CORNERS OF MY HOME

RUNNING OUT OF SHELF SPACE......

Last year I realised that space was limited in the kitchen. I started buying renovation magazines, borrowing library books, collecting images of kitchen ideas. I measured, I plotted and I planned.

Then one evening, I had a good long think.

The kitchen would be there next year. So would the concrete floor, badly made cabinets, open brickwork, ancient 1970's ORANGE hob and the plumbing could creak and rattle for another twelve months.

So.......................we are going on holiday! We are going back to the UK for a month. We will see family and friends. Explore England, Wales, Scotland and Paris.

Afterall, it's been five years since we left the UK. Time to be with those we love there. And time to just 'be' with each other.

GLANCE.....

GLANCE.....THEN LOOK.....THEN SEE.

Clearing firebreaks of leaves and fallen tree limbs. I straighten my back and my glance falls on a pair of jeans hanging on the line. A bright yellow Eucalyptus leaf has fallen and come to rest in one of the pockets.

Yellow and Blue.

.

Just a glance resulted in a small moment of beauty and then contemplation, my eyes opened to 'see' the rest of my day.

-----O-----

A bright green beetle sitting on deep red earth.

Gum blossom stamens clinging to my dog's dappled coat.

A bucket of sunflowers at the petrol station.

Easter lilly buds poking through leaf litter.

A little girl wearing her ballet tutu, holding her Mother's hand at the supermarket.

An old oak dresser, with a patina of age and years of use at the local second hand shop.

-----O-----

I really must remember to carry the camera with me throughout the day.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

On Friday night we went to UWA ( University of Western Australia) to see 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. We met some of the family on the banks of the Swan river for a picnic before the show. Mother and Father in law, Sister and Brother in law, the 'Niblings' ( our collective noun for Nieces and Nephews!) and a family friend were all there sitting on the grass, eating sandwiches,chicken, cheese and baguette and talking about what we were going to see.



This was the first Shakespeare the Niblings ( ten and eight years old) were to see. Half an hour into our picnic we were being eaten ourselves by swarms of mozzies! We packed up and went to the theatre.



On arrival we decided to go upstairs to one of the balconies. I should also point out that this playhouse has five resident peacocks ( one of them completely white) that strut around the roof and balcony railings. The theatre is partially open to the air and the director of the piece had set the auditorium out to resemble Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. One of the Niblings wanted to sit downstairs and so off he went with his Dad and sat in the front row.



Now, enough of this preamble ( I just wanted to set the scene). I must say that the production was wonderful, magical, earthy and visually quite stunning. The student actors were obviously enjoying themselves and I was completely involved with the story. However, on this occasion, I think I gained more satisfaction from watching my niece and nephew's responses to what was for them a new experience.


They were totally enraptured by the perfomance. Everytime one of the female actors came to the front of the stage, my nephew would grin up at us. My niece sat quietly taking in every word and they both laughed at the antics of the Fairies and the peasant actors. During the interval, the white Peacock flew across the stage and dropped a long white feather. We pointed it out to our nephew and he found it, his eyes round with the joy of the discovery!


They were obviously having a great time. At the end of the play they joined in with everyone else to applaud the actors. Then, in that momentary silence when the clapping has stopped, the actors have left the stage and the audience is beginning to gather up coats and bags, my nephew's voice rang out across the auditorium and floated up to the balcony where we were sitting..............................." Mum, Mum, I've STILL got some Maltesers left ! "
His Mum gave him a thumbs up sign, crying with laughter and a woman sitting near to him, laughed so much she nearly fell off her chair.


It was a lovely evening for so many reasons and a memory I shall always treasure.

SUNDAY, SUNDAY.....

Woke up this morning full of plans, viz:-

1. Clear leaves from front drives and empty leaf bags into compost bins.
2. Vacuum throughout the house and damp dust anything dusty.
3. Collect dog from kennel.
4. Finish the last load of laundry.
5. Clean the shower.

RESULT.....

1. Made two loaves of Fig and Cardamon bread.
2. Collected dog from the kennel.
3. Opened all doors and windows to air the house.
4. Looked at leaves on driveways, and looked again.
5. Welcomed the Bear back from his 95 hour week at work.
6. Made Gin and Tonic.
7. Gazed at pile of library books on the rocking chair.
8. Put some Jazz on the CD player.
9. Picked up a book and found my specs.
10. Two hours later, half way through book and G and T finished.
11. Wake up in chair, specs slipping down my nose, book open on my lap and dog asleep at my feet.
12. Husband opens a bottle of Red.

NUFF SAID

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

She is in her mid eighties, he is nearly ninety. Over thirty years ago he was diagnosed with a debilitating disease, that gradually ate away at his mobility, personal skills and now his mind. Most of the time he uses a wheelchair, but will try to rise from it and stumble around the house. Last week he fell in the sitting room in the middle of the night. She had to 'haul' him back into his wheelchair, get him into bed and settle him back to sleep, it took the better part of three hours to do this.

She often has to listen to him accuse her of acts that make her cringe with embarrassment. She tells him it's not true and she knows the disease makes him do this, but it hurts, it hurts a great deal. She is dertermined to care for him and help him with all his personal care, prepare his meals and then feed them to him. She is frightened at night, because he verbally threatens her, so she cannot sleep, but has to carry on the next day and the next and the next.

She is worried about seeking help and wants her husband to stay at home with her, but she is tired and frail and at her wit's end.

I think about her, especially today.

Re Comments

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Wishing everyone in the Blogsphere a peaceful weekend.

FOR THE BEAR

" Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care".

(Apologies, I cannot find the Author of this quote)

Many thanks to Mumbling Monkey, for reminding me of the author.

Shakespeare

CODA II

I think that

wherever your journey takes you,

there are new gods waiting there,

with divine patience-

and laughter.

Susan M Watkins