Week 36 - 2025 One Daily Positive and Project 365 - Tasmania and the poo machine

It's been an emotional week as we hurtle towards the anniversary of Stephanie's death. It was also my father's birthday on Saturday and 8 years since he died. Plus so many anniversaries from people I know with the death of their child linking in to family birthdays and key dates in our lives. We're also on the countdown to leaving Australia and possibly another 2 years till we see child 3 again. He left the UK in 2017. I was able to visit in 2019 and the last 3 visits in 2022, 2023 & 2025 Peter has joined me. Child 3 came to the UK in 2024 for his sister's funeral.

Sunday

Day 243 A day in the Blue Mountains and a chance for Peter to see the actual scenery, as last time we were here it was really foggy. We walked around 10 miles and climbed the equivalent of 64 flights of stairs. The weather was perfect and the walk was full of parrots and cockatoos. We stopped for dinner in a pub on the way home. After son dropped us off we watched TV in the apartment.

Monday 

Day 244 We caught a bus to near Circular Quay to catch the ferry to Manly, Shelly Beach and a cliff top walk, stopping for lunch and fighting the Beach Turkeys away from our food and drink. We caught the ferry back and saw the cruise ship leaving the harbour. We had a bit of a walk to catch our bus back. Peter went out with our son for dinner and I had a rest, washed my hair and returned a driving licence Peter found yesterday to a young lad who was staying near by.

Tuesday

Day 245 A slow start to the day followed by two buses to Circular Quay and a walk over the Harbour Bridge to Wendy Whitleey's Secret Garden and a ferry back to the Quay. Into the city for a late lunch and bus to our son's. We all went out for a meal near our apartment.

Wednesday

Day 246 We did some laundry then caught the bus to Bondi Junction for a coffee, some lunch and to buy a few things for our visit to Tasmania. Caught the bus to Bronte Beach then walked back to our apartment. Evening spent packing and watching TV.

Thursday

Day 247 An early start, 3am, and off to the airport for our flight to Tasmania. We collected the car hire at 9.30am and by 11am we were climbing Mount Wellington in the snow. Checked into our apartment around 4pm, popped out for some supplies, take away for dinner and in bed by 10pm absolutely shattered.

Friday

Day 248 A bit of a lie in then off to MONA museum, it's a 'must do' in Tasmania, but after 10 mins I was out and back at the car waiting for the others to walk around. I've never been anywhere so pretentious in my life. We then drove 30 mins to a restaurant I'd found online in a lovely little bay, had a delicious meal and a walk along the beach. Stopped at the mall on our way back, cup of tea and a chocolate bar, followed by a walk around the local area. I had a snack for dinner and was in bed by 8pm.

We visited Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) home to Cloaca Professional — also known as the poo machine, which was used to promote Bowel Cancer screening in Australia.

Like the UK, Australia offers a free National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) but they start testing at the age of 45, unlike the UK where the age is 60.

I was invited by the NHS to take part in the screening. I am 54. My test was negative.

I'm fundraising for Bowel Research UK in memory of Stephanie who died from Bowel ischaemia in October 2024. It kills 3,000 people a year and is difficult to diagnose.

Bowel Research UK also funds research into Hirchsprung's disease which our 3 year grandson was born with.

Saturday

Day 249 We caught a ferry to Bruny Island and drove the length to the lighthouse, stopping at places on the way. Ferry back to the mainland at 4.30pm and into Tasmania Wharf for a fish supper. Video calls with the grandchildren in the evening and watching TV.

Things to make you smile:

Our son's girlfriend experiencing snow for the first time.

Things that made me happy:

Spending time with my son and his girlfriend, exploring new places, meals out, walks and coffee stops.

On the blog this week:
Post Comment Love - Link up with any post written this week. Snowing in Tasmania
Word of the Week - Walks (Australia) Part One
The best bits of August 2025

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Post Comment Love 5th-7th September 2025 - Snowing in Tasmania

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

We're in Tasmania this weekend, flying for 2 hours from Sydney early on Thursday morning. We were awake at 3am and by 11am we were climbing Mount Wellington in a snow storm. My son's girlfriend had never seen snow so it was super exciting for her and for us, a joy to watch.

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One week and 3000 miles apart

Last Sunday morning. Making my way up to the top of British Camp in Malvern, UK.

This Sunday morning. On the beach in Dubai.

