Category Archives: Melbourne

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Winter Came Early for Us

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New York Gang

Liz has been posting cute photos of Miss Izzie on Facebook plus lots of shots of weekend excursions. Lucky them having summer whilst we freeze (and in May). I have made a short video (RHS) to include some of the photos. I kept the photo on left separate as I wonder if it reminds Charlotte of some other boats in another place. Those boats had country flags on them and Charlotte almost had an international incident.

Kate Hits Town for a Quick Visit

We had Kate visit for a surprise but appreciated four day weekend. She did a lot of card playing with her grandmother.

Blue Mountains Ultra Trail

Poor David had the worst of the weather – it rained all day but he battled on and finished his 22km well.

The weather was kinder to Kate for her 50km and Sarah’s 1km. The temperature was cold, very cold and the house reminded me of my childhood days. One heater in the living room and electric blankets on the beds.

We had a great week with Kate, David and the kids. The thought of the whole thing is enough to exhaust me. I was shocked to see people finishing 26 hours after starting! I hadn’t been to the Blue Mountains for about 50 years so there were lots of changes – especially to the scenic railway!

We had a couple of days in Sydney before we took to the mountains. Down to Bondi for breakfast and a drink at the Opera House.

 Medical Updates

Erich had a supposedly day patient treatment to remove a skin cancer on bottom eye lid. They ended up keeping him overnight. Looks terrible but all should be OK when the bruising/swelling is gone.

Ongoing Ovarian Cancer Treatment

I am going every two weeks at the moment as we test the new drugs I am taking orally. My markers went down a little over the first two weeks of treatment (85 to 75. We want under 40). Hopefully that will continue. Soon I will only have to have blood checked and see doctor every four weeks. Not sure about NY trip as I should be going in the middle of that period so tomorrow I’ll ask.

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Surprise ending to the week

Chemo is finished. Yeah!

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On Friday I was due to have my first chemo f round 6 with 2 to go after thus ending on 16 September. My oncologist Dr Gary Richardson said no we were cancelling 2nd and 3rd treatments because of the bad neuropathy I have in my feet. What he then told me was a bit of a shock and that is I am still going to have treatments (but not chemo) every three weeks until I think he said June 2017.

He assured me he did tell me in the beginning but admitted he hadn’t mentioned it since. Anyway the angiogenesis treatment I think called Avastin does not compromise immune system and now my hair can grow back as it was – hopefully. I have to admit I am pleased as it means I have my blood checked each 3 week visit and I think I will feel more secure in a doctor’s care for some more time. The treatment and doctor’s visit will only be an hour so really in and out. Only issue is that I have plan my life around the three weekly treatments. Not sure what happens over Christmas. Next visit I will ask how we do it, just miss it completely or do another week …

No more frozen hair so can retire the mink hat. Usually stop at New Street bottle shop on way home to stock up on French wine. To celebrate we decided to have a drink and yummy nibbles there. What with wine and happy pills I was very happy!!

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Sorry importing these photos drives me crazy – they are right way up in draft and preview then when I publish they go sideways. Sometimes I seem to get it so I will have to work on it – maybe I am still too happy today as pills go for 2 days!

It is good to see the NY gang having fun in the Hamptons (do you mind?) before school starts. It is great news about Sophie’s luck getting into a great class plus two clever girls, Sarah and Hannah getting into the selective school they wanted. Hoping that Charlotte also gets into a class she likes and Baxter as well.

Two family birthdays this week. Thanks to everyone for my happy birthday wishes and gifts. Liz looks like she had lots of attention from the cake I saw on Facebook. I am now planning for my bucket list birthday next year. Have done a deal with the Ritz Paris already. Numbers were down i Paris this summer and from what I have read the luxury hotels are hurting. They have another luxury one, The Crillon, on Place Concord due to open soon after being closed for 3 to 4 years of renovation.

Maddie had a bit of bad news medically. She didn’t come to work on Thursday and it seems she has gall stone and will need an operation. She is only 19 years old.

It is business as usual at PPG. Peter continues to do well. Rebecca is on the road to recovery and they are now planning where they will go in Europe when Rebecca finishes up next March.

Today is Fathers’ Day and I took Erich to a French restaurant, Noir, in Swan Street Richmond to thank him for 20 years of being a pretty good step-father and Opa.

On the way home from lunch I tried to catch a snap shot of corner of Chapel and Toorak Roads (photo taken from Chapel Street side). The Fun Factory building has finally gone. They had two goes at selling the 500 apartments which are going to be built on the site. They had Charlize Theron as the face of their second go – I am sure she is not going to have one in there so why her image was plastered everywhere ?? Anyway remember all those trips to the Fun Factory, roller skating and the gun gallery? It seemed such a long trip from Sandringham/Highett back when!

