Fran Cleland, ARR.News

The doctor has decided I need to exercise more and suggested I walk. This filled me with dismay as I recalled the last time this happened. While we lived in the rental house on the hill after the bushfires, and being inspired by sunlight on a nice morning, I decided to go for a walk...

So our son got home late last night, and told the Scottie, Eric, no walks as it was so dark and cold. Foolishly I said I would take him this morning... Son said huh (translated as “oh really” which made me more determined.

Who will read my books when I die? So many much loved and often read, from my childhood onwards are in the bookcase. So much learned from them, so many dreams and other worlds to travel through.

I heard somewhere the other day, that today's amazing is tomorrow's normal and it got me thinking...I have lived in an amazing time.

The Hemingway quote, "Every man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal," came into my mind the other day.

... and open doors. Readers might recall that the column was absent for a while last year because I had a fall and broke bits of me. Well, I nearly broke myself again this morning. As I ask myself - who? left the back door open?

I am normally a peaceful sort of person. I like working in the garden, and taking life in general much as it comes. But the one thing that annoys me more than anything is having to wait in a queue.

Memories of my youth way back in time in the Riverina. Riding my pony bareback round the roads, one of my favourite things to do was to reach out from his back and raid a neighbour’s loquat tree. Loquats are a small fruit, golden in colour, and have a sweet tangy taste, a large seed and are delicious.

For many years, the family has had three categories of dogs: outside dogs, usually working dogs; inside dogs, dogs which live inside and out but not in the final category; known as bed dogs.

February depresses me. So many things have gone wrong in Februarys past - apart from many other minor things it is always fire month and it was this coming week 11 years ago that we lost our home, many precious animals, my garden and after 20 years in a place I loved so much, we had to move.