not bad at all

The surgeon used a sharp knife to perform a "penile biopsy". Yukk! I believe there are now one or two stitches on the end of my penis. I believe it -- but there is no way I am game to actually look. Yukk again!

Anyway, next day all is fine. An occasional minor ache. Sensitivity when I point the wrong way into my underpants. Nothing that stops me going out amongst the shopping crowds, to collect food platters for the next day.

The next day is Christmas Day. Our "kids" are round in the morning, we have great fun unwrapping presents. Our 5yo grandson is nonstop activity: finding presents, passing presents on, helping unwrap presents, playing with presents. Our 1yo granddaughter watches and enjoys.

We drive to my brother's place for lunch: a larger crowd, lots of good food, plenty of catching-up. Then to Deb's sister's place for another lot of food and catching-up. The boy has slowed down, slightly. The girl is wide awake but tiring.

For us adults: an exhausting day, lots of fun, good company. Home again and we sigh... Just as well it's only once a year :-)

I was a bit tired -- as usual. But postoperative effects (to put big words to a minor effect) are minor. I'm a bit careful about how I hang in my underpants. There's an occasional ache, very minor. But no pain.

===

Boxing Day is another test: we go for a run. Just 40 minutes. With no trouble at all. All my complaints are pointless... thank goodness.

I still don't have the results, I expect it will be something minor. Meanwhile, it's back to the usual. With a ninety minute run for tomorrow... Where's a nasty diagnosis when I need it :-?

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"If you're hoping for the element of surprise, it helps to be surprising." Kim Silva in Head on by John Scalzi

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Ouch! (not:-)

Several days earlier:

There's a lot of paperwork to get into hospital. Luckily it's all online. I get an email, follow the link, start ticking boxes.

Most is easy: am I suffering from X? No. Am I taking medication? No. All the standard stuff. Then: Select a time for a pre-admission meeting. Eh? Do I need one? Oh well... Except that there are "No slots available". So I stop.

Another email, Please complete your pre-admission forms. I try... still stopped by, "No slots available". I exchange emails, the advice is friendly but not really helpful. I get -- again -- to, No slots available. Click, I'll set a time later. And -- okay, I'm onto the next step.

The next step is finance. After a few questions: Estimated cost after health fund payments is $250. Plus anything else that may be needed. Oh well. Okay, I say. Pay now, is the instruction. So I do.

And that, is that.

Until two minutes later when an email arrives. Please complete your pre-admission forms. Okaaayy. I think, just a delayed email. If not, I'm sure it will be sorted out on the day.

===

The day arrives:

I drive to the hospital. When I get us lost, Deb tells me where to go. (Driving, that is.) We arrive with plenty of time to spare. I check in, Deb drives home. Deb driving in all that traffic is my only worry. Now that it's started, the sharp cut is not a worry.

===

If you missed the earlier post: I'm here for a "penile biopsy". Just as bad as it sounds: a small piece of flesh cut out of the end of my penis. The end of my penis is unnaturally red. Chafing but perhaps with infection. Nobody expects cancer but it's possible, so the biopsy is necessary.

===

There's a lot of waiting in the hospital. Waiting, hungry and thirsty. And, with a nurse, going through all the info that I entered online.

I relax, doze a bit. Start to type a post for this blog... and I'm interrupted. Time to get ready.

I dress in a hospital gown. At least I try to dress, the nurse has to put it on the right way. I wear pressure stockings. And some stretchy, embarrassingly see-through, hospital underpants.

I'm wheeled -- in my bed -- to the theatre waiting room. More of the same questions (allergies, blood pressure, that sort of thing). Wait a bit longer. The staff are cheerful and chatty, obviously used to patients who need reassuring.

The anaesthetist arrives. He says, I'll tell you what I'm doing. I say, Just tell me that you are doing something, don't tell me what.

He says, I'm doing something. And he does, while I look away. He's inserting a cannula in my arm. Oh, that didn't work, he says. Takes it out and puts it into the back of my hand. Okay? he asks. No worries, I reply, It doesn't hurt (just a pin-prick), I just don't like it.

I'll be asking you to close your eyes and imagine that you are somewhere nice, says the anaesthetist. No, not yet, he says. Oh well, just practising.

===

I slide across to another bed, a surgery bed. I'm wheeled into the operating theatre. How do I know it's an operating theatre? There are two giant lights ready to shine down on me. One above my chest ( a spare) and one above my crotch.

The doc arrives. How are the symptoms? she asks. Fading, I reply, hopefully. Feel free to not cut... Let's have a look, she says. She looks. She will cut, she says. 

The anaesthetist does his something. Another person puts a mask over my mouth & nose, oxygen. There's a bit of light chit-chat. I'm lying in another room, getting my thoughts in order. Yep, that's it, I don't remember a thing.

===

Back to the original room, a room with a bed, a window, a toilet next door. Better yet, a room with lunch.

I'm still working on the lunch when the doc arrives. All went well, she says. I'll let you know on Monday, either the pathology results or that I'm still waiting. Monday is a holiday, I hear it as, "as soon as possible". She continues: If I had to guess (not quite her words) then I would say something infection something.

I always have trouble hearing / remembering the technical words. Deb & our doctor son know this so they like to be with me for appointments. What I believe is, the doc expects to find a treatable infection. I'm happy with that, till I hear otherwise :-)

There's a bit of messing round with padding in my underpants, I may still be oozing. Instructions about peeing gently for a few days, no whacking it round till all is healed. If there's bleeding, squeeze, if it continues, call a doctor. There are stitches -- I'm told, I don't look -- but they will dissolve.

