One Third of 2019 Is Over! 17/51#LifeThisWeek. 44/2019.
No!
Yes, it is gone.
But hold on…I just wrote this post…..
January 2019.
After the non-excitement in our lives called “the year 2018 becomes the year 2019” there was something I needed to do. Before Christmas I noticed a growing area of skin from my ‘new gum’ towards the top of my upper prosthesis so after sharing a photo to my Professor in Sydney, he said “come down on 8 January for me to look”. At Chris O’Brien Lifehouse again, I took time for a coffee and a look around, said hello to Gail O’Brien and then went to my appointment.
“OH, good” says the Prof, “It’s the same as in the photo.” Me: “OK, but what now”. He said to keep an eye on it and if it grew more than maybe more surgery would be needed. And then when I innocently asked another question, the reply was “I’m a cancer doctor, that’s what we always think of first”.
With that comment, I was both grateful (it wasn’t) and chastened to think it might have been. On my drive home alone, I considered how I was feeling and to be truthful, it was that “cancer” had not entered my head. I have learned it can lurk and nothing should be taken for granted.
A third adult grandchild! How did that happen? We drove to Sydney to see our family’s new rental place and catch up. Of course, Happy 18th Birthday to our first grandson. This was a hot day but on the day he was born it was even hotter with many storms afterwards! This young man is an up and coming DJ in hardstyle. I admit I do not know exactly what that means but I do know he is good at music and sharing and being part of the ‘scene’.
Off to see my now 95 year old Dad on another occasion. Another January birthday boy. He had a celebration with my brother and family and some where he lives. Our morning tea was a quiet one as he likes it and he showed me the extensions for the club next door. After that I visited my niece in her new place and up to where we used to live to see what was happening with the renos. A lot.
Another appointment about my mouth in January and this time to the prosthodontist who could share the photos of his new (and first) grandchild. I got a “well-done” from him for my mouth care. Phew. It is hard doing what I can to keep my prosthesis and gums and abutments clean! But it is a MUST and I do that.
And we celebrated 48 years of marriage. Good on us.
February 2019.
I normally dislike this month and because of the weather that continues. However, there were some good parts to this month, including my daughter starting her new role as a teacher-librarian in a brand new school – with no air con on 45 degree days in Western Sydney – but everyone was chuffed to be part of this new and wonderful school which I will write about in a future blog post. I had a few twinges of missing going back to school but they soon went as the thermometer climbed. And, towards the end of the month, the man I married turned 70.
In no particular order, here’s how February panned out:
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- Met (re-met) Liesl Tesch
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- Really can grow succulents
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- Marie Kondo-ed my drawers
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- Used this book to help me and still do
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- Where we taught in 1976-77 sent by DofE official to me when he was there
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- Visited Manly after a couple of years gap.
March 2019.
Sadly there were no participants in the mindfulness mandala classes I had offered to over see at the Library but I took that as a blessing in disguise with my on-going role with Beyond Five as an Ambassador taking precedence. In this month, I met a friend for morning tea and a catch up, got out the slow cooker to make lamb shank casserole after finding a very good and rather less expensive meat retailer near us. I also made a LOT of little cakes as we went to see our daughter’s (and granddaughter’s) new school for Book Fair. I made a few trips to the water to reflect and refresh. I would like to say I swam but I have not been interested in the years since we have been at this end of the Central Coast.
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- Loved this spot where I stopped
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- Little cupcakes are the best
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- Hornsby catch up!
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- Playing with crystals
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- Bubbling away all day
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- Outside the new school
April 2019.
It jumps up at us, this 30 day month that contained Easter, School Holidays and ANZAC day. Here’s what I recall as part of my April. We celebrated a granddaughter’s 7th birthday at Easter and all of her family attended. As you have read in earlier posts, I got to meet up with (again) some writer friends at the Newcastle Writers Festival and seeing Rick Morton again was a highlight.
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- Family. Nothing better.
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- With Rick Morton. Catching Up!
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- My husband’s red, red rose.
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- One granddaughter working hard in her Mum’s school library
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- My little pots of succulents.
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- Mini meat pies: with my cooked meat & veges. Can eat one, cut up into small pieces
At the end of April: I visited here on A.N.Z.A.C. Day and then came home to make A.N.Z.A.C. biscuits. It was my late grandmother’s birthday on 26 April and I honoured her in an Instagram post. I found out I had been on twitter for 6 years. As @denysewhelan1 that is true but for years before that I was @denwise and made many friends then who remain now.
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- My A.N.Z.A.C. biscuit making tradition returned!
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- 26 April: My Gran’s b’day. Here holding my now 95 yo Dad. Rosemary for remembrance
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- Wyong River at Porters Creek
Sadly, to end the month…and that 1/3 of a year….
The social media world and those who knew Camille Condon (aka @curlypops) were saddened that her life was cut short from cancer. After making it through years with chronic illness, and a double lung transplant, she was told late last year that a rare cancer (not related to anything else) was in her liver. It was devastating news. Then, as she always had, she taught many of us (me included) how to LIVE. Thank you Cam, your life mattered a great deal to many. Her Celebration of Life is being held today. It is her 45th birthday. She had an ‘early’ 45th for family and friends at the beginning of April
Camille Condon: 29.4.74 – 23.4.19. Photo supplied with kind permission of her sister.
She planned it all. Before she died, we were asked to post #colourforcam and I did. Of course. She was a rainbow colours person but most of all loved red, orange and yellow. I will keep posting in Instagram too…
That my friends, readers and bloggers is life till the end (almost!) of April 2019.
