2026 Roller Coaster

Here we are nearly at the end of March. The year so far has been full of drama on my personal level and also the world stage. It's a bit of a blur - I thought I'd better do a blog post before the details are lost to my memory. I'm sure some are already gone.

 

Old mate Ian was with us for nine days in January. That must have been after Gord and I went to Victoria to assist with the clean out of the shed at Chamomile Farm prior to property settlement on the 16th. Ian, the intrepid traveler who lives in Canada, arrived in Australia in September, landing in Sydney and going to Canberra to pick up his Delicia campervan, then going North as far as Cooktown, visiting friends along the way. He left us and traveled to Victoria where he had booked work on his van at a trusted mechanic in Geelong after which he trekked to Wilson's Promontory and other parts of South Gippy, before backtracking to the Grampians and then back to our humble abode. He rang every day to tell us of his location and his camping situation and what birds he'd seen, as well as a weather report.

 

When I wrote that, Ian had moved on. It is now some days later, April 5 to be precise. Ian left us to meet up with his nephew Brett who was with a mate in a caravan on the Yorke Peninsula.After a few days there he headed to the Murray River en route to his final destination ultimately in Sydney to fly back to Canada on April 10. The phone calls have continued daily, now including discussion on AFL football which has been a shared interest of ours for as long as I've known Ian, in excess of 60 years. The phone call yesterday informed me that he's not flying to Canada on the 10th, but Bangkok instead. The airline contacted him wanting to reschedule his flight giving him the option to cancel with money back if he wanted. So he thought Thailand would be good where his son Jethro works and is married to a Thai girl. They have a house a short flight from Bangkok in a village and Ian thought he'd like to be there for the imminent Thai New Year celebrations in preference to still freezing temperatures and snowbound conditions in the Yukon.

 

A lot of detail there unimportant to most people but it has seemed frontal to my daily business and it flowed out of me when I finally got to this update. Now to brother Jod.

 

As I've said previously Jod was intending to stay on at the Monbulk Rd Emerald property after the new owners moved in on Jan 16. A rental figure was agreed to with the new owners on the basis that Jod was a lodger and would do some maintenance in exchange for the low rent. The new owners are good people according to Meredith which was my impression when I met the guy, Chris, in January. I didn't meet wife Bronwyn. They had said they were happy to have Jod stay there for some years. That didn't last long. Meredith rang me to say Bronwyn had emailed her to say it wasn't working, they'd like Jod to find somewhere else by July.

 

Panic station for Meredith and Roger, who had worked so hard to relocate themselves and handle all the furniture removal and property clean up. By a stroke of the miraculous, Meredith's daughter Annie who lives in Beaconsfield, saw a unit in a village for sale for $160,000. Around the same time another email came to say that Chris and Bronwyn wanted Jod out by the end of March such was the deterioration of things. Effectively it had taken Jod one month to spoil his opportunity of staying at the farm in his bungalow.

 

By this time, Jod was most vocal at every opportunity about his hatred of Bronwyn. This made him want to get out as quick as he could and probably was key to him agreeing to fund himself the purchase of the Beaconsfield unit. Settlement on that was March 21 and we were full of nervous tension till it eventuated. Then Meredith and Roger had to organize the relocation and another clean up. Jod had befriended a young bloke who worked on a tree removal on the property, Leroy. Leroy bought some things Jod was happy to sell, records and an antique muzzle loading firearm and said he'd help Jod move stuff in his boss's truck after work. The day before this was due to happen, Leroy said he would visit and bring a bottle of rum. Jod told Meredith of the arrangements. Meredith asked (begged) Jod not to drink rum, knowing how bad he was when he did!

 

The day of the supposed furniture move Meredith found Jod in a bad way with his hands damaged, a lot of skin off and painful ribs limiting any activity. He'd got into the rum and gone outside in the night probably to take a leak. He fell in his fern garden and couldn't get up. He didn't know where he was. It took him four hours to crawl back inside dragging himself by his hands. On learning of this, Roger said he'd had enough, stuff the Leroy thing, he arranged a small hire truck for two days. After picking up the truck in Ferntree Gully at 4pm, the next day they, R and M, arrived to load it. Jod was groaning in pain and could not contribute, even having trouble breathing. It was decided to take him to hospital. Roger suggested Meredith take him so he could load things. She refused, not wanting to be stuck in casualty with him for hours and also not wanting R lifting furniture by himself. At this point I should mention that R has had a medical issue where he has had temporary blackouts a number of times where he appears to feint. She doesn't even like him driving. So Meredith stayed there and rang me while Roger took Jod to hospital. Old mate Ian was with us at this point, I was having trouble focusing on anything. 

 

The upshot was Jod spent a few days in hospital. Doctors tested - no broken ribs, liver showing signs of early cirrhosis, minor problem with a leaky heart valve. Roger's brother came to help him move the furniture and pots and pans and all else. They left it in Jod's new carport. Next day R and M and Rosie's husband Mat moved the stuff inside. Jod was still too sore to contribute meaningfully. Last I heard from Meredith a couple of days ago, they've been back to help him place things where he wants, she finished cleaning his bungalow which was filthy, even hanging new curtains and buying a new doormat. Another email came from Bronwyn stipulating they never want Jod back on the property and if he ever comes back it will be a legal matter.

