Temporal Island

No entry for yesterday because my ISP was having trouble connecting to Web sites. Today I visited Behind the Name, which gives the etymology and history of given names.

Discovered a note in one of the padded plastic envelopes that bring my Blind Citizens Australia cassettes that asked permission for a monitor from the Disability Services Commission to call and ask questions about the services provided by BCA in Western Australia. Called BCA WA and it seems I'm not too late to return the form. I listened to some of the cassette and some of a different cassette from the same branch, looked around for more cassettes (they breed, at least they do if you can still read print and don't use them immediately before returning them - promptly), and then marched into town to drop them off at the Post Office. Bought some nail clippers (again... why don't nail clippers breed?), broccoli and some olives before arriving home to find two more cassettes in padded plastic envelopes next to my bed.

I was getting antsy about not having listened to them - I wanted to get them back but I wanted to at least have a quick listen first. But who has time to sit and listen? I nearly always have to be moving while I listen to music and I can't concentrate on spoken words while I do almost anything else. Along with my antsiness over the unheard tapes (and missing nail clippers) I was noticing the makings of a bad RP week. A bad RP day/week/whatever is when you notice that your sight (due to Retinitis Pigmentosa) and/or brain and/or luck is failing you in little ways that you hope don't become bigger. My day was spelt out to me when a Swiss camper gave me her name - A N G S T. Is that... it? I asked. Asked a different guest from Switzerland if he'd like to 'Pee in your [Oh God that's really back-to-front and embarrassing]... Key in your PIN number.' Damn unintentional Spoonerisms. You're probably getting an understanding for how ones brain can contribute to a 'bad RP day'. Anyway, so eventually, I sat down and listened to the first half of one of the tapes.

And I'm glad I did. Firstly, cos the old movie-like theme music is cool. Secondly, it was a relief to go with the flow and listen to the tape. I sit and read all the time and complain about sore eyes - why is that more valid than sitting and listening to information/entertainment on tape? Thirdly, I listened to interviews with a woman with RP recently awarded the Order of Australia and a man who was lead to his car by his guide dog (while his wife locked the house) in the smoke, heat and noise of the Canberra fires. Only later did the
couple realise how they had relied on the dog, who was evidently terrified and - because of the rush - not in harness, to guide him safely.

So, once again, just as I was feeling a growing panic about how I might cope with less vision, I found something to encourage me.

So what happened yesterday? Campbell did a little more vacuuming. Mum and Dad picked out bathroom fixtures for their re-modelled home. Mum called into see Nanna, who says she is liking her new home at Villa Maria (a nursing home), and Dad called in to see Nanna and Pop. I stayed here and chatted to tourists.