Thursday 25 July 2013

Domestic chaos very likely

Melbourne was very very cold, or so it seemed to me, having finally become acclimatised to the Sydney climate.  Despite having returned on Tuesday, and having had a full day at home, it still feels cold. Here I sit, waiting for the men to come and begin the waterproofing of the en suite bathroom, and lo, the man - just one, has arrived and is unpacking his gear. I hope I can ask him to change a couple of lights for me - my ceilings are way too high for me to reach and my step-ladder is not high enough. Bernard is tall, so here's hoping. It seems mad to have to hire someone just to change a light globe. It does drive me mad, a bit, to have such small things without some drama or special arrangements.

There was another power blackout the other night, causing a flurry of searching for the candles, the matches and the torch. Perhaps there needs to be a torch on each level.

A close friend, in Adelaide, rang me to say she was in hospital with a broken ankle. She has atrophy of part of the brain, which will eventually result in Alzheimer's, but the early symptoms were loss of her peripheral vision. With lots of help from the medical profession and friends, she has managed so far, although she had to stop driving, but now it seems clear that she can't continue to live at home, as the house is too difficult to be modified for her. Early days, but it seems she will have to go to respite care, once she heals enough to be discharged, and then go to some sort of aged care facility. Ageing is often a process fraught with problems. She is only two years older than me, and we have known each other  and been dear friends since university, and our parents were friends.

Melbourne was mostly good (apart from the cold) and the family gathering was lovely, with all the nieces and nephews and their progeny. We met at a hotel somewhere near Woop Woop (or so it seemed to me) which had enclosed play areas and the room was large enough for all the little ones to run around a lot. I stayed with my second youngest sister and then with Stomper for the other two nights. All very pleasant, and lovely to spend time with them all. My grandsons are delightful and it is a happy home. However the cat seemed disinclined to smooch with me!

However there was a short but distressing episode with one of my sisters, which although smoothed out, with good will on both sides, continues to upset me. In due course I will settle and recover, but I do, alas, have a propensity to fret and to replay and to agonise, and I still feel rather unfairly done by and thus bruised.

Probably what I should do right now is go out and buy a coffee, and/or make something nice. Bernard might like a coffee too.

2 comments:

VioletSky said...

Oh to be snubbed by a cat. Such an insult.
I, too tend to fret and replay and over-analyse. I think it comes with living alone and not having another's handy ear to share and discuss.

Gillie said...

So glad you had a good time, I too fret over stufff. Definitely a torch on each level, not a good idea using stairs in the dark. Over here we have a long pole with a sucker thingy on the end to change bulbs. The WT uses it successfully for the one in our main room. Maybe you could have a look? Hope you got the coffee and enjoyed it!