A Walk To Cremorne Point Reserve, Sydney.

Last night, I received a sudden wake up call. While writing up about our three week holiday house minding at Cremorne Point, I’d become seriously waylaid in Watson’s Bay consumed by back story after back story after back story, which we writers and researchers colloquially call a “rabbit warren”. I really loved Watson’s Bay and I was also drawn into it’s history via Christina Stead’s first novel Seven Poor Men of Sydney, which was set there. However, it was now time to get back on the ferry and had back to Cremorne Point and onto the next day’s events.

Sydney Harbour Looking towards the Heads from Cremorne Road.

After coffee with a friend and meeting up with our son at Circular Quay and catching the ferry back together, I decided to go for a swim at MacCallum Pool located in Cremorne Point Reserve. However, before we get to the pool, we’re going to walk down Cremorne Road and I’ll share a few stellar views along the way. While I was doing this walk just before sunset on this occasion, I’ve also included some photos from a previous walk so you can see what the reserve looks like during daylight. I’d also like to emphasise that Cremorne Point offers an excellent vantage point to watch the sun set on Sydney Harbour and the reserve itself is a great place to watch it over a casual picnic.

Meanwhile, I’d just like to let you know that Cremorne Point was originally known as Wulworra-Jeung by the Cammeraygal, the Aboriginal people who inhabited the land on the lower northern shores of Port Jackson prior to the arrival of Europeans. Initially known as Robertson’s Point, it became known as Cremorne after the Cremorne Pleasure Gardens which were established in 1856. Although they only survived six years, the name stuck. There were attempts to mine coal at Cremorne Point and to sell off the harbourside land which was declared the reserve in 1905 but thankfully resistance conserved the natural beauty of Cremorne Point for the future and for all.

Magnificence everywhere you turn!

While my photos brilliantly capture and share Cremorne Point’s captivating natural beauty, and sensational views of the harbour and ethereal skies, they fail to relate my personal struggle. As I’ve mentioned before, I have dodgy lungs and 50% lung capacity and struggle to get up hills, stairs or even gentle slopes on a bad day. Unfortunately, Cremorne Point is quite hilly which is fine when I’m walking down to the point, but at best “a challenge” walking back up. I’d had trouble getting back up the hill when we’d previously done the walk to MacCallum Pool.

How incredibly relaxing!

However, I’d been doing more walking and thought I might just pull it off. Besides, the pool was only round the corner. If I took it slowly, I’d be fine. The only trouble is that I wasn’t. I’d got myself into deep water and with no other way to get home, I had to keep going. Every single step at this point was like moving feet of lead and my breathing was very strained. What I also didn’t know at this point, was that there had been a botch up with my prescription and I’d been on half the prescribed dose on and off for a year and the muscle weakness was returning. I was battling extreme shortness of breath on top of muscle weakness and I really did feel like I was about to break down. Although I did make it back, I have no doubt doing that walk was a mistake.

Sunset from Cremorne Point Reserve

Yet, at the same time, the photographer in me not only loves and cherishes the photos I took on that walk, but also the experience of merging with that magnificent sunset over the harbour and becoming one which invigorated my soul as well as my senses.

Hope you enjoy my journey and I’ll be back with a focus on MacCallum Pool in my next post.

Best wishes,

Rowena

Ferry Trip to Watson’s Bay, Sydney Harbour.

For those of you who have been following my travels in Sydney, you’ll know that I’ve been home for a few weeks now and am well and truly backtracking with these posts. Well, today’s post takes us back to the 15th January, 2022 and “yesterday” Geoff and I caught the ferry over to Manly which is located near Sydney Harbour’s Northern Headland (known simply as “North Head”) and “today” we’re off to Watson’s Bay, over near South Head on the opposite side of the harbour and while yesterday there was just Geoff and myself, Miss joined us for this adventure While our son, J.P. was back home.

In many ways, Sydney is a fragmented city divided by the harbour. To a certain extent where ever we live, we tend to live within the bounds of our geography. Back home, we live on a peninsula and what they say about “insular peninsula” is certainly true of us, although Geoff works in Sydney. Moreover, in addition to geographical constraints, there’s also time and possibly health considerations. Staying put can be very comfortable.

