Cherry Blossom Adventures

About to have a shower and go to sleep but I remembered just in time to post. Sunday will bring this months nablopomo to an end and I am actually glad. As much as I have enjoyed posting everyday again it is a draining hobby!!!

Today marked the start of my dad`s cancer treatment. I didn`t explain the other day that the reason dad would have treatment on Christmas Day if he was in a certain group is that he is actually involved in a medical trial. Due to the fact he has had the same cancer before it made him eligible and he decided to go ahead with it.

He was nominated a group today but it turns out that he will be in “group 1″ which means he will have treatment every Friday for 8 weeks. This means he will not have treatment on Christmas Day. This is a bit of a relief. He believes that the treatment won`t work but I live in hope…

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Does anyone remember their first day of primary/elementary school? I do, well parts of it at least…I was excited because I had heard grade 1 would have lots of books I could read by myself and possibly take home to read then return and this appealed to me because even then I was an avid reader.

I know my teacher, Mr Kearney, had taught grade one for a long while and he knew what he was doing. Mum came with me on the first day obviously, with little brother in tail  and if the photos of that day are any indication he had a pretty good day himself. My uniform was blue checked dress with a white collar and white capped sleeves and my shoes were shined within an inch of their life. My pink school bag was all packed (including my lunch box with a popper in it) and I hadn`t been allowed to take bow, my favourite stuffed childhood toy but I left him at the enterance to our house so that he would be the first thing I saw when I returned home. I don`t remember been nervous but I might of been.

Each desk had a little ABC chart contacted to it and every girl had to sit next to a boy. I don`t remember who my neighbour was but my little brother stole my seat early on in the morning when we arrived and he quite possibly could of drawn all over the table. Luckily he didn`t stay long and it wasn`t long before I was saying goodbye to  mum.

I remember nothing else from my first day exactly but there are scattred memories of that year floating around in my head. The great chicken pox outbreak of 1991 for example in which my class of 30 when to 8. Learning to write although I don`t really remember much about this and have nothing to show of my writing from that time but I must have learn to write around that time although I could already read and write a little bit before I started.

One other memory I have of that year was the athletics carnival, which was not held at our school due to our lack of a school oval at that time but I remember running in the kids race that day. My mum tells the story of how my hat blew off halfway through the race, how I stopped, ran back and got it and still won the race by 10m or so. I have many blue ribbons from my primary school athletics carnivals although most of that changed when I went to highschool and started competing again 180 girls instead of 20.

Plus the school assemblies held every Wednesday held outside because I think when I was in year 1 we still didn`t have the church built where the assemblies were held in later years. I know in preschool they were definitely held outside. Mum would come most weeks and we would know she was there from the jingling of her bangles.

I know also that sometime in that year, during a parent teacher conference that my teacher, Mr Kearney, told my parents that I was a delight to teach but that I would be perfectly happy if I was the only person in the class with him and if all the other children disappeared. Apparently it didn`t mean that I didn`t like playing with the other kids just that I was an attention whore even at age 5!

The games we played in year one also play on my mind. Heads down thumbs up and catch and kiss (which was banned the year I was in year 2 or possibly year 1) and also learning our school song “This is our school”.

The friends I had included mainly boys I think…Michael D, Bryce G were a couple as well as one of my bridesmaids Mandy T!

The memories of that time are scattered around in my brain but it is amazing how much I remember from that time really. What do you remember from your early school years?

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As you know the last couple of weeks have been a very emotional and busy time for us. Yesterday I was off work to take my father to the hospital to have some tests (a CT scan & a biopsy) and about a week ago I hinted that there was more trouble coming up for me and my family. Last Monday my fathers oncologist said that due to the rapid growth of the lumps he had under his arms and in his neck, his cancer was progressing and that the starting of treatment would be fairly imminent.

The results of the tests yesterday will not be back in for a couple of days but it looks as if the next step will be starting chemo again. He is fairly adamant that he does not want to do chemo again but we will wait and see. I talked about my fathers cancer, non- hodgkins lymphoma, previously here. Up until earlier this year my father had been in remission for 7 years.

The weekend was a very emotional time for us. Sunday & Monday where quite possibly the worst days I have ever spent with my father but I am happy to report that the last two days have been a lot better. Some of you know what has been going on  and I am sure the rest of you can understand why I am not going to go into too many details.

