The office has recently started an end of month drinks. Every last Friday of the month (loosely) the HR (“People and Performance” these days) team get some drinks and nibbles and everyone knock off an hour earlier to imbibe.

After several glasses of Proseco, I snoozed on the train on the way home, and when I got home, I had to book a ride sharing service for my dinner appointment with Jason and Mel. It was good catching up with them as usual, and they gave me a lift home after that.

On Saturday morning, I had an early start at gardening – hedges, edging, mowing etc but I had to stop with just the side and back lawns done. I cleaned up and left home just before 11am, and headed out to Woodend to catch up with Ruth and Jonathan. Another cousin was visiting from Singapore and they were staying in the farm property out there. I got there just after noon, and realised they had messaged me earlier to say they were headed out to Hanging Rock. I made the trip across town but it was chockers there and with such bad phone reception, I decided to just go back to Woodend to wait for them. I waited at a local cafe and had a glass of chardy and a coffee, before they got back just before 3pm.

After spending a couple of hours with them, I left just before 6pm, and got home with just enough light left to take the little guy out for a quick walk.

Catching up with those cousins from Singapore was a good reminder that no matter what we’ve done with our careers, we all have the same issues to deal with. Elderly parents who are ailing, kids’ future and church struggles are all common battlefronts for folks of our vintage.

Earlier in the week another cousin, from Hong Kong, had also visited Melbourne and I had taken them out to lunch when they dropped by near my office. It was also very good.

Also, Kiddo rang out of the blue some time in the middle of the week and we chatted for no particular reason. That was a really pleasant surprise so all in, it was a great week of having contact with the family.

Sunday morning after a quick brekky at home I headed out to Tullmarine, heading northwest for the second day in succession. Tress’ plane arrived on time but the taxing on the tarmac took forever. Apparently they couldn’t find a park – maybe just Air Asia being shafted as Melbourne Airport knew how to treat outgoing tenants. So she got delayed going out and I only picked her up about an hour later.

We went straight to lunch, did some grocery shopping and had coffee, before we went home and I picked up the gardening work from where I left off the previous day. Tress got busy with the unpacking and laundry and then took the little guy for a walk. It was a gloriously sunny arvo and I looked for stuff to do to stay outside so I took my time with the green works, including getting rid of weeds with my bare hands. When everything was done and we were both resting on the couch, our tired limbs made us glad we were just easing off for the night, preparing for a week at work.

All through, we received news of Tress’ dad on this uneasy first steps post operation, hopefully on his way back to wonderful health. It feels slow and riddled with nagging issues but I guess with his chest having been opened up completely, the recovery was never going to be all sweet and dandy. It would be a slow and potentially bumpy ride and I kind of look forward to seeing him when Tress and I go back there again next week. Family pains is always worth it I guess.