On the ferry Bungaree leaving the Sydney Harbour Bridge behind.

Obviously, what the Sydney Harbour divided, has been connected via the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel. However, while the Bridge might stand as a magnificent welcoming structure, it represents pure terror for an anxious driver or out-of-towner and you hear the phrase often enough: “I’m not going over the Bridge”.I remember the first time I drove white-knuckled with my dad’s encouragement: “Does your licence state you can’t drive over the Bridge?” Of course, it didn’t and with fear and trepidation I set out and was mighty jubilant when I arrived safely on the other side in Glebe. I thought it was ridiculous that one of my mother’s friends wouldn’t drive past Chatswood and yet now I understand completely. Once you get out of the swing of city driving and specially the high pressure traffic on the Bridge during the day and needing to be in the right lane because Good Samaritans who’ll let you in are few and far between and you could end up anywhere. You also have to watch out that you don’t stray into one of the feeder lanes onto the Bridge either. Then again, you could spend your entire life parked safely in your couch at home and bypass seizing the day entirely. Indeed, perhaps it’s worth getting lost a few times on the likes of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to gain your wings.

Wow! Yacht off Rose Bay

All of that is just a very long winded way of saying that Sydneysiders usually don’t hop around the harbour like we were doing especially by car and the idea of going to Manly for the day one day and spending the next day in Watson’s Bay is rather extraordinary. That is, unless of course you’re on the ferries in which case all of Sydney Harbour is your oyster. I loved ferries before but I love and appreciate them even more now!

Ferry Wake, Rose Bay

Of course, someone else from Sydney might disagree with all of this, but that’s okay. I don’t claim to speak for all of Sydney.

Sea Plane, Rose Bay.

Anyway, as you can see ferry ride to Watson’s Bay was spectacular and I was almost flying along in the breeze with my camera zooming away on overdrive. Indeed, now that I’m back home, I’m missing the ferries dearly and looking forward to going back in April. Indeed, I’m reminded of Louis Armstrong’s unforgettable line: Oh what a wonderful world!

Watson’s Bay’s imposing Moreton Bay Fig Tree viewed from the ferry

Arriving in Watson’s Bay felt like arriving in another world. The weather was beautiful and the beach was lined with tanned sunbakers soaking up the rays like mobile phones plugged into the charger invigorating their souls without any consideration to the possible consequences. However what struck me most when we first arrived in Watson’s Bay was a massive Moreton Bay Fig tree on the shoreline and of course the famous Doyle’s fish and chip shops.

So please join me in my next post as we explore Watson’s Bay itself.

Watson’s Bay – How relaxing!

Have you been to Sydney or Watson’s Bay? Any stories? I’d love to hear from you!

Best wishes,

Rowena

Catching the Manly Ferry…(my travels in Sydney continue).

As I’ve mentioned before, we were house minding at Cremorne Point on Sydney Harbour for three weeks in January, which gave us quite an opportunity to see my home city as a tourist would, cramming as much as we could through the ever shrinking hour glass. Having been caught up with parenting for many years and then covid, extended lockdowns and self-imposed isolation due to my health; it felt like an eternity since we’d been to most of these Sydney landmarks and we were definitely out there to carpe diem seize the day. Moreover, with the ferry wharf conveniently down the road, the thrill of catching ferries and almost immersing ourselves in our beautiful harbour, they became our compass.

We left Circular Quay and were poised out on the deck with the wind in our hair and thriving on the exhileration as the ferry gained pace amd we left the Sydney Harbour Bridge behind.

Not unsurprisingly, catching the Manly Ferry was our first extended ferry trip. Catching the ferry to Manly has always been a very Sydney thing to do and the ferry makes the beach accessible to those living further afield. The ferry trip itself is also out of this world heading East through the harbour with spectacular 360 degree views. Then, you cross the Sydney Heads. That can get very lively with the ferry swooning up and down and chances are you’ll get wet, but its thrilling all the same. Wouldn’t miss it, especially for the safety of an inside seat. Boring!

