Trekking down the coast with Isobelle...

Yesterday I travelled the 2.5 hours down the coast to stay with my girlfriend Isobelle. She has a great house; the position is to die for. It's on the Great Ocean Road and I'm sitting here at her desk, looking out over the ocean. The sea makes enough noise to wake the dead I expect, yet strangely, every time I'm down here, I sleep like a baby.

Still, for such a beautiful paradise, there are cars and trucks whizzing by at speed; but it is tucked into a nook along the road about halfway between Lorne and Apollo Bay.

So, I travelled down here yesterday and spent a couple of hours before we got back in the car and went off for a pizza night which was about an hour away. The pizza night... I didn't know a soul yet felt surprisingly comfortable. Everyone there was very welcoming, so I felt like I had known them about 5 minutes in.

The deck where we sat was surrounded by a huge pond that had all manner of fish in it, I was sitting with my back to it, so I was wary every time I got up. I had 3 gins and I thought if I'd have had another, I'd have ended up in there.

I was assured that it was only about 2 feet deep but that didn't mean I wanted to be in with fish... Some of whom seemed quite large. Not Jaws large but big enough to take a toe off!

I'm going to stay here until about Wednesday. 

  

It really is beautiful down here...

Funny Reaction!

I took my Mum out for brunch today, which is not as easy as it used to be. You used to just arrive at her place, leave the car running for her to run out and jump in the car. Now days, it takes about half an hour of swaying to work up enough momentum to get into the car! And that is before you drive down the road with conversation! It's 'what did you say?' or 'did I tell you about...' Of course she did. Probably ten times!

But I found it interesting how horrified she was at picking out our funeral... the plots etc. Her reaction was enough! She kept saying 'but why? My reply was so that the kids don't have to think about it...  I want to spare any of our children making decisions. 

And; I want to say what happens...

My mother, her ashes are to be buried with Dad. Today, she said she wanted them scattered at the beach. I thought well that's nice, I have that written down. Do you? She doesn't so it will be in the plant next to Dad!

I said I want to be scattered too. However, I'd like a tablespoon of my ashes in the pot with Dad and Cain (and Sharpie when he is gone)... Probably the Squeeze! Just so if there is a life after death, we can find everyone! :)

Shopping! ... for headstones

This doesn't sound very exciting... But it's quite a huge feat getting the Squeeze to go shopping for headstones.

Not that either one of us is getting ready for a reason; there are no imminent death threats. Neither is quite ready to pop our clogs just yet. It is more about being prepared in case something happens (and knowing my luck...)

Sparing the kids any grief is the idea and If we do it all ourselves, it means there can be no arguments over what is happening.

Now I get along with the Squeeze's kids, and he gets along with mine...  But I've seen plenty of kids for all intents and purposes love their stepparents. But what if; say one of the Squeezes kids insisted he be buried next to the Harridan? Aside from the fact that he would be screaming until eternity, it would suck for me...

The girl that took us around said that most married men who have gone on to their 2nd wives, get buried besides their first wife! Here is hoping she meant widowers; not divorced!

So, meet our final resting place! The rock will have our names on it, because it is for 2 people. We are not having a funeral. Being cremated and hopefully our loved ones can go for a great lunch with plenty of laughter! Well, that's the intention anyhow!

Weird Weather...

Well, it's raining... Again.

I have been up in Melbourne for a few days with my daughter who was moving house. God... That's all I can say! We lifted stuff. We cleaned. We drove between the old place and the new... But it was well worth the move! As I said to them; they went from a new house/new area to an old house/old area. Boy... Can you tell the difference!

This house, although not quite as big as the old one; has a yard! And looks brilliant.

My house is 63 years old; soon to be 64. It has been done up over the years until now, it is hardly recognizable since it was first built but... The point is that it's gorgeous. It is exactly right for me.

My sister phoned me about 12 years ago and said that she knew I was looking in another area, but to have a look at this! I loved it; went and looked at it and put an offer in that same day.

I loved it here. I still love it. I love the fact that it is now worth twice what I paid too...

Melancholy - a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause

Yep. That just about sums up my life at the moment.

My mood today can only be described as melancholy.  I hate the sound of depression.  It’s an ugly word. It feels ugly… Colourless.

Why, you wonder, am I in a melancholy mood? I have this weird thing where my legs are hurting, like all the time. The muscle depth has diminished; they have shrunken from disuse. My legs were feeling better; not fantastic, but better (I no longer want to kill myself) so that was great. But they seem to have fallen back, not to the same degree, but it would take about five minutes until I’m back where I was… Limping.

If only I could work out what has changed from last week! My muscles feel like I ran a 10k race yesterday. But I’m not into racing and the most strenuous thing I did yesterday was to slow cook a lamb shoulder and make an apple and raspberry pie for my son and his wife! (which was yummy by the way!)

Then we have the fact that I’m tired – all the time.

It feels like I’ve been washing all day, but in fact I’ve only put a load on then shuffled to the study to write this blog…  Although I can’t for the life of me think of something that sounds remotely interesting to say!

Maybe tomorrow…