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So sorry to hear about Matt's condition Dusty. Try to remain positive though, he's as well equipped to deal with this as anyone with the support structure he has in place!

Where is Sarah looking to move to? It's so nice to hear that someone with our condition is looking to move abroad. I personally would love to get out of Blighty for a decade or so, but fear leaving the security of the NHS a little =\
 
Dusty,
Sorry to hear about Matt, but will keep him in my prayers. Sarah too.
Being a Mom is the hardest job on earth sometimes, but most rewarding too!!!:heart:
 
Thanks for the update Dusty, you are in our thoughts as well. Enjoy your time with Sarah before she goes back to uni - Sounds like a great time in life for her.
Sorry to hear about Matt and surgery but hope it all gets taken care of quickly and he is back enjoying his own time at uni.
Love the picture of the cats :)
 
Thanks all for kind words and warm wishes. :ghug:

I can't believe Sarah is nearly done with Uni ! And overseas ? Marriage?!.... Say it isn't so!
You may want to look into buying stock in false eyelashes ! LOL

Thinking of you ;)

Yes T, her boyfriend is finishing his Phd in Mathematics this year too and he will likely look for work overseas. If that is indeed the case then they plan to marry before he leaves! Knock me over with a feather...she'll beat me to the alter! :lol:

Where is Sarah looking to move to? It's so nice to hear that someone with our condition is looking to move abroad. I personally would love to get out of Blighty for a decade or so, but fear leaving the security of the NHS a little =\

Hey Jam, at this point it is England, Germany or the US. I hear you about the healthcare and told her if she goes to the US to jump on a plane home at the first sign of illness! :ack: :lol:

Well I know I have mentioned this somewhere before, probably this thread. The CWA in NSW has as part of its activities, fundraising and for the next three its medical fundraising is going to Crohn's research. So today I went to one of their meetings as a guest speaker and spoke to them about Crohn's Disease in general and on a more personal level. They were a great bunch of people and I had a fab time. I really do appreciate their efforts and it was wonderful to help raise awareness within the community. :):):)

Dusty. :Flower:
 
Hey Jam, at this point it is England, Germany or the US. I hear you about the healthcare and told her if she goes to the US to jump on a plane home at the first sign of illness! :ack: :lol:

Well I know I have mentioned this somewhere before, probably this thread. The CWA in NSW has as part of its activities, fundraising and for the next three its medical fundraising is going to Crohn's research. So today I went to one of their meetings as a guest speaker and spoke to them about Crohn's Disease in general and on a more personal level.

Ahem, if she or her husband gets the kind of job that provides great insurance, which I'm sure a phd would provide, she won't need to hop that plane. At least we can still open our borders to those with pre-existing conditions…for now! If we'd just become POMs again, we could all be one big happy England!!

I wonder if they(CWA) know they had one of the foremost authorities on crohns in their midst??? I bet they do now:):)
 
UGH! UGH! UGH!

What a night and what a day! Nothing to do with the family but rather Mr Kat's work. I won't say anything on here but if you are one of my contacts go to my albums and you will see what I mean! Nothing short of an unmitigated disaster.

Dusty. :voodoo:
 
What a beautiful place to put it! I hope there's a good back-up power source!

Everybody OK?
 
Everyone is fine but suffice it to say if there had been someone out there last night it wouldn't have happened and it surely wasn't through want of telling them. (((sigh)))

This is what it should look like:

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The wall at the top end of the gates is completely gone.
 
Was there some kind of auto pressure relief system in place that failed or is it completely manual??
 
It is pretty much automated but when you get these east coast tropical lows flash flooding isn't unusual. When that happens the high water alarm can't keep up with the inflow hence the need for someone to be there for flood mitigation. They can then monitor what is happening and open the gates manually.
 
Nice to see you drop by!! :hug:

Ugghh, sorry it's looking like Matt's needing surgery! :voodoo: Lots of wishes all goes well and a very speedy recovery!!!

Oh my gosh... It does sound like you will be having quite the year!!! Graduations, marriages!!! Lots of excitement and fun! :applause:

Hope all begins to settle for you! :ghug:
 
It is pretty much automated but when you get these east coast tropical lows flash flooding isn't unusual. When that happens the high water alarm can't keep up with the inflow hence the need for someone to be there for flood mitigation. They can then monitor what is happening and open the gates manually.