I go to the toilet -- under supervision. I suspect that I won't be let free till I've peed, they don't want a man who can't pee, I'm told.

I'm let loose, Deb picks me up, I'm home again :-)

===

At the hospital at 8am. On a bed by 8:20. Operated soon after 10:30. Home by noon. All very quick and easy.

I'm home, feeling good. I've peed, the nurses would be pleased. The penis may still be numb but -- so far, so good.

The only problem today was, this post. I typed some while waiting in the hospital. Typed a bit more -- then lost it all. I have no idea what happened. No worries, here it all is. The cut is done, results are whatever they will be. I'm feeling very relaxed. Glad that it's done.

I suppose that there could still be some pain as I heal. There could be treatment for whatever it is. But for now -- it's a great relief to have finished with the biopsy.

(Yes, I can feel the start of some almost-pain. But, not to worry. The cut has been done. Now I can relax and recover.)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"If you're hoping for the element of surprise, it helps to be surprising." Kim Silva in Head on by John Scalzi

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

distracted

Right now, I should be worrying about January's scan. Okay, the day I made the booking I was hit by a quick worry, which quickly passed.

Yet I don't have time to worry about brain scans. I am distracted by another issue. Nothing serious... I hope. Just... distracting.

A few weeks back I go to the GP. Doc, I say, I have a red spot on the end of my penis. After staring and swabbing, she prescribes antibiotic capsules and anti-inflammatory cream.

What's the worst it could be? I ask. Cancer, she replies. I have a quick visual flash of a large chopper slicing towards my penis...

For two weeks I break capsules to swallow the horrible-tasting antibiotics. Back to my usual, can't swallow a pill status. I also rub cream on the end of my penis. Since it could be friction / chafing, I wear more supportive underpants under my running shorts.

The spot disappears but the area is still unnaturally red.

Unnaturally red? Well, I guess so. I don't often examine the end of my penis. A dark red spot was obvious, the rest is... well, to me it could be anything. But doctors worry so I am sent to a urology specialist.

On the referral I read the results of the swab. Nothing found. And worth a specific mention, no evidence of gonorrhea. That's a relief, I don't want to spell that too often.

The specialist looks. No idea, she says, Yes it could be cancer, that would be nasty. Or infection. It could also be friction due to rubbing against running shorts. I don't like the red velvety surface, says the specialist. I should take a biopsy, she says. No thanks, I say. Give me a few weeks and see what happens.

I go home... think about waiting... waiting... for a sharp knife to the end of my penis. I contact the specialist. Do it before Christmas, I say.

 So I am booked in for a day in hospital just before Christmas. The urology specialist will cut out a small piece of my penis. What it shows, I probably won't know till a week or so later.

Results are unimportant, it is either cancer (in my mind, unlikely), infection (my bet) or a strange alien invasion. A minor worry.

But someone cutting into my penis? Youch! No way I can relax with that in my future. I accept that it is necessary. I will be glad when it has been done.

MRI scan? No time to worry about that... I have bigger (just bragging) things to worry about.

===

Note to long-term readers: Turns out it is a lot easier to write about life-saving surgery and dodgy bowel movements, than about my penis. Now maybe I can stop worrying about it :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

It's a dog eat dog world. Bring a bottle of something ... per Ginger Meggs

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

definitely senile

Well, it's happened. I declare myself to be definitely senile. (While ignoring those that claim that my senility is nothing new.)

I have begun to wish to be living in the past. Or at least to be living with space around me, similar to where I grew up. (Okay, I may have never grown up. So, the place where I lived for much of my childhood.)

Deb starts it. You should write your life story, she says. The kids would like to read it... Not the kids I know. Still, Deb says so I start.

Being an organised sort of person (with the emphasis on "sort of") I create a Word doc and list each year, from 1952 (born) to 2021. I did that in 2017. Most years are still blank.

So I start again...

And the effort reminds me of the past. Long past.

I remember growing up -- ages 2 to 11 -- in a house built by my father. Set on 2.5 acres, that's about 10,000 square metres. We could see a neighbour's house on either side. Far enough away that we never saw the neighbours. A car on the road perhaps once a day. If that.

Now we live on 640 m2. Houses all round. Cars up and down the road, day and night. I've never really grown used to the crowding.

After years of living in the moment... I am now missing the past. The space, the solitude, the freedom.

Definitely, I admit it, senile.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

It's a dog eat dog world. Bring a bottle of something ... per Ginger Meggs

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

all good till January :-)

I'm still in the "all clear between scans" phase, so feeling fine.

I even notice that I am getting a little bit better at running, though still far slower than I was several years ago.

The next scan is due in January, so I sent an email to set the appointment. And immediately felt worried... Just a twinge but distinct. The pre-scan worry has set in.

Pretty minor though. Barely a twinge. I'll see if I can keep it that way :-)

I told Deb when I sent off the first email. I haven't mentioned that the scan is now in my diary. Deb worries more that I do, I don't want to remind her that I am due for my next scan.

Is that right? I know that I would never want bad  -- or even worrying -- news hidden from me. Should I gloss over it for Deb?