I have so many memories of catching the Manly Ferry. There’s footage of me on Super 8 film catching the Manly Ferry when I was about five, which I still sort of remember. I also went to Manly as a teenager with friends and I remember buying Chinese food by the plate load on the famous Corso in a variation on the usual “chew and spew”, “all you can eat” venues which were around at the time. My best friend also lived in Collaroy and was forever catching the Manly Ferry back home after a night out on the town. Recently, my friend’s parents told me about how they’d met at Manly Beach years ago and there was such a sparkle in their eyes…happy days!

Manly wasn’t quite so perfect the day we went. There was quite a strong wind blowing and Ocean Beach was punctuated with signs warning “Dangerous Current”. When the lifesavers left for the day, everyone was even ordered out of the water, which seemed fairly exceptional. The beach was officially closed…even to idiots who didn’t care about sacrificing their own lives and taking their hapless rescuers with them.

The currents weren’t the only dangers we encountered in Manly. There were the seagulls, and before you burst out laughing about me being afraid of measly little seagulls, these weren’t your ordinary sea gulls. They were sea gulls on steroids, veritable terrorists swoop diving and snatching bits of our kebabs right out of our hands. They were an absolute menace! I’ve encountered pushy sea gulls before. You know the ones who puff themselves up, look real bossy and squawk like a union boss. They were nothing compared to this gang of thugs. The most aggressive of these sea gulls actually had no feet but was so annoyingly menacing, we had no pity. This was war. We were sitting on the steps down to Ocean Beach at the time and I seriously considered moving away. They were horrid!

Our shadows at Manly Beach

I’m About to Blow Away At Manly Beach.

Anyway, here I am listing Manly’s faults when I’m usually much more sunny side up. So, let me reverse back a bit and return to Circular Quay so we can take catch the ferry together and start over and return to Manly Cove where the ferry pulled in.

I’m going to do a bit of a very basic walk around Manly in a separate post.

Meanwhile, we’re going to catch the ferry back to Circular Quay. By now, sunset was approaching and the light was doing its magic and performing all sorts of tantalising tricks. I was smitten, but then again. I’m an easy target.

Unfortunately, I’d managed to get salt crystals on the lens on the way over, and while they didn’t show up on many of the shots, they were very noticeable photographing into the sunset and unfortunately I lost many good shots. Such is life, as a photographer. Lady Luck doesn’t always work in your favour and there are inevitably disappointments and lessons for next time.

Ferry Leaving Manly

Ferry Leaving Manly with Geoff in the stripy shirt

Manly Ferry Returning to Sydney at Sunset.

A fragment of the Sydney Skyline at Sunset. Looks like the sky is on fire.

All too soon, the Sydney Harbour Bridge came into view and ever closer welcoming us back to Circular Quay. Even though I saw The Bridge multiple times a day while we were staying in Sydney, I was still in awe. She is absolutely incredible.

Good night, Sydney. Sleep well.

Have you ever caught the Manly Ferry? Do you have any special memories? I’d love to hear from you.

Best wishes,

Rowena

Night Time Ferry Fever…Sydney Harbour.

Sometimes, all your Christmases really do come at once, and you have to make the most of them because there can be a long wait for the next big buzz. My first day jaunting around Sydney Harbour after overcoming covid was like that. Indeed, it was so good that I’ve had to break it down into four posts to give each part of the whole an opportunity to shine. Naturally, most days aren’t like that and there’s a lot of blah, blah blah instead. What also made this day extra special, and indeed all of my time houseminding in Sydney, was having my world open up again post lockdown and after being shut away from Sydney all that time, it blew my mind going back. I’d also been away from Sydney because we bought our home just North in Greater Sydney and what with having the kids etc we became pinned down. it was now Macquarie’s Chair where I photograph the Sydney Harbour Bridge after dark when it was all lit up like a Christmas tree.

The other aspect about night photography, is that it’s tricky for a woman to go alone and feel safe. I’m not sure if it’s any safer for blokes either. Too often there’s someone just busting to start a fight.