Shun came with me yesterday to the hospital and even though the hospital is close to my work and I could have gone in for a couple of hours at least, I decided against it and where I currently working, and my managers there have been fine with me taking the day off. On Tuesday night I slept for 2.5 hours and while I got extra sleep last night I woke up this morning with a migraine and couldn`t go to work. It means that I have missed the last two days, and I will have a lot to catch up on tomorrow. I woke up at 6am to get ready for work but I just couldn`t face it so sent a message to my manager and went back to sleep. I woke up a couple of times but didn`t get out of bed until 2pm. I feel a lot better now but I still have a headache and am feeling quite exhausted…I guess it is my bodies way of telling me the last couple of weeks have caught up with me.

I could of gotten a lot of things done today with the day off but instead I slept & then finished a game of monopoly with my dad & Shun ( I won!) and while I will probably have a headache for about a week (that is the way my migraines go)  I am feeling much better and I think I spent my day well! Dad & Shun are now in the kitchen cooking dinner- we are having an easy tea of sausages on breadrolls. It is Shun`s favourite!!!

Like I said, I could of spent the day doing so many other things, catching up on the cleaning, washing, writing applications for my current job (It is getting advertised so I will apply for it- and if I get it it would mean I would go on their books) general writing, catching up on blogs,  studying, sewing or doing wedding stuff.

Instead I slept & played monolpoly and I can`t help but feel that it was  a day well spent!!!

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Three weeks ago we started with this…

and now I am happy to report our little veggie and herb garden  is going well and now looks like this:

So far we have harvested (hehe!) some lettuce and a couple of strawberries as well as a bunch of herbs on and off when we need them (including basil, mint, chives, coriander & dill) and yesterday we added some sticks to keep up the corn and tomatoes and transplanted the snowpeas next the gate so that they would have something to climb and creep up.

We had limited space but a lot of things we wanted to grow  so we kind of just planted everything in there and hoped for the best.

It drives Abbey insane that she can not get into this little garden area and whenever one of us goes in to pick stuff out (or if we get the hose out and try to water the garden) she barks and barks and barks. I think she despises the fact that we are paying attention to the garden and not to her (although with her insessive barking it is hard to ignore her!!)

She would be very disappointed in me I think, if she found out I was posting about the garden and not her so here is picture of Abbey from the day we made the garden- she was trying to help with the digging!!!

I love having a garden, even though I have a bit of a brown thumb (It is my dad that has the green thumb I guess you could say)…I really hope to recreate something similar when we are back in Japan, albeit a bit smaller than this one. I think it will only be a week or so before we have an abundance of strawberries, lettuce, beans, snowpeas and more herbs than we know what to do with. The capsicums, corn & onions may take a little longer! The spinach however I think may not make it- I have tried to resurrect it without much luck although I suppose it could make a miracle recovery but I doubt it. It is great to be able to go outside and pick lettuce for a salad or some fresh coriander for a Thai beef salad or basil for roast veggies. It will be a lot more exciting when we can pick more off it…

The first red strawberry to appear was quickly halved and gobbled up by Shun & I and even he had to admit that it was a pretty damn good strawberry (So far it is the only one on there that has been ready to eat- there are about 15 flowers and little green strawberries popping out though!)

Does anyone have any garden hints or veggie growing tips? Would love to hear them!!!

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When the jacarandas start to bloom you know summer is on its way. The heat starts to roll in, dry and thick and as a kid, that always meant summer holidays and Christmas were just around the corner.

Through end of September and October the jacaranda trees with there purple flowers line the streets and the wilting blooms litter the sidewalks, parks & streets. While the jacaranda trees are native to South America, Mexico & the Carribbean most of Brisbane seems to have adopted them as their own. In fact, I only learnt this just now, but the jacarandas are so famous in Brisbane that in the 1930s & 1940s new mothers were given a jacaranda sapling as they left the hospital with their newborns.

Where has this year gone? It is almost November yet it seems like just yesterday that 2008 rolled around.

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Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post. I really appreciate all the support I recieve from my friends whom I know both in real life and in the blogsphere. Yesterday we were hit with another blow but I need time to process before I write about it here.

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In an effort to improve on my writing I have decided to sign up for Encyclopedia of me which started over at Bella Dia (and which I found out about by reading Laura`s blog here...)… participating in this hasn`t actually improved my writing at all but I still live in hope…

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V is for Vicious Cycle…

My father is an alcoholic.

He was never violent or abusive in the way you think alcholics are. In fact we had no idea he was an alcholoic until one day he went into hospital with severe stomach pain which turned out to be pancreatitis. He detoxed in an emergency room and ended up in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) before getting transferred to a private rehabilitation centre. We knew he drank, we even knew he drank a lot although we had no idea how much.

My father is an alcholic and he will always be that way. I was a student in Japan the first time he detoxed. I was not here and I am constantly reminded of this. He stayed in hospital and a rehabilitation centre for almost six weeks all together. He almost died.

