#2362 Thursday 6th March

 It's very sad to be in times such as these.  Just when we hope that times are getting better .... something comes along to completely change the way we see the world.  

 

 .... and we ponder "How could they make such a mess of their systems??"

Fortunately Kaylia is completely oblivious to all the turmoil.  She is so happy and brimming over with cheerfulness.  I often see her just gazing at Naomi ... her world is complete while she is with her mummy and daddy.

#2361 Monday 3rd March

He is such a huge inspiration..... It's a pity the whole situation is so messed up.

As a fan of the artwork of Banksy, I'm going to include examples. 

#2360 Sunday 2nd march

Well..... at least we can be sure that the Cold War is over!  And the winner is?.....

#2359 Thursday 27th February

 Naomi is away in Karratha for 2 days .... this is a regular FIFO arrangement.  Kaylia copes really well with Naomi's absence .... the vital strategy is to stick to Kaylia's routines ..... tea at the same time, bed-time routine the same.

No information about my kidney biopsy yet ... the next specialist appointment is on the 11th of March.

His view that"... You can't reason yourself back into cheerfulness ...." is true but it's only part of the picture.  Depression can be managed by a few strategies .... the first step is accepting the depression .... then analyzing the beginnings of the depression .... Once the beginning/cause is accepted then a way can be found to manage the depression.

This is my understanding of the way that Buddhist concepts can help me.

#2358 Tuesday 25th February

 Kaylia has speech therapy sessions on Tuesdays.  She enjoys the time.  It's largely aimed at training her to use full sentences.

This might be a simple home for kaylia in her future. 

#2357 Wednesday 19th February

I had the biopsy yesterday.... it was sort of a non-event.... the procedure took about 20mins and then I was told to lie still for 6 hours! There was no pain involved.  I'm looking forward to finding out the result.  My vote will be to remove the kidney regardless.... so that there's no possibility of cancer. 

The funeral for Maxine is tomorrow. 

. —-------------—--------------

A bit of humor to lighten the mood..... 

"My husband and I went through the McDonald's driveway window and I gave the cashier a $5 bill.

Our total was $4.25, so I also handed her 25c.

She said, 'you gave me too much money.'

I said, 'Yes I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar back.'

She sighed and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request.

I did so, and he handed me back the 25c, and said 'We're sorry but we don’t do that kind of thing.'

The cashier then proceeded to give me back 75 cents in change.

Do not confuse the people at MacD's.

We had to have the garage door repaired.

The repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a 'large' enough motor on the opener.

I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower.

He shook his head and said, 'You need a 1/4 horsepower.'

I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4 and he said, 'NOOO, it's not. Four is larger than two.'

We haven't used that repairman since...

I live in a semi rural area.

We recently had a new neighbor call the local city council office to request the removal of the DEER CROSSING sign on our road.

The reason: 'Too many deers are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.'

IDIOT SIGHTING IN FOOD SERVICE.

My daughter went to a Mexican fast food and ordered a taco.

She asked the person behind the counter for 'minimal lettuce.'

He said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg lettuce.

I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked, 'Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?' To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?'

He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That's why we ask.'

The pedestrian light on the corner beeps when it's safe to cross the street. I was crossing with an 'intellectually challenged' co-worker of mine. She asked if I knew what the beeper was for.

I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red.

Appalled, she responded, 'what on earth are blind people doing driving?!'

She is a government employee.....

When my wife and I arrived at a car dealership to pick up our car after a service, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver’s side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked.

‘Hey,' I announced to the technician, 'its open!'

His reply, 'I know. I already did that side.'

STAY ALERT!

They walk among us, they breed…...."

#2356 Monday 17th February

I went to visit Pete in joondalup hospital today..... via his house to pick up some items for him.  On the way Bob decided to misbehave again.... overheating.  It seems to be losing coolant but I can't see why.  I'll spend some time on the problem on Wednesday. (Tomorrow is my day in hospital for a biopsy.)

The current political situation in the US is disgusting..... I'm so glad that we live in Australia. 

#2355 Thursday 13th February

 It's Kaylia's "Curve Style" day ..... Lee is here guiding Kaylia through the process of preparing the clothes before the items are listed for sale online.  Kaylia handles this well but she needs supervision.  She will lose interest if she's left alone.

My health report .... the lesion on my kidney had been biopsied in 2019 but it now seems that the biopsy was not accurate enough and I'm booked in for another biopsy next Tuesday 18th.  This will give a clearer idea of whether it is cancer or benign.  If it looks sinister, the next step will be to remove the kidney.

#2354 Saturday 8th February

 The funeral for Maxine will be held on Thursday 20th Feb at 2pm.

I've been pondering on the way Kaylia perceives her world.  She often remembers past people or places .... and if we re-visit the person or place, she has no interest.  It's as though she just wants to confirm that this part of her world is still there.... that her world is constant.  How does this idea accommodate important people and things?  It's as though people/things transfer into a fixed part of her world and are regularly confirmed automatically. 

#2353 Tuesday 4th February

Kaylia is bubbling over with happiness today... this is quite normal and very welcome.  I often wonder what she'd be like without her medication...... will there come a time that we can gradually reduce the dose and see what effect it has.

Today I went to see the urologist about my kidney.  The conclusion is that the original biopsy 5 years ago is not clear either way.  It may be cancer but it may not!  So I need another biopsy..... with the advance of technology since the last time, it may give a clearer result.