Dusty is that a dam for electrical generation, a water supply or both?
 
What dam is it dusty and more important has it been stocked:) Ron.

Stocked?! No way! How boring is fishing.....zzzzzzzzz....although there is a trout hatchery not too far away.

It is the Oaky river hydroelectric scheme dam.
 
Could this be one of my cats???...
 

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Things are ticking along here okay but my time on the forum remains limited. :(

Uni has started up for both kids and not before time! :lol: They seem to have such long breaks between years and I think they are both glad to get their teeth back into it.

Matt has decided to take on 5 units this semester plus he is trying to get more tutoring work and has been employed to mark first year Maths assignments. :eek2: And of course it won't be too long before the soccer season starts! I just hope he hasn't bitten off more than he can chew but he assures me he can more than handle it and that he is already well ahead with his studies. I will still watch him like hawk though! :lol:
His specialist appointments have been made so all we need is for everything to run smoothly. :)

Dusty. :Flower:
 
All very nice news!

It sounds so patronising but as a Brit I get so happy to hear of people playing football, there really is nothing better at our age!

I've also recently started some tutoring work at my university, although they're currently umming and ahing about whether or not i'm fit to 'ethically employ' due to my recent Crohn's reassessment. As a result of which i'm currently having to go through the arduous process of getting a letter from my specialist claiming that i'm not on deaths door.

I appear to have hi-jacked your thread Dusty, sorry! Clearly i've been itching to get that off my chest.
 
Uni has started up for both kids and not before time! :lol: They seem to have such long breaks between years and I think they are both glad to get their teeth back into it.

Matt has decided to take on 5 units this semester plus he is trying to get more tutoring work and has been employed to mark first year Maths assignments.
Dusty. :Flower:

Best of luck to him....back in myh undergrad (Engineering) it was a rare term that we did not have 5 or 6 courses.
 
Well things have been a tad arse about here, settling somewhat on the distant front but upheavals on the home front! :lol:

Sarah has had a major change in her life, all is well but she has had a change in her personal life if you get my drift ;) I will reveal more at a later date and no, she isn't pregnant! :lol:

Matt is going well at uni but alas I am forever on heightened alert that he isn't over extending himself. :eek2: Come on guys please tell that studying 5 units, plus tutoring, plus marking 60-80 assignments a week isn't too much! :yfaint:

I had bloods done last week, the first time in, oh about 20 years! They tested everything under the sun and the only abnormality was a Vit D deficiency, apparently I am as strong as an ox! But boy oh boy, I would trade places with my kids in a heartbeat!

Autumn is well upon us and the days have been glorious, the leaves are turning and don't I just love this time of year! :)...tonight...
 

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Matt is going well at uni but alas I am forever on heightened alert that he isn't over extending himself. :eek2: Come on guys please tell that studying 5 units, plus tutoring, plus marking 60-80 assignments a week isn't too much! :yfaint:

I had bloods done last week, the first time in, oh about 20 years! They tested everything under the sun and the only abnormality was a Vit D deficiency, apparently I am as strong as an ox! But boy oh boy, I would trade places with my kids in a heartbeat!

Nice sunset!!

It is too much for mere mortals but it's pure butter for Einstein Matt!!

Strong as an ox, stubborn as a mule! What the heck does vit D deficiency have to do with your sore ankle? Did you get any answers for the reason you went to the doc in the first place?
 
I will hold you to that Dex! :lol:

You're looking in the mirror Dex! :yrolleyes: Vit D has nothing to do with the ankle! Sheesh! I had an X-Ray of the foot/ankle and all was good. The problem has resolved so it has been put down to a soft tissue injury.
 
Now for something completely different...

When the inland and the coastal highways are shut, due to flooding, the trucks on the highway that pass through our town are numerous (and that is an understatement) and some are pretty darned big but nothing scares the shit out of you like the road trains you get up north and in the outback!...

[youtube]CVdcBCbwtkw[/youtube]
 
Now for something completely different...

