footnote on Wells

Our May holiday took us to the city of Wells. I wanted to see, and let deb see, the gardens of the Bishops Palace.

I was a bit disappointed, the gardens were not yet in full bloom.

Last week we watched Antiques Roadshow -- and it was presented from the Bishops Palace.

With some shots of gardens in full bloom.In perfect weather. Plus a chat with the actual Bishop of Bath and Wells. Amazing. If looked as beautiful as described in the book which inspired our visit.

I'm so pleased that Deb has now seen that garden as it was meant to be :-)

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

Donnybrook then home

on Saturday we drive to Donnybrook.

what can i say? i can't remember much detail. pleasant bush on either side, karri forest and other forest and... bush. and farm paddocks. some gravel roads, mostly good bitumen. an enjoyable drive despite my short memory.

then, Donnybrook. we have lunch in the pub. another delicious pub steak.

we wander round town a bit. then to the motel. where we check in and... relax.

it's a standard motel. small, clean, comfortable. every few hours we hear a noisy truck pass along the highway, otherwise it's very quiet.

next day, Sunday: continental breakfast in our room, the toast is rather nice "seed" bread.

we pack and leave.

deb thinks we may as well take the fast and furious forrest highway, we end up on the far more interesting SW highway. stop for coffee and cake in Waroona.

then back to the freeway and... home.

deb clears leaves from the front lawn, a neighbour tells us that it was red tailed black cockies chewing twigs and leaves off our lemon scented gums. nice cockies.

i count that we found eleven geocaches, a good haul.

we go out to buy some food. wash some clothes. generally settle back into home routines.

a good holiday, good to be home.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

friday 1st

i think it's Friday... it's definitely the 1st of December. I'm sitting on the verandah of our cottage. just sitting. relaxing. a couple of magpies squawking companionably on the lawn. Some people chatting quietly near another cottage. otherwise all quiet.

Back to this morning:

Wedrive to a (or the) boat harbour. deb has a 4km walk planned. 4km... then return.

it follows the coast. plenty of beach and sea views. also plenty of good caches, we find half a dozen. very satisfying :-)

the weather is warmish not hot, there's some shade and quite a breeze. (and flies:-)

some pools sheltered by rocks, ideal for swimming, not that we do. small sandy beaches separated by rocks. lots and lots of water.

One beach is June's Beach, we know because of the painted sign. Sign being repainted by a woman who tells us that June was her mother, who lived across the road from this beach. this woman has been repainting the sign for twenty years, since her mother died. the beach name may not be formal but is known and accepted.

we walk on. finish the walk after three hours. tired.

drive back to town, buy fish and chips, take it home for lunch.

and relax for the afternoon.

until deb phones the manager about the tv.

its a smart tv so doesn't work. no fee-to-air channels. it does have netflix... for kids.

the manager response is good, a bloke comes by quite soon. he can't fix it. a second bloke arrives, he can't fix it. he speaks with a neighbour, their tv is the same. the tvs have been in for two years. hmm. other people probably just plug in a phone and use the tv smarts?

deb watches what she can on her tablet. i read.

all very relaxing, for me.

aha! the tv is fixed.

the second man says he opened the antenna junction box, pulled out the plugs, replugged.

now it all works :-) a loose or rusty plug? probably.

now... back to doing nothing.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

no, not fleas

Thursday 30th: i wake up and ask deb to look. do i have fleas running riot on my scalp? no. but i do have sunburn.

i have three cloth hats which look the same but two are cotton and one is polyester. turns out that that last one has SPF rating of zero.

i spend today with burning itching scalp and ears. lucky the weather has been cool.

we pack up and leave our karri hill cottage. we're sorry to leave.

first stop is pemberton bakery for drink and muffin.

there are several doors with signs, this is *not* a toilet. i appreciate clear signs like that.

next stop is Alexandra Bridge, a large camping caravan and picnic area. on the blackwood river. at a large pool, suitable for boating, swimming, fishing etc. we are there for the toilets.

it's a pleasant area though there are some noisy people not us and a generator.

we drive on to Augusta.

we're in riverscape cottages #3.

it's only midday, we go to colourpatch cafe for lunch. beautiful view over the river. delicious, fancy minimalist food, I'll need to fill up with bread for dinner.

we walk along the river beach for 30 or 40 minutes.

it's warm worth a strong cool wind. i embarrass deb by taking off my shirt, not for long, i still itch with sunburn.

back at our cottage. deb walks to the end of the road, it reaches the river. just ten minutes.

now... we do nothing.

