It’s always fascinated me. We are hunkered down for the best part of the year, coats, jackets, jumpers, scarves, heaters cranked up full bore. Then around August, almost imperceptibly the subtle change begins. The temperature doesn’t quite dip under zero anymore. The biting wind off the Snowy Mountains isn’t quite as sharp as it was. One day we don’t think we need a jumper, then as the mercury climbs and the year starts to age, we break out the shorts. Yes, there are days when the sticky finger of winter returns, but we have crawled into Spring and the green leaves of Summer are starting bloom.
2025 has hit the home stretch and is winding down.
Days slip away. The sun breaks over the Fadden Hills bringing the promise of a new day but how quickly it seems the afternoon is upon us, darkness falls and we have completed another day, efficiently or lazily, come what may.
We know that life comes to an end but how many of us ever really think about it? The days cascade upon one another and it seems like it will never end. But we know the hard truth even if we can’t feel the reality of it just yet.
Linda is fine. Knocked about by the side effects of chemotherapy but still battling, still fighting. She knows she is winding down. I guess we meet people in a similar position through our lives, and they seem to find that balance in life where a sort of acceptance of fate takes over. I think Linda has reached that point. For the first time last night she offered the opinion that she felt she was winding down. Not sad, not angry, just an acceptance of fate and the idea that time is short and life is precious.
She has been up and down. Pain and a strange feeling of “ordinariness” grip her from time to time. I’m not sure if it’s the effects of chemotherapy, the ravages of cancer or a combination of both. It’s become a much more limiting time for us this year but we battle on. She battles on.
No fear, Linda is not about to leave us just yet. But we are always keeping an eye on the clock. If you are a friend don’t hesitate to drop us a line and come around. It always makes her feel much better to see an old friend.
The green leaves of summer are about to bloom.
Strange Notations From a Laborious Life 