Journal: An Email to Ian
Hello Ian... Google told me you had had a look at my Blog entry. Mum's birthday. We commented during Mum's birthday meal that we just needed Vicky and Ian present to have a full complement. We did drink a toast to you both! I keep saying I must get back to my Blogs but with my sight troubles over the last 2 years and with it, the severe headaches, I felt very unwell and computer time did not help. I go back to the specialist at the end of this month for a check up. I do still have a sight problem, mainly focusing which seems to have changed with the stroke so I think the specialist will suggest new lenses for my glasses. Otherwise I feel a lot better now; the medication seems to have done the trick.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Journal. Christmas Day
Gillian and Paul with Tahlia, Ashlee and Caitlin came to have Chritmas dinner with us and stayed the previous night, Christmas Eve. Anthony arrives too, Christmas morning. As usual we invited Phyl Cartmell and Craig Balsom.
We had a very enjoyable day and everyone was in good spirits. Pat proposed a toast so we toasted Vicky and Ian.
Gillian and Paul with Tahlia, Ashlee and Caitlin came to have Chritmas dinner with us and stayed the previous night, Christmas Eve. Anthony arrives too, Christmas morning. As usual we invited Phyl Cartmell and Craig Balsom.
We had a very enjoyable day and everyone was in good spirits. Pat proposed a toast so we toasted Vicky and Ian.
Journal: Unusual Day
Sunday morning and foggy. Don't think I will go for my morning walk, too damp. We went to Hamilton yesterday to pick up some new cushions from from Gillian via Tahlia in sage green to match the black leather suite.
Before we went I decided to open up the sewerage line. The previous evening I had noticed the toilet was slow in flushing and realised we had a partial blockage; an old recurring problem due to roots. Flushing with a hose pipe slipped down the sewer line cleared the blockage.
I will leave the sewer line accessible for a few days and observe the results. In the meantime I will prepare some poison to kill the roots off.
Two hours later after a thorough shower we left for Hamilton. We called in at the Polytech hostel and met Tahlia, then we all went down to the lake café for a light lunch.
Sunday morning and foggy. Don't think I will go for my morning walk, too damp. We went to Hamilton yesterday to pick up some new cushions from from Gillian via Tahlia in sage green to match the black leather suite.
Before we went I decided to open up the sewerage line. The previous evening I had noticed the toilet was slow in flushing and realised we had a partial blockage; an old recurring problem due to roots. Flushing with a hose pipe slipped down the sewer line cleared the blockage.
I will leave the sewer line accessible for a few days and observe the results. In the meantime I will prepare some poison to kill the roots off.
Two hours later after a thorough shower we left for Hamilton. We called in at the Polytech hostel and met Tahlia, then we all went down to the lake café for a light lunch.
Journal. Letter to David and Moira
Dear Moira and David,
I got an email from John Irving 2 days ago and read with dismay your sad news. I’ve spent the last 24 hours trying to think of what to write in commiseration.
Some people have a way with words and can just pen the right words and phrases for the circumstances. All I can say is Pat and I feel so sad for you both and your family. The shock of it all must have been dreadful for all of you.
We only met Diane on our visit and what I remember of her; I imagine she will be a tower of strength to you.
Most early mornings before breakfast I drive a short way down to the lake lying below us and walk the perimeter track. It takes just over 40 minutes round. I received John’s email just before I departed for my walk. I enjoy the walk, the sun breaking through over the hills, the wildlife and the scenery. That morning I saw little, my thoughts were with you most of the way interrupted only by the odd morning walker.
It is again nearing 7 am as I pen this, I am again going for my walk and again my mind will be with you.
Summer Holiday.
I am progressing slowly. I didn’t get it started until early February; I was a little over optimistic. Together with a big computer crash… my first… that took some sorting out. However, I am now into the 2nd second year, 1947. I will shortly send this 2nd draft to my youngest son, Anthony for checking. He has an eagle eye for spelling and grammar errors. I haven’t troubled him yet, he has recently move house and still in the throws of renovation.
I have had to alter little to date, just the odd fact correction here and there. Plus a little extra note to the Lowther’s.
Our love to you both and your family.
