Daylesford Dispatch - Sunday, 6th May, 2012

Dear Friends, I’m sitting at my desk looking out over the garden & Lake & noticing that the brightly coloured trees are steadily losing their leaves in preparation for Winter. Our own trees are still looking magnificent but the wind has blown the leaves off the poplars that line the walk around the Lake.

I’ve had a very quiet time of it since I last wrote. I was feeling completely depleted of energy, probably a reaction to Viva’s recovery, which was unexpected and rapid, plus the onset of bronchial asthma. So I have been in bed most of the week trying to rebuild energy levels and fight off the bronchitis. I put up a Skype message saying ‘Thank God for Wes & WWF’ as Wes has been magnificent looking after everything here and ‘Words with Friends’, a Facebook game that you can play on your mobile, has kept my brain active after I have done the day’s crosswords & Logic Puzzles.

Wes has also had to look after Barbara as she couldn’t do much with one arm in a sling, so he prepared her meals three times a day, went over to move her around as she couldn’t propel her wheelchair easily and put her to bed every afternoon. On Wednesday he took her to the doctor, where she got more antibiotics & the doctor declared the worst was over. By Thursday she was able to be taken by him to a lunch meeting of the Oral History Group, and on Friday she only needed his help for an hour or so during the afternoon which was good, as he spent much of the day catching up on sleep himself.

Yesterday I had my first outing and went food shopping at Coles Supermarket & Tonna’s Fruit Shop, while Wes did the shift at the Farmers’ Market. We decided it was too cold for me to stand there for 2.5 hours handing out leaflets. While I was making minestrone soup, he met Barbara for breakfast at Gracenotes and today he is driving her to the footy, which is at Docklands, and they should be warm and dry with the roof closed there. Barbara can get around in her electrical wheelchair, but she can’t drive yet.

This morning before breakfast, although I have not been joining in the morning walks again yet, I took the boys early to pump water at Leitches Creek, and then to the Sunday Market, where we stocked up on fruit, vegetables, eggs & dog bones. Then off to a very enjoyable breakfast, although the boys weren’t given their toast until nearly 10am, by which time they had just about given up and were looking mournfully at us all through the windows as we guiltily ate our own meals. I had dressed them in their Winter coats, so they attracted even more attention than usual.

It was lovely to catch up with everyone after a very quiet week – Gillie & Kim are all looking better for having left full-time employment; Gary is enjoying having Kim’s help with their accommodation, as well as being able to go out during the week; Judi is preparing for a week’s holiday in Caloundra, where she & Michael will catch up with her family; John is off to play golf at Cobram; Jan has caught up with her Melbourne friends & is happier for that, and Barbara is looking much better than she did a week ago, when she had been bitten & scratched by the rogue cat.

I haven’t been to visit Viva yet as I don’t want to pass on any germs, as well as not being up to the drive. Hopefully I can do that soon and give Leanne a break from 24-hour care, as well as providing a visitor who isn’t part of Mercy Health Care.

Thanks to Carol Bruce, David Knox, Shaun Anderson & Terry Borg for all the games of WWF, and to everyone else who has rung, emailed or Skyped asking after me and Viva. Special thanks to Glenn for the big bunch of irises I found at the front door on Friday – much appreciated.

We are sorry not to be going to Clunes over the weekend for ‘Booktown’. This time 12 months ago, we had Mike & Lorna staying with us for the weekend and we finished their visit with a fun trip to Clunes, where Wes caught up with Bob Hawke who was guest of honour.

I did forget to tell you last Sunday that we went to see Colin Friels in ‘Red’ the play about the artist, Mark Rothko, We have loved Colin since we first saw him in the film, ‘Malcolm’ many moons ago & he is an actor very at ease on stage. We quite enjoyed the play, although the scenery shifting was distracting & unnecessary. The onstage chemistry between Colin & his young co-star, André de Vanny, was fantastic, especially towards the end, and the audience was most appreciative, which delighted them both.

Enjoy your week and I’ll be in touch again next weekend.

Lovely photo of our Rome guide, Daniela, next to the biggest hyacinths ever!