However, the ferry is ideal.

Waiting For the Ferry – Circular Quay.

Well, it would’ve been if I had my tripod with me and the ride can also get a little bumpy., but that didn’t hold me back and what with the wind blowing in my face and trying to capture the Sydney Harbour Bridge with the wake from the boat in the foreground, it was truly exhilarating.

Then, to blow me away completely, this voice calls out to me. “It’s you again. Remember me from Balmoral Beach?” Sure enough it was the woman I’d met while I was photographing my reflection on a back mirror in the Bather’s Pavilion. Here she was again. We got on so well. We were like Thelma and Louise having so much fun taking photos together and almost blowing away with the thrill of it all. I tried to find a pen and paper but the ferry was soon at Cremorne Point and I disembarked a bit disappointed to lose my new friend, but on such a high. Photography can do that to you. That is when all your Christmases come at once and all your hopes haven’t been dashed against the rocks, which unfortunately happens quite a bit. Indeed, many of these photos were blurry, but I now had a vision and a few weeks left to improve. Yet, regardless of how the photos turned out, I had so much fun that I’ll never forget this particular ferry ride or my new found friend.

Best wishes,

Rowena

Reflections of Sydney Harbour- The Overseas Passenger Terminal.

My goodness! I could fall down on my hands and knees and thank all the architects or whoever it was who incorporated reflective surfaces into their structures! Have you ever noticed how they can produce such intriguing and captivating combinations of images just begging to be photographed? Of course, it helps when you have such stunning fodder as Sydney’s Opera House and Harbour Bridge. If by chance you also get the weather gods supplying perfect or intriguing light, don’t bother buying yourself a lottery ticket. You’ve already cashed in all of your good luck.

A curious photographer chasing reflections in the glass.

To be honest, I don’t recall truly exploring Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal. I’ve never been on a cruise or seen someone off there, although I have seen the massive cruise ships which I guess are anchored there the largest being Ovation of the Seas. So it was something new to check out and you know me, I was only looking at it through the lens and that was keeping me busy enough. BTW as I’ve mentioned before, I tend to zoom into the details of a building and forget to photograph the whole and as annoying as it is, I took no photos of the Overseas Passenger Terminal as a whole. Of course, I wasn’t thinking about writing a post about it once I arrived home. No I was too caught up in reflections.

Anyway, I thought I’d better provide a map showing the location of the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Sydney Cove just around from Circular Quay.

Reflection Ferry Passing the Sydney Opera House

What attracted me to the Overseas Passenger Terminal was all the industrial equipment and other details. While Sydney Harbour has all it’s postcard glam, it’s also a working port and these striking industrial elements framed the Opera House well offering a fresh perspective. No doubt I’m not the first person photographing it from this angle. Indeed, there were even a few photographers lugging around tripods while I was there. However, my eye is my eye and who is to say that we’re seeing and photographing the same thing even if we were standing side-by-side?! Besides, one or both of us could screw up the shot, although at least in this digital era you can check before you leave and just keep snapping away until it works if need be.

Last but not least, photography from the Overseas Passenger Terminal isn’t just about reflections in the glass, but also some stellar up-close views of some of Sydney’s most iconic sights.

The Southern Swan and the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney’s Most Famous Face – Luna Park.

At the time I took these photographs, I was incredibly excited, especially with the quirky reflections I’d captured, but I’m intending to head back and see what else is possible, especially exploring the timing of the light.

Have you been doing much photography lately and what have you stumbled across?

Best wishes,

Rowena

Catching the Ferry: Cremorne Point to Circular Quay.

Forgive me ferries! It’s been years since my last ferry ride, but trust me! I’m seriously about to make up for lost time. Circular Quay here I come now I’m covid free and out of isolation!

Not being an early bird and being on the mend, I didn’t get to the wharf until halfway through the afternoon. At least, I got moving before sunset!

Covid free, I couldn’t wait to catch a ferry and started out with a trip from Cremorne Point to Circular Quay (ferry central) and walked around to The Rocks.