The scan will be near the end of January. So, till then, I am all clear. With no excuse to not get fitter... with a very long way, still, till I am fit enough to run the Cradle Mountain run :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

The best part of [Triple J's Hottest 100] is watching everyone realise they've aged out of the demographic for [Triple J's Hottest 100] ... John Birmingham"

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

feeling better :-)

I've had more than a month of feeling gloomy. Not a physical thing, just emotional. I have slogged through a Slough of Despond...

Yes, I once read some of Pilgrim's Progress :-) An English version in a Spanish b&b. It's a very heavy-handed moral fable. All I gained from it was... the rather neat phrase, Slough of Despond. Which I may have used in a much earlier post. Anyway.

My last scan was in September and clear. A few weeks later and I passed three years since cancer diagnosis. With my brain cancer, 50% die within 18 months of diagnosis. So I'm laughing... and not.

Part of my problem is Deb. Before the scan she was obviously worried but not admitting it. After the scan she was so relieved that the mood change was obvious. So I worry about and for Deb.

I worry about Deb being worried. My own impending death is less real so it gets less worry. Still, in the Slough... let's call it the SoD... I would get flashes of worry, of I'm gonna die! Still flashes but more often and more worrying than usual.

I enjoy catching up with people but I lacked enthusiasm for getting in touch.

Physically... unfit and infected. That first is annoying rather than worrying. The second is both worrying and embarrassing. More on that later.

One set of drugs was said to, possibly, reduce lung capacity. I think it has. Running up hills is hard work. I used to run 10% further or faster than Deb, in my SoD I had trouble running as far/fast as Deb. This dug my Slough even deeper.

I spend far too much of my time indoors, sitting. Reading or playing World of Warcraft. Or writing code for a phone app. I can feel my body getting old and weak and stiff. Yet I have lacked any enthusiasm for being active. Except for running: I run because (and only because) Deb runs.

And that infection: the end of my penis has a patch of red and is overly sensitive. That very small problem dug me surprisingly deep into the SoD.

So I spent many weeks in the Slough of Despond :-(

And now I am out :-)

Start with the infection. I visited the GP... embarrassing? Oh yeah. She (yes, she) was very good. Very professional. She took a swab... too professional for me to be embarrassed. Anyway, the embarrassment lasted only until I had named the problem.

Now I am halfway through a course of antibiotics, capsules and cream. I failed to swallow the first capsules -- I have trouble with pills -- so now I open them up and swallow the contents with yoghurt. Terrible flavour, it really spoils the yoghurt.

You'd think that rubbing cream onto the end of my penis would be fun. Well, no.

So I'm halfway through the antibiotics. As far as I can tell, no change. But you know what? Just doing something about it -- and sharing the problem -- makes me feel so much better.

After seeing the doc I even told Deb why I had visited the GP. Yep, I had been too embarrassed to mention it, before. Now my only worry is that I may need to admit to having an STD... though it would need to be one which can incubate for many decades.

It has to be said... I have a poison pen-is...

All that time sitting at a PC? I have passed my app development to professionals. I reached my coding skill limit so I am paying professionals. That reduces the time I spend sitting & coding.

I still spend a lot of time playing WoW. And reading. No extra outdoor activity. But I feel better for taking action on my app.

I prefer books to movies but I have watched some Mandalorian on the PC. It's okay. The PC sound failed but that has now been fixed, so I can even hear what they are saying. And I can play music -- all of our CDs are ripped and stored on the PC. All good :-)

Fitness? Over a couple of km I can now beat Deb. She is still better at endurance. We jogged... walked 12km round the Ghost Trail at Yanchep, we both ended tired but I had more trouble keeping going.

Tonight... we both ran the Moon Shadow trail run. It was excellent :-)  A night run with occasional views across the city. I did the longer course, nearly 7km, with hills. I finished! Not easily but at a reasonable pace. I was very pleased. Deb could have done the same course -- but preferred to run the 4km flatter course. Where she did very well -- and enjoyed the run.

So we had a very enjoyable evening. We finished with KFC for a late dinner. I have had the urge for KFC for a couple of weeks. Now the urge is satisfied... gone. It was disgusting.

The trail run was the final ... what's the positive version of the final straw? Whatever. I am out of that Slough of Despond :-)  Finally have the enthusiasm for blogging. So -- late at night, can't sleep -- here it is.

Mental: still working.

Physical: slow but acceptable.

Emotional: out of the depths and back to normal. Or "normal".

I think that I can blame most of my "issues" -- especially the physical -- on getting old. And that -- to me -- is a good thing :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"My science homework ate my dog." ... per Ginger Meggs

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

all clear -- again :-)

September: yet another "all clear" set of scans :-)

One of my great pleasures is to make Deb happy. Finding that I am still clear of cancer makes Deb very happy. Yes, I'd noticed that she had pre-scan nerves. Now I am sure -- seeing Deb's relief -- that Deb's worry is stronger than mine. There are a few possible reasons:

I practise "not worrying". It doesn't work but it works better than Deb's efforts. And Deb does have more to worry about: I'll just be dead but Deb will be living without me... oh, the horror! Finally, Deb has a firmer grasp of reality. I just hum happily in my own little world :-)

Even so... my own relief is also noticeable! Another three months' of not worrying. Well, another three months less the week or so when the worries hit. For now: woohoo!

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

There's a party in your heart and all the bladed weapons are invited. Have a pleasant day. … Blingtron 5000

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

one down, one to go

Today I wake up hungry. Not that I am really hungry but I'm not allowed to eat breakfast. So I imagine that I am hungry.

Then head off for a PET scan.

