One day at a time

 My life is frustrating at the moment.  Work is frustrating with some many tasks and not enough time to do the tasks I want to do rather then those that others need to get done. Social life is frustrating as I find little to interest or motivate me, and even though there are things I could or even should be doing, they are of little interest to me. I want to change but I can't be motivated to do anything about it, so even though I find work and life generally frustrating, it's not enough to prompt me to make the effort to change anything. I think when you've been used to a certain level of pain for a along time, you don't really notice it any longer. Maybe something will happen that will push me to make a change, I don't think I am in a good place at the moment. I should be living well, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about it all being taken away. This isn't a ply for help, I just thought it would help for me to write it down and I can come back to t...

Since my last blog entry, I’ve been through a strange Christmas, took a trip to World Pride in Sydney and travelled over the ditch to the land of the long white cloud. This was the first Christmas with none of my parent’s generation still alive, so my usual trip to see my elderly aunt or call home to talk to my father did not happen. I did have a family Christmas and spent the day with my cousin and some of her family, but I avoided the traditional get-together held on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) as it was going to be a very occasion with two extended families coming together. I spent that day with my best friend instead. In February, Sydney held events to mark World Pride and I went up there to meet up with one of my friends, who was there with some of his friends. There were some particularly highlights, namely the performances at the opening concert by Shelden Riley, Casey Donovan, Jessica Mauboy and the Minogue sisters. I also enjoyed watching the Mardi Gras parade, even t...

 It's been a while since I last posted and in that time the last of my parents generation in my family has passed away. I don't feel like I have mourned their passing yet and it did take me a while to mourn the passing of my parents so I expect this time it will be the same. I'm more involved in looking after the affairs of their estate and together with my cousin we will need to deal with their estate. I think there are other changes come soon too, as I have started to think about moving out of my apartment and putting it on the market, but that depends on how much the real estate people think that I will be able to get for it. I have also been playing with the idea of changing my car, but the cars that I am interested in have long waiting lists, up to 12 months in some cases. Usually I would be looking forward to going away for my birthday, but I have nothing planned and on this occasion there is no public holiday around my birthday (instead it is the weekend before). The...

On Wednesday I made my way to Nottingham by train to see family up there.

 Spendings three weeks off work over the Christmas and New Year break. In the second week and enjoying the weather, it’s warm enough for shorts and t-shirt during the day with a nice cool breeze. The building site has closed down for the holiday period so I can enjoy my balcony without any construction noises, but there are still plenty of traffic noise. Had a very nice Christmas Day and Boxing Day, although I haven’t done that much with my time off.

I have been in the UK for the last few weeks. I was granted an exemption to leave Australia and I am here to farewell my father, who has sadly passed away. Life in the UK appears to be very much like it was pre-COVID apart from social distancing messages around and some people wearing masks. I hope that my return to Australia will go as smoothly as my departure, but I do need to get a negative COVID result before I will be allowed to fly back.

Once again I celebrated my birthday in lockdown, at least with have a road map (again) out of this one, depending on how the vaccination rates go. I had planned to be in Sydney this weekend and although I can not travel, I have still taken the annual leave that I booked for the trip. I did manage to see my social bubble mate on my birthday. My father is still in hospital but there is very little that I can do from here, with the international borders still closed here in Australia. He is in very good spirits even though it's not looking that good in terms of a full recovery.

The memorial service for my uncle Bill was held this weekend. Most the family attended and Buster was happy with how it went.

Sunday afternoon, I took my dad to see the twin boys of my oldest nephew and was entertained by them, as well as well feed by Darren's partner and soon to become wife.

Took my dad to get a new microwave oven to replace his existing one. We also did a spot of food shopping too. My sister Janice and her husband came round beforehand to say so long before I head back to Melbourne.

The day wasn't that great weather wise so we went to an outlet centre near Mansfield and then headed over to Matlock later on. Decided I no longer enjoy driving in the UK.

My uncle Bill has passed away in Australia. It's only the early morning there and there is much to sort out.

Got treated to lunch from Dad and his friend Gwen at Tree Tops Gastro Pub in Mapperly. It was a good feed and that's the second time that I have enjoyed the Hunter chicken.

Went to dinner with my sisters and father to local pub. Meal was good.

Skyped my aunt and cousin back in Australia with my dad.

Change in the weather, rain and a lot collect today. Went shopping which my Dad always does on a Wednesday.

Booked flights, accommodation at the airport at the start and end of trip plus a car for the time I am at my parents.

Distressing to see how my mother is deteriorated and knock on effect that is having on my father. I hope I'm wrong but I dread that I might need to go over there sooner than next year :-(

Had a pleasant time with my aunt & uncle for Christmas lunch. The drive back was tying, driving through heavy rain and bird strikes.

he cold is dragging on, but still went ahead with catching up with my sisters in the centre of Nottingham. We took a ride on the Nottingham Wheel that is sitting in the Old Market Square and gave us great views over the city (it was a reasonably clear day), turned out the be decent ride as we went round 4 times and although not as big as the London Eye, still very smooth. Pauline showed me the houses that my grandfather used to own in St James Street and then we went down to the Brewers Yard, under the Castle. We had lunch in the Trip to Jerusalem, which I have never been in before and it really is built into the side of the hill the castle is standing on. Had a very nice lunch and chat, before we wandered back into the centre and a spot of shopping, in the end I was the only one that actually bought anything. Got back home and decided to take the car out to fill it up with petrol in advance of taking it back tomorrow. Had intended to go to the Morrison's petrol station but notice...