Monday 5th July 2010

We are having an early dinner and Helen is manfully, or womanfully, making her way through a bowl of risotto under her own steam. She says I should report she was "surprised how delicious she found the combination of leek and dill". There is rhubarb and custard to follow. The chickens continue to grow as amazingly as babies always do. Last night Helen, Kaye, Louis and I went to the wharf for dinner and Helen and I shared a fabulously greasy meal of fish and chips with 2 kinds of sauce while the others stuck to the more interesting Asian items on offer. This morning Doug took Helen on a wheelchair walk around the Botanical Gardens with Jed for an escort while Louis and I did this and that. It's been deliciously overcast all day which is now surprisingly resulting in a bit of afternoon rain. Not really on for the Dry and will no doubt mean tomorrow is steamy but it's fun while it's happening.

All 3 of us are quite amazed by how well Helen is doing. In some ways she is back to how she was before her last admission to the Mater back in Brisbane - well with some differences but enormously improved to how she was before she left Brisbane and in her first few weeks here. It's hard to say but Louis and I think a big factor is just being cared for at home by us. Even though the idea of respite and support from others is nice; it just doesn't inspire movement, eating, mental stimulation and love the way being with people who love you does. Anyway - we're enjoying it while it lasts.