Tag: Daily Life

“The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men”

After much planning and anticipation we flew to London last week. Our itinerary included a month in America, visiting friends and relatives.   A visit to my mum was also long overdue.

My mum was overjoyed to see us on the first day, but sadly on the second had to be reminded of who I was.  That is the cruelness of dementia.

Things were going swimmingly, flights and hotels were all booked for the US.  Unfortunately a few days ago my poor husband had to visit the emergency department.  There were problems with his bladder.  He is now awaiting further tests.

Health always comes first obviously, but that still doesn’t mean there isn’t profound disappointment over a long awaited trip. We have both received quite a scare and a wake up call.  As soon as he is fit to fly we will be making our way home.

We did have a few lovely days before this catastrophe.  A walk along the River Crouch, along from where my brother lives.  Staying at my brother and sister-in-law’s has been a blessing. We also had a fun day in London catching up with some cousins.  Although Anthony did nearly fall down the stairs from the top of a double decker bus!  He just about managed to hold on, this is where things started to go wrong.  Who knows, a coincidence perhaps?

River Crouch
Sunset over the River Crouch

London Gallery

St. Katherine Cree Church
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These are photos of the Guild Church of St. Katherine Cree and with the Gherkin in the background. I love walking around the streets of London, admiring the old and new. Although I think they could spend a few pounds on cleaning up this lovely old church! It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, with the present building dating back to 1628.

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Overlooking Regent’s Canal

The best laid plans of Mice and Men is from a poem by Robert Burns. It highlights the idea that even the most carefully planned things can be disrupted. The best way forward is to accept all things with equanimity and not to rail against events that cannot be changed. This is my mantra for the moment.

🎉 Enjoy VE Celebrations 🎉

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~ 🦘 Postcard from Perth 🦘~

The week started with a trip to the cinema with friends to see the much acclaimed movie Barbie. It’s had fantastic reviews so off we went. After we walked over to an Indian restaurant, “Bollywood” for a few curries and a lively discussion. We were all in agreement that it was an enjoyable film. For me the best scenes were the ones with Ryan Gosling, who was brilliant. I’m not sure how he kept a straight face! The choreography with all the Kens dancing was wonderful to watch. We chatted about who had Barbies and our different memories of playing with dolls.



There were some very political messages they were trying to put across, and the Space Odyssey scene at the beginning was clever, a tad scary! When I go to the cinema I like to watch something that’s feel good and uplifting, I’m not one for true life films.

The rest of the week flew past as usual, before you know it the weekend has arrived. It was Bridge on Tuesday where my partner Donald and myself are in a two week competition, we came fourth out of 22, very happy with that.

Wednesday and Friday are Zumba mornings, where we are currently doing one dance to a Barbie song, lots of fun.

Thursday night we had dinner out with friends at a yacht club overlooking the Swan River, a lovely evening eating and drinking.

Saturday we had a birthday lunch at a winery in the Swan Valley. A gorgeous sunny afternoon outside looking out across the vineyards. We caught up with many old friends, some we hadn’t seen for a few months and even years!

All the vines had been pruned so did not look that picturesque.

This time next week I’ll be back in the UK again, a last minute decision to attend a wedding.

🦘 Have a fantastic week 🦘

First week of 2023…Domestic Disasters and Passport Predicaments

I had somewhat presumptuously predicted a good 2023, I said I could feel it in my bones. Our first few days were lovely and quiet. We celebrated the new year just the two of us and I just about made it to midnight, only because I heard fireworks that I could view from the bedroom window.

Tuesday was a pretty good day also, coming first in Bridge, that hasn’t happened for a while. I’ve managed to infiltrate a social Bridge group on a Wednesday and played at a club with lunch after, very civilised.