 

I've had a bumpy 2026 so far. It should be peaceful from here. I'm so glad I got out of Emerald five years ago! I was tempted to go back to help with Jod's translocation but with the fuel crisis I didn't need much to convince myself it would not be a good idea. What now? How long till Jod mucks up in his new place. At least he's in his own place, and Meredith shouldn't feel obligation to jump to his assistance in future. 

 

She's an amazing lady my sister. A wonderful human being! I sent her chocolate for Easter, with a block for Elvie and Rog too. The Chamomile Farm story has finally reached conclusion. My mind whirls and twirls with recollections of so much drama over 55 years. And so much achieved despite all the difficulties.

 

Let's Make it 50

 The first thing I said to Lib this morning was,

"Let's make it 50."

January saw us reach 45 years of married life! January was busy. The wedding anniversary came quietly but gives opportunity for reflection, which has been pleasant and satisfying on a personal level, overriding the hassles and worries. Lib's sister Pat has serious health issues and has been undergoing chemo. Lib still struggles with her long COVID and skin allergies, but dare I say, seems to be improving.

January 16 saw settlement of the sale of the property known as Chamomile Farm at Emerald in Victoria. My parents bought the land in 1971, built a house and moved in the following year. I lived there for most of 1973, again 1975. I returned to the area (living in Gembrook for the next 40 years) to work at "the farm" in 1981 after marrying Lib. I became a part owner in 1986 and was proprietor of the business for 35 years.

 

Gord and I went to Emerald prior to settlement to help clean up the shed and have a last look around and see Mum Elvie in Aged Care at Salisbury House, as well as of course sister Meredith and Roger and brother Jod. I also managed to visit friends Rickyralph* and Monica in Berwick, also Maria Millers and Chris Britton in Emerald. A week away including two days traveling each way with overnight stops in Horsham and Nhill.

 

Lib held the fort at McCracken doing a deep clean in the house in hope of alleviating her skin rash allergy possibly caused by sensitivity to dust mites according to recent blood tests. She looked after our garden as well so her week of solitude was indeed a busy one. The weather turned feral in the second half of January. It was a heatwave across South East Australia well documented of record proportion. Our fridge didn't make it, the freezer no longer freezing. New fridge now in place.

 

While Gord and I were away, we booked a motel online for our return. I thought I was  booking with the motel direct, but when the confirmation email came I could see it was for the wrong day, the day that was nearly over (9pm), not the next day. Tried to ring customer service, Dallas USA, couldn't get through, fine print said no refunds on cancellation. Bottom line - I did $168 Australian when converted from $US. Oh, and $13 booking fee and $4 transaction fee on my credit card. Motel couldn't help when we did get there. They have no control over the booking companies - we had to pay another $150. A scam totally I reckon. Just shows me not to do things online when tired. Lesson learned! The fridge we bought locally was listed as $1399. After we bought it I saw on line the same fridge advertised on line at the Good Guys (South Adelaide) for $899 on special. Bugger.

 

We paid a deposit on a new car last week. The warranty on our Skoda runs out in April as does the rego. With a distribution from the sale of Emerald we thought it was a good time to look at a new vehicle. A contract is in place for March delivery of a Kia Sportage hybrid with a 7 year year warranty, fixed price servicing. Probably our last purchase of a motor car and hopefully 7 years of trouble free motoring. Should be a saving on fuel. We had a solar battery fitted last week, it was ordered last November and we've been in the queue. Should be a saving hereon in electricity. Save for some new socks and underwear, the rest of my farm money is going into the superannuation income stream but withholding a lump sum (possibly 25%) to pay Capital Gains Tax come the end of the financial year.

 

With all that's happened over the last six months with Elvie going into Aged Care; the sale, the clean up, the agent, the solicitor, all the discussion, paperwork, I can only say how fortunate we have been to have good professional people. Sue Colic at Barry Plant Real Estate was amazing. KLR legal services equally excellent. Mum is adjusted well to Salisbury House and was happy when I saw her, though naturally at 97 years old not every day is good. It was comforting to see how attentive, warm and caring the staff treated her. Meredith visits multiple times a week. Jod is staying on at the Emerald property as a tenant. He rang me yesterday, the new owner Chris is a fantastic fellow according to Jod. He loves his new property and is full of enthusiasm and energy, already making necessary improvements. Jod's old cat that lived with mum in the house has settled in well in Jod's bungalow and both of them managed quite well in the brutal heatwave.

 

Meredith and Roger did an amazing job handling the huge work involved in selling the property in preparation and in vacating the furniture and household accumulation of 50 years. Also prior to that looking after Elvie and maintaining the property. I'm forever grateful. 

 

I have much to be grateful for, as is true for all my life. Let's hope Lib and I get to 50 years married in, dare I say, 2031. There are no guarantees. Yesterday is history, tomorrow mystery, today a gift. I've said that many times probably in this blog. Our tour guide in Peru used it in his farewell speech a couple of decades ago. I think he got from a Schwarzenegger movie. I am hoping for a calm peaceful 2026, enjoying comfortable retirement. Life has remained good but the last six months or so has caused some disruption.

 

*In recent months Rick and Monica moved into a new place in Berwick, a retirement village sort of thing. He rang me Christmas eve, to say he and his daughters and families, the whole tribe, were going to Warrnambool on Xmas day for a week. He rang again early January to say he'd been there a couple of days when he got a phone call telling him someone had broken into his new house and camped there a couple of days. Some druggie had smashed the laundry window and climbed in, cutting himself and leaving blood in their bedding where he slept. They cleaned up and bought a new bed but the bloke stole Monica's jewellery and IPad.