SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER     HEALESVILLE

The rain continued in the morning, but eased enough for John to go off to bowls in the afternoon, despite his tonsillitis.

Friend T arrived – as previously planned – about 3pm. I had changed our original plan to eat out, to an eat-in one, due to John’s sore throat. I am not sure that T was all that pleased, as I think he wanted to “pay back” a meal!

We had much talk about school and its future direction and people we know, and his future plans.

When John arrived back from bowls, he’d lost his voice!

For tea, I made a chicken and cashew stir fry, with rice, then strawberries and ice cream.

T left about 9.30.

SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER     HEALESVILLE

John had been asked to play in one of Lilydale’s competition bowls sides today, so we drove to Lilydale.

Refuelled Truck – 71cpl.

I went for a walk around the Lake, then drove myself back to Healesville, where I cleaned the inside of the van. Had bought the papers on the way back, and read those, some, too.

Late in the afternoon, I picked up John from the Ferntree Gully Bowls Club, where they had played and we drove to his sister’s at Beaumaris. Together with another sister and her husband, and John’s niece and her husband, we had an excellent banquet meal at their favourite Chinese restaurant. It was a very pleasant evening.

What had been a humid day turned into a night of lightning and thunder storms, thus we had a tough drive back, through sheets of rain. It was 2.30am when we got back to the van!

John’s sore throat is much worse.

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER     HEALESVILLE

John had another round with the dentist, for the final root canal work. I waited for him, in Truck, and knitted.

The repair place in Ringwood, where we took the video machine, phoned yesterday to say they could find nothing wrong with it, so we went there and took the TV for them to check, in case the fault is there.

Then we went and did some bowls practice at Lilydale.

Had our various prescriptions filled at Healesville – cost $170!!

Back at the van, I discovered that John had turned the fridge off, last night, because he thought it was interfering with his TV picture. He had not turned it back on. Again! I threw out all the defrosted meat and chicken packs, that had been sitting in their puddles all day. It was a substantial waste, and I was very annoyed. Bloody TV is far more hassle than it is worth. John was not repentant.

Tea was bought fish and chips.

THURSDAY 7 0CTOBER     HEALESVILLE

I did the washing.

John pottered about in the morning, doing things like changing a blown fuse in Truck, then went to Lilydale to bowls, after an early lunch. He has a sore throat and thinks he is getting tonsillitis. I wonder if he picked up a bug at the doctor’s? Unhealthy places, those!

I read, sewed and went for a walk.

Tea was soup, steak and vegies. The meat – bought in Healesville, was very tough and almost impossible for me to chew.

WEDNESDAY 6 OCTOBER    HEALESVILLE

We were up at 6.45am, because we both had appointments with our doctor, starting at 8.40.

John was put onto a new anti-inflammatory – Celebrex, and given anti-reflux medication. He was also given a serious order for a colonoscopy, given his siblings’ history of bowel cancer.

I had a routine test done, and some rough skin burnt off my nose – sun-damaged, but not of concern. He was satisfied with my blood pressure – 140/90. We both got new scripts written.

Continued on to Waverley and picked up the Chescold fridge – all fixed, for $60.

Then we went home. I left Dad’s ashes in my wardrobe. We left things we are not taking to Tasmania. John put the roof rack contents back up there, on the new rack. I searched for one of our warm sleeping bags, in case we decided we wanted to do an overnight hike whilst in Tasmania, but couldn’t find one, so I took a grubby, thinner one from the store cupboard in the shed.

On the way back, in Healesville, took the grubby sleeping bag, and the two lambswool seat covers from Truck, to the big dry cleaners there.

John is, understandably, quite upset at the prospect of a colonoscopy, however, I phoned and made the appointment for him.

Tea was soup, rissoles and broad beans.

TUESDAY 5 OCTOBER     HEALESVILLE

We were up fairly early, due to having dentist appointments. Down the highway again – getting to know the road from Healesville to Lilydale, very well. At least, it is a really pretty drive.

John was in the chair for ninety minutes. The next visit may see his work completed, for which he will be exceedingly grateful!

The stitch was taken out of my jaw, which has healed adequately.

We went to a local funeral place, and collected my father’s ashes, which they had been holding for nearly three years! Rather remiss of me, I guess, but I have not been able to decide where they should go, and brother is no help. But it feels more appropriate that they should now wait at home, and I will leave them there when we go back tomorrow.

Went on to the bowls club for practice, which was not very enjoyable. John was grouchy after the dental ordeal, even though it was he who insisted we do the bowls.

It was after 4pm when we got back to the van – and it was a very late lunch!

Tea was more of the mushroom soup, and fried rice.

MONDAY 4 OCTOBER     HEALESVILLE

John wanted to go to Lilydale for us both to practice bowls, so we hit the highway yet again.

When we got to the club, there were games on and no space for casual practice. So we went to the Lilydale Lake and walked around that, which was enough exertion for the day.

Back at the van, I made a batch of mushroom and barley soup. We had some of that for tea, with cold roast chicken.

SATURDAY 2 OCTOBER    HEALESVILLE

John had bowls at Lilydale in the afternoon, so after an early lunch we drove there. He went to bowls, I had a lovely walk around the Lilydale Lake – about 3kms. Then I brought Truck back to Healesville.

Did a bit of food shopping in the town, bought papers.

Spent some time reading the weekend papers, then it was time to go collect John from bowls. He was happy because he’d played well.

We drove on to his daughter R’s, in Carlton, for tea. She was pleased to see us but was not feeling too well, after a big night out, last night! This was the first time we had seen her flat.

Tea was ricotta ravioli with pumpkin sauce, and rice pudding for desert. All suitably mushy for me! For which I was very grateful to R.

John gave R his sister’s opal pendant.

We were ordered out at about 9.30! The long drive back to Healesville was quite good, at that time – too early for the crowds from pubs, theatres and the like. All that running around today tallied up 199kms.

FRIDAY 1 OCTOBER     HEALESVILLE

I was pleased to see the end of September. It had mostly not been a great month.

John drove to Lilydale to practice bowls, and was away for several hours.

I had a quiet day around the van.

In the early evening, we drove back to Lilydale to have tea at a hotel where K’s brother in law is chef. The meal out was K’s birthday present to John.

While we were driving down, I took a phone call from John’s brother C, who wanted to thank us for the family photos I sent. I had a chat with him and Z. He got ‘flu really badly after returning from Melbourne – thinks he probably picked it up on the plane.

For tea I had chicken parma and John had fish. There was not a huge choice, especially for someone with limited chewing! It was an enjoyable night – good to spend time with K and P.