Sundays Selections #221

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  This week?  Gratitude.

Thank you one and all for your comments and messages of support.  They have meant an immense amount to me.

Himself has reverted to type and his recovery is not smooth or without complications.  There has been a trip to Intensive Care, and he now has fluid on the lungs.  Not much fluid I am assured.  But still.  He is not breathing easily and even the slightest exertion makes him breathless.  Just the same there are some signs of improvement and fortunately no date for his return home has been set.  He has been sent home too early from other hospital trips and I don't want him home until the only direction he is going is up.

In the midst of the chaos, the worry, the fatigue there has also been beauty.  For which I am thankful.  Very thankful.

At home.

Eastern Rosella

Cockatoo

Corella

young Currawong

And in the sky.

Gorgeous, one and all.

More Medical Mayhem

This afternoon my best beloved, also known (among other things) as the Smaller Portion and His High and Skinniness will undergo surgery.  Again.

This will be his eighth abdominal surgery and IF this one works (which the surgeon doubts) he/we will go through the process twice more.  Sigh.  Same surgeon as the last four operations but a different hospital.  Two bus trips away from me.

He is a difficult patient, prone to complications and a truly vile convalescent so I am likely to be largely absent from the blogosphere.

For all you brave souls who have taken on the A to Z challenge, consider me cheering you on from the side lines.  Just a little more quietly than usual.  I will miss everyone, alphabet players and otherwise.  I relish the warmth and the wonder I have found here, but sometimes life takes priority.  Dammit.

On a more positive note:

Monday was windy here.  Very, very windy.  One of my sisters-in-law rang, and we were discussing the wild and woolly weather.  Just as we were winding the call up, so she could go and hang her washing, I heard a HUGE crash, and then a piercing shriek of 'oh shit'.

A significant part (over thirty feet) of a very large gum tree in the backyard had come crashing down onto the house.  She could no longer get out the back door.  Roof tiles were shattered.  Roof trusses were damaged.  The shade sail was in shreds.  Emergency services have told her that she can not sleep in her bedroom until the remainder of the tree is removed.  Electrical work will be required.  The gutters will need to be replaced.  Initial estimates put the damage bill at something approaching $15000, some of which will be covered by insurance.

On the plus side of the equation?  She was inside and unharmed.  If either of us had finished the call just a little earlier she would have been under that tree.  And, since my brother is overseas being important, no-one would have known for some time.

Part of the roof is now under a tarpaulin and the expense and inconvenience are both there, but she is safe.  Which is the only important thing.  I hope this has established a positive precedent.  With luck the skinny one will have a successful, complication free surgery and recovery and will come home prepared to play nicely.  Please cross your fingers with me. 

Sunday Selections #220

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  This week?  Come walk with me, into early morning drizzle and revel in the autumnal colour in my neighbourhood.

Starting at our veranda.   I do love our begonias.

Then wandering around the street.  In my usual restrained fashion there are a LOT of photos.

 

Sunday Selections #219

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  We have been promised rain and promised rain.  Just after Easter we finally got some wonderful falls.  More fell in a day than the combined total for the preceding four months.

So we headed off to Scrivener Dam to see if there was any overflow from the spillway.

And there was.

While we were out, we headed down to the lake.

And were given a rare treat.  Red-rumped parrots (known to one of my sisters-in-law as bum birds) were having a wonderful time splashing in a puddle on the road.  Some of the photos are blurred - but I have kept them, because it shows the energy they were putting into their bath.  They obviously appreciated the rain as much as we did.

Some of the autumnal colour on the lake was special too.

It really was a lovely outing on a very grey day.

Sunday Selections #218

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme. Our local Government is working hard at the moment in an attempt to revitalise our city centre.  I saw an article which said as part of the process they were opening up a service laneway in the heart of the city to street art.  I had to go into town anyway one day this week, so I took the camera.

The art started as I headed out the door.

A stunning sunrise.

It takes me two bus trips to get into town.  I changed buses at an interchange, and admired, as always, a mural on the wall.

Another bus trip, and then to the laneway in question.

It is still not an enticing or particularly inviting area, but the colour does liven it up.  I would be happy to see the work going further up those walls too.  Much more work to do, but a promising start.