Week 15 One Daily Positive - Back in Dubai

I've just about been keeping my head above water the last few weeks with more medical tests, arranging flights to Dubai and all the tests and paperwork involved and sorting out care for the animals and a few other issues that were really taking up too much of my time, energy and finances. I owe comments for the past 4 weeks and I'm working my way through them slowly, starting with all the people who link up with me and Steph @lifeat139a and I for Post Comment Love each week. 

I've been getting incredible pains in chest and shoulders and random shooting pains in my thigh and shin in left leg and I've had a severe reaction to the Phosphate intake also. I'm also itching head to toe after contact with water and I have the coldest hands known to man. Some of this was going on before the iron infusion, but has become worse and most of it before the phosphate intake. Can't get to see a Dr in the UK, the receptionist just puts things on my notes. I have an appointment next week to see my GP over here.

100 Saturday Morning of tidying around and off to visit friend and grandchild for garden visit in the same village and home to watch TV.

101 Sunday Up early and up British Camp to experience the snow, an afternoon of TV,  had an early bath, cooked dinner and sorted through some paperwork, did some packing and the neighbour came round to collect key for feeding cat while I'm away.

102 Monday Off early to Worcester for Covid testing, took a walk around the town then realised I'd gone into the City on the first day the shops re opened after lockdown, it wasn't as busy as I thought it would've been. Hoovered and mopped floors. Tidied up the garden after the snow again.

103 Tuesday Caught the train to Heathrow, stopped off at Paddington on route and decided to leave suitcase with left luggage and spent the day in London on foot. Walked to and through Hyde park, to Buckingham Palace, along the Mall, through Horse guard parade, to Westminster, up to Trafalgar Square, through Leicester Square, through Carnaby Street, along Oxford Road to Regent Street, past the BBC onto Baker Street and back to Paddington, collected suitcase and onto an empty T3 and Aerotel sleep pod for the night.

104 Wednesday Flew to Dubai mid afternoon, around 50 people on the flight. More shops etc open this time at the airport but still very quiet. An uneventful flight, slept most of the way. it won't be like this the next time I fly in June.

105 Thursday I spent the day in bed. Peter went into the office in the morning and he had the dentist in the afternoon. Evening spent in front of the TV.

106 Friday We headed out to Dubai Mall. It's Ramadan and it's being done very differently here than ever before. When we first came here in 2015, nothing was open during the day, over the following years, places opened but were only accessible for take outs and after 2pm, then they screened areas off and you could eat after 2pm, but there was NO consistency between stores and within Malls. Last year, Ramadan took place during a total lockdown and curfew, this year you wouldn't know it was Ramadan here at all, other than a few decorations, the Starbucks Ramadan cup. There are no screens, no curtained off areas, no signs telling you whether you can eat or drink or smoke or chew gum etc. I'm finding the covid regulations harder to deal with anyway, but at least I'm used to the inconsistencies of Dubai after 6 years.

On the blog this week: 

Post Comment Love - Back Home in Dubai

My Spring Garden

A random Walk over the Malvern Hills

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Week 14 - One daily Positive. Sunshine and Snow

No dog to walk, feels weird. There was some confusion between the Consultant, GP and Receptionist about whether I'd had the bloods requested or needed to book them. I'd had the ones the Consultant had requested but before the letter was received by the GP, hence the confusion. I'm now on Phosphorus as my levels are too low. Will need a blood test in a weeks time.

Over the past 2 weeks I've seen 4 of our 5 children and our grandchild, no hugs from the adults, some contact with toddler child of course. I won't be seeing any of them or the dog until July now.

93 Saturday I topped up the food shopping, then stayed home alone and did a thorough clean of the house, the shared areas and washed the dog. Evening spent on sofas, snacking, chatting and TV running in the background. The dog and all his bedding got washed.

94 Sunday We took a walk up the Malvern Hills, had a roast dinner then Child 4 and 4a left with the dog, I cleaned the house through again top to bottom, did all the washing of bedding and towels, the ironing and had a good cry because my dog has gone. It was a long evening with a demanding cat. 

95 Monday  I took a trip to Gloucester for a click and collect store cupboard and toiletry food shop, so when we return from Dubai we can isolate and just get some fresh stuff delivered or dropped off. I had a front door step visit with child 1 in her care home, as in I talked to the staff and she wandered off back inside. Then a drive home via child 2, 2a and grandchild for a garden visit, home for dinner, a bath and an early night. 

