Hello everyone from Delia (and Pat)
Trying to get back into writing my blog. I realise that part of the reason I haven’t been writing is because this life feels like normal life to me, whereas France felt different and unusual. However, the reality is this is a different life for me and definitely for Pat so I am going to just do what I used to do and write about our life. What has been happening and the occasional musings about life.
What has been happening since my last blog?
Pat has been to Queensland to visit his son and to meet his son’s partner. He had a great time but didn’t have the best weather. (I did manage a couple of walks along the beach that his apartment overlooks and spent a lot of time getting better acquainted with his fiancée) For Pat’s birthday we went out to a lovely little restaurant in Perth, it was fabulous, it had a great atmosphere and brilliant service. We are now trying to find different places to go for meals once a month so that we can find some good restaurants around Perth.
I have a new job! I’ve just started week 4 so it is very new. It is a permanent role, but I do miss my old job. The new role is very busy, but a lot of that is me learning how to do things. But it is great to be in a role that is permanent and means I get annual leave, paid public holidays and those types of things. (I just finished 6 months as IT Officer where I was the only man in the building amongst 75 women, I am now about to start as IT support with a holiday company – I get discounts!)
I’ve been dodging covid so far, a few people have come down with it at work, including people I work closely with. Also, at my club’s dragon boating wind-up we had someone get sick (despite all of us taking a RAT on the day of the event). I’m not sure how long I can keep going without getting it but we shall see. (Likewise, for me in terms of covid, thought my last role had me setting up 50 laptops ready for the remote working many needed to do as close contacts and actual infections)
So on to life musings, it is strange to realise that time is limited and that all those plans that one thinks that they have plenty of time for you discover that you don’t have plenty of time – you never did but when you are in your twenties or even thirties it is easy to feel like you have all the time in the world. I’ve been reading a book called 4,000 weeks (that’s the average life span – feels short all of sudden doesn’t it?). I’ve realised one can’t do it all, but also one needs to figure out what is important. I did some of these musings back in 2019 with my cancer diagnosis, but as life was on hold for a large portion of 2019 for me (and then let’s be honest for most of us in 2020 and 2021) I am now revisiting the things that I think are important and seeing what will, as the saying goes, “comes out in the wash”.
(and as for me, my 67th birthday came as a shock. At present, for me, life in Aus is still a novelty and even small things, like a different walk in the hills is important. We both want to make the most of NOW. My dad lived to 69 though I hope for my mum’s side which would give me a further 26 years! It’s odd, I don’t feel this ancient!)
Until next time.
Here are some pictures.