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

northcliffe and pemberton

we start the day with a walk. out the front door of our cottage, across the paddock and we are on the munda bidi. which soon connects with the bibb track.

we walk the track through forest, mostly karri. just a few wildflowers still looking pretty.

we reach Shafers Hut on the bibb. there's a very large pool of water, safe for swimming near the edge, we keep out. it looks tempting but i don't swim.

we follow the track a bit further, to a solid gate. it's easy to pass but we have walked enough, we turn back.

we see a few small birds flitting around. some birds are calling in the bush.one sings a few notes, another just chirps. it's all very pleasant.

look ahead, on the track, i whisper to deb, it's an emu. he jogs away, no rush, legs pacing, body swaying side to side. we love it.

back at our cottage. we've walked about 45 minutes. slowly, still tiring. the day is cool but muggy. now we relax.

we drive to the pemberton pub for lunch, a hearty meal.

we visit The Cascades. there's water flowing but not much. call it the cascade, forget the last s.

we drive on to northcliffe.

there is not much here... lucky we are not looking for lunch, we don't see even a cafe. there's a general store, we buy drinks for now and chocolate for this evening. we buy the daily paper. deb says that i don't want to read the news (the usual misery and stupidity, i guess) so i don't

back at the cottage.

the owner drops by to say hello. doesn't stay too long. after our attempt to follow her directions to find the courage, i let deb do the talking, deb is polite.

i do the crossword from the paper, manage to finish even without having internet for cheating.

another good day, done.

 

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

back to old tech

I think that this is how it used to work: I type a post, press send, the post sits in the outbox until we get back to internet. i hope it still works. i won't know till we're home again.

I tried that on the laptop, the one with a decent keyboard, the post just... disappeared.So, back to the ancient android. fingers crossed.

And then there's the gps navigation tech.Total fall. enough said.

 Tuesday:

we check or of the luxury hotel in Katanning. It's very nice. a great experience.we're glad we stayed there. not glad enough to want another night.

it takes all day to get to our next place.

We start with a visit to Lake Unpronounceable, it ends with martup. What a beautiful spot. an enormous lake, probably quite shallow. good for swimming,boating, bird watching. absolutely peaceful. we enjoy some peace and quiet then head back to town.

we get diesel for the truck, ice for the esky. we even find a few caches. then we drive to Kojonup. where we stop at another favourite cafe, the black cockatoo. we like our holidays to go from cafe to cafe. we snack and buy sandwiches for lunch.

when the GPS tells us to make a U turn we stop for a picnic lunch. Middle of nowhere. perfect weather. not another person in sight. just us and the flies.

The rest of the afternoon is spent finding our cottage.

Bell Cottage, one of karri hill cottages.

The written directions are rubbish.no internet for G Maps. the no-internet gps fails. after a few false turns... we get here.it is worth the effort. a simple cottage.surrounded by paddocks and bush. i first heard of it as a stop for Bibb Track walkers. better than a tent :-)

we had a vague plan of going to a nearby pub for dinner. no way will we drive any further.not with the sun setting.

we settle in, have crackers and cheese for dinner. relax.

some other highlights...

we looked at the kobeelya mansion in Kat, we looked only outside. looks impressive, very nice.

the road to here is through lots of bush with spectacular trees,very pleasant,easy driving but a long day. this location makes it worthwhile.

despite one cache which we failed to find. others were in interesting places. or, at least, found.

now I'll send. and hope that it will actually send when we get internet again.

oh... this cottage does have phone internet -- if we stand outside on the verandah.

 

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


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

picnic

GPS says

do a U turn do we stop for a picnic

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
...

===

If everyone is thinking the same way, then someone is not thinking.

Katanning

We set off just after 11am. Have a relaxed drive to Williams. To yet another favourite place, the Woolshed, for lunch. Very pleasant.

But before we even set off I have a thought... I add some geocaches to the old device which is still the simplest way of finding caches. Not that we plan to go caching but now we're prepared.

