Well.

I reckon I've had more rest in the last week than for months.  Thanks to a mixture of Things Settling Down, both of us needing to sleep a lot on Wednesday (M definitely sick, me maybe - I felt fine the next day), and a lack of Important Appointments To Be Attended To.

M was put back on the sick list on Tuesday after a visit to our GP.  Who nonchalantly took M's temp and it was 38C.  What??  Quick, where are the antibiotics?

We had an adventure today - we took the bus to one of the local hospitals to get M an xray.  [I was amused by the booking process - it's a 1300 number and very streamlined.  They *do* ask if you have any special needs, so I was able to say 'well yes, we need the right time, the right place and the right staff to help us' and after a small hesitation the person on the line sorted it all out purrfectly for me. Us, that is.]  Off we went, arriving in good time to test the cafe before his appointment (no, I didn't plan that.  It was A Happy Accident).  I was greatly troubled by the cake display - pink donuts AND pink lamingtons with real cream filling!  I've been regretting that sudden flash of spirit which made me say NO, ever since.  PINK LAMINGTONS!!

We're expecting the xray to show that M is doing fine and the pills are working.  We adventured back to the flat easily, and I was pleased that nothing alarming happened this time.  Recent bus trips have exposed some of the things which can be a problem - mostly, other people, who are impatient, or get in the way, or try to be helpful and make M flustered and me cross.  For example, if you see someone in a power chair manoeuvring back and forth in a small space, DON'T step into it to try to push him.  You won't be able to push the 200kg+ of him plus chair, you're likely to get your foot HEAVILY run over, and you'll get in his way, make him feel deaf and stupid, and require me to be sharp and dismissive.  You wouldn't want that, would you??  People in wheelies who are using buses are in fact extremely competent, because they've learned a lot of skills before they try catching buses.  So, a bit of respect, please.  Wait until we ASK for help.

Ahem.  Off soapbox.. another hazard is the bus driver taking off before M's in position.  YOU try moving a power chair on a moving surface!  High risk activity for his wife (who gets easily alarmed when she perceives a husband rolling uncontrolled across a crowded bus aisle..). We also get into tangles when bags get caught on chair backs, other people dare to come on the bus with *their* mobility aids, and worst of all was the trip we took when there was already someone in a (manual) chair.  There wasn't really enough room and M had to travel 'backwards' which is not disastrous but got him disoriented for a bit.

However no bus driver has ever asked me for a fare, and twice when I've offered to pay I've been waved away.  M travels free.  Sometimes another passenger will leap up and unfold the ramp for the driver - very generous.  I really appreciate how easy this is for us - I wouldn't care to try it in peak hour with a crush of passengers, but during the day we're managing very well, and M has had the confidence to make a couple of short trips on his own.

... but I was speaking of rest. Well, what can I say?  Now that I look carefully at my emails, messages, mail and unfinished tasks, I see that all this resting must stop, preferably before it started.  Small fires keep breaking out no matter how much I clutch my gin and tonic and point the hose.  There are the usual legal/insurance complexities, the much-yearned-for start of the house mods (the loan people STILL need more bits of paper), our team of supporting allied health care workers have many trenchant questions for us about equipment and services, and I am neglecting my physio again.

We have declared tomorrow to be a Paperwork Day, and M is threatening to help sort (some of) my BAGS of paperwork.  I'm not so sure I want him to know either just how much there is, or see my (dis)order of priorities.  Nice big bits of papers with green texta titles works for me.  Many would suggest a filing cabinet but I want to approach this slowly from a position of firm ignore.  I tend towards the belief that if They want it badly enough, They'll write/ask/send again.  If *I* need it badly enough, I'll either find it or get a copy or decide it doesn't really matter (don't tell dad I said that).

So..

we're fine.  No explosions this week.  None planned although if you ask me about the insurance company I can't promise.

We might see a breaking of the sod next week, if all this talk of loans turns into dollars that can be flung at the builder.

My cattie enjoyed a sprint around the garden at dusk (the morning feeder forgot to let her out.  As she was noticeably sleepy when I turned up in the late afternoon, I don't think she suffered too much).  I quite enjoyed it too, seeing my garden turning all the warm autumn colours. Only a few cape daisies and the teeniest sprig of blue salvia to counter all that fiery display.

