Tidying, Eating and Discovering

It was our weekend at Mount Martha so Jim and I went down on Saturday and stayed the night.

I have to say, it was a productive weekend. We didn't sort out the side of the sink in Stella's bathroom, which was on the plan.  But we did sort through Tony's shirts and trousers in the wardrobe. I snaffled a few shirts and left some that we thought Matthew might like. The rest went to the charity clothes bin. We sorted through the set of shelves in the little hall leading to the study. I organised the freezer so we could see what was in there (several open packets of frozen chips, folks. Tsk!.  I've consolidated them. One chip packet at a time in future, please!!!). We sorted through the papers on the table and little trolley. And, of course, we tidied the kitchen and emptied the dishwasher and all the usual things.

One beautifully tidy freezer

We ate well.  We had King George whiting fillets on Saturday night, with some of the frozen chips and with green vegetables. King George whiting is Stella's most favourite fish and it can be hard to get hold of.  It's a very delicate fish, both in texture and in flavour, so I don't muck about with it.  Dredged in seasoned flour and lightly fried in butter and olive oil, with a little lemon juice to serve. Delicious.  Sunday breakfast was mango slices, banana and some apricot fruit toast. And then we went to The Dava for lunch.  I had the senior's parmigiana.  I could easily have eaten more, but I didn't come away from lunch feeling slightly bloated or slightly over fed.  I may have to have the senior's serve more often!

Looking good - and wearing one of her shirts that I like best

Stella wondered, during lunch, what had been on the Dava site before the hotel was built.  None of us knew.  As far as we were concerned, it has always been there.  But our "always" is only a quarter of a century, when Stella and Tony moved to the peninsula. So I investigated while we were waiting for our food.  Apparently it had been built in the 1920s and was a convent and boys' school, before being bought out and turned into a hotel and guest house in the 1930s. It's been refurbished several times since then but, as far as we are concerned, it really has "always" been there.

We called at Tully's after lunch and bought lovely things for Stella and lovely things for us. And then Jim and I headed home and had baked potatoes with some of Tully's lovely things for dinner.

Tuesday would have been Tony's 88th birthday.  Matthew took the day off work and went across to spend the day with Stella. They went to the Flinders' pub bistro for a celebratory lunch, which Tony would have enjoyed. He was a bit disappointed when their restaurant closed, but we all enjoyed visits to the bistro. And it's a lovely drive from Mount Martha to Flinders.

When Stella and I had been clearing out the wardrobe, I had asked what was in all the shoe boxes on the top shelf.  Stella didn't know, and we didn't have time to investigate.  So Matthew had a look.  And found a positive mountain of photos that we all thought had been lost.  Should keep us all happily occupied for ages, looking through them.

Photo (c) Matthew

More Wildlife

I went outside on Thursday morning to the car park area of Hill House to hang out some washing and to put the bedding out to air in the late summer sunshine. While I was out I heard a strange squeaking noise overhead. I looked up to see what could be making a squeaking noise and there were two wedge tailed eagles over me, floating round on the thermals and squeaking.  I have never heard eagles squeaking before. They seemed to be enjoying their morning.

I went outside on Thursday afternoon, to the car park area to bring the washing in.  The washing hoist is on the far side of the car park area.

I was taking down the bedding when I heard a strange rustling noise behind me. I looked back to see what it might be - and there was a large snake (I think probably a brown snake) slithering out of the woodpile on the other side of the car park and heading down towards the driveway. I don't think it realised I was there because as I stood watching it turned round and looked at me. It briefly considered whether I was a threat and obviously decided I wasn't and continued on its journey down the driveway.

Brown snakes can, sometimes, be quite grumpy. Usually  snakes don't bother humans unless they feel threatened or the humans annoy them.  Brown snakes, however, can sometimes simply decide that they don't like you and attack.  You really don't want them living as close to your house as this one seems to be. Lindsey thinks we should move the woodpile. In my view, shifting a woodpile that a snake has decided is its home comes into the category of humans annoying snakes and therefore is Asking for Trouble. We will have to be vigilant while out in the car park area, make lots of noise and stamp our well booted feet - and sort out the woodpile when there are no snakes around.

