Elvie's Birthday

It was Elvie's 83rd birthday today. I had a present for her but I forgot to take it when I left for the farm in rather a hurry. It was an oxtail, which she adores, as do I. It remains in our freezer. I'll take it tomorrow unless I forget again, but it doesn't matter, Elvie is not one to be worried about who does what for her birthday.

She made me a posy of flowers at my request, as I was boked as guest speaker at the November meeting of the Emerald Garden Club to talk about the story of Chamomile Farm. I was approached a couple of months ago about it, of course the date struck a chord, and I accepted thinking I'd have no trouble talking about the family's work over nearly four decades as I'd lived it.

So my preparation was over the last three evenings, mainly in my head, mind mapping as I did other things, or lying in bed after having fallen asleep in the chair when I should have been organizing it.

It went alright I think, they were such nice people so it couldn't really have flopped big time. The posy was a big help, it gave me a start then something to go back to right up to the end.

I didn't have dinner. I was asked to be there at 7.45 pm so I worked picking and bunching beech to help for tomorrow, till 7.15, then after changing clothes I went up to the Silk Palace Chinee and ordered a Singapore noodle box, thinking I'd eat it after I got home, reheated. There's a lovely lady, Jayne, who works there some evenings. She asked me about my day and what I was doing and she suggested why don't I come back after my talk and get the noodsles on my way way home, then they will be fresh. Good idea! They shut at 9.00pm, that should be no problem. I paid in advance.

So I go to the venue, find there's a bit of business before I'm on, do my stuff, have a cuppa, give my nod for speaker's choice of display, then head home knowing I'd missed my noodle pick up.

Here I am enjoying a glass of red wine, satisfied that I gave the talk a go, even if there were many things I left out by accident. Chamomile Farm has played a role in Emerald's history. The wonderful Elvie has been a major driver.

On a less happy note, Molly is fading fast and not expected to live past the weekend. I think Lib and I are going up on Saturday. I'm trying to help Lib through without being obvious about it. How does it feel when your mother dies? Lib is a brave soul and working in an aged care facility death is no stranger to her. But this is her mother. When Bill died, after the funeral, in bed that night, Lib cried and cried her heart out for hours. I am prepared for a similar reaction but am hoping it's easier this time given we're eleven years on and Molly is 92 and has been so frail and failing for so long.