Speaking of old devices... This post is being typed on the 10 year old tablet. It's slow, it's limited, it works. At least, it works so far :-)

From Williams we drive to Wagin. It's a beautiful drive. Rolling hills, farms either side. Mostly golden brown paddocks of a crop, perhaps wheat, which looks as though it's about ready to harvest. We pass one lake, very large, probably shallow.

We're using the Hema to navigate. No idea how it's meant to work, we convince it to guide us to the Katanning hospital, at least that's in the right town.

But first we visit Wagin. No, the Hema won't guide us to Wagin but it will take us to Wagin Historic Village. We've never heard of it so... worth a visit.

In fact... it's fascinating.

A lot of it is new but built in old style eg some wattle and daub huts. Some are old originals moved and rebuilt. One new building built from bricks from an old building.

All full ofhistoric goods from local farms etc.

An enormous amount of work, mostly by local volunteers.Amazing. I'm glad we found it.

Then on to Katanning.

We're at the Premier Mill Hotel. All very flash and modern. Push button light controls, Deb helps me get them working. There's a boiling water tap for tea, even Deb has trouble. Oh, it doesn't work.

Between us we manage to get a light on in the bathroom.

Ah, technology :-)

The room is very comfortable.

We go downstairs for dinner, to the Dome cafe. Tasty ribs.

I get us some water, manage to knock mine onto the floor... someone comes to mop it up, seems the water is dripping into the bar on the floor below. oops.

We get coffee and a chocolate for dessert in our room.

And it's time to relax. Phew :-)

Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper

Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


As Conan says: What does not kill you
does not kill you

Pinnacles fun run.

Friday, we drive to Cervantes. Why? Well, it's a peaceful pleasant spot and...

Saturday we do a fun run through the Pinnacles. 5km through the Nambung national park. The wind is blowing, I think it always blows here. The run organisers lost a marquee or two, blown into the bush.

The sand is blowing. I keep my eyes and mouth closed, still, I'm soon chewing grit.

Deb sets the pace, I push to keep her in sight, Deb looks back occasionally, she expects me to get lost. But no worries, not today.

The run is hard work, through an interesting place. We enjoy it.

Back to the Pinnacles Motel in Cervantes, where we rest and recover.

We eat lunch at The Lobster Shack. Crowded, busy, efficient, pleasant.

We share a $30 crayfish (or, okay, lobster) in a bun. It's nice though not something we long for. But an essential part of the Cervantes experience.

We walk a couple of km at Thirsty Point. Enjoyable despite the howling wind. Then go to Seashells Cafe for icecream (Deb) and iced coffee (me).

There's an art trail round town. I add a couple of murals to a pwMapApp "map".

Now we're back in our motel room. Ready to relax till it's time for dinner.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Whoever said "fighting never solves anything" obviously never won a fight

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

a dream that works

It's quite easy to write about physical symptoms. Especially since mine are quite minor. And most can be blamed on age and sloth :-)

Waiting for the last scan results I am... positive. So positive that I tell myself to stop thinking. I prefer to have no expectations, neither good nor bad.

Less easy, a bit embarrassing, to admit to depression. I have times when I am just miserable. Nothing to do with cancer, either. Cancer is icing on the cake.

How difficult is it to write about depression? It's taken me 2 or 3 weeks just to start. And I only start now that I feel I am in control again.

Yet for the last month I have days on end when I am just miserable. Depressed. Sometimes I snap at Deb and that makes me feel even worse. I am trying to even out my mood. To at least stop worrying Deb.

And now...

Last night I dream. I pull out a dagger and wave it round in a threatening manner. The dagger is inspired by a book I'm reading. The dream adds a clear message...

I have times of miserable thoughts that won't go away. So I do as the dream suggests -- I imagine I'm holding a dagger, wave the dagger at the depressing thoughts... and scare them away.

It works! The depression is still there but in the background. I am able to enjoy the here and now.

I may have to write a book, "Solving problems with ideas from dreams". I'm amazed that it works. I'm even more amazed that the idea comes in a dream.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Whoever said "fighting never solves anything" obviously never won a fight

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

probably boring

Okay, we already know the results of my latest scan: nothing interesting.

Now we have the official word from the cancer doc: "nothing interesting" :-)

It's a phone consultation. Deb asks, What did she say?

Well, I heard, "no sign of tumour growth" and "April" Apart from that, I'm defeated by my deafness and the doc's slight accent.

