Category: Thoughts

Not a ‘sickie’, just a cold

I’m not at work today, I’m sick.

Not a ‘sickie’, just a cold.

Probably still okay to be at work, just feels like a ‘normal’ cold but I did the ‘right thing’ and went to a respiratory clinic for a Covid test earlier today.

And yes it wasn’t pleasant.

I did the biggest loudest sneeze of my life after the nostril swab! And it’s true, your glasses fog up when you wear a mask.

And I’m annoyed I’m stuck at home until the test results are confirmed, because we’re heading away this weekend and I still need to sort out my outfit for the wedding, and was planning to catch up with the girls on my rostered day off tomorrow.

But that’s a small price to pay at the end of the day.

First World Problem as they say?

On a day I heard Doctors Without Borders are on their way to the US to help deal with the pandemic.

Because it’s people like me, who assumed it was ‘just a cold’ but actually had the virus, who helped spread it and we can all see how that is panning out overseas.

Because I heard on the radio that we need to think of the virus like the smell of cigarettes you breathe in even after the smoker has stopped smoking.

It’s in the air you breathe.

Yes we’re lucky here in Western Australia that we’ve not had any community transmission yet. But it feels like it’s only a matter of time.

Just look at how fast it’s spread in South Australia. From one person.

So maybe think about having Christmas outside this year, or a smaller family gathering than usual, or if you have to be inside have a fan circulating air.

And if you feel like you’ve ‘just got a cold’ go and get a Covid test.

It’s just the right thing to do.

A new chapter

There is something very satisfying about finding a place for all the shapes that cascade down in the tile matching video game Tetris.

Tetris was a game I enjoyed playing as a child, and I’ve found an equivalent phone app that I’ve been known to play if there’s nothing to read and I’m very, very bored.

Sitting in an international airport lounge waiting for my boarding call for example. Something I can’t see myself doing for quite some time.

The milestone birthday holiday plan which included a cruise from New York to Rome with plenty of potential Tetris time has now been replaced by … camping.

From cruising to camping is not a great segue, but thanks to Covid-19 it’s fast becoming our next ‘big thing’.

My only experience of camping is from primary school, and I can vividly recall the experience to this day.

The rain set in with vengeance soon after we set up our tents, so instead of facing the elements we ended up camping on the floor inside the local church, between the pews.

While I appreciate the beauty of stained glass, my memory of watching the lightning strikes cast colourful shadows overhead, and waiting for the next ‘big badda boom’, made for a mystical experience but wasn’t very conducive to a good night’s sleep.

And it was terribly cold too!

I’m not a princess but I am rather partial to creature comforts, like a belly full of delicious food and a warm cosy comfortable bed.

And I’m seriously addicted to coffee!

So to say I am somewhat anxious about the plan for my husband and I to camp in the Porongorups this weekend is an understatement.

There just seems to be so much ‘stuff’ that needs to be planned for and purchased in order to ‘Be Prepared,’ and how the heck are we going to fit it all in the back of the car?!

We’ve borrowed a tent, splurged on a self inflating mattress, resurrected the sleeping bags last used by the kids many moons ago, and if all else fails we’ll sleep in every item of clothing for warmth.

So that’s shelter sorted, right?

It’s all the other stuff that is doing my head in. Like hot food and water, and lighting, seating, eating, washing up.

And fitting it all into the back of the car in some way that is able to be removed in case of a flat tyre or some other emergency.

Everyone’s full of camping tips and tricks from their own experience, but right now it’s feeling a bit like childbirth.

Friends love sharing their tips but no-one seems to want to admit to the ‘bad stuff’ until after I have experienced it for myself.

Like all the potential trip hazards between the shelter of our tent and the loo in the middle of the night.

And the many dangerous Australians we’re likely to encounter, like snakes!

And instant coffee!

I’m hoping my Tetris experience will come in handy when it comes time to pack up the car.

And I’m pleased to hear that happy hour is considered mandatory on campsites so will make sure there’s room for a good bottle of red or two.

But apart from that?

There’s only so much room in the car so I’m thinking our biggest lessons will come from how well we Improvise, Adapt and Overcome!

Anyone know if there’s a church in the Porongorups?

Confessions of a closet hoarder

It’s bulk rubbish collection week in our suburb and the kerb crawlers are out in force.

I don’t have an issue with finding treasure in the trash, and the kerb crawlers are most welcome to help themselves to anything they like because (in theory) that helps reduce my contribution to landfill.

My issue is actually making the decision to let something go.

My contribution has started with the remnants of our life with cats, including a scratching post we invested a ridiculous amount of money in but neither cat was particularly interested in actually using.

It ended up outside in the cat run and the weather’s taken its toll, so off to the verge it must go.

We actually have a house full of stuff that needs to go, but making the decision to do that is something I find very hard to do.