I was in the kitchen on Thursday evening in the company of a VERY grumpy wasp.  Mind you, I had very definitely annoyed it when I sprayed it with fly spray. Fortunately it flew away from me and not towards me.  I don't wish to be bitten by a snake.  I don't wish to be stung by a wasp.  I'm more than happy to admire local eagles enjoying the summer sunshine, though.

Dogs

So we took UIW out for a proper run, along country back roads, drifting along, no particular purpose in mind. I have decided that if you live hereabouts, all country back roads lead to Lal Lal :-D  Eventually we made it to Elaine, where we bought dog bones for the birthday celebration.  The dog bones were quite small and were frozen.

They had defrosted sufficiently, when we got back to Hill House, for me to separate them and give one each to Rupert and Hugo.  It was a warm and sunny afternoon and Rupert greeted his frozen bone with an enthusiastic "Wayhay! An icy pole just for me.  How exciting on this warm and sunny afternoon.  I will go and lie under the tree and enjoy this unexpected icy treat!!!"

I offered the other frozen bone to Hugo. He looked at me in horror. "What is this deadly, frozen object that you are trying to inflict on me? You're trying to kill me, aren't you??? You do not wish me to reach my third birthday!!!!!"

I put it on his outside bed.  He pawed at it.  He sniffed it.  He pawed at it again. He sniffed at it again. Then he gave it a cautious lick.  And then he settled down on his bed and spent the next hour or so chewing on it.  It seems it wasn't a deadly attack after all.

I have bought larger, proper, not frozen dog bones from the butcher near the surgery. I'll give them to the dogs at lunch time.

You find us this morning at Hill House. Jim was peacefully eating his breakfast when I noticed Rupert staring intently under the snooker table. Then he gave a single, warning woof.  I went to investigate but couldn't see anything. I distracted his attention with a chew toy and went into the bedroom to start getting organised for the day.  Our bedroom window looks out on to the vegetable garden, and also into the window of the snooker room.  And there I saw a little mouse creeping in, under the exercise bench. I assume it was the mouse that Rupert had barked at and that the mouse had hidden from this large, menacing creature.  Mind you, if something the relative size of a Great Dane woofed at me, I would hide too. As  Lindsey says, it would be like something the size of a Tyrannosaurus Rex barking at you.  Although, if something the size of a T Rex was hanging around I would be hiding whether or not it was barking at me.

I suppose we should do something about the mouse, now that Rupert has alerted us to its presence.  We don't really want another mouse plague in Hill House.  We have hair appointments later this morning. I'll see if I can find some sort of mouse deterrent while we are out. (Not  a cat. I don't think Lindsey or Ian would be very happy if I brought a cat into the house, and it is quite probable that Rupert and Hugo might also not approve. Dachshunds make quite good mousers.  I wonder if anyone would notice if I brought a Dachshund home)

Talbot

It was a pleasant morning yesterday, so Jim and I thought we might head out to Talbot for the monthly market. Lindsey was at Mount Martha so wasn't able to join us.

It was a lovely drive. A bit of traffic but not too much. More, as we drove from Clunes towards Talbot. Suddenly, all the traffic ahead slowed right down to a mere crawl. Likewise on the other side of the road. Traffic on both sides pulled to the side and inched slowly past, then got back up to speed.

And the cause of all this excitement?  An echidna, sitting in the middle of the road. One of the cars pulled over and stopped. The echidna wasn't there when we came back (I was looking for a squashed body!) so it maybe that the occupants of the parked car choofed it off the road.

We had a good time in Talbot. The market was nice and busy, but not so crowded that you couldn't move. We walked all the way around, buying non-perishable things on the way. Then we re-walked the food area and came back with Turkish bread and dip, balsamic vinegar, eggs, vegetables, fruit but no meat.We don't really need any more and the meat freezer is fairly full.  No point laying in more stores unnecessarily.

People who have been to visit us in Tani have pointed out that the front wall to the units doesn't have a number on it, so it is a bit confusing for the first time visitor. However, this is the only set of units in the court, so it is a fairly safe bet that this is the right driveway. Then they point out that the units don't have numbers on them so it is a bit confusing even when you get into the driveway. It is true that it is usual for #1 to be the first one you walk past but it is not absolutely always the case.  I can't go around numbering the other units, but we can number ours.  I found this in a stall at the market

It cost the princely sum of $5!