When the inland and the coastal highways are shut, due to flooding, the trucks on the highway that pass through our town are numerous (and that is an understatement) and some are pretty darned big but nothing scares the shit out of you like the road trains you get up north and in the outback!...

[youtube]CVdcBCbwtkw[/youtube]

The video is blocked but damn that is a train. We have doubles here but triple trailers would be illegal!
 
Ugh, bugger!

B doubles are pretty normal here too but when you go remote three and four is pretty normal. Some are even longer than that. :eek2:
 
Hey hunny bunny :) It's kind of ironic, huh? All that sunshine and you have a Vit D deficiency? How come?
I did a lot of outback travelling and working when I was there and those road trains are scaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaary :eek: And they can't or won't stop so all you can do is pull off the road............quick.
Sounds like you've got plenty to keep you occupied at the moment. Hoping Matt's issues are a blip of the non IBD kind :heart::heart::heart:
 
Hey Grumble! :)

The Vit D deficiency...probably that bloody Scottish heritage making me cover up! :lol:

Yeah! Are those road trains just the scariest thing when they come barreling along! :eek2:

Thanks hun, I have everything crossed that they are blip of the non IBD kind too. Thinking good thoughts...I think...:lol:

Dusty. :heart:
 
Good grief! Was he ever that young and innocent!...
 

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Hmmmm...I have seen this before and still remains food for thought...


Change Your Thinking

It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking..

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room's only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.


She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present .'

Dusty. :sun:
 
Autumn at Gostwyk, always a pleasure to see. :)
 

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Beautiful, As we are enjoying the daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. It is nice to see the fall colors as well.
 
G'day from Autumnal Oz...
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Things are still a tad hectic here but hey ho, not too bad. :)

Heading down to the big smoke in a couple of weeks and I am looking forward to catching up with family and friends, not to mention the break from work! :lol:

Sarah is doing well, uni is full on but otherwise going well. The news that i mentioned in an earlier thread is that she left her boyfriend. Suffice it to say it was irreconcilable differences and I must admit that she does seem happier and more settled so that can only be a good thing. She does have another boyfriend now and one that shares her passion for politics and also subscribes to the same ideals, perhaps they spend their time fighting for the soapbox? :lol2:

Matt is on his mid semester break and catching up on sleep but it seems that uni is still a draw for him and most weekdays he is still up there! :yfaint: He has his surgical consult on Tuesday so we will see what that holds for the hernia...will it be an op soon or can we wait till the end of the year when uni and soccer season are over. Time will tell!

The weather has turned bloody cold and the fire has been lit. Nothing better than a roaring wood fire, only downside is getting the wood and keeping it fed!

Short working week this week coming as it is Anzac Day on Thursday. I will probably head down to the dawn service and then attend the march later in the morning. It's the least I can do considering what was sacrificed for us.
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Happy Saturday! :ybiggrin:

Dusty. xxx
 
The grapevine and the elms never quite match up in their display, this was taken last year a little later into Autumn...
 

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Thanks Angie. :)

ANZAC Day is our day of remembrance:

ANZAC Day – 25 April – is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

Australians recognise 25 April as an occasion of national remembrance, which takes two forms. Commemorative services are held at dawn – the time of the original landing (at Gallipoli...the action that is mentioned in the above quote) – across the nation. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and women meet to take part in marches through the major cities and in many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are more formal and are held at war memorials around the country. In these ways, ANZAC Day is a time when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war.

The quotes articulate it far better than I could! :lol:

Dawn service at ANZAC Cove Gallipoli (Turkey)...
 

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My washing had a visitor today...
 

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Great pics Dusty.....it's warming up here, made a trip out to the local garden centre today to check out what they had for vegetable plants and perennials in the green houses.

Just curious, do they wear poppies leading up to and on ANZAC Day?
 
Poppies are used for Anzac Day but the flower/plant that probably most represents Anzac Day and is worn on the day itself is a sprig of Rosemary.

Poppies are primarily reserved for Remembrance Day in November.