Eric
Dear Moira and David,
I got an email from John Irving 2 days ago and read with dismay your sad news. I’ve spent the last 24 hours trying to think of what to write in commiseration.
Some people have a way with words and can just pen the right words and phrases for the circumstances. All I can say is Pat and I feel so sad for you both and your family. The shock of it all must have been dreadful for all of you.
We only met Diane on our visit and what I remember of her; I imagine she will be a tower of strength to you.
Most early mornings before breakfast I drive a short way down to the lake lying below us and walk the perimeter track. It takes just over 40 minutes round. I received John’s email just before I departed for my walk. I enjoy the walk, the sun breaking through over the hills, the wildlife and the scenery. That morning I saw little, my thoughts were with you most of the way interrupted only by the odd morning walker.
It is again nearing 7 am as I pen this, I am again going for my walk and again my mind will be with you.
Summer Holiday.
I am progressing slowly. I didn’t get it started until early February; I was a little over optimistic. Together with a big computer crash… my first… that took some sorting out. However, I am now into the 2nd second year, 1947. I will shortly send this 2nd draft to my youngest son, Anthony for checking. He has an eagle eye for spelling and grammar errors. I haven’t troubled him yet, he has recently move house and still in the throws of renovation.
I have had to alter little to date, just the odd fact correction here and there. Plus a little extra note to the Lowther’s.
Our love to you both and your family.
Eric
Journal: Cookery.
I woke and got up at 6 p.m. this morning to the pleasant smell of newly baked bread. Pat has borrowed Gillian's bread maker; she seldom uses it now. We have had white bread, wholemeal bread, cinnamon bread and raisin bread. All truly wonderful. So easy and quick to make and so delicious. Baking time is about 4 hours.Pat wonders... should she buy a new one... Gillian's one is now 10 years old. She wonders will it be a passing fad? I hope not, I love the bread. The new ones can now make so many extra things, like... gingerbread.
More lovely Smells.
Pat has also got out the Crockpot. Delicious meals to go with the delicious breads. Presently cooking is old fashioned stew. This will go into the deep freeze for a day or 3. The stew will be even more delicious when kept for a while. Soup, curried pumpkin... marvellous. I wont say the word delicious again. Vegetable soup cooked with a shin bone... out of this world.Chicken and Beef Stroganoff, Potato and Leek soup and more comes to mind. Cooking time usually is between 4 and 9 hours depending on the Crockpot setting Slow or Auto.
I woke and got up at 6 p.m. this morning to the pleasant smell of newly baked bread. Pat has borrowed Gillian's bread maker; she seldom uses it now. We have had white bread, wholemeal bread, cinnamon bread and raisin bread. All truly wonderful. So easy and quick to make and so delicious. Baking time is about 4 hours.Pat wonders... should she buy a new one... Gillian's one is now 10 years old. She wonders will it be a passing fad? I hope not, I love the bread. The new ones can now make so many extra things, like... gingerbread.
More lovely Smells.
Pat has also got out the Crockpot. Delicious meals to go with the delicious breads. Presently cooking is old fashioned stew. This will go into the deep freeze for a day or 3. The stew will be even more delicious when kept for a while. Soup, curried pumpkin... marvellous. I wont say the word delicious again. Vegetable soup cooked with a shin bone... out of this world.Chicken and Beef Stroganoff, Potato and Leek soup and more comes to mind. Cooking time usually is between 4 and 9 hours depending on the Crockpot setting Slow or Auto.
Journal. Me Again, thinking.
Pat invited her friend Phyll out to lunch today to celebrate Phyll's birthday. Pat invited me too but I decided not to go. They would really enjoy it better on their own; better to share confidences as they often do.
I made myself a light lunch, a tuna and basil roll and a banana plus a glass of water. I've been eating too much since we came back from overseas and if the truth was known before we went overseas too. No exercise either round the lake. I've stared walking again last week.
Were is the rain that was promised today? It is getting finer and finer. If it wasn't for the breeze it would be a very humid day.
As Vicky and Ian aren't coming now for a while I have started last Thursday to heavily prune the over size shrubs. I have a large pile of branches to shred through the machine. I was going to do them today but with rain forecast I thought I would leave them until Monday.
