It's been far too long

However now my world seems to have righted itself, The Dreaded Lurgy making my life miserable for the past couple of weeks seems be well and truly on the way out, hopefully the worst of the heat is behind us (except for the odd hot day or two coming up) so all is well with the world.

If you're not sure what the Dreaded Lurgy is, here is some information.  Australians of a certain age use the term to refer to a vague illness that is sort of like a cold, sort of like the flu......you know how it is when you don't feel well but don't need to seek medical attention, don't feel good enough to carry on with daily life without stopping to rest occasionally, cough a bit (or, as my case, a lot) which doesn't make for a good night's sleep thereby causing tiredness during the day making me thankful we are retired and don't need to front up to work bright eyed and bushy tailed.  It has made singing difficult but hopefully that will improve now too.

Consequently not much has been, quilting the challenge quilt is still not started although hopefully it won't take long to knock out tomorrow, several unmemorable books have been read on my tablet, and some hand stitching has been done.

We did have a social occasion yesterday.  It was Kevin's birthday on Thursday - Valentine's Day - and a couple of weeks ago I saw an ad online for trips in a vintage train this weekend.  Three rail motors are in town for a few days (a rail motor is a train carriage fitted with its own motor, not one pulled by an engine) and one could take a trip an hour north, stop for dinner at a country pub, then return.  So yesterday we did!

Here it is arriving at our station:

 The lovely old carriages - No 12 was at the front, then No 24 (ours) and No 25 at the rear.

 At our destination an hour north, after a steep climb.  We even had to stop at one stage to switch another motor on so we could continue up the hills!

 This is Walcha Road with its attractive station which dates from the 1880s (and which you can't quite see behind the train, sorry about that, it is a nice old building).  We then walked down the hill and across the road to the renowned pub for an excellent meal, before hiking back uphill, onto the platform and into our seats for the return journey.

It was very quick, as it was all downhill!  Because it was dusk and getting steadily darker, we did see a few wild kangaroos hopping around. 

It was of interest to us both; to Kevin because he hadn't been further north than our town by train, and to me because it was a trip I hadn't done since the mid 1960s.  There used to be several small stations on this line which have now been removed, I remember the trip taking longer because trains used to stop at every little siding and station.  The rail trip is not the same as a road trip; the road is much further west, so the terrain is very different.

So now back to reality.

Currently our state is supposedly celebrating Olde Phartes by having a Senior's Festival, as if growing older and hurting everywhere is something to be celebrated.  It is better than the alternative, I suppose, but why does it have to be so darn painful?  Anyway, next Friday morning there is to be a concert with awards being handed out to Senior of the Year, and Senior Group of the Year (which, I am proud to say, our choir won last year) followed by a concert then a free cuppa.  Never knock back a free cuppa, I say!  The uke group will be playing a few songs at the concert including a doozy called "The senior's lament".  "Are you lonesome tonight? does your tummy feel tight? did you miss your Mylanta and Tums?" etc......it always makes older people laugh, so we thought it was a good choice......except for Prue, who doesn't like playing it because she reckons it is all too sadly true!

"The bow is the touchstone of good breeding, and to neglect it, even to one with whom you may have a trifling difference, shows deficiency in cultivation and in the instincts of refinement.  A bow does not entail a calling acquaintance.  Its entire neglect reveals the character and training of the person ; the manner of its observance reveals the very shades of breeding that exist between the ill-bred and well-bred."

We bow after a performance, which obviously shows our good breeding.  When we remember......

Enjoy your days!