Dusty. :)
 
Hello again, :)

Its been a while so I thought on a lazy Sunday afternoon whilst watching Spencer's Mountain (Johnboy!!!, I mean Clayboy!!! :lol:) it would be a good time for a cuppa and a catch up.
Tea_Emoticon_by_GMintyfresh.gif


Well things have settled quite a bit here. I spent some time with Mum and Dad when I had time off work and was able to put some measures in place that I hope will take the pressure of my mum and brother with my dad. All seems to have fallen into place and things are going well at present.

Sarah is doing well. She is still with the same boy and is happy. She is on holidays just now until the start of the second semester at which time she is going to move back on campus. I won't be sorry to see that happen because it does concern me with where she is living just now and walking alone late at night.

I have been a little concerned over Matt and his health. He had been having some stomach pain and loss of appetite and his last bloods, whilst essentially good, did show a slight rise in his CRP. He did however experience quite a nasty ankle injury at soccer the week before so I am not sure if that was playing into the increased inflammatory marker.
He has had a very heavy workload this semester and I do think that by the end of the semester it was starting to take its toll. Anyway, he had last two exams on Friday so it all over and done with now and he is on holidays for a couple weeks. I have seen a change in him over the past couple of weeks as each deadline and exam passed and that has improved even more since Friday so I am hoping that it was all down to stress. He is no longer complaining of pain and his appetite has picked up again. He has his appointment with the new GI on the 25th of this month.

Winter is well and truly here so I am burning through the wood beautifully! :lol: The frosty mornings are lovely to look at from the inside looking out but not the other way round! :ylol:
Oh and wasn't the weather just peachy to watch Matt's soccer game on Saturday! And let me tell you...it was no where near 9 degrees at 3pm when Matt's game started! Overcast, drizzling and freeze the balls of a brass monkey. :lol2:

Dusty.
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Thanks for the update!!

I'm glad everything's going well......except the weather..:eek:..I can't believe how cold it gets there!!!!

I'm glad to hear that Matt's feeling better. Hope it was just the stress leading up to his exams...Good Luck with his appointment...:ghug:
 
Thanks upsetmom! :)

Do you like my frosty uggies?

They were a Mother's Day present and now I have toasty toes. Pic is the pressie from Sarah and Matt...spoilt much. :)
 

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That's a touch chilly! Went down to Stanthorpe for the weekend and we got down to 2 and that was friggen freezing. Couple hours back to the GC and back to 7-19... much better for winter :D
 
Frosty Uggies? What were you wearing? Clown pants?

How much are those Uggies there? They're like $200 here and of course Carly just had to have them!
 
They are my owl patterned pyjama pants!

Ugg boots, well depends how much you want to pay. You could pay 20 bucks or 400, they are pretty much everywhere here.
 
This is a political vent so if you are adverse to this type of thing read no further.

Today I am pissed off and thoroughly ashamed to be an Australian because of the way the office of Prime Minister has been denigrated and ridiculed over the past three years.

This is not a rant about political parties but is a rant about the way the Prime Minister has been treated. I am not normally one to bring gender to the fore but to deny that this is the very reason why the disrespectful and shameful manner in which the Prime Minister has been treated is paramount to hiding your head in the sand.

Has the Prime Minister made poor decisions, of course. Has the Prime Minister also contributed to the bad behaviour that pervades the halls of Parliament House, yes. BUT the manner in which she has been treated beggars belief and we as constituents are just as guilty as the rabble that call themselves our elected members. We are guilty by association because we either allowed our elected members to participate in such appalling behaviour or we allowed them to sit back and do nothing. I don't know which is worse.

There will be plenty out there that think this is perfectly acceptable and that being the case then it is a very sad indictment of Australian politics and one of which I am not at all proud.

No doubt there will be those that use the excuse that she received what she deserved for mounting a coup but to those I say grow up and smell the coffee and if you think the conservatives are any better with their back room politics then you are sadly mislead. Both parties have factions, fractions and faceless men.

It has been a disgraceful period in our current political history and we should all hang our heads in shame. I know I do.

Dusty. :redface:
 
I'm certainly no student of Australian politics, but if we hang our heads in shame every time we send a politician to office and he/she breaks our trust, we'll get very well acquainted with our feet! There are so few long-term honest, well-intentioned politicians! I strongly advocate term limits, but each time we promote and elect like minded pols, they inevitably reverse course come election time. It's a nasty game and when they learn to play it, they get dangerous! Term limits could correct so many of US political problems:(

On a lighter note, how are the dam repairs going?
 