The shrubs pruned so far look sorry for themselves and that is why I was going to put off the pruning until after Vicky and Ian's visit. The next shrub in line will take me a few days I think, it is huge and I'm taking it down to near ground level to start again. A chainsaw job. It is a variegated Pohutukawa and grows all year round.
Pat invited her friend Phyll out to lunch today to celebrate Phyll's birthday. Pat invited me too but I decided not to go. They would really enjoy it better on their own; better to share confidences as they often do.
I made myself a light lunch, a tuna and basil roll and a banana plus a glass of water. I've been eating too much since we came back from overseas and if the truth was known before we went overseas too. No exercise either round the lake. I've stared walking again last week.
Were is the rain that was promised today? It is getting finer and finer. If it wasn't for the breeze it would be a very humid day.
As Vicky and Ian aren't coming now for a while I have started last Thursday to heavily prune the over size shrubs. I have a large pile of branches to shred through the machine. I was going to do them today but with rain forecast I thought I would leave them until Monday.
The shrubs pruned so far look sorry for themselves and that is why I was going to put off the pruning until after Vicky and Ian's visit. The next shrub in line will take me a few days I think, it is huge and I'm taking it down to near ground level to start again. A chainsaw job. It is a variegated Pohutukawa and grows all year round.
Journal:
Foreword:
Referring back to my previous post "This Morning's Walk", December 4th 2011. I continued to walk, not everyday, but most and the pain slowly increased. As instructed by my GP, I began to use my Nitrolingual spray, which I always carry with me. Halfway round my walking circuit I sprayed 2 shots under my tongue and this carried me home. In the following days the pain in my forearm and shoulder slowly increased, I needed more shots of the spray to reach home. Then came the day the pain would not go away.....
Tuesday December 13 2011.
As the day passed, the pain slowly reduced and I spent spent most of the day in my armchair. What to do next.... ? I went to bed just after 10pm but did not feel comfortable, I turned on my side and then the other. I then I turned onto my back and that felt worse. As I lay on my back I felt an uncomfortable weight on my chest. After a few minutes I thought I can't stand this for long, I sat up on the edge of the bed and remembered the last time I had felt that weight on my chest many years ago.
I needed the Ambulance. I called Pat who was still watching TV. She called the Triage nurse direct, who asked a few questions and directed Pat to call the Ambulance number immediately. Doing it this way hastens the dispatch of an Ambulance in busy times. The St. John's Ambulance was quickly dispatched and the told Pat to stay on the phone and the ambulance would be hooked into the phone line for instructions during their journey. The ambulance asked the outside lights to be switched on and "was the house down a right-of-way" and "was there any obstructions". Next they advised they were in Sandwich Rd and would be there in a few minutes.
I was checked out by the 2 crew members and then I was quickly rushed into the ambulance and away. The time was now 11pm. Arriving at Waikato Hospital I was ushered into a waiting cubicle. A blood sample was taken and sometime later the results came back, I had indeed had something wrong.
During the early morning hours a medical luer was fitted to my arm and I was given a morphine injection by a male nurse accompanied by a young female doctor. Unfortunately all my veins in the area went bright red, my body rejected the morphine injection. I heard the voice of the male nurse say "quick, give him the counteract-ant", he's dropping rapidly... 57, still dropping fast, face now white". I think I started to faint, I could still hear the voices. The only voice I remember said "starting to slow" and then "stabilising" followed by"starting rise slowly" and then, sometime later "colour starting to return". The voice later said, "that was a roller coaster".
I felt washed out and had a strong pain in the vicinity of my solar-plexus which started to slowly reduce after about an hour or so. I lay there, on my back, the male nurse queried if I was OK and I answered... yes. He said he was going to leave me for now and that I was monitored, someone would periodically call to check me.
Wednesday December 14 2011.
Around 6 am the male nurse returned and said I was to be taken up to the CCU1 ward.
