Late October gallimaufry

 

Perhaps some brief updates are in order:

 

The wedding and Walpole trip were fantastic, DH and I had a relaxing break albeit with a slightly tumultuous beginning when the car overheated a half hour into the trip and we had to drive slowly home, unpack, repack the other car, and start off all over again. However we arrived at the wedding venue at 2.58 for the 3pm kickoff, so all was well.

 

The close-friends-and-acquaintances BBQ was held at our place last weekend during gorgeous, perfect spring weather, which presented our garden work and revegetation of extraneous land to best effect. The pink boronia was showing off unashamedly, and the heady scent regularly wafted over on the breeze. We had close to 30 adults and about 10 kids for the larger part of 6 hours all trooping around the place and it reminded us how well suited this house is to holding harmonious gatherings. (The trampoline especially is a draw card and better at entertaining the kids than a TV). If we spent less time actually gardening we could host more often! I'm thinking, oh, maybe, 2015?

 

The Injidup trip was cancelled due to predicted bad weather that never eventuated, but we visited my parents instead and helped out on their massive project (house build) for a day. DH picked up the flu from my Dad (not happy, Jan) and succumbed just in time to miss out on a lucrative day's work (moonlighting) that would have bought him a piece of electronic equipment he's been hanging out for, so that sucked. I almost got the flu but my immune system (perhaps assisted by the early winter flu jab?) came up trumps and after two panadol and bed by 7.30pm I have awoken this morning full of health and vigour. Yay!

 

DH went to Perth yesterday anyway, regardless of viraemia, to record some music with his pals. I have the house (and bed!) to myself until Saturday night, what a treat. It happens so rarely that I forget what to do with myself. An 8.30 reflexology appointment this morning with Wren was conducive to a relaxing start, and then I pottered around town accumulating wares, chatting with passersby, finally collected the last trays of seedlings from my friend's greenhouse and headed home for a mid morning cup of tea and a crumpet.

 

Having duly finished both, and been bodily buffeted by, and thus persuaded (at least twice), not to bother planting out in the abovementioned breeze, I have instead perused the Guardian Weekly, made myself a cup of cocoa and sat down at the computer to write. Such luxury! (And only partly clouded by the guilt of knowing I have an assignment due in two weeks, the exam in just under four - I promise I will attend to all of that NEXT week...).

 

And now I have remembered I want to mention the gardening for wildlife workshop I attended last Sunday at Tortoiseshell Farm. Spending a full day in the company of 44 other avid environmentalists, being informatively entertained by three (locally) semi-famous presenters who really knew their stuff, was totally my idea of a good time. I learned a great deal about both form and function, and was so inspired to get on with creating yet more projects in my garden, I poured myself an icy cold gin and tonic the moment I got home (on dusk) and took a leisurely walk through the backyard perusing options for siting the new frog garden; fish-and-watercress pond; water-tank-enclosed no-dig-gardens; and my mid storey shrubs, oblivious to the mosquitos molesting my ankles.

 

Sabrina Hahn (Gardening Q&A ABC radio), Josh Byrne (Gardening Australia) and Johnny Prefumo (the frog doctor) all had a great deal of wisdom and knowledge to impart - I took eleven pages of notes! Perhaps I should write up a few snippets for the local 'small landholder's group' newsletter. After I have written up the espalier-orchard project...

Most of all, I am keen to start angle-grinding work on the two semi-rusted out old steel water tanks we have lying around, and turn them into quick, no fuss garden beds. I have finally decided on placement for two of them, so maybe next weekend DH and I can tackle that. Though I'm sure he's going to want to finish stage one of the shade house (getting the shade cloth up) first. Which WOULD be done as I write, but for the inconveniently placed flu strike. At least we got the major re-potting done before he collapsed in a heap, green as I'd ever seen him look, with a temperature that went right off the end of my ovultation thermometer.

 

What I have been neglecting: my writing and my Artist Way dates & exercises. But the outside of the house is de-cobwebbed and most of the windows washed. All the linen and towels are clean and I defrosted the freezer yesterday. The filing is up to date. I will do the ironing today. Is this procrastination? I think the answer is yes. I will set aside some time before my shiatsu session at 4pm (I TOLD you I was having a self indulgent day!) to do some creative work. Perhaps go visit an art exhibition in town, have a coffee and do some writing at the cafe. Nice.

 

I have begun attending a fortnightly meditation class held by the local cranio-sacral practitioner. The first couple have struck me as fairly 'out there' experiences interspersed with her banging the gong, the drum, howling at the moon or all three. But at the most recent session I let my judgement of the extraneous go, and found myself in a more deeply relaxed meditation than I have ever before experienced. Also, I find I have not been able, thus far, to achieve the depth of meditation on my own that a class offers me. I can't wait to go again, however the upcoming session will coincide with a rare visit from my Grandparents, so I shall have to wait until 18th November for the next opportunity.

 

What else is on offer in this part of the world right now: a local person has begun an 8 part series of Tibetan Pulsing classes. I have already said (perhaps not here) that I will try any and all 'voodoo' until the 31st of December 2008 and then my books are closed to paying for anything but evidence based medicine in order to achieve a successful pregnancy. So bring it on. Having made that commitment, the Universe seems to be throwing the craziest stuff my way, but I am saying yes to all of it until the year ends. I missed this week's T.P. session due to having to reschedule my tutoring class, and next week I have an appointment with a kinesiologist (see?) in Bunbury. But I WILL go Tibetan Pulsing, and I will report back!!

 

Tomorrow is the annual Blackwood Marathon, in which I will neither participate, nor spectate, but will attend the post-marathon party hosted by my greenhouse-sharing friend. ("Who will help me EAT the bread? Said the little red hen?"). She calls it doing the 'catering leg' of the marathon, and claims it to be harder than any of the other categories. I think she is right. Her leg certainly requires more endurance.

 

Coming up: The Blues Festival: 7th,8th,9th November. I'd like to hope I've managed a post before this event, but at the current rate, I can't be certain.

Oh yes, and the Femara update: so far, not bad. Didn't get the bursting ovaries this cycle, nor did the mushy brain affect me quite so much. Temp chart suggested I ovulated day 15, opk didn't disagree. Temp also didn't dive and spike as dramatically as the last two cycles, which makes me wonder if my ovulation wasn't as 'strong'. Don't feel pregnant (today is cd18), which likely means I am not, but I'd be happy with a miracle and wouldn't mind being wrong in this instance. It would be great if my lp was extended past 10 days, but again, not holding my breath. I'm also giving Femara til the end of the year and then if I do anything medical after that time it will be one last IVF with my own eggs, then on to donor. But I'm not even thinking about that right now.

Right now I'm thinking about my Christmas list and have I got present ideas for everyone I have to buy for this year? Almost. Plus quite a few already purchased (and some even sent - as can be attested to by my UK friend who received her package at the beginning of her summer holidays!) The Christmas pudding is made and awaits monthly feeding of brandy, tucked away in the pantry. (Feel free to call me anal but I don't see why a perfectly good opportunity to relax and take it easy for a week or so should be spoiled by all the last minute rushing around. I mean, it's not as if it's some big surprise that Christmas is coming, and you can generally count on it being the same time each year). It has been decided by the Powers That Be, that Christmas day 2008 will be spent with the in-laws this year (ya gotta do it sometime); Boxing day and beyond with my family, at the coast. But as to who gets the pudding - I think I'll auction it off to the highest bidder.

The wind shows no signs of quietening down, so I think I'll take my writing materials and head into town for that coffee and an inspection of the latest exhibition. Why not?