What else did she say? asks Deb. I have no idea, I'm only guessing that she said something about no change. Oh, and the doc asks how I am? I probably replied fine, fine, as ever. I don't really listen, if it's important I'm sure she'll repeat it. I pass the phone to Deb.

The doc says that the next scan can wait for six months.

All very uninteresting. Which is all good :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Whoever said "fighting never solves anything" obviously never won a fight

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

a fallen woman

After years of clean living (and luck) Deb and I finally have covid.

For me it's like a bad cold. Much the same for Deb except...

Deb does not let something like covid slow her down. Until...

We're in the kitchen and Deb -- slowly crumples and falls to the floor.

I go into mild panic mode. Are you okay? (stupid question). Yes, I'm fine, says Deb. I suspect that she is not aware that she is lying on the floor.

We exchange a few words. Deb saying that she's okay, me not believing it.

Deb stands up, quite carefully, and walks to her usual spot on the couch.

I speak sternly about sitting still. I also have words about her having thrown a cup of coffee all over my trousers.

Our son phones, he's on his way over. Why is he coming over, Deb asks. Because I phoned him. Why? It was either phone him or phone an ambulance. Oh, okay.

Deb says that she's fine, no worries, all good. Ha :-(

Son checks Deb's pulse and blood pressure, all good.

Deb later speaks on the phone to the GP, all very reassuring.

The consensus is that the virus caused Deb to have a little girlie faint.

Later Deb says that yes, she did feel rather bad before the fall.

Being Deb she would not consider taking it easy.

From then on I watch Deb like a hawk. Making sure there is no sign of a wobble. All seems fine again.

As I tell Deb, several times, just one collapse and no-one trusts you any more.

====

Another side-effect of covid: Today I get the latest scan results -- by phone, the doc doesn't want covid in her office.

She's late phoning. Not a worry, we're sitting in comfort at home.

But anyway: Our insider has already told us, my latest scan is as uninteresting as the last. Phew :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Whoever said "fighting never solves anything" obviously never won a fight

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

home again

End of holiday.

Good holiday, good accommodation, easy driving -- for me. Even Deb enjoys it, more space and less traffic than on English roads.

We follow a "sculpture" trail , did I mention this? from Gnarabup Beach, a couple of hours walking.

Deb looks for a walk, reads about it, decides if it's okay for me. I'm well looked after :-)

And the wedding... This is the entire reason for us being in Margaret River.

It is fun.

The ceremony is... good grief, I'd be embarrassed. The words of the bride and groom to each other -- are also embarrassing -- but they clearly mean it. I suspect that the wedding goes -- and feels -- exactly as they want, a beautiful memory for the couple. Including the outdoor location at the edge of the vines in a vineyard. All very nice -- but not my style.

I worry... Does Deb regret the simplicity of our own wedding? We were married in Deb's parents' lounge. I ask Deb, Do you ever wish we had gone somewhere fancy? Without pause for thought Deb replies, Oh God no!

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Whoever said "fighting never solves anything" obviously never won a fight

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

accommodation

We're in a cottage on a winery, Bettanays. It's very nice, quite large for two, very peaceful, no other people in sight, an occasional glimpse of a distant car.

It's also full of fancy mod cons. Press a pedal to open the bin, then it glides closed smoothly and silently. The toaster is button operated. Push a button and the bread glides down for toasting. Another button and the bread glides up so you can see how it's going then it glides back again. Simple, it works, it's fun. (We can still get smoke.)

There's a "pod" coffee machine. I created several cups of hot water before I gave up, now Deb makes fancy coffee for herself.

There's a washing machine -- I'm not even going to try.

There are no fly-wire doors! The whole place is air con. Which is very nice for temperature though a bit drying. I'll put up with dry skin :-) The cottage is comfortable and well located. Well located for isolation (our preference) and for proximity to the places we want to visit.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Talk is cheap — but say the wrong thing to your boss and it'll cost you. (adapted from Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

last few days

I'm fairly certain that today is Friday. Because Friday is the day of the wedding that brought us to Margaret River. And we're just back from the wedding. So, Friday.

Though... The wedding is at four pm and we thought it was at six. So who knows...

Some days ago: We walk the "Quenda Trail" from Smiths Beach. A pleasant couple of hours along the beach, along a trail through bush area then a bit more beach. Beautiful weather, beautiful walk. A bit tiring but only because we are (or I am) unfit.