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Kate strikes again! Now she is off to China for one of her unbelievable runs. Good luck. Your mother will be holding her breath until she knows you are safe! I hear knitting is the new hot challenge!!

love you.

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Paris, here we come …

5 Week Chemo Break

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I was so excited last Friday to finish Round 4 of my chemo treatment. As luck would have it because of the dates of our trip I am now getting a five week break. So I have three weeks to get into top shape before we leave. My skin is still an issue but hopefully this break will help.

Both Charlotte and Sarah are thinking about their packing. It is quite a challenge for me to go to Europe with only carry on luggage but I am determined to do it. Erich keeps asking about the return trip with the ‘goodies’ but I intend using the post if we buy stuff that won’t fit into the luggage.

I am so excited and I have really enjoyed finding lots of fun and interesting things for us to do. Most of the activities I would have not known even existed but for one lucky contact which then led to another. Even people who know Paris didn’t know that there were private tours of La Tour Eiffel. We are also doing children’s treasure hunts with our own private guide at Le Louvre and Musée D’Orsay – lots of fun hopefully. And lots of other surprises. (We are spending their inheritance!)

Everyone seems so busy. The Gowdeys with James’ s birthday and the end of the school year. Also the round of farewells and sadness of having to say goodbye to some good friends. That is the downside of being an expat … the continual movement of friends. The Buchanans and Joyces are also on the move. Baxter and Liz at the farm for the weekend, Charlotte and Sophie getting ready for their holiday with their dad. Liz and Baxter off to New York to be joined later by Sophie whilst Charlotte joins Sarah and me for our Paris trip. I hope someone in the family has shares in an airline!

Peter is doing a great job at work. He has brought some real energy into the business at exactly the right time. It has made an enormous difference to my peace of mind particularly now with the medical interruption. Maddie is still working with us on Thursday afternoons. She is enjoying her course.

Liz has shared lots of mini videos through icloud sharing in photos on my phone. I have access to them but I can’t figure out how to move them to my mac. I was able to export the photos and they went automatically to my dropbox but the folder in dropbox which says videos is empty. When I look at them on my phone there is no sharing, export or other button/indication I can see.

I have made an interim video of Baxter at the farm but I will add some of the small videos once I figure out the above.

 

 

 

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4 Weeks to Paris

But who is counting?

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Chemo

I have had my second treatment in Round 4 so only one more Friday and I get to have a break. I won’t start Round 5 until beginning of August. I should have started on 30 July but the genetic testing woman who gave me the appointment knew about chemo and still didn’t change the time. When I told the oncologist he said the genetic testing people think they are top of the food chain.

I am getting help from my GP Elizabeth for my skin. She gave me some stronger antibiotics which seem to be helping and I have some illegal hemp oil (external use) which the Naturopath at the chemist got me as it helps skin heal faster. Unfortunately the chemo slows down healing a lot. The blisters on my heals took forever and there are still terrible marks there. I suspect the pox are going to leave lots of scars.

Third Yeah! Weekend

Erich and I went to Werribee Mansion. The actual mansion was really something and the grounds are unbelievable. The Victorian Government had to buy it as no-one could afford to keep the grounds in the original layout so it is classified as heritage. The hotel part is run by a small boutique group. I always believe the blurb and I am continually disappointed. The restaurant was less than ordinary and the room was nothing to write home about even though I booked Indulgence etc. There was the saving grace of a pool and spa though I could only have a facial as my skin is so bad I couldn’t expect someone else to touch it. Erich had the massage.

Fourth Yeah!  = Paris

I am counting down the days. The accommodation is all paid and all our tours and special activities are confirmed. Interestedly there is an article in the Weekend Fin Review that the Ritz just opened at the beginning of June instead of March as they were meant to. So how lucky are we. The photos and article show just how splendid it is all going to be!!

Different Generations – Different Opinions

I am loading part of an article written by Bernard Salt in the Weekend Australian. He write a column each week. I totally agree with him in this case. I know that not all the family agree. Writing thank you notes was once part of the Grade 3 (8 year old) curriculum when I taught. Addressing the envelope correctly was also part of the learning. In my office the Y generation have no idea of addressing envelopes – I haven’t tested them on thank you notes.

Thank You Notes

Dinner at 25 Toorak Road

That’s the name of the restaurant and it is one of our favourites. I love one of the lamps that they have in the restaurant and consequently discovered the owner’s wife had them made. They are very French style.The upright etc are metal with parchment style shade.

So last night we went to dinner and came home with a new lamp which we had ordered six weeks ago. I only had one bunch of week old roses to christen it with. It will look so good with two bunches.  We don’t have much room in our apartment for more things but I squeezed the lamp in and I think it is sensational. It gives out a lovely glow to the room.

