It's hard...

It's been a while. Just after my last post my Dad turned 72 and then got pneumonia. But then he got better.

On the 27th January he worked all day putting up a shed on the cattle property him and my mum were retiring to. It was a really hot and really humid day and he worked all day. When the sun set he came inside, had tea, wrote up his diary, watched some TV and then went to bed. He never woke up.

It's so hard... I couldn't write anything for a really long time. Everytime I tried I would just cry and cry - I still cry but not as much.

His mother is still alive, that tells you everything - only the good die young!

The Frontier

Just to share some photos of places I have been.

Every year, out west, they hold picnic races at different properties usually over a weekend. These pictures were taken at Koorooringa.

To get to Koorooringa, start at Townsville, drive west for about 4 hours until you get to Prairie (you can't miss is, it's about the third town you come to). Turn left and drive for about another hour, turn right past the second fork in the road off to the left and then drive for about another 20 minutes. You'll come to a racecourse with a few tin sheds to one side of it in the middle of nowhere. If they aren't already there, everyone from miles around is also turning up.

They couldn't be more dressed up if they were at the Melbourne Cup...but a picture tells a thousand words.

My Dad...

This is my Dad enjoying his 70th Birthday present. There are probably better photos but I love this one because he has the most incredible smile on his dial.

I just can't seem to get it to upload as clearly as it actually is. Will have to work on this.

But wait, I'm still here...

Well, it has been over 6 months (again) since I last wrote anything here.

I am just making sure I was still in existence so that I can share this with a friend.

Nice to be back.

Old Age

My grandmother turned 90 a couple of weeks ago. I don't think she is too impressed about it all though. A big party was held but it wasn't what she wanted. My aunt and her daughter's organised it and it was the same as the one we held when my father turned 70. The big problem was that we (my brother, sister-in-law and I) did this great photographic powerpoint presentation of Dad's life and at that party my grandmother kept telling everyone that was what she wanted when she turned 90.

She didn't get it.

We offered to do it but was told by my aunt that they had it all in hand. But nothing eventuated and Grandma was bitterly disappointed - so were her 5 sisters (the youngest is 80).

The doctors have told her she will live to be 100. She says she's not interested and has had enough. I hope she hangs around to 95 - then we could try again. It would give us enough time to get the photos we need.

We can only hope...

Problem Solving...

I am bored in my job now...I really am looking for a challenge. After sorting out so many of the problems the campus was having by getting rid of one person I feel that my work here is done and I'm looking for other things to do that engage and stimulate me.

I am a problem solver - I love them, all sorts of problems - from jigsaws (interesting ones like 'Where's Wally") up to those things they send you via email pretending to be able to read your mind. Not that any of them are hard, but they engage your mind in different ways.

I can't decide whether to enrol in a Graduate Diploma of Editing and Publishing or not. God...

Critical Thinking

I wrote an entry last night. I had two comments in about 2 minutes after posting it. I was so impressed. The first comment seemed sincere and my ego was duly stoked - even though I thought it was strange there was a link in the middle of it. The second comment gave it all away - Gods, I can't believe I was so gullible.

I suppose that all people are like cats and want to have their fur stroked (regularly). This is a really clever form of marketing - directed at you personally and rubbing your belly. Shit...and I thought someone was interested in me and what I had to say!