Tuesday, May 31, 2011
a pre-update for the week to come
Starting tonight and tomorrow, Susan and I are each going away for a week - she to Melbourne and Castlemaine and I to walk the Jatbula trail down near Katherine. The dogs are being farmed out - Jed to Kaye and Lily and Umphy and Freckles to Pia and Emma's house and Helen will have Jo for all the weekdays and a respite carer at Helen's own house in the Gardens for the weekend days. This causes Susan and me (and Louis long distance) a little anxiety as we worry that something untoward could happen having an unknown person then - but we also know she will almost certainly be fine. Any Darwinians reading this who care to visit on Saturday or Sunday that would be great - I will be out of phone range but Susan will be contactable if need be and so would Jo.
31st May 2011
Songs are the order of the day!
Over the last week or two Helen has been becoming more and more musical. Rather than listening to talking books she prefers to sing to herself. Susan has been keeping a note of some she recognises which have been coming up regularly: Come All Ye Faithful, Gloria, Who would true valor see, Bingo was his name Oh, Doe a deer, Frere Jacques, Oh Tannenbaum, Bye Baby Bunting...plus more...
I am finding it very sweet, although Helen herself often feels the need to apologise for her singing, it is remarkably tuneful and pleasant and I feel it adds to the house ambience. Susan is hoping Helen can move on from hymns which she (Susan) finds unfortunately catchy.
Events and visitors over the past few days include regular calls from Louis who is away in Europe, calls from Sally, Peter M, Dorothy, visits from Kaye and Shirley and Tiff's sister Philippa and the odd lovely card, letter and email.
We have had one outing to the Wharf but in general Helen has been turning down offers of activities by suggesting that she will stay home and mind the dogs for us!
She has also mused thoughtfully on several occasions "I don't think I'll get a dog" and on one memorable time when she was feeling anxious and lonely and then I arrived "I've never been so glad to see a dog" - accompanied as I often am by the pitter patter of many toenails and the occasional loud growl and scuffling noise.
Over the last week or two Helen has been becoming more and more musical. Rather than listening to talking books she prefers to sing to herself. Susan has been keeping a note of some she recognises which have been coming up regularly: Come All Ye Faithful, Gloria, Who would true valor see, Bingo was his name Oh, Doe a deer, Frere Jacques, Oh Tannenbaum, Bye Baby Bunting...plus more...
I am finding it very sweet, although Helen herself often feels the need to apologise for her singing, it is remarkably tuneful and pleasant and I feel it adds to the house ambience. Susan is hoping Helen can move on from hymns which she (Susan) finds unfortunately catchy.
Events and visitors over the past few days include regular calls from Louis who is away in Europe, calls from Sally, Peter M, Dorothy, visits from Kaye and Shirley and Tiff's sister Philippa and the odd lovely card, letter and email.
We have had one outing to the Wharf but in general Helen has been turning down offers of activities by suggesting that she will stay home and mind the dogs for us!
She has also mused thoughtfully on several occasions "I don't think I'll get a dog" and on one memorable time when she was feeling anxious and lonely and then I arrived "I've never been so glad to see a dog" - accompanied as I often am by the pitter patter of many toenails and the occasional loud growl and scuffling noise.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Dorothy's visit
Well the week just gone has been something special - marked by numerous coming and goings. Helen's Cousin Dorothy has been visiting from Sydney and they have enjoyed trips to Frillies plus opshopping, foot massage, talks about the old days and friends/family in common, in between Dorothy's wonderful blitzes on the domestic front - many new dinners cooked and frozen, various items repaired and bits and pieces of fundamental cleaning sorted out.
I have been to Nhulunbuy/Gove and Katherine with my new job. Susan has been to Castlemaine. Louis and Douglas have both arrived for a week's visit respectively and we have enjoyed a few visits from Shirley and Kaye.
Dorothy's most notable memory this trip was the discovery of a gorgeous chocolate jumper at Frillies - possum/lamb merino - only $3.50 and not only fits Helen v well and is cosy , it seems to give her great sensual pleasure whenever she wears it and keeps her toasty warm.
We have just had a round of champagne in the Czech glasses and noticed that we have reached a house milestone for numbers of people and dogs housed without disaster or significant fighting.
I have been to Nhulunbuy/Gove and Katherine with my new job. Susan has been to Castlemaine. Louis and Douglas have both arrived for a week's visit respectively and we have enjoyed a few visits from Shirley and Kaye.
Dorothy's most notable memory this trip was the discovery of a gorgeous chocolate jumper at Frillies - possum/lamb merino - only $3.50 and not only fits Helen v well and is cosy , it seems to give her great sensual pleasure whenever she wears it and keeps her toasty warm.
