Today we visited  a Heritage listed property that had an open garden. Woolmers Estate.  This is an exerpt from an Australian Government website explaining a little bit of the history.

'Woolmers Estate in Tasmania is one of the most intact 19th century homesteads in Australia. It was continuously farmed by six generations of the Archer family from its settlement around 1817 to the death of the last heir in 1994. A range of significant buildings, interior features, and artefacts survive from every period of the Estate's history to the present. The Estate is also significant for its association with the use of convict labour through the assignment system, which provided labour to settlers in exchange for food and clothing. Situated on Woolmers Lane, 7 kilometres from the town of Longford and 20 kilometres from Launceston, the Estate is open daily to the public.
Woolmers Estate was included in the National Heritage List on 23 November 2007."

It was a beautiful day today as well. The sun was streaming, gentle breeze, a thousand people visited the garden today and there was an air of festivity.  Heaps of stalls selling handmade things, digiridoo playing, the aroma of  sausages and onions in the air and the smell of the thousands and thousands of roses that were in bloom. What an absolute spectacle it was !

Here are some photos from this beautiful garden.  

Leon my friendly nurseryman was also there selling his potted roses today.  He also happened to have a weeping Japanese Maple tree that was five years old that followed me back home.

We can't plant it just yet, it will start to get hot here in a few weeks (or so I am hoping) so he advised us to wait until the cooler months, till about March to plant it out.  I am going to have to walk around the garden to see where best to put it. At the moment I am considering moving the Magnolia tree that doesn't seem to be doing too well in the middle of the rose garden. Maybe, the Maple will look nice there and an added bonus would be that I could see it from my craft room, the office and from the kitchen. 


Today, was such a busy day at Woolmers, I really wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I would have liked to have. So, I think we will be making another trip there this summer, before the roses die off.

Concerts

I had bought tickets for a couple of friends and us to go to Elton John's concert some months ago.  I was surprised that my husband even wanted to go with us.  He prefers classical music.  I like it, but after 8 years of piano playing at school and having nuns teach me, I would rather leave the piano and the classical music aside.

The music I like is more the 'ballady' sort of tunes. By the likes of Lionel Richie, Nora Jones, Kate Melua, Johnny Cash and so on. And some Jazz like Nina Samone ....My husband doesn't particularly like listening to these although he tolerates it, because that is what gets put on the stereo when I clean the house without which the house would not get cleaned !

 In a previous post I believe I talked about my husband getting skin cancers on his head. Well, yesterday was the appointment with the Skin Specialist.  We didn't have a choice with appointments, it was take what we were given or wait for six months.  So, it happened to be that the appointment for the specialist and the day of the concert fell on the same day.

I was worried because I didn't know what the doctor would say, whether Victor would need to go into hospital for surgery, whether they were going to harvest skin off somewhere else, how would he deal with the whole process.  So, with great trepidation I woke up yesterday.  We had a big day ahead. The appointment for the doctor was at 4pm and the concert started at 8pm.

The doctor apparently was born in Kenya, which was interesting because Victor was born in Botswana. They had much to discuss and a very interesting and lovely person he was too.  He was on time with his patient list. He was friendly and not at all condescending as some doctors are prone to be.  He explained the skin condition and how Basal Cell Carcinomas can change and what I can do to try and stop them in their tracks. He was also able to use nitrogen gas (?) to burn the spot on Victor's head instead of having to have surgery - Thank God.

He did give him some local anesthetic because he was going to give it a good blast.  It is quite painful to get an injection on your scalp because there is no fat whatsoever but Victor being his normal self was a trouper, stiff upper lip and all of that !

After the doctors, we decided to get dinner although it was only 5.30pm and we went to the Country Club.  I was able to play on the poker machines (my annual spend on them) after dinner and got to the concert in plenty of time.

