. She had absconded on one occasion before the last time. She was a known dementia sufferer. Why on earth did the home not keep her securely? Why did the family (also living in Canberra) let her move (she may have had relatives in Port Douglas so it might not have been so strange) but if she was suffering dementia when she left where she was accustomed too there should have been warning bells that she would become very disorientated. It makes me feel really sad and I’m sorry that perhaps I’ve made you feel sad also but I just can’t fathom it.
If we were having coffee I’d tell you that I’ll have to go. Muffin is demanding her walk so I’ll have to brave the rain again and take her, but quickly…. Don’t forget the writing competition at Carrot Ranch. Number 3 is now up and mine starts on Tuesday.
© irene waters 2017
It’s your turn. How was your week? Has your weather been warmer/colder, wetter/drier. Have you read any good books or seen any good films? I finished reading Relativity and will review it sometime this week. Thank you for dropping in for coffee, it is lovely to see you.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
So very sorry about the crocodile attack on the elderly woman. I’m terrified of them even when seeing them in zoos. Poor woman – she must have been petrified.
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I just can’t believe it. I hope it was quick for her but I also hope the home has to answer a lot of questions. This should never happen to someone in care.
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I agree – an awful tragedy that should not have happened. The facility should probably lose its license.
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What a lovely photograph of your dog! With a face like that you would have to take him for a walk.
🙂
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Absolutely. She knows she has power and she uses it to full effect.
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Sometimes I wish that taking the dogs out involved putting them on leash and walking with them around the neighborhood, rather than simply opening the door to the back yard, so they can romp together. I think that that would be a nice “social” event for them and me.
As you are anticipating more (very lovely) flowers, I’m enjoying the autumn colors in the cotoneaster shrubs and looking forward to the first snowfall. There’s frost on the grass in the mornings, now, when I first let the dogs out.
Finishing a book by a favorite author, _Assassin’s Price._ by L. E. Modesitt, Jr., I was happy to learn that he’s planning an immediate in sequence follow-up novel to be published by the end of next year. I always order hardcover editions of his books in addition to the epubs, so that I will not be dependent upon the Internet for rereading.
My husband, who’s had at least part-time work in electronics since he was (?) 15 years old, back in the early 1960s, is also really good at sorting out home problems and straightening them out. A talent one takes for granted, I think.
Hope you have a marvelous week!
Lizl
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Hi Lizl, We take our dogs out twice a day to walk in the dog park which is luckily within walking distance of our home. The old dog is now refusing to walk in the afternoon (except for walking to the coffee shop to reassure himself that it is closed). It really is a social event for all of us. Sometimes it can take a couple of hours to get through the park by the time the dogs play, and world events , weather and dogs are discussed. Lovely how easy it is to talk to strangers when you have that immediate point in common apparent.
I love visiting snow but have to admit I am glad I don’t have to live through cold winters. I guess you really look forward to spring bulbs by the end of it.
I’ve not heard of that author but it sounds like I should give him a go based on your recommendation.
We are indeed lucky to have men that are handy. It probably saves us a lot of money that we can then go and spend on other things.
Have a great week.
Cheers Irene
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So sad about the victim of the alligator attack. I’d be angry too, about the neglect involved. But thanks for the rest of your uplifting blog, and especially for the mention of ‘Dare to Dream’, which I’ve heard about, but haven’t yet read.
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I hope a lot of questions will be asked as I don’t think there is any excuse for this. I’ll review Dare to Dream when I am finished it. There are so many books with this title that possibly you have heard of another. Many of them are memoirs. This is not. Have a good week Diane.
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What a horrible thing to happen to that woman! I think those homes should have alarms, even silent ones, that would alert the staff that one of their residents is on the loose. So sad.
I am really missing Weekend Coffee Shares now that Diana isn’t doing them. I might check with her and see if I can take over or start my own weekend share type of thing.
It’s good to catch up with you. I am actually going through old coffee share posts to find people that I’ve missed so that I can catch up with them!
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Hi Corrina,
I’m with you re the coffee shares. I had been having the same thoughts myself about seeing if I could take it over but didn’t know how to get in touch with Diana to check. Why don’t we both co-host and that way if one of us can’t manage a weekend the other can do it and between us we should be able to get around those who link. What do you think?
As for the nursing home….I hope a lot of questions will be asked.
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Diana seems still to be active on Twitter (parttimemonster). I notice that she had a tweet on her page in addition to the retweets.
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Your amaryllis is a stunning color. My daughter also has flowers that continue to bloom though we are at opposites of seasons. Flowers do bring delight. Sad, though, about the patient with dementia. I can understand why it is tugging at you. Nonetheless, through sorrows and joys, we march on, and I’m excited to have you at the ranch, getting writers to open up about scars. I enjoyed the cup!
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Lovely to have you drop by Charli and have a cuppa. I’m glad to see everyone has their pens in hand for all the competitions. I am looking forward to reading the entries for mine but are resisting until the competition closes.
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