My father is an alcoholic. I came back to Australia earlier this year because he was drinking again (they had also found that his cancer had returned after 8 years in remission however he is not undergoing treatment for this at this time) and while my family had not given up on him they had been through it many times before so I came back to care for him.He entered rehab again 3 days after I arrive. This was is 4th or perhaps 5th time to enter the facility and like we do everytime we hoped it would be the last time. It was a bad detox, perhaps the worst or at least the same as that first time. He ended up in ICU again and we were told that he probably wouldn`t make a recovery and it was very touch and go for about a week. We were told if he did make it he would be left with a type of alcoholics dementure meaning he would more than likely need 24 hour care.

My father is an alcoholic and when I returned to Australia earlier this year I almost lost him. He was lucky to survive the latest detox and I honestly thought he would not make it long enough to see Shun & I get married or ever meet his future grandkids.

My father is an alcoholic. When I saw him at the hospital he did not recognize me and I barely recognized him. He could not walk, could barely talk and wanted me to help him escape. Now, several months later he still does not remember me coming to see him.

My father is an alcoholic and when he left the rehabilitation centre this time around we really thought things would work out (like we have every other time). He attended AA meetings 2 or 3 times a week and would go to his rehabilitation centre for one day a fortnight. While he didn`t remember much of his time from the hospital his mind eventually returned back to normal.

My father is an alcoholic and he takes a medication that makes him violently ill if he drinks or has anything with vinegar in it.  He has tested the boundaries of this medication at least once since getting released from the hospital. If he drank while on it, got sick and continued to drink he would go into a coma and die.

My father is an alcoholic and today I found three empty beer bottles hidden away under the house.

My father is an alcoholic and I fear this vicious cycle will not end until he kills himself. And that scares me so much…

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Well the photos finally uploaded to flickr after much effort and waiting on my part I might add. We did have a lovely weekend down on the Gold Coast though (Coolangatta) and it is just so nice to be able to spend time with my dad (and Shun of course) especially considering how is health was only 4 months ago.

We actually stayed down the coast because for Father`s Day I gave dad two tickets to see Toni Childs in concert at Twin Towns just over the border in New South Wales. In the end he asked me if I would go with him so I booked a place down the caost for us to stay the night as part of his birthday present (Fathers Day 1st Sunday of September and his Birthday is today, the 20th). While we only had two tickets we thought staying down there was the best idea and it meant Shun could come with us even though I couldn`t get another ticket to the concert.

There was fruit juice and smoothie places EVERYWHERE! We went for a walk along the main street in Coolangatta before we could check in checking out the smoothie bars, the beach, the new resteraunts and hotels that had popped up since we had last been down there and of course I checked out my favourite all-time second hand book place (I was good and only bout 8 second hand novels!!!!)

At dusk we hung around the pool.

And luckily we had booked into the seafood place downstairs for dinner. Honestly, if you are ever staying down at Coolangatta and like seafood you should definitely book a table at Fisherman`s Cove. We went a couple of time when I was younger (We used to stay at Calypso , the hotel above, over Christmas, Summer holidays) and it has always been good. Check out the bug dinner….Dad & Shun certainly enjoyed it (I had ginger chillie prawns which were also bellisimo!)

The concert was awesome. Toni Childs ( I am not sure if any of you have heard of her? but her most famous songs were Zimbabwe and Many Rivers to Cross) had the most powerful voice I have ever heard and she danced around the stage barefoot and I honestly think that so many people in the audiance were just in awe of her talent. I have to say that the girl before her Jess McAvoy was also quite good- her voice was not quite as powerful but she was an excellent entertainer and a brilliant guitar player. I quite liked her and have since downloaded a couple of songs from Itunes!!!

Despite been out quite late the night before we were up early the next morning (early for me on a weekend at least- just after 8am). Dad had already been for 2 walks along the beach by the time we got up not to mention almost completed the Sunday paper crosswords (he got up at 4:30am which is the time he pretty much wakes up every day…sometimes on Sundays he sleeps in an extra hour though).

We checked out, ate a lovely local breakfast and had a quick walk along the beach before heading to Currumbin Bird Sanctuary which we had decided to stop at on the way home.

I haven`t been to Currumbin Bird Sancturary since I was a baby. It has been so long in fact, that I do not remember. It wasn`t really like how I imagined and surprisingly we saw no lorrikeets which the sanctuary is famous for (we were there the wrong time) but we did see the wild bird show and reptiles, feed the kangaroos and emus and saw a crocodile which was so big that we actually thought it might have been fake (and therefore dead).

Do you see the last picture of the emu? See the black tuffs of hair on the side of its face- that is its ears. Does anybody else find that weird??

