Unexpectedly Lavender

On Saturday Mel and I went out for a healthy lunch followed by a trip to Pinjarra for some shopping.  I was looking for a variety of things including a birthday present for my neighbour.  She's turning seventy soon.  We checked the Edenvale craft shop and the quilting shop but nothing inspired me.  Edenvale display crafts from local artists.  There is an ever changing display of goods.  I have bought all sorts of things there but not this time.
We checked the local shops for bathers.  I should have tried on a bigger (or much bigger) size, nothing fit!  We did the grocery shopping and headed for home.
I wanted to stop at the local nursery on the way.  It's a sprawling rather unkempt eclectic display of plants, ornaments and landscape supplies.  I've bought an assortment of plants here before.  I spied an indoor plant for $12 but couldn't find anything else of interest.  I wondered, I prodded and wondered a bit more.  I had seen the plants out the back, at the front, under the shade cloth but not the vegetable seedlings.
As I walked aimlessly past the tomatoes, cabbages and beans there in front of me were true French Lavender plants in small pots.  I stopped, I stared, I smiled, I beamed.  Oh yes!  In my previous house I had fourteen lavender plants which made a hedge in my front garden.  When in flower the display and scent was amazing.  When I planted my garden in my new house last year I could not find true French lavender.  I checked everywhere.  There are lavender bushes at Merv's care facility and one of the residents suggested I propagate.  Did I want to wait that long?
I scooped up the four small pots at the nursery and added them with my indoor plant.  I beamed.  The woman said she had only had them in for a week.  'Finders, keepers,' I thought to myself.
Digging holes, getting dirty, making plans of how the garden should look.  My lavender might just have to stay in their pots for a few days while I get myself psyched up but it won't be too long!

Travel Plans

I was watching Anh does Italy on catch up TV.  How I loved Italy when Merv and I went in 2008.  My head swims with the most amazing memories.  I could just sit all day and recapture a different one every minute!
As I watched  the program I thought back to why I wanted so much to travel there.  I wondered what made me want to go to China the following year or New Zealand in 2011.  The answer is perfectly simple. I wanted to go because other people shared their lives, their memories, their joy in either living there or holidaying there.

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I used to work as a carer for a 101 year old Italian Nonna.  Her family cared for her and they agreed to have a carer in after she turned 100!  Nonna had dementia and didn't speak a word of English.  Her family shared her story, their story and their heritage.  Nonna died at 102 and I had lost touch with her family before I touched foot in Italy.  I will always treasure their memories of their beloved homeland.
China in 2009 was a different story.  I worked with a friend whose son went to Beijing to teach English at a school.  My friend visited him during school break and she shared her stories with me.  Yes, I wanted to go to China.  Merv and I took the opportunity to take a five day cruise to the southern islands of Japan before beginning our China tour.  Afterwards we visited Hong Kong for three nights.  So many memories which we made our own.
New Zealand was something I had promised myself to share with Merv.  Though Merv became symptomatic in 2010 he was able to walk, talk, eat and drink with little concern in 2011.  We booked a disability cabin and cruised around New Zealand.  His parents had travelled to New Zealand in the seventies, not longer after we were married.  It took us over thirty years to do the same.
Now I travel alone or with Mel.  I miss the times Merv and I travelled together but we always knew our travels were to be treasured.

Celebration of Life

A few years back I went to a man's funeral.  He had HD but died from a stroke.  His wife was dressed beautifully in a flowery summer dress.  The invitation I received did not mention the word 'funeral,' but a celebration of the man's life.  It was held in a function centre overlooking the Swan River.
The room was filled with his family, friends and those who knew him.
It was a celebration.  It was a delightfully happy celebration.  His wife and his brother spoke of his life.  There were photos of him and memorabilia of his life plus his pursuits adorned the walls.  He was a lover of traditional morning tea and everyone delighted in indulging in the foods he had loved.
I spoke with Merv recently about what he would like; a traditional funeral or a celebration of his life. Merv loves a party - a celebration it will be he replied!
It certainly creates more work and commonsense suggests I have photos and memorabilia ready long in advance.
Merv is what you might call the average Aussie bloke.  He worked thirty years at the bakery,  loved his kids and spent time with them, enjoyed family life and much more.
Just the other night I decided to explore the depth of his life.  I shouldn't have been surprised when I listed two pages of achievements and interests.  So often we forget to look back at the whole picture.
Yes, I can put together a Celebration of Merv's life, it's going to take awhile but it will be project of love.

Doing the Dance

The last month of winter is upon us and soon we'll be seeing vibrant colours in the garden, enjoying warmer days and wearing less clothes.
Time for a bit more shaping up.  Mel and I have joined the community gym.  We have tried all types of gym classes;  Zumba (which Mel enjoys but not me), ABT (abs, butt & thighs) which I can just about master.  I have done a few classes in Tai Chi which I enjoyed.  My sister and I have done a few Pound classes (complete with plastic drumsticks) and a couple of Step classes.
There is a problem.  We all have a genetic flaw when it comes to balance and for me my brain and my legs work quite well together but my brain and my arms have absolutely idea how it should work with the footwork!  Therefore I work on the old saying, 'Fake it until you make it,' which in theory  is great but it doesn't look so good on the gym mat.  Oh well.
Our weight loss adventure began months ago with early, very early 5:30am walks which came to a halt with the change of weather and winter keeping us inside and me still in bed.  After that it was the excitement of the 'Little Book of Big Weight Loss,'  which had us inspired and helped with a few bad habits.
I asked Mel a month ago if she wanted to join the gym.  She had lost her inspiration with weight loss and from her previous experience she enjoys the routine of the gym and the easier classes.  Mel even booked a personal trainer for mid August.  Good for her.
Last night I'm flipping through my latest edition of Better Home & Garden magazine.  There is an article about yet another diet plan.  I roll my eyes but I'm already sucked in and I read the blurb.  I tilt my head as I'm thinking.  Yep, it's just another version of the Atkin's Diet.  Memories past return and  I remember I had renamed it the Constipation Nightmare.  I shudder and snap close the magazine.
Enough diet fads, I have the info, I know what works, I know what I need to do.  Do it I will.