Hope yours has been a reasonable one.
Denyse.
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Thanks, Denyse, for sharing your year-to-date highlights. Family celebrations are the best. Enjoy the rest of April and I hope you have a wonderful May!
Thank you, Natalie. I wish you a wonderful May too.
Denyse x
Wow what an action packed start to the year! I’ve been thinking of Cam and her family so much – I think she’d really appreciate that pop of colour. There’s lots of lovely food in this post – your pies look especially delicious! You might want to check out my pie maker post today, mostly we use our pie maker for non-pie things… Because we’re weird like that! Hope the second third of your year is happy, healthy and fulfilling!
I know! I do not think I could ever fit much more in…but I seem to be able to do so.
Looking forward to a busy-ish May as well: seeing Dad, , Mothers Day (may or may not be doing anything) then prosthodontist check, and after that my 2 year Cancer Check..still on the 3 months regime AND a meeting with Beyond Five…
and somewhere in the midst I will marks 2 years since diagnosis: actually 731 days!!
I could explore more with the pie maker so will check your post.
Cam’s celebration of life is all about her and that is a good thing that she got to ‘do this her way.’
Denyse x
I’m very sorry for your loss. That’s sad and so young. On a different note, glad you are onwards and upwards in recovery, and congrats again on the 48 years. That’s quite amazing!
Incredible to know that after ages of chronic lung disease, then the double lung transplant that Camille got a rare cancer completely unrelated. Whilst I never met her, we did connect via a love of colour.
Yes my recovery is going well. In mid May it’s 2 years since diagnosis!
Hope back to school and routine is smooth.
Denyse x
I can’t believe a third of the year is gone already! Now that my son’s back to school for Term 2 I’m hoping to get some time to concentrate on decluttering the house (although having said that I have about 5 blog posts in the works and I’m trying to post on my food IG account daily, so I’m a bit busy)!
I know. Once we get to this time of year, it is almost winter and we are half-way.
I hope you get your projects sorted and done. That is a good feeling!
Denyse x
Hi Denyse, where is the year going! We say that often don’t we? My grandson Ethan turned 5 yesterday and is now at school and growing up too fast. The first third of the year has been happy for you as well as some sad moments. It is always so sad to hear of a young person taken by cancer. The first third of the year saw us preparing and selling my MIL’s home and finally moving to our own home on the Gold Coast. I wonder what the next few months will bring. #Lifethisweek
Yes, when I saw it was your grandson’s birthday I thought, wait on, Sue was just making him a cake for turning 3….I think we must have found each other’s blogs back in early 2017.
The woman whose life was cut short was blind-sided by a non-related cancer. So unfair after managing life as a recipient of two new lungs. But as I said, she taught me and many a lot about ‘how to live’. Whilst we never met I felt like I knew her and that is the way of social media.
It must be so good to wake up to your ocean view each day now!
Denyse x
A wonderful post. Always interesting to catch up with your life and pics. Let’s ask the year to slow down already!
Thank you Maureen. Just read your update on FB group with talk of WHNCDay and I know that soon Beyond Five is starting up the Soup for the Soul Fundraiser which is linked to that time of year.
My ambassador role will be a little more “on” methinks!
Oh and I am yet to do this, but will be seeking yours and Tammy’s responses to some questions I am yet to make up…about the value of the FB group as Beyond Five thinks it would be a great addition to the site.
I will be onto it this week…..
Denyse x
Doesn’t time fly Denyse? Congrats again on your wedding anniversary and husband’s birthday, it’s always a big deal no matter what age we are! I was sorry to hear about Cam through your posts and tweets, so terribly young to be taken and so unfair too. Continue taking care of yourself and may time slow down a little for all of us. I love how we have a friend in common – Fiona – and marvel at the small world it is sometimes. I’ve shared my husband’s Kokoda trip story today because I’m proud and happy he’s home safe and sound 🙂
Oh wow, he’s home. That is always a relief.
I am taking a leaf out of my own self-care regime which has been a bit bare lately as I can get busy very easily.
I listen to a meditation app each evening as I go off to sleep but as of today I am going to stop and sit and just look or listen for say 5 mins at a time – maybe morning and afternoon. I do want to enjoy the now more.
This woman was indeed taken far too soon and as I say we don’t have to meet people IRL to know and care. I found Fiona via education. So many of us are connected that way.
Enjoy having your man home!
Denyse x
You’ve certainly had a busy few months Denyse – when I read posts like this it helps confirm that retirement is certainly not boring! Good to see that it was pretty well all positive stuff and that you seem to be thriving – although you’re going to need a second wardrobe if you keep up your outfit a day challenge!
Thank you Leanne. I do love the daily dressing with purpose challenge but no longer am doing a ‘new outfit each day’. I am just glad to be able to have a range of clothes I can fit into despite the small(ish) weight gain after getting my upper teeth!
I think, now I am doing this retirement thing, that it works out well over time. I actually can take more time for things rather than rush through.
Denyse x
Yes, as usual the years speed up as we age. It’s almost Christmas AGAIN!
So true. I hope whatever you are planning in the next 2/3 is wonderful…and then it can be Christmas!!
Denyse x
That’s been a jam-packed and busy first third of the year! I’m glad there were lots of good things that happened too – love some of your outfits! 🙂 It was pretty sad to hear about Camille and yet, I am so impressed by the impact she has had. It’s just wonderful. Glad I got to catch up with you for coffee – maybe we should make it at least once every third of the year! 😛
Yes it was a very busy and mixed emotions time. I am glad we got to catch up too and hope we will continue to do so!!
Denyse x