I arrive an hour early, I had allowed a lot of time to cope with the awful parking situation. As it turns out I battle through narrow passages, dead ends and lots of other cars -- then drive outside the building and find plenty of space in the open area.

I'm early to the Nuclear Medicine section, that's okay. Time to fill in the usual forms... Today's form is even more vague that usual. Have I been scanned before? Yes, often. Have I had treatment? Yes, lots. When did it all happen? Some vague time in the past. Best I can do, I don't fixate on dates :-) (Or facts, for that matter. Past is blogged and forgotten.)

I sit, relax. Get called to the cannulation room where I am cannulated. That is, a tube stuck into a vein. Or artery, I never ask. A finger is pricked (ouch!) and my blood sugar is found to be normal. I'm moved to the next room.

The reclining chairs are all occupied so I get a bed. Radioactive sugar is pumped in, I am left to relax, while the sugar circulates.

The bed is not very comfortable, there's a light just outside, a red light ("Do not enter") occasionally turns on in my room. I fall asleep. To be woken an hour and a quarter later. The cannula is now removed.

I walk to the PET scanner room. (Oh yes, just assume that each time I move to another room -- I go to the toilet on the way.)

Today both head and body are to be scanned. I lie down. My arms are held in place with a wrapped blanket, my head is strapped down. Kinky. I spend half an hour sliding in and out of the scanner.

I go to the "recovery" room -- for a sandwich. Ten minutes later a doctor comes in. She has a French accent but I get the gist of what she says: photos are in focus, I can go. So I do.

===

Today is our day for taking grandson to swimming lessons. Because I'm now radioactive, Deb takes him by herself. After the lesson they will go to our place, so I don't go home.

I get a cake and coffee in Kings Park, and wait.

I get a message from our medical inside informer (should that be Deep Ears Nose & Throat?) : The body scan is clear :-) The PET scan of the head is never definitive, tomorrow's MRI will tell that story.

Deb sends a message: the house is clear of grandson. I go home.

A bit of low level good cheer, tomorrow is another scan.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

There's a party in your heart and all the bladed weapons are invited. Have a pleasant day. … Blingtron 5000

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

today: all well

Next week is scan week. Two scans: MRI of the head, PET of the body.

This week I read, play games, try to not think too much.

I try to keep balanced expectations. Or, rather, non-expectations: don't expect good results, don't expect bad. That way the actual results are not a terrible shock... nor a great thrill, either. This time my expectations are somewhat negative.

I wonder if a string of "good" scan results makes me think that my luck is due to run out? Whatever the reason, my expectations are not as neutral as I would like. Not worried, though, just a little bit gloomy.

===

As with any pre-scan period, any physical twinge is a worry. A few nights ago I had a minor headache, I "never" have headaches, is this the start of a brain explosion? Logic tells me that a tumour-related headache would be on the same side of my head as the tumour. The worry fades as quickly as the headache.

The soles of my feet are still numb in spots and sensitive in other areas, my toes still occasionally itch horribly, I blame this on the chemo drugs. They are known to affect extremities, there's a medical name which I forget. It was a relief when one extremity stopped being numb and I could feel myself pee.

Sensitive readers may skip this paragraph... I now have a slightly itchy spot on the end of my penis. It looks red and a bit dry. Is this some weird after-effect, or is it age-related? Has it just appeared (I don't often stare there)? Whatever it is -- I don't like it. And mysterious red spots just add to my bad mood. Which should clear when the scan results are in.

===

I've finally accepted that I have reached the limit of my skills for writing a phone app. Not to worry -- I will pass the task on to experts. I'm starting discussions with a development group. So I shall be wasting money rather than time... I hope it's worth it!

===

For those who read the holiday posts in this blog: Yes, we did arrive home safely. It's a common problem, we arrive home and notes from the last day remain unwritten.

For those who care -- and who will not see the final printed version -- think: Jurien, picnic with wildflowers, a cache or two, disappointing vanilla slice, a final day of peaceful roads less travelled... and home.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

I'm not cynical… just experienced… per Ginger Meggs

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

hair and mind

I'm getting a few comments on my hair, not all complimentary. Comments on the current state of my hair: getting longer, looking untidy. It's okay, I have a good excuse:

Now that my hair is growing -- after it disappeared entirely -- I am loath to cut it back. I have hair again, I celebrate by letting it grow!

There's also a purely economic reason: I'll be scanned again in mid-September, the scans may lead to more chemo treatment, the treatment may make my hair fall out again... So why waste money getting a haircut? Not yet, anyway :-)

===

My mind is, apparently, as patchy as my hair: I sent this post to the wrong email address... It's now removed from one blog & posted to the correct blog. I hope.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

I'm not cynical… just experienced… per Ginger Meggs

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Thu 20th: to Jurien Bay

We eat breakfast in the hotel dining room. It's a bit tricky: when we arrive we pay for breakfast and are given a key to the hotel. A key for the very solid lock from the beer garden. Let ourselves in and find the dining room. Food is waiting, we help ourselves.

I have cereal, more cereal, another helping of cereal. A combination of choc something and iron man food. (The ads only partly stuck in my mind.)

Deb has cereal then toast. She tries to make coffee... but fills it from the urn... which is cold. There are exactly as many cups as guests... and nowhere to empty the cold drink. Deb uses my cup for a successful second attempt to make hot coffee.
===

On the road again.