What can I say ? Elton John still has it. He was just brilliant, sang all of his songs. Brought tears to my eyes when he sang 'Candle in the Wind' and a very dear friend of mine Bernie who is no longer in this world loved 'Our Song' and of course when Elton sang that it brought tears to my eyes.   Bernie was one of those living saints, he adored his wife and children and later his grandchildren. I always wanted to meet a man like Bernie who would love me the way Bernie adored his wife. I think they made him and broke the mould. Although, I must say Victor would come a close second !

Elton sang for a good 3 hours non stop. Brilliant concert. Very very tired today, because it is a good 45 minutes drive from the concert hall to come home, but there was also a good one hour of traffic jam just in the car park to get out of the place. So we didn't get home till well past midnight.

Thank you Elton John for a brilliant ending to a pretty good day.

The Wedding

My daughter got married earlier this month.  I couldn't believe that all this time had passed and it was time for her to get married.

Which brought my thoughts to her birth.  I was married at 21, and for as long as I can remember I had wanted to be a mother. I had taken care of my siblings since I was 7 years old. My brother born when I was 5, another brother at 7 and my sister when I was 10.  Although we had servants for each child it was deemed that I was to oversee the children and their nannies.  One would think with that experience that I would refrain from having children but I longed for my own. So, needless to say I was quite sure that within 9 months of getting married I would be holding a baby in my arms.

The Universe had other ideas. It took me 9 long years before I got pregnant. With much heartache and longing, disappointments and tears during this time.  9 years is a long time to wait for anything but I knew in my heart I was supposed to be a mother. And then all of a sudden I was pregnant, and with all the dramas of one who has yearned for a baby I had them all. But then my most gorgeous gift from the Universe was born.

I relished the time I was pregnant, in awe of what was going on within my body. And I had cravings for chocolate ! And most of all cravings for Chocolate frosted donuts from Dunkin Donuts ! I used to devour a dozen at a time ! I put on so much weight but it was akin to being addicted.  I would shake until I ate it !

Kryssy was born by C Section.  Luckily it was so.  I was not so much into 'must have a natural birth'  and by the time the doctor suggested surgery, I really didn't care how they got her out.  She was 11 lbs 4 oz !!! Luckily, I had surgery.   She was a gorgeous baby and so easy to take care of.

She grew upto be a caring and loving human being. She learnt a lot of things the hard way through me, with me being a single mother and then having relationships that broke down etc. But she has come out of that understanding that everything doesn't go right all of the time in life and how to pick yourself up and push through the hard times to come out the other end.  She is a beautiful human being and I am in awe when I look at her, listen to her speak and everything about her.  That I could have given birth to this special lady.

So, now, she is married and they are on their honeymoon in Bali.  She arranged the wedding all by herself with little input by me and it was even harder because I live in another state from her. She is so organised that there was nothing at all in the day that I could have said 'we should have done this differently'.  Everything ran like clockwork and so smoothly.

Need I say that she looked breathtaking ? That Michael is a very lucky young man to have such a loving, loyal and gorgeous lady by his side for the rest of his life.

I still can't get back to the swing of things since coming home from the wedding.  I had a glorious one week with her before she got married. And loved being part of the last minute preparations. But such an anti-climax coming home. To the quiet, the no family, the no hustle bustle, the no friends... Don't get me wrong, it is peaceful, it is breathtaking here and this is the place that my husband is the most comfortable, but I still miss everything that I have left behind. It seems more so on my return this time. I can't seem to shake the depression, the sadness....

But, my girl is married and will live happily ever after.  I await the news of her being pregnant in silent thought, the joy of being a grandmother.. Could it be more joyful than being a mother I wonder...

All things medical

As requested I called the skin specialist's office today.  Well, I couldn't believe my luck when the lady said the doctor will see Victor on the 20th of November ! Not even a 'can you' 'do you mind' 'is that ok with you' !

Well, I guess I can't complain. This was the result that I wanted.  We can now go in peace to my daughter's wedding next week and knowing that when we come back we will see an end to these BCC.

