Living Contentedly

Second child to John F. of Leichhardt & Doris nee Rufus of Broken Hill & Newcastle.  Attended "special school" possibly linked to extreme shyness, social anxiety.  After school began working as a tradesman pattern maker in forges where he was employed at North Sydney. He remained working there till retirement.  In his young adult years he met & married Jan. A motorcycle accident with her as pillion caused Jan to have permanent impairment to her legs, John is said to have felt eternally responsible.   They bore two children, Sharon & Grant & lived in West Pennant Hills in Sydney's inner north west. After attending local schools, Sharon married but separated soon after. She returned to live with her parents & suffered poor mental health for many years. Grant worked in landscaping & operated a  successful business.   Following Jan's passing, The family moved to Coffs Harbour. John & Sharon, Grant, his wife & childr...

No photo today, I was travelling light. Up the hill and back on prep for tomorrows Park Run.  Apart from a more cloudy sky and road to ourselves, the highlight was after I hung my puffer jacket on a roadside post and seeing Cuddy run in fright. He through there was a monster behind us. :) kind of funny, but what goes on on his head is worrying.  Today, more lantana and boat work. Hope to rig Shanti and ready her for sailing.  Yesterday, I withdrew from the Rotovelo purchase. Paying a  $2000 deposit, driving 1500k to buy.a type of bike Ive never seen in the flesh and may not like  was too much.  This morning this is attracting my attention. Room for a dog!

A bit later start this morning on my 4k Everyday first week, fourth day, of running.  Perhaps the lack of fog was less enticing or was it the home made pasties late last night?  looking west over part of my place.  part of the lovely Welcoming Committee; Pogo, Snowy & Dusty. Everyday, without fail.

Due to Council road resurfacing I endeavoured to get out early. Cuddy & I were on the road just after 6:30, I even had my first coffee in the car! We parked up near the Newcastle cruising club marina & walked the Foreshore to Nobbys break wall, back along Horseshoe dog beach. We were out for over 90mins. but mileage suffered due to footwear.  I wore my hiking shoes thinking, well I jogged a bit on the Camino, they'll be fine. Big No! They were like running in high heel shoes, really clunky. I tried to persist, but in the end I was worried about injuring myself so I dropped back to a walk. So annoying.  the foreshore   heading along the break wall. The surf was a churning affair, only 4' but heavy. for whatever reason, i love this little driftwood trap. I fantasize about taking some & building abstract art or furniture.  

So blessed to live here, & have it to myself & a handful of furry friends. Sooty tried to follow us on our run, & the goats welcomed us home with a caper.  This morning's image looking north towards the Barrington's. Weak sunlight piercing fog. 

this is our lot today. A run & some varnishing sounds the ticket. Reading "117 days adrift". Lovely couple, Maralyn is the bomb as far as cool headedness, clear thinking & organisation goes.  this looks like a paddock, but beyond is a vast plain covered with fog. Huh, well you just had to be there. 

After running 5k in 38min. & coming 3rd in my division, i turned around for another 2.5k ;) This morning I drank a,grew & jogged up my road. Its 2k one way, plus the driveway, I think 250m, so I'm calling it a 4.5k hilly jog. I'd like to do it every day now, because:- *  makes me feel good, nay great!  * helps mentally to keep pushing out.  * to harden my body.  * grand to be out in nature.  * very few people my age are doing this.  In the later day I did some painting & refitting deck hardware on Shanti. She is looking way too goo d, but I'm very proud of us both.  I also finished reading Safe Return Unlikely   (I think thats the title.) Was ok,  but I don't get much out of reading sailing books by novice sailors eg: heading into a storm in the Furious Fifties,   the author described the skipper as tense & spending a lot of time on deck ... the the yacht capsized.    Now I want to get reading 117...

0°C or colder when I fed the pets, drank coffee & donned my jogging gear. I got off with the main start today. Unlike last week today there wasn't a cloud to see, I think. I recognized a few runners from last week, stats reveal there were 300 Parkies today. I felt good enough to add another 2.5k, but by then the faux sciatic ache caused by the tip of the thighs constrictor by my bum bag, was biting as were the worms. I needed breakfast. As happened last week, the positive comments from the volunteers, oiled the wheels.  I visited the large hardware chain for boaty stuff and picked up 2 sausage sangas. I intended just to buy 1, but the Scouts were cooking. Yes, I could have just made a donation.  I then visited my favorite grocery store to restock on fruit, veg and nuts as well as pet food.  On the way home a treat was in order, I dropped by a Vietnamese bakery for an apple turnover washed down with a coffee. I sat in the car, in thd sun and soaked it up. At home I set...

