Wetlands, Stroller and Walking.

The Flinders Lodge

Well everything is booked for next Monday  and we set out for Adelaide, booking into the  Lodge sometime Monday afternoon. Tuesday morning I take her to the Flinders Clinic and she will go for day surgery. I don’t collect her again until around 1:30. After I  hand her over to the medical staff – who have my  mobile phone number – I  take off to Marion Shopping Centre.   After the surgery  and the Vet Bills for Benji I was going to put the New Laptop on hold, but we discussed this and  decided that I really do need a new laptop. At the last Church Conference in Norwood, it was embarrassing the way my old laptop kept falling out and had to be reset, so I need a new one. I hope to get it on Tuesday at Marion..

This last week or so has been pretty hectic with Annabell being ill and setting up a bed for her, so I can keep an edye on her              . Her recovering – well sort of – and then Benji and his operation and me sleeping on a blowup mattress on the floor beside him rather

He’s getting better.

than take him into the bedroom with me. The reason  being is that I was afraid the he would try to jump on the bed to be beside me and cause injury to himself. Or if I put him on the bed beside me he might jump off during the night and also injure himself, so  what I did do was the better option. Crazy I know, but Benji is my  dog and I look after him. Anyway, it was only for a few days.

At the moment because of the  attack, followed by the operation followed by the number of dogs we now have around here, we have been driving to the Wetlands and walking

Peek-a-Boo.

around there. He is in the stroller, of course, and he has made lots of new friends. Sometimes it’s “Good morning Benji” then as an after thought, “Good Morning John” However, I have found that even two laps of the wenlands is only slightly more steps than the walk of the district that we used to do before  his “injury”. But it’s a good walk and we both enjoy it and the people we meet are really nice = even the joggers  who give a “morning”as they go whizzing past in the dark – and yes, most  (Me too) use a head light.  This afternoon, I put the lead (leash) on him and took him outside and had him walking for a few minutes – about six minutes in all and I am pleased to say that he did well.. He did lift his leg a couple of time but mostly he walked using all four paws, which was great. – and yes, it is the leg he lifts when he “Lifts his Leg”!  Hopefully, once we come back from Adelaide and he gets the stiches out, a few more days and we can retire the stroller for a while.. What I will do is one and a half turns in the stroller and the remaining half turn with him walking,  and see how that goes.

At the Wetlands today I saw a man who had a dog with him, but  the dog had a blue light attacked to his collar so that it tells people in the dark that there is a dog comming towards them. I thought this was a great idea. First time I have ever seen him or the dog and I didn’t get an opportunity to talk to him. There is a  “Pets Domain Shop”here so I may have a look in there in the morning, but they tend to be over-priced in many things. But that is common here. I could get the laptop I want here rather than in Adelaide, but there is a difference of over $100 in the price, so I can wait until Tuesday. The reason for the difference in prices is  “Transport

The French Connection..

During the week I  drove out to the Lighthouse and in our wander round I discovered a new  information board which tells of the exploration of the Upper Spencer Gulf,  Matthew Flinders was not the only explorer to venture up here. The French  charted the area of the Gulf up to and including what is now Whyalla, whilst Matthew Flinders explored and charted the other side. There is an information Board for Flinders but I thought the French Connection would be more interesting.  The ship was built in New South Walesd and sold to the French Government

What the French ship may have looked like.

 

On The Road Again

Part of the Main Entrance at Flinders.

Again we are waiting on  conformation from Flinders regarding the arrangements for next week. What I know (perhaps) is that she will be admitted sometime on Friday for an operation  (procedure) on Saturday, recovery and tests Sunday and discharged Monday. It is not an “operation” as such but it does require anesthetic. Anyway, that’s what we were told, but that could change and until we get the letter we wont know. It makes it difficult for me to try and book accommodation. Still, not to worry I do have a tent, sleeping bag and stuff  :o)  It’s been a strange week and despite not reaching the  predicted 43c it has remained in the high 20s  but still fairly warm. According to our long range weather forecast this will be a warm but wet summer – lots of rain and perhaps some local  flooding. Some of that forecast rain will start this weekend.

Saturday and still no word from Flinders – and it is raining. Not that the two are connected but I just thought I would mention that the for

Sorry I ,missed it this year.

ecast rain is here. No walk this morning. If it clear up I’ll take Benji for a walk round the wetlands later in the day. I meant to say in the last post that I am very sorry

about missing Thanksgiving. Of course I don’t celebrate but I generally make a post and this year I didn’t. I was  in Adelaide and otherwise occupied. Apart from which I didn’t have my computer and my laptop (Apple) does not have this program. (WordPress)

Annabell is well – she gets tired easily but otherwise not too bad.  I let her sleep and if I do go outside I generally take the mobile(cell) and the cordless with me – one phone for each ear  :o) I have never been involved with cancer so I was unaware of the Cancer Council or the fact that they operate two lodges, the Flinders Lodge and the Eastwood Lodge. Both of these offer accommodation for cancer patients and their carers (if necessary) if and when they have to come to Adelaide for treatment.. I have only just found this out and had I known I could have made use of the

facilities when we last were down. There is also a volunteer transport service from the lodges to the treatment centers. Now that I do know this I will telephone them tomorrow and see about accommodation although I can’t book it because I still do not know the dates. The hospital telephoned today and although Annabell was on the phone for the best part of an hour, we are still no further forward. We now know that her “operation ” will take place around 8am on Monday 14th December and all being well she will be released late afternoon on the 15th. However, there  is still the need to meet with the anesthetist on Friday. However, that could be done by telephone that’s up to him to decide and we wont get told that until Thursday. If it is by telephone, I can delay the drive to Adelaide until Sunday, which would be a great help. We have also been told that what they are going to do works for most people, but not all. We will work on the assumption that it will work but the major surgery is still possible in a year or so. Exterlunt!! The Anesthetist telephoned and we did the consultation by telephone. That being so, we will get the blood tests done here in the morning and I wont have to leave for Adelaide until Sunday morning for admittance to the hospital at 7am Monday morning. We have been told that Annabell is the first on the list Monday morning – so that’s  good.  Still  no church but we believe most of the restrictions will be lifted on Monday so we should be back the following Sunday – 20th December.  We will see what the Premier proposes next Monday.