Oh I hear you loud and clear Dex but I swear, the behaviour of late has been absolutely deplorable. Coming from me it must be bad! :lol:

No repairs at present but loads of clearing up and assessing. Lord knows how long before any definitive decisions are made about the dam. :yrolleyes:

Dusty. :)
 
I agree, the whole thing has been a total sham. I dont vote, so i dont have any particular politcal preference, but frankly watching this play out over the last three years has been a freaking nightmare.

On a side note: I actually know of a time when the prime minister actually did something that wasnt politcal point scoring motivated. Its true. It actually happened. I wasnt exactly there to see it happen, but my 9 year old daughter was. The prime minister turned up at her school, unannounced. Without cameras, or an entourage of any sort *ok there was a couple of bodyguard type suits but that was all I swear* Hung out with the kids, bought lunch at the canteen, and generally just asked questions and paid attention to the answers.

We all rock up to pick our kids up from school and it went a lil something like this:

Me: how was your day beautiful daughter
Her: yeah ok the prime minister came in today
Me: the prime minister of what?
Her: australia
Me: crap, you lie, why would you make up such things?
Her: seriously, the prime minister was at our school hanging out buying lunch checkin out our work, we got to ask some questions, the principal took a photo and everything.
Me: gimmie the phone, Im callin the school
Calls the school only to be informed that yes, the prime minister was there today

OH MY WHO WOULDA THOUGHT, so I figured yeah, it will be splashed all over the papers tomorrow, publicity stunt as usual, but nope. No one ever got told, and you wouldnt have known it actually happened if you hadnt had one of your kids see it with their own eyes.

Nice story, didnt even need dragons it was that cool.
 
Sarah gets to vote for the first time.

If you are on the electrol roll, you have to go to a polling place and have your name marked off the roll otherwise they fine you.
 
yes, voting is compulsory, however I got lost off the electoral roll a few years ago, I did duly turn up to vote, but no one could find me on there....so I havent been back since. Thats ok, I didnt particularly like being forced to be democratic.....anyhoo, all power to those who do vote.
 
Well both kids semester breaks are about to end so only a few short months and they will be finished their undergraduate degrees! :)

BUT they will both still be at uni next year so no chance of me retiring! :lol:

Sarah is going to add a Dip Ed to her qualifications and Matt will do Honours.

Here's hoping for continued happiness and good health! :thumleft:

Dusty. :study:
 
Dusty, delighted to hear your kids are doing well, and heading towards completing their degrees :)
As for Aussie politics - bring on the election, I'm seriously over all the shenanigans!!

HD
 
Now for a bit of trivia...:lol:

Sarah posted the photo below on fb. She is showing a signet ring that I gave to her.

I received the ring as a present when I was about 8. She was 4 in the photo and the ring would have been a little big but the really freaky thing is it still fits Sarah now! :yfaint:
 

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Aw how adorable. Its nice you can hand down an item of yours to become a precious item for her from now on. Perhaps she will get the chance to pass it down to her daughter some day.

I was recently given a ring from my mother, which is now mine, and will be passed to my precious daughter when she is bigger. Its sorta exciting.
 
A Winter sunset. :)
 

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Come tomorrow I will no longer have any teenager's in the house! I wonder if it will feel any different? :lol:

Yep, the 22nd is Matt's 20th birthday...Happy Birthday Matt!

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Dusty. :wub:
 
And now I have a royal link! Kate and I were both in excruciating pain on the 22nd July! :rof:
 
Well was Matt in 7th heaven last night? Too bloody right! :lol:

Whilst not in Melbourne his beloved LFC were!...

[youtube]JbqAqVSbdzs[/youtube]


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Dusty.
 
I bet some of them were just moving their lips!! You know...kinda like church...oh, you wouldn't know that..sorry!
 
POQ Dex!

In my line of work I probably go to church more than you do! Oh and I sing my heart out! I even have favourite hymns! :lol:
 
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