We have just had a round of champagne in the Czech glasses and noticed that we have reached a house milestone for numbers of people and dogs housed without disaster or significant fighting.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
The week just gone
Happenings of note:
Helen received a lovely email from Ron in New Zealand with news of a new great-niece's arrival; Family phone calls with Louis (daily), Robin, David (from overseas) and Sally. Kaye visited again mid week and on Saturday morning we made another outing to the Frillies op-shop and cafe and saw Jo and Shirley and Kaye and Emma. Susan and I went to the Deckchair again! Honouring (or imitating) Helen's old life in Darwin where it was not unusual for her to go to the movies several times a week. Our paw paws all survived their transplants - some more marginally than others.
The dogs have continued to adapt to their expanded pack and the last few days have been marred by Jed attacking Freckles out of the blue (to human eyes) and Freckles defending herself (and usually leaving a number of wounds around Jed's ears and eyes). Ah the not-so-sweet sound of snarls, whimpers and cries interspersed with human owners' groans, growls and shouts. Umphy is overexcited by these interactions but at least doesn't join in. I am struck by how respectful he is of Freckles and although he loves to play with her he doesn't hassle her the way he does Jed. Jed and Umphy continue their relationship of mutual licking (unimaginable when Umphy first arrived in Jed's life) and Umphy has discovered that if he is left out of something fun eg a walk with Freckles he can shimmy up the bike leaning on the front fence then worm his way through the bigger holes in the fencing that start a metre off the ground. The main result being the removal of the bike to another place!
I have started my new job at AMSANT in Darwin - hard to report on much as yet but the other staff are welcoming and the work and political environment are new and interesting to me. At some point each day I feel I may be in an episode of Yes Minister - I think I may have to re-watch some old episodes. Next week I will make trips to both Gove and Katherine as part of my orientation (which I am looking forward to). Susan is making a trip back to Victoria for a few days and Cousin Dorothy is arriving to visit with Helen.
Helen received a lovely email from Ron in New Zealand with news of a new great-niece's arrival; Family phone calls with Louis (daily), Robin, David (from overseas) and Sally. Kaye visited again mid week and on Saturday morning we made another outing to the Frillies op-shop and cafe and saw Jo and Shirley and Kaye and Emma. Susan and I went to the Deckchair again! Honouring (or imitating) Helen's old life in Darwin where it was not unusual for her to go to the movies several times a week. Our paw paws all survived their transplants - some more marginally than others.
The dogs have continued to adapt to their expanded pack and the last few days have been marred by Jed attacking Freckles out of the blue (to human eyes) and Freckles defending herself (and usually leaving a number of wounds around Jed's ears and eyes). Ah the not-so-sweet sound of snarls, whimpers and cries interspersed with human owners' groans, growls and shouts. Umphy is overexcited by these interactions but at least doesn't join in. I am struck by how respectful he is of Freckles and although he loves to play with her he doesn't hassle her the way he does Jed. Jed and Umphy continue their relationship of mutual licking (unimaginable when Umphy first arrived in Jed's life) and Umphy has discovered that if he is left out of something fun eg a walk with Freckles he can shimmy up the bike leaning on the front fence then worm his way through the bigger holes in the fencing that start a metre off the ground. The main result being the removal of the bike to another place!
I have started my new job at AMSANT in Darwin - hard to report on much as yet but the other staff are welcoming and the work and political environment are new and interesting to me. At some point each day I feel I may be in an episode of Yes Minister - I think I may have to re-watch some old episodes. Next week I will make trips to both Gove and Katherine as part of my orientation (which I am looking forward to). Susan is making a trip back to Victoria for a few days and Cousin Dorothy is arriving to visit with Helen.
Saturday 7th May 2011
May Day Holiday started this week off pleasantly. Our morning began with a fruit salad breakfast - rough leaf pineapple and sweet banana. Not long after breakfast Kaye arrived and Helen, Kaye, Jo, Susan and I all enjoyed moving straight into morning tea with coffee and biscuits. Susan and I spent the rest of the day gardening. After watching our efforts with a borrowed mattock our neighbour John offered both his jack hammer and his strength to help us dig holes for planting out the pawpaws, ginger, tumeric and galangal. This was unexpectedly crucial as unbeknownst to us (but well known to all local Darwinians) the garden soil is solid with palm roots as well as being already Dry Season dry and salted with rocks. After planting in the ground, we potted a few seeds and seedlings and a Darwin lime tree, spread some mulch, watered plants, ground (and dogs) and felt a great sense of satisfaction. Kaye returned in the afternoon to accompany us all to dinner at the Wharf then stayed visiting with Helen while Susan and I went to our first movie at the re-opened Deckchair Cinema.
Monday, May 2, 2011
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