Week 4 and I’m starting to feel like my old self. The passion has returned. Roger has found that he can have treatment in Cairns which will give us up to six – eight weeks that we can be away. A good time for a house sitter. the big decision then was do we combine it with my conference. We sat and discussed it over coffee on Thursday and decided that it would be better weather wise to go in April. It meant that I will go to the conference by myself and somehow Roger will have to manage the dogs alone, something he finds difficult. We were just about to leave when someone we knew but hadn’t seen for ages came along. She’d looked after the dogs in the past and when Roger asked if she could have them for a night she was thrilled. That means he can come with me and explore Hervey Bay whilst the conference is on and then we can have our holiday in middle of April. A plan is in place and now just to thrash out the details.
During the week I have got on my high horse but am trying hard not to get into altercations. I firmly believe we are each entitled to do what we want until it starts to affect others. I don’t believe in personal rights taking precedence over what is good for the community as a whole. If they did then drunks would be allowed to drive. When it comes to vaccination against COVID I have no issue with people who choose not to vaccinate ( apart from the risk they can be incubators for a new virus strain, put health care workers and the hospital system under huge pressures and risk of collapse, it puts the vulnerable at risk and harms our economy) and I do believe that with every choice you make there is a cost which we have to accept.
In Queensland we have a mask mandate for indoors. It makes sense apart it would seem to those that haven’t been vaccinated. A violation of their human rights. The Nuremburg code was thrown at me. I have to admit I had never taken much notice of the Nuremburg code so I did some research and came to the conclusion that the person who threw it at me also didn’t know what the Nuremburg Code stated. I wonder why her human rights take precedence over the right of mine and others. Two people left that meeting because they couldn’t afford to take the risk of being in close proximity with unmasked people. I too should have left as I have a husband who is severely immuncompromised due to his cancer treatment.
I do try hard to understand the reasoning of those that refuse vaccination and I don’t want to get into battles with people. I wish however that they would also listen to other points of view instead of being on the offensive before any word is spoken. It makes it so difficult to have a conversation that will end in a decision that will keep everybody happy.
Enough of that. We have purchased an old car – a second car. We had got rid of our second car when Roger became ill as we weren’t using it and it sat in the garage. Now he is on maintenance treatment and feeling more like his normal self our need for a second car has increased. What I hadn’t expected was that at my age I would be out there working on the car. Roger has always been able to do anything and has. He hates spending money when he can do it himself. Unfortunately his brain is still a bit fogged and I am required. Thus we have replaced a broken glass in my old iphone and this week we installed a reversing camera in our new old car. Have you found that no instructions are given with things you buy anymore? Drives me mad. It took us hours and eventually we had the car back together only to discover that the picture showing was upside down. We had to pull the whole thing to pieces again in order to place the camera in the other direction. This could have so easily been prevented had they said there is a top and a bottom to the camera. Anyway, we did it and it is all working well but there are no beeps. Will I find next week sound sensors have arrived and I’ll have to help install them?
I had my booster yesterday with no side effects followed with a lovely lunch at the Boathouse with a couple of girlfriends. The week couldn’t have ended on a nicer note.
I’m still working on my Toastmaster goals – am doing an educational on the 10th about Spoonerisms which I have to prepare. I have gone a long way to making my life easier as Vice President Education as I did an educational on goal setting and managed to get three months worth of meetings planned. The two educationals will also see me finish the evaluation section of motivational planning which requires two speeches and an evaluation of an evaluation I give.
My blogging goals have also been met this week. Wednesday almost didn’t happen because I was uptight about the mask business but I managed it in the evening just before Wednesday finished for me. I finished the book of a fellow blogger which will be this Mondays book review. I’ve also enjoyed getting around and catching up on some of your posts. It is the community that makes blogging so enjoyable.
My PPAC (photographing Public Art a challenge from Marsha) this week was found at Eumundi – a town in the Noosa Hinterland. This statue, placed down hill of the rememberance park, is a thank you to all the soldiers that have died in wars. The artist, Meg Geer, wrote thank you for the innocence we possess because yours was stripped by unspeakable horrors. Thank you for the freedoms we enjoy that you were forced to fight for. Thank you for sacrificing your peaceful hearts to violence so that we may live in peace. Thank you With our deepest and most heartfelt gratitude This is for you.