This beautiful morning I awoke before light, said a Rosary & did Wim Hof breathing. After a quick coffee the dog & I walked for an hour as the sun filtered through a mist & trees.  I was fascinated to listen to a podcast about Our Lady of Fatima. When walking the Portuguese Camino from Porto, I met a veryvery serene Japanese woman & her husband who were walking towards Fatima. I knew in a moment I should have followed their route; Camino Frances, Camino Portuguese in reverse & onto Fatima. But, it's possible that seeing the grace that lady showed, was enough reward. Further, with the podcast, I was reminded that revelations of visitations placed the shepherd children at risk. Their parents, fellow villagers, health professionals, journalists, atheists and sceptics all derided the children.  One government official forced the three children to denounce what they had said with the threat of being boiled in oil.  It strikes me that while a cro...

Yep, another "thing" I've been interested in for years. The seller will remove the e-assist at no cost to me.  Thinking hard. 

When you're Best Friend is light tan and your car gas Smokey Grey carpet and Black Leather, every hair shows. And when you clean it occasionally it takes a lot of effort.  But using a Rubber Brush really makes the difference.  Getting her through rego was a doddle, but Ben The Mechanic was fascinated by Soobies smokey vibe. He did a little investigating and suggested that " making oil"  during DPF burns had caused oil blow-back into intake side of the engine which causes Soot Production.  Remedy : not so much oil, 10SAE oil, clean out ducting.  Meanwhile Joe's free car has a charging problem that   may cost $800 to repair and he doesn't want to spend that much. So I reminded him: "Cars Suck!". 

Arrived after the off, but I was more interested to add to my weekly mileage. I pretty quickly caught up with the walkers, dodging them and the puddles was a bit distracting. but seeing off alight sprinkle early after heavy overnight rain, it was a glorious day on the end.  Inspired to see some really old folk dotting along. Great way to start the day. 

my "free gift" as a patreon supporter of CSM Mariner.  It was a really nice surprise to find in my letterbox on such a dull dreary weather day.  But first, I jogged 10k before breakfast. A night I lay in  bed nesting myself up for not having jogged or ridden for a few days, and my suspicion that I was putting on weight. Even though the forecast was bleak; 10-15mm of 80% probability, I was pretty determkned. Awake at 4am I went downstairs in the chilled air, did some preying and reading, and as the kookaburra called up the dawn, it was time to go. I was hopeful, even though it had rained heavily during the night hours, before decamping from my berth, I saw a star.  Driving out with Cuddy the surf reporter painted a bleak picture of the weather on the coast, just forty k's away. Looking out, there was a massive cloud head to the SE and a lot of wet haze in between.   It was 8°C, so I had long tights, long sleeved t, short t, puffer, cap and gloves...

cyprus needing to make passage. the captain of the biggest denied ignatius bec he offered no paymentwhile the owner of the smallest willingly took the job   at sea a storm drove the larger ship onto rocks, the smaller ship survives

  "Be not solicitous for the shadow of a great name ." Imitation of Christ, III, xxiv. 2 Good advice; to not seek company of great names.  He who on earth chose to be poorest and least known for love of his Saviour, he will be the first, the noblest, and the richest .*                  1.Corinthians 4:5 * Unsure if this is a direct reference of personal expression of the passage. My good father, often recited a similar passage about laying up all worldly possessions that moths and silverfishes would destroy. He was a quirky fellow, but during his life I never realised his real goodness.  

we've had a light shower early, now its just cold with the S-SE air flow.     Being a Sunday I would be entitled to have a lazy day, but I'm not. I hit the deck early for prayer & reading before heading off to my current batch of lantana clearing.  I made several wind rows, of lantana & fallen timbers. Any lose stones were stacked clear for the digger. I love this work, its physically & emotionally rewarding as well as aesthetically pleasing. Listening to reggae, does it get any better.  Back to the cabin for Wim Hoff breathing followed by a cold shower. I was lucky to enjoy breakfast of home laid eggs.  At the moment I'm setting up a water storage cube for the chooks. This way I can get the permanent cube off the Land Rover & use it for other jobs. On on!  

Actually while I think of it, today is her birthday. She died by suicides the day I discovered my then wife of 29yrs, was cheating.  Anyway, Robyn was my first serious girlfriend & a very special relationship we had. Unfortunately, a series of unfortunate events that any couple would struggle with, bought is undone. But, the memories are of a very special, romantic & loving soul. Some people would struggle to see me as being romantic, but I am, its just that years of little brutalities by "friends" & family have made me this way.  Back in the now so to speak, I had a restless night fretting over my little digger. Its rubberised cat track had walked out of its runners. The cost of replacing them is legend, & despite having tried to sooth myself, I did fret.  So this morning I got out early & began trying a remedy.  No luck. I went back home & searched the little manual that came with the Digger when I bought her. Essentially there were no clear...