Looking forward to writing group today. Looks as though we'll be small in number.

Possibility of doing paid work this week faded when I found out the contact person is away. Looks like mid October before anything will happen. I don't mind, I've got plenty to do. Much memoir writing going on and school holidays with Annika coming up. She's already put in her requests, swimming at the Olympic pool and fish and chips at Manly. Fine by me.

Last Friday night Ed, Cris, the kids and me went to Cronulla for fish and chips and a walk by the beach. It was dark but a lovely soft evening before the wind came up again on Saturday. It only really calmed down late Monday when I got my car washed at last. I still see some cars with red dust on them.

Have booked tickets at the Opera House for a concert called 'Not New Years Eve' on Dec 28 for Maxine (sis) and me. I have also booked Gold Pass dinner packets which gives us a two course pre theatre dinner, 2 drinks at interval, (don't know how I'll get those down me) and free parking. Have still got to work out how to do New Years' Eve. Maxine wants to see the fireworks. Maybe we will camp on the foreshore all day and see what happens.

Red dust lingers

Still haven't got round to cleaning the red dust off my car. It's hideous but I've promised myself a ride to the car wash tomorrow morning.

Kathie emailed a picture of her scar today. That thing is a war wound!!!yuk!!!!

Had life writing class this morning. One person wrote a very funny piece about Funk and Wagnells. Would you believe on the car radio driving from the station F & W was mentioned. Not only that: I was doing homework on the train after class. Our assignment is to write about an argument using all 'show', no 'tell'. I suddenly thought about my being forced to eat brussel sprouts, one of my complaints being that they were soggy. Well the radio people mentioned soggy vegetables too. Things like that happen all the time. It's about being alert to the ordinary, making something of it, opening people's senses to the everyday that gets lost in the 'doing' of life. That was the theme of our class today. Awesome.

At last I've heard some news about work. I may even get to put a few hours in next week. I am however, not holding my breath.

Tonight I think I'll stay up and watch cricket, the Aussies are playing in the ICC championship in S. Africa. Big rugby league game as well tonight, a local derby of sorts. I'll have fun flipping channels. Might even have a beer, and scratch my balls. Oops. I don't have any.
Not much happening this weekend so I can write. No excuses. Just do it.

weird red sky

Woke up this morning to see the strangest sky I have ever seen. It is all over red, really red and hazy. What with the wind howling one could imagine it's a version of hell, without the heat. I expect an earthquake or a volcano (if Australia had any) to erupt at any minute, it's that ominous looking. I think there'll be a few fallen nests on the ground by the day's end if this wind keeps up.

Turns out we have dust blowing in from the west reducing visibility to 2 metres. Ferry services have been cancelled and airline arrivals and departures disrupted.

I have decided not to put my newly washed towels out on the line having heard that red dust is coating surfaces out there. I'm going to hunker down and stay in, don't need any of that stuff in my lungs! Should be over by tomorrow they say.

Now I have no excuse but to write so here goes.

unbelievable

Given my recent encounter with friends with broken limbs, imagine my shock when I saw a man driving his car over the harbour bridge with one arm. The other, his left arm was in a sling! And over the busy harbour bridge of all places. I happened to be on a train on the way to Milsons Point where the rail line parallels the road. I couldn't believe it.

I was on my way to the Life Writing class. It is so good, I'm enjoying it very much. WE all read our short pieces, all had merit, some very powerful.

I called Kathie today, she is on the mend, having got over the side effects of morphine tabs. Krista arrives tomorrow their time so they can re-organise for the following week.

I forgot to say the large magpie is still hanging around but I can't see a nest in the Norfolk pine. Speaking of magpies; during our picnic lunch at the NSW writer's centre on Wednesday a magpie flew in and pinched one of my cucumber sandwiches. He almost flew into my face making his escape. They are very cheeky.

Good to hear from B today, just back from Bali. She was well looked after over there.

Looking forward to catching up with the mini Hewers tomorrow.

many broken limbs

Kathie is improving everyday by the sound of it, hurray! But other people in my life are wrecking their limbs, one of the writing group has broken her arm, and I received a postcard from another friend in Bali who has broken her wrist. Is there something in the water or what??? If, as they say, things come in threes I can breathe a sigh of relief.

Met up with an old friend from SCAT (Skagit Community Arts Theatre) days yesterday. It was great meeting up with her and her husband who are on a three week holiday in Australia. It has been 22 years or more since I last saw her. My children remember her as the Balloon Lady. Balloons were her business then, not too much now apparently.

Life has slowly been getting back to normal, aqua aerobics yesterday and tomorrow. Life writing class on Friday. We have to take an object that means something to us. I'm tempted to take my computer, I use it and rely on it so much! But I am going to take something smaller, a family heirloom. Watch this space.

