Morse

Morse
Morse & friend

Sunday, 31 January 2016

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 31st January 2016



Dear Friends, thank you all so much for your messages of support and empathy. I am sorry that I wasn’t able to share my worry before the op, but mostly everyone seems to understand and you have been very thoughtful with your emails, texts, e-cards and phone calls. In the past every operation or procedure I have been through has involved a local anaesthetic because of my asthma, so my first general anaesthetic was quite a worrying experience in every way because I am used to knowing what is going on.

Last Sunday Wes had a visit from Born & Bred – two Gen Y women broadcasting researchers, who are looking into ‘interesting Victorian murders’ and the murder of Warren’s great grandfather, Frank Cartwright, at the Eastern Market in 1899 is one of those. Their research has uncovered interesting information for Wes as well – he wrote in an email to Jeff Hoolihan that they could tell him that the murderer, Emery Medor, finished his days in nearby Trentham.


Chillies thriving on the decking – they don’t seem to have missed my ministrations – can’t wait to taste the big red Jalapeno on the right!

On Monday, we drove to Ballarat yet again for a follow up appointment with Andrew Lowe at his rooms opposite the hospital in Drummond Street. Andrew removed the dressings, declared himself happy with progress and made an appointment for me in Daylesford in two weeks’ time. The scar is 10cm long and very bruised and puffy, but pathology was clear and that is the main thing. We came straight home and I rested until 4pm when I could stay sitting up no longer and gratefully went to bed.

I had decided not to watch ‘In the Heart of the Sea’ at Daylesford Cinema, as the shorts were enough to convince me that even Herman Melville wouldn’t recognise ‘Moby Dick’ from this screenplay. Wes had an enjoyable morning avoiding it as well and was able to let his team, Lauren & Jeanette, join the paying customers to see the film.

In the afternoon Wes and Barbara went to Wallaby Grove Olive Farm, where Al & Elli were hosting an Australia Day party and saying goodbye to the property as they have sold and will be moving to Glenlyon next month.

I had a very quiet Australia Day, which suited me fine – these days I am not too sure about celebrating Invasion Day and I have been out of love with our flag for over 40 years. I don’t think my preferred choice of the Eureka Flag will ever win enough popular support, but I hope that the Southern Horizon Flag or something similar, perhaps incorporating the Aboriginal Flag, will one day soon replace our outdated one. I’m also hopeful that the push for a republic will gain momentum quickly – our new Australian of the Year, David Morrison, seems keen and he has shown he can change culture very rapidly.  



Early on Wednesday morning I drove the car for about 5 minutes just to see how I went and it was fine. I went through roundabouts, made right hand turns and stopped on hills, just to be sure. Sandra arrived to clean much to Bilbo’s delight. He had been bathed the day before and our house is knee deep in fur, which doubled by the time he and Sandra had finished their cuddles.


Lovely photo from 1996 – we are on the train from Singapore to Malacca, where we met a young couple who were planning to marry shortly and wanted us to come back for their wedding. We didn’t go, but sent them a toy koala & kangaroo instead.

Wes spent a very busy gardening morning over at Barbara’s where he planted agapanthus in the front. I re-potted our Hungarian yellow chillies, which were growing very rapidly in the greenhouse.

Wes had a wonderful day in Melbourne on Thursday. He dropped some shopping off for Leanne, then visited Fawkner, Coburg & Melbourne cemeteries saying hello to relatives and friends and finding the grave of Frank Cartwright. He popped into his Indian hairdresser, checked out the spot where the Eastern Market used to be and ended the day with drinks at Jimmy Watsons, catching up with good friend, Jon Stephens.

I had shopped early at Coles & Tonnas before having a manicure and pedicure with Alanna. That afternoon I visited the Medical Centre and saw Dr Suzi Fox, as I felt that my wound might heal better with some sort of covering over it. I hadn’t been sleeping as well as I would have liked since the bandages came off, as every time I moved in the bed I irritated the scar. Suzi agreed and a nurse put a light dressing on for me and I enjoyed a much better night’s sleep.

When Wes and Bilbo returned from their walk on Friday morning, they had spent time chatting with Barry the Fisherman and discovered that his great aunt was Selina Cooper, the English suffragette, who was the first woman to represent the Independent Labour Party, when she was elected a Poor Law Guardian in 1901. Nine years later, she was one of four women chosen to present the case for women’s suffrage to the Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith. It wasn’t until 1928 that the vote was given to all women over 21 in the United Kingdom, whereas we in Australia had it for Federal Elections in 1902, and all States had legislated for women’s suffrage by 1911. However, across the ditch in New Zealand, the law was passed even earlier in 1893.


Nurse Bilbo on the doona
  
Gillie had invited me to join her for a cuppa that morning and it was lovely to sit at The Food Gallery for an hour or so, chatting & catching up with her. She had spent the previous day in Carlton seeing four films at Cinema Nova.          
                                             

Our latest rose – One Love, which is very beautiful indeed – as the rose ages it turns a dark smoky purple colour

Yesterday was another quiet day – I took Bilbo with me to pump water at Leitches Creek, while Wes enjoyed a sleep-in and read of The Age. The last three Saturdays have delivered wonderful papers, with so much to read and absorb, as well as the crosswords of course.

We have wakened today to beautiful soaking rain – I’m not sure when it started, but I’ve been aware of it most of the early morning. This is just what everyone’s gardens have been longing for and hopefully any bushfire areas are also getting a soaking. We are off to the Sunday Market shortly – Wes has offered to carry the bags, which is a big help and then breakfast at the Food Gallery. We have no plans for the rest of the day – I will be tired after the socialising and have washing & ironing to do and Wes will be hoping to get into the garden after the rain stops.


Can’t believe it is the last day of January – at least we only have one more month of Summer to worry about, although the long range forecasts are suggesting we won’t get much above 31°, which is preferable to 40s and bushfires galore. 

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