This afternoon I tackled the task of welding the broken parts of the vintage shears.  (see #2347) This is a more difficult job than usual as the parts are made of cast iron..... this means that the parts have to be heated (preferably red hot) before welding and then cooled slowly after the welding is completed. 

#2352 Monday 3rd February

I spend Mondays with my brother Peter..... today we shared a time of sadness for the passing of our sister Maxine.  Maxine died on Saturday afternoon.  I have many good memories of the times we shared.  She was a bit over one year older than me.... and when we were younger, we'd often be asked if we were twins.  In recent years she has been an inspiration to me.... and I've no doubt that all who knew her shared that feeling. 

#2351 Saturday 1st February

Life chugs along....  Kaylia is still basking in the happy memories of her birthday.  She's impressed by her being an adult. 

As a family we're happy but stressed by living literally "hand to mouth".... each day we're having check if we have some money for our evening meal.  We know that things will get better but it's hard. We haven't had any money for rent this week and we hope that funds will come in so that we can pay the rent.

I've been visiting Maxine in hospital each day. She is gradually fading. 

When the weather is cool enough to go into the "shed", I've been working on the Landrover..... making a new instrument binnacle.   I'll finish it in a few days and I'll include a picture.

#2350 Thursday 30th January

She's 21 years old today!   She's been very aware of the occasion all day and she was super excited to be going to Hogs Breath for her little party..... she was full as a goog!

We came home and had her birthday cake..... 

For months she's been anticipating having the pink cake with marshmallows 

#2349 Wednesday 29th January

 Kaylia is very excited about her birthday tomorrow. We've booked at "Hogs Breath" restaurant in Kelmscott .... Hogs Breath would have to be her favorite place to eat and the chain is gradually closing down.  Kelmscott is the last one in Perth.  She loves having the special icecream dish they serve.

This morning I've been to the hospital to visit Maxine.  She is still with us but she's fading.

#2348 Monday 27th January

You know of my love of Landrovers..... how about this!

Since it's MMA, it means that this probably dates from the 60s or 70s.

We visited Maxine this morning..... she's still with us.... sleeping mostly. 

#2347 Sunday 26th January

I'm sitting in the hospital.... watching Maxine as she gradually winds down.  She's sleeping most of the time and not in pain. The end will be soon. She has family around her. 

Later:

I've been listening to a harrowing account of auschwitz survivors ... it is tragic.. horrible.... wonderful... all at the same time. That such an industry could have been made of murder. That beauty and hope could thrive in such circumstances.

I feel guilty .... to be alive.

My interest in old machines still thrives.

This is an old sheet metal bench shears ..... it's very unusual in that it is "throat-less". Normally with this sort of tool, the metal you are cutting can't be cut close to the edge ..... but this has a strange shape that allows much closer access.

The bottom plate is broken. It's made of cast iron so I will be able to use my experience of welding cast iron to repair it.  The tool is really well made with adjustable cutting parts. 

#2346 Friday 24th January

I'm sitting at the bedside of my sister Maxine as she negotiates the end stage. 

The last road

It's lonely as I struggle down this road

The way constantly gets harder

and steeper with more rocks to trip me up

Sometimes a friend will watch

And offer words of support

But words don't smooth the way

The four truths can help

If I can only absorb them

The suffering exists

The suffering has a cause

There will be an end to the suffering

There is a way to ease the way

And there will be an end. 

#2345 Tuesday 21st of January

Landrover sagas! ...... Yesterday.... On my way home from Butler..... the engine just died. It was a stinking hot day and I was stuck on the side of the Reid hwy.  

I couldn't find the fault so it ended up on a tow truck. This morning I had clearer head and got it fixed....  but without finding the fault! This evening I went to a Landrover club gathering and on the way I broke down again!  This time I found the fault and all is well.   The fault was simply a loose connection on the coil.  The connection appeared to be OK visually but when I touched it, it was not secured.

It was 7:30pm when I returned home and Naomi had already done the nighttime routine for Kaylia ...... but Kaylia soon emerged from her den .... and insisted that I had to do the routine again!

#2344 Sunday 19th January

We have 5 or 6 days of 40deg heat coming this week.  It's 38deg today and it's very warm in the shed while I'm fiddling with the Landrover.  I feel for the people on the east of Australia..... they will get this hot weather a few days after we do...... and they have had huge storms. So their humidity will be horrible. 

Today I've been changing the connections for the crankcase breather.  The way I had originally connected it had resulted in a leak of vacuum.... which meant that the brake booster was not functioning.  With the latest changes its all hunky-dory.  I've also installed a vacuum guage.  This allows my to drive in the most economical way..... maximum vacuum = least fuel used.

7pm. I've just finished the nighttime routine for Kaylia..... this is her evening medication followed by teeth cleaning and then we go through the coming events from now till Christmas.  It's the same routine every night..... and she loves it! 

#2343 Thursday 15th January 2025

A puzzle for you.....

There are three facial profiles in this image.... the image is from the France of Napoleon..... one profile is Napoleon, the second is his son and the third is Napoleon's wife Josephine. 

#2342 Wednesday 15th January 2025

 I've been very quiet for too long .....  it's an emotional response to our current financial woes .... if I keep quiet and don't talk to anyone, it will all go away.  Of course, the situation will return to normal in time but it's hard to cope while waiting.  

As usual, Kaylia is shielded from this .... all her normal supports are continuing and she is very happy.  Sometimes it seems as if she is deliriously happy!  She can be highly vocal with her "happy noises".