Nice to see you!

Three major events occurred for me last year (2010), all in the space of about 2 weeks. I turned 50. The following day I got married. Two weeks later, my oldest daughter became pregnant with her first child and my first grandchild.

Most middle-aged people will tell you that in their minds, they still feel 20 something. It's the same for me.

Wasn't it only yesterday that I was planning a night out with guys from the surf club? That gorgeous new perm. Flaired, cuffed denims and the red t-shirt with the off-the-shoulder frill. Corked platform wedgies. **sigh**

Suddenly I'm looking in the mirror and wondering how 30 years can flash by so damned quickly!

So here I am in cyberspace, sharing my genuine shock and horror with anyone who'll listen and maybe I'll even meet some other over 50s who find themselves in the same predicament!

Welcome to my dilemna!!

Saturday, February 17, 2024

To Market

PLEASE READ ❤️
The Black Telephone
Those of us old enough to remember when the phone was wired to the wall, usually in the kitchen, can relate to this story. I loved this read.
When I was a young boy, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box.. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.
Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's number and the correct time.
My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was terrible, but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway.
The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. "Information, please," I said into the mouthpiece just above my head.
A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. "Information."
"I hurt my finger..." I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had an audience..
"Isn't your mother home?" came the question
"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.
"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked
"No, "I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts."
"Can you open the icebox?" she asked.
I said I could.
"Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.
After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math.
She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.
Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died. I called, "Information Please," and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"
She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, " Wayne , always remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow I felt better.
Another day I was on the telephone, "Information Please."
"Information," said in the now familiar voice.
"How do I spell fix?" I asked
All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest . When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston . I missed my friend very much.
"Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me. Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.
A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle . I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information Please."
Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well.
"Information."
I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"
There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."
I laughed, "So it's really you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?"
"I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."
I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.
"Please do," she said. "Just ask for Sally."
Three months later I was back in Seattle .
A different voice answered, "Information."
I asked for Sally.
"Are you a friend?" she said.
"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," She said. "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."
Before I could hang up, she said, "Wait a minute, did you say your name was Wayne ?" "
"Yes." I answered.
Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you. The note said, "Tell him there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean."
I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.
Never underestimate the impression you may make on others.
Whose life have you touched today?
~Borrowe


We took Bubbles into the Torquay markets this morning and we enjoyed breakfast at OCD at Holistic Healing Haven.

The busker at the markets was excellent!


I bought some jams, essential oil, a ring, a bracelet and a copper healing circle.

We had intended attending the Pier Markets too but the weather warmed up and we needed to grocery shop, so we decided to shop and return home.

To be honest, we were all exhausted by the time we got home so we all napped in the afternoon.

I swam in the pool at 4pm and I have to say it was quite chilly! I swam 30 laps. Harley ran at least 50 laps and he swam about 6 laps as well.

Tacos and nachos for dinner.

We’ve been playing trivia and watching the pre-season football games on TV.

Now it’s coming up to midnight so I’d best sleep.









Nite all.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

A Day

 Is Climate Change a “thing”? (Click for video)

Bubbles is here!

BGWLBH and I left here at 7am. We stopped at 9am in Eumundi for a leisurely breakfast, picked up Bubbles at 11am from Nambour and drove home, stopping at Olivers for lunch and were home at about 2.20pm.

Since she walked through the door, Bubbles and Harley have been getting acquainted and having fun with cuddles, chasing the ball around the pool and sloppy kisses.

Crumbed chicken, coleslaw, potato salad and garden salad for dinner

It’s been a long day and I’m exhausted so it’s sleep time for me.




Nite all.

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Teen Time

Happy 13th birthday to my beautiful, smart, hilarious, kind and awesome granddaughter Chicklet ❤️







We FaceTimed this evening and she was amazing, leaving me wishing for a big squishy hug.

They, as a family, have had a wonderful holiday together to celebrate her special day and they seem pretty relaxed and happy.

I miss them.

To help ease my pain, Bubbles will be here on Thursday for a week. It’s been 18 months since we’ve seen her and 4 yrs since she stayed with us.

Having digestive issues during the night, I woke this morning with very low energy, with sciatica that would floor an elephant and feeling mentally drained.

This meant I missed meditation and qi gong.

I attempted some art but motivation was too low so I lay on the couch streaming Landscape Artist of the Year.

Of course I played with Harley.

My chicken didn’t thaw in time for dinner so I had to improvise and cook frozen GF meat pies with vegetables.

Trivia and MAFS.






Now it’s time to sleep.

Nite all.

Monday, February 12, 2024

Cancelled

Adoring Husband is STILL sick (3 weeks now) so he has cancelled his long awaited appointment with his Professor in Brisvegas.

Now we need to determine whether to book a train for Bubbles to get here on Thursday or whether BGWLBH and I will drive down to pick her up.

Meanwhile, today I watched an Australian movie called “The New Boy” starring Cate Blanchett and Debra Mailman. It was very good - in fact I was trying to nap on the couch but I was a bit mesmerised by the movie.

AH stayed in his bedroom and watched the Super Bowl.

We had some nice rain today, but it didn’t stop Harley and I from playing.

Tuna bake for dinner tonight followed by trivia followed by MAFS!








Time for sleep now.

Nite all.

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Get Smart

Missed it by this 🤏🏻 much.

After a day in The Bay on Saturday, I was so tired, I went to bed at 6pm and was asleep by 8.30pm and didn’t wake up until 6.30am.

Apart from one pee requirement before midnight, my sleep was sound, so I woke up feeling refreshed.

I had morning play with Harley, fresh crab for breakfast and plonked myself on the couch to sit through five hours of art.

There’s a series called “The World’s Greatest Paintings” so I learnt about 

  • Van Gogh and his Sunflowers
  • Da Vinci and The Mona Lisa
  • Botticelli and his Birth of Venus
  • Picasso and his Weeping Woman
  • Monet and his Water Lillies
  • Millais and his Ophelia
  • Turner and The Fighting Temaraire
  • Velazquez’s The Rokeby Venus
There are two more in the series and it’s SO interesting! Learning about the artists and how young they were when their gift was noticed, their lives, traumas, madness, loves and losses. How some made their fortunes while living and others made nothing and didn’t become famous until 100s of years after their death.

Home made hamburgers for dinner tonight, followed by trivia and MAFS!

It’s now 11pm so sleep time for me.










Nite all.