Dad got out of hospital the day before I flew to Wellington for
get_together. He was really weak, still is, but he's gradually improved and he's not the kind to act the invalid if he can actually get out of bed and get around. A couple of weekends ago I called and Mum told me he'd been out to the shops by himself. During that phone call he was outside, my nephew Nicholas was mowing the lawns & Dad was cutting down some overhanging kowhai tree branches. I heard part of it - mum grousing at him about cutting too much, Dad answering back *g*.However, while he was in hospital they found a shadow on one lung that they decided was cancer. He's had some radiotherapy, which has knocked him around a bit, but he's back home again and the biliary drain has been removed. Not sure what the next step is. My sister isn't sure either, even though she lives quite close to them. My parents take "need to know" to the limit sometimes.
Nicholas is going to Otago University next year & he's been accepted into St Margaret's College, which is a very big giggle for me because when I was at Otago in the '70's St Margaret's was a women-only, sign-in, sign-out, no men in rooms after 10 pm kind of residence. Lovely building though. I lived in University College (Unicol) which had segregated men's and women's towers at the time – not sure if that's still the case or not. He's currently waiting for his scholarship exam results.
Niece Lori continues to grow (5' 10" now, one inch taller than me). She's rowing 6 days a week and doing well in school too.
Work piles didn't get any smaller while I was away. The NSW health system is pretty much broke unless the Feds step in to prop us up. The Member for Not living in Cabramatta is no longer State Health Minister, thank god, but we now have the Minister married to the Federal Member most in need of Anger Management Therapy. Who is at least experienced and able to deal with complex issues that don't involve his wife. I'm giving him a leave ticket for the moment. The alternative, who has been shadow minister for health for over a decade, is a nice lady, but still an idiot.
I had one really fun weekend - the annual Routier Oktoberfest party at our place. Pics follow:
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A Debauch on the lawn, topless Routiers (it was warm). |
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The obligatory whippet. |
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Clean-up crew at breakfast. |
Other things:
This is worth a look - London in 1904 through an Australian's eyes:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3248605/Lost-film-footage-of-Edwardian-London-discovered.html
We saw "Quantum of Solace" a couple of weeks ago. Good things were: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Olga Kurylenko, Giancarlo Giannini, Jeffrey Wright, the opera scenes, the new agency-of-evil (Quantum), CIA moral ambivalence, resolution of the Algerian lover plot thread from CR. Bad things were: choppy editing (bring back Martin Campbell!), action overwhelming plot development, a completely un-charismatic villain, Bond-as-Bourne stupid stunts, unbelievable hotel firestorm climax. Do Better Next Time, guys.
I've been watching 'Apparitions' and loving it. Discussions, yeah, I've had a few (over on
nellhowell's lj mostly) which I won't repeat here. I plan to be a good girl and comment more from now on. We'll see how that goes *g*.
