The Last Month

Yep. I've realised it's a month since my last post. So, here goes....

More of the same, more of the same in Durban, expecially lots of walking around the estate and some partying with the children. There are photos which will appear on this blog as soon as I can figure it out again :)

We also went to a beautiful game lodge - Phinda Game Reserve - for 2 nights before I returned home. Nikki and the children and I drove 3 hours north of Durban to this magnificent game reserve and had a brilliant experience. We saw The Big Five as well as lots of other beautiful African wildlife, birdlife and flora. Our accommodation was first class and all-in-all it was a brilliant experience- I've already said that once, but it deserves to be said 'at least' twice :)

Sadly, since our return Zeke has been sick with tick fever which he contracted at Phinda and Nikki has been ill as well. At the time of writing this, they are both hail and hearty again.

The day after returning from Phinda, it was time for me to return home. Nikki and the children took me to the airport in Durban where I boarded a domestic flight to Johannesburg and then an international flight back to Sydney.  It was my great fortune to know the Captain of the flight who very kindly arranged for me to be upgraded to Business Class, to be looked after beautifully by the cabin crew, to visit the cockpit after we had landed and then to chauffeur me home to Wollongong, as he also lives here. Now that's really door-to-door service!

 See, I wasn't kidding about being in the cockpit - or any of the other stuff!!

And since then - whew! It's been a whirlwind. Nice to be hoime, but not for long.  I moved into a friend's apartment to house-and-plant-sit.  Among the many advantages of this is that there is room for my sister, Leigh to stay with me. Leigh arrived from Canada a few days after my return and we've been having a very sisterly time since.

Among the things that sisters do for each other is to come to medical appointments. We visited the radiologist who confirmed that I will need to have radiation because of the severe pain caused by one of the tumours putting pressure on a nerve in my back. Because the pain killing drugs are doing such a good job, this treatment can be delayed until February, when I will have the time to attend the clinic for 20 doses of radiation on 20 successive working days. The aim is to reduce the inflammation and subsequent swelling in the muscle which houses the tumour, hence taking pressure off the nerve.  Hope it works! Then I can give up all these drugs.

And now I'm in Queensland.  Arrived yesterday on the Gold Coast to spend a week, including Christmas, with Tim and Debs and Oscar and a few of those days with Debs' parents who will arrive tomorrow. Lots of present wrapping today and now they are under the tree until the big day.

Her are a few photos from my holiday in South Africa

Arriving in Durban on 2 November, after being delayed for 2 days by QANTAS being grounded due to an industrial dispute.

Willow performing her one-girl concert for me in my bedroom. And she can hold a tune!

Zeke is an 8 year old who never has a book out of his hands. I like it!

The Hadidas bird, of which there are many, whose job it was to screech loudly as it flew past my bedroom window at about 4.45am each day. Aaaagh!

The monkey who had a lot fo mates, all of whom raided the house and took all available food from kitchen bench, if no-one was alert enough to call out "Monkey alert' so we could close doors and windows. Oh yes, they look very cute, but .....

High tea party in Willow's classroom for end of year celebrations.

All of us at brunch with friends at a favourite restaurant.

That's all for now - 12.42am on Friday 23 December.