Welcome back.
Firstly, thank you to everyone who entered our sudoku competition.
I had a lovely day, last Tuesday, speaking (or communicating in some way) with many readers I hadn’t met previously — and you are all so very nice!
After lunch, I noticed that people had either given up being first or were finding it difficult. The calls to my personal phone were mostly “I’m too late, aren’t I?” One of our regular correspondents sent an entry completed by his partner because “I’m not smart enough to do these” which, by the way, is rubbish. In this case, in my opinion, it’s not a matter of being smart enough. It’s to do with patience — not enough of it.
Our winner was Austin Cosgriff: his entry arrived at 9.24am. One of our readers had problems with her email service. So, she checked the time her photo was taken and she was later than Austin — close but no cigar!
This day helped lift me from the COVID blues and, although I’m still incredibly lethargic, my joie de vivre has returned.
Let’s call it ‘COVID brain’
It has been suggested, by three of our readers, that I attempt to explain my ‘COVID experience’ — because, they felt, others would relate to it.
Now, I am one of about 755,740,140 survivors of this damn virus; that’s nothing to write home about, I thought, let alone take up space in our newspaper. But it was a little bit weird, so I’m attempting same.
Firstly, neither my husband nor I were particularly unwell. A cold, no fever, though definitely new aches and pains — perhaps similar to a mild flu. But there was something else, which I’ve called ‘COVID brain’, that caused me difficulty. I couldn’t concentrate on anything; my thoughts were darting around, all over the place. I couldn’t read, write or play sudoku.
(I struggled for two days with our competition puzzle — wondering if I could do it at all — but aware that I simply had to get it right. Stressed myself out, I did!)
For some months, I have been aware that a friend of mine was writing a book — a book I believe will help many people. She had asked me to read it, when it was finished, and ‘road test’ it. Her book arrived on the second day of my COVID experience. I responded with a text message that, I now see, made very little sense. Her reply was “Take a step back, now”. After 40 years of friendship, my response seemed to have startled her somewhat and was not something she expected!
Some of you will remember Sue McLean. She was the inaugural librarian at Goulburn Valley Grammar for around five years in the 1980s. She also taught English. I know some of you will remember her — a strikingly attractive redhead, with a personality to match, and definitely not a woman who takes a step back — ever. I’ll tell you more about her life experiences, and her book, later in the year. It will be published in time for Christmas.
This Is Us
I survived this weird period of my life with the assistance of television and six series of This Is Us.
Helping to create a solid family has always been my most important job, and this wonderful family-based series helped soothe my disturbed brain. It is dated 2016 but ran on free-to-air TV until 2021. It must have been on a channel I rarely watched, but some of you will have seen it. If you haven’t, you can now find it on Disney Plus or Apple TV.
I probably missed parts of it, as my mind wandered everywhere, but it certainly passed the time, pleasantly. It is extremely heart-warming, as an ordinary family finds its way through the prism of love.
Please remember this virus is still around
I have written a relatively light-hearted summary of our experience, but it seems to me that this virus is easier to catch — at this point of time — than it has been in the past. It is literally walking the streets, depending largely on the social conscience of the carrier. I’m also aware that, on the week we caught this thing, 40 Victorians died from it. As of last weekend, the average of six deaths a day is holding strong.
I’m aware that there are few options: we either get on with our lives or lock ourselves away — and we’ve all had enough of the latter.
King Charles III
When Queen Elizabeth passed away, last September, Margie Gordon of Undera sent a sympathy note to King Charles. With his coronation now only days away, it seems a good time to share his response.
The age of responsibility
The Victorian Government is about to raise the ‘age of responsibility’. Lagging behind most of the world, in Victoria, a child has been responsible for his or her behaviour at 10 years of age; now it is 12 years and in four years it will be 14 years (when we catch up).
I’ve been thinking about the children with whom I’ve been closely associated — particularly the boys. We currently have a 13-year-old grandson who is aware of self-responsibility, which means he doesn’t blame anyone else if his homework isn’t done.
But, remembering them at 11 years of age, I’m not at all sure that they took responsibility for anything in their lives. There is nothing mature about an 11-year-old boy.
But here’s my point. If the child is not responsible, who is? Someone must be! If an 11-year-old joins a mob of others — and takes to the streets with a knife — what happens? I’m not suggesting the parents should be jailed or fined; what good would that do? The people who feed and clothe that child obviously need help — because raising and guiding young people is not always easy.
Counselling should be available to the parents and the child — and it should be compulsory.
Ah! I’m about to contradict myself because I’ve just remembered forcing responsibility on one of our boys; he was nine years old. Although doing well at school, he had a number of days off with a ‘stomach ache’ that disappeared around 9.30am. The fear of sending an unwell child to school weakened my parenting efforts. So, I changed tack and told him that I didn’t have a stomach ache so, therefore, couldn’t judge the level of pain — only he could do that. So, he would make the decision.
I shared my new approach with his teacher and, in the next term, he had reduced his ‘sick days’ by two-thirds.
Oh well! That’s what a writer gets for generalising! I still think counselling should take place. Perhaps it does! I’ve been searching for the info but haven’t found it.
Greater Shepparton’s Heritage Open Days — Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13
There really is something for everyone here; you can visit up to 40 places of interest, in our city and surrounding district. You, and yours, can visit many of these venues independently; perhaps you might choose a walking tour or, if your legs aren’t what they used to be, a bus tour. Some of this year’s places of historical significance are opening for the first time — and you’ll enjoy hearing their stories.
The Heritage Open Days, which haven’t happened since 2019 (due, of course, to that virus) are organised by the Greater Shepparton Heritage Advisory Committee, in conjunction with council. And there is a brochure available with all the details. To make a booking, or for more information, call 5832 9730 or visit www.greatershepparton.com.au — and remember, this is all free of charge.
Next week
With repeated negative tests, I’m out and about this week – and, I’m delighted to say, will be having a chat with Shepparton’s first (and only) female town clerk, the delightful Pat Gibson (née Smith).
Let’s chat next week. May it be easy, my friends.
Marnie
Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au
Letter: Town Talk. Shepparton News. P.O. Box 204. Shepparton 3631.
Phone: Send a text on 0418 962 507. (Note: text only. I will call you back, if you wish.)