96 Tuesday A morning in bed catching up with TV and blogging. Unpacked the car and put everything away and took a walk into town to get coffee and sit in the churchyard. It was snowing most of the day and bitterly cold, but with blue skies.

97 Wednesday Walked down to the retail park after a hectic morning of researching flights, covid testing, hotels and trains. My stress levels get really high when I'm having to coordinate a million and one things at the same time.

98 Thursday Walked into town to post a parcel, bumped into a school mum from child 5s time in school, then decided to walk up The Beacon, just because I could and walked home along the ridge, via the North Hill. 

99 Friday Morning spent  paying bills for water, the car and council tax both in the UK and Dubai. Home and booked everything for flying next week. Walked down to the pharmacy, twice, to collect new medication.

Nothing on the blog this week.

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One daily Positive - Week 9

How am I supposed to keep warm? This level of cold is as painful as the heat of Dubai in the middle of summer. The temperature didn’t rise above zero for 4 days and when it did on Saturday the wind chill factor was ‘feel like -5c’ I must say though I am loving this snow that started falling on Thursday and didn’t stop till the early hours of Saturday morning. I had to rearrange a few trips and visits to friends, but even if I was foolish enough to drive, I couldn’t get the car out the car park or out the town to the dual carriage way anyway.

I've spent this week dealing with issues in the UK, banking, boiler repairs, care home reviews etc. I never get a break when I travel to the UK. Although it's nice to catch up with family and friends it would also be nice for people to come and visit me and not take me for granted that when I'm here, I'm here just for them.

56 Sunday I took the teen to visit MIL in Keynsham, one of her neighbours had died and we arrived as the coroner came to collect the body, was a difficult few minutes for us both. Stopped off at a field in Gloucestershire (slight detour) to meet a friend and watch him fly a model helicopter, it's serious stuff this, however I sat in the car and let the teen fill me on the details on the way back.

57 Monday My usual battle with sorting stuff with the HSBC began with telephone banking. Tell me why do they have to make this process so bloody painful? Posted a few parcels and met mum for coffee. The teen and I headed off to Abgavenny as he had an appointment. The evening was spent at mums, giving her a lesson on the laptop and new iPhone now her internet is up and running after her move.

58 Tuesday and an early morning start off to Malvern as the boiler was being repaired and I wanted to be there to speak to the agents about not using local plumbers when they have authorisation to use the landlord cover I pay for with British Gas that they have details of on file. Met up with a couple of friends some I keep in regular contact with and others I haven't seen for several years and I dropped some stuff of dad's at the charity shop.

59 Wednesday, I met with a couple of blogging friends in Newport, visited Uncle Tim in hospital. How by 6pm, stayed in and cooked the teen a cottage pie for tea. Struggled to keep warm. Spent the night trying to sort out the boiler that broke again, seriously I can't take much more of this.

60 Thursday spent most of the early hours on the phone to British Gas and after 2 hours 38 mins, I got an appointment for Tuesday. They have an electric hot water tank, an electric oven, an electric fire in the lounge and I asked the rental agents to purchase 3 small heaters, 1 for each bedroom. Cancelled plans to visit child 1 and fellow 365er Sarah mumof3world, cleaned the bathroom, drank coffee and read a magazine in Caffe Nero and the teen and I did a few jobs for mum in her new flat and took her some shopping and a dinner up.

61 Friday I arranged for a local handyman to come and price up a list of jobs at mums new flat. I then visited friends with kids and went sledging, followed by bacon butties and a trip out in the land rover to feed the sheeps and I had an early night.

62 Saturday it’s stopped snowing and the temps have risen over zero. The traffic is starting to move as the snow melts. Popped into Caffee Nero who have remained open during the snow, walked to see my sister and niece. Visited a friend for tea and cake, visited nephew in law with Thing 1, 2 & 3 and spent the evening cooking, blogging, watching TV and finishing off the chocolate supplies.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - Dubai Opera House

Best Boot Forward and PoCoLo - Taking things for granted or rather not being taken for granted anymore.

TweenTeensBeyond - Living with an Empty Nest. 4 years on, it's now just a way of life.

When the magic of christmas is no longer there.