Perhaps it’s the emotional attachment, or the fact that I grew up in a ‘make do and mend’ household?

Or that the stuff we have accumulated in our blended household tells the story of our journey over the past 18 years?

I’m okay with gifting unwanted clothes to Op Shops, but books and gifts and the bits and pieces that our kids have left behind are not so easy to give away.

I once worked with someone who told me their annual spring clean involves hiring a skip bin and walking through the house and finding stiff to fill it with and I was horrified!

What if you need something you have thrown out so impulsively? Or someone you know does?

What if it is still functional and valuable to someone, anyone?

I’ve joined my local buy nothing community page on Facebook and have gifted a few items, but have to admit to receiving more than I have gifted which isn’t really helping clear the clutter.

Maybe I need to get someone else in to  remove all the stuff and see what I miss?

I’m giving my cat collection until the end of the day until someone removes it from the verge.

In the meantime I’m off to look for something else to add to the pile.

If you need anything let me know, I’ve probably got it!

Reflections on life without a Father

Today is Father’s Day in Australia.

Maybe you bought your dad a whole lot of stuff he likes but doesn’t really need, because that’s what the Hallmark version of the day is all about.

For me it is a day of reflection for what could have been.

You see, there is no Father in my life and according to my birth certificate there never has been.

Having reached the mid century milestone you could say I’ve learnt to come to terms with the lack of a father figure in my life, and my experiences with my own children and step-children and their fathers has been nothing but positive and for their sakes I am truly grateful.

If they are anything like me on Mother’s Day, knowing they are loved and valued and appreciated will count more than anything money can buy.

A simple text message, phonecall or making time to be with their Dad is all you really need to do. Anything else is a bonus.

As for me, I will be making an effort to acknowledge the two Dads in my world, just in case their kids forget.

And taking some time out for myself to reflect on what could have been.

As I read somewhere once, ‘Anyone can be a Father, it takes someone special to be a Dad.’

So cheers to all the Dads from me.

What’s in a name?

It meant a lot to the Double Banger team that the name we proposed for our ‘baby’ was accepted.

We put a lot of thought into it, apart from being a double banger name it reflects the history and heritage of his parents as well as Belhus Racing in our considered opinion.

And it meant a lot when we found out that our baby, back at Belmont tomorrow for his second race, is up against a horse in barrier 2 being ridden by William Pike (Pikey).

Back Pike and you can drink what you like, right?

‘Pikey’ already has ten WA jockey premierships and only needs two more wins to equal his own Australian riding record of 234 wins.

So to say he’s going to put his ‘all’ into the race would be an understatement.

On any other day we’d be backing Pikey, just not tomorrow. My tip is an each way bet on Pikey and Pinball Player.

Pikey riding Pinball Player? Now that would be the dream!

And a Triple Banger!

The Boys, their WAGs and a Double Banger

My husband has a group of mates, The Boys, who have all been friends since high school. They share a love of playing, watching and betting on sport, and have a lifetime of stories to share whenever they get together.

The Double Banger story started a few years ago at a local hotel, when two of The Boys struck up a conversation with another punter about her winning streak betting on horses with two names that start with the same letter.

News of the punting formula soon spread among the group and The Boys started betting on Double Bangers themselves, but it wasn’t until one of the Wives and Girlfriends (WAGs) won big on Pinker Pinker that the Double Banger streak began.

Owning a racehorse wasn’t something I would have seriously considered, as a day at the races is more about frocks and fascinators than fillies for me.

But thanks to my involvement in the Own the Dream competition, I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about the racing industry and win a share in a horse!

Our Double Banger team of ten entered the 2019 competition, attending free events and tours showcasing the WA racing industry.

By registering and attending every event in the series, along with gaining insight into the industry we also earned entries in the final draw.

Our prize was a 20 percent share in an Arcade Game x Magnus colt we selected through Belhus Racing. He is being trained by Trevor Andrews and has had four trials.

Pulling up with shin soreness after his first 1000 metre trial, he recently returned from a rest and did well at his second trials.

Fast forward to now, the horse we named ‘Pinball Player’ has been entered in his first race, mid-week at Belmont tomorrow, and finally, Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted with the track open and we can all go and watch our ‘baby’ run!

To say we’re all excited is an understatement. Celebrations or commiserations will be likely on the day, but either way it’s a story we’ll continue to share beyond middle age.

Education for all, not just the rich.

At the memorable protest rally I attended during my time at the University of Western Australia, I loudly chanted this along with my first year peers as we marched along St. Georges Terrace in the Perth CBD.

This was way way back in 1988 when University education was free.

Yes kids, free.

Among the many legacies of the Whitlam Labor government was the removal of University fees in the 1970’s, but this apparently became ‘untenable’ by the end of the next decade.

