Fragility

I wrote this over a month ago and thought I published it but there it was languishing in drafts.

It feels like I have reached that age where life keeps reminding me just how fragile we are. I have never focussed so much on my health as it constantly reminds me that I need to. Around me friends and family seem like they are suddenly having to deal with serious health issues or I am getting news of the sudden passing of people I know, often younger than me. Each one makes me stop and just appreciate the time we have and that time to make the most of it is now. I have stopped watching the news and listening to what seems like 12 yr olds with overblown egos trying to ruin the whole world and focussing on what is around me. I have my op finally on November 4th and fingers crossed it will be brief and fast to heal.

I have spent the last week in christchurch with mum and she just gets better and better, she is so much healthier and happier than she has ever been. It’s almost unbelievable, she loves chocolate and forgets she has just had some and is constantly asking for more. At first I would tell her she has already had too much, that she is diabetic and she shouldn’t have so much, her argument is she would prefer to die of consuming too much chocolate than of boredom. I think she is right, she has always eaten too much chocolate and at almost 92 all the warnings seem irrelevant. Why not do and have what you love and enjoy the day.

So before I head to Hamilton on Monday I am going to go down a steep and tricky gorge with 5 river crossings to photograph Beech Strawberries which are about 1 or 2 cm and only around for a couple of weeks. My wonderful fungi buddies went down there a few days ago to make sure they are there so I would get to see them before I am out of action.

My christchurch visit also had a bit of excitement. I took my old camera and lenses which I have struggled to use for macro photography ( it’s not recommended for it) and traded it in on a new Olympus Om1 which is one of the best cameras around for macro. It will take me a while to learn how to use it but watch this space.

Before I headed off to christchurch I managed to get to Whirinaki which is one of my favourite places, old growth untouched forest, its energy, the bird life and the huge trees make you want to just sit and soak it all in.