In December 2010 we moved out of our home and into a hotel ready for a new life in South Africa, we're now in Dubai and the past 6 years have meant Christmas has been in the sun.

I know that Christmas is in the sun for a lot of people, but after 39 years of it being in winter time, it's still very strange for it to be so hot.

I just don't get in the festive mood anymore. I love walking around the malls and seeing all the decorations, I buy and wrap the gifts, I write and send cards in September to family and friends around the world to ensure they arrive in time.

The advent calendar I bought myself was only opened for the first 10 days and that was on day 10.

Only 2 of our 5 children were still living at home when we left the UK and as we've both been married before, all 5 of the children would often spend christmas with their other parents, so the day itself stopped being magical a long time ago, but the build up was still there and what ever day we held Christmas on, I still felt more than I do now.

We had 1 family christmas in South Africa, in 2011, but the boys were then 12 and 16 in 2012 and 2013 we spent christmas with friends and 2014 was spent in a hotel as we moved to Dubai. Last year we had the youngest child with us, then aged 16 and this year Dan the second youngest came out to Dubai, but he's 21 now.

I still did him a stocking and there are gifts under the tree for the youngest and our niece who arrive tomorrow night.

The build up to Christmas has left me, gifts are wrapped with the labels intact and receipts are often included. There's no one to share the excitement of the build up, although I did sneak into the 21 year olds room with a stocking which I know he appreciated.

Even if we'd stayed in the UK, we'd still be on our own for Christmas, we popped to my Grans for a couple of years, when the kids were away, we went to friends and shared christmas with their families or we popped to my Mum and Dads or Peter's mum for a few hours on the day.

But something has changed this year. On our return from Christmas brunch at a hotel, Peter announced he'd have to go to work today and didn't return home till 6pm. Dan and I hit the shops for the sales and then spent the afternoon on the beach.

I guess at 45 with all my kids grown up now and left home that things will always be like this from now on. I'll just have to find a way to liven things up a little for next year, maybe go away and remove the expectations, but it won't be back to the UK. If I'm going to spend the next few years living in the sun, I think we should go somewhere where it snows, even if it's just the ski dome down at the Mall of Emirates for the day.

Week 7 Project 365 I finally got my visa

The week hasn't started well I'm afraid, no dramas, just health issues. All this uncertainty and hotel living has finally caught up with me and I can't seem to stay awake. I finally got my residency visa this week, just waiting for my Emirates ID, then I can apply for my driving license and open a bank account.

Day 39 #onedailypositive #inmybag #fmsphotoaday #out&about #snaphappybritmums #project365

I spent the morning cooking and wearing pjs, I had no plans to go out other than the photo prompt for today. The cooking inspired ideas for the rest of the week, so I dressed, caught the number 93 bus and visited Carrefore, returning within the hour with a bag full of goodies to make soups, risotto and banana muffins. It's wonderful after living in South Africa just to be able to 'pop to the shops' using public transport.

Day 40 ‪#‎onedailypositive‬ ‪#‎energy‬ ‪#‎fmsphotoaday‬ ‪#‎snowdrops‬‪#‎snaphappybritmums‬ ‪#‎project365‬ 

Any suggestions as to where I can find snowdrops in the middle of the desert? So I'm cheating and took a photo of the sledge run at the ‪#‎MallOfEmirates‬ it's snow and a drop. Energy wise and my one daily positive I'm on a train to Jebel Ali with my passport TO FINALLY GET MY VISA. My tourist visa expires in 2 days and I really didn't fancy another visa flight to Oman and back.

The train to Jebel Ali was a new route for me and it was weird to pass through Energy station on route.








Day 41 #onedailypositive #ThisInspiresMe #fmsphotoaday #RaiseSomeDough #snaphappybritmums #project365

4 years ago I gave up making financial donations to #charities. I'll still happily sponsor a child with an activity at their school as I believe the message of helping others is a good virtue to install into our children, but I won't be sponsoring the cost of your skydive or mountain trek and I won't be donating to #ComicRelief and other organisations.
What happened to change my mind? I moved to South Africa and volunteering became a way of life for me, in fact my entire life and I was fortunate to meet some of the most inspiring people I've ever come across with my involvement in Santa Shoebox and The Viva Foundation. Alone we cannot stop poverty, but from experience we can do something to make life a little more tolerant and give hope and a sense of identity. This little girl in the picture is 3 and like all her class mates she had never had a birthday party, in fact if you ask the children at the Viva School how old they are, they are unable to tell you. Birthday parties are a luxury, actually running water and electricity are luxuries so you can imagine how far down the list a birthday party or a gift actually is.
I shall be back in South Africa in October to help collect, pack, sort and distribute up to 10,000 christmas gifts in Pretoria and will be making and selling cakes and crafts here in Dubai to raise funds for Viva to support education and provide their children with the opportunity to have a birthday party, a cake and a bit of respect. If you want to donate directly to Viva then please click here, citing Party and Chickenruby as your reference. 

