The cost of living (or not dying lol)

Nearly another week done and dusted and while I am in "heart" mode, it seems my bank account has been on clexane this week (hemorrhaging money , lol).  I am thankful for having good employment so that whilst the money has been galloping out of my account, at least it was there in the first place.

It began on Monday with a trip to the Dr - a follow up visit with the GP post hospital discharge.  I think I was there approx 10 mins, no more than 15 and $67 thank you very much.  Now while that seems excessive, apparently I can claim $35 back on medicare so not tooo bad.  Trip to the chiropractor on Tuesday for some tweaking $47 for another 15 mins - a fee increase of $2 since Jan 1st.  Whilst I am not in yet in the 6 million dollar woman bracket, I could have flown to NZ for the cost of getting it right.  Still, I am not complaining at that either as whilst I am not quite cavorting about the place like a spring lamb, am moving more like a two toother rather than an old ewe.  (I am learning to be exceedingly grateful for the small things in life, lol).  It was good news at the Drs - my blood pressure was normal and my heart rate was good - not much else was said.

I was given prescriptions by the Dr for the meds I am now on (for an indeterminate period of time) and so went to the chemist promptly after my appointment.  I asked for them to be blister packed (welcome to the world of the aging) as I had already missed one (I thought) and I needed meds for dummies 101 to travel and for work. I can see at a glance which day of the week it is each morning and any missed will be easily noted.   No problem she said' it costs $3.50 to blister pack - pfft, piffling amount I thought and said go right ahead.  She asked if I had my tablets on me as she would incorporate them into the packs she was making up so as not to waste them.  I didn't but home is only 5 mins away so dashed back and got them whereupon she gave me  enough to take home for that night and next morning as it would take until the next day to get things all sorted - no problem. 

While I was on a roll when I got home I decided to finalise my travel arrangements as I had only booked my trip home at that point.  Two hours later of comparing costs, airlines, Uncle Tom Cobbly and all, I had tickets booked to and from Wellington to visit No 1 son and family, and my return ticket from Auckland - Sydney for a weekend then Sydney-Perth-Geraldton.  I have booked Air New Zealand and Qantas (hopefully Qantas are flying again with no hiccups) - could have shaved off $5 - $20 here and there but want comfort and food and the ability to have my luggage sorted easily.  (the cheaper ones are carry on luggage only!!).  In round figures I think that was close to $800 with travel insurances included so felt OK about that.  I was too late for  grabaseat.com for the NZ flights but used lastminute.com for the international and Australian domestic flights.   

I was basking in how clever I was to get bargains with my flights still the next day as I ventured forth to go and pick up my prescriptions and nearly passed out on the spot when I was given 6 weeks worth and told $103 thank you very much!!!!!!!!!  I think I gasped or let out a strangled sound and the chemist queried my response.  I told her the last time I got a prescription, I think it was $3.00 and omg is this going to happen every 6 weeks (yes) !!!!!!!, NOT impressed.  This was with a cheaper version of aspirin than the hospital had sent me home with too boot.  So, another flight home's worth roughly a year to factor in - flipping heck.  Will have words with cardiologist in March to see how long this is all going to take to be ok again.  Had to go to Bronwyn and Gerard's for a sympathetic cup of coffee on the way home, lol.  It was their eldest son's 15th birthday and with Bronwyn and two siblings away in Melbourne for her Dad's 80th, it was decided that the rest of us would go out to dinner at favourite "Camel Bar" restaurant.  I zoomed home to change to go out and flicked into my emails, and last shock of the day was reading email from bro in law to say the power pole on my property in NZ had given up the ghost and the quote was a few dollars short of $1900  to replace. 

