Posted on by Cathy

Looking at life….February

‘So how’s your February been’ someone asked at book club
‘Not too bad’ I replied. Getting used to some of those little changes I spoke about at the end of January and finding answers to others that had been bothering me.

The main one is all those blood tests came back normal- nothing to see there at all.
GP has been scratching his head, suggested that yes, maybe a sudden change in weather could put people off colour, I’m feeling much better so we’ll just plod along as usual.

The local gym being flooded in a January storm (planned reopening March) hasn’t helped the fitness intentions we discussed – means I’m back to using our equipment at home and we all know what that means. Those little 30/60 secs break between sets sometimes result in a longer than necessary sit down often with hot drink and…..don’t tell anyone

maybe even a sweet biscuit!.

So I’ve been using the pool more often which has certainly loosened up the back so much so there was a little bit of gardening going on. All that rain brought on another flush of roses – plus oodles more weeds. We enjoyed the last of them (the roses not the weeds) on the outside table and this week, just like the lady in Gilbert’s painting, I’ve been tidying up and dead heading

Gardening – Victor Gabriel Gilbert


Of course there has been knitting – the big boys jumpers are done! I’ll tell you about them on Wednesday as well as something new I’ve been tackling.

Now we’re back in the swing of things there are two book clubs to enjoy- one, the casual ‘what did you read’ the other, the ‘discuss the book we all read’ one….both different yet similar
My summer reading – which often involved just lounging around – not quite like the lady in Hettinger’s painting but not far off – has once again been sparse

* A Month of Sundays – Liz Byrski (bc).
* Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont – Elizabeth Taylor
* The Leisure Seeker – Michael Zadoorian
* The Flower Girls – Alice Clark-Platts

Reading – David Hettinger


The new choir rehearsals have been fun – with a new class conductor making it a different experience for returning members as well as new.






A very well ‘seasoned’ teacher/conductor – with a background in opera (and a liking for light entertainment), a new ‘program’, no previously used songs – this move for me is proving to be very interesting and I’m enjoying every minute…..first rehearsal Bette introduced this to the class. Something I knew from elsewhere but quite unknown to many of the others. It may not be everyones cup of tea (a simple round) but when it comes together (aka when everyone knows what’s what) with all four voice types in the choir (soprano, alto, tenor & bass) singing their part it will sound ‘superb’

Artist is Jennifer Cooke (Sing with Jen)

