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| Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens 2020 |
So 2020, there’ve been worse years - 1985 was a complete and utter mongrel of a thing and I still have nightmares about 2009 and 2010.
Last year ended as this year started, with drought and fires, all perfectly natural, all normal and nothing to see here according to our prime minister who, of course, could see none of it because he was holidaying in Hawaii at the time. At least 34 people died along with nearly 3 billion animals and over 3000 houses were destroyed but I have a pure Pollyanna moment to share...
With water restrictions set to 'Watch your garden die' we took to keeping a bucket in the shower to catch stray water, as you do. Of course it was a little soapy so after the first drops of rain were finally absorbed into our parched soil I took to throwing it on some gardenias that were suffering from sooty mold and now they're right as the aforementioned rain. Good news story!
But wait, there's more and believe it or not these happy moments all revolve around COVID-19.
Now don't get me wrong here, I know he didn't discover Australia but I'm a fan of James Cook. He wasn't a slave trading racist but appears to have been quite a decent chap who was also a damned fine navigator and cartographer. But 2020 was the sesquicentenary of his arrival on the Australian east coast and the prime minister was determined to celebrate that with a new $50 million statue which would become nothing more than a rallying point for protest. Then there was the re-enactment of the circumnavigation of Australia that James Cook never undertook. That was Matthew Flinders, Morrison you dumbfuck!
Cancelled!
Our six weeks in Wales, Ireland, England and Singapore went right down the gurgler. Flying business class and staying in flash hotels, it was to be the splurge of a lifetime but we did book it between cats. Kev had just passed and we needed cheering up so I thought "why not?!" Of course the Universe had other plans and along came shy nervous rescue cat Bruce who just needed his two dads but nobody else. He'd have gone spare alone for six weeks even with Aunty Jan and Uncle Tony visiting daily and attempting to fuss over him. Problem solved though...
Cancelled!
And speaking of Return of the Native 3, I decided to blog the entire trip as per the itinerary and style it "Return of the Native 2.1" with an explanation in Part 1 and numerous other cryptic references to it being a work of fiction peppered throughout the twelve other parts. Of course the fictional nature of the offering completely eluded one or two readers like Peter Ross who phoned to ask where we were staying in London, was it the place he recommended? If you missed them the first blog can be found here and the rest follow...
https://cawthorne54.blogspot.com/2020/05/return-of-native-21-wales-ireland.html
We did manage some modest travel though. There was a four night trip to Canberra in September which was disproportionately satisfying even with screaming sacroiliac pain. We hadn't travelled further than the Central Coast all year so to actually cross a border, albeit that of the Australian Capital Territory, came close to feeling exotic.
https://cawthorne54.blogspot.com/2020/10/
We were on the road again in November. It was one of our now traditional jaunts to visit Cate and Brian at Batemans Bay with an overnight at Kiama en route so we could visit Peter's oldest mate John who lives near there. Same motel and restaurant in Kiama, same cafe in Milton and only a slight variation in the Indian meal I took down to Batemans. Much like the old Mortein fly spray ad, "When you're on a good thing, stick to it!" We did add an extra night though with a stopover at Greenwell Point near the mouth of the Shoalhaven River east of Nowra. It's a lovely place but is best visit on a weekday out of season. Weekends and holidays see it morph into Boganville.
https://cawthorne54.blogspot.com/2020/12/tales-of-a-subaru-eurobodalla-bound-2020.html
Whilst many people have experienced cuts, Peter's NDIS program funding has been increased slightly so it will cover not only weekly speech and physical therapy but also five or six sessions with a physiotherapist which will be followed up by the EP. Sadly, this comes back to how well organised your advocate is and how good they are at writing submissions and presenting during assessments. I've come to rather relish the challenge! Lori still goes along to therapy sessions with Peter and then spends four hours with him at home doing follow up and helping with a little cleaning. She does a brilliant job and has become part of our family.
The budget also covers activities Peter can no longer do himself including some garden maintenance. Old friends Priscilla and David recommended the amazing Lars who has been doing things for them and he now comes to us for a day a month. That stops me from tumbling down the steep front bank or falling off ladders which are both tasks Peter cannot safely perform either. And Lars lifts heavy things that neither of us would once have given a second thought. My how age creeps up on you!
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| Yakutak Bay, Alaska - 2000 |
And speaking of fitness, I am in awe of Tony's commitment to twice weekly exercise classes following his heart attack and stent five years ago. He turned 80 this year and lower back problems aside is still going from strength to strength.
Jan has been suffering increased arthritis and a rheumatologist who merely ticks boxes rather than looking outside them. It took my intervention to get her to a neurologist who determined that the debilitating problems she was having with her hands was not carpal tunnel and would not be improved by wearing splints at night. It was in fact severe constriction of the 3/4 vertebrae which had compromised her spinal cord. Always measure twice and cut once. I found a neurosurgeon that impressed both Jan and I on numerous levels the first of which was her apology for being early to our appointment, yes early! Who's ever had that happen. The operation went smoothly and now we await a follow up appointment at the end of January. Recovery, if there is to be any, will take longer than that but at least there should be no further decline.
I gave thanks to the retirement gods when schools all but closed and established remote learning models virtually overnight. How good are teachers?! I was one of the facilitators of the amazing Technology in Learning and Teaching (TILT) Program which introduced technology into the curriculum from 1997 to 2003. I'm prepared to stand back, declare that an outstanding success and pat myself and the rest of the team on the back. And special bouquets to you, Joy Murray Mother of TILT, without whom none of it would have happened!
And what a relief it must be for teachers to have parents stopped at the school gate. In my final years of teaching there were almost as many parents hanging around at morning assembly as there were children. Then they'd walk their treasures to class, wiping their noses as they went and attempt to engage the teacher when they arrived. For Christ sake leave your kiddies at the gate then allow them to go on their merry way and develop some resilience and independence! Better still, let them take the bus or walk!
The Girls have continued to be shockingly expensive with mounting veterinary bills now pushing the value of each of egg to around $5 but never mind, it's not all about produce. Shirley Elizabeth and Lucille Ball joined the lineup earlier this year continuing the Significant Women theme. Shirley the Barred Plymouth is named for my first principal, Elizabeth (Shirley) Dunn because she was sourced by our mutual friend Scilla Rosenberg. I got Lucy the lovely little red New Hampshire to be her companion and then spent six months introducing them to the others. Chooks are a labour of love and are not to be taken lightly. You don't go out and get them just because there were a few weeks at the height of COVID when you couldn't buy bloody eggs!
All else is well and the garden is growing almost fast enough to block out the house without soul that is being constructed as I write on the land behind us where my childhood home stood until just a few months ago. That's the price you pay for "returning home" in a city with a particularly buoyant real estate market.
Stay well and may the next rotation be better than the last. Meanwhile tread lightly.
With love from
Glenn, Peter (Lyle to some of you) Bruce and everyone else at #5
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| Bruce - 2020 |
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