More beautiful weather in Perth today. 22 degrees and delightful, like a spring day. We have experienced the second driest June on record. Showers are expected tomorrow and very cold by the end of the week.
Mel rang me this afternoon, 'Mum, Mum can I go to Geraldton? Louise has asked me to go with her.' Mel is 34 and there is no reason why I should make the decision for her. I am a fountain, maybe a mountain of information for her why she should, why she shouldn't, but I shouldn't hold the ace card for her. She should make the decision.
Geraldton is almost 5 hours by bus and 420km north of Perth.
I shudder. A few years back I lost a few years of my life when Mel had arranged with Louise and Kristy to holiday in Margaret River for a few days. Everything was planned and going well and Merv (who was well at the time) drove her to East Perth bus station only to find the girls had the wrong information and they needed to catch the train from Perth Station. The girls caught the train into Perth and Mel somehow didn't make it. The train left Perth without Mel. Sketchy memories saw me with Mel at East Perth Station and arranging for her to catch the train and meet up with her friends in Bunbury. Then the; 'what ifs' played havoc in my mind, it was worst than a long winded game of baseball. I stressed for the 3 hours it took before she was reunited with her friends and I breathed long drawn out breaths when she had. Today when I reminded Louise of this, she simply said, 'We could have waited.' Yes, they could have, my life span would be more promising if they had.
Then there was the holiday Mel took with boyfriend Julian to Albany almost 8 years ago. Nice young man with grandparents in Albany who they stayed with. Mel started wheezing and by the time they were due to go home she was a hospital case. The grandparents took her to the local hospital where she stayed for a few days with me ringing the staff and Mel on her mobile to keep up to date with her progress. I had the dilemma of driving down there but I knew it was better for her to fly home than be subject to a gruelling 6 hour bus journey without a nebuliser. I offered to fly Julian home also but he had an aversion to flying. I did go to the bus station the day he returned to Perth and took him back to his house. They broke up not long after this ordeal.
Therefore the word, 'holiday', chiming in my ears brings back these daunting and graphic memories and endeavour to burden me with despairing outcomes.
Harry maybe on the prowl, ready to pounce and devour. But we will stand our ground and I will ensure Mel is well prepared and in fighting spirit for her short holiday.
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