*****

There has been one little thing I’ve been coming to terms with this month.
Some might remember ‘our big girl’ and her partner leaving Melbourne back in 2021 – pulling their home behind them
eager to see parts of Australia they’d never been to before.
Well, they travelled and travelled, enjoying every minute – extended their leave
and travelled some more……then out of the blue decided they needed to put down roots
They’ve just taken possession of a new beach side home, way over on the far coast in WA. On the other side of the country – 3,489kms away!
With an hours drive to Tullamarine, 4hr flight to Perth plus an hours drive north – don’t think we’ll be popping in for a cuppa. Might need to stay a week at least😎
~~~~~~~

And that’s February (and supposedly Summer) all but over
We’re at the end of the last week…..next stop is Autumn (well the official ‘March 1st’ date that is)….hopefully the warm weather will continue but the fire risk go down. Many plants came to grief in some heavy rain early in the month – Agapanthus heads have been lopped, various ground covers cut back ….some are saying it’s time to slow down but there’s always an exception to the rule…..the roses and the flowering gum beside the library were still in bloom a couple of days ago. Big smiles all round.

Sharing with a new monthly link up – ‘What’s been on your calendar’
Looking at Life – February

29 Replies to “Looking at life….February”

  1. I’m not ready for the next season…we need more summer! I’ve done only a fraction of my bus hopping 🙂 😀

    Apparently, more rain is expected, and the weather people have mentioned a cyclone. I’m racing against their odds on washing linen and clothing.

    However, my events in main continue and that’s great. Fingers x-ed that next Wednesdays bus trip finally goes ahead and we visit Hamilton Gardens…3rd time lucky.

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    1. I’m not ready either Catherine- sadly we have no control over the seasons. Our forecast has been revised and it’s going to be cooler next week- no rain though, which is good in that I can get out and about- bad in that we desperately need it. I’ll be thinking about you on Wednesday

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  2. What a lovely February and I’ve just finished ‘A Month of Sundays’. I’m glad your back is feeling better. I occasionally have back issues and it isn’t fun. I’ve also been this week for blood tests just for an annual check up. Lovely to have you join us for #WBOYC Cathy and look forward to having you join us next month. xx

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    1. Did you enjoy ‘A Month of Sundays’ Sue – I found it turned out to be just another of Liz Byrski’s novels about how women relate to each other and find comfort in sharing their problems.

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  3. Beautiful flowers. We’re waiting for spring to start. And Australia is just getting done with summer? Linda in Kansas

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    1. There’s something special knowing Spring is on the horizon. Hopefully here in Melbourne we’ll be able to hold onto Summer for a while longer

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  4. The sudden return to hot weather has helped the veggie garden produce more food. Which is great.
    But the weeds! Oh well. Can’t have one without the other I guess.
    It’s going to be a veer busy couple of months for me.

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    1. You’ve done well with your summer veggie garden this year Angela. Fingers crossed your winter one produces as much again
      Hopefully all those weeds die off on their own, it’s easier to pull them out that way!

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    1. Yes it’s been back to the way it was before – hopefully it all doesn’t get on top of me. I can always opt out of some things – one week here and there – to have a break.

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  6. Hi, Cathy – Thank you for joining us to share what’s been on your calendar. You have had a very full February. Back pain is no fun – I am glad that you are feeling better. I can totally relate to have a child live a gazillion kilometers away. Our son lives 10,175 km away. Luckily, we will be visiting him soon! 😀

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    1. Oh that definitely is a way away….this same daughter lived in the UK for 10yrs and it didn’t bother us at all. At least we don’t have a 24hr journey to see them this time

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    1. It is a very special piece of music isn’t it Yam….I’m not familiar with your Gaelic piece, will have to do some research…..there are so many versions of Sloop John B I am always ‘scared’ to reveal the one by The Kingston Trio is my favourite

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  8. It’s hard when the young ‘uns choose to live so far away. At least I can drive to mine in a day or so.
    A trip west would be nice, though.
    I wonder what season the local indigenous population would say we were in. I don’t think mother nature uses the same calendar we do!

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    1. She’d love to hear her referred to as a ‘young ‘un’….she qualified for a seniors card at the beginning of February (and yes I was only a young ‘un myself when she was born). We’ll pop over sometime maybe at Christmastime

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  9. I’m done with summer – the humidity does my head in at this time of the year (I’m in SE Queensland) so a break from that will be welcome. Thanks for linking up

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  10. Good catch up..and about family being sooo far away now, sigh. I hear you. I am always glad to see the end of Feb. It had a lot to do with it being the busiest time of year working in schools. This house we are moving from has a long row of agapanthus and I admit, at end of season, I sure didn’t mind cutting them back. Take care, Denyse.

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    1. Two sides to the coin – the sighs of relief of teachers and other staff at the end of February being different to those of parents. Thanks for dropping in Denyse, this link up is going to be fun for all of us

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  11. As you head towards autumn and winter, we dream about spring here in Canada. Another cold snap is upon us, oodles of snow yesterday, we were snowed in, missed work. Today it is cold, and going down to -20C tonight. Hopefully the last of the winter cold snaps!
    You have such a socially active life, amazing! Being an introvert, I would be totally exhausted participating in a fraction of the activities you enjoy!

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    1. Gosh your winter seems to be up and down doesn’t it? Spring will be here before you know it and you’ll be able to enjoy having doors and windows open again.
      If you can read this Maggie- just letting you know I’m having trouble commenting on your blog.

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      1. Cathy, thank you for letting me know about the commenting issue! I have changed a setting, I hope that helps, but if it does not I will keep tweaking until the issue is resolved. If I don’t see your comment on the next entry or so, I will assume the problem continues!

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    1. For some reason there seems to have been a different ‘feel’ to February this year Cathy…..so many of my friends have felt much comfortable with life, more sociable this year than for the last few – I’m careful who I’m mixing with though.
      The ‘read what you like’ book club is a hoot, we just talk about ‘what we have read’ and if others have read it they ‘put their two penneth in as well’. A bit like writing a post about books read during the month…..accompanied by tea coffee cakes and bickies 😊

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  13. I love reading your thoughts about your life in your part of the world. The choir and the book groups sound like a good way to spend time. The flowers are beautiful and a welcome sight to those of us longing for Spring. Autumn however is my favorite season. I can empathize about having your big girl putting down roots so far from you. That is our case and while we make the best of it and use technology it does make visiting happen less often.

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  14. Hi Cathy, visiting from #WBOYC linkup. You seem like a busy lady, with lots of interests. It sounds like your daughter has an adventurous spirit. The farther away, the longer the visit sounds about right to me. Take care and thanks for sharing.

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  15. Hi Cathy, it’s lovely to have you join in our WBOYC linkup and I enjoyed your post. The flowers and paintings were great. You have a variety of activities happening bookclubs, choir, swimming. I hear you on having your daughter a long way away, our eldest lives in the UK, so visits are invariable longer than usual!!

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