MONDAY 26 AUGUST     FLYING FISH POINT

During the night, it rained – heavily at times – which made for a comfortable, cool night.

In the early hours, I tied up the curtains by my bed, in order to better smell and hear the rain through the open window. I had the advantage of sleeping on the awning side, so could open my sliding windows. The ones on John’s side were not able to be opened at all. I thought that might have something to do with the venting of the gas hot water service being on that side?

The morning was cloudy, but looked as if it would clear. Everything smelt fresh.

I got up before 8am. John slept much later. Couey opted to keep him company, all curled up on top of the covers on my bed – which experience had taught me to cover with an old sheet, as soon as I was out of the bed.

I had my breakfast, sewed, listened to my little portable radio, sitting out under the awning – a usual sort of morning.

John had been having some problems with the leg that had impaired circulation (due to blood clot residue from a few years ago). The skin gets very dry and cracks; one of these had turned into a sore that looked, this morning, to be infected. He said it had been really painful through the night. He asked at the office and they gave him details for a doctor in Innisfail. He phoned, and got an appointment for 4pm.

We sat around for the rest of the day as John did not feel like doing anything, due to the sore leg. He spent the time on his laptop. I sat outside and sewed, every so often taking Couey for a walk around the block.

John went off to the doctor and came back with antibiotics and a therma skin ankle support that would be an alternative to the pressure stocking he was supposed to wear, but didn’t. The ankle support would allow him to wear thongs but still help the leg circulation.

I made a potato salad for tea, and an Asian style pineapple one too. John had the remaining maryland,too.

Cloud had built up again in the afternoon, and there was heavy rain at tea time. I went out to drop one side of the awning a bit lower, to allow the rain to run off. A lot of water builds up really quickly on that sort of roof. John accused me of fussing too much as I went out, but went quiet when he heard the water pour off!

John played his computer game after tea. I started a letter to friend M.