You should be reasonably confident that you are knocking on the right door when you come to visit.

We considered stopping in Clunes for lunch but Jim had had a full, proper Sunday breakfast before we had gone out, and I had had an egg and bacon sandwich in Talbot.  I had the makings of a proper Sunday roast for the evening. Lunch out seemed slightly over the top. We kept going and headed straight for home and pottered about in the garden, then sat on the front verandah in the sunshine for a late afternoon tipple.

All in all, it was a good day.

It's Hugo's birthday today. He's two. No time to make a birthday cake today, but I might go to the butcher and see if they've got any birthday bones for Hugo and Rupert. We'll be heading up to Hill House later. Come to think of it, we need to take UIW for a proper run.  We might head out to Elaine. They usually have dog bones.

So where are we?

Well, Jim and Lindsey are at Mount Helen. Ian, I think, is up country somewhere. And I am in Mount Martha at Stella's place.

We finally managed to spring her from the hospital yesterday afternoon. No respite, no rehab, lite or otherwise.  Lindsey, Wendy and I had taken her to the hospital cafe while we were there (in the wheelchair, but at least it got her out of her room). She had started taking little walks with the walker. The physio said she was doing OK. Her cardiologist said that, as far as he was concerned, she could go home. Her haemoglobin levels were back to normal, likewise her blood pressure. The geriatrician eventually said that he thought she would be OK at home. So, before anyone changed their mind, I came down and took her away.

Finally at home, with the newspaper and a nice cup of tea

I think an OT is coming to do a home assessment at some point, and the morning carer has been re-instated.  I stayed last night and Wendy will be here tonight.  Lindsey will be here over the weekend and I think Matthew and family are coming on Sunday. By then she should be settled enough to cope with the usual routines.

But definitely no more angiograms!!!!!!!

In other news, it looks as though Jim's visa application is inching its way up the queue.  He had an email asking for further information.  They wanted a Federal Police check, which we've applied for and which is apparently on its way. They wanted a health assessment, which we did on Monday. They wanted a completed Form 80, which I had desperately hoped we wouldn't have to fill in.  It's a horrible form with lots of duplication, and many questions replicate what was on the original application form. Anyway, that's done and scanned in. We're waiting for the results of the health assessment to be made available and for the police certificate to arrive. Then we wait and see what else they want to do.

The health assessment was at the BUPA visa office near Southern Cross station in Docklands. So we drove down to the flat, where we left the car, then we took a tram into town. The building that BUPA is in is behind the station in a complex with walkways, shops, entrances to the station platforms and lots of other things.  The information that came when we made the appointment said to allow 2 hours. When we got there they said about an hour and a half. So Jim went in and I wandered off for a spot of lunch and a potter in the shops, some of which were outlet shops.

I didn't really need anything (except a new doona cover but I'll get a very cheap one from Kmart or Target - it's to go on our bed at Hill House and I'm not spending real money on something that will be covered with Great Danes!) and I didn't buy anything. But it filled in nearly an hour, wandering around.  I was just pondering what to do next when my phone rang.  It was Jim.  He was done. It took just under an hour and he says most of that was waiting for the next thing to happen. Not sure if that means that he blitzed it, or he was such a complete failure that they couldn't be bothered :-D

So we went back to Hill House, via the flat of course.  That is where the car was.

So the bed count so far this week for me is: Sunday night at Tani; Monday night at Hill House; Tuesday night at the flat; Wednesday night at Mount Martha.  Then I am expecting it to get very dull.  I think Jim and I will be sleeping at Tani until Monday. Assuming, of course, that things go According To Plan

It's been a funny week

Until last night I hadn't slept in the same bed two nights in a row.

Sunday night we were at our place. Monday I slept at Hill House. Tuesday I was in the flat. Wednesday, at Hill House. Thursday I was at Stella's place in Mount Martha. Friday I was back at Hill House. And also last night, when I finally was able to pull my pyjamas out from under my pillow rather than out of my overnight case.  Back to our place tonight then the new week begins with a new rotation of beds :-D

Stella is still in Peninsula Private hospital. They decided that there was no point her going into Rehab because she wouldn't be able to cope with the physio and the other exercises.  So they thought maybe a week in respite care where people would cook for her and make her cups of tea. Then they decided that wouldn't do because there wouldn't be any physio or exercise. So they decided upon something called Slow Stream Rehab. However, it can be quite a while before beds become available in the slow stream rehab, so in hospital she remains.  Getting very bored, it must be said.