Another slow cruise on the back roads. Amongst broadacre farms with yellow canola or still-green wheat or whatever. Wildflower carpets in bush areas and wildflowers on road verges.

We pass a nature reserve and consider pulling over for morning tea, there is nowhere to get off the road. I spot a track going into the reserve, reverse to look again. It's a broad foot track, no good for us. We drive on.

Past the reserve, back amongst farms, there's a broad car-sized track leading to "cemetery". I don't want to eat with dead people. Luckily there is a clear area with the cemetery 100m away. We make tea, sit in the sun, wander round.

The cemetery is for three boys from the Tarbun Christian Brothers Agricultural School. From the info board this seems to have been a "good" CB school. At least one boy died in 1949, the school was sold ten years ago, the cemetery is still maintained though not spotless. Judging by signs further down the road the school is now St Mary's CB school for girls.

Another perfect spot for a break: sunshine, peace and quiet. With something interesting nearby.

Following the 4wd trail still... on to Coalseam nature reserve. Quite crowded here. We start to walk along the river... realise that the nearby geocache is at the lookout... at the top of a cliff. So we drive to the lookout.

We find the cache :-)  Deb checks the view at the lookout, I stand well back from any steep drop. Nice enough view from back here, thanks.
===

Next... a fairly straight drive to Mingenew. That's the end of one 4wd trail and the start of the next. We break for lunch. Oh yes: leaving Coalseam is a "river crossing". It had me worried. Turns out... we drive across a shallow puddle before we realise that tnis is the river crossing. Too easy :-)

We look for one cache just outside Mingenew, at the Pioneer Lookout. As we start to climb I think, We've been here before. It's a steep, rough track with some scrambling over rocks. Yes we were here a few years ago. This time... we get the geocache. Oh, and a view over the town.

We follow the 4wd trail to Three Springs. Just before town the trail leads off, following the edge of a lake.

We follow the trail. As far as we can tell, there are no trails leading off. We go through mud, across shallow water and plain sand. I try to drive over grass, it looks firmer.

It's not really difficult just not really a road. After a while, not even a track. Until we finally see a road... on the other side of a fence. Should we drive between the fence and a wheat crop, and hope for a gate? No. We retrace our steps.

Around the edge of the lake. Back to Three Springs. It's getting late, we decide to forget the 4wd trail and drive straight to Jurien. It's still a couple of hours away.

One-lane road, two lanes, one cache, down the Indian Ocean Drive. Arrive at our Jurien motel at about 5:30. The motel is -- as I expected -- a noisy sports bar sort of place. Our room is well clear of the noise and very nice.

We eat dinner at the motel. Fish. Delicious. We walk round the block after dinner then get back to our room for coffee. With a vanilla slice which we bought in the Mingenew Bakery. Yum :-)
===

Tomorrow, we plan to follow some of the 4wd trail. It's a long drive, when we've had enough we will get onto the nearest highway for a quick way home.

We'll have several good options for different trips along this 4wd track. In the future...

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

Wed 19th: to Mullewa

Breakfast is served :-)

We join the other two guests in the dining room. It's self-serve continental. We select unidentified cereal, yoghurt and fruit salad. The salad is fresh fruit, finely chopped, works well. Deb also has toast, I have more fruit and cereal.

The other guests are farmers living, for the last six months, in Burekup. Their farm borders on Evedon Ridge, an O map.

There's an interesting coat rack in the house. Coat rack as in, board to attach to wall, hooks on board to hang coats on. The board is local wood, the hooks are railway spikes. Must tell BrianA, he collects railway spikes.

We leave, not very early. Fine and chilly, 8 degrees. The day gradually warms to 15.

The roads are all in good condition, recently graded. Graders still working on one section. I find myself driving fast, I slow down, set cruise control to 60kph. We're here for the journey, there is no hurry.

We stop for morning tea. Just drive 20m off the road, get out the gas burner and chairs. Listen to the birds, enjoy the bush.

Further on, there's a named hill to one side. It looks interesting and there is a track leading to the hill. (The name starts with Cui... maybe.)

The track goes round the base of the hill, we follow about half way round. It's a good track except for the washaways and rocks. Easy driving but slow. The hill has a more gentle slope on one end, we park and walk.

We walk to the top of the hill. It's maybe one or two hundred feet high, not very high, easy walking. Of course there is a cairn at the top... we each add a stone.

The view is spectacular, in a very flat kind of way. Definitely worth climbing.

There are signs that kangaroos have been on the hill, and sheep or goats. The wind brings a smell of sheep but we don't see them.

Then we head down and I've forgotten where the truck is parked. That is, we go down a different path, reach the bottom, the truck is not there. Not to worry, we just follow the track in the right direction.

We have a gps which could have pointed back to the truck, we just forgot to carry it with us. Stupid, really.

Anyway... it was a great walk, most enjoyable. Our legs are stretched, we drive on.

There's plenty of bush worth watching, nothing outstanding. Just a very enjoyable drive. Easy driving gravel and dirt roads. A lot of the road is very flat, with some muddy puddles. We are able to drive on the edge of the puddles, no trouble.

We reach the highway... the Geraldton Mt Magnet Road. Bitumen. There's a cache ahead, we decide we will stop there for lunch.

It's a few km down a gravel road. The cache leads us to an old railway settlement. The big features are a dam and old railway tracks. Supposedly ruins as well but nothing is clearly old building. It's a beautiful spot. A couple of caravans have set up in the area.

