Opium Poppies

Tasmania is the world's largest producer of opium alkaloids for the pharmaceutical market.

Standards placed on the industry by the Federal, State and US governments are stringent with very high levels of scientific expertise necessary.

The industry is highly efficient. It produces about 50% of the world's concentrated poppy straw (CPS) for morphine and related opiates from merely 10.7% of the production area.

** "Davine Time" update: Tonight I just had to escape for a little while in front of the Telly. So I veged out and immersed myself in "The Biggest Looser" world - I love this show.

** "Dad update" - He is so exhausted and frail that he is sleeping about 23.5 hours a day. He really isn't eating much - but he is comfortable and loved.

Imaginary Friends

Yes I am still here; I just haven’t had the energy to write anything for the past few days. Dear old Dad has really gone downhill. Sunday he was in his own little fantasy world with lots of past (deceased) friends and strangers visiting him throughout the day. He spent the entire day talking to these imaginary people while trying to touch and grab things that didn’t exist. It was extremely frustrating for him as he couldn’t talk clear enough for us to understand. I do know that my grandmother (his Mum – Myrtle) who died when I was 6 was in the room all day listening to the radio. We decided it was just best to agree with all of his sightings, to prevent him becoming more frustrated. At one stage I was asked to turn the imaginary radio up, so I pretended to and all was OK. Then yesterday Dad was still a bit confused, thankfully no visitors came, but he was totally exhausted and slept the whole day. So the last few days have been quite exhausting for everyone, but we took some advice from my darling cousin Susan, who has been through this with both of her parents. She said just put yourself into their little world and remember to still have a laugh – yes I know she is a wise woman and I love her. Now on Tuesday morning I am sitting here not sure of what my day will consist of today, but I will deal with whatever comes along.


** “Davine Time” update – I have made time to sit and watch “Desperate Housewives” with Rachel and I have also indulged in some meditating.

Tasmania - Gardens.

Allendale Gardens - Edith Creek - Tasmania

One of the nicest gardens I have ever seen.

** "Davine Time" update - even though my me time today would probably not be called "FUN" it was very pleasurable for me to finally finish a couple of things I had put of long enough.

Government Agencies and Ikea

I haven’t really got much to talk about tonight – I am mentally exhausted. Why do government businesses have to make things so difficult. What with taking care of Dads financial stuff and mine as well I am dealing with six different areas at the moment and they all want information, information information. I can’t send one area what they want until I get extra paperwork from someone else and so on. Anyway that is my little whinge – I might just veg out in front of the telly and watch Medium.

** “Davine Time” update – I love IKEA – Today I had a little shop at Ikea, I just love the stuff they have there.

Happy 1st Birthday to Me...

Today is the 1st anniversary of my venture into blogland. Back when I first started writing my blog I wasn’t sure why I wanted to write, it wasn’t that I had a burning desire to be a writer or anything like that. After I sat down and thought about it, it was obvious. Ask any of my friends and they will confirm that I am a bit of a talker. I live with Shane – who is very quiet, Dad who is also very quiet cause he sleeps most of the time and none of the animals say much either. So this was my way of getting all the stuff I would normally talk about out. I wasn’t sure if I would keep it up as I am quite a procrastinator and also usually stop doing things before it has been completed. Also who would have thought – I didn’t – that I would meet people online that I now regard as my friends and look forward each day to see what is happening in their lives and listening to their wonderful stories they tell. Looking back a lot has happened in my life during the past 12 months but also nothing has happened – go figure. OK here’s looking forward to the next 12 months and sharing our time together.

** "Davine Time" update - Cooked one of my fav. meals for my dinner - Chicken Vindaloo - woo it was really hot too!!

Goodbye Caspa

This afternoon my day turned into a very sad day. I had to take my dear old cat – Caspa – to be euthanized. She was 17 years old, which is approx. 84 in human years. She is actually my son Shanes cat, although I would regard her as my friend. As with all cats she was very aloof with a mind of her own. She was named after the cartoon character “Caspa the Ghost” because she was jet black and Caspa the Ghost was white. Go figure; that is how my kids and my mind works!! Every morning as soon as she heard my voice she would greet me with her funny half meow (her voice was half gone cause of her age), it may have just been for food, but it was me she greeted. Her most favourite food would have to have been chicken. Given the chance she would hijack it of your plate if you looked away. When she was younger she enjoyed – well maybe tolerated – a wash in the bath. She loved me holding her and gently stroking the pads on her front paws. About 6 years ago we almost lost her when she was hit by a car and was trying to get under a neighbours house to die. Luckily we got her and after the vet had patched her broken bones up she had to live in a cage for a month, so she wouldn't move around. From that day on she had a bit of a dripping saliva problem - bit yucky but funny. She was always best friends with the dogs in the house. Tammy (who went to heaven a while back) and Caspa used to sleep in the same bed. Zoe, who is our only pet now (other than the fish) was actually smaller than Caspa and they would always play fight and the cat would always beat the dog. I am so going to miss her, but I think we gave her a pretty good 17 years. Goodbye Caspa – We Love You.