It's nice walking along the beach with the sound and smell of ocean on one side. Nice, but I still prefer bush.

Our walk is a tiny fraction of the Cape to Cape. Deb has done the entire C2C twice with her sister. While we're here we look, we think, time to walk it again? Ha! we wish :-) Just shorter day walks for us, for now...

Today we walk the Sculpture Trail from Gnarabup Beach. There's a comment, "The sculptures will keep the kids amused." Another, "Not as many sculptures as we expected." Well... There is one park half way round, with a few sculptures. That's it. (I think you could drive there.)

However, in the park the main sculpture is man and dog with stick -- very cute -- worth the walk just for that.

And then... the wedding.

I explain to our grandson -- who is getting a bit tired -- that a wedding means a lot to the people involved but can be tiring for others. I do *not* say bloody tedious. I do rather like the words of the bride and groom to each other. Embarrassing but sweet.

It's nice to catch up with a few family members (our family is spread all over the place. I chat, then Deb tells me who that was.

We all go inside for food. I believe there's a food source, I don't see it, Deb and others bring me some snacks, I don't like crowds, I don't like eating in a crowd. Grandson is a bit tired and, perhaps overwhelmed, I sit next to him to offer silent comfort. I don't know if he needs it but I do.

The kids want to play outside, we all follow them, what a relief.

I've not eaten much, Deb fetches me a big bowl of paella, unfortunately it tastes disgusting.

We leave before speeches, in my defence I'm getting deaf and won't know what they are saying. We. get home where I eat some crackers and cheese.

Phew!

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Talk is cheap — but say the wrong thing to your boss and it'll cost you. (adapted from Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

catching up

As far as I can tell, tech problems have lost two earlier posts. So, briefly:

Sunday. We drive to Harvey for lunch. Then on to Balingup for a few days at Balingup Forest Heights or something like that. As we arrive my first thought is, Wow this is beautiful. We stay for three peaceful nights. Enjoying every day.

We visit to the Golden Valley Tree Farm where we find and admire our sponsored tree, a silver mallet, E. recta. Brilliant :-)

We walk 4km near Greenbushes. Through wetlands with lots of flowers, all reclaimed tin mine.

We drive to Nannup, a very pleasant place, then on to Margaret River. Stopping for scones and an icecream on the way.

In MR we're in a cottage on a vinyard. Dinner at a crowded pizza place in town. All very nice. It reinforces my view that I would not stay in MR by choice. It's all very nice and classy and I'm not.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Talk is cheap — but say the wrong thing to your boss and it'll cost you. (adapted from Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

Fwd: our tree

Golden Valley Tree Farm 

read the sign :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
...

===

If everyone is thinking the same way, then someone is not thinking.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Deb Lethbridge <debleth@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2023 at 4:21 pm
Subject: Tree
To: Nick Lethbridge <nickleth@gmail.com>

balingup

a deb and I are relaxing for a few days. Very pleasant :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
...

===

If everyone is thinking the same way, then someone is not thinking.

another scan

Another MRI today. Deb drops me off, picks me up, we go for coffee and cake.

The scan is easy enough. We won't get the results for a couple of weeks.

I can't claim that I'm not worried but, not too tense. It's all a bit ho hum. At least until the results are different. Which we won't know for weeks :-)

Deb says nothing but yes, she does worry :-(

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Talk is cheap — but say the wrong thing to your boss and it'll cost you. (adapted from Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

do not panic

When you're lost it's vital to not panic. So, when I'm trying to get home from Kings Park -- I do not panic.

I've done this trip several times. With varying degrees of lost-ness. Leave the cafe, follow the track to the main road. Cross the footbridge, walk past the hospital, get to G Block, catch the bus. Easy.

I leave the cafe and fail to find the track. Is it to the left or the right? I go left, a long way, no track. Return, walk past where I started. Find a track.

The track reaches the main road... no bridge. It's the wrong track. No worries, I find the main road. No sign of the footbridge. I cross at traffic lights.

I can see the hospital that I need to pass. I can't see a footpath... I cross various minor roads, carefully, waving my white stick in a defensive fashion.

No sign of G Block. Not to worry, I can follow a road. Carefully. Finally, a bus stop.

Not my usual stop but... it lists the bus that I want.