Lunch is the leftover sandwiches from Mt Magnet, still fresh and tasty. Plus some bits and pieces from our supplies.
===

After lunch we drive straight to Mullewa. Straight? Well, via some geocaches.

One cache is just off the road -- amongst a lot of everlastings. Beautiful! We have finally started seeing carpets of wildflowers :-)

Another cache is called wreath flower, it's 10km off the main road. Also 10km off the highway is a wreath flower viewing area... We drive.

Wreath flowers -- leschenaultias? -- grow in a circle, a wreath shape. And they only grow in a very few spots. It's early in the season. There are plenty of green plants... and we find three or four flowering. Beautiful flowers :-) We also find the cache.

Okay, we check a few signs on an after dinner walk: wreath flower, leschenaultia something. Good.

A final cache before we hit town, at the "mass rock". The local priest gave services at a big rock near the old showgrounds, for the people who did not like to go into town. Another place we would never have heard of -- if not for a geocache.
===

The Mullewa Railway Hotel is (I'm guessing) a mid twentieth century version of the country hotels of 50 years' earlier. Standard brick, two stories, not too big, no fancy pressed iron ceilings. We eat in the dining room, we're first in but it soon fills up.

Our room is a donga, small, neat, complete. A sign near the door reminds us to lock the door -- especially when going to sleep... hmmm. Ah, but with the luxury of an ensuite :-)

There's a tv which occasionally loses its signal. There's free internet with a weak signal which regularly falls out.

Okay, it's not great. But it's warm and comfortable and fine for one night :-)

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

Tues 18 Aug: to Melangata

We spend the night, Monday night, at Kirkalocka station stay. The room is spacious, comfortable, not flash. The only problem is that the kitchen is on the other side of the house and the toilet is on the other side of the verandah.

There are electric lights but... It's lucky I brought in a torch, for the dark crossing of the verandah. The night is pitch black.

Deb says that she had trouble getting to sleep because of the noise of trucks on the highway. So she counted trucks. And reached ten before falling asleep. Mind you, each truck could have been worth 500 sheep.
===

Breakfast is our cheese and crackers in our room. Plus some fruit cake which Deb baked especially for this trip. We eat, pack and leave by 7:30.

It's a simple drive to Mt Magnet. There's steel emus and a geocache at the town entry. The cache sets our standard for the town...

We don't find the cache. In town, we look but don't find another cache. The town is an uninspiring dump. That's our impression.

We circle the town, getting very uninterested in any of the town caches. We visit the information centre. It's good but tells us nothing we want to know.

We continue to circle the town, looking for fuel. We finally find a roadhouse on the far side of town. We fill the tank and stop for brunch.

It's good, simple, truck stop food. We buy sandwiches for lunch, they are white bread -- of course -- thick sliced with plenty of filling.

The roadhouse is the highlight of our visit. We're glad to drive out of town.

Just clear of town -- a geocache. Well placed, easy to find. We shake off the bad vibes from town. Ready to drive to the next point of interest, 88km down the road.
===

The next point of interest is a meteorite crater. It has a name, I forget it.

It's not as big as Wolfe Creek... this crater is 21m across and a few metres deep. A good size to appreciate what it is, to see the complete picture all at once :-)

As we arrive, a couple of people are setting up to scan the crater with a drone. We leave them to it -- then realise that there is a cache at the crater. Oh well.

We passed a cache on the way in, we drive back, it's less than a km.

What a beautiful spot! A few rock surfaces, standard sparse scrub, red soil. Just off the road and so peaceful. The weather is perfect: mostly sunny, cool. A chill breeze, we shelter beside the truck. Time, we decide, for a cup of tea.

The new gas cooker works well though slowly. We relax... then decide to stay till lunch time, that's just another half hour.

Just half a roadhouse sandwich each is enough for lunch. Plus a bit of kitkat and an iced coffee. We're 50m from the road, only one car passes while we relax. This is why we drive in the bush :-)

I think, a little caravan would be nice, just enough to shelter in. Oh, plus lights to read by at night. The CoolBeans vans we saw at the show would suit us, absolute minimum features with no set-up. Almost seems like a good idea...

Finally, we leave.

Back to the crater, where we find the cache. Then on to Melangata, where we stay the night. It's not far, just a dozen km or so.

It takes us a while to figure out where to go. The camp grounds are well signposted. The homestead seems obvious. Where we check in is less obvious. We go into the house and start calling Hello. That works.

We settle in. Drink tea, eat sausage roll (part of the service:-). Go for a walk... past "the old rubbish tip". Certainly a lot of old rubbish. Past a scrappy lot of pet sheep and a few buildings. Good to stretch our legs.
===

Now it's time to go to dinner. Chat with host & guests first, so we are not rushing. Still, food is part of the package... time to go.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

Monday 18th: Kirkalocka

We wake up for breakfast at 7:30. Breakfast, we were told last night, starts at quarter past seven, or whenever the girl gets here.

As far as we can tell, the breakfast girl never arrives. Breakfast is being set up by a woman who looks more manager than breakfast girl. Not to worry, she makes good coffee and the rest is continental self serve.

Our room is pleasantly warm, the washed clothes are all dry, we had left one air con running all night. We pack, load, leave.

We set the gps for Dalwalinu, it leads us across several rivers, till we hit the main road, the road to Goomalling.

We are in the wheatbelt though half the crops are yellow canola. It's a beautiful drive, 10 or 11 degrees C but warm in the truck. A mix of fine, sunny, and occasional light rain. Hardly any traffic, gently rolling green countryside, all very beautiful.