** “Davine Time” update – This morning I went to a gift fare and a wholesale beads shop and immersed myself in creativity.

Music - Music - Music

Way back in 1969 there was a little music festival called "Woodstock" - a couple of you may have heard of it!!!. Then on March 26th, 1970 the Woodstock Movie was released, and later that year it was released in Australia. As two 17 ½ year old girls my cousin Susan and I just had to go and see it. Also being that age we thought we might go have a couple of drinks prior to seeing the movie – even though legal drinking age in OZ is 18. Well a couple of drinks turned into a lot of drinks – way to many in fact. We still went to see the movie, but all I can remember is both of us singing really loud in the theatre. All the grown ups must have been really pissed of with us. Now where am I going with this story? Well the movie was on TV here a couple of weeks ago, so I taped it, and that is how I spent my “Davine Time” today. I sat and watched the “Woodstock Movie”. Mmmm didn’t remember one second of it!! Looking back at it now as an adult, some was a bit daggy, but I still would have loved to have been there. I would love to know if any of my friends out there actually went to Woodstock.

Then in 1972 the Music Festivals hit Australia and I have my chance to go to “Mulwala” which was held on the border of New South Wales and Victoria. None of my girlfriends went as they were either not allowed or just didn’t want to. So I went with two very good male friends of mine – Bruno & Ed. Mum only let me go because she knew the two boys very well and knew the would look after me. Then in 1973 I went to "Sunbury Pop Festival" with a group of friends which included my future now ex. One of the headline bands at almost all the festivals of my day was "Billy Torpe & The Aztecs", oh how sexy Billy Thorpe was then and also when he got older. Sadly he was taken from us way way to early. As I am now and was then very much into my music I remember both of these festival as being happy times and a very important reason I am the person I am today.

*** “Davine Time” update – As I’ve mentioned I sat in my comfy chair and watched “Woodstock, but I also had a lovely bubble bath with my homemade “Desert Sands Bath Salts”.

Morning Laugh

In my opinion there is nothing better for my soul than having a good laugh first thing in the morning. Unfortunately now that I don’t work in an environment where there are workmates and being at home every day caring for Dad, I find most mornings I don’t get that satisfaction. I used to work as a Travel Agent for Tourism Tasmania at the Tasmanian Travel Centre and I can comfortably say there were very few mornings that I didn’t start with a good laugh, often out of control laughter with tears and painful ribs. I worked with some great people but one in particular named Kaye was guaranteed to have a laugh with me every morning. It was usually over something totally silly, but it was a laugh (ma legs ma legs!!!! – Kaye will now be laughing – way to long to try and explain). It wasn’t till first thing this morning and I was catching up on a few blogs and found I was having a good laugh and how I felt. I realised I hadn’t done it for a while and I missed it. So I am now going to make sure I have a good laugh at something – even if it’s at me – each and every day. It certainly fits in with my “FUN” and “Davine Time” theme for 2010. Oh by the way last night’s scrapbooking evening was very enjoyable and productive.

** “Davine Time” update – indulging in my own thoughts in my own little world.

Memories

Tonight I am going to a scrapbooking night with some girlfriends. Now the problem is not finding photos to use, but WHICH photos to use. I have so many pre-digital. I have decided to do some from back in 1990 when my ex - Paul, Son - Shane, Daughter - Rachel and myself were traveling through Europe on our way back to Australia after 5 years away. Oh what memories they have created, some good, some bad. The trip was wonderful but we had our car broken into in Milan and all of our clothes and lots of other stuff taken. Looking back on it I guess it added to the excitement, but we could have done without that excitement. One of my most favorite place would have to have been Venice, I could have just stayed their forever. We did all the touristy stuff including a romantic cruise in a Gondola - with a soon to be ex and two kids!!!!

** "Davine Time" update - doing some scrapbooking.

Fun Fun Fun

Well today I did one of my most favourite things to do!!!!! NOT!!! I had a dentist appointment. I have had a toothache for about two weeks, so I thought it was high time I went to see my dentist. I must say my dentist is really nice, gentle, caring but I will apologise to any dentists out there I really don’t like you – don’t take is personal I guess it was that I was traumatised as a child on my visits to my then dentist. The pain was due to a crack in the side of my tooth. So after two injections (Fun Fun Fun) she removed the old filing and replaced it with a new one. As usual after my dentist visits I spend the rest of the day a bit of a zombie, so I jumped into bed for an hour. After my wonderful morning I thought it was time for my “Davine Time”. I just love soaking in a bath and always make my own bath salts. Today I thought I would make some more as I had ran out – but this time I would make it a bit fancy. I googled “Bath Salts” and came up with these “Desert Sands Bath Salts”. Now I am really looking forward to soaking in my bath.