I use Google Maps, it says -- walk three minutes to a bus stop. But I am already at a bus stop?

I uninstall Maps and wait for the bus, they come every ten minutes.

The bus arrives, no worries, it takes me to nearly the end of our road.

I know to press the stop button when I see the primary school. Then cross the very busy road, head away... and work out where exactly I am. No worries.

I must say, bus drivers and passengers are very helpful.

Yes, I'm lost for most of the journey. But logic and memory tell me which way to go.

It's a lot less comfortable when I'm in a new location with no memory to guide me.

So: close, but no panic :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Talk is cheap — but say the wrong thing to your boss and it'll cost you. (adapted from Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

the O Festival is Over :-)

It's been ten days  of orienteering festival -- the National Orienteering Champs -- in WA. Deb is one of the many volunteers, she helps at the Finish on several days. When we volunteer, we always work together, two volunteers for the price of one. This year it's one-and-a-half for the price of one. Plus Deb's sister G, who adds value at one of the events. Plus, G guides me round a course.

She's not a regular orienteer but does very well. No way I could do a course by myself, I follow G. It's great fun to be in the bush and "competing". Then we help Deb in her volunteering role. It's simple stuff, our "help" is mostly to be company.

It does involve hours of standing in the sun, with breaks in the shade. Then an hour and a half to drive home.

I hope it was tiring for Deb and G, it was absolutely exhausting for me.

Deb and I do this helping at the finish at three events on three days. The third day has good shade and it's close to home. With some unexpected entertainment: Competition is finished, presentations are happening on the lawn -- and the sprinklers turn on :-) Everyone enjoys it except the people who have to desperately shelter the computers being used to record results.

The Festival is over, I'm exhausted -- and all I did was hang around.

Now back to normal activities... phew :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Talk is cheap — but say the wrong thing to your boss and it'll cost you. (adapted from Alfred E. Neuman)

Dying for you to read my blog :-)

app-y dreams

I spend a few hours re-writing (again) my app. No idea whether or not it'll ever work but it's a lot of fun.

Then I dream... that the app is working! Well, that was easy :-) Pity it's just a dream.

Another dream: I'm driving and the brakes don't work. My dreams never hurt me, I just cruise to a stop, walk to a garage. If dreams are significant then this one tells me that I have a lot to do, a long way to go, going fast -- not able to stop. That's an interpretation that I like :-)

While awake... I'm at the tail end of a cold, I sleep and eat my way to recovery. If not for the cold I would eat and sleep anyway. I don't mind the sleep but I don't like the way the weight still creeps up. But I do enjoy eating :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Too many people consider themselves open-minded when they're really just empty-headed. (Alfred E. Neuman)

pwMapAppreadMe)

Show day

It's Royal Show week. Should we go? Both Deb and I enjoy the Show, neither of us like crowds, I now have to watch carefully in crowds... Of course we go to the Show. By bus then train. Very easy ( with Deb in charge). Weather is fine, crowds are not too bad.

We see some pigs, for me and some cats, for Deb. Log-chopping (where we see a visit by the GG). Other than that, we just walk and wander and watch. It's great fun. We're glad that we went. Of course :-)

====

Dream: 

I have a GPS watch. It puts up a message every kilometer. Sometimes it also speaks, every km, through my phone. Oh, and I read a lot of science fiction.

So... no surprise that I dream that my GPS watch is talking through my phone -- to warn me that aliens are invading. Very useful :-)

Strange dreams. I have a cold. Deb has a sore leg from an orienteering fall. Otherwise all well and good. As usual :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

===

Too many people consider themselves open-minded when they're really just empty-headed. (Alfred E. Neuman)

pwMapAppreadMe)

Time Passes...

I can't remember when I last posted.

Things have happened... nothing serious... I've just been lazy.

Current cancer status: No change.

At least, no change that I can notice. My next scan will be in the middle of October. So, till then -- or till a couple of weeks after that when I get the results -- I'm fine.

Physical: My only problem is still that I'm half-blind, can't see anything on my left. This prevents me from driving. It also makes me unsteady on uneven surfaces, I can't see where my left foot will land.

Mental: I claim that I'm okay, I can do crosswords, but who am I to judge.

Emotional: I get angry easily, I may have always been like that. I'm less worried about potential death by cancer than I was, I'm now old enough that all sorts of things could kill me and no-one would be surprised. I'm quite happy that I have nothing debilitating.

