Ann & Don returned today from their trip North. Their little van and the vehicle are thick with red dust. They had a fantastic time, and over dinner and a few drinks, we caught up and heard all their stories.
We got the Big Bird hooked up in the morning (after a couple of minor hitches) and ready to sleep in tonight. Though we’ve had a great time here, it is time to move on – we’re both getting a little restless.
Wow – that’s scary. August has disappeared so fast, I’m not sure where it went. It’s not like we have been so busy, but I guess if you add up all the various visits to here, there and everywhere, plus moving into Bonney’s Water Ski Park for 3 weeks and then looking after a property here in Baldivis for some acquaintances, it all adds up. Then of course there is all the relaxing, and ‘doona’ days caused by the rain. 16 days straight. More than enough I think.
Bonney’s was quite good the first week, then it started to rain. Muddy just doesn’t cover it. It’s just a large grassed area, and doesn’t drain well. At one stage, we had to step out of the van into 2” of water. Started to feel a little like a duck (you know – webbed feet). Nice people there, quite a lot of long stayers. It’s really the only park in the Perth area where you can park with a Big Rig, or with dogs. And only $120 / week.
The property here at Baldivis is great. It’s 14 acres, with the house at the top of the property, well away from the dead-end road. This means very little road noise. GREAT! We’re looking after the large house (which feels really strange after 2 1/2 years in a van), a fat 8 year old Jack Russell Terrier (Gemma), 17 chooks and 7 caged birds. A fair amount of the property is bush, so the job is really not very difficult. The chooks lay 8 or 9 eggs a day, and we are giving heaps away.
Over the last month, Rick has been to the psych once a week. The guy is really nice, and really, really different. He is half Japanese, owns 10 purebred collies, 10 cats, 1 purebred Toy Poodle (who is a real cutie), and 1 ‘pound’ bitser. He brings one of the collies and the poodle into work with him, and they really rule the roost. Malcolm is really easy to talk to, and is quite happy for me to come into the meetings with Rick. We’ve got another two appointments next week, and then Malcolm will begin to write the report.
OK, what else have we done? Drove down to Australind to meet with a friend of a friend who needs a house-sitter in December. Lovely house, and lovely, lovely lady – Cheryl. She made afternoon tea for us – scones & biccies, and introduced us to the cat. Moggy is 19 years old, and very doddery, but still hanging in there. Spends most of his time asleep in the warmth. Cheryl has invited us to come for a BBQ and stay overnight after we leave here – probably about the 28th of September, after the HF Radio Club gathering at Yarloop, which is not far from Australind.
At the moment, we have Geoff & Robyn Rilling staying with us for a few days. We’ve known them for a long time, but haven’t seen them since the last time we visited Adelaide, 6 years ago. They are on their way home from a six month tour of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Really good to catch up with them again.
Brett rang this morning to say Mum is looking and sounding quite a bit better. She is starting to respond to conversation and is making a little more sense when talking. She’s still not eating, but is not fighting against drinking quite so much. Brett also sounds quite a bit better.
We have been offered another two house-sits. Once over the Christmas week period in Bunbury, and another for three months in Mundaring from May to the end of July 2010. That will mark the end of our time here in SW WA, as the two Navy reunions are in July, and we’ll head off at the end of July.
Yet another lovely, sunny day. Rick put up the sun-shade today, so that he can sit outside, but still stay out of the sun.
His mood has been a lot better the last couple of days. The change of location, even though we didn’t travel far, has released a bit of the stress and anxiety. The noise and number of people around in the more settled area of Fremantle has knocked him around a bit, as has the ongoing saga of the DVA / VRB appeal and Section 31. Every time we have to go through the process of documenting the details and his history of depression, he gets upset and his mood is affected for days.
Had to arrange DVA transport today to take us over to West Perth on the 14th for the psychiatrist visit. We don’t know the area, and the frustration of heavy traffic in Perth wouldn't help his mental state. We looked at going by public transport, but it is a 5 leg, 2.5 hour trip on bus and train. By the time we got to West Perth, Rick would be a basket case.
Really big day today – travelled the huge distance of 28km, to the Motor Home Park. We’ll stay here for 9 days, before moving on to our first house sitting gig. For that move, we’ll travel maybe 15km. Sad isn’t it!
We have finally struck a patch of sun – the van is now sitting in full sun, and we’re actually getting warm. Able to sit outside and stay warm. Wonderful.
Mum’s still not eating, and has developed a bit of a chesty cough due to the surgery and inactivity. We’re both very worried, but there is not a whole lot we can do other than wait and worry. Brett is giving us daily reports, but the stress is telling on him as well.
Had a lovely day today. Jeff & Jennie came over for a BBQ lunch, and we sat outside and talked for ages – nearly tea-time when they went home.
Mum had the surgery yesterday and everything went well. She’s still in a lot of pain and on morphine. Unfortunately she is also refusing to eat and drink. Brett spent three hours trying to get her to accept a small sip of water, so the hospital have had to put her on a drip, just to get some fluid in. Brett says she is looking very bad at the moment.
Good news – Jeff rang last night to say that he had managed to arrange an appointment in August (14th) with his psychiatrist – Dr Malcolm Roberts. Once again this has a twofold purpose – hopefully to try and help Rick take the first steps in some sort of therapy, and also to have Dr Roberts prepare another report for the DVA. Rick has not been able to get any work in the last couple of years since retiring, and his options are very limited now. The depression makes it very difficult for him to perform in any type of employment where there is stress or management bureaucracy, and the requirement to stay out of the sun precludes any form of outside work, such as fruit picking or orchard work. Additionally, our nomadic lifestyle is not really conducive to employment.
Bad News – had a phone call this morning at 5am. Mum has fallen yet again, but this time has done quite a bit more damage. Subject to X-Rays, the nurse at Chelsea believes that she has probably broken her hip. She was admitted to Maryborough Hospital, and subsequently transferred to Hervey Bay Hospital where a further examination and x-rays confirmed the diagnosis. The doctors decided that she would need surgery to put pins in the hip, which of course has it’s own problems.
Fortunately, Brett and Joanne are still in Hervey Bay at Emiley’s, so are very convenient to the hospital. They have both done a wonderful job in staying on top of what is happening, and just being there for Mum. She’s not really making a lot of sense unfortunately, because she can’t remember what happened and she is very confused about where she is and why she’s there.
Took a drive down to Baldivis this morning to have a look at Bonney’s Motor Home Park. It’s actually located at the WA Water Ski Park, and is quite nice. Lots of green lawns and not many vans. This apparently is where people who travel WA with dogs come to, as there are not many caravan parks around Perth that accept pets. We’ve booked to come down here next Tuesday. $120 for the week, which is a lot better than Coogee.
We hired the movie “Australia” this afternoon. Hmmm!!! The scenery is magnificent (and yes, I’m including Hugh Jackman in that description), and I can’t wait to get back up to the Kimberley and the Northern Territory. BUT – I’m really glad we didn’t pay good money to go and see it. The first thirty minutes was pathetic. I couldn’t work out whether it was supposed to be a drama or a comedy. Kidman was a caricature of the stuffed shirt British aristocrat, and David Wenham was the classic evil villain. Having said that, young Brandon Walters completely stole the show as the young half-caste boy “adopted” by Nicole Kidman, and David Gulpilil was wonderful as the medicine man King George.
All in all, we both enjoyed the movie – it was a nice way to spend a very cold afternoon.
Having made this report, I now need to change occupations to chef and finish off our dinner. I am using the Dream Pot to cook a Beef Hotpot which I will serve with potatoes and cabbage.
