I've unexpectedly got a couple of days off as Ray has gone off to Camp Breakaway for just a couple of nights. This came about because of a funding rule that says all donated funding for semi-charitable organisations must be used up by the end of the tax year (June 30th) and as they had just received a small grant they decided to have the regular clients over for a special weekend. I only found out about it last week, had the interview Tuesday and this morning off Ray went. Wow, what a pleasant surprise!

So today I didn't have to rush back from my time off by 2.30pm as I usually do as I had all day. It was nice to call in and see a friend, have an afternoon nap, get up and prepare what I wanted to eat etc. As luck would have it this is a planned weekend but at least I will be able to do things at my own pace, not concentrate on what is happening to Ray at the meetings etc that I have to go to. And Ray will be having his usual lovely time at Camp Breakaway and I am sure not thinking of me at all.

So what will I be doing? Tomorrow morning ( Saturday) I will be going to his stroke support group, we haven't been for a couple of months so I am sure there will be some catching up to do. The last time I saw everyone was at the picnic in May so that was nice and informal. The suport groups do a great job as advocates for stroke survivors and their carers, as well as disseminators of information etc. I don't see anyone between the meetings as this is a coast-wide group and services a population of 350,000 but there, as here, we have the common bond of stroke, so that is enough to make it all worthwhile.

After the meeting I will stay on with a few of the folk for lunch, we used to do that before Ray had the swallowing difficulties, not so much since then. Most of the survivors that attend the meeting are much less disabled than Ray, some are still working part-time, some retired to spend time with family etc. There are also several members in their early forties so they seem to form a group within the group though that doesn't seem to matter. I have a few friends there that I made at the womens weekends I went to so they always give me a smile and a hug. It is good to know there is support for me there if I ever need it.

Since the Scallywags group which is a part of this stroke support group has been meeting fortnightly and not every week Ray hasn't been as enthusiastic about it. He seems to be withdrawing from company again, more reluctant to talk on the telephone, less enthusiastic about Daycare, really wanting to just stay home much of the time. I can understand this as the cold days don't make me enthusiastic about going out as much either. But social interaction is important to both of us so I won't give in to the "why do we have to go out?" questions. In my case it is to stop me getting cabin fever!

I am reading with some envy other bloggers descriptions of their holiday plans. Yes, I know, it is your summer, my winter. So you have the opportunity to travel, go camping, catch up with family in far off places and I don't. But I still have the return visit to our family in Cairns to look forward to so I am content. They all enjoyed their four days in Sydney at the Congress but were glad to get home to the much warmer weather of lovely northern Queensland. I will be glad to spend some more time with them up there in July. Among other things we are going to go to their local Show ( a bit like a State Fair but on a smaller scale) which will be an opportunity for me to buy my grandkids show bags...delightful to small kids everywhere.

On Sunday Trev and I are going to meet up with some of his cousins for a family picnic. My sister's family of four children, ten grandchildren, have a picnic for the birthdays of the month. As I have a birthday in June and so does my grandson Alex we have been invited to join the clebrations. I know it will be cold and will wear appropriate clothing but as long as it is fine we should all have a great time. I don't get together with them more that once or twice a year although most live not much more than an hour's drive away but again it is a case of getting Ray ready with some difficulty and getting him to where the picnic is held etc. I find it daunting in winter to take him out in the open where it is often windy, muddy under foot and because of his inactivity he really feels the cold. Maybe blood thinners etc contribute to that too of course.

So why am I still up writing this when my computer tells me it is half an hour past mid-night? No reason except that I can sleep in a little tomorrow, have a sit-and-enjoy breakfast, read the Friday's paper, something I usually do around Sunday...lol...and pretend for a while that I am a lady of leisure. Good for a couple of days but then Ray will come home again and I will be back to my normal busy self.