BRYCE is settling into this life at home... 24/7

A life of Organic Gardening, wholesome cooking, reading, house keeping and an interest in "a little bit of everything"... this is Bryce's new life. Oh, and healing from surgery and "moving forward"... (as per our esteemed Prime Minister). Yep, this is Bryce's life as we know it. He is planning his little mini break. A golfing weekend in Hawk's Nest followed by several days travelling north to Ballina and back home again. I'm looking forward to hear how Bryce's new 5 iron and 6 iron go. Big Bertha irons "on special" at the Wentworth Golf Pro Shop in Orange ($5 each).

Ros deals with the new Chemotherapy

Ros started her new regime of Chemotherapy a few weeks ago. IV Campestar and oral Zeloda. The IV Chemo caused nasty nausea and vomiting, so much so that Ros needed to be admitted to hospital for a few days as she needed rehydration. The oral Chemo all went well. No side effects to note. However, Ros began to notice that her hair was thinning and falling out... not in great clumps but just a generalised loss per day. Ros thinks that she will get a wig... not so much for herself, but so that she doesn't have to deal with other people's reaction to her hair loss. Di will take her to look at hair next week. Stop press... Ros had a second course of Campestar (the IV chemo) ... it was a reduced dosage. And it all went well, with no side effects.

Sunny days, organics, and A2 milk

We are eating an abundance of organic greens from the garden now. So many delicious snap-fresh snow peas, some broad beans, kale, cabbage and silver beet. PLUS yesterday I tasted our carrots. They tasted good. Juicy. Flavoursome. Not too sweet. And there are plenty. Bryce is concerned he should be planting the summer crop. The winter crop was so slow in coming. Now it's here. And we have to eat it all. But now is the time to start planting tomatoes, and other summer salad items. I have been hearing a bit about A2 milk. A lot recently from Bryce. And then on a few you tube videos, information that there is a lot of coverup from the dairy corporation. A1 milk can cause a whole range of diseases including diabetes, autism, and intestinal conditions. Our milk used to be all A2, but then there was some changes in dairy farming and A1 arrived on the scene. Certain cows only produce A2 milk (the good milk). I also found myself that A2 milk doesn't go off as quickly as other milks. I've got a 2 litre container of fresh A2 milk (tastes great) and it's already a week over the expiry date. Interesting!! Anyway, it's great to be able to have fresh veges available anytime. I LIKE THAT. Don't know why we left it so long to do this. Bryce is re-reading a library book we also got out last year by a Dr Neil Barnard (... no, not Bryce's old work colleague) and it's all about the healthful eating. It's called "The Cancer Survivor's Guide".

Life is definitely well lived in the springtime

This wonderful bout of spring weather is energising. What a long cold winter it's been. I think having that little warm sojourn up Far North Queensland accentuated winter when we returned and it was almost like having 2 winters, punctuated by a week of spring. To welcome in the season was a new addition in Ros and Dave's life. His name is Dougal, and I am looking forward to meeting him when I'm next down South. He is a schmoodle (so many cuts hybrid breeds now) - designer dogs, they're called. There's not one breed that's unattractive, as far as I know. A little pup around R + D's place will liven things up a bit. Little puddles here and there. But to all accounts, he's sleeping at night, and in a little while, he'll be starting puppy preschool. I think he's a pretty lovable little pup already. Nothing like the unconditional love that only a canine can give you. Sweep certainly loves spring because there are longer periods when we're all outside together.

CAIRNS/ Mission Beach/ Winter escape

Ros and Dave left Melbourne for the warmth of Townsville on Sunday July 11. Bryce and I flew to Cairns on Tuesday July 13. Ros and Dave drove northwards on Tuesday while Bryce and I boarded a Greyhound Bus southwards from Cairns the same day. We coincided at Mission Beach mid afternoon on Tuesday for what was to be our winter escape, and our week at this gorgeous and peaceful coastal getaway. Ros and Dave met us at the bus stop and drove us around 7km to our lovely house with unobstructed views of Dunk Island, and the everchanging blue sea. What can I say but this was truely an idyllic holiday destination, and we had looked forward to this for many months. Ros and Dave had booked this holiday for the same time last year, but because of Ros' surgery and subsequent chemotherapy, it had to be postphoned for a year. This was to be a week comprising of busy days, quieter days, morning strolls along the beach, beautiful sunrises and serene sunsets. There would be rain too. Not just a pitter patter, but massive tropical downpours.
Bryce and I fell in love with Mission Beach and entertained the idea of actually moving there to live permanently (as you do when you're on holidays). So far, we haven't taken one more step towards it. It was just a holiday whim.

Goodbye Laura (Japan) Hello Gemma (Orange)

Saturday 9/11 or 11/9 (depending on where you come from) was the day Laura chose to fly to Osaka, Japan. Her plan is to spend 12 - 18 months there. She has been working towards this day for around 2 years (probably a little less). Bryce and I drove to the airport with her at around 4 am in order to catch the 6am flight. We were all calm and enjoying our last coffee together for awhile.
Laura left. (but we will speak to her in the evening - thank goodess for SKYPE). Bryce and I then drove to Orange. Our last trip to Orange was 18 months ago. We had not seen Gem's new abode yet. So this was a long overdue trip. We brought the perfect weather with us. Orange has had a long and particularly cold winter, so the warmth of the sun was welcome. A brief breakfast stopover at Leura at a lovely little deli/cafe. Hmmm! Hot chocolate. Then onto morning tea at Orange. Gem's house is really nice. Neat. Tidy 3 bedroom house which she has furnished really tastefully. Morning tea in the sunroom. Coffee and walnutty bun/cake, fresh from the food market.
Gem's back garden was bathed in sun, and the chance to get washing dried by the sun was a rare treat. Lunch out at a healthy cafe (delish pea "n" ham soup) for us. A tour around Orange. Then back to Gem's place. Late dinner at a new restaurant (Asian inspired) and then home (Gem's) to chat to Laura (skype) and then to sleep. Next morning, sunshine again. Breakfast at a local popular cafe with Gem and Ro. Then a trip to a local winery for some sampling of their grapes...(and a purchase). Then pies for lunch at the Orange Botanical Gardens. And then the long drive home (3 hours). A really packed full weekend... it was lovely and it felt like a few more days than it really was. Home to Grace :)

Ros feels well, again

Ros is taking an oral dose of chemotherapy every day. She takes a couple of anti nausea meds each day too. And she is feeling so much better than she did a week ago. She has projects waiting to do with her Enkidu work. No time to be sick! She's been taking things easy. Dave's been looking after her. They are soon to be new parents. Now that the fences are being replaced, they are able to think seriously about getting a dog (and if all that goes well, a cat too). They've researched the breeds. Still not sure yet. But they've seen some cute ones. Now to find a name... (hey, they're really cute pets! I want one;) )