Christmas Beckons!

"Ooh Mum, they're groping me" (my team of carers, Glenda, Julia, Tracey and Roberta).

Back, L. to R., Vera, Barbara, Elaine, Leo, Michael, Geoff and Alan.
Front, L to R., Brian, Shirley and me.

If I could physically accomplish the task I would pat myself on the back for being a little more organised this Christmas! I still haven't purchased all my pressies for family and friends, but I have had my autobiography published (with the book launch being held on January 21st) and written my Annual Newsletter to go out with my Christmas Cards... which should be completed this week.

I was giving thought to going to Tamworth for a few days at Festival time (around the end of January), but dialysis treatment at the Tamworth hospital was not available, so it will have to wait until 2013 before I can consider making the journey up north.

Getting back to my book. Anyone wanting a copy should let me know as soon as possible, because I need to order well in advance from the publishers who are based in the USA. I'm going to have to order an unknown quantity of books before the book launch and I already have 20+ orders to fill, so I'm going to be a busy girl over the next few weeks... yes, I know that should have read "busy BOY", but one does get confused at this time of year!

There is a chance I will be changing my blog site in the near future, but I will give you plenty of notice in case you like to keep up with the scintillating story of my lifestyle... I'm trying to dream up some sensational event to catapult me into the new year, but it looks like trying to flog books will be as close as I can get. Any help you can give me to promote it will be greatly appreciated.

My only public event in recent weeks has been a dinner with friends and family on November 27. The photographs above were taken there.

In closing, for those of you who celebrate Christmas, I wish you a season of love, good health and happiness. The same goes for everyone else as well! See you (God Willing) in 2012.

My Autobiography set to go!

The contents of my autobiography will be as follows.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1. HOW IT STARTED - AND ALMOST ENDED
2. CRISIS POINT
3. MY LILLIPUT
4. THE GOLDEN VOICES OF RADIO
5. FAMILY INFLUENCES
6. ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
7. PASSING TIME… AND OTHER EMBARRASSMENTS
8. READIN’, WRITIN’ & ‘RITHMETIC
9. GOD, SILKWORMS, SONGS... AND ROMANCE!
10. SWEET SIXTEEN
11. I JUST CALLED TO SAY...
12. FROM FAMINE TO FEAST - 1956
13. THE CLUB IN FULL SWING - 1958
14. ‘RAGING’ IN THE BEDROOM! - 1959
15. I ENTER THE SWINGING SIXTIES - 1960
16. THE END OF A HAPPY ERA
17. THE BUSINESS MAN BECOMES AN ENTERTAINER
18. A BIRTH, DEATH, MARRIAGE... AND DIVORCE!
19. ALL WORK AND NO PLAY = MARRIAGE PROBLEMS
20. NASHVILLE AT LAST
21. BACK HOME AGAIN... TO THE "DOOZY"
22. THE FRINGE BENEFITS OF HAVING A CARE ATTENDANT
23. DATING SITES
24. A FITTING FAREWELL TO MY MUSICAL JOURNEY

We are working on having it published both as an e-book (paperback edition) and online, but need "expressions of interest" to guage its potential either way. Which version would you prefer (if any)? At this stage I cannot give you costs of either format, but rest assured you won't be committing yourself to buy a copy either way. Please respond either way A.S.A.P. if you are at all interested. Thank you.

A 'Springy' September!

Anyone who calls me 'anti-social' might think twice after looking at what I have left behind on my September calendar. For example, I attended a wedding, a baptism service, went out to dinner on three occasions and visited the Chinese Gardens, some of which I did in the company of a lady I met online from Warrnambool who stayed with me for 12 days... plus I acquired a bedhead and bought a new High Density Digital TV!

You want more details? OK, feel free to ask me anything you like on my email at coljames@bigpond.com.au. I also visited a dermatologist for a biopsy on my right ear (this one 'ere on my right) and had a cat-scan on my face in preparation for plastic surgery - nah, only jokin'. No amount of plastic surgery would improve my ugly fizz-gig (face).

Suffice to say that I still feel unfulfilled and lonesome, so I am going to have to lift my game even higher in October in an attempt to re-fuel my life into the burning cauldron of activity it once was (don't ask me what that means - I don't know either!).

Oh yes, one other thing achieved in September was the final draft of my autobiography, together with selection of photographs for same. Hopefully, within the next couple of months, I will be able to advise anyone who may be interested how they can get a copy... all being well it should escape online, as well as by e-book and paperback. Please let me know if you wish for more information.

Provided I am not too deep in my boiling cauldron, watch for more riveting material on this blog later in October/early November.

