Saturday 20th September, 2014
Happy 13th Birthday to our gorgeous granddaughter Katie! We hope that your day is as wonderful as you are, and that it is more wonderful than anything or anyone else in the world.
Earlier tonight we went to celebrate Katie's birthday with her. She had invited several of her friends over to her place for a bar-b-que and then some of them were going to sleep over.
Tony and I left around 9pm, the party was in full swing and the kids were having a great time.
For several months now we have had our suspicions that Kahra and Darrin's relationship had soured. Kahra seemed to be spending a lot of time this side of town. Last night she confirmed that our suspicions were correct.
She is still living at the house while Katie continues her schooling. Next year Katie goes to High School and so she has to decide whether to stay in that area or they move to this side of town and enrol Katie back in the school where she first started. That school goes from Reception right through to Year 12.
My concern is with Katie. She has got a very good bond with Darrin plus has made such a lot of really good friends. It will be so sad to see her leave her friends behind. Just seeing her with these friends tonight you could see how special they are to her.
I think it is already playing heavily on her mind because she said that she doesn't want this year to end.
It will be interesting to see which way Kahra goes.....stay down south or move up to this side of town.
Friday 12th September, 2014
This morning we went off to the Hospital for Tony to have his follow up visit with the Doctor. His hand is coming along nicely and so they took off the huge bandage (much to his relief) and now he just has a small bandage over the wound.
They sent him to Physiotherapy where they made a small splint for him to wear mainly at night so that he doesn't make his hand into a fist when he sleeps. He has to go to his own doctor Monday week to get the stitches out.
After we were finished at the Hospital we went for a wander up the Mall. They still haven't completed the paving of it yet, but that what has been done doesn't look very inspiring. When Tony was working I didn't mind going for a walk in the Mall, but today I couldn't wait to leave. As far as I am concerned it has lost some of its magic.
Last Friday was the start of the Royal Adelaide Show but this year we didn't have to take Katie as she went with her friend Maddi. Tony and I thought that we might go ourselves but with him having his hand operated on we decided against it.
Today there was some tragic news. An eight year old girl died after being flung off one of the amusement rides. She was on the Airmax 360. So far the authorities do not know who is at fault and investigations into the tragedy are continuing.
I have yet to ask Katie if she and Maddi went on this ride.
She used to get annoyed with me at times because there were rides at the Show that I wouldn't let her go on. I just felt that they were not suitable for her or her age at the time but as this tragedy has shown, you may meet the height criteria but a lot of other factors come into play as well.
Preliminary investigations are showing that perhaps the safety belts that are supposed to hold you in place may not have been adequate for this little girl. Even though Safety Inspectors inspect all the rides before and even while the Show is on there are no guarantees for one's own safety.
My heart goes out to all involved and this being the 175th anniversary of the show they added an extra day. The Show was going to be open on the second Sunday making it a total of 10 days instead of the usual nine. The officials have said that this will continue to be the case but this particular ride will be closed.
Monday 8th September, 2014
Today has been a rather stressful day. We had to be up early (like 5.30am) and be at the Royal Adelaide Hospital by 7.00am as Tony was going to have his hand operated on.
For the last 7 or 8 years the tissue from his fingers to his palm have been contracting, forcing his fingers, mainly his ring finger on his left hand to become bent. We have always thought it was due to his years of electrical work where instead of using screwdrivers like us normal people do, apparently some electricians use the palm of their hands to turn the screwdriver.
The condition is known as "Dupuytren's Contracture". Researching the condition we found that it is quite common among the Northern Europeans such as the British, Irish, Dutch (which he is) and the French and also among the Scandinavian countries. It can be hereditary (but he knows of no other family members that have had it). It is also found in those who have epilepsy, diabetic or alcoholics which thankfully he is none of those.
According to the doctors it is a very common problem especially among men.
In the last 12 months his finger has been forced forward more. He couldn't remove his wedding ring because it was so bad and in the end had to cut it off. When he was last at the doctors he mentioned it to him and the doctor put the wheels in motion for him to have it looked at.