Foreword:
Referring back to my previous post "This Morning's Walk", December 4th 2011. I continued to walk, not everyday, but most and the pain slowly increased. As instructed by my GP, I began to use my Nitrolingual spray, which I always carry with me. Halfway round my walking circuit I sprayed 2 shots under my tongue and this carried me home. In the following days the pain in my forearm and shoulder slowly increased, I needed more shots of the spray to reach home. Then came the day the pain would not go away.....
Tuesday December 13 2011.
As the day passed, the pain slowly reduced and I spent spent most of the day in my armchair. What to do next.... ? I went to bed just after 10pm but did not feel comfortable, I turned on my side and then the other. I then I turned onto my back and that felt worse. As I lay on my back I felt an uncomfortable weight on my chest. After a few minutes I thought I can't stand this for long, I sat up on the edge of the bed and remembered the last time I had felt that weight on my chest many years ago.
I needed the Ambulance. I called Pat who was still watching TV. She called the Triage nurse direct, who asked a few questions and directed Pat to call the Ambulance number immediately. Doing it this way hastens the dispatch of an Ambulance in busy times. The St. John's Ambulance was quickly dispatched and the told Pat to stay on the phone and the ambulance would be hooked into the phone line for instructions during their journey. The ambulance asked the outside lights to be switched on and "was the house down a right-of-way" and "was there any obstructions". Next they advised they were in Sandwich Rd and would be there in a few minutes.
I was checked out by the 2 crew members and then I was quickly rushed into the ambulance and away. The time was now 11pm. Arriving at Waikato Hospital I was ushered into a waiting cubicle. A blood sample was taken and sometime later the results came back, I had indeed had something wrong.
During the early morning hours a medical luer was fitted to my arm and I was given a morphine injection by a male nurse accompanied by a young female doctor. Unfortunately all my veins in the area went bright red, my body rejected the morphine injection. I heard the voice of the male nurse say "quick, give him the counteract-ant", he's dropping rapidly... 57, still dropping fast, face now white". I think I started to faint, I could still hear the voices. The only voice I remember said "starting to slow" and then "stabilising" followed by"starting rise slowly" and then, sometime later "colour starting to return". The voice later said, "that was a roller coaster".
I felt washed out and had a strong pain in the vicinity of my solar-plexus which started to slowly reduce after about an hour or so. I lay there, on my back, the male nurse queried if I was OK and I answered... yes. He said he was going to leave me for now and that I was monitored, someone would periodically call to check me.
Wednesday December 14 2011.
Around 6 am the male nurse returned and said I was to be taken up to the CCU1 ward.
Journal. David Letter.
26 Dudley Ave
Huntly, 2191
New Zealand
17 November 2004
Hello David and Moira,
Well the manuscript arrive safely, you will be pleased to know 2 days ago. I will probably start it in a few weeks around Xmas time to write it up. I am at present transcribing some old genealogy records, it is a slow business and I would like to get it out of my hair. I have been slowly writing up my journal notes too of our trip to the UK and I am just coming to the end of them.
Glad to hear news from you but I was sorry to hear of Elaine’s problems. Oasis Park near Penrith, that would have been before my time there so I will look it up on the Internet, most places seem to advertise on the net now. I do hope that you go out to Ullswater and have a look at the old place. It hasn’t changed much, just the people. Most locals have left the district (Howtown side) and all the farms and houses are tied to the tourism business. David, remember Waterside Farm where the summer tents and caravans were just before you get to Sharrow Bay? The Lowis’s lived there, we as children often hired the rowboat for an hour or two if our pocket money would allow. Strictly against my Mum’s orders, but what the eye doesn’t see…..
A nephew now runs the farm and camp and they were pleased to hear of the old days when I called in.
Not sure what is news from us. John’s daughter Jennifer has had a baby… James George about a month ago premature at 28 weeks and 3lb. but doing well and still in hospital. Jennifer is home but visits daily. Maybe John has told you?
Ian our eldest son and his wife Vicky were due to arrive here in NZ on Oct. 30th for a 6 weeks visit but at the last moment had to cancel. Vicky, on a routine visit to her doctor mentioned as an afterthought a nagging stomach problem. On inspection and a referral to the hospital for diagnosis it turned out to be a tumor together with a futher problem showing up on the scan. An immediate operation was required as so the visit was postponed.