Thursday started off as a pretty chilled day, everyone swimming in the pool, relaxing and having fun. I said to my daughter, let’s go to the beach. It was going to be 38 degrees. When we arrived all the carparks were full, so we had to drive slowly around stalking anybody walking back to their cars. Eventually we found somewhere and set off to buy buckets and spades, solar suit for Rosie and flip flops for Elena who had left the house barefoot. I think we spent 30 minutes on the beach as it was too hot and both kids had had enough. The water was glorious though and we needed one of those new fangled cabanas that everyone else seemed to have.

When we arrived home Anthony said he would shop for dinner. As he went into the garage, he heard a tap, tap, tap. Thinking it was a cockroach, he looked around and up and saw a hole in the ceiling with water pouring through. It was deemed an emergency. So I got onto the emergency plumber who came in an hour, quoted us an exorbitant price, which I accepted, I mean what could you do? Anthony had decided to go shopping anyway and so abdicated responsibility. He came back and declared that we could have flown to the UK for that price and interrogated the plumber about why it was so expensive. Anyway all fixed now, but finances have taken a loss.

Friday I thought I should check up on where Anthony’s new UK passport had got to. I finally got through to the Royal Mail in the UK to an actual person. The man was very polite and helpful and said, you can call it lost now! How can that be? Anthony said it’s probably been stolen, Laurence said it’s identity theft, really, I sincerely hope not. The UK passport office said if they don’t receive documents by a certain date they will cancel the application. I went to the Post Office here and another helpful man sent an email to someone who will send another email to customs in the UK. So I don’t know what to do, cancel the passport, apply for a new one or wait?

All these things are First World Problems I tell myself, they will eventually resolve themselves, maybe!

In the meantime I’ll be chilling in the garden.

I hope you’ve all had a great first week to 2023

~ The Changing Seasons – Springing into September 2022 ~

September in this part of the world heralds the beginning of Spring and the hopes of warmer weather. Although there wasn’t much sun about in the first week of September, torrential rain as I recall. I’ve had a pretty busy month with days out at vineyards and aquariums, a concert, the cinema and of course Bridge.

I visited AQWA, a storied aquarium featuring a walk-through underwater tunnel & interactive touch pool, with my daughter and the munchkins for a lovely morning. So much excitement running from one tank to another. I remember taking Elena and Laurence when we first arrived in Australia at ages 9 and 12.

Lunch in the cafe after and then of course a visit to the shop!

The same weekend I bought tickets for Anthony and myself for a “Stevie Wonder” tribute band. I had the best evening singing and dancing away with half of the audience. We both got an absolute soaking walking back to the car after.

Perth Concert Hall
Waiting for the show to begin
Superstition

We had a family day out at a winery one Sunday. Oakover on the Lake is a great one for kids as there is a playground and a small “beach” at the edge of the lake. I noticed one pedal boat on the lake and people queueing for it! Anyway Lachie and Rose were very patient waiting their turn and everyone was mindful not to take too long for their go.

Rosie turned two in September and we had a small celebration for her. What an amazing wonderful little girl she is. Having suffered through her first year with severe silent reflux and being tube fed, she is now thriving and the cheekiest cutest girl in the world.

“The champagne’s not mine”

I had an afternoon cinema date with friends and dinner after, always a treat. We saw Ticket to Paradise with Julia Roberts and George Clooney. A feel good fluffball of a movie, set in Bali. We all enjoyed it, how can you not with those two in it.

Delicious dishes from a Thai restaurant

Evening walks with Anthony and the two boys along the river, watching a glorious sunset.

A lone pelican
Through the crack in the rock
Sea foam
Going down
Rufus
Rufus and Zac
Seaweed
Not the only ones catching a sunset

And so to Bridge! I played with a new lady this month and we partnered in a competition which ran for two Tuesdays. We were both surprised to come fourth out of 24, so feeling quite pleased with myself. She then invited me to play at her golf club, Bridge that is, not golf! This was a treat indeed, as the club has the best views and is very exclusive! I had a marvellous afternoon chatting with all these fit and active 70 and 80 year old women, so inspiring.

