Tag Archives: Life’s Stories

On my mind….

All things, ,

What’s on my mind this week is that recently I’ve been having a little trouble getting the sleep cycle to stay ‘asleep’. It tends to think 2hr blocks are the norm rather than sleeping through the night all in one go. Not content with that it then goes about teasing me with time awake wondering why I can’t go back to sleep again!

When we were children, Bobby my next sister was one who dropped off as soon as ’lights out’ and was always running late in the mornings, wanting to stay abed rather than get ready for school. I sent her an email the other day…..mid morning our time/ night time hers …..not expecting a reply until late afternoon, and was surprised when one arrived not too long after.

Here’s part of her reply plus part of my follow up

  • B – So it’s 1:30 am I have odd sleeping habits these days – 9pm can’t keep my eyes open. 
    10:30 turn in – midnight wide awake and mentally solving word problems  – 2am thinking have a quick look at phone check emails look at weather and newspapers hope to go to sleep soon I got to be up and at it at 7am.   Then 7am dead to the world  – 8 am oh no is that the time already I’m late again 😂😂😂 – 9 am sod it. Can wait I’ll do it when I’m ready .
  • Me – I’ve been there done that with sleeping patterns- isn’t it a lovely surprise on the odd occasion to wake and realise you’ve slept through the night.  
    Often sleep in 2hr blocks so tried telling myself ’try for 4x2hrs’ before I settled down…..didn’t work. 
    Turned the clock/radio the other way – took it out of the bedroom- didn’t make much difference- I’d see the time on my way to the loo and realise how long I’d slept/ not slept.  
    Won’t get back the time I’ve lay there thinking do I need to pee again or can I will myself to go back to sleep….get up go drop off almost instantly…not going to happen
    Yes I hear your pain xxx

For the time being Mr Insomnia – the evil one who stops you dropping off to sleep in the beginning – has left the building but his little friend – the one who who wont let you go back to sleep – the one I have discovered goes by the name of Middle of the Night Insomnia – has been having fun in the bedroom recently. I certainly didn’t invite him and there’s no apparent reason why he’s come visiting

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-of-the-night_insomnia

https://www.medicinenet.com/why_do_i_wake_up_every_two_hours_at_night/article.htm

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So if you are familiar with those times when your mind wants to carry on at full pelt instead of closing down –  look carefully at the fun going on below – it is possible the answer to my and maybe your problem lies there 😊

I have absolutely no idea whereabouts on the internet I found this – Entitled ‘A Womens Brain’ or ‘Why Women find it hard to go to Sleep’ –  (which is a bit sexist) but I can totally relate to all the stuff going on. 
It’s a hoot – Keep your eye on those little blue balls and follow them down the line

Linking to Denyse’s ~ Life’s Stories. Pop over and see what she’s up to this week

Corinne is back with Monday Musings – this week wondering why we do specific things

Just recently….

All things, ,

I was pleased we were able to have our flu’ jab so now are up to date with our vaccinations. Flurona has become a real thing here in Australia

I discovered that Dragonflies are sometimes called the Devils Darning Needle (thank you quiz show) – so it seems are other things

I felt like Debby when I realised the four truss tomatoes I put in my shopping trolley cost over AU$4. Truss toms have a smell of their own, like homegrown fresh from your garden and these called to me from the fruit and veg section of the supermarket.

Someone got to the grapes before I snapped the tomatoes

https://lifesfunnylikethat.blogspot.com/2022/05/tomatoes.html

https://australiantrusstomatoes.com.au

I noticed the ’paper aisles’ (toilet paper/kitchen rolls/ tissues) in the supermarket were almost empty. Two weeks ago there was plenty of stock – now none. Perhaps the other chain is being supplied….the one whose shelves were empty in April

https://au.news.yahoo.com/aldi-shoppers-angered-by-constant-toilet-paper-shortage-034115019.html

I was thankful we have the wherewithal to pay for the increased power bills when they arrive yet still felt it was necessary to talk to the provider and negotiate a better plan than the new one they suggested. Sticker shock is being noticed everywhere these days. We might be able to afford it but it’s certainly not necessary to accept it.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-29/power-pain-as-bills-tipped-to-rise-40-per-cent-on-surging-prices/101023488

I declared Autumn has definitely arrived (Winter nearly as well) and even though the sun might shine and we do have extra clothes we could put on, contrary to my complaining about increased power costs, if it’s cold in the evening (or even during the day) the heater goes on. Anything under 15°c is not my cup of tea!

