We still go on.

Annabell’s funeral was held on Wednesday 12th June. It was very well attended because she was much loved. Since then it has been a very trying time getting things sorted out, but I think I am slowly getting there. At least I am holding things together. The staff at Whyalla Funerals have been wonderful – very helpful, friendly and very considerate. They could not do enough. The boys are both working so they have not been able to give as much help as they would like. Benji has been very attentive and has looked after me. – I feel much loved.   However there is still so much to do, and this cold weather is not really helping things., We have missed our morning walk sometimes because I have been unwilling to get ready and face the cold, or he has decided not to go out. Still, we have made it up in other ways – like afternoon wanders around the wetlands, followed by coffee and treats. Interestingly, in the last few days I have been asked by a few people if I  have stopped walking the dog in the morning, because they haven’t seen me as they head off to work

Actually, it has been quite interesting with Benji, and I can hardly move and he’s at my side – as for going out in the car without him– Forget it! I think I said before that Benji is not a “Head out of the Window”  kind of dog – he’s more of a “curl up on the front seat and go to sleep” kind of dog, but if he thinks I am going out in the car – he’s at the door before I am. Even if I am only going to check the mail, he’s there. Well, you can never be too sure! The photograph of Benji and me was taken by Andrew

At the weekend Andrew will be in Adelaide, so  I want to get some help from John – depending on the weather – and have the trailer taken to the dump and emptied. Yes, I dare say I could do it myself, but it would be quicker and more efficient with the both of us working on it. I also want to try and  drive through to Port Augusta and get some things for Benji that the shop here doesn’t  seem to be stocking at the moment.

Both  John & Andrew have placed a kind of dilemma on me. They want to know why I do not go back to the church. My reply was that I did not think I would we welcome back. Andrew suggested that it didn’t seem like that when they were all over me at the funeral. My comment was  that funerals are different – so don’t judge – that was all for the sake of your mother – not for me. I resigned for a reason and although the reason behind my resignation may no longer valid, my thoughts and feelings for  doing so  are not.

As I said above, the weather these last weeks has been cold – particularly in the mornings and in the evenings. The days are not too bad but as winter progresses that will probably change. The swans are still around although I have not seen much of them recently and I have noticed when I have been there that the water level has dropped considerably. I hate to say it, but we really need rain – lots of rain – to  recharge the ponds and bring the water level back up. There has been no rain to speak of for quite some considerable time.

. You know the old saying – “always be careful what you wish for” well, I didn’t quite wish for rain but I did suggest that we could do with some and it has been chucking it down all day. Still, I suppose I should look on the bright side and think about how this is all helping to refill the wetlands ponds.  If this weather keeps up, the next few days should be interesting. I really don’t mind the rain but I dislike the cold.