Reflections on Life

This post is not one of my usual destination or trip based story, but then again maybe it is.............. this one is a few ramblings of mine about life's destinations and a bit of reflection.
 A year ago I made a few life decisions, I thought long and hard about where I was in life, what I wanted out of life and future directions.
Maybe it was a mid life crisis, I don't know..........
Sometimes we devote a lot of time to the things that don't really matter, yet often forget to give time to the things that DO matter. We also tend to devote a lot of time to being greedy and the quest to have the largest Television or the best car in the street. With this in mind I concluded that I needed to work until I was at least 85 years old to get everything I would like.
If I chose to lower my expectations a little I could achieve a lot of my dreams a lot sooner, maybe not so comfortably, but I am 30 years younger and if I retired at 85 years old it wouldn't be easy climbing up Uluru or King's Canyon with my walking frame or getting into Twin Falls in Kakadu with a mobility scooter.
With all this running around in my head I chose to leave my office life in Melbourne, the hustle and bustle and traffic woes to return to my town of birth and spend some quality time with my elderly mother, who was starting to slow down a little and needed a bit of help, interspersed with regular camping trips.
Little did I know how short that quality time would be....................October 2012 was retirement, June 2013 my mother had a stroke and after a hospital stay needed to go into assisted living as doing basic things herself was no longer possible. September 2013 another stroke and major deterioration in mobility, sight, speech, and awareness. October 2013 my beautiful loving mother lost her fight and passed away.
The point in all this is I chose to devote more time to the things that DO matter. That choice enabled me to spend a lot of quality time with my failing mother. The memories of the time we spent together, even in the last days, when communication was difficult, will be cherished and remembered far longer than that big TV or nicer vehicle I could have purchased had I stayed in Melbourne. I am so grateful I made this choice and got the chance to help my loving mother when she needed it most and repay her for all the times she helped me unconditionally when it was needed.

Mum 19/12/1922 - 26/10/2013

With tears we saw you suffer,

 As we watched you fade away, 

Our hearts were almost broken, 

As you fought so hard to stay. 

We knew you had to leave us, 

but you did not go alone, 

For part of us went with you, 

The day you left for home.

Rest In Peace Mum all the pain and suffering is over. Thank you mum for everything I will never forget you and love you so much.
I have treasured memories which I will never forget that are far  more valuable to me than having the largest satellite dish in the caravan park.
So I suppose this blog is just to remind people to be nice to each other and to take the time to smell the roses and enjoy life. Don't get tied up and stressed out trying to achieve something you think might make you happy, but probably won't........concentrate on the things that really matter.
I am heading away next week somewhere, undecided as yet for 2 weeks to sort my head out, so I will do a posting on that trip. After the estate is sorted out here it will be 'game on' with my travels.
 The Savannah way up in the Gulf Country next dry season for six or eight months is looking pretty good at this stage.
Bye for now, I will try not to be so morbid next time :-)
   

Emu Bight - The Lakes National park

Hello all
I have been grounded for about six weeks, so there has been nothing to report......
I am coming to a period now where I may be able to get away a bit more often......perfect timing, just as the weather here starts to improve. The last six weeks or so have been very volatile, nice and mild (even warm) for a day or two then whamo 100kph winds and freezing temperatures and plenty of rain.

With this in the back of my mind, it was on with the camper and down the road for a short escape. I wanted somewhere reasonably close, I chose Emu Bight, the only campsite in The Lakes National Park on Gippsland's 90 mile beach. I hadn't been here for quite some time and had forgotten the similarity of this area to Kakadu in the NorthernTerritroy...........relentless mosquitoes..........

It suprised me how few people were around, considering it is school holidays here but I guess the weather hasn't been the best.

Camp at Emu Bight

A calm warm night was spent, waking up to 16c but it was a warning of things to come.

Emu Bight Lake Victoria

Emu Bight Lake Victoria

Upon checking the forecast that morning via my phone, I found 100kph plus winds forecast, severe weather warnings, and large areas of rain heading my way. While not afraid of a bit of rain or ever a bit of cold weather, it is quite dangerous in those sort of winds....not to mention having to cut your way back out through fallen trees over the exit road. The decision was made to head home.

Point Henry Jetty

looking over Lake Reeve towards Rottamah Island

Around the middle of October I plan to head off again for a few weeks. I hope to head to Innamincka and along Coopers Creek exploring the historic sites from the Burke and Wills Expedition but I am keeping a good eye on the weather as I suspect it might be starting to get into the 40c range. My backup plan if Innamincka gets too hot, is to head over to the Coorong in South Australia, up through Robe and Adelaide to the York Peninsula. The weather at the time will be the final decider.



Coming up soon also is my 12 month review..............November is a year since I purchased the camper, September was a year since the ute was purchased and both have had a little more tweaking to tell you about.
October was a year since I retired so a little reflection there also.............all in the 12 month review after the SA trip.
Bye for now.