Month: February 2022

Days seem to merge into one another and there are times when I am really not sure of what day it is.  Fortunately I have my trusty Filofax to keep me sane. I really do need my diary/organizer, for my appointments and to keep track of all  Annabell’s medical appointments. Annabell refers to it as “John’s Brain” and up to a point she is right. Someone suggested that it would be serious if it was lost.

Well, yes and no.. it would be irritating, upsetting, no doubt about that, but not as serious as one would imagine. At the end of the each day I transfer  the contents of the day into  Microsoft Outlook and at the end of each  print everything off so that I have a bound hard copy. Between one thing and another, I have only just  printed off and bound  2021. Normally I would have all this completed but December and January were “interesting” months to say the least.  The garden? Well it was good of you to ask – the flowers are dead but the weeds are doing very nicely, thank you. Getting someone (son) to look after Benji is one thing, but to also do the gardening, is pushing things just a touch  :o)  Never mind, I wasn’t happy with a few things anyway and over the  Autumn (Fall)  I should have the opportunity to rearrange things  differently.  LOL – then it will be time to go back to Adelaide again for the next round…….Ah well, there is always winter. Actually, the only thing that has survived is the Mulberry Bush

We returned from Four days in Adelaide   I partly unpacked, repacked and on Thursday sent off back to Adelaide for a Church Conference, The delays were pretty much the same as they were when we drove down last week. The interesting thing is that the delays were a lot less on the return journey this afternoon (Saturday 12th)

and I made good time.  Benji was at the door waiting for me and  it took me a while before I could even get near Annabell  :o)  For the rest of the afternoon he watched me like a hawk each time I went out to the car go fetch in my bags. It took him a while but he settled down. Later on after things settled I took him to the Ada Ryan Gardens for a walk.

Nothing stays still for too long.  I am currently talking to Annabell and  expressed my belief that my time as Commissioner to the Presbytery and the General Assembly is coming to an end. This, whilst personal on my part, also effects the church and that’s why I have to take Annabell into account before I make any decision.   Like many Traditional Churches we are in decline, a decline that has been accelerating since the onset of Covid. When I was with Annabell in Adelaide,  the Sunday Service here  had a congregation of 11.  Other churches are also suffering and my information is that the L.D.S. ( Mormons)  which was once a full and active

organisation was reduced to 6 members. As the  pandemic decreases we may see an increase in  congregation size as people feel more confident about going out and being with other people. The other problem is that the rules for South Australia require masks indoors and even when singing :  I know that alone has deterred  some people from  attending service, so we may well see  things start to change as the  rules change.  Although, having said that,  I don’t see that happening any time soon. The Sign-in rules have changed for retail so perhaps  the new regulations due out next week will have some new changes in them – the  rules this week do not. There has been more rain and some outback roads are flooded again. The reason being is  that the ground is still waterlogged and the rain has nowhere to go. The police and others have warned drivers  not to drive through moving – over the road – water. It could be stronger than you think it is and the road,  underneath the water,  could be damaged. We are ok down here and the wetlands has benefited from all the extra rain.

Monday 7th Feb.

After four days in Adelaide we arrived hack home yesterday afternoon. The drive down on Thursday was uneventful – the weather fine and the roadworks, irritating and time-consuming. The convoy system in a couple of places was interesting to say the least. The weather was good and we made several stops for refreshments and “comfort” stops for Annabell. We did a small detour to Spotlight for me. I wanted some things but due to the “back to school” sales just about everything I wanted was sold out.  By the time we arrived at

the Lodge Annabell was starting to “weary” so once booked in and settled into our room, I  got her into bed and let her rest for the rest of the day. We started out at 6:30  and with all the delays and diversions and convoys, it was well into the afternoon before we settled into the Lodge. I had intended to  go into Norwood Shopping centre  but decided against it and let her sleep instead. I pottered about on the laptop. It had been my intention to go to the  kitchen and cook dinner  for us but in the end I decided against it and ordered dinner.  The  Restaurant was closed  and the cooked meals were “take away” which was fine. Overall she had a quiet day and slept well. On Friday were up at 05:30. I had ordered a cab for 06:15 and we went out to the Flinders Hospital. Her appointment for her operation was 07:15, so after booking her and and seeing her settled in the waiting room. I  left and  went to the Marion Shopping Centre. Since the facilities are closed down at the hospital I have  breakfast at Marion. I stayed there from about 7:40 until about 11:30 and expecting her to be ready at about 12(ish) I made my way back to the hospital. I went to the area and was told that she was still in surgery —-Odd!! As it happened I did not collect her until  after 2pm.  When we got back to the Lodge I asked her what happened and she told me that there    were

problems in surgery and she did not get taken until almost 11am – so she sat in the waiting room from 7am to 11am. Can’t say I was very impressed about that. In other words, I was making my way back to the hospital and she was still sitting in the waiting room. Anyway, that’s us for three months – our next appointment sometime in May.

I left her resting for most of Friday then went down to the guest kitchen and cooked  dinner for us. There are tables

and chairs in there so I set the able for us – she chatted – I cooked.. LOL it’s been nearly six weeks and I haven’t managed to poison anyone – yet…….

One of the things I love about the Flinders Lodge is that there is a park across the road and that park is home to a host of Golden Crested Cockatoos. In the evening when they gather they  start flying over here to the lodge. We are not supposed to feed them and I think I did mention that last time, but it is difficult when they are so lovely and looking to be hand fed. Well, ok – I broke the rules — again…

Saturday and I  waited until she was awake and had breakfast then  caught a but to Norwood Shopping Centre and did some needed shopping. During this time the hospital telephoned so I told the nurse where I was and  asked her- nicely – if she could call back to half an hour to give me time to get back. It being Saturday and busses  far between, I  took a taxi back to the lodge and waited for flinders to call back – which they did and spoke to Annabell.. Later on in the afternoon, I walked to Mile End – a bit away – to Bunnings.  Didn’;t see anything I wanted so I walked back to the Lodge. I cooked dinner for us and we settled down for the night. I pottered around on the laptop and she watched TV.

Sunday and back up at 5:30. Packed and loaded the car sorted everything out, tidied up the room and l=closed the door, leaving the keys in the room as instructed. By 6:30 we were on our wat home. We stopped for breakfast at Wakefield, then coffee at Port Pirie. We also made a stop at Port Augusta because I wanted some things from the

shops. As it happened, they too were sold out because of the “Back to School” sales. About 50 minutes after that we were being attacked by a four legged brown monster who was more than happy to see his  peepel home – particularly his “mum”. So there you are, that was our trip to the Hospital at Adelaide. It’s a long drive down and back and means  accommodation for the two of us but that’s were the

“Innovations in Cancer” centre is. It’s not too bad and I can manage and I really don’t mind the driving.

If you look at the image with the single cockatoo and look to the left you will see a maroon car with a red sticker – that’s our car. Behind the head of the bird you will see an area with a white face – that’s the Guest Kitchen.