settling in
Photo (cropped) taken by Gwynneth Jansen
Alarmingly there’s a plan put forward by Act (and Labour I see too. How can this be?) that we raise the retirement age until 67 to save money. Hmmm and what about the costs of losing volunteers in the community, youth who can’t get jobs? Day care for children when Nana can’t help out. Hospital care for those of us who have brittle bones, get stressed. It’s not that 65-67 years olds can’t work, it’s more that the simple accounting may not be as simple as it seems.
There’s also a plan mooted to put Community Law Centres out to tender. These provide advice (free) to people with legal issues. They are valuable and well used. This, along with a plan to reduce Legal Aid funding will have an effect on how people challenge legal decisions and get good legal aid.
Oh, and we are cutting our Ministry of Foreign affairs funding and reducing numbers in Te Puni Kokiri (Ministry of Maori Affairs) and then there’s the asset sales. Surely we learned our lesson from the sale of Kiwi Rail and power generating businesses. Kiwi Rail got sold, ran into trouble and we bought it back.
Sigh. The image, taken by friend Gwynneth says it all. It’s from a protest march about the assets sales.
And I’ve sat at domestic airports 4 times since being back and the question is: why do we wear so much BLACK?
it’s only words
Some time ago I called a friend ‘weathered’. We disputed over the name. For me it was rather romantic and perhaps had some associations with ‘wuthering’.
Then there’s been the issue of names.
A friend
took a pic of me in the weekend. “ravaged” is the word I’d use. And “old” for this one. 
Friend says I could choose “mature” and “distinguished”. LOL I say.
And last night at Spanish class we learned that “che” is the Argentinian equivalent of “mate” or “bro”.
Enough said for now. And yes. It’s established that I am egocentric.
how did that happen?
While recent online experiences have been grand, face to face is proving unpleasant.
Two weeks ago I chipped a filling while eating a bit fat peppermint. Felt uneven but no pain.
On Monday morning after a sleepless night I visited not-my-usual dentist. It started off badly with a misunderstanding about where I was supposed to go, strayed into his being dissmissive of my peridontist, quibbling about when I had had my last check-up and shoving the xray slides into my mouth without telling me he was doing a check-up or asking if that was what I wanted. When I demurred in the nicest possible way (try it with xray slides in your mouth) he said “what’s your problem.”
I snapped that he should have at least asked me. He told me that the filling was a cheap one and that the cost of the check-up was less since I was already in a consulation. Perhaps he could have told me that before shoving the xray things in my mouth?
We continued on in silence, clearly both realising that any more conversation would just become increasingly antagonistic.
He fixed my chipped tooth and sent me on my way.
The trouble is, that like a doctor I had 30 years ago (and boy is THAT a story) it wasn’t his communciation skills that was the worst of it all. The filling has fallen out. I suspect I have an infected tooth. And the pain? Excrutiating.
Yes, I rang to complain. I have an appointment tomorrow, not with him.
Trouble is I was pain free before he started playing with my mouth.
Bastard.
Three days later: met with lovely female dentist who was soothing and nice. Antibiotics. Pain killers and wine.
A bit of a roundup
Several activities have related to autumnal food….making quince conserve and getting in the olives with the help of the lovely George.
The foot has also been problematic so it seemed timely to return to that theme.
It has now been agreed that the problem is ‘lifelong’ and although there were tears on this pronouncement (er that’s mine) the lovely personal trainers (aka my saviours) say this is tosh and we will overcome this and I have to say the foot is stronger and the hips much more supple ( 
). I am now toting weights I would never dreamed of being able to lift before and walking much better without the orthotic. So…..maybe I can tango in Italy after all. Learning the samba was fun – doing a flat footed dance is a gift for someone like me. And even though in the ura the hips go the other way…it was still pretty cool to be able to DANCE!
So the latest is to wear these shoes around the house.
And to stop being obsessed with Leonard Cohen’s Alexandra Leaving“Suddenly the night has grown colder, the god of love is preparing to depart, Alexandra hoisted on his shoulder, caught between the sentries of the heart”. Sounds like the story of my life.
Otherwise it’s cold and then warm and stormy….
Need alchohol
I drove the new car home today…..and am a bit shaky from the accident I nearly caused when left foot hit the accelerator not the clutch (no that’s right there is no clutch)…..and the rapid speed from which I exited the car sales yard…..( no the accelerator is not the clutch) should I have bought an old dunger after all that only does 50 kms and well let’s see…not quite the celebration I envisaged…
new car
A bit of a week
I am not sure that many people are dashing to read this……but it serves its purpose for me at present.
A bit like those circular letters I used to think were odd….blogs are the new newsletter I guess.
I realised that the recent supports are starting to go- ACC have reduced the home help, I need a new personal trainer, Indar, my regular taxi man is in hospital and ACC are starting to make noises about reducing the therapy days. Suddenly it’s as if all the regular support has gone, and while I acknowledge a new phase is required, it still feels as if I am in limbo with no sense of the regular support structures. I remember doing mind maps with students with disabilities (many years ago) and most of their relationships were with caregivers. Scary stuff until it happens to you – then it’s really scarey.
Just as well I am resourceful. And have Nick Cave. And good friends.
This btw was the music we used for Bella’s story (version 2). The first was Drift Away which she and I sang when I drove her and Margaret home from the hospital.
You can see her story here Digital Life Stories and maybe add your own!
Footnote: Week ended in a better state with two visits: an old friend who loves to cook (and invite, happily, others along) and two friends on Saturday, one of whom did a small task for me that involved digging! Thanks again.