I wish, I hope the world has peace, that we are not divided by our life choices and our major world powers sort out a peaceful solution to the crisis that appears imminent.
This week the Carrot Ranch prompt for a 99 word story is ““the wish I made.” Whose wish is it and how does it fit into the story? What kind of wish? Go where the prompt leads!”
Wish list
“Have you got any last wishes?”
“No. Do you have any wishes?”
“Oodles. I wish we could be at peace. I wish the government would lead, not follow. I wish you weren’t sick. I wish we could travel overseas again. I wish we could travel in Australia. I wish……I’ve got lots of wishes. Come on. You must have something you wish for.”
“ Nope. You know something if you live your life wishing for things and you don’t do those things then you are going to die with regrets. Me, I’m going to die fulfilled and happy.”
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Great blog! really in your stride now – and making wonderful plans for the year
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Thanks Angie. Watch out for Monday.
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Wishes can lead to regrets, those are some wise words in that 99 word response. Wise words in your post too. Your second paragraph is spot on.
It’s good to see you back on track.
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Thanks D. Thank you. It’s good to be back on track.
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Covid, masks, vaccines, oh my…. My country sure struggles with it. I think it is obvious, but …. Glad you were able t get a second car. We could almost go with no cars at the moment. Hugs to you my friend 😀 😀
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Hugs to you too Cee. That makes two of us not understanding…..take care.
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Yes, Irene, I have noticed the lack of instructions with products. I have several tasks waiting on me to find how to use the products I purchase to DIY. I admire your ability to install modern features on your second car. I’m also dismayed by the lack of active listening skills among people. I have no problem with personal choice as long as there is also personal accountability. I’m glad you and Roger get to take some time out together. Everything you are coping with leads to your 99-word story about wishes, and the wisdom of having no regrets. I like that reframing of wishful thinking.
Thank you for your submission to the Collection at Carrot Ranch. It will publish Wednesday, February 2.
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I’m afraid you will have to wait for my review this week to find out what happened. I think that what happens is people listen with an aim to respond and stop listening altogether when they have found that point rather than listening to understand where the other person is coming from. It was good to be back at the ranch Charli. It feels a bit as though I have come home.
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Yes, that is often the case — people have their minds set instead of open.
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One word: Bravo!
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Pingback: The Wish I Made Collection « Carrot Ranch Literary Community
To have no regrets is a wish that is bound to dissapointment. I read it as wishful thoughts which was cleverly done. Nice Irene P.S. practicing self care especially during a time like the now we are in is advisable for all of us. X
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So true Ellen. Take care.
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Nice one with a Needed Msg. Great take on the prompt.✨👍
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Thanks Simon.
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You have covered so many points here, Irene. It’s great to get caught up with your life. I can’t imagine putting a camera on a car. That’s way beyond my hopes and dreams. I’d rather stay home and take staycations rather than save money to DIY. LOL I am a total klutz. I put together a cat tree once, but it was pretty rickety. I’m glad your husband is doing well enough to want a car. I thought we could do without an extra car, but my husband quickly cleared up that misconception on my part.
Thanks for sharing the beautiful statue. I love how patriotic the Australians are. The red flowers are everywhere in honor of soldiers who have lost their lives defending freedom. It means everything. Have a wonderful week. Lots of love, Marsha 🙂
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Thanks for dropping by Marsha. Cars and repairs are things I have always steered well clear of in the past – I guess a few things are changing.
As a nation we do honour our soldiers and all the battles fought. Sometimes I worry we are glorifying war rather than using history as a means to remember and learn and go peaceably as I’m sure the soldiers would be advocating.
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We do the same thing here, though it seemed more noticable to me in Australia than here. Even little towns had markers in the center of town. I don’t think that by glorifying the soldiers per se, that we glorify war. The soldiers did not make the decision to go to war. They enlisted to do their duty, whatever that might be. My husband was 17 when he went into the service. He had no choice and was lucky that they sent him to language school to learn Spanish. Not too much was going on in Puerto Rico at the time. But he could have just as easily been sent to Viet Nam and come back in a box. Not his fault, not his choice. Now soldiers have a choice to enlist, but many do so because a friend is going, or they want free education. Some of them have no other options. Some stay home and become thieves and drug dealers because education was not important and their options ran out. We see how well that’s going for them. So to backtrack. I think it is good to honor soldiers.
