Sunday Session

Welcome to Sunday Session, hosted by the lovely Thea, each Sunday is a chance to share some of your favourite music. An oldie and a newbie is the go. Pop on over and see what is on offer.

My newbie this Sunday is Bad Things by Jace Everett - I love this song, used as the theme to the TV Series True Blood (which I also love), his sexy sound reminds me of Chris Isaac. So my oldie this week is Chris' Wicked Game.

Enjoy - please follow the links as Blogger just does not allow me to upload videos - I really need to work out why.

Sunday Session - Sunshine of Your Love

Hosted by the lovely Thea - it is time for Sunday Session.

An oldie but a goodie and a newbie to share.

This week I bring you Sunshine of Your Love. Grew up in the 70s with Cream and Santana and loving both of them. So here you have the original Cream version and Santana's recently released cover with Rob Thomas. Enjoy.

The original Cream Version


Santana and Rob Thomas' Version - this rocks

And once again, thanks for following the links due to the fact I just can not get the videos to load up here - sigh.

It Steals Your Soul

My hubby flew to Melbourne this morning to attend his Aunt's funeral tomorrow. She died of bowel cancer, it was fast, very fast and she had no real symptoms until it was too late.

My father in law died of lung cancer, it was fast, very fast and he had no real symptoms until it was too late.

Both these diseases are cruel, painful and take people from you before you are ready.

Today my hubby held his Uncle in his arms while he sobbed, he is not the husband of the Aunt who died, but the husband of her sister. She has dementia - it came on fast, it will last a long time and it is stealing her soul, not just her brain, but her soul. We first noticed the symptoms when we visited last November, but we did not ask, we just wondered if she was stressed dealing with her sister being ill with cancer as these 2 sister were very close.

It is not Alzheimer's, it is another type of dementia. Dawn is/was the most vibrant loving woman. Mother to 4 adults boys, grandma to a large number of grandies, great grandma to even more. She has only just turned 71. She loves to cook, she was the best cook ... now she burns things, forgets she has them on the stove. She forgets her children's names. She forgets her grandchildren's names. I have never seen a grandma more proud of her grandchildren ... now she struggles to remember them. She disengages from conversations and just sits there, the lights are on, but no one is home.

Uncle Ron is devastated, she is his life. He said "I just want my Dawnie back" as he sobbed. I wish there was a way I could grant his wish, cause I want her back too. I want to pop in when we go to Melbourne and have her there, just the way she always was, making us lunch, walking in her garden, baking cakes and biscuits to share. Making us feel like she loved us so much.

I hope when I go back that I can find her, even for a moment, just to connect again, to let her know I love her. But by the time we go back, it may be too late. This disease, it is worse than cancer, it steals your soul, little by little and yet your body goes on and on.

The Good News and The Bad News

The good news arrived today that my friend John and his family are okay. They survived Cyclone Yasi with no injuries to themselves, little structural damage to their house, just the rainforest their house sits in is shredded - John says it is like a logging coupe - there is nothing left of any height at all. Given that the eye of the cyclone passed right over them, they are so lucky. I am so relieved.

The bad news - is that friends of mine, friends of my children, even teachers from when they were at high school, have lost everything in the fires that raged here yesterday afternoon. It came from nowhere, fuelled by our dry bush and the howling easterly wind.

The toll just heard on the radio was 59 houses totally destroyed and another 28 with significant damage. Most people just got out with their lives (and some with their pets). Most did not have time to save much else. The fire is still not totally contained although less dangerous than before.

The first sign of trouble, pic taken by my daughter who lives 2 blocks from us.

Yesterday our house, our whole suburb was encased in smoke, with the noise of helitankers flying overhead to refill at the lake virtually next to our house. Hour upon hour these pilots worked, flying so low - over houses and past power lines. Hour upon hour our fire brigades, regular and volunteers, the staff of the department I work in (Environment and Conservation) stood face to face with the flames and the heat and the smoke. They are still there moping up hots spots.