We stop for morning tea -- a break, to stretch our legs, really -- at Wongan Hills, a very pleasant town. We have coffee and a slice of "rocky road" cheesecake which tastes like delicious Turkish delight.

I read and enjoy the local newsletter.
===

A pause in the story: Deb is knitting a jumper. How can I measure 26cm? she asks.

We have no ruler but we do have an orienteering map. After messing round with the scale line... I decide that the map is printed on a4 and a4 is 210 x 296 cm... possibly. Problem as good as solved...
===

We pass a few wheat silo locations. One has a few deserted buildings, only the silo is still in use (though not at this time of year). One has a row of derelict houses and another row of new houses. I wonder why some silo "towns" survive.

Next stop is Dalwalinu.

We eat lunch in a cafe, hamburgers. Solid, meaty, excellent. This is our main meal for today, we want hearty.

We also look for our first geocache -- and fail to find it. Not to worry, we do find a few caches as we drive further on.

We also find wildflowers... so our trip is a success :-)

It's two or three hundred km to where we stop for the night. On the way we stop for some caches and just for a break, to enjoy the country.

The only "town" is Paynes Find: tavern, shop, fuel, accommodation.We buy iced coffee and drive on. Deb starts to worry that it will be dark before we stop. I have a more accurate idea of the time. The sun is still well and truly up when we reach Kirkalocka, at 4:30.

The "old homestead" where we stay the night is old but not ancient. Clean and comfy. Cool and getting colder. We settle in then go for a walk.

The station ran sheep but has been destocked, years ago. It will be restocked with cattle. First, the fences need to be fixed, lots of work to be done. Meanwhile... it's income from rented accommodation (tonight just us and one other couple) and the farmer works fulltime off the station.

We walk to the creek, across bare and barren land. There's only a handful of "pet" stock animals but they must do a lot of grazing. It's a permanent creek with a large pool -- now with a couple of olympic pools' worth of water -- just 100m from the homestead. We enjoy the walk.

Back inside, we eat dinner. Deb made cheese and gherkin sandwiches for post-orienteering lunch but we ate in a Northam cafe instead. So the sandwiches are our dinner tonight. Delicious :-)

We're 100m from the highway and it sounds as though the passing trucks are much closer. Plus, the power generator is noisy. I expect that Deb will have trouble sleeping. I expect that I shall sleep like a log.

Now it's time to press send... but actual sending will wait... until we have internet again.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

a bit more

We have a bedroom with ensuite. A second room is kitchen and lounge. I open a door -- and there is a small courtyard: grass, table, chairs and cane lounge. Duke's Inn, Northam, very nice.

Very efficient, too. We check in, move in. I test the free wifi... One new email: invoice and receipt from the Inn.

We eat in the Inn, pub meals. I have barramundi and help Deb eat her enormous pile of roast beef. Back to our room for plunger coffee.

I tackle the two cryptic crosswords from today's paper, one is notoriously weird. I find that it helps to be tired, my mind is confused, I think of ridiculous answers -- that are right. Tonight I must be exhausted... I easily finish both crosswords.

I check the news, nothing interesting. I read a bit then stop, don't want to finish too soon. Deb watches murder on tv.

Two air conditioners are running, heating. Orienteering gear hangs from hooks and handles, drying. A long drive tomorrow.

Time to sleep.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

Holiday: O and Northam

Saturday 16 August 2020

Should we go for a run? Or should we prepare for a week away... So of course we go for a run. Forty minutes jogging plus warm up and cool down walking.

Time to pack. Every so often we think of something and get it ready to pack. Late in the afternoon I start loading some stuff into the truck (ie the Prado). One item is the small gas cooker.

I test the one that I bought ten or twenty years ago. Insert the tin of gas, turn the gas on. Flames blossom all over the cooker, I blow them out. We buy a new cooker.

Sunday 17th

Finish packing clothes into suitcases, finish loading the truck.

Loading the truck is a bit of a challenge: we have stuff for the driving holiday -- plus stuff for today's orienteering. The O gear has to be accessible for the event.

Orienteering is at Peterdine, an hour and a half's drive. It rains all the way.

There is a time of sunshine as we prepare to run... excellent. Then it starts raining again. I spent more than twenty minutes circling round to find the first control. I find one more control... cut off most of the course... find a few final controls.

Deb finishes her course :-)  The sun is shining :-)

It starts raining again. We do have a picnic lunch -- but drive to Northam for lunch in a cafe. Sitting indoors watching the rain over the river. Much nicer than a picnic in the rain :-)

The gps has trouble finding our motel... Who would have thought that Northam would have Duke St, Duke St E and Duke St W!

We check in and relax, it's two comfortable rooms with air conditioners. Which are now on -- heating.

We wash our soaking wet O gear. The motel dryers are broken so running gear is hanging all over the rooms.

We relax, waiting on dinner time.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

double dreaming

I wake up from two dreams. Or, perhaps from one dream in two parts. Whatever...

First, I am with a crowd of people, friends and acquaintances. Our grandson is there. He says to me, You don't enjoy being here but you need to be polite and friendly. Smart kid, I think.

Now the dream changes. I am sitting next to a camel. I am scratching the camel's throat, the camel enjoys it. The camel says, Really, you can't see the lines of x-rays? Then I do. See them, that is.

