Wednesday update

Yes, it is Wednesday here in lovely, downunder Australia. The sky is overcast but the sun is shining through, in spots. In other words, it’s a typical spring day in the southern part of Oz. When I look out of my office [read broom cupboard] I can see the alpacas gorging themselves on the spring grass. Just for now, the grass is winning as it’s growing faster than the alpacas can chew.

My fruit trees are also doing a wonderful job of embracing spring’s call to go forth and multiply. At last count I have 3 peach trees covered with tiny green fruit, one apricot, one quince, one fig, and if I’m very lucky, maybe one apple as well. This year’s crop of garlic is promising to be twice as lovely and smelly as last year and my deck garden is blooming. The only thing that is looking a little sad is the large pot of watercress – the cats seem to enjoy sitting there. Ah well…

There is growth happening in my digital world as well. My blog for readers – The Books your favourite Authors read – has grown with the welcome addition of Jennifer Scoullar, author of Brumby’s Run. Jennifer is another aussie, like me, and her love for and understanding of this ancient, peculiar land informs every word she writes.

In other news, I’ve just started reading a book called, ‘Hello, My Name is Cancer’. This book is not a novel. I wish it were. Instead it is the very real story of Lady Julia Prosser [wife of Lord David Prosser of My Barsetshire Diary fame’]. Anyone who has read any of Lord David’s books will know her as ‘Lady J’. I’ve never met Lady J but I feel as if I know her. She is feisty, witty, an animal lover – especially when it comes to horses – and she is one of the bravest people I have ever come across.

Lady J has pancreatic cancer but her book is inspiration rather than gloom because she talks with great courage about how to live with this deadly cancer.

A couple of years ago I had a brush with cancer myself, a very treatable cancer and I’m 99.9% sure it won’t get me. But that little bit of fear is always there. It’s not something I talk about because, like Lady J, I am more concerned with life than with the possibility of death. After all, none of us have any written guarantees that we won’t be run down by a bus or suffer any one of the many possible accidents that life can throw at us. So living is what matters. Each day. Every day. As well as we can, and with as much kindness and generosity as we can muster.

So, to anyone who has poor health of any sort, I say read Lady J’s book, and let yourself live. It really is a wonderful world out there people. 🙂

love

Meeks