186 days to Antarctica... "Something I Need" One Republic

 

Approximately 7.5 minutes reading time

“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” Ben Okri

brainy quote.com

 

Hello, I hope you have had a good week. 

It has been a long, hard week but okay. 

I love this song, it is one of my favourites. It touches and stirs my Soul. Given the uncertainty in the World at the moment it reminds me, us what really matters in life. It highlights what is of the most and important consequence in life, Love. This song is uplifting because it is about overcoming fear to have the love you want and be happy. It makes me cry. The energy and the power of this beautiful song nourish me and help keep me going. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. May we all seize the day, "Carpe Diem” and not wait for tomorrow as NOW is all we have, ever, especially in these uncertain and scary times. This song cheers me up and I hope that it cheers you up as well. As with Ben Okri’s words. Ben Okri is the inspiring, incredibly accomplished Nigerian Poet, Writer and Artist who is celebrated for his extraordinary talents.

At 5pm yesterday, regional N.S.W went into complete lock down. We're effectively under house arrest. We aren't allowed to travel more than five (5)kilometres away from home. Police have greater powers and if you go outside they can stop to interrogate you and check your Identification. Schrodie and I went for the most wonderful walk today as the weather was glorious. Schrodie takes us on a new adventure every day, never the same walk twice and we explore our town. 

My favourite time of year seems to have arrived early, the time between each season. There is a magic in the air at this time as the temperature and energy changes. Buds are appearing with blooms and the scent of heaven fills the air. At home we have Daphne, Jonquils and Daffodils which fragrant the air in the most wonderful way. For me this time of year is pure joy. Today people mowed their lawns and the wonderful earthy scent of fresh cut grass permeated the air amidst the scent of so many flowers and blooms alive in the gardens. It is wonderful to be alive and enjoy such simple and important pleasures.

We did not get stopped by Police. This is an insane time for us all. The Army has been sent into parts of Sydney to make sure that people do not leave home. I cannot understand how we have not yet eradicated Covid-19 with all the lock-downs as it only has a fourteen day life cycle. I wish that people would do the right thing for the prescribed time so that we can return to life before Covid. George Orwell’s (1984) Nineteen Eighty Four is a picnic in comparison. No socializing, no movement is allowed. Police stop to check you if you go outside. We need visas to travel between our suburbs with police check-points in force. Pinch me please, I am sure that this is not real. I am hoping that I awake to discover that this is a Sci-Fi movie I am watching, not stuck in or a nightmare. For me, after everything that I have suffered and been forced to endure since January 2020 this is more than surreal. I feel haunted by everything.

At least I have my car back after three weeks. She was delivered at lunchtime on Friday. We are all so happy to be re-united. I was going to travel to my house to see the gutters and fascia that are in place, as per the Site Manager’s email to me on Thursday, but it is more than five (5) kilometres to home. So we could not go. The fence was due to finally be repaired on Friday and Saturday and I am hoping that this happened. The site-manager told me that it was my responsibility to provide water for the brick-layers this week. I checked with a lawyer and Consumer Affairs and it is not stipulated as my responsibility in the contract and is included in the exorbitant build cost. Masterton are trying to extract extra money from me and shirk their responsibility, or at least the Site Manager is doing so. The roof has been delayed as the thermal underlays which I have paid additional funds for due to the extreme weather and temperatures where we live, were delayed because of Covid-19 lock-downs as was the fence repair. I am hoping that work proceeds as scheduled this week. I believe that Construction is allowed to continue. I am fed up with people not doing work for which they are paid. I am at the end of my tether with incompetence. I am sick of fighting because other people don’t do what they are paid to do. I take one step at a time, one breath at a time. Sometimes, I forget to breathe. I remain optimistic.

Council Elections have been postponed until December. Campaigns are now very long so this should be interesting. As soon as Covid restrictions ease I will help on a campaign. It will be a good learning curve.