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

I spent my very first pay pack on a new pair of shoes.  Back in the day when your pay came in a little brown envelope.  It was stashed with cash!  If you wanted money in your bank (book) you took some of your cash and handed it to the cashier and they wrote in your book and added it to your previous total.  Oh how times have changed!

I've bought a whole heaps of shoes in my life.  I'm not a shoe-aholic, but I've had shoes for every occasion; the high heels, the fashion boots, sandals, wedges, flats and even garden boots.  They all have a use whether fashion or usable.

Recently Mel and I went to the ballet, treating ourselves to dinner beforehand.  I pulled out my high heels.  They have lived in my wardrobe without use of sometime.  My social life being literally non existent, there has been no need for flamboyant dressing.

I slipped into my strappy black heels and did a bit of a practise run.  All seemed good on my level floor.  

Our ballet seats were upstairs and the chunky wooden steps were a challenge in my gorgeous heels.

The ballet was amazing.  At interval the lights came on and people began to move out of their seats to  go downstairs.  My bladder said, "Here we go, let's go to the toilet."

I replied, "No, not in these heels, just chill and we'll go later!"  I won, my bladder waited! 

Recently I began doing the big clean out of my room.  I stood over my heels.  I picked them up handling them affectionately before throwing them in my car.  The following day I gave them to the Salvos.

I'm over sixty and at risk of 'old people falls risk.' I know a heap of people in their sixties who have had bad falls.  I don't wish to be one of them.

Recycle A T-Shirt

Everyday we hear another story of rubbish, especially plastics polluting our oceans and waterways.  It is disturbing.  I make sure my rubbish goes into my bin at home of a sturdy bin when I'm out and about.  I wince when I see rubbish along the road, in the park or on the beach.
When I think about my large green bin for general rubbish and my yellow recyclable bin at my house it dumbfounds me I have so much rubbish to fill them.  There is only Mel and me at home.  Yes I put garden rubbish, cuttings and grass clipping into the green bin but there is so much more.  Where does all my rubbish come from?
Western Australia is only a week away from banning the use of single use plastic bags.  Most of us have cupboards full of these dreary coloured grey coloured shopping bags.
Everywhere I look there is discussion on recycling.  Yesterday I made a shopping bag out of an old T shirt of Merv's.  The T shirt is old with a saggy neck. I followed the online pattern.  It's one of those trendy no sew, just cut and tie patterns. By the time I had used it twice today including dropping a 2 litre bottle of milk in it,  the ties at the bottom were beginning to unravel.  Maybe my knots will never qualify me as a sailor!  A quick seam with my new (Aldi) sewing machine could fix that problem.

The Recycle Bag is brilliant:

• it cost nothing therefore no need to buy other bags for groceries
• the T shirt would otherwise end up in the bin or the charity store 
• it's fun to make and jazz up if you want

I have plans to make a range of T shirt bags.  Big, medium and smaller.  I can make them for family and friends.  If they don't want to use them for shopping they can use it to wash their car or dress a garden scarecrow!

Bag It

Was I bored when I signed up for the local council business course?  I filled in the online application and hit 'send.'  It was done.  I received a call telling me I had been accepted.  I was ecstatic! Finally I was doing something worthwhile.
I had a moment of inspiration.  Our supermarkets/food stores are banned from providing single use plastic bags from next month.  Why don't I supply reusable eco bags.  The market is there. '
Cheap bags for many,  expensive bags for others and even a gift bag range.  The ideas were running in my head like a raging torrent!
Part of my business inspiration comes from my previous business in 200.  I had my own small shopping service where I shopped and delivered for individuals and businesses.  It was long before Facebook, Instagram and paid Google.  I had my shopping service listed on the search engines completely FREE!
Advance to 2018 and I'm ready for this.
Week one in a new course is always getting to know each other and the structure of the course.
Yes that was fine.  Week two was ok, I even did a little homework and came to the realisation I wouldn't need a business card.  Social media has taken over.  Other class members handed out their carefully constructed business cards, a shame not to take one or two, ok maybe everyone who handed them out.
Week three was a bit of a turning point.  Our homework consisted of getting our message out on social media.  I can do that I thought and put together a business Facebook Page named, 'Bag It'. So easy.  I jotted down a spiel and took a couple of photos of shopping in single use plastic bags and then in reusable bags.  I had thought putting the Facebook page up would be tedious and time consuming.  Then I found out the catch - they asked me to pay for it!
Brilliant, that is if you're actually going to sell something.
With a business coach it helps to 'gel' with them.  I was (and I believe others are also) having issues with her teaching strategies and the lack of viable material. I don't usually  give up on something I begin without good reason.
Today I'm not looking for a good reason to throw in the towel.  I just know my time is needed elsewhere.  Yes, part of me is disappointed, that is the choice I make.
With Merv's Huntington's issues I decided to ditch the business idea and spend the time with him.  No one knows how much time he has left.  I don't want to spend years in the future regretting this  time lost.