After a 10-day stint in hospital and successful surgery, she was discharged last weekend and now comes a long recuperation. Initially the specialist thought the growth was cancerous, apparently they usually are but treatable. This one was benign which was a blessing. The other problem was cysts on an ovary, the ovary had to be removed. The growth was caused by the ovary problem, unusual but not unknown. Vicky will need to wear an external bag for a few months and them come a futher operation to rejoin the bowel intestine.
Well that was our worrying “highlight” for the year.
I haven’t got any highlights good or bad; life just goes along and with complete retirement now giving me plenty of time to do the things I used to put off for lack of time. I spend a lot of time in the garden and growing things in the greenhouse. Not just veges, I take lots of cuttings from trees and shrubs and seeds from plants. We have almost half an acre and the steep bottom half is mainly in grass and up to recently mown by a goat. So I am filling the bottom half with tree and shrub cuttings. Things grow quickly in NZ, many continuously all the year round so soon it will be like a small wood. I hope.
I wonder if the Oasis is at Lowther village just down the road from Penrith? If it is, that is where Norman and Vera Brough lived as children. Once, John and I went to stay with them as children for 6 weeks or more. Mum was in hospital with an abscess down inside her ear. We were packed off to stay at uncle John Brough’s at Lowther and we went to the local school at Hackthorpe for the period.
I babble on. I must get this in the post to you this afternoon to let you know of the manuscript’s safe arrival.
I will David, try and lay the pages out similar to your part 1 of “Thanks for a Life” with the same or similar fonts and page heading style and then use your journalized style for the text body.
Yes Moira, we too often talk of our stay with you and hope maybe that we can do the same sometime in the future for a longer spell. I would like to visit England again especially up north both Cumberland and South Shields and of course Ponteland. We really thought it was a lovely place to live.
All the best to all of you and I do hope you enjoy your Xmas break.
Oh, and a pat for Lara
Eric
26 Dudley Ave
Huntly, 2191
New Zealand
17 November 2004
Hello David and Moira,
Well the manuscript arrive safely, you will be pleased to know 2 days ago. I will probably start it in a few weeks around Xmas time to write it up. I am at present transcribing some old genealogy records, it is a slow business and I would like to get it out of my hair. I have been slowly writing up my journal notes too of our trip to the UK and I am just coming to the end of them.
Glad to hear news from you but I was sorry to hear of Elaine’s problems. Oasis Park near Penrith, that would have been before my time there so I will look it up on the Internet, most places seem to advertise on the net now. I do hope that you go out to Ullswater and have a look at the old place. It hasn’t changed much, just the people. Most locals have left the district (Howtown side) and all the farms and houses are tied to the tourism business. David, remember Waterside Farm where the summer tents and caravans were just before you get to Sharrow Bay? The Lowis’s lived there, we as children often hired the rowboat for an hour or two if our pocket money would allow. Strictly against my Mum’s orders, but what the eye doesn’t see…..
A nephew now runs the farm and camp and they were pleased to hear of the old days when I called in.
Not sure what is news from us. John’s daughter Jennifer has had a baby… James George about a month ago premature at 28 weeks and 3lb. but doing well and still in hospital. Jennifer is home but visits daily. Maybe John has told you?
Ian our eldest son and his wife Vicky were due to arrive here in NZ on Oct. 30th for a 6 weeks visit but at the last moment had to cancel. Vicky, on a routine visit to her doctor mentioned as an afterthought a nagging stomach problem. On inspection and a referral to the hospital for diagnosis it turned out to be a tumor together with a futher problem showing up on the scan. An immediate operation was required as so the visit was postponed.
After a 10-day stint in hospital and successful surgery, she was discharged last weekend and now comes a long recuperation. Initially the specialist thought the growth was cancerous, apparently they usually are but treatable. This one was benign which was a blessing. The other problem was cysts on an ovary, the ovary had to be removed. The growth was caused by the ovary problem, unusual but not unknown. Vicky will need to wear an external bag for a few months and them come a futher operation to rejoin the bowel intestine.
Well that was our worrying “highlight” for the year.