Ferries are fantastic! I love just watching ferries, let alone actually being on board with my hair flying in the wind and just taking in all the incredible sights of Sydney Harbour. I felt like a little kid again almost bursting with joy. Do you know what I mean?

Carnival Cruise’s Spendor dwarfs the Southern Swan (left) and Sydney ferry , Sirius. Indeed, Geoff pointed out that the Splendor’s passenger capacity of 3012 is double the population of his town growing up. Then, there’s also 1150 crew on board.

Moreover, there are also surprises and the unexpected on Sydney Harbour. Today, I was intrigued to pot a tall ship out there. The identity of this ship generated a bit of debate. Initially Mr thought it had to be the Young Endeavour, which had sailed on almost a year ago as a “youthie”. However, the Young Endeavour had two masts and this ship had three. The next suggestion was the James Craig, but it’s a bigger ship. This all took us off the the great know-it-all of the modern age, Google, and it turned out to be the Southern Swan. I kept spotting the Southern Swan as I jaunted around the harbour, my new best friend.

Well. I’m only covering the trip to Circular Quay as I have further adventures to share and the trip home after dark deserves a post of its own.

Above: Ferry parking lot, Circular Quay.

Please stay tuned as we head over to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in my next post.

Best wishes,

Rowena

A Photographer’s Dream

I was so excited to spot this panorama of reflections, and felt it deserved it’s own post. Even an amateur, intermittent photographer like me always has to keep their eyes peeled and their camera at hand. You never know what you’re going to see and as much as it might be about capturing what you see, you also need the vision to peer beyond the surface and skill to do it well. I’m still not convinced that you can do al of this with your phone but our daughter has the latest iPhone and it does a great job and is so much better than lugging my bulky Nikon SLR around.

Have you taken any remarkable photos lately. Please feel encouraged to leave a link in the comments.

Best wishes,

Rowena

Photographing the Sunset Sydney Harbour

Continuing my explorations of Sydney while house minding in Cremorne Point, I drove down to Cremorne Point Wharf the night I was cleared from Covid isolation, and could barely contain my joy. The approaching sunset was out of the world and ever so photogenic. While the harbour was dotted with sunset watchers who might’ve been sharing a bottle of wine of picnic, I was far from relaxed…a photographer on a mission for that elusive perfect shot. I was on the hunt.

Centre stage, of course, was the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I might be Sydney born and bred, but I never get bored of the bridge. It is beyond magnificent and it has this omnipresence in Sydney. Almost anywhere you go, you catch a glimpse or a oblique perspective of it somewhere although possibly not from a postcard perspective. Indeed, it makes a perfect exercise in how something can appear remarkably different from alternative perspectives.

Selfie with Harbour Bridge fragment

Photographing sunsets seems easy and such a gift to any photographer. How could you go wrong? With diminishing light, the chances of blur increase and ideally you would have a tripod, which I didn’t because I operate on spontaneity and lugging tripods around really weighs you down. So there I was awestruck by such awesome splendour and yet having to hold my breath and hold the camera dead still to prevent that nasty of nasties camera shake.

Yet, I’m pleased with the results and I really did enjoy the sunset spectacular and gaining a deeper appreciation of the Sydney skyline, which has changed quite a lot since I was doing more of the sunset cityscapes about 20 years ago (pre marriage and kids).

Ferry Charlotte departing Cremorne Point Wharf

I hope seeing these photos gives you a sense of being there in person yourself. Despite my agitation to create impeccably beautiful photographs, I managed to appreciate the serenity and unwind.

Best wishes,

Rowena

Sydney in the Rain…Cremorne Point.

“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby. “

Langston Hughes

Inevitably, when anyone pictures Sydney Harbour with its magnificent arching bridge and the towering sails of the Sydney Opera House, the weather is postcard perfect with bright blue skies. Moreover, as the sun casts its magic spell over the ancient ocean, it sparkles like a brilliant sapphire carpet and comes to life. It couldn’t get any better. I’ve experienced days like this on the harbour myself with ferries zipping around and crowds of colourful but faceless hundreds and thousands drifting around Circular Quay. Talk about paradise!