Life Mooches Onwards!

A week of being wet, cold and windy... and the weather has been the same (a wee joke there, folks)! I must admit though, the weather here has been lovely over the past few days, but more gloom is predicted.

Enough about the weather. The only excitement in my life since my last blog has been meeting a new lady online. For a change, she came looking for ME! She lives out of town, but tells me she will pay me a visit in the near future - we'll see! I also had an approach from a lady in Ghana, who said she will come out to Australia to meet me - wait for it - IF I SEND HER THE MONEY!

As I told her, I may be honest, but I'm not stupid, so I'll be surprised if I hear from her again. There are so many scammers around these days on the 'net, that's it's becoming harder all the time to find anyone who is genuine.

Speaking of which, does anyone out there KNOW of a fair dinkum ('genuine' for the benefit of non-Aussies) home-based business where I may be able to earn a few dollars in my spare time? No, not Herbalife, Melaleuca or Amway, etc., please - been there, done that - not interested in the pyramid style of business trying to flog products to people who turn and run as soon as they see you coming!

I have been trying for months to get involved in internet marketing, but again the whole industry has been taken over by would-be scammers and leaves me with little faith in the internet community.

Socially, I am looking forward to Friday, September 30 when I will hold my first "Eff" night (see previous blogs) with a trivia theme. Fun, Food'n Frivolity with Friends'n Family is the general idea, but Providence Hall (where it will be held) only holds 30 people, so I'm leaving it up to YOU to invite yourself - first in, best dressed, so please contact me NOW (by snail mail, email, phone or post) if you're interested. Official invitations will be mailed out the first week in September to those who have been in touch (if any) and other VIP's.

Until next blogging time, stay warm, healthy and happy and I'll try to do the same.

No. 1 daughter, Leanne, serving up the tucker at her

recent barbecue in honour of the Chinese students

Winter Drawers On, Summer Knicks Off!

I have been a little more sociable over the past few weeks with outings to a barbecue held at my daughter home, a cabaret called "Dribs and Drabs" and a tribute to the Bee Gees evening at the All Seasons (a motel/restaurant which is walking distance from where I live). The barby was held in honour of two Chinese students, aged 10 and 11, from the Souchou Industrial Park area in China. My daughter and her husband are hosting their visit to Australia for two months.

The program is the result of a 2009 trip to China by Bendigo school principals, who set up a sister-city relationship with schools in Souchou.

I attended "Dribs and Drabs" at the invitation of a fellow client of one of my support workers who is friendly with the owners of this well-known local nightspot. Unfortunately my date for the evening pulled out due to ill-health at the last minute, so I went solo. The meal was good, the floor-show was a mixture of bad-taste to reasonably entertaining... I gave it 5 out of 10!

At least I managed to get a date for the Bee Gees tribute, even though we had to leave early due to her baby-sitters commitments. The 'sound-alike' trio of entertainers put on a reasonable performance although nowhere near the perfect harmonies of the original group... again the meal was enjoyed by all.

To update, I am not playing darts until the next Summer season which won't commence until after the beginning of next year. Meanwhile I am keeping myself occupied searching in vain through dating sites looking for a lady - any lady - who might feel desperate enough to entertain the thought of taking on a fugly partner in a wheelchair... just for casual outings, dinners, movies, sharing HWB (hot water bottles), etc. 'Twould appear they don't exist!

The only site that gives me a momentary lift is "Tagged", where I have had literally dozens of responses - from the Philippines and New York! It would seem that I could get as many dates as I would like IF I sent them the money to come out to Australia... but I'm not QUITE that desperate YET!!! Three have offered to come out here if I get them - or give them - a job, but that is also a bit beyond me at the moment.

My Eff'n Eff, Eff Eff'n Eff and Eff Night (see an earlier blog hereunder) has been delayed until September 30. so more about that in next month's blog.

Oh well, back to my search for a HWB.

Winter Is With Us!

An extra blanket on the bed at night (there is still no one in there beside me to keep me warm) and very little happening in general, so my life continues in a non-stimulatory manner. I'm only writing this because I said I would try to contribute a-blog-a-month! May was soooooooooooo quiet with only one social outing - an attempted revival of the singles group I started with great optimism some years ago - a dinner at the local Bendigo Club, which was attended by four forlorn looking people (including me) who all departed looking even more forlorn less than two hours later!

The only other item of interest was that I sent the completed manuscript of my autobiography to a publisher for consideration. Print on Demand (who publish if they're interested in it or self-publish on your behalf if they are not convinced you'll make them rich) say they will respond within ten days, but it's two days over that time-frame now and still no word, so I presume that isn't a good sign. Perhaps reading it has made them violently ill!