My dreams can be confusing. There is some obvious and accurate insight, the significance is clear. But I have no idea about the first part, with our grandson...

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

a sort of holiday

There's a 24 hour rogaine down at Grimwade, near Donnybrook. Our first rogaine since corona-lockdown. Time to pack for a night in the bush... not.

Friday, we drive to Donnybrook, to the Donnybrook Motel. Why do we choose that motel? It's the only one in town.

It's a very nice motel: clean, comfortable, warm. It's Winter, warm is important.

We eat dinner in Donnybrook. There's an Indian restaurant across the road, we avoid it. Neither of us can stand Indian food. The Riverside sounds good: steak or fish with salad or veggies. We walk.

It's a cold walk! Deb likes to walk after dinner so, too bad, we walk.

To the Riverside. Where we are greeted by an Indian(*) waiter, the chef is Indian, the background music is Indian. Deb has fish and salad. I try the special, butter chicken. Which is spicy, not too spicy, and delicious.

(*) Maybe Indian. Maybe Pakistani. Probably Australian.

We walk back to the motel, where we sleep in comfort.
===

The event site is a half hour's drive, we don't need to rush. I fill in some time letting the butter chicken rush through. Twice. Yes, I tell Deb, it's still spicy.

We drive to the event. It's a beautiful drive, through rolling forest and farmland. The car gps tracks our route, to be followed (yes, in reverse) when we leave.

It's a perfect day for walking, cool but fine. There are plenty of tracks and rumours of blackberries. I spend a quarter hour planning a route to follow (mostly) tracks and to get back before sunset. Before sunset but after the Hash House has started serving food.

The rogaine starts at noon. We follow a horde of people to the first few controls, then we move to a less popular route.

And the butter chicken strikes again. Yes, that was me, squatting in the bushes in a quiet spot... though not as quiet as I hoped. The passing team carefully avoided making eye contact.
===

The rest of the day is less... exciting. Of the butter chicken, only gas remains. Deb keeps clear.

We follow tracks and have no problems. In fact we make good time and go to a high-point control which we had marked as "optional". It's off the tracks, well into the bush. But no worries!

We are doing so well that we add two extra controls and still get back to the HH before dark.
===

At this stage we should be eating dinner and settling in for a night in the tent. We do eat dinner... then drive back to the Donnybrook Motel. Buying food for breakfast at the 24-hour bakery. (Bakers are baking, it makes sense to be open to customers.)

Aahh! the comfort of a motel. Aaahhhh, the warmth :-)

After a very comfortable night -- including hot showers -- we drive back to tbe rogaine. To start walking just after sunrise.
===

Three emus wander across the road!

Another fine day for walking. Temperature (in daytime) is 10 to 15 C. Chilly till we get moving. There's a patch of light rain, late in the morning. Again, we mostly follow tracks. Yesterday we walked past some blackberries, today we see none. We see maybe a dozen other competitors in the four hours we are walking.

The final leg is three controls in an almost direct line back to HH, through bush. No trouble with the first two. I set the compass to the third...

This third control -- our last for the day -- is on a creek. We reach the creek. Is it to the left or the right? Left, I say. Right, says Deb. I'm the navigator so we turn left.

Turns out, we should have turned right.

We miss the control by 50m. We find a track, identify the bend we are on, turn back. And miss the control by 50m. We give up and head back to HH...

It's a sure sign that I'm getting tired... Walking to that control I always aimed off a bit -- then forgot which way I had aimed off. So didn't know which way to turn at the creek.

Not to worry! It's a low-point control. The only control which gave us a problem. We continue on, back to HH with ten minutes to spare. A very enjoyable rogaine :-)
===

We're tired, wet and cold. Deb is damp, mostly from rain, before she put on a raincoat. I've been dripping sweat for hours, as I always do. (I walk in shorts, thermal and shirt and accept that I will be hot and wet. Then cold and wet when we stop walking.)

We have no tent to pack up. We don't wait for the presentations. We leave just a few minutes before the event closes at noon. I've changed into dry clothes... but we drive with the heater on full. Aaahhh, bliss!

We stop... somewhere... for lunch. I'm sure we stopped somewhere, I just have no memory of where(**). No memory of stopping, either. Which is why this journal should be written as soon as possible, before the memory fades...
===

So we arrive home, satisfied but tired. After much walking -- and several hours sitting still while driving -- legs are stiff and tired and aching. "Recovery" the next day involves an hour and a half splashing in the pool with our grandson. My legs no longer ache but... no surprise... are still tired. So the day after... we're back to running. Forty minutes... Not recovered but feeling better :-)
===

On the two days of the rogaine we walked 22km and 15km. If we have a secret, it's to keep... on... walking. I find it hard to believe -- the country seemed to be flat or gently rolling -- we ascended 2000m. (And went down the same...)

Results are not yet on the web but we have heard that we won our category. At worst we came second, with only two teams in our category: male/female and all team members over 65. It's a great sport for getting old.

I overlaid our gps trace over the competition map. It all looks good -- except for the ridiculous effort round that last control.

And good news for Deb: I hardly swore at all.

A good weekend all round.

===

(**) I'm doing the obvious check: looking at credit card payments. We stopped at Boyanup, the Old Boyanup Bakery. We drove via Dardanup & Boyanup, quieter and more interesting than the main highway. A light lunch at Boyanup followed by a quick dash back to the truck as heavy rain came pelting down. It was a *mostly* fine weekend :-)

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs