Does everyone hate losing things or do some people see it as an opportunity to buy new stuff? Somehow it seems our brains are hardwired to have a half memory about things that should still be there. A bit like when I am wandering around eating a piece of toast or a biscuit and put it down and later my brain remembers that I didn't finish it at the time. Why is that? Is it a protection mechanism?
Recently we were away for 4 nights staying in two different places. We got home and unpacked and some time in the night I thought I was missing my favourite sparkly jeans - the ones I go from the op shop in Port Vincent for $7 which not only fit but had sparkles on the hip pockets. A search didn't bring them to light but a phone call to the motel did. Yes they'd slipped down under the voluminous quilt and the bed. (That'll teach me not to hang them up straight away when going to bed.)
So does the brain have an inventory of all things we are attached to even unfinished toast?
It wasn't[ so clear in the case of the flash drive. I needed to take one away with me. There is always one in my handbag (along with biros and hankies and scissors and matches for lighting birthday cake candles and a texta and cough lollies and Panadol and...) but then I remembered there was one I used to use for work and ti was no longer in my drawer. Only a half memory came to help. Yes it had the falsh mob video on it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETn0T_io-po if you're interested) and David had dropped it in to Mary on the afternoon of the day we made it and she'd given it back a week or two later. Then what? Did I give it to Graeme because it had the edited out bits that included his grandkids or did I just imagine it? So off went an email to enquire. He didn't remember it and couldn't see it but his eagle eyed wife found it and it came back to me. Such pleasure over a less than $10 device. One more lost thing found.
And lastly the mystery of the disappearing brooches. Last year I put on my new (to me, anyway) shiny parachute silk pink jacket. It had two spots that looked like where a brooch or nametag had been pinned so I got out a shiny silver utterly cosmetic jewellery brooch and pinned it on. Nice. And off I went down the street to shop. When I got home there was no brooch. Oh dear! No big deal. I reached for my little silver filigree bird brooch, which I was fond of as DB bought it home for me from China some years ago. Off I went to Singing that night and when I got home there was no brooch. Some at singing had noticed it so I rang the school to check and searched the car. Nothing. Last week I got out that same jacket and knowing of the disaster last year I carefully pinned on a brooch (a silver Japanese character which I bought in Sydney when at a conference. I am sure the twisty safety catch was engaged. I went shopping, I went for a walk and then I went to singing. "Nice jacket," said one of the singers. "Yep, it's the one from which I lost two brooches last year." And I looked down. I could hardly believe my eyes. No brooch. Three lost from the one jacket.
"The Bermuda triangle of brooches," declared my friend.
So there you go. The flash drive returned, the jeans hopefully on their way in the mail and the brooches? My brain remembers that I had them but I fear that's all that remains.
I hate losing things.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Kimba - halfway across Australia
I vaguely remember passing through Kimba in the dark on the way to Ceduna in the early 70s and I knew there was a big galah. AND that it was a long way away; how far depended on whether you consulted Google or Whereis. About 6 hours travel time for us and about 5 hours from Adelaide. (And yes, some Kimba people still do it down and back in a day.)
The tourist brochure proclaimed it to be halfway across Australia and it sure seemed isolated with the nearest town nearly an hour away - and that's where the footy was on Saturday. And a visit to the vet with a sick cat means a one and a half hour drive EACH WAY.
So we arrived in Kimba on Thursday evening and left mid afternoon on Sunday. We saw very little of the town (but I did check out the galah before we left.) So what did I do in Kimba? I met a whole heap of wonderful people!

On behalf of the Uniting Church I was leading a team of three (two Davids and me) to spend time with the Kimba Uniting Church reflecting on their situation and their impact on the town. It was not a troubleshooting exercise but a chance to encourage people in what they are doing and see what they might want to be involved in. So between the three of us we met with 50 or so people including members of the community. We met with church leaders and shared meals together. And before we left we gave them a draft report on what we found.
Kimba Uniting Church is a modern very visible church in the main street. It runs an Op Shop and is associated with the Shed Men. The church building provides a great venue for a Community Centre and for events such as funerals where people are cared for lovingly in their time of grief.
I think the church people were stunned when we reported back how highly they are regarded in the community as a solid place in changing times, and as those who care and provide support.
While we were there it rained which put a smile on the faces of farmers. The community relies on a reasonable rainfall for their brad acre farms.
I discovered a whole lot of connections with other people and places and just wished there was more time to hear all the stories. So I saw the big galah but more than that I saw not just the halfway point of Australia but its very heart - with people who live and love and care and share a message of hope in troubled time. Thank you, Kimba. I do hope to be back. And I'll bring pumpkins next time!
The tourist brochure proclaimed it to be halfway across Australia and it sure seemed isolated with the nearest town nearly an hour away - and that's where the footy was on Saturday. And a visit to the vet with a sick cat means a one and a half hour drive EACH WAY.
So we arrived in Kimba on Thursday evening and left mid afternoon on Sunday. We saw very little of the town (but I did check out the galah before we left.) So what did I do in Kimba? I met a whole heap of wonderful people!

On behalf of the Uniting Church I was leading a team of three (two Davids and me) to spend time with the Kimba Uniting Church reflecting on their situation and their impact on the town. It was not a troubleshooting exercise but a chance to encourage people in what they are doing and see what they might want to be involved in. So between the three of us we met with 50 or so people including members of the community. We met with church leaders and shared meals together. And before we left we gave them a draft report on what we found.
Kimba Uniting Church is a modern very visible church in the main street. It runs an Op Shop and is associated with the Shed Men. The church building provides a great venue for a Community Centre and for events such as funerals where people are cared for lovingly in their time of grief.
I think the church people were stunned when we reported back how highly they are regarded in the community as a solid place in changing times, and as those who care and provide support.
While we were there it rained which put a smile on the faces of farmers. The community relies on a reasonable rainfall for their brad acre farms.
I discovered a whole lot of connections with other people and places and just wished there was more time to hear all the stories. So I saw the big galah but more than that I saw not just the halfway point of Australia but its very heart - with people who live and love and care and share a message of hope in troubled time. Thank you, Kimba. I do hope to be back. And I'll bring pumpkins next time!
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