Well, it is the beginning of brand new year and time to
reflect on what 2013 brought and the lessons I want to take away from it.
2012 ended with me
feeling pretty proud of myself for losing weight through participating in a trial conducted by the University of Sydney
over 12 months. For the first time ever we went away for Christmas and
experienced the delights of Bembooka but also the disappointment of the
Merimbula restaurant we'd booked 6 months prior for Christmas lunch (and
confirmed twice by phone) being closed! Embarked on campaign of defaming
unrepentant restaurant owner who then had a change of heart and sent us a gift
voucher.
January – Discovered that a heart attack can mask its
symptoms when, after his third case of apparent food poisoning in as many weeks,
a dear friend was rushed to hospital and
told he had actually experienced a series of heart attacks. He was found
to have heart arrhythmia and blockages in his arteries and needed a
defibrillator and a pacemaker fitted. He almost died but that was a trivial
interruption to looking debonair in silk pyjamas and flirting with the nurses.
Lesson: Dwelling morbidly on your own misfortunes and
discomforts isn’t always misplaced.
February – Broke my ankle on the way to work and began almost
5 months of impaired mobility, dependency, irritability, muscle atrophy and
weight gain. Because of Mr O’Farrell’s enlightened decision to remove workers’
compensation rights in such cases I exhausted every sort of paid leave available
to me. I also watched every episode of
Boardwalk Empire and Breaking Bad and discovered the joys of researching
and posting about aspects of Sydney’s
history on Facebook.
Lessons: Dwelling morbidly on your own misfortunes and
discomforts can be counterproductive. There are lots of like minded enthusiasts
for archival photographs and obscure anecdotes out there, joining with them to
share and publish images and stories is an undiluted joy. Charlie Cox is hot!
March – returned to
full time work after working from home part time for about 6 weeks – transition
was premature as I got exhausted and weepy – read that depression after injury
is not uncommon. Started on reduced hours. At this stage still travelling everywhere
by car, enjoying ‘passive’ recreation like exhibitions, theatre and film but
pining dreadfully for proper walks in the park and my beloved aquarobics.
Lesson: Dwelling morbidly on your own misfortunes and
discomforts can be unavoidable but remember to carpe diem within your restrictions.
April – Attended a fascinating ‘How to research your house’
workshop at the local library and an open day a Tempe House; visited Elizabeth
Bay House and had an informative and amusing guided tour from a new Facebook friend. Moonbootedness prevented me
exploring the grounds of these two beautiful buildings but just drinking in
their atmosphere and views was really restorative. Continued my historic Sydney research and discovered that there were once houses
in Sydney
called The Poffle and Toft Monks.
Lessons: Misfortune and discomfort can be transcended by
whimsy and humour. Fine architecture and landscape are good for the soul. You can be an official historic house guide
and still make commode jokes.
May – Had the third
of 3
scans showing minimal healing of my fracture – calcium deficiency
addressed by taking ludicrous amounts of
Vit D and suffering consequential digestive horrors. Took my first bus trips of
the year to attend WEA in Bathurst
Street to upgrade my Cert IV in Training and Assessment
qualification. Able to stand for long enough periods to start running courses
again. Laughed ourselves silly at the slapstick and banter of ‘One Man Two
Guvnors’ at Sydney
Theatre.
Lesson: Achievements are relative. Catching a bus and being
re-accredited can feel pretty good when you’ve been metaphorically treading
water almost all year. You should never
let too long pass without seeing some top notch theatre.
June – Fourth month
in the boot, hobbled about at Milson’s Point to watch Vivid far from the
madding crowds at the Quay. Decided to abandon
new multifocals after feeling seasick on dry land for 6 weeks and
reverted to wearing glasses just for reading and computer work. Reaction could
have been exacerbated by my still uneven gait and poor balance.
Lessons: Sydneysiders are suckers for light shows and
fireworks. Kirribilli looks interesting and I will visit it in the daylight when I am mobile again. Multifocals are not
for everyone.
July – Visited open day St Peter’s Church and graveyard in Tempe, my first visit
despite living in the area over half my life. No matter how often you see these
churchyards the incidence of infant mortality in the 19thC just blows you away.
Speakers donned costumes and assumed silly voices, was reminded that local historical
societies are magnets for eccentrics. Recital on church organ included theme to
Wallace and Gromit! Became boot free just in time for spouse to be diagnosed
with blocked/constricted arteries to the
heart and admitted to hospital for stent insertion.
Lessons: A stent makes the heart go stronger. Everyone needs
to find their own personal incentive to quit a bad habit, smoking in this case.
The theme to Wallace and Gromit is a fine piece that belongs in the repertoire
of all serious musicians.
August – Back at uni and the reading fairly demanding.
Luckily post grad students can access almost everything online. Perfected
surfing various heritage sites, UTS
Blackboard, Facebook and Scrabble in quick succession whilst ‘studying’. Discovered Prouds/ Angus & Coote watch
and jewellery repairer in the Dymocks building – revitalised my watches including
an art deco one purchased on eBay.
Lessons: Rejecting
the throwaway society and get things repaired is very satisfying. The
motifs in the Dymocks building tiles are NOT swastikas.
September - To Canberra to see the Turner
exhibition and to try to ignore the Tony Abbott/Kevin Rudd contest. Largely
successful. Saw the old Rookwood Mortuary station re-invented as All Saints church
in Ainslie.
Lessons: Turner is quite phenomenal in being a technically
brilliant draftsman and also able to paint in an entirely atmospheric style. It
isn’t an exaggeration to invoke him as the major link between classical and modern painting. Rejecting demolish and re-develop Sydney culture and recycling
beautiful architecture has very satisfying results.
October – For my Masters in Adult Education observed
family lawyers running their advice
service at Parramatta Courthouse for 3 hours. Had to make ethnographically
detailed notes of my observations.
Lessons: Watching how meaning and learning are produced in
the moment by talented professionals in action is revelatory. Keeping chickens
in a courthouse courtyard has a very calming affect and gives employees access to free range eggs.
November - Got our
first ‘real’ boss at work for some time.
Spent nine days in Tasmania
visiting Hobart, Freycinet and Bicheno.
Saw MONA (again), refurbished Tasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery,
Runnymede, penguins, the Salamanca Markets and
lots of wine glasses. Had a 5 star meal at Remy de Provence.
Lessons: Having a boss who says you remind him of Joan
Plowright is quite flattering and motivating.
Environmentalism and barista skills are well established in the Apple
Isle. Be it ever so humble there’s no place like home.
December – Visited Rouse Hill House on a very hot Saturday. Felt
strangely unexcited about buying Christmas presents for a hotch potch of grown
ups. Got my uni results – received a distinction for the family/lawyer chicken
report. Lunched at an open restaurant on
Christmas Day. Hosted a barbecue for family and friends on 29th
Lessons: Rouse Hill House is REALLY worth visiting – it is
unique in containing the furnishings and effects of 6 generations of a single
family. It contains a bespoke wallpaper frieze and a framed photo from the family collection
featuring Banjo Patterson and Breaker Morant! Without young kids involved Christmas Day becomes quite ho hum. The best
get togethers are the ones put together through love and instinct.
Happy New Year!
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