Was nearly at smelling salts stage by then, lol, however you cannot manage without power so there was little choice other than to say go ahead whilst sending a small vote of thanks upstairs for the great exchange rate from Australia to NZ dollar in recent months which went a long way to fund the replacement pole.  Needless to say, I have  hardly stepped out the door for the rest of the week and am looking up recipes for gruel, lol.   Speaking of power, I got my bill here two days ago and was VERY surprised to find it was $111.35 for 60 days, so by my reckoning  roughly $56 per month for the last two months which is unbelievable.  It says on the bill my daily consumption is $1.89 though since this week with the air con on daily as temperatures soar, I guess the next one will be a little higher.  I have solar panels on the roof here for hot water and gas for cooking so that all helps too.  Anyway, I will take the win with this account - it will help balance the other expenditures, lol.

Have had a mammoth effort going on with spring cleaning and getting the outside gardens into shape.  After finally finishing ridding myself of all weeds in the surrounding paving blocks on Sunday I have been concentrating on watering most days to keep everything alive.  Inside, I have put away all Christmas decorations except Christmas cards that make my mantelpiece above the fire look very cheerful, have cleaned all the windows and sliding doors in the kitchen/games room and mopped all bar my bedroom floor and the laundry.  Even with the air con on, the humidity is full on and I find myself wet through just sitting at the laptop or reading a book, never mind working.  Am changing clothes twice a day but as they dry in an hour so no problems there.  Have got one lot of Christmas pressies left to wrap and then all paper and trimmings can go away for another year - it has been a laborious task this year with all the health issues.

Had a lovely interlude Wednesday with a visit from Jude and Janet who arrived at morning tea and stayed for a bite of lunch.  We had a great catch up - Jude had had her mother (94yrs) up for Christmas, and Janet had been to Perth with her husband and had a wonderful time.  Jude and I are making a list of the things/places we want to see this year which we will start to tackle when I get back from NZ.  We have several local places we want to see and a few places further afield so will set dates so it actually happens instead of just talking about it this time.

I got home on the Tuesday from the chemist et al, to find a bunch of flowers on my doorstep - and a note from the woman who has been taking me to Rotary.  She also followed up with a visit the next day so that was  lovely.  She had not been well herself and had tried twice the week before to catch up before taking to her bed for a couple of days.  I have also had Donna around checking on me - the good news is that she did not have a spider bite on her hand after all (I had nearly given up gardening after her initial news) as a very fine black thorn popped out of the wound a week later - not nice.  She has about three weeks to go before she moves to Perth so the countdown is on for her too.

Am still having moments with bugs.  I found one legs upwards but still moving in the games area on Tuesday so left it for another day to die properly and flipping heck, nearly stepped on one that was inside my bedroom door yesterday. I didn't have my glasses on as I was heading to the bathroom but did notice a darker smudge on the floor - I went back to get my glasses to make sure as there was little light in the room and eeeeeek a flipping cockroach.  Luckily I could reach for one of the fly sprays I have dotted about the place and stood in the bathroom across the corridor giving it a good blast of spray.  It shot further into my room at first and then galloped towards me before turning right into the lounge - more spray as it headed there and after several nervous mins and with shoes on I ventured forth - no sight not sign off but kept my feet off the floor on the couch, just in case.  I did hear noises of something flipping about in death throes but could not pick where it was coming from and did not pursue it as it was not in my immediate space. 

Health wise I have had an ok week.  I have had two very small bouts of chest pain and figure I need to take my pills between 7 - 7.30am as both times I felt the pain, it was after 8.30am  when I had taken them which may be a bit late.  I seem to have oodles more energy in fits and starts though I am maintaining energy levels longer most days - the exception being yesterday when I slept a good amount through the morning but think it may have been the heat that made me dopey.  Was better after I put the air con on and the fan.

It is the cyclone season and bush fire season over in WA and further north has experienced both this week.  It is a year since the floods in Queensland, though to look at many of the housing areas, you would be hard pressed to see where,  a year later. We are not likely to get rain this week as it is going inland before Geraldton.  We had a stiff breeze with the sea very choppy on Tuesday but it has resumed being hot has Hades the last two days not far off the 40's, though today a mild 34o. 

Had better go hang out the second load of washing and go get some lunch.  Lost 2.2k last week at WW which was most of what I had put on while unwell - so all good.  Hard to believe I will be back in NZ in 12 days time, woohoo. :)