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 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 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. 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.

 

I have much to be grateful for, as is so 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.