An appointment was set up for him at the Hospital and because his finger was more than 35 degrees they decided to operate. Last Monday he got the call to say that his operation had been scheduled for today and last Thursday he had to go in for his pre-op.
He was first on the list to be operated on and so I decided to stay at the Hospital. By 11.20am they rang me to say that he was fine but they wanted to observe him for a further 60 minutes and then he could go home. They said that I could come and sit with him which I did.
When I went in he was sitting in the chair eating a sandwich. He looked good but about 20 minutes later he lost all his colour, started sweating profusely and was feeling nauseous. The nurse said that this was common after an anaesthaetic and told him if he could be sick he would feel a whole lot better.
He didn't vomit but after about 30 minutes he started to feel much better and his colour returned. Armed with some pain killers we ended up leaving the hospital around 1.40pm.
He has to keep his arm elevated which is supposed to stop swelling and reduce any pain. So far he hasn't had to have any pain killers and his fingers are still feeling numb though he said he can just start to feel his little finger and thumb.
On Friday he has to go back to the Hospital for a follow up visit. I'm afraid Hospitals aren't a good way to start a week but i am glad it is over and done with.
Now to get him back to where he can do the dishes again, make me breakfast and make the bed. I wonder if he will be able to do that tomorrow...................lol.
Monday 1st September, 2014
Yay it's the first day of Spring but looking out of the window this morning you may think it's still Winter. After the beautiful days of last week where the temperature got into the mid 20's, this morning it's cold and wet and our maximum for today is 16C.
Life has been pretty normal around here lately (whatever normal may be). The last 2 weeks I have had to attend a job training course. I don't particularly want to look for work but if it's required of me I will do it.
You see, several years ago the government in it's wisdom decided to change the age for women to qualify for the age pension.
When I started working back in the late 1960's men retired at 65 years of age and women at 60 years. If your husband retired at 65 and you hadn't reached 60 you could get a Wife's Pension in the meantime.
But these rules have been changed. The government now wants everyone to work until they are 70 years. This will come in sometime in the 2030's, until then people can still get the age pension but every couple of years you have to be that bit older. Like by 2017 men can't get the age pension unless they are 67.
When Tony retired his superannuation wasn't enough for us to get by on and he was eligible for a part government pension. I was put on Newstart and this is why I have to look for work. If I don't want to look for a job I can do Volunteer work instead.........15 hours a week.
Having last worked in 1977 I now have no skills. Everything today is computer orientated. I can navigate my way around the computer here at home but I could never do it in a work environment. I don't know how to use Microsoft Word properly and have no idea what Excel or Power Point do. Even to do Volunteer work, if I choose to work in an office environment, I need computer skills.
So it looks as if I have to go back to "school" to get some computer skills. They are talking about sending me to TAFE, a tertiary institution that allows for people to go and get skills, awards, diplomas, rather than go to university.
One of the courses they are looking at costs around $2,000 but the Job Agency is not prepared to pay for it. There is another course that I may qualify for that will cost nothing but I have to wait to see if I am accepted.
Believe me the next 17 months can't come quick enough, because in January 2016 I will be 65 and none of this will be relevant.
Talking of computers, Tony in his wisdom decided I needed a new one. My old one was still using Windows XP. This new one is super duper fast and has Windows 8. We decided to go to a computer place and get them to build us one (on Robyn's recommendation as she had just got herself a new one and went to this company and was very impressed with them).
I was apprehensive at first about trying to find my way around Windows 8. Surprisingly I found it not to be as hard as what some people have said it is. There is still a lot more to learn but I will get there. At least I can do the basics, for now.
I must apologise for the font changing midstream. As yet I haven't figured it out how to get it all the same. I don't know why it suddenly changed from one font to another one.
One thing the job agency told me was that I have to get my typing skills up to date. I am a one finger typist, and I am pretty quick, lol, but they said that's not acceptable.
So to practice, it looks as if more blog posts are on the way!