Here's hoping....

Medical Facilities

My husband has got really light skin.  Therefore, he has to be careful all the time when he goes out in the sun. In Brisbane it was not unusual to take care, but in Tasmania when the sun hardly comes out it is easy to forget.  But he is a stickler and he always covers up.  But it seems it hasn't helped.

Every 6 months Victor gets a mole scan done.  The last one was done in August last year whilst we were on a visit to Brisbane. And since then he kept getting skin lesions. And abnormal looking skin.

I might have mentioned before this that he is a very stoic man who thinks that making a fuss is not on.  Therefore, when I saw these skin lesions and wanted him to see a doctor the first answer was a resounding 'no'.

I am dark skinned therefore, I do not have the experience of anyone having these skin lesions, having to go and get mole scans done etc. So, at first I listened to him, but it looked like it was changing and therefore to get him to see a doctor I had to throw a bit of a tantrum.  We went to the doctors. The first one was on his arm which was duly excised and sent away to the laboratory for testing. The results came back saying it was a  Basal-cell_carcinoma but that it was all removed.  Sigh of relief.

Then I noticed there was a skin change on the top of his head.  He always wears a hat. How can he get something on the top of his head ? Well, it was taken out and I was a nervous wreck. Mainly, because it was on his head. Yes, I know, they won't go into his brain but after his accident, I am paranoid. The doctor is very good. He cut 4mm across and 1mm deep and again sent away to the laboratory.  It came back saying that it too was a Basal-cell-carcinoma and that they hadn't got it all.  In the meantime another lesion was growing on his head.  Whats with white people and the sun I ask you ??  So the new one was cut out, waiting for two weeks for it to heal and then went back to the old one again.   The second one was a BCC as well.  So, on to try and clear the first one again, this time going 11mm across. Sent away again to the laboratory.  Unfortunately, they still haven't got it all.

So, now we have to go to a skin specialist.  The medical and hospital system in Tasmania is really not very good.  There are hardly any doctors and no beds in hospitals. My sister in law was in Emergency for 4 days and was sent home because they couldn't find a bed for her. And she had a heart condition.

I called the skin specialist on Monday, the receptionist said, well the doctor has the referral call tomorrow.  I called on Tuesday. I was told 'the doctor has the referrals on his desk, there are quite a few there you will have to call on Friday'.  I tried to explain to her that I didn't want to wait till Friday. I wanted an appointment as soon as possible.  Yes, I am paranoid, yes, I think my problem is greater than anyone elses but I think we all do this ?   She then very calmly informs me that his next available appointment is June next year ! What the hell ?  But apparently, that is why the doctor looks at the referrals and then decides if it is important or not.

I wonder how he works it out ? I read the referral. All it says is the basic information. How can he decide whether this BCC is going to turn for the worse without even seeing the patient.

Sometimes, I really wish we were back in Brisbane.  Tomorrow is Friday. I will call and see whether we can get an appointment with him earlier than June next year. If not I am going to look for another skin specialist even if we have to go interstate !

It was all because of a cat !

It all started with me wanting a cat !  We have moved to Tasmania because my husband always wanted to be here. He had a freak accident where he fell off his bike onto a star picket which went through his eye into his brain. He was supposed to die that day in 2009 but he is a very strong willed and stoic man and not only lived through that, he is walking, talking and ‘looks’ quite well to the unknown.

A miracle, yes ! the doctors said at best he would be a vegetable needing full nursing care.  But we (read I) have problems with his brain injury. HE doesn’t think there is anything wrong with him, which is great, BUT because of this, he doesn't know, can’t remember how much I really do for him.

After his accident I was a bit dubious about moving so far away from family and friends, but this had been his dream, I still hesitated, afraid and then he started to have seizures. I had never seen a seizure before and I found him after he had one.

I promised myself that if he came out of this(I thought it was a stroke and so did the ambulance guys) I would move to Tasmania with him so at least he can be happy. Life is too short !