Views over the city and ocean, a perfect way to spend an afternoon, especially with a chilled white wine at the end!

Posted as part of Ju-Lyn of Touring my Backyard challenge of The Changing Seasons.

For Jez with Water, Water, Everywhere

~ The Changing Seasons – March 2022 ~

March 2022 was a very different change of seasons for us literally. We were in the UK for the first half of the month and then flew back to Australia on the 15th March. So from Spring to Autumn, it felt more like Winter to Summer though. It was wonderful to throw off jumpers and sweatshirts and put on t-shirts and shorts again. Also it was quite strange going from complete freedom to move about to once again wearing masks and checking in.

First Half of March

The first week of March we were still recovering our strength from contracting Covid and as the weather wasn’t that good I decided to go through some of my parents’ old photo albums.

3 years old
5 years old
15 years old
21 years old

The doll is pretty scary for a three year old and has certain characteristics with Chuckie! 15 year old self is starting to rebel and refuses to have haircut anymore, not sure this was a wise choice. 21 year old self is looking very defiant!

Grandparents
Young Dad
Young Mum

We were also lucky to be able to travel to London twice more. I went with some friends for a very lavish lunch, cocktails and a show. We saw Pretty Woman. A fantastic afternoon and evening well spent.

Savoy Theatre

It was shown at The Savoy Theatre and I have to say the seats were the most uncomfortable I’ve ever sat on, absolutely torturous! I didn’t realise that most stage musicals do not play the original soundtrack from the film, although the music in this production was very enjoyable. After the show these party girls still wanted to stay out so we went off in search of cocktails.

The Savoy

We could not get a seat at The Savoy Hotel cocktail bar so settled for the next best thing – The Waldorf. Here I am drinking a “Bus No 9”.

The last weekend dear husband said let’s go to London for dinner, so once more we took the train up to Fenchurch Street. This time we stayed around the city and had dinner in St. Katherine’s Dock. Firstly though cocktails in Spitalfields Market.

Spitalfields
Tower Bridge

Second Half of March

We flew back to Perth on 15th March, it took a few days to get over the jet lag and then we were fine. Or so we thought. Poor hubby last week tested positive again for Covid, and yet was cleared to come home. All along he thought his jet lag was taking so long to get over, finally I made him go to the doctors. So unlucky for him.

Some little peeps were happy to see us home though.

Changing Seasons is hosted by Ju-Lynn @ Touring My Backyard and Brian @ Bushboy. I am a bit late with this post, but better late than never!

Cheers!

~November in Review ~

Taking a look back at my November. Another month gone past in a flash and Christmas is now just a few weeks away. Here are some of my memories of November.

We started off the month with a little trip to Dunsborough which I’ve already posted about.

💜 My precious little peeps 💙

“Pull up a Seat“

Oldest and youngest

In the middle of November we had a day’s outing to a winery in the Chittering Valley to an event called “A Taste of Chittering” held at Nesci Winery with some good friends. The only thing that spoiled a lovely day was the masses of flies! We hardly dared open out mouths.

Don’t these two lovely ladies look cute as gumnuts. They are so talented walking around all afternoon like that.

🍷 We made some time for some tasting after lunch 🍷

The fourth Thursday of every month is when we hold our Bookclub meeting. The November bookclub is the last of the year and our Christmas get together. This year we gathered at a house overlooking the ocean. We had a fabulous lunch and Mango Daquiries with a great discussion of the book.

🌺 My November Garden 🌺

FOTD

Now the Summer has finally arrived I love to sit out for my happy hour 🍹 and listen to the different birds that congregate in my neighbour’s tree. From Kookaburras to Rainbow Lorikeets, Willy Wagtails and Parrots, not all at once of course. My jasmine is out and also the gardenias are in full bloom and the garden smells divine.

I’m now looking forward to a few parties in the coming weeks and tomorrow the tree 🎄 goes up with some help from my little elf.

How was your November?