Continuing on with the camera saga. It was completed last week. That I thought would be the end of it until Roger came home Monday with a broken windscreen. The camera was connected to a mirror which fitted over the rear vision mirror but as it was tinted blue and we have tinted windows in this car and his eyesight is probably fading he was struggling to now see anything out of it. In his attempt to remove it he pulled the original mirror from its support. In his effort to replace the mirror (and he did tell me he used a hammer) the windscreen was broken. This turned the whole episode into a very expensive camera that couldn’t be used but we did get a new windscreen. I guess that is a plus.
It hasn’t been Roger’s week. At his specialist appointment on Tuesday we found that the treatment is no longer working and his blood results are again going in the wrong direction. This came as a real shock to me and although he had been warning me all along that it wouldn’t last long he too thought he would get at least a year. It brought the finality to the fore and although we have more options available we know that none will give any long term results. The good news is that the doctor will arrange with a specialist in Cairns to give Roger treatment at the end of April so we can go on the roadtrip that I am still in the process of planning.
We have had a heat wave here. I’m glad they told me as otherwise I wouldn’t have known. Two days it was hot but no more than I expect in summer which this year I have felt to be particularly mild. On one of these hot days I decided to clean the walls of the pool (a nice job for a hot day) and got in with my scrubbing brush. I was idly looking around when I saw something that I hoped was a bit of a palm frond but at worst could be a snake poking out from the skimmer box. I went and had a closer look and sure enough
To me it was brown and therefore could be a brown snake (highly venomous) so I would need a snake catcher to remove it from the garden. I went in and posted a picture to Fast Snake Identification – a brilliant site on Facebook for identifying Australian snakes. They get back to you within minutes. My snake was instead a yellow faced whip snake capable of a moderately venemous bite. We helped him out with the pool net and let him loose in the garden. I guess he was just hot also. I did get back in to clean but I kept the dogs out of the pool area for the next few hours.
This week I have done a lot of paperwork. Prepared my spoonerisms talk, done the agenda for Toastmasters, got together a lot of what the lawyer requested in regards to my Mum. I tell you – it has taught me that I have to get my act together. If my Mum had not been as organised as she was or had been like me totally disorganised I hate to think how difficult it would have been to get her affairs in order. It has been hard enough as it is. When I have finished I am definitely making a start on my own. In some ways I did as I have finally answered a lot of emails. Were you a good letter writer? Are you better at answering your emails than you were at writing letters or the same. I had great hopes but discovered that I was not better at writing email responses than I was writing letters.
All up I feel my goals are on track apart from my blogging. This week I have struggled to visit as many as I would have liked. I also struggled with a post for Wednesday and finally published it on Thursday. I have added a new goal to my list – get ahead with blog posts. So far I have written each on the day it was published. Apart from Week in Review it would be good to have them done a little in advance particularly if we are going to do our road trip which will see me for some days without internet access. Do you write yours on the day or do you also leave them until the last minute?
My PPAC submission this week comes from the beachside town of Sunshine Beach. It gave me quite a start when a quick glance up an alleyway showed me the silhouette of a man taking a dive from the roof.
A longer, more studied look showed me the stays that were suspending him in position Naturally it made me walk up the alleyway for a closer look. There weren’t any shop entrances in the alley so it appeared that this was someone’s idea of brightening an otherwise dreary space. I wondered how many people saw it. I know no-one else in my group happened upon it. Looking up underneath he definitely is other worldy.
How was your week? Have you kept working towards your goals? Have a good week.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
I’m sorry about the health news, Irene. You’re both in my thoughts.
That diver is an impressive statue!
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Thanks Becky. It gave me a start when I first saw the statue.
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I can just imagine!
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Your silhouette picture is quite realistic and yet strange in that he’s not bent. Seeing him hanging from the wires explains all that. This is a great choice for PPAC. Your blossoms for FOTD are beautiful as well. Your snake story was frightening! I’m so sorry for what you both are going through with Roger’s health. I hope all goes well with your April trip.
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Thanks Marsha. The trip is giving us something to look forward to. something that is important for everyone I think given the current climate.
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It is. I read Charlie’s post today and she has been doing all sorts of things to improve and maintain mental health. That’s such a big part of life and traveling together is part of that healthiness.
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Absolutely
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Thinking of you both. Your snake story reminded of the brown snakes at Newport all those years ago . Enjoy the trip .
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Haha. I’d forgotten that. We felt like dashed fools then. Perhaps that is why I was adamant we get an id on this critter first. Will write.
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My thoughts are with you and Roger, Irene.
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Thank you very much. I appreciate that. It just comes as such as shock particularly when he is feeling much like his old self at the moment.
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I’m so sorry to hear about Roger’s test results. I had high hopes and am still praying for you both. The snake in the skimmer was a common problem for us at the old house – the snakes were usually copperheads, babies or adults, both fairly venomous to adults and very bad for children. I have a healthy respect for snakes and while my husband would likely kill them, I fished them out and set them loose back in the woods. Once when I was doing laps I looked up and found a snake swimming right alongside me! I don’t know which of us was more surprised. Fished that one out, too.
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thanks Noelle. We haven’t given up yet and appreciate your prayers. I agree re the snakes. Although I’d probably have a heart attack if one was swimming beside me. I like to believe they are limited in their striking capacity whilst they are in water. I would never kill a snake but some I would have relocated. When you have the luxury of state forest (or wood) behind you we have to live together.
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Snakes do so many good things for the environment and are fascinating creatures. It’s amazing to see them molt!
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I guess you almost need to have them live with you to experience that. Not going to happen. LOL
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I too am sorry to hear about Roger. Sending warm thoughts and prayers to the both of you. Blessings to you both.
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Thanks Cee. We appreciate that. We haven’t given up – it just came as a shock.
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Hope the specialist in Cairns can help Roger, Irene.
People have been posting on our area, online Community page, about snakes appearing in their gardens and pools but so far, we’ve only come across blue tongues and skinks around the back garden.
All the best with planning your road trip to Cairns. I must confess, we’ve never been to Cairns but would love to visit it.
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Thanks Wendy. I think it is so important to have something to look forward to and our roadtrip is giving us that. I’ve never had to plan trips before to this extent but given covid and Roger’s treatment I have no choice. We will probably see a lot more than we would have normally just found.
I love blue tongues and they are here but different to the ones we used to get in Sydney. Our most common garden visitors are water dragons and ghekkos. I am always fishing the water dragons out of the pool.
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I had to chuckle, Irene, because I think many of us relate to choosing a hammer first and questioning it second as the best tool for the job. Roger needs to keep hammering forward, no matter the news. I can’t say I know how you feel, but with Todd’s condition worsening, I understand living for the moments as they come, hammers, snakes, and all. I enjoyed the startling silhouette and discovering the clever statue!
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LOL. He never gives in so that is now a great quality to have although many time in the past I’ve wished that he would spend some money and get someone who knew what they were doing to take over.
I think you totally get it Charli. The moments are treasured.
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