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Published: November 9th 2010
Caroline
Back in the office, modelling a new issue HatBlog Day 732
It was Sunday morning and Caroline was due home today, her flight was coming into Canberra at 09.30 and I was looking forward to seeing her.
In reality it has been just over two days that I have spent with Caroline since the 9th of August when I went off to Christmas Island, then Weipa, then came back and Caroline had already left for the UK. Strangely enough, when I was flying back in to Sydney, Caroline was flying out on her transatlantic flight back to the UK.
In our 20 years of Marriage, I guess if you roll them up we have probably spent at least five years apart, which I don’t think is a bad thing.
Anyway, Caroline, Airport, Focus.
Ah yes, I have been using Caroline’s desk whilst she has been away, so being up nice and early I planned to go in to the office on Sunday morning and do a couple of hours and then shoot through to pick up her ladyship at the airport.
I did a few bits and pieces gathered all my stuff together and put it tidy in the small meeting room which would be my new home for a while, and drove off to the airport.
I parked the truck and went to the arrivals area, I thought after a 23 hour flight Caroline would be dying for a coffee, so went and queued for a takeaway coffee for her.
As soon as I grabbed the coffee I walked across to where Caroline would be coming in, and took a seat.
Four minutes later my phone rang, it was Caroline, “are you coming to collect me” she said, to which I replied “of course I am, I am sitting in arrivals, where are you?” She said “I am standing outside waiting for you.”
Anyway I turned around to see Caroline standing under the shelter from the Canberra weather, so went off with her coffee to greet her.
We chucked all her gear in the truck and off we shot back home.
Our chatter was like 10 people talking at once, me trying to find out if she had enjoyed her trip and Caroline telling me all about it.
Soon we were back in Holt, and Caroline exclaimed she did not want to sleep today; she just wanted to stay awake, until tonight.
We both pottered about for a while then I had a couple of jobs to do, so went outside to get on and leave her in peace, and when I came back in she was spark out on the couch, for the rest of the day and most of the evening. Only waking for her dinner and then falling back to sleep on the couch before finally going to bed.
We were both back in work on Monday and the week for both of us has been absolutely flat out.
On Tuesday I noticed my Passport in my rucksack, so it initiated me to phone DIAC, (Department of Immigration and Citizenship).
I gave them a call to find out some fundamental details regarding our Citizenship, when we initially came over to Australia, you had to stay in Australia for two years before you became an Australian Citizen, but in the first year we were here they upped it to four years.
The question I needed to ask was “does the time start ticking from when our Visa was granted or when we set foot on Australian soil?
Sadly the answer was when we set foot on Australian soil.
I asked if, because policy had changed whilst we were here, is there anyway we could get under the radar and only have to do two years, but sadly he said, no, everyone has to do four years at the moment.
The guy on the other end of the phone asked if we wanted him to look at our visa records and he came back and said because we came into Australia in 2006 and voluntarily left in 2007 after our five week holiday, we can officially be Australian Citizens in November 2011, which is absolutely excellent news.
We really do ant to become Australian Citizens so we can hold dual passports.
About 2.00pm Friday afternoon, Caroline came over to me and said I am off to Christmas Island next week are you OK with that.
Of course I am, don’t ever turn down an opportunity like that, you have to go, it will need to be at least a week and the crabs have started to migrate you lucky thing.
Saturday morning, we were up we had a few bits and pieces to do and went off to see our fiends Keith and Jan who live in Holt and who we met in the Northern Territory last year, they have just come back from a mini adventure, (Well not that mini) and Caroline hasn’t seen them for a while.
As usual it was great to see them and they explained all about their forth coming trip which sounds just brilliant, doing the Gibb river road, Kununurra, Bungle Bungle etc, in one of these specialised high lift trucks with enormous wheels.
We are so delighted to hear of their great plans and so enjoy people exploring this wonderful country.
As usual we could have stayed all day, but sadly always have something else that needs doing so after a couple of rounds of tea, we whizzed back to Bec’s as I needed to get my gear together as we were off to Wagga that afternoon, because my operation was being carried out at the Base Hospital on Sunday 7/11/2010.
I had all my stuff packed, well my wash bag and a clean pair of under crackers and a pair of shorts, I was only going to be in for a night, so intended on packing light.