Anyway, we had a great weekend and if definitely goes to show that a weekend away can make the world of difference in attitudes. It was so nice to get so much fresh air, sunshine and conversation in on one weekend. I hope Shun & I or Shun, Dad & I can take another weekend away together soon. In fact I think a weekend away to Melbourne in November may be in order…

Today is the last day of Septemer, and I have successfully posted everyday so yay!

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In about an hour I am off down the coast for the weekend with Shumpei & my dad. Dad`s birthday is on Tuesday (as is my friend James`!!! Happy Birthday) and for father`s day earlier in the week I bought him some tickets to see Toni Childs on the Gold Coast at Twin Towns. He asked me to go with him so I booked accomodation for his birthday and now we are off down the coast for a little mini weekend holiday!

We will be staying here…. which is just across the road from the beach. And well, tomorrow it is supposed to hit 30 degrees so might even have a dip.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend- I will try to come back tomorrow with some photos.

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On Thursday nights we have dinner at my mum`s house- it is great because she is like me and can not cook small dishes so there is always leftovers and lucky for us that usually means lunch for Friday. Tonight was lasange-Yummy!

In Japan I drank a lot during the week- Shumpei worked late so I would often have a couple of glasses of wine by myself or stop off at a bar where I knew the owner for a couple of drinks, before heading home. Yet in Australia, I hardly drink at all. Occasionly if I go out for an event (For example a concert or wedding or dinner out if I am not driving) I will have a couple drinks but I never drink in my dad`s house. Yet sometimes, as a contribution to the fact mum makes us dinner once a week, I might take a bottle of wine. or 2. Like tonight for example. The amount I was drinking in Japan bothered me a lot which is why I gave up alcohol for a month or so earlier in the year- I was worried that I had a problem with drinking but am releived to say it didn`t seem to be the case because I gave up coffee at the same time and that was a hell of a lot harder to give up than alcohol

So long story short, I am a little drunk on a Thursday night due to the wine I took t mum`s. Shun drove home since he hadn`t had anything but iced coffee and vitamin water. As I said, in Australia I hardly ever drink on weeknights, if at all, so I am slightly worried about how I will pull up tomorrow.

But hey, I can`t be too drunk since I remembered to blog!

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My little brother turns 21 today…I vaguely remember when he was born or at least I remember been dropped at my grandmothers house in what seemed like the middle of the night (Although probably would of been only about 8pm). I was 2 and a half when he was born and don`t remember much except that he was a big fat buddha of a baby (10 pound 10) who constantly sucked his thumb and had a shock of white hair. My brother was born with his thumb in his mouth and at the hospital after he was born a nurse joked that if the pizza man came it would be for him because he looked like he should of been on solids from the word go.

My brother and I got on quite well when we were younger but as he headed into his teenage years our relationship was a little strained. I think all teenage boys go through that grunting stage though? He is ok though, most of the time. I am hoping the older we get the more our relationship will become more adult. At the moment though we still seem to annoy each other too much! Although he took care of a lot while I have been away including supporting both my parents when they separated and also was hear to support them again when my dad had a bad turn in 2004 when I was in Japan on exchange.

He is not so little anymore- he is over 6 ft tall and while I am tall he still towers over me! He came to visit me in Tokyo the first time I was living there as a student. He had just turned 17 and we went to one of my favourite bars in Kichijoji on his first night there and Abe-san, the owner of the bar, said ” So this is your older brother?” and I replied ” no, my little brother” and he took one look at me and one look at him and said “But you are underage which makes him very underage… so am I going to get in trouble for serving him beer? What will your mum say?”. The first time I ever saw snow was the next day, and I got to share it with my brother.

Despite hating piano lessons when he was younger and giving up within the year he has now found his musical talent and taught himself to play the guitar (He is left handed- he taught himself originally on a right handed guitar upside down before getting his own left handed guitar!) and now plays the piano again as well. When I am away in Japan he sends me CD`s and the names of bands to check out so that I don`t  lose track of the Australian music scene!

His hair is kept pretty long now. In fact in this shot above we had very similar haircuts- I paid a lot for mine yet his just grew like that and ended up like that because he didn`t cut it!

He has been with his girlfriend for three years now and she is great. They suit each other and she is lovely- in fact her and I probably get on better than he and I do most of the time but at least she keeps me up to date with what is going on with him!

Last night we had a family dinner at a seafood restaurant at Portside. It was so delicious and it was lovely. He did not want a big 21st party or anything so we decided dinner would be best. There was 9 of us altogether. Mum, Dad, me, Paul, Shumpei, Gem (his gf), Gem`s parents and Gem`s little brother. I hope he had a good night also- I think he did

Happy 21st Birthday Paulie! I love you!

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