However, when I arrived in Sydney to begin three weeks of house minding at Cremorne Point, it was bucketing with rain, even before we left home. Indeed, the drive down was treacherous, and I was driving down the freeway grateful for the taillights in front to guide my path. All of this was particularly hair raising for an anxious driver like myself. Yet I persevered like an epic hero, albeit with a much humbler objective. I was no Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia. I’d simply got out of bed, onto the freeway and was driving my car. Yet, I was incredibly motivated. Thrills and adventures awaited me at the other end of the rainbow along with my friend’s dog, two cats, and two Guinea pigs. I was also simply overjoyed to get out of the house and be in Sydney again after two years of covid, lockdowns and isolation, especially on top of the horrific bushfires of the Summer of 2019-2020.

Yes, indeed! I was a lucky duck!

Just to put you in the picture, I am from Sydney. I spent my first few years living in a flat in Rose Bay with my parents and then we moved to the North Shore where they bought a house with that all important backyard and soon after that, my brother arrived. I went to Sydney University and moved into student digs nearby. After graduating, I mainly lived in terrace houses around Glebe, although I frequently went to Whale Beach on the Northern Beaches where my parents had a weekender. So aside from my early days in Rose Bay, I’ve never lived close to the harbour or near Cremorne Point and I was looking forward to embracing this opportunity 200% and carpe dieming every single minute of every day. I didn’t want to waste even a fraction of a moment. Perhaps, that explains how I found myself down at Cremorne Point Wharf on my first night not only in the dark, but also the rain.

At the same time, I did question whether photographing in the rain was a good idea. After all, my Nikon SLR is a valuable piece of ELECTRONIC equipment and it isn’t waterproof. Secondly, I could hear my grandmother calling out: “You’ll catch your death of cold.” This wasn’t such a random idea either considering Geoff and our son were both back home with covid and after spending the day in the car with them returning from Surfers’ Paradise, I was clearly at high risk of catching it myself. Could drenching myself to the skin be just the thing to push me over the edge into being covid positive? I briefly considered the science and didn’t think being wet could aid germ transmission yet I couldn’t switch off my grandmother’s warnings completely.

As you can see from the photographs, I got absolutely drenched and as much as I tried to protect the camera, it did as well. Yet it didn’t fizzle out and neither did I. We forged on.

Although this grey and muted perspective of Sydney Harbour wasn’t cliched perfection, it had a different kind of beauty which was strangely serene. Moreover, I’d never seen anything like it. This was mine. All mine. Yet not in a possessive capitalist sense, but in more of a profoundly spiritual, and deeply personal way. I felt like I’d almost merged into the landscape.

Have you experienced that sense of riveting and almost all-consuming awe being outdoors and absorbing an aspect of our wonderful world?

I have, especially looking through my camera lens where some kind of mystical fusion occurs, which is not that different to falling in love.

Anyway, this was just the beginning of three weeks in wonderful Sydney. So stay tuned.

Best wishes,

Rowena

Weekend Coffee Share – 14th June, 2021.

Welcome to Another Weekend Coffee Share!

How are you all and how was your week? I hope it’s been good overall, and that you’ve been able to savour some of the zest of life.

My week has been quite a rollercoaster ride, which is quite an apt description after we visited Sydney’s Luna Park after midnight when it was well and truly shut and the rollercoaster was fast asleep.

Darling Harbour

Last night, we went on a Sydney Harbour Cruise to celebrate a friend’s 50th Birthday. I was really looking forward to it because I’ve never actually been on a Sydney Harbour cruise before. I know that sounds like quite a travesty for a Sydney person, but I’ve certainly been on ferry rides around the harbour and they’ve been absolutely magnificent. Anyway, our ferry ride began at Darling Harbour at 6.00pm after sunset, and went for four hours and then we drove across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Kirribilli to absorb the magnificent imposing grandeur of the Bridge just overhead, the inky black water and the view across to the Sydney Opera House in the background.

