Happenings

Donate at shakeitup.org.au

Trent with the kids from Team Fox Australia

Another update on what is happening in our part of the world.  I mentioned in the last post that I was going to get up bright and early to join up with some others on the last leg of Trent's Tanaka Walk.  We were to meet at 7.30 in Kirribilli and walk across the Harbour Bridge and into Martin Place.  What ensued was rather entertaining.  The media was waiting in Martin Place for Trent, so he took off half an hour earlier than planned.  Fortunately, I met up with some of the people from the Shake It Up Foundation so I wasn't left entirely in the dark.  Because of some mixed communications, we ended up running across half of Sydney, looking for him.  In the end, we did end up meeting up with the rest and congratulated Trent on a job well done!  Amazing to walk from Brisbane to Sydney in 28 days to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson's and depression.

Mr. Dad is recovering ever so slowly.   I keep getting asked this question, so I am going to repeat myself!   I may have answered this question here before, but bear with me...  Dad has dementia, yes.  He does not remember what he had for lunch, or what day, week, month, year it is.  However, he recognizes people.  I walked into the activity room the other day, and saw the look of recognition on his face.  I waved to him and he waved back.  I cannot tell you how thankful I am that he knows who I am and even if he has a hard time talking, we can still communicate.  There was a singer there to entertain the group.  She was singing songs from old musicals and I had no idea what they were.  I asked dad if he knew the songs and he shrugged his shoulders.  For her last song, she sand Que Sera, Sera.  I jokingly turned to dad and asked if he knew that song.  He gave me a look and rolled his eyes into the back of his head, which caused me to burst into a fit of laughter and in turn made him smile.  Ah dad, just when you wonder what is going on in that brain of his, he turns it on you to let you know that you are the dopey one!

In other news, I have taken the first step in expanding my education.  You may or may not know I used to design swimming pools.  (Side note: reading dad's building plans as a kid was the reason I got into drafting.  I didn't have the attention span - or brains - to be an architect.)While I loved my work; over the years I noticed my attention span decreasing and got bored of sitting behind the computer for long periods of time.  So drafting on a computer all day long probably is not my best option!  I am taking an intro to color and design course to explore my options.  All is not lost; I hope to build on my drafting and construction background.  Am excited to see where the next steps take me.  Plus it gives me something to talk about besides my dad all the time!  (And it gives me something to talk to him when I see him! ;)

There's still time to donate to Trent's cause to benefit Parkinson's and depression at http://www.mycause.com.au/mycause/raise_money/fundraise.php?id=53994