I have two social events lined up for June already, so watch this space in a few weeks for more scintillating reading!

Eff'n Eff, Eff, Eff'n Eff Eff

The last week-end of April 2011 was a huge time of fun and festivity around the universe with three humungus events taking place at the same time... the Royal Wedding, the capture and demise of Osama Bin Laden and my birthday! I celebrated with dinner at the local RSL Club, attended by my daughter and her family, plus my brother and his wife and a few friends, including my carers.

This pleasant little get-together caused me to ponder the prospect of doing it (having a meal with family and friends) more often, but as one only has a birthday once a year, how does one find a good reason to celebrate on an irregular basis?

Gazing at my calendar the other day (as we do) it came to me! Every year has an occasional month with five week-ends, so why not hold an Eff'n Eff (Family and Friends) Eff, Eff'n Eff Eff (Fun, Food and Festivity Function) on those fifth week-ends each year? The remainder of 2011 has five week-ends in July, September and December, so we're on our way! Our first F&F, FF&F F will be on Friday, July 29, 2011 at the Bendigo Club (walking distance from my pad) and EVERYONE reading this is invited to attend. 6.30 for a 7 p.m. start.

All I ask is that you advise me of your acceptance a few days ahead of the function, in order to book the appropriate number for dinners - which, of course, will be your only cost. There is plenty of variety on the menu, reasonable prices and served promptly.

Put it on YOUR calendar now so you don't forget. There will be a flyer handed out to everyone at this function reminding you of the September and December events.

From now on, I will endeavour to post a new blog on the first week-end of each month, so hopefully I'll be back in early June.

Is Danger Looming?

My team of support workers is managed by a local agency called Golden City Support Services under a program called HomeFirst. It is a Department of Human Services (DHS) program that provides home and community-based support services to enable individuals with a disability to :
• live as independently as possible and not require staffed residential accommodation
• remain living in their own homes
• increase or maintain maximum independence
• move to more independent living arrangements
• access community activities and facilities


It is a Nationally funded scheme and an allocation of funds is set aside for each individual to cover costs of their support workers wages, necessary equipment and administration costs of the service provider.


Which has all been a blessing for me and no real problems have arisen - until now.

My allocation of funding for this financial year has almost reached as far as it can go... in other words, I am considerably over budget, the reasons mainly because of the increased rates on weekend, but also due to my increased needs.

It has been suggested (strongly) that I keep within my base roster hours for the rest of the financial year, unless I can pick up some extra funding. This means cutting down on support workers shifts, but what has to go? The first will be my lunch shifts with my carers preparing my lunch before they leave in the morning... or I could go up to the corner store and buy a pastie or something else I can put in the microwave oven.

Then, there is my radio program where one of my support workers helps out by operating the CD player and panel, while I do the presentation on air. This is my main form of recreation and I don't want to give it up. I have already cut back on playing darts each week.

Anyway, this all has to be sorted over the next few days. I'll keep you posted.

On top of this, I'm trying to find time to send my autobiography out to various publishers. My life is never dull!

After waiting for six months, the City of Greater Bendigo acted on their commitment to upgrade the unmade path between my front gate and the lane leading to McIvor Road (which takes me to the bus stop from which wheelchair accessible buses can transport me into the city and various other locations around the area). In the photo on the left I am sitting at the point where the new path (very white) meets the old concrete lane (very dirty), meaning that I no longer have to traverse over rough territory (see both sides of new path) to gain access to the lane.

Other highlights of the first two months of this new year have been my Christmas in hospital (went in on Dec. 21 and came out three weeks later), which put paid to my plans of sharing the Season with my daughter and her family as well as with close friends. Since coming out I have been taking prescribed antibiotics to clear up the 'bug' and hope to come off those in another two weeks.

I have returned to doing my weekly community radio programme with Roberta (Bobbie) who did an excellent job filling in for me on her own while I was hospitalised. We also attended a fund-raiser for the radio station (Phoenix 106.7 FM) which took the part of a family movie night.

On February 6, we (my brother Geoff, together with our respective families and I) held a belated annual get-together tribute day known as "Harrymas" (after our late Dad, Harry), whose birthday would have been on Jan. 6. This is an annual family event where we celebrate the memory of his life with us. This was the first year we have held the event at the new home of my daughter/son-in-law (Leanne and Craig).

Finally, after more than 15 years of writing, re-writing, checking and re-checking, I have managed (with much help from my brother and several friends) to complete my autobiography. Watch this space for publishing details (when completed). There will be a celebratory launch date!