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Orienteering -- and any off-track rogaining -- are now beyond me. I followed Deb on an "Easy" course, I had to give up, I could not get through the bush: could not see placing my left foot and could not see bushes at face level.

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But on the other major topic for this blog: holidays -- I'm causing trouble :-(

Deb wanted to walk the Routeburn in NZ. There's no way I could do it -- there's said to be a steep and rocky downhill, down-mountain -- down is worse than up.

Deb thought, there's a nice three-day walk in Tassie. I read about "rocky scrambles" on two of the days. So that walk is also beyond me.

I'm happy to not do these walks. But if I can't do it -- Deb does not want to do it. That upsets me.

So we'll try a short break in the SW, with some day walks.

My half-vision stops me driving, that's annoying. Now it's interfering with Deb's holidays, that's worse than annoying :-( Oh well.

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Meanwhile: my phone app: I paid a developer. He got the app into the Apple and Android stores, I was really pleased.

Within a couple of months both Apple and Android have changed their minimum requirements... Too bad, the developer has moved on. If the standards are enforced retrospectively, the apps will disappear. Which is a real pain -- I'm helping set a rogaine which was going to use the app.

The rogaine will run on paper, app-free. I'm still very glad that I actually had a full working app... even if only for a few months.

Now I'm learning yet another coding language and will attempt to re-write the app -- in a format that will not need Apple or Android stores. So there :-) Writing code is very satisfying. When it works it's an almost sexual thrill... look out Deb :-)

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I'll finish this post. There's a letter I need to write. A few hours learning and coding. Look for accommodation for our SW break. Maybe get to bed before the sun comes up.

Tell you what, having nothing to do takes up a lot of time.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

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Too many people consider themselves open-minded when they're really just empty-headed. (Alfred E. Neuman)

pwMapAppreadMe)

crapple last word

The post about my dumping the apple tablet attracted the comment, "expensive throwaway". True. And I do miss the tablet convenience. Except... the crapple never worked. I want a "tool" to *help* what I do. The crapple was a device which forced me to *change* and limit what I do. And it kept crashing.

The device gave me no pleasure but caused me grief and anger, 

Expensive? About the same cost as several days' accommodation for a wedding later this year. Which I could also do without. But I was able to toss the crapple -- and heave a huge sigh of relief.

It's an embarrassing memory... but I have absolutely no regrets.

It was a clear problem. With a very clear and simple solution.

I'm glad I tossed it. I just hope that I have learnt something useful.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

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Too many people consider themselves open-minded when they're really just empty-headed. (Alfred E. Neuman)

pwMapAppreadMe)

not worried, just...

The Sunday paper has a story of a bloke who died of "my" cancer. It took him ten years, two operations and chemo. I've had only half of that (and I'm still alive.) With no tumour-caused symptoms.

The ABC news has a story of a woman who was a key player in dealing with covid. She has now died of brain cancer. Aged 70.

These stories don't so much worry me as... make me think. Remind me of what's in my brain.

Also reminds me that one type of cancer has many different effects.

My tumour was in the vision part of my brain. Not good but... it could be worse.

No worries, eh :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

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Too many people consider themselves open-minded when they're really just empty-headed. (Alfred E. Neuman)

pwMapAppreadMe)

confusion

Friday: Deb takes me round the suburbs, by car and walking, Looking for rogaine control locations. We need a question for each control, to allow rogainers to prove that they were there.

Deb navigates, I know roughly where we are.

Today: I try to prepare a map for another area where we can look for control locations.

I have all locations marked on a map on the PC. I have a lot of trouble getting a suitable maparea to print: I am confused at every step of the way.

I know the location of each control. I cannot get an overall picture of a group of controls, that is, I can't select an area which has a few locations that we can check.

I finally pick an area that I think is suitable.

I try to print it. I can't work out what's happening. I have several Windows open, I'm confused as to which is what. I'm not sure what I'm printing, how many pages will it be?

Eventually I print a one-page map which, I think, is exactly what I want -- but I'm not sure. By now I'm confused and annoyed at my confusion. I give up. Refuse to go looking for controls.

I may try again on Monday.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

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Too many people consider themselves open-minded when they're really just empty-headed. (Alfred E. Neuman)

pwMapAppreadMe)