Season's Greetings

 

 

 It's Christmas Eve  --  again?  The year seems to have flown by, not helped by my effectively losing two m0nths out of the year while I had my cataract surgery.  That made the year feel shorter (for me anyway).  I have become used to my new glasses, though I have yet to make a dent in the To Be Read pile that built up while I was having problems reading much at all.

Neither have I done anything about the garden.  My friendly local goatherd brought down one of the goats I had last summer (Mr Snuggles) and he's been useful in the backyard.  One day I was looking at a head-high stand of weeds in the back garden and thought we'd probably have to get in there and slash them.  Two mornings later I went out to feed the livestock and the weeds had been reduced to a bare row of stalks.  Well done Mr Snuggles.

I seem to have lost a little weight this year.  A combination of changing some of my medications, and spending several weeks doing a lot of walking while I wasn't able to drive.  One of my friends actually told me she thought I was losing too much weight,  but I'll believe that when I get rid of this spare tire.

Living without any cats took a bit of getting used to this year.  I was asked if I would get another cat, but at my time of life it's a question that takes some considering.  Would it be fair to either of us if I took in one or more felines?  The jury is still out on that one.

We have been a bit spoiled in Tasmania by less stringent Covid precautions  --  being an island has its advantages.  It was only this month that masks were made mandatory again after the borders were re-opened to travel (even though 90% of adults are vaccinated in this state).   I was at the supermarket early today for a couple of last minute items and the car park was filled with people wearing dark glasses and masks;  it looked like the annual meeting of the Witness Protection Scheme.

Nevertheless,  I feel grateful for the support given by family, friends and the wider community over this last two years.  I extend to all my very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year  --  surely 2022 must be better !

"Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”– Walter Hagen

 

Nov 5th
Today would have been my sister's wedding anniversary.  This is a story I don't think I've told before.  When Julie was planning her wedding she was wondering what to do about decorating her hair.  I happened to mention that I always liked her look when she came in from feeding her animals with bits of elderflower blossom through her hair.  She seized on the idea and the wedding was scheduled for a time when they would be in flower.  I think of this every time I see the elderflowers in my back yard blooming.  They are in flower now, and I remember Julie every time I walk by them.  

Nov 16th
Well, things turned out OK today.  The weather stayed fine enough for us to get in two games of croquet today, and in the first game both I and Gina (my opponent) were playing extremely well.  I lost on the tie-breaker but we were both exhilarated because we had made so many great shots.  
Then at the Tuesday night quiz, we started off well and scored a consistent 7/10 or 8/10 for every round except the last one.  This resulted in us winning the night for the first time in months.    
Not bad.  Not bad at all.

Nov 17th
The Bocce Club has been pretty lucky the last few weeks but it couldn't last.  It was drizzling when I went out to buy drugs this afternoon, and by the time I got back from the pharmacy it had progressed to light rain.  Stayed home and settled in to wait for Doctor Who "Flux" on ABC television.

Nov 22nd
For the last three months I have been wondering when we'd get any more episodes of the weekly radio show One Nostalgic Weekend.  Wonder no more!  Twelve hours ago, WON posted thirteen episodes on-line at Mixcloud.  That's a lot of listening to catch up with.  (You could probably get through them in about 24 hours of non-stop listening  -- shades of Jack Bauer.)

Nov 28th
Listening to "The Mystery of Edelweiss Lodge", a Sherlock Holmes radio play,  I found myself in the unusual position of spotting the murderer for the wrong reason.  The murder had been committed using cyanide, and one of the characters had a background as a gold prospector.  Knowing that cyanide was used in gold mining, I immediately suspected him.  Alas, it turned out that while he was the murderer, his life as a prospector was only a cover story.  Holmes would have shaken his head at my ham-fisted attempt at deduction.

Dec 7th
I thought of the famous PUNCH cartoon "I keep thinking it's Tuesday" when I woke up this morning and was convinced for some time it was Sunday morning.  I eventually sorted myself out and arrived at the Croquet Club punctually for my Tuesday afternoon game.  Weather was a bit on-and-off but I was surprised when I arrived home just before it hailed for ten minutes.  It wasn't too bad, but it was enough to scare the goose out of the driveway and under the carport.

Dec 12th
After a busy few days, finished up the week at church this morning.  Communion service after a spirited sermon by Alistair, who drew on his legal background to expound on a passage from Psalm 146.  A guest speaker told us movingly about the important role foster parents can have in the life of a child.  Later I purchased some Christmas cards designed by one of our members, raising money for foreign aid (fresh water for two villages: one in India and the other in Ethiopia, Bible teaching material in Timor Leste and a new classroom for Orbus, Malawi).  I am sorry to hear that the evening service is being put on hold for the duration.  I didn't attend it myself, but I know that years ago it was a gathering place for the younger members of the congregation.
*
Who says soap operas are a waste of time?  I was at a quiz night last week and one of the questions was "What name is used in England for the board name Americans call CLUE?"  I had to smile, because just that afternoon I had been listening to an episode of The Archers and three of the main characters had been playing CLUEDO.  One point for us.
*
At the final quiz night for the year, we did better than expected.  There were nine teams, and we came in second with 83 points, just a point behind Walt Quizney.  Noteworthy quizzing from Minerva's Disciples who got a perfect score on one of their double points rounds.   And since we were eating up our prize money from this year, I ordered a Porterhouse Steak, something that I would never do normally  (and very good it was too).
*
  SKYWAVE AUDIO THEATRE March 13 2021
My Favorite Husband  - The Quiz Show 3/18/1949
Boston Blackie - Sam Fisher’s Past 3/13/1947
Fort Laramie - Hattie Pelfrey 3/11/1956
Escape - The Log of the Evening Star 3/14/1948
Suspense - Narrative about Clarence 3/16/1944
The Weird Circle - The Specter of Tappington 3/11/1944
Lots of great listening here;  I had never heard any of these episodes before.