Annabell, Respite and Flinders Ranges,

Annabell was moved to Quorn on the morning of Monday 8th January. We have no idea how long she will be there – we just have to deal with things as they happen.  I did not go over on Monday, but I did spend most of Tuesday with her. At the moment not a lot of change – she sleeps I sit and read. I had intended to return to Quorn on Thursday – which is today – but instead I was asked to bring two sets of her clothes, which I did on Wednesday. The idea is not to have her in bed all day but to get her dressed and working with the right people to try and get her moving again. Personally, I don’t see how, since she sleeps all day. I don’t know but perhaps it’s something to do with the medication they have her on. Anyway, I did set out two sets of clothes and took them through to Quorn yesterday – Wednesday. Today I am trying to have a free day to get some of the neglected housework done and the laundry folded and put away.   Sigh…. housework is never done!!! LOL  I told her yesterday that I would have to buy new dinner plates – either that or wash the ones piled up in the two sinks.  Not true, of course, but I thought I might get a response from her — I didn’t.

Anyway, Quorn is a small town in the Lower Flinders Ranges. about 125 klms (about 77 miles) north of here. The drive to the Port is fine – a straight – direct road.  The road to Quorn through the lower Flinders Ranges, is very tight, bendy, up and down with some very sharp bends. It’s a road that requires concentration and careful driving. Overall, though, it’s not too bad. However, it is 150 miles round trip, something that I cannot do every day.  Some time ago I said that Port Augusta was talked about so why not there? Why Quorn?  Well, Port Augusta Nursing Home (Brilliant Place I am told) is at one side of the port, Port Augusta Hospital is at the other end. If anything happened it would require calling an ambulance to take her to hospital.  Quorn (Flinders House) is attached to Quron Hospital so it was felt that given her current situation she would be better off (medically) at Quorn rather than Port Augusta. Yes I am inclined to agree but 150 miles a day – every day – is just not possible. A tank of fuel twice a week, added to Medication and Fees for Flinders House, would push my budget well into another ballpark.  I will be back there tomorrow (Friday) and that will be my third trip this week.  And yes, we did consider a mobile (cell) phone for her but we feel that currently she would be unable to use it.

You know, throughout all of this- missing his mummy, looking for her each time I came home, being left in the house all day on his own, getting fed late (sometimes 8pm) – Benji has been really great. Not perhaps as great as a Ninja, but great in his own way. Howefferr  he has had a couple of “accidents” but I can forgive that considering what he has had to put up with. Today is a day he has not had since 11th December – I am here in the house with him all day. And after lunch we’ll go shopping and I might take him down to the wetlands for a little while.  Why not Quorn, you may ask. Well, I can’t— Quorn is within the Flinders Ranges National Park and dogs are not allowed in SA National Parks except in two somewhere in Adelaide – two out of 360 National Parks in SA.

As it transpired, we did go to the shops but not go to the Wetlands. There is only one area of shade and since the temperature started to reach 35c, I decided that it would be a bit too much for him. I will be getting ready for Quorn tomorrow, but I will have a day at home on Sunday so I will try and get him down there early in the morning before it starts to heat up. Although Andrew (my son) did suggest that I could take him down to the Wetlands after dinner when it starts to cool down and whilst I agree, I am concerned that there might be a lot of dogs there at that time.