Uta’s May 2017 Diary

DSCN2852 — A view from Peter’s hospital window

“The Dry” by Jane Harper. I was able to get this novel from the library and started reading it last week on Wednesday when Peter had his treatment day in Wollongong Hospital. Last weekend I finished reading this book in between sleeping a lot. I needed a lot of extra rest for I had a tummy upset. Still, it was good that I could use the resting time to finish reading “The Dry”. I was really interested to find out how this crime novel would end. It is a first novel by Australian author Jane Harper. The novel is set in a small country town in outback very dry and hot Victoria. A family is being murdered during the hot summer month of February. Who is the murderer? I thought there were very interesting clues and characters in this novel. After a while I just could not put it down anymore.

My tummy ache had already started early in the morning last Saturday. But this was the day when we had planned lunch with our friends at the club’s Treasure Court Restaurant. I actually managed to eat my vegetables with ginger/shallot sauce and boiled rice.

DSCN2856

These vegetable were very crisp and fresh. I think this sort of meal was just the right thing for me to eat on that day.

Yesterday, Monday, I felt much better. But to be on the safe side, I stayed home all day. Today was different. Peter and I left early in the morning to go to Warrawong to see a movie in the GALA CINEMA. Our choice to see was

VICEROY’S HOUSE, a movie about the partition of India in 1947.

In the review by

Paul Byrnes

it is said towards the end:

” . . . This last bit is where Chadha may have taken liberties. She relies on a book by former Indian diplomat Narendra Singh Sarila, a junior member of Mountbatten’s staff. Sarila contends that Churchill decided two years earlier that partition was necessary to ensure that a newly created Pakistan would become a strong bulwark against the USSR, thus protecting the Middle East oilfields. . . . ”

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/viceroys-house-review-entertaining-but-misleading-20170517-gw6og6.html

I wonder now, whether film director Chadha has taken liberties or not.

A Morning at the Pool

And, please read today’s (13th Jan. 2014) update:

Yesterday, on Sunday, I went to the pool instead of going to church. It was another beautiful morning at the pool: Pleasantly warm, no wind. Just perfect for a relaxing swim. Peter declined to come to the pool with me. It was his old excuse about the pool water being much too cold for him! But later on he was waiting outside the swimming centre to walk home with me, which I enjoyed.

Having just reblogged last years pictures of Dapto swimming pool area I noticed with the pictures are some pictures of the Gala Cinema included. This reminds me, that on Saturday (two days ago) we went to see THE BOOK THIEF at the Gala. It was an afternoon session and this time there were quite a few people in the cinema to watch this excellent movie.

But back now to my attempts at keeping up a little bit of swimming. Over the Christmas period when we had family staying with us, I had several times the chance to go for a swim. With Martin and S we went to Wollongong Olympic outdoor pool on a warm morning when even Peter dared to have a dip in the water. The following day Martin and S walked to Dapto pool for a swim early in the morning. I opted out to go with them. I felt I needed a bit of a rest before all the Christmas celebrations would start.

On Christmas Day Matthew drove us to Port Kembla Pool. It was a shockingly cold morning and of course Peter just watched Matthew, Caroline and myself having a good swim. Peter joining us on such a very cold morning was out of the question. And I must say, the sea-water in the pool felt indeed very, very cold. I think Matthew and Caroline went to Port Kembla Pool again the following day, however this time without me. I did not fancy the strong cold wind at Port Kembla.

It’s now several weeks since Christmas, and I finally made it for a swim in the New Year at Dapto Swimming Pool. It is predicted that we are going to be into an extreme heatwave by the middle of this week. The middle of this week (Thursday) we’ll be going to another funeral same as around this time last year when we had a couple of days with temperatures of more than 45 C.

We are distressed that our very fit and healthy 82 year old neighbour all of a sudden died of a massive heart attack. Well, one never knows for whom the bell tolls.

AuntyUta

I saw the doctor today. He let me off lightly: He said the blood-tests are okay but when he took my blood pressure it was a bit too high again. He gave me some more time to get my blood pressure down. If it doesn’t improve, he wants to prescribe medication. He was happy that there’s no more swelling and no more pain. Ah, and he said to go easy on salt in my diet and to walk frequently. So far so good. Actually, I can give myself a pat on the shoulder today because this afternoon I actually did go for a walk. I bet the doctor would be pleased about this!

A few weeks ago I walked to the pool early in the morning. Strolling along the way I took some pictures of some flowers in the gardens in front of people’s houses. I always enjoy looking at…

View original post 315 more words

Diary, 9th of May 2012

A SEPARATION

A Persian Film with English Subtitles

‘A married couple are faced with a difficult decision – to improve the life of their child by moving to another country or to stay in Iran and look after a deteriorating parent who has Alzheimer’s disease . . .’

The movie length is 2hrs. The talk is extremely fast most of the time. Towards the end of the movie my eyes started feeling a bit sore. But it was a gripping movie. The marriage difficulties ring so true. It was filmed like a documentary. The setting could have been in any other country where there’s an established middle class. Caring for an aging parent suffering from Alzheimer’s disease would bring problems to any family.

Anyhow Peter and I watched this movie in the Gala Cinema in Warrawong while Peter’s car was being serviced. Now the car is ready for re-registration which is always due in the month of Peter’s birthday.

Our free standing home is called a ‘villa’. There are ten identical villas in our complex, eight of them owner occupied. One widow in the complex recently sold her house to move to a retirement village. Another widow in the complex gave her yesterday a farewell afternoon tea. We were all invited to this. One of the widows in the complex was prevented from coming, all the other residents could make it, meaning we were four couples plus three single women. A. had everything wonderfully prepared for the afternoon tea. There were seats for all eleven of us around the living-room. The hostess presented our departing friend with a beautiful set of flowers which you can see in the following picture.

I was in a bit of pain during the course of the afternoon. But I still had a good time. The women, who’s departing, has arthritis in both knees! And this for years. So I cannot say yet that I’m a really bad case. Anyhow hopefully I am going to get better again. Peter had knee-trouble some time ago and he got better and is walking/running again quite regularly. Someone in the group took yesterday a picture of Peter and me which shows how awfully crooked my leg looks. I should really be a bit more aware of my posture. I put this picture into the blog to keep reminding myself to become more aware about the way I’m sitting.

I am holding my right knee, which is the one that’s hurting. My left knee is totally all right so far.

Paul Byrnes