Well with all the stuff that I have to deal with, and me missing my friends and kids over here, (he is quite happy to stay home and plod along and feels safe in this environment) I thought it would be nice to have a cat.  So I researched and found a breed that I would like, discussed it with my husband and found a breeder.

I wanted an older cat. I didn't want to deal with a kitten. I found two lovely breeders who had two cats that had finished breeding only two years old that they were willing to give me at a really good price. As soon as I mentioned this to him, he went off, he told me I wasn't being responsible because I ‘flit’ off to Brisbane.

The funny thing is I DO NOT ‘flit’ off, as a matter of fact I have not left his side except once in this whole time. When we go to Brisbane it is for doctor's visits for him, and I did ‘flit’ off once a few weeks ago to go wedding dress shopping with my daughter! But I think he felt insecure because I wasn't here. The thing is the words ‘not being responsible’ hit a cord.

It goes back to when I was 5 and I was responsible for one sibling and then as the years went along 3 siblings, I was a single mother of two beautiful children, I was responsible for them not getting help from their father, I was responsible for my mother when my father died, I feel responsible for my brother who doesn't have a job and has 3 children and now I am responsible for my husband.

It was quite like someone flicked a switch. I went into the shower after this conversation and it was almost exploding my brain, I started to cry, and sobbed and sobbed for a good 20 minutes.   I HAD been responsible all my life for one thing or another and never acknowledged for it ! I was sobbing so much I thought I was going to be sick. I came out of the shower and HAD to get out of the house.

The weather here is horrid, it was raining sideways and the wind was blowing, but get out I did. I think I surprised my husband that I wanted to go out, but I said in no uncertain terms that I needed to get out. I walked and walked and cried and cried. But came back home, calmer and also wondering about something Jon Gabriel had mentioned on the webinare that sometimes it is a ‘cord’ that needs to be struck for you to have a good cry about something deep inside you which turns off a fat trigger!!! Can’t tell you for sure whether that is what it is, but I have been walking 5km a day and feel like I have ‘shifted’. I am still struggling with the responsibility issues.

I discussed with my husband what he said to me, and how I felt, he apologised and I know he felt bad. The upside is I have since got a cat, I think it will be good for him as much as it will be good for me.

Travels

More hospital visits tomorrow at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital .  We fly out at 6am, which means that we have to leave home at least by 5am to get to the airport in time. The first appointment is 1/2hr after we land.  Here is hoping that flight does not get delayed !  We are only taking hand luggage with us because it is such a short stay. So, seriously, it shouldn't take us long to get out of the airport and into the car.  Our friends will whizz us straight to the hospital.

I read today that we are only allowed 7kg on Virgin Blue airline we are flying with them to get over there, however Jetstar allows us 10kg. I wonder why the difference in weight ?

These hospital visits have cost us a fortune, with the flying back and forth. Luckily we don't have to pay for accommodation. We have good friends and of course the kids are there as well. Victor seems to like to stay at our friend's house more.  We have the whole downstairs to ourselves and it is quiet.  After the accident Victor gets really stressed and agitated with too much noise and hustle bustle, a part of the brain injury.   I can't remember him being like this before. When we stay at the kid's houses you get the loud music and young adults doing what young adults do. Not the quiet you eventually want and need and appreciate as older adults !  Funny how your needs quietly change without you even knowing it.

I think that is why we just love coming back home.  It is so quiet here and we don't hear any traffic either. The loudest thing we hear are the birds, the wind chime or if the kids next door get into trouble ! But even the kids next door we hardly hear because their house is on the side of the house where our toilets and laundry are.

We have to water and tend the garden for the few days that we are away.  If it doesn't rain we might come home to a 'dead' garden and then I won't be happy.

The garden at the end of winter. Barely see the plants with no leaves.

We come home to a full house  again, and the family for lunch the following day. It will be lovely. Can't wait to come home.