I haven’t got any highlights good or bad; life just goes along and with complete retirement now giving me plenty of time to do the things I used to put off for lack of time. I spend a lot of time in the garden and growing things in the greenhouse. Not just veges, I take lots of cuttings from trees and shrubs and seeds from plants. We have almost half an acre and the steep bottom half is mainly in grass and up to recently mown by a goat. So I am filling the bottom half with tree and shrub cuttings. Things grow quickly in NZ, many continuously all the year round so soon it will be like a small wood. I hope.
I wonder if the Oasis is at Lowther village just down the road from Penrith? If it is, that is where Norman and Vera Brough lived as children. Once, John and I went to stay with them as children for 6 weeks or more. Mum was in hospital with an abscess down inside her ear. We were packed off to stay at uncle John Brough’s at Lowther and we went to the local school at Hackthorpe for the period.
I babble on. I must get this in the post to you this afternoon to let you know of the manuscript’s safe arrival.
I will David, try and lay the pages out similar to your part 1 of “Thanks for a Life” with the same or similar fonts and page heading style and then use your journalized style for the text body.
Yes Moira, we too often talk of our stay with you and hope maybe that we can do the same sometime in the future for a longer spell. I would like to visit England again especially up north both Cumberland and South Shields and of course Ponteland. We really thought it was a lovely place to live.
All the best to all of you and I do hope you enjoy your Xmas break.
Oh, and a pat for Lara
Eric
Journal. Labour Day.
Labour Day, the first taste of the holiday season. Everyone tries to get away on this long weekend, rain or shine usually.
In the old days in the 1960s to 80s the roads would be full of caravans all heading to the beach to set their camping sites up for the coming Xmas to be followed by the long summer lasting to May and travelling each Friday night weekend from the towns and cities and returning Sunday night.
There are not many caravans on the roads now, I think the expenses and the prices of new caravans put the damper on things. In the 80s many people built baches at the beaches or used motels. The motel industry was in a building boom during this period and prices of accommodation started to drop with competition.
With the drop in camping today many camps are selling their real estate to developers for apartments, units and up market housing. In Whitianga alone 2 camps have sold up to developers and another camp has reduced his acreage and building housing.
We didn't go up to Whitianga to stay at Gillian and Paul's. Tahlia was taking her boyfriend up to stay and 2 other mates, so we decided not to go.
Gillian and Paul had wanted to go down to Tauranga for the motor racing during the weekend and stay but they decided not to.
Tahlia was going to get some driving practise in this weekend by driving from Whitianga across to Coromandel township, she is nearly ready to sit her driving license now. She also has had practise driving around Hamilton in a driving school car, 3 lessons to date to polish her driving skills.
Our forecast rain came on Sunday and today, Monday is pleasantly sunny and warm.
I'm going for a walk around the lake now.
Labour Day, the first taste of the holiday season. Everyone tries to get away on this long weekend, rain or shine usually.
In the old days in the 1960s to 80s the roads would be full of caravans all heading to the beach to set their camping sites up for the coming Xmas to be followed by the long summer lasting to May and travelling each Friday night weekend from the towns and cities and returning Sunday night.
There are not many caravans on the roads now, I think the expenses and the prices of new caravans put the damper on things. In the 80s many people built baches at the beaches or used motels. The motel industry was in a building boom during this period and prices of accommodation started to drop with competition.
With the drop in camping today many camps are selling their real estate to developers for apartments, units and up market housing. In Whitianga alone 2 camps have sold up to developers and another camp has reduced his acreage and building housing.
We didn't go up to Whitianga to stay at Gillian and Paul's. Tahlia was taking her boyfriend up to stay and 2 other mates, so we decided not to go.
Gillian and Paul had wanted to go down to Tauranga for the motor racing during the weekend and stay but they decided not to.
Tahlia was going to get some driving practise in this weekend by driving from Whitianga across to Coromandel township, she is nearly ready to sit her driving license now. She also has had practise driving around Hamilton in a driving school car, 3 lessons to date to polish her driving skills.
Our forecast rain came on Sunday and today, Monday is pleasantly sunny and warm.
I'm going for a walk around the lake now.
Monday, April 23, 2012
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