My taxi arrived right on time and I had a very chatty taxi driver, who wanted to know my thoughts on improving health by changing lifestyles.
Even though he looked like he needed to heed some of my advice himself, he was concerned for his partner who was struggling with some emotional issues after the deaths of both of her parents recently (both in their 90s) and her physical and mental health seemed to be suffering.
It made for a very short taxi ride and I really enjoyed our talk.
I had called the taxi a little early, so that I could visit my favourite shops in Cooroy before the train arrived .. forgetting that it was Sunday!! Everything was closed except the coffee shops.
So I ordered a coffee and I sat on a stool at a tall bench table near the shop window. Three older people, two women and a man, sat at the low table behind me. One of the women was in her late 60s, was obviously Jewish American (she did mention during the conversation that she and her husband were Jewish) and she dominated the conversation, quite loudly, for the thirty minutes that I was eavesdropping.
Her husband (who is back in Sydney) is suffering from a form of dementia which she described as Adult Attention Deficit. He had been a very successful business man in his time, which she was surprised about because his father was a gambler and did not achieve any financial success, and she had made her own fortune dabbling in the stock market!
Their home in Sydney was recently valued at $4million and it has 5 bathrooms! Her husband's parents were one of the first Jewish families to arrive in Sydney and they built their first home in Surrey Hills.
Her husband was somewhat of a hoarder and she recently brought people in to clear out the garages and some rooms that stored his parents furniture and belongings. When he found out, he was not happy about it.
She was offering stock market advice - something about franked shares (she lost me) - and shared her concerns about the fate of the stock market in 2017.
It was stinking hot in Cooroy today.
At the train station, I met a lady by the name of Joan, whose daughter and son-in-law had recently bought the Miriam Vale Pub and she was heading up there to visit them. She told me that she didn't like the train trip between Gympie and Maryborough. She said that it always seemed to drag on.
It turns out that she was sitting in the seat directly behind me, but we didn't chat any further once we boarded the train.
My senses seemed to be heightened today, especially my hearing and I really tried, unsuccessfully, firstly to read and then to watch a movie.
I could hear -
- young kids talking about animals
- older men discussing life on the farm
- the lady behind me was reading quietly to herself in an audible whisper
- phones with their different sounds announcing the arrival of texts
- the hiss of drink cans opening
- the rustle of plastic food bags opening
- announcements over the PA system
- the hum of the train engine
- the whoosh of the sliding doors as people left the carriage to use the loo
- the jingle of coins as people counted their coffee money
- zippers opening on back packs
- the rattle of the steward's keys
- the tapping on the keyboards of laptops
- the deep voice of the man speaking in a different language
- the clearing of the throat of the man four seats behind me
- the child learning to whistle and continuously practising throughout the trip.
Worst of all, was the stench of nicotine after the 15 minute break at Gympie where the passengers were given permission to disembark and have a quick cigarette. Ugh. I wrapped my new book around my face and inhaled the delicious scent of crisp new paper.
I was very relieved when we finally pulled up at Howard Station and there was Adoring Husband, waiting for me, in full SES uniform, which is orange .. and I was wearing orange pants and orange top .. oh dear. Haha.
The Nikonian shared a photo that she took while she was here, which I quite like .. she made the old bag look presentable and I was happy for it to be shared on facebook too. She is a good photographer .. I knew that I could count on her to get a good one.
I think I'm going to need an early night, because I didn't fall asleep until late last night, had broken sleep and then woke very early this morning. I'm feeling decidedly weary.
Nite all.
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