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Busy Families

Mother's Day, Blue Mountains Racing, Yeah Weekend and more

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Erich and I went to the Park Hyatt for my second Yeah Weekend! We went shopping early Friday afternoon then back for a swim on Friday afternoon then out for dinner at their restaurant. Saturday was a spa then more swimming. Back home then for an afternoon rest before heading into the city again by tram to have dinner at French restaurant then onto the State Theatre for the Carole King Songbook Concert which was great. Three young singers telling the story and singing the songs. I now see that there is also a broadway show about her life which may be following here. I had no idea she had written so many of the songs which went along with my life. 400 hits over fifty years. Amazing.

On Mother’s Day we had a quiet day. I am grateful for my gifts and phone calls and Facetime. Thank you all.

I am now looking ahead to my third Yeah Weekend, not sure what we might do – the fourth will not be a weekend but a trip to Paris. July is getting closer and I am excited.

Maddie is now working at Planinsek Property Group one afternoon a week. She is doing some much needed data entry work. At the moment mostly for Peter but I am waiting in the wings with my data – building up our email lists is the priority at the moment.

Peter continues on his selling way which is great. He has introduced a very positive energy around sales in the office. Great for our business.

The big news is Kate and Sarah coming back for the races in The Blue Mountains. Congratulations to both of them for such a great effort. I wonder if Kate has run out of punishing races?!! I am amazed at what she can do! I’ve made a video The Blue Mountains 2016.

I have now started my third round of chemo and things are going along OK. I have had a terrible skin reaction on my arms which started in Singapore and is now worse. Thankfully with long sleeves it is not so noticeable. It isn’t itchy just looks disgusting.

We are looking forward to Liz and Baxter visiting on Thursday. Rebecca and Peter are helping with the babysitting! A family affair.

 

 

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May Day

Another month gone ...

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I have made another monthly round up video. These are only as good as the photos I get via messages and emails plus what I can lift from Facebook so take more photos! I get a bit tricked on Facebook as something is loaded 2 min ago and then I discover it is actually a couple of year’s old. I think there are a couple of these in this roundup.

Kate organised a weekend in Bali to say farewell to their Scottish friends the Drummond family. It looks so good- in Melbourne we have had a couple lovely sunny almost summer days but now we are back to cold Autumn ones. The trees in our courtyard have lost about half their leaves.

I finished Cycle 2 on Friday with good results so next weekend is what I call a ‘Yeah Weekend’ as I get one Friday off. The first Yeah Weekend we went to Singapore. Not so flash next weekend but we are going to spend Friday night at Park Hyatt. So swimming Friday afternoon, dinner at their restaurant, spa Saturday morning, shopping in the afternoon, French dinner in the city and then onto a show at State Theatre and then home Saturday night after the show.

Maddie is coming to the office Tuesday as Peter may have some data entry work for her to do part time. Really becoming a family business!

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Bonjour Ma Famille

Email Sent 22 January 2016

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This morning I arrived at the office like a drown rat. I was walking to work as usual (takes just over an hour) and fifteen minutes into the walk there was an enormous thunder storm and the heavens opened. I whipped out my little fold-up umbrella which was good for only a few minutes. I discovered with the force of the rain that was falling it soon became saturated and the water seeped through. The rest of the walk was pretty uncomfortable!

Maddie wrote to tell me she is looking for a full-time job as wants to save as she is planning on going to Canada in December to attend a wedding of one of Simon’s clan.

Peter and Rebecca are back and we had them to dinner this week to catch up on all their travel news. Now Peter is back into at work and he has already sold a property this week! They are so excited with their new property settling in under 2 weeks.

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My Small Tribe

Emailed 12 January 2016

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I have modified my original suggestion after Kate suggested I do a Blog. In the past I have paid someone to set up website etc but this time I am doing it all myself. I am hosting with a US host and keeping it all separate from my company website host, designer etc. I will be learning as I go. I decided to paste in the first emails I sent so it goes from the beginning of this project. You can add your news by adding a comment. I am also looking into how to smoothly make it a private site. I have added the plug-in but I don’t quite understand how it works yet. 

Hi

After a great time in Sydney we are back at work.

I have been doing quite a bit of reading over the last couple of weeks to try and keep that ‘holiday vibe’. I read an interesting piece from a woman who has family and friends spread all over. She made the observation that when you are in very regular contact and then meet up there is no issue in getting up to speed. However, if you have let contact slip for quite a while even though you really have more to catch up on it is more difficult – maybe because just so much has happened since prior contact. Long story short the suggestion is to send Update emails on a fairly regular basis.

The only rule is that they can be boring – yes can be boring. No obligation to respond – though an update from each family would be good to receive as most of the time I have no idea where in the world some of you are.