Day 42 #onedailypositive #OnTheWall #fmsphotaday #two #snaphappybritmums #project365

This is driving me up the wall, I have no idea which light switch operates which light and for some reason as I've discovered today, if I want the outside light on at the front of the house, the switch for it is in our bedroom at the back of the house. So today I'm labelling all the switches and drawn a little map. Sad? No, we had 2 switches in South Africa for 2 years that we never knew what they switched on. In every room there appears to be 2 switches that don't operate any lights anywhere and yes, I've checked and replaced bulbs/globes. The daily positive is that today feels like the first day of normal, I'm catching up with blogging and sorting photo's and off to the beach in a bit to cool down after mopping the kitchen floor.

Day 43 #onedailypositive #pointy #fmsphotoaday #white #snaphappybritmums #project365

This photo was taken from our front door step. It is the white moon above the pointy top of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 828 meters high. Everywhere you go in Dubai the Burj Khalifa is visible, from the beach, the bus stop and on a very clear day there have been reports you can see it from Saudi Arabia.
Now we are back in the northern hemisphere the moon and the stars are familiar again, it's strange though not to be able to see the southern cross anymore. Today's positive is we are fortunate, through hard work and determination to have the opportunity to live abroad and experience life as expats.

Day 44 ‪#‎temptation‬ ‪#‎fmsphotoaday‬ ‪#‎dinner‬ ‪#‎snaphappybritmums‬‪#‎project365‬ 

Sitting in the desert having a braai, there's a fillet steak on the coals and for dessert M&Ms, fairy cakes and fizzy pop.

Day 45 #onedailypositive #love #fmsphotoaday #hearts #snaphappybritmums #project365

Having spent 4 years in the Southern Hemisphere and now moving to another hot climate, it has been important to me to mark the seasons in some way rather than relying on the weather. In South Africa Halloween is in Spring, Christmas in the summer and Easter in Autumn. I marked the seasons by celebrating the events and decided the dining room was the best place to do this because as a family with kids and now without them we always sat down together for our main meal of the day. We spent this christmas back in the northern hemisphere but on the beach, no amount of penguins or snowmen on cards can make it feel like a christmas I knew but I do enjoy setting the dining room table to reflect the seasons and at least now at Easter when I put the decorations out, it will be back in spring again.

Winter in South Africa

The sun still shines, the sky is blue and I can’t remember the last time it rained here, certainly not since I returned from my trip to the UK on May 2^nd and it probably won’t *rain again now till September, it's very dusty and everything is brown.

              

But don’t be fooled by the clear blue skies, we are scraping ice off the car first thing in the morning. Day time temps are still in the high teens and will probably stay like that for the whole of winter but after the sun sets and before it rises, temps are currently around 2-5c and we’re just waiting for the zero and below to kick in and when it does, boy is it even colder.

Family and friends who have visited in the winter from the UK are wearing summer gear in the day as they say it’s so warm compared to a UK summer. I start my day off with as many layers as I can manage and still be able to move.

It snowed in Pretoria in 2012, the 1st time since 1963. Some of the Malls have ice rinks.

By mid morning I’ve removed the scarf, gloves and maybe the fleece from underneath my coat, I may regret wearing tights with my jeans and boots, but that moment passes quickly.

The sun sets around 5.30pm within the hour I’ve had my bath and I’m on the sofa in my fleece pjs, blanket and hot water bottle and feet off the cold tiled floor. By 8pm we’re in bed with the electric blanket on, watching TV, but then we fall asleep early and wake early, before the sun rises at 6am, not wanting to get up, but as soon as it does, it’s straight outside to drink our tea and coffee under the sun where it is nice and warm.

*since scheduling this post there was a hail storm and torrential rain over the weekend