There will be no trivia until after the 22^nd August when lock-down restrictions are due to ease. We have been winning on both nights, with both teams on which I play, every week. It has been so much fun. When we win it turns out to be a free night as our drinks are covered which is a bonus. I laughed so hard with the men on my team on Wednesday night, they are hilarious, each in their own way. We laugh loads with my Thursday night team as well. Two of us play together on both teams. On Thursday night my friend told me that if she won Powerball (Lotto) that she would buy me whatever I wanted for my home. I was surprised as this was completely unexpected. More than anything the fact that she cares and considered this and me is beyond wonderful and I am deeply touched by the sentiment. This is what matters to me, not anything else. WOW!

Finally after three weeks of missing my guitar lessons, I was looking forward to my class tomorrow. Now classes are by zoom. I do not have the resources to complete a zoom class, so no guitar. I started practicing again this week and after giving my arm, shoulder and hands a chance to rest for two weeks, my playing was terrible. It is slowly improving once again. I do feel the pain in my shoulder, arm and hands. I am hoping that it is just fatigue from the muscles working and rebuilding, especially in my hands. I am finding the C Major chord very challenging. I have long fingers and still find it hard to reach the strings for this chord. Slowly I am improving as I work on my technique. I believe that the lack of muscles in my hands and fingers are the problem.

Schrodie and I have been dancing to five songs together every day. We play chasings several times a day which is loads of fun. He is such a funny boy and keeps me laughing, for which I am so grateful.

I have barely eaten this week as I have not been feeling well. Every morning I awake with a headache, migraine. This morning my eye was blood shot and has become progressively worse throughout the day. I believe that this is caused by stress. Tomorrow I will see if I can get an appointment to see Anne my Physiotherapist for a massage to help with the pain. I have an appointment with a Dietician on Wednesday to make sure that my Diabetes is okay with my little eating. I have been waking up at 3am, the Danger Zone for Type 1 Diabetics, with low blood sugar. It is dangerous because if my sugar drops too low whilst I am asleep, I will never wake up. I am looking forward to his suggestions. It has become even harder to eat and sleep. Thank heavens for Schrodie. He keeps me safe. He wakes me up when my blood sugar drops. This low blood sugar also brings on a headache. Everything is taking a toll on me. I cannot wait until everything is resolved, we can go home and get rid of all these people that are in my life because of circumstance, like building my home. My patience has worn thin.

I was grocery shopping earlier, it was busy and the shelves were bare. No toilet paper in sight except for a few 8 packs of the expensive bamboo toilet paper, which I was forced to buy at ($12) twelve dollars but given the circumstances, it is okay. I hope that it is good toilet paper. I went through the checkout at Woollies and the young lady was lovely and distracted me with her talking so I forgot about my discount which she did not apply to my shop. As soon as I realised, after payment, that I did not get my ($50) fifty dollars off, I went to tell the Supervisor. She was dismissive and did not care. I said to her that it was too much money to ignore and it was the cashier who made the mistake. She said we need to refund every item and re-do the sale. I said okay. Then she said we don’t have staff so you’ll have to wait. The store was busy and there was no way I was waiting hours for them to do this but she did not want to fix the problem. I was not happy. I told them that I would call to complain and they gave me the number. I waited over half an hour, on two separate calls before I hung up. I will try again tomorrow. The service was appalling. I am still in shock at her attitude. What a waste of time. Normally I do self-serve which is more satisfactory and such problems are avoidable but it was too busy.

I just had three pieces of sushi for dinner. Actually it is the only food that I have eaten today. I’m drinking some sleepy time tea. Schrodie and I need to dance before bed.

Thank you for your company. I hope that you stay safe, happy and well. Hang in there if you need to get through something. I hope that you do something fun every day. We do and I am grateful that I laugh every day and spend time with my family and friends.

I am hoping that my inspirations, Heroes and other posts are of interest to you and helpful. These are the things that keep me going. I have watched a few Australian Series "Aftertaste" and "Frayed" this week that are hilarious and full of swearing. I think it’s cultural and really funny, if not at times shocking. I hope that you have a good week.

Until next Sunday, bye for now....

I will post pages on Wednesday and Friday.

Watch this space....