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.

A bit of a mixed bag!!

Mom , dad and the WaWa – reunited
Benji and the WaWa at the beach

On Friday 8th April 2016, Sooah brought her dog, Kongsoon, around to us. It had been agreed that we would look after the dog for the three months they were back in South Korea, whilst the immigration authorities sorted things out.  Kim, Sooah’s husband,  had an employer and a sponsor, sadly the employer and the sponsor were the same company – which collapsed with the Arrium problems. With no sponsor and no employer, Sooah and Kim had to go back to South Korea while things were sorted out. It was expected that this would take about three months but things did not go as planned ( not that we knew any of this) and they did not return, nor did they send any word. After about ten months we began to think of the dog as our dog. A year passed and still nothing, then in July of this year,  whilst I had Annabell at the doctor, I got a message to say that she was going to visit us and collect the dog. I told her where I was and said I would let her know when we were back home We didn’t know that they were in Australia, let alone Whyalla.  I called her ; she arrived and we made arrangements for the dog to be returned. Seems they were offered employment in Sydney, so they accepted. They came to town to collect their things left with other people, then to us to collect the dog. The following morning, Thursday 20th. July, at 6am they came; we loaded all the dog things into the covered trailer and, after tearful farewells, Sooah took the dog and they left to head to Sydney. The oddest thing is that I knew she at least was well because I would post a photograph of the two dogs at the lighthouse or the beach and she would post a “like”then nothing. I tried to message her, as did others, but no reply. Anyway, it is all over now – they are both lovely people and Annabell and I wished them well. I

Tanks for the Memory.

really do hope everything is well and they have settled into their new home in a new state. Sooah gave Annabell a lovely card which contained a Woolworth Credit Card, which we didn’t know about until after they left. The WaWa  did cause concern and perhaps we were guilty of that in the initial stages since we didn’t correct any behaviour problems, believing that she was with us for only a short time. But in the end she became my BFF and in essence I could do anything with her – except get her to be friends with Benji when they were in the house. Outside – no problems, but she considered the house was hers and he had no right to be there.

The Army have been doing exercises around the town for most of the week. I was stopped and sent back from my usual walk, road blocks were set up and cars examined and the occupants checked, there were also holding areas for suspicious people. All done in good spirit and people were willing to participate. This was  Cadet Officers from the Military College at Duntroon. Next year we will have the Army back again for another Joint exercise with  other countries. Last time there was about 15,000 troops with heavy equipment, tanks and armoured carriers. Should be interesting.

The last two days have been  celebrated by lightening, thunder and heavy rain. Been a lovely two days really  :o)  Unlike others, Benji is not phased by the thunder, which is probably just as well since there is a lot of it.  It is now 4:45 on Friday morning ( Thursday Thanksgiving in the USA) and the rain has finally stopped. It really has been heavy – bounce of the sidewalk rain – and I expect to hear about and see some flooding here, but if Adelaide has had anything like this, there will probably be serious flooding.

When we picked up the Simulator last time

The RFDS Simulator  is always in demand and getting it is difficult. We have managed to do just that but it’s a year away. We wanted the simulator for the Christmas Pageant but knew that the chances of getting it for this year were zilch –  however – we have got it for next year. Last time we had it for three days and we made the most of that, setting it up at Woolworth Carpark, and with the Council down at the Foreshore. Don’t know how long we will get it for this time – hopefully, the weekend, which will allow us to benefit from it being here.