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It was a fancy dress party, and some of our friends had really gone to town and that really added to the festivity. As you can see from the photo above, some of my friends went all out, and really looked spectacular. I’d had such a crazy week, all I managed was a pair of rainbow socks. I also wanted to keep warm and went for long pants and my trench coat. I looked rather like Inspector Gadget if I had to put a name to my get up.

Above: I’m dancing to “YMCA” a party classic.

While I naturally enjoyed the people, party and full but floating immersion into Sydney Harbour after dark, what I probably valued most was the opportunity to get to know my friend and his family better. I really appreciated the significance of that after being a part of my friend, Lisa’s funeral two weeks ago and getting to know her much better after she’d passed away. It wasn’t too late, but it certainly meant lost opportunities. We really need to get to know and appreciate each other in all our technicolour glory now.

Anyway, so the Harbour Cruise party clearly represents the what went well this week. On the other hand, our daughter ended up in hospital to expedite some medical tests. When she was about ten, she was diagnosed with a digestive condition called gastroparesis, which involves delayed gastric emptying. She has been a lot better. However, over the last couple of weeks, it flared up again and I took her to the doctor on Wednesday morning, and by the afternoon, she was fed up and asked to go to hospital. Oh joy! Gastroparesis is a complicated condition and I wasn’t expecting a lot of answers or understanding at Emergency. Indeed, all I expected was a wasted night and being sent home after midnight exhausted with making any progress. However, they were actually very supportive and decided to admit her to expedite the tests and give her some medication before she could get an appointment with the gastroenterologist. So, it actually turned out to be a brilliant plan and she had an ultrasound, barium swallow, blood tests and left with a script for Domperidone, which speeds up peristalsis. She’s looking so much better today. So, fingers crossed we’re on the right track. It’s so hard seeing your kids unwell, or being around other sick kids. I take my hat off to anyone who works in paediatrics and helps our sick little people.

I am still feeling the loss of my friend, Lisa.

What more can I say?

The last song for the night on the Harbour Cruise was: “Hey Jude”, and the lines: “take a sad song, and make it better” hit me in a new way. I got pretty emotional during that song, but it is so true. It’s telling me to take my grief, and make something positive out of it. Help Lisa to leave a positive legacy. I also really believe it’s important to acknowledge our sadness, disappointment, hurt and losses and not just paint a glossy veneer over the top. That it’s not healthy to hold it all in and rather, that it can be self-destructive.

Not unsurprisingly, my research went on the back burner this week. However, I did manage to read C.J. Dennis’s: “Old Digger Smith” and am currently reading “The Adventures of Ginger Mick”. These books are part of a series of books featuring the Sentimental Bloke, which is the title of the first book in the series and it’s been made into a movie. It’s an Australian literary classic, and written in the Australian vernacular of the WWI era, it not far off trying to unravel Chaucer. However, I find when I speak it out in my head, it mostly makes sense. By the way, the “Sentimental Bloke” was a best seller and a popular read for WWI soldiers and a special pocket-sized edition was made which fitted into their coat pocket. (I wonder how many sentimental blokes are around these days and how many are reading books? We had the New Age Sensitive Guy when I was younger and I wonder if he’s still around? Or, if all of us have had to harden up? Keep calm and carry on?!!)

Well, I’m still sentimental, and my friend shed a few tears in his speech last night. So, we’re not gone yet.

Anyway, it’s the long weekend here in Australia. One benefit of still being part of the Commonwealth, is getting a day off to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday. With a long weekend, families are catching up and I finally managed to meet up with my friend’s daughter and grandchildren and met up with them at the beach. Silly me, forgetting it’s Winter, I went barefoot and my feet were absolutely freezing. They hurt.

Anyway, that pretty much covers my week, and stay tuned for some photos from the Harbour cruise. The Weekend Coffee Share is Hotsted by Natalie the Explorer and here;s the link:

https://fresh.inlinkz.com/party/3c1e93537aea4ffcb5dad6b688cae536

Best wishes,

Rowena

PS I just had to include another phot of my friends dancing in their glad rags looking absolutely sensational. I’ll have what they’re having.