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/202205/html/IDCJDW3050.202205.shtml

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And finally I seem to have become forgetful – I write it on the calendar – leave notes on the fridge – set reminders on the phone – just for the pleasure of hearing me say…..

Linking to Denyse’s ~ Life’s Stories. She is telling a revealing one today

Leaving Anzac

All things family, ,

A few years ago The Golfer and I were regular visitors to a local Folk Club – one Tuesday evening back in 2011 the special guest artist was Martyn Wyndham-Read …which I blogged about here.

Anyway during that evening he sang a very poignant song 
One adapted from a poem written in 1916 
about the thoughts Australian Soldiers (Diggers) 
may have had about leaving their fallen mates at Gallipoli (in Turkey)

Today, Monday is April 25th 2022 – Anzac Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day

One of my maternal ancestors served at Gallipoli
unfortunately he, plus his Doyle and Muir cousins never made it home

James Bannister


This is my tribute to all those who served and never returned

And this is the poem – written by Cicely Fox Smith in 1916

Farewell to Anzac

Oh, hump your swag and leave, lads, the ships are in the bay —
We’ve got our marching orders now, it’s time to come away —
And a long good-bye to Anzac Beach — where blood has flowed in vain
For we’re leaving it, leaving it, game to fight again!

But some there are will never quit this bleak and bloody shore —
And some that marched and fought with us will fight and march no more;
Their blood has bought till Judgment Day the slopes they stormed so well,
And we’re leaving them, leaving them, sleeping where they fell. 

(Leaving them, leaving them — the bravest and the best —
leaving them, leaving them, and maybe glad to rest!
We’ve done our best with yesterday, to-morrow’s still our own —
But we’re leaving them, leaving them, sleeping all alone!)

Ay, they are gone beyond it all, the praising and the blame,
And many a man may win renown, but none more fair a fame;
They showed the world Australia’s lads knew well the way to die;
And we’re leaving them, leaving them, quiet where they lie.

(Leaving them, leaving them, sleeping where they died;
Leaving them, leaving them, in their glory and their pride —
Round them sea and barren land, over them the sky,
Oh, We’re leaving them, leaving them, quiet where they lie!)

http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/47926-Cicely-Fox-Smith-Farewell-To-Anzac

Cicely Fox Smith (pronounced “sigh-sli” as in precisely) 1882 – 1954

Linking to Denyse’s new fortnightly on a Monday feature ~ Life’s Stories

Small Changes…..

All things,

Small changes….little things

  • I’ve returned to the gym….something I did say I wouldn’t do until ‘you know what’ had finally disappeared….walking is out – my legs play up after a short while – pool work is good, resistance bands here at home are so so but I need to feel like I’ve exercised….so the Leisure Centre it is.

Cheapskate that I am I haven’t taken out membership this time…. changes to ’rules & reg’ of membership, things I didn’t like, had me looking at pros & cons of other payment methods. I’ve taken advantage of their 20 visit pass.

  • Changes in daylight (and early evening temps) mean we’re settling down earlier, curtains are being drawn earlier, meals have changed – cooked rather than raw – entertainment has changed a bit.

Not important in the whole scheme of things but late afternoon early evening TV programming has changed. The Golfer’s reruns of Jag & Becker are not where they used to be (or not on at all☹️) so there’s been a bit of quiz show watching.
Sometimes it adds to my general knowledge 😊

Guess what was the answer to a multiple choice question:- ‘Which of these calls it’s young an Antling?’
Of course neither of us picked the most obvious answer

NOUN – Antling

rare 

  • A young or small ant.

Origin

Late 18th century; earliest use found in James Elphinston (1721–1809), educationist and advocate of spelling reform. From ant + -ling. source

Did you know that?

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I stopped near the library in Montrose last week and knew something had changed but couldn’t put my finger on it.
Can you spot the difference!

31 March 2014
5 April 2022

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Of course there’s one thing that never changes – the sight of the TV masts on the hills.
It’ll take some storm to take them down – much stronger than the one that brought down the tree and the electricity pole across the road from the library

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And there is one recent welcome change that nobody seems to be grumbling about. After rising to the atrocious price of over $2 a litre, the federal government halved the fuel tax for 6 months, (a budget cost of living action but cynical me says a pre-election action) so the cost of petrol has dropped 60¢ in less than 2 weeks.
I paid $1.59 (+discount)) the other day – big smiles all round. For the time being that is!

Linking to Denyse’s new fortnightly on a Monday feature ~ Life’s Stories