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Don’t get me wrong Marsha. I too think we should honour soldiers and at times we have treated them abysmally when they were just deployed by government order and had no say in the matter. What I dislike is that often days like Anzac Day have speakers that are advocating war when I think we would be honouring soldiers more if the speakers advocated peace.
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I’m not familiar with that custom. I can’t imagine advocating war instead of honoring the soldiers. Our Veteran’s Day events are always about the soldiers as far as I know.
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So much wisdom in your 99-word story, Irene, and in the reflections leading up to it. Let’s enjoy the moment where we can. Oh yes, and loved the statue.
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Thanks Anne. I love that these days art has entered public spaces ( I still love art galleries) as almost everywhere there is something to ponder, admire and enjoy. It brings art to those that wouldn’t see it otherwise.
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Disclaimer – I only read the 99-words story and not the entire post.
Great story. I saw myself in it. Makes life easier.
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It does make things easier. Thanks for dropping by.
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Irene, so good to see you again. Happy New Year and the best of continuing treatment and recovery for Roger. We have a family member preparing for ‘last days’ – cancer is horrible.
Just before the start of Covid (and not due to covid) we lost another family member – due to cancer – but that was mostly because they had smoked for over 30 years…
We also have some good news – we continue to wish for the successful delivery of twins for another relative next month! 💙💙.
We do our best to be the action that gives world-wide peace a chance. Continued success in all you do. Hope to see you at the Ranch more ~ Cheers, Jules
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Hi Jules. Lovely to see you. Yes I plan on being regular at the ranch again but am not going to get back to the high posting level I was at before. Sorry for all your losses to cancer. It is an insidious disease but we are trying to make the most of our time now – difficult with covid restrictions. Lovely to be expecting twins into the family. Life and death is what it is all about and if we can live it in peace – so much the better. See you soon.
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I think it’s wise to live (and die) without regrets, Irene. A lesson in resilience in response to the prompt. Nicely done.
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Thanks Norah. I totally agree.
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Hi Irene,
This was a fun thought catalyst.
On the spectrum of wants and needs, wishes must be somewhere in the mix.
I have many, but don’t really think (or expect) most will ever come true, because I too wish for things like peace, honesty, and even maturity for whole populations of folks, pure of motives and actions.
But the truth of humanity is much harsher than to ever allow for such.
I must be careful here as to much thought along this line could cause me to write something I could live to regret. . .
hmm, even that thought feels a tad like a prompt.
Thanks for the fuel that moves my mind.
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LOL I love your sentiments Gary and glad to be a thought catalyst. Sadly you are right – humanity will never allow these things to happen. I must admit Im curious as to what you might write that you would live to regret but then that could get me into hot water also if it were something I had to argue the point with and I’ve reached a place where, although I will stand up for what I believe, I have no desire to go into battle with the world or individuals over every issue. LOL Now you see – you have made me think.
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There are many things I did while young that I’m too old to do now.
Fortunately thinking is not among them.
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Oh – I don’t mind sharing with you that I’m both religious and politically conservative. I own guns and living where I do, my vote rarely matters. So I avoid most topics that focus on any of these views. My readers tolerate my use of church life as a background to my stories, but few if any would put up with my politics or evangelistic thoughts so I try to deserve my readers attention by sticking to topics I think we can enjoy together.
If anyone ever cares to ask about more sensitive topics – they will be politely answered, but not likely with a public post. Wouldn’t it be cool to somehow earn or deserve an award for being a Thought Catalyst? That would make me proud.
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Now there are two passions that seem totally opposed to each other and clash in my head. I think you could make us think with your thoughts and that is never a bad thing but I am like you – you don’t want to go into battle with everyone so sticking to topics that are agreeable to most seems a good way to go. I will give you the new award of Thought catalyst – be proud to be its first recipient. LOL
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