We managed to get a visitor to her on most days last week, but not all. I went down after work on Thursday and stayed at her place overnight so I could get there on Friday as well. This week might be a bit more difficult, but we will do our best. Stella and I had lunch in the hospital cafe on Friday. I have to say that her Asian style beef salad with rice looked hugely more appetising than the frittata they served up to her in her room.  She ate most of the beef salad. I really don't understand why hospital food has to be so horrible, and especially not in a private hospital. We've been taking in sushi and fruit and other tempting morsels, otherwise I'm not sure there would be very much she would want to eat.

The week was complicated by the practice's triennial accreditation Tuesday, for which we had been preparing for some time.  The practice blitzed it, as you would hope, but it was nevertheless quite disruptive, particularly on Tuesday itself.  Never mind.  Three years before we have to do it again!

We had intended to go, with Lindsey, to the market by the lake yesterday morning (Wendy was visiting Stella). Alas, for most of the morning it poured with rain and was very windy. I went down to our place and came back with proper jumpers for Jim and me and some proper shoes for me (too chilly for sandals).  So we went out to the farm shop for veg and to the farm shop in Elaine for other provisions, and then drove on to Meredith to see if we could get a pub lunch.  There's a sign on the highway that says there are two pubs in the township.  We have only ever seen one. So we went hunting for the other one. It it was something of a find. They cook to order, the food was very good and the service was friendly.  We will go there again.

I would say that we will also try the other pub and the cafe and look in Dorothy's Kitchen at some stage.  We will quite possibly investigate Dorothy's Kitchen which seems also to sell things to take home, but previous experience tells me that when we find a place we like, we tend to stick with it even when there are other offerings on hand. The only time we have gone anywhere other than the Pig and Goose in Bunninyong is when it has been closed and we were forced to go elsewhere. Likewise in Clunes, we go to Bread and Circus. There could be all sorts of delicious things in other places in Clunes - but why take the risk :-D

Lindsey is visiting Stella today. We are expecting her to be back in Mount Helen sometime this evening, and Ian to return at some point today. We have a quiet day in prospect and expect to end the day at our place.  At least - that's the plan.

Poor Stella (again!)

Stella took a fall early on Friday morning, tripping over on her way to the bathroom.  I know this because I woke up in the flat at about 4:30 to hear Lindsey talking to someone.  Lindsey is not in the habit of chatting to people at 4:30 in the morning!

It was the people from the emergency pendant call centre.  Stella had sensibly pressed the button after falling because once down she can't get back up. She does have a carer who comes most week days, but not until 9:30.  Stella had no wish to stay on the floor for 5 hours!  The emergency pendant people had rung her house phone and got no answer so had rung the ambulance and then alerted Lindsey.

The ambulance people took her to the emergency department, where she was thoroughly checked over. Nothing broken, but more bruises to add to the bruises she already had.  And a bump on the head.  Wendy went down and eventually Stella was allowed to go home.

Alas, she wasn't really ready to go home and another ambulance had to be called that evening. Poor Stella spent her 85th birthday in the Peninsula hospital. And there she still is. It turned out that her haemoglobin levels were ridiculously low, plus the pain medication she was on, following the bleeding and bruising after the angiogram, was making her sick.

Lindsey spent the weekend down there.  Wendy and Matthew were there on Saturday. Jim and I went down on Sunday, swinging by Brunswick to pick up Freyja.  Simon and his lot also went down. Lindsey stayed until this afternoon but poor Stella is now on her own for a couple of days.

She is hoping to move into Rehab at Beleura in a day or two, where she will probably stay for a week or so, before finally going back home.  As her cardiologist said - who would have expected all this from one
 little angiogram.  No more angiograms for her!!!!!!!

We had to cancel the family lunch for her 85th birthday, but Lindsey, Freyja, Jim and I still managed to squeeze in Sunday lunch at the pub.  And on the way home we swung by Eltham so Freyja could collect the cat that she and Simon had arranged to adopt. She's a pretty little thing. I think she has some Burmese in her.  She is also a scaredy little thing.  Last I heard she was hiding in a drawer and refusing to come out.