For people like me, the first person in my family to be offered a place and attend such a beautiful and prestigious university, the concept of fees being implemented right now in Australia would have meant closing the door on tertiary education completely.

I ended up taking seven years to complete my undergraduate degree, and the legacy of debt I had to repay for all those years was with me until relatively recently.

Life has this funny way of getting in the way when you’re busy making plans, and sometimes you need a Plan B, but that shouldn’t have to involve removing the choice to go to university.

As an Arts graduate who also recently completed a Graduate Diploma, I can honestly say that tertiary education provided for me the critical thinking and communication skills that are also important in the workplace.

I understand that the system is struggling right now, largely because of the void that has been created by the absence of international students, but there are already other ways to learn job-ready skills.

Does the guarantee of a job after graduation mean your knowledge is more valuable?

Is it ‘right’ or ‘fair’ to value accountants more than artists?

Sorry but the implications of this sort of change on The Arts simply does not sit well with me.

But these are just my thoughts so please don’t take anything I have to say personally 🤔🙏

Retail Therapy

I have been a follower of fashion for as long as I can remember, but have never had the income to fully feed my passion.

I can only imagine a life where shopping involves looking at the price tag AFTER you try something on, which is why I’ve been a bargain hunter and ‘vintage’ shopper ever since I first started earning an income.

Way back in the day, I would have been about twelve from memory, I printed flyers offering my babysitting services to the neighbours.

Would you believe, even though I had very little experience, let alone a first aid certificate or anything, it turned out to be quite a lucrative business for me.

The money I made meant freedom to buy and wear clothes that I thought suited my personality. Trust me there were some epic fails at the time, my only defence is that I was a teenager in the 80’s …

But for me there was, and still is, nothing like the feeling when, after trawling through racks of ‘trash’ you find a ‘treasure’ that fits and you can afford!

And when you wear that special something and receive a compliment?

Now THAT is a very special feeling.

Who’s with me?

Carpentry cacophony

The Covid-19 ‘lockdown’ here in Western Australia is winding down, and I’m hopeful that some of the positives from the experience will remain.

The opportunity to get to know our neighbours has been just one of the silver linings of the experience for me, but not so for two of our immediate neighbours it would seem.

One is a retired carpenter who likes to tinker in his garage, building grandfather clocks from scratch.

Across the driveway the other neighbour, also retired, likes to entertain friends at home, and is obviously not happy with the noise that the carpentry emits.

A disagreement over the noise recently boiled over, with the neighbour not happy with the garage noise using a passive aggressive technique to counter it; playing the radio loudly on a portable stereo in the doorway of her home, directly facing the offending garage.

As you can imagine the combined noise is not pleasant, especially in the rear courtyard of our home where I normally enjoy pottering in the garden. Today the noise was enough to rouse Shadow from her Nanna nap to the front door to investigate.

We have had both neighbours at our doorstep complaining about the other, and to be honest they’re both starting to annoy the heck out of me.

But there is no way I’m picking a side, because I think they’re both being very selfish and childish. Who said with age comes wisdom?

Perhaps the situation will resolve itself once the social distance restrictions ease and the local men’s shed reopens?

But the noise is only part of the problem really, even if it stops they’re still ultimately going to need to learn to get along in my opinion.

Because life’s too short.

#nofilter I am not okay

I have a guilty secret that I feel the need to share …

I have medically diagnosed Generalised Anxiety Disorder that keeps me awake at night, literally.

Along with seeing a psychologist, I have recently started taking medication to help manage my chronic insomnia. Lack of sleep is like a ‘truth serum’ for me, which also happens to be one of my favourite songs. It’s by Smog if you’re interested, Google it 😁

Some days it’s like I have too much to say and not enough time, and if get within earshot I’ll tell you what I really think about EVERYTHING 😃

But I digress, until now I have felt too ashamed or scared or … something to share my ‘guilty’ secret.

Like my cat who is not well, some days all it want to do is find somewhere cosy and hide away. The linen cupboard is her favourite comfy place at the moment. But I’m off topic again …

Why is it so hard to reveal and discuss mental illness?

I broke my ankle a couple of years ago and it was clear I was not ok because of the dirty black smelly ‘moon boot’ I had to wear for nearly two months. The lack of sleep and reactive gut, two symptoms of anxiety, caused me to lose a lot of weight and I keep being told I look fantastic but I can, hand on heart, say I have never felt worse.

On days like today when I’ve had a bad sleep I know I look like crap but it’s not like I have a sling or a cast or a moon boot to explain why. And until now I’ve done my best to soldier on and put on my ‘happy face’ and act like everything is okay.

But I am not okay and it feels better to share that with you so thanks for taking the time to read this.

And if you are interested Google Generalised Anxiety Disorder 😉