Routines have indeed returned, with this weekend proving this to a large extent. I did however, struggle with the task of tidying up the lawns. I trimmed the hedge but it was a battle against a strained back. It was delicate and I had to be extra careful and deliberate in my actions, particularly when I was lifting the trimmer above my head. Stepping up and down the ladder also took more care so the whole exercise felt more tiring than it usually did. The warm morning added to the effort so that by the time I was sweeping up a couple of hours later, I was soaked with my sweat. Tress and the little Padawan was with me for the most part however, so that added to the fun and took some of the pains away.
After we got ourselves cleaned up, we headed out for lunch and then took a long drive, out west. We had wanted to go and see Adam (Tress’ cousin) who had taken ill and had been at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. While we were having lunch, Tress sent A Pin (Adam’s mum), A Hooi and Marina (Adam’s sister) some messages to ascertain if he was still at the RMH. We then got news that he had been transferred to Sunshine Hospital. The family wanted that as it would be closer to home, and parking would be less problematic. So Tress and I took the drive out to Sunshine, a drive that took us almost an hour and a bit of dosh in tolls. All that would have been ok if we got to see him. It turned out the hospital has a rule that a patient is only allowed 2 visitors a day. So we didn’t get to see him but A Pin came down from the ward to see us, and spent some time over coffee in the cafeteria to have a chat with us. We gave her the card and magazine we had picked up for him. She told us how it all happened. She’s an incredibly strong person. Having cared for U Jin (her husband and Adam’s father) some 10 years ago through his bouts of cancer and brain surgery, she’s now the primary carer for Adam. She got him on a WhatsApp video call with us on her phone and we saw and spoke with him briefly. He appeared tired but his prognosis was positive, albeit the journey back to his old state of health would likely be a long one.
By the time we got back from Sunshine Hospital, it was past 5.30pm. The cricket was still on at the oval so we let the two boys out on our freshly mowed lawns and played with them there. I was spent by the time the cricket was over, and spent the rest of the night with my feet up, a glass of wine in hand, watching a re-run of Black Panther on TV.
On Sunday we did the usual thing. St Alf’s, then lunch and then cooking in the arvo. It was a much cooler day but the arvo was beautiful so we took the little fellow to the oval. The older one was contented to just be out on the lawns. We have been watching “Poker Face” as well as “Clarkson’s Farm” so we watched an episode of each before going to bed. Routines have indeed returned, and I hope Adam’s return soon too, albeit a bit different so that his life gets back on track.
Ante 