celebrate today

Up at 4:30 Thursday morning, bed 1:30 Friday morning, for a business meeting followed by socialising.
Up at 6:30 Friday morning, bed 12:30 Saturday morning, for day 2 of the business meeting, then flew home & went to a concert with my daughter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIH-PpBu6jo

Up at 7:00 Saturday morning for my university exam.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Laundry/Washing-machines/Top-loader-6kg-under/auction-223309871.htm

She was connected very strongly to the land and the last few years in a rest home were difficult, but when I reflect on happier times I remember:
- Her old Ford Zephyr
- Making forts in her hay shed
- The stamina to empty the outside loo
- Trying to catch eels on her farm with bent nails
- Feeding the pigs
- Gathering the eggs
- The delightful aroma of a roast dinner cooked in her coal range stove
- Sleeping at her place in an old bed with a lump yet comforting mattress
- Her stories about spending time with her cows
- Her memories being a cook on a high-country sheep station
- Owning a bakery
- Turning the dream into a reality and buying a small block of productive land
- Climbing her pine trees
- Being brave when I had to venture outside at night to use the outside loo
- A memory of wearing her gumboots as a toddler
- When she gave me a pet calf
- Cycling down the gravel road on an old bike
- Putting the flag up on the letterbox so the postie would take the letters
- Her old wringer washing machine
- Having a potbelly stove keeping the kettle hot – even in summer
- Her junket puddings
- When she believed she was already 100
- Enjoying bowls
- Companionship
- Her relationship with my grandfather

This was how tonight’s comedy festival show was headlined. It was very funny with some skillful actors using a range of puppets.

Mr 12 laughed so much – it was very worthwhile.

“Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old by deserting their ideals. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.”
—Douglas MacArthur, General

My sister in law passed away 10 years ago after battling breast cancer. I can remember the day she died like it was last week.

She was an amazing person and hardly a day goes by that I don’t think about her. We have her ashes in a small casket in our lounge.

It reminds me how important it is to make those special moments count – and aren’t all moments special?

It was a sunny day full of colour, crackers & crowds at the Chinese New Year celebration in Wellington. Mr 12 & I thoroughly enjoyed it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKKSd7vlucA

My wife’s step father passed away early this morning, almost a year after surgery to remove his brain tumour. Gratefully he didn’t suffer.

It reminded me how beautiful life is & how important it is to make it count.

My wife made the most delicious Rogan Josh curry from the Jamie Oliver cookbook. We served it in our new copper dishes. She made garlic naan. I didn’t want to stop eating.

It looked good & tasted great!

Today I visited my mother-in-law & her clock-collecting husband who is terminally ill. It reminded me once again how important every day is.

I drafted the following poem:

Time
The clock ticks closer to the final minute
Whenever that might be
Whatever that might bring
Will it hurt?
Will I know?
What will I miss?
But the joy I have seen!
The life I have lived!
The lives that I have touched
The candles that continue to shine
Although my breath falters & stills
The flame flickers as darkness falls
The last wisp of smoke rises and disappears
The lives I have touched continue to live
To count the time
To make the time count