At 2.00pm I called the hospital to see if the procedure was still going ahead and they said it was, so we loaded up the truck, said goodbye to Bec and headed for Woodstock where we would be staying for the night.
It was a really good drive to Wagga, just over two hours and the scenery around the Riverina was magnificent, a purple flower/weed called Pattisons Curse adorned certain paddocks with spectacular results, though unfortunately it’s a killer for horses should they eat it.
We arrived at Woodstock and everyone was out, we were greeted by Wally and Trixie who were lazing on the lawn, Helen had left a note asking us to make ourselves at home as she was down in one of the paddocks doing something, with Robert and Paul.
In the two weeks since being at Woodstock everything looked even greener and more colourful,
Helen and Robert’s Cousin Paul, came back then we caught up on all the toings and froings of what has been happening on the farm, washed down by a good cup of tea.
Robert finally came in after his usual hard day; he had just about finished the silage, and went off to shower before dinner.
Helen had cooked a roast lamb dinner for us all which we sat down and enjoyed, while Woodstock’s newest recruits, Brendon and Luke, joined us for dinner, after their equally hard day.
Soon it was bed time, we had to have an early start in the morning as we had to be at the hospital for 7.00am to book in so I set my alarm for 5.00am, but could not have any breakfast before going under the knife.
The alarm went off, I jumped out of bed and put the kettle on for Caroline, at least she could have a cup of tea, Woodstock was very quiet this morning, the dogs must have been dozing along with the chooks as no one even peeped.
We were ready at 6.00 am then quietly snuck out of the farm into the truck and drove as quietly as we could down the lane.
The 7th November, 2010, why is this such a poignant date, well for a couple of reasons really!, 7/11/2007 was the day I had my heart attack, 7/11/2008 was the day that we actually left the UK for Australia, and 7/11/2010 was this very day I was having a minor procedure at Wagga Base Hospital.
I was a bit windy of this as it just seemed so coincidental
Well we registered at the hospital and were directed to Ward 8 and was soon being directed into bed, Caroline said she would stay with me, but I could think of much better things she could be doing such as, having breakfast, so she finally gave in and left me at 08.30.
I dozed for most of the morning and eventually at 11.40 I was wheeled down to theatre, this is the bit that make your bum cheeks go tight.
I was chatting to the anaesthetist, who seemed a very pleasant chap, the doors finally opened and they wheeled me in.
I can remember someone saying lift up your shoulders as I was lying on my gown, shuffled across onto the operating table and that was that.
I was woken at 1.30, with no pain or sensation, just the worst taste in my mouth which was so dry.
The only thing that went through my mind was excellent I am still here, imagine, 14 hours of heart surgery when I was seven, five hours of heart surgery when I was 45, then to die on the operating table during something so simple as a hernia operation, now that would just be down-right stupid.
I hadn’t eaten since our evening meal at Woodstock last night, and it was 5.40pm when they came around with something to eat, I wondered why I was so hungry, a nurse asked me if I had my wife’s mobile number on me, nope!! Do you have your home number, nope!! But I do know my mobile is at home and if you ring it a couple of times I‘m sure Caroline will answer it.
Half an hour later the nurse came back and said your wife will be collecting you this evening at 6.20 when you can be officially discharged.
Bang on time Caroline was there, all smiley as usual, I put my boots on but could not tie them up as I was unable to bend down, Caroline bent down to do them up and it reminded me of when a little girl used to tie my shoe laces up when I was in infant school, her name was Emma Peel.
We got back to Woodstock at around 8.00pm, dinner was offered but I felt groggy and headed off for the safety and comfort of my bed.
We left Woodstock on Monday morning after picking up some pain killers in Gundagai, our journeys was again beautiful in the sunshine and we got back to Bec’s at around Midday.
Poor Bec is off work with Viral Laryngitis as was feeling under the weather, and a right healthy house hold we were.
With Caroline off to Christmas Island on Wednesday night we were due to leave Bec’s on Saturday to move in to a flat we have rented until March next year, but as I can not lift anything heavy we may have to postpone it for a week.
I can not believe we have now past our 2 year mark so technically today Tuesday 9th November is day 732.
Well that’s all, I’m sure Caroline will do a blog from Christmas Island.
All the best
Andy
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TeamorangeBH
non-member comment
Where are you, what's happening?
It's been a long time since you blogged after the op. Is everything OK?????