So much lost, the only good news ... no one lost their lives or were seriously injured (possibly some pets died which is a shame). For some people the fire was upon them with no warning - they fled. For hundreds of others the forward warning SMS system moved out of their homes to safety. What could have been just like the Black Saturday of Victoria just 2 years ago with so many lives lost was avoided. It certainly was Black Sunday for many, but thankfully they have their lives.

Not The Normal Type Of Grandma?

So I was thinking today, Do I fit the mold for a Grandma or Nanna?

Are Grandmas suppose a stay at home, bake, sew, knit, be all round lovely clean living ladies?

So ...

How about one who loves to drive fast cars.

How about one who never bakes (or cooks for that matter, unless she absolutely has too)

How about one who never sews, even buttons unless her hubby asks really nicely

How about one who can no longer knit (and never did a lot before anyway) because of arthritic fingers

How about one who love all things vampire, especially the TV Series True Blood oh and just loves the theme song

How about one who has days when she just wants to hang around in her nightie

How about one that loves all things Star Trek and Stargate and Battlestar Galactica... who would love to fly to the stars

How about one who hates housework

How about one who loves to read crime and thrillers and not romance novels

How about one who loves her grandchildren so much it hurts - yep I think the last one is all that should matter ... the rest, well they just make me interesting - what do you think?

Sunday Session - the kids version

Sunday Session is bought to you by the lovely Thea (and the letter L). Sunday Session is about choosing an old song and a newbie to share. This week I am adding a twist, the kids version, just for fun,

I'm sure it must be a iMac thing, but I can not get videos to load here, so please follow the links - sorry I know it is a pain.

When my kids were growing up we had every Sesame Street LP (yep LP) and they got played to death, but my favourite song (well one of 2) was the L Song, and so without further ado I give you ...

Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie - the L Song

Recently I gave my youngest grand-daughter my old iPod (remember I won a new one last year) and a speaker dock loaded up with Sesame Street songs (which are now available on iTunes), as well as the Wiggles, Playschool and some Justine Clarke. While downloading I fell in love with Jelly Jelly (sorry can't find a video but here is the audio link (you just have to click on it when you get to Justine's page).

Justine Clarke's - Jelly Jelly

No News - Hope It Means Good News

My friend John and his family live at Bingil Bay, near Mission Beach in Queensland. They were building a house, while living in it as well. They were right in the path of Cyclone Yasi and I have not heard a word from them. I have left text messages, voice messages and emailed them. I assume they are without power or mobile phone coverage. I just hope they are okay. Their children are just 3 and 4 1/2.

Every time the phone rings, or I get a text message, or I download my emails - I hope it is John letting me know they are fine. I watch the emails download and think this time it will be from him but so far there is just silence.

I console myself thinking that if they had lost everything they would have driven somewhere else and then they would be in phone range. So not hearing means they are still there, still okay, but just with no power and no phone coverage.

Their heart and soul has gone into slowly building this place - John talks with pride about how much they have done and how little was left to do. He keeps asking us to fly up from Perth to visit. I just hope he and Carole have not lost it all, that they are all safe and well and still have a home to live in.

The old adage No News Is Good News - I hope that is true in this case, but I worry more each day.

Unsettled

The morning is dawning, the humidity is rising, Max is annoying me, my back is hurting, my foot is a breath away from cramping, I am nauseous, I have the beginnings of a headache, I am cranky and snappy and sad.

I feel unsettled, on edge, my flight or fight reflex is strong today.

I am worried for friends in the path of Cyclone Yasi. I am fed up with crap at work. I am over always being the nice guy. But mostly I am sad. Sad because today was my little grandson's due date and he left us long ago. I know that he may not have been born today, after all how many babies manage to arrive on their due dates? I know none of mine did. I am sad because I know that my daughter and son-in-law will be struggling in their own ways today. I am sad because I know that their struggle will continue and there is little I can do to soften this for them. I am sad because I never got to meet my little grandson and I had so much love ready to give him.

And so, I shed a tear, just one at a time and I take a deep breath as I know today I will be unsettled for I am not sure how to feel or what to do to, it all seems so much out of my control and I always struggle with that ... I want to make it safe and right for those I love so much.