Diary of a Flood Survivor

“Leemo has views on just about anything”

GIVING ‘MUM JANE’ TIPS ON AGEING

‘Yippee, I have read some thought-provoking stu for ‘Mum Jane’. I just know she will be impressed and ‘probly put a swi plan into action when I tell her. (It’s ‘Leemo Cat’ here) I shall summons her immediately. ‘Mum, get here will you.’ Hmmm, her response was rather explicit. Eeek!? ‘Leemo, how many times must I tell you NOT to speak in such a disgraceful & rude tone of voice; I have tried to educate you to use a more re ned approach when seeking attention. GOTTIT?

(OMG, alright then, but I reckon some ‘suck-up’ stu is called for.) ‘Mum, please sit with me ‘cos I have something to talk to you about. I’ve made you a cup of tea with 2 bikkies.’ She plonked down and said ‘get on with it please Leems, I’m very busy.’ OK, I started. ‘Mum, whilst you are well past the ‘recommended’ age of 40 mentioned in my research, I reckon it’s never too late to learn!! I read that people who start playing a musical instrument when they are over the age of 40 are more likely to have a much better memory in their ‘elderly’ years than those who don’t. Mum, the only music that wa s around our house from your feeble e orts is via the use of the little remotey things you press to turn on our radio, CD Player or Television; even “I” can do that, so why don’t you choose a musical instrument & go take tuition at maybe the U3A; your memory might improve; more tea dear Mum?’ Typical, she scowled at me! Mum is a small human, (only 5

2in) but she promptly sat up very straight in her chair making her look bigger and slightly erce. ‘OK Leems, just sit right there; do not interrupt, and listen to what I have to say about my history of ‘LEARNING.’ I had piano lessons for many years. is resulted in my hands now looking like shrivelled chokoes instead of delicate digits ‘cos of the number of times my hands were hit with a ruler by my teachers. I practiced at home & my siblings would cover their ears, and leave our house to go climb trees. I was ALSO sent to Elocution lessons and was taught by Miss Bertha Anderson. I was quite good at this stu , got to recite a poem called ‘ e Little Snail’ in front of an Adjudicator & got a RIBBON! I tried ballet, but alas, e orts by Miss Shirley Tracey to instil some semblance of grace into my movements were short lived; she gave my fees back. Years later, I thought to learn guitar and become a ‘Wandering Minstrel’ & failed badly. I was also banned by my parents from ‘wandering’ outside our yard so that rather put paid to my Minstrel ling. So, Leems, I am not inclined to suddenly (in my elder years as you put it) learn to play a trombone, violin, or anything else akin to a noise producing instrument & have no intention of doing so.’ Hmmm, a er a short deep meditation I had a plan. ‘MUM, you’re a CWA Member & said the celebration of the 100TH YEAR of your CWA Branch in Lismore is this year. SO, go get lessons on knitting & stu from other CWA ladies? You’d still use your brain (perhaps?) & stave o memory loss. Whaddya reckon? Crikey, her face was like a red shrivelled choko when she spoke. ‘Leemo, butt out will you. I got a ‘MINUS D’ from Miss Helen at my last knitting lesson. I am a ‘Pickles, Chutney & Jam CWA Member; end of this ridiculous discussion. Go stare at grass and don’t bother me! Being ‘educated,’ I can take a hint. I’m o to catch up with my buddies and talk about our crabby humans. Nitey, Leemo.

The 25th wedding anniversary trip is over and its back to work and getting our head around the downstairs stage of all our renovations.

We need to manage it as economically as possible as, of course, like most things these days, it is an expensive project.

Our main goal is to get a new front door.

While the light blue laundry door, of sorts, was handy to use as a front door when the house needed to be locked up, it is time to get a proper front door. We still have the band aids I used, to show people the number of our house, stuck to the side windows with the original mud from the food.

Why clean it when you know it will be going?

You just don’t realise sometimes how long things can take.

Two years is creeping up fast and I will be so pleased when we fnally have ceilings and walls downstairs AND a door from the house to the garage.

At the moment we are making do with a sheet of gyprock to stop the dog running out every time the garage door opens, or we drive the cars out.

Our neighbours have celebrated that they have now fnally fnished everything they needed to do with the last project which was painting their front deck.

I am genuinely pleased for them, although we are half a house behind them.

I know many other people are further back than that.

So, after our lovely holiday, we will continue on with the Year of Finishing Renovations and hopefully by the time the 3rd year anniversary of the food comes around, we will be in line with our neighbours.

Little steps