I am sorry to say that this project may have been overly optimistic. I have got no feedback so I am writing into a void. I began this back when blogs were new and it was a way to keep in touch with friends back in the State and give them an idea of how different this country was. My primary target was BFLB who was very important to me when I left Ohio. She has since passed away, as have several other important friends back there. 

My health and mental state make the effort difficult. I am depressed a great deal and putting on a false front for a nonexistent audience is frankly beyond me. Until and unless I get some feedback.from more than one of two people, the blog goes back into hibernation. 

 I just got an ad from USA Foods, the store in Melbourne that sells American delicacies. Unfortunately they remain out of stock of the things I really want (clam chowder, Crystal Lite drink mix) while I remain in stock here with things like Rice Chex, A & W cream soda. Since I don’t cook anymore, there’s no point in buying things that require use of the oven.  I know there are many Yank expats who crave good Mexican food but I’m not one of them. While I can get Turkish, Singapore, Indian, Greek and other luscious cuisines, Mexican is not high on my list. Mexican usually leads to intestinal upsets from my sensitive gut.  I would love to bake or make bbq but standing is a dangerous proposition. I once managed to fall and break my shoulder merely attempting to close the refrigerator door. 

My bouts of insomnia continue no matter what I try. Reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, watching my new YouTube favourite Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration where I can honestly say watching paint dry does not put me to sleep. One thing that does help is putting the works of Liquid Mind on shuffle. The person behind the name actually works with music therapists but it’s still not a certainty for me. 

Long ago in blog years I described my reading habits and I know I’ve picked up a few new readers, so I’ll recap. I largely alternate science fiction and mysteries. No fantasy, please, and I’m off military sf. I’m partial to first contact, time travel, exploration, and alien civilisations. I am a die-hard Star Trek fan of all series except Discovery. Mysteries are usually historical, from the Middle Ages to 1930’s Sri Lanka. I occasionally read something contemporary but that’s usually saved for TV. Every now and then I’ll add a Regency romance or a Japanese or Scottish romance. At night I have my Big Boring Bedtime Books, nonfiction, sometimes biography but mostly history or science. My first husband got me hooked on English history and I now know way more than is probably good for me. On the other hand, I rarely read about Aussie history. I feel like it’s forced down my throat and I read a lot when I was first was falling in love with the country.

Because everything happens on my iPad, my hands get very sore. Like they are right now so I will stop and pick up later with particulars of reading likes and dislikes. 

It’s been a while! If you read my blog in the past 4 days you are lucky because I managed to type over it with this post and all that juicy medical stuff is gone.  If there is somebody out there who wants a recap of the Tale of The Knee, please leave a comment and I’ll try to hold onto it this time. Suffice it to say after 4 years, threes infections and 6 surgeries, I am no longer the host to bacteria but I can’t walk. I live in bed and only get out to relieve myself, to shower, and to visit doctors as necessary. And add to that, my GP retired after about 20 years of service, so I’m starting all over. I have a nice female doctor who is doing well considering what I brought her. 

I am struggling to remember how Blogger worked and refuse to move to a different platform. I live attached to an iPad Pro, which is easy to use but a tad too heavy for my arthritic hands. After a day holding it for Kindle books, doing jigsaw puzzles with Magic Puzzle, colouring fine art in Happy Color, scrolling through Facebook, reading the news and watching any one of 5 or 6 streaming services, my hands are stiff and sore. Jim’s built me an easel thing that projects over the bed which is fine for watching Star Trek, Bridgerton, or Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration. Aside from the occasional doctor visit, such is my life. 

Regarding the Knee, it gets visits from the community nurses fortnightly. The opposite week we (I should say Jim) changes the bag here. Also fortnightly we get blood tests and they have been all positive. My inflammatory markers are low and I’ve been tested for everything anyone can think of. I take ciprofloxacin twice a day with all my other meds, and will for the rest of my life. Any bug that can get in will head directly to the knee. Why stray bacteria love knee hardware is one of those mysteries of life. 

 

This is one of the delights of life at the moment. Her name is Sophie and she’s a very small 3 year old Burmese cat.  She is slowly getting to like cuddling with me and frequently sleeps all evening on my lap. She is very energetic, loves to climb to the highest point in every room, loves wrestling with Max and washing him thoroughly. 

This will give you an idea of the difference in size. Max is 10 and is a total greedy guts; he complains loud and long if he thinks he deserves more. Sophie we tempt with special treats and have to find her when it’s mealtime. She will sit at my elbow if I’m eating something she likes (chicken) hoping I will be soft-hearted. (The thing behind Max in the photo is the easel with power cable). When she sleeps she goes solidly out and poking her or calling her name gets you nowhere. One has to pick her up while she’s totally limp and eventually she blinks awake. They both sleep a lot and make up for it with zoomies, wrestling, and patrolling the surroundings. Her coat is like velvet and almost black; his is like silk fluff. They both like belly rubs. 

Two updates that I’ll address later.  I am still a Swans fan and am thrilled that they are at the top of the ladder halfway through the season. I have revived my Yankees fandom but the games are rarely broadcast on ESPN.  They too are doing well. Knitting and fibre stuff has fallen by the wayside. I’d like to do more but the logistics of doing any of it in bed is beyond me.