Roll on weekend (there's a concept for someone clever - the roll-on weekend.  Think of the applications!).

I'm wearing Jo Malone 'Lime, Basil and Mandarin' cologne this week.  I smell a bit like the makings of an excellent Thai dinner.

Time to cruise...

We've run away to the coast for a couple of weeks. We've had some deliciously cool rain, and some horrible steamy humidity afterwards. Why both I ask sweatily??

I've packed numerous projects, knitting and sewing, and hope to do some FINISHING. Now, pick yourselves up off the floor and behave. It has to happen sometimes you know. I recall, a couple of years ago, I was determined to finish some things, so I started with the very small, achievable things like the odd missing button on a shirt; two inches of dropped hem on a trouser leg; one final row of fringe on a scarf. Now I've pretty much run out of little jobs and I've had to take some deep breaths and look to the next layer of UFOs*.

I have with me the second half of a shawl for E (hi baby!); a tote bag project which I am taking to a one-day course at a local fabric shop; the famous 'greens' art/colour theory project quilt which is a stack of rectangles waiting for some seams to make them into a single bed quilt top. I have a random knitting thing which is just using up a weird ball of mohair and acrylic wool, not very nice to knit with but it's a pretty enough rectangle.. I'm knitting that one in what I THINK is moss stitch... and I have plenty of fat quarters for purposes of adding to/starting a small project which I am inspired to do once I have inhaled enough soothing seaside air.

These projects usually take the form of 'something useful for the house' and as such tend to be cushion covers, aprons, oven gloves, pillow cases or weird folded bits of long fabric which I think I can fake-o into a summer garment of a very toga-like nature ... ie I stand with the fabric in front of the mirror; folding, pleating and pinning, until it looks decent and feels comfy. Then I take it home and get it out next summer and try to work out what I had in mind!

But for now, these holi-days brought to you by my summer holiday stash: Ange ou Demon (nearly finished); Angel; a miniature Prada, and an unopened Gucci. So far, A ou D is winning. It's an intense, slightly musky scent which I like on these warm days. And, ya know, any excuse! Finishing a bottle is good enough for me.

*UnFinished Objects

..another pause as the gods do their evil work...

Nobody nose wot my nose nose.

I have been quietly gathering photos, thinking of where old projects might be, and very slowly working on current projects (mostly the shawl for my daughter). However we had a sudden, early hot spell, and then another, which knocked me over flat and made knitting suddenly seem very last season.

I shall leave TnS on pause until the weather and my energy level improves. And while I find out how to post photos. Any hints extremely welcome!

Today and most of November brought to you by Jo Malone, Prada and Gucci. Stronger scents for a fading nose. Lovely.

View from the weekend..

Bumpy. Undulating? Definitely not smooth, anyway.

A friend had a bad fall and broke his hip; instant mayhem for the family. I hope he'll heal fast, completely and with added wisdom. Nasty events always have this potential!

My darling M has been very down today, after spending yesterday being wonderfully energetic and keeping ME going. He woke in the night saying he was feeling his age. Poor man. We decided that this meant today was an Official Sunday, thereby throwing all expectations to the winds and letting ourselves blob around, eat funny things at funny times, indulge each other, and play with the cats. The highlight of the day was watching a dvd of Claudio Abbado conducting the Berlin Phil in a lavishly gorgeous theatre in Sorrento. A wonderful purrformance of Dvorak's 'New World Symphony', with some rather pretentious doco-style ramblings about supposed influences on his composition. But the purrformance was masterful, and very well filmed. We enjoyed it very much, as we quietly removed a few more bits of fur-lump from Maccy, snorted our evening drinks down with posh chocolate, and tried very hard to get Wendy to come in from a storm. She turned up well after it was over, looking very pleased with herself. And very wet!

We've reconstructed my workroom as a spare bedroom (ie put a bed in there again), and M is now sacked out, safely tucked in away from my nocturnal/insomniac interruptions. I'm happily up the other end of the house (there's a lot to be said for long, rectangular houses), playing the Corrs, typing, arranging my 'art' teatowels on the bed (I can feel some hanging up coming on tomorrow), contemplating the Ikea delivery next weekend, thinking of sofa-hunting tomorrow, and considering the effect of a cheese sandwich before sleepytime. Trouble is, I want a cheese sandwich with LOTS of butter, and I'm sure my doc would shudder and point to my latest cholesterol level results. Dang.