Just beginning to get a pain in my right ear when I blow my nose, must be fluid as a result of last week's cold. Hope it doesn't get infected.

Time to go to Writing Group. I'm looking forward to meeting up with folks I haven't seen in a while.

Things are looking up

Spoke to Kathie today who sounds brighter and is on the mend. I won't be doing a lightning trip to the USA after all.

I took advantage of a warm day and did aqua aerobics in the outdoor pool this morning. Ribs still sore from coughing but felt better for the exercise.

Watched Clisters/S. Williams match; gee what a dummy spit, amazonian Serena advancing on diminutive Asian line judge with raquet raised, terrifying! Regardless of outcome of match I think Kim deserved the win, she played more consistently and coolly. Still it tarnishes the great comeback story of unseeded unranked Kim making the finals of a grand slam in her first major after a two year break and a baby.

The Aussies clinched the one day series against UK last night (cricket) even though there are 3 games left to play. They will want to make it 7 zip. Most of my EPL players did well overnight too. So much sport going on last night, that I slept on the pull out sofa bed to catch some of it. I have no life I know.

It's great to feel better. Back to writing tomorrow.

Accidents and incidents

Thursday, our last full day at Hervey Bay. Maxine was picked up for a day trip to Fraser island. Me, Kathie and Krista made no plans other than kayaking for Krista. She went off on the tranquil sea while Kathie and I did NY Times Xword over a cup of coffee at a cafe on the beach.

Krista came in after an hour, and pulled the kayak up on the beach. Kathie picked up the back end to help her out, fell in the sand, having tripped over a hidden wooden step. She sat down suddenly went white and held her right arm. She was in alot of pain, started sweating. At first nobody at the cafe knew what was going on. We sat on the sand with Kathie for a long time hoping the pain would subside. Eventually we got some ice and I went back to get the car. When I returned the cafe people had made a sling for her and we went to Hervey Bay hospital.

The xray told the story, a mid shaft radial fracture, not a simple break, needing surgery. We almost got it done there and then but weren't sure whether Group Health Insurance in the USA would cover it.

Turns out they would but by then we had decided to return to Sydney as planned the next day and try our luck there. Kathie started Panadeine tabs. She needed them every four hours thereafter.

Back in Sydney we put off going to the emergency room until Sunday because we had tickets for the Sydney Symphony orchestra at the Opera House. They played star trek stuff with accompanying TV footage. It was fun. We went on to Maxine's house afterwards and had home made Laksa. Amazingly Kathie managed her chopsticks with her left hand, something I tried and couldn't do.

The next morning saw us in RPA emergency. The upshot was they were too busy to operate that day. K & K decided to return to USA and get it done there. It was not fun seeing off my sister with a broken arm.

Today I learned that she was in surgery for 3 hours, the bone was shattered in ten pieces and she needed 6 screws in. She is in a lot of pain. I want to go over there but will talk to Krista tomorrow and see how she is in the morning. Watch this space.

It's been a while

Two weeks to be exact and so much has happened it feels like two years.

First of all the trip to Hervey Bay was all that we hoped for in the first 4 days. Kingfisher Court was just what we wanted, plain straightforward, reasonably priced with nice managers, Kay and Graham. We had a view of the ocean from certain angles, and the ocean lay just across the road.

First day we walked along the esplanade to the Marina, about 6 kms. We arrived there just as one of the whale watching boats came in. The disembarking passengers raved about all the whales they saw so we decided to go on the afternoon run. We snatched a quick sandwich from one of the nearby cafes (mine a delicious prawn and avocado wrap) and boarded. We were not disappointed. Whales galore, many of them young bulls chasing females, something I hadn't seen before. The guide told us that in October, the big bulls come in and chase the females who have just given birth, sometimes tossing aside the baby whale that may be around. I wouldn't want to see that.

We docked just as it was getting dark, tired from our long walk in the evening and not looking forward to walking back. But we heard the magic words 'courtesy bus' and sure enough transportation was waiting outside. We were very grateful to have a lift back to our accommodation. We found out that most organisations have courtesy buses, very handy considering some of the distances involved. We had a hire car which we used thereafter.

Dinner at Pepper's Bistro that night.

The next day Kathie and Krista tried tandem bike riding. I have footage of the few seconds it took for them to realise it wouldn't work! They got singles instead and rode off.

We discovered the RSL that night. Cheap roast meals and tennis on the big screen. We went there every night of our stay after that.

Maxine and I had pedicures, so I now have red toe nails for the first time in two years. I lost major toe nails last year after competing in the City to Surf fun run and had only a few nails to paint, not a good look so I left them alone in 2008.

Kathie and I did a second day of whale watching. A mother brought her baby to the boat, showed him off for about half an hour, amazing. It made us late getting in to port but we didn't mind.

Then came day four: not a good day. Will write a second blog about this.