Mid Summer Laze

Apologies to Pat n Jo for turning down an invite. Thank you for feeding Jen and the kids. I spent the afternoon resting my lower back. It must be the first time I did not rest my back after I hurt it *that* way. Twisted, tore a muscle, whatever. I don't know what. Even the doctors at the polyclinic don't know or don't bother, prescribing heat rubs and oral painkiller. Easy.


It is one of those moments you panic a bit because you realise you cannot get out of bed to pee. It wouldn't be that bad if you don't have to work. We were one man down, urgent jobs came in. Volume was considerable. If only I were fit, that would be a good adrenaline rush. With a fucked back, the only rush I got was the morning rush because of my slow movements. 


Somehow I managed to distort my body just enough to get up with minimal pain. At the fucked lower back club, there is no words such as "flip" or "turn" or "bend" in our dictionaries. Or "get out of bed." After cleaning and dressing up, I looked at my socks and thought, "Now what?" I couldn't bend, I couldn't lift a fucking leg. If not for my amazing balancing skills and brilliant limb motor skills cultivated from years of playing sports in my youth, I would be turning up for work sockless. That wouldn't do. On one morning, my wife woke and wore them for me. I was pathetic.


The second day after I pulled that muscle was the worst. I had to get the only colleague to carry anything heavy. Amazingly, I managed to make myself useful. We cleared a few hundred large bolts within that couple of days. I ran nuts on, placing them gingerly in an elevated crate for my benefit. Drums of nuts were permanently lifted on our forklift to serve solely me. The following few days were of similar torture but lower in intensity as the back gradually recovers. By the end of the week, I was near annihilation. Much as I liked to attend a CNY lunch, I thought lazing at home would be a better idea.


The house was quiet. You have no idea how quiet afternoons in Perth can be. Some Singaporeans friends I know are actually frightened of the quiet. The differences among people is what makes life interesting. People like me will actually pay for some silence. It was a warm day but not warm enough to justify the activation of the cooling system. Ice cream will be a good idea.


A week back, we were invited for dinner at Jen's sis.


They set up a pool in the backyard and the children dived in. 3 active boys and a delighted Albany, who filled the air with her usual laughter.


Dinner was ok.


I suppose this is what Singaporeans call "boring." Boring, boring Perth. Well, this is the most well kept secret. It is so boring, it's good.


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