I haven't made much of a start on this year yet, except to throw out the prescriptions from 2007 which are definitively out of date. I'm not trying for a resolution, cos I aint got any. Even moderate attempts at willpower are largely a failure. Going with the flow is easier, except I don't flow much, I'm more of a stasis girl. Oh well. There are some fun projects I could start on, easily completed, which would be satisfying. Like putting a hanging pocket on a sequinned and embroidered cloth, to hang behind our bed. Finishing putting polar fleece along the edge of our bedspread so the fringe doesn't tickle our noses. Sewing ditto to mum's HYOOG knitted blanky which is going to Germany to adorn the bed of my eldest niece. This one will have to be handsewn, and with temperatures aiming for 37 later this week, I'm not looking forward to having it in my lap! I might have to do a deal with the ironing board.. it can take the bulk and the weight, while I fiddle with the edge. We'll see. It might be one of those things which is massively attractive to the attentions of a cat. A cat which might think it's great fun to 'help'.

.... I should get my wobbly ass back to gym. And off to the pool for wading, which, dear readers, is THE exercise invented to fix your tight lower back. Goes like this: hop into the medium pool at Dickson, the one which is only 1.5m at the deepest end, is under shade-cloth, and is big enough to stride around. Stride around. Do this until you feel like a coffee. Go and get one - they're rather good at the cafe there - and resume striding around with your coffee in one hand. Fabbo. You can do all this without getting your hair wet, your self sunburnt, or endangering your caffeine level. Close to purrfect as a form of exercise don't you think?

Alice the Garden came today (delayed from last Tuesday when it was too hot). She does miracles every time. Today she put in the three large iceberg roses I was given before christmas. I've been keeping them alive in plastic bags... I hope they'll all thrive. We're happily planting prickly things all along part of our front fence, because late last year someone walking along there broke off most of my fruit tree saplings. Much grief, especially for the persimmon tree which was leaping towards the sun and looking very happy. Now it's only 2 feet tall. A nice thick row of high and rambling roses; boysenberries, raspberries, spiky grevilleas and anything else I can think of to add to the deterrent mix; a year or so of growing, and my trees will be quite safe. AND I hope all this will outgrow the bloody vinca, which is big fat nuisance all along the fence-line. As bad as ivy.

Alice's visits always leave me with lots of things to do in her wake. I can't dig the holes or cart the heavy bags of stuff around. But I'm a gun Seasol-er; I can plant wee things into the softer soil; and I can plan, oh how I can plan! I have many natives to go in, and my sis busy growing more from seed, the clever thing. When all my hakeas finally fall over, I'll have Canberra grown and hardened replacements all strong and healthy. Nice. I'll also have a very eclectic garden full of cape daisies and mint bush and boobialla and blue fescue and lavender and agapanthus and pigface and geraniums and seaside daisy... I think there's only one environmental weed in that list! I'll check... I've spent 10 years removing masses of the top ten enviro-weeds which were all rampant in this old garden. The huge piles of privet, honeysuckle, ivy, cotoneaster, vinca, wandering jew, ... well that's 6 out of 10. I know I had ten but it's too late to look up details. Trust me!

And now I see it is tomorrow and that cheese sammo is looking better and better. I guess I could go easy on the butter and add a bit of mustard... I will certainly be adding purrfume to the nocturnal mix. I have some Mugler 'Angel' which needs opening. The one I've been using in the last week is 'Lily Angel', a difference I didn't note until I saw bottles on display in a very dangerous shop in Manuka... a shop full of shiny things and discounted purrfume and beads and makeup and and and.. what with being under the influence of pancakes, being very relaxed, and knowing what was in my bank account, I had no chance did I?

Please send bone-knitting, garden-growing, headache-dispelling and sense-of-smell-in-full-opurrational-order vibes. They will all go to good homes. Send some dorter-patting too while you're at it, pats are always useful on dorters. Especially darling ones like mine.