Category: Uncategorized

Wow! We are already in 2021 and January is almost over. Next week my wife and I celebrate 32 years of marriage. Yes 32 years. But I have know her for 38 years. Is 6 years of dating too long. I don’t think so. We needed time to get to know each other and she needed to find her career. Is 32 years of marriage a long time. Well my parents have been married for 68 years and whilst their twilight years aren’t the best, we do become one for better or for worse. Like them I could not think of someone better to go through life with than Sonia.

She grounds me and makes me whole. Keeps me on the straight path and whilst we have had our ups and downs we love each other. That love may have changed over the years but its still love. A lot has happened in that time. We have a daughter that turns 20 next month and is doing an OT course. I believe she enjoys it. We have had friends and family gone before us and we miss them dearly. We have also migrated to Australia and I am now retired.

What does 2021 hold for us is already coming to past. My cousin Melissa has just passed away after her 9 year battle with Cancer. Sonia Aunt too is unwell and her Dad is battling the effects of diabetes in his old age. Corvid is still with us and will be for a long time to come. It is having untold stress and impact on all our lives as we can’t travel to see loved ones and its has impacted our work and everyday life. For someone that is retired that may not be much but I feel I have to be close at hand for my wife and daughter. As January comes to a close tomorrow our RCIA candidates will receive Baptism, confirmation and Communion that they couldn’t have in Mar 2020. We will catch up with friends at Elwood Beach and on Sunday will attend a Minyan for Melissa. Next week too one of our parishioners Joanne Muscat who passed away too on the same day as Melissa from the same Cancer is to be buried. In all not a great start to the year. But we must count our blessings and live on. Love on.

Well its been 4 months now since we have been in lockdown in Victoria Australia and it does not look like we are going to go anywhere soon. Most states within Australia have been closed since March and half the year is gone. July fast approaches and I am yet to go back to driving Uber since March 21 2020. The Corona virus has had a massive impact of our economy, mental health and sanity. Sonia and Maxine are working from home and the stress and anxiety is showing. Mostly for Sonia as she has been unable to go to work in her office. We have many new cases of people testing positive surrounding our neighbourhood in Caroline Springs. Every time we go out it is beginning to feel different and troubling. Qantas today announced 6000 job loses with 15000 staff stood down for now. Their planes are parked in the Mojave desert in America. Will they be the first of many to close. Maybe.

Wrote this to my whatsapp class of school.buddies from 1975 year. Yes we are still in contact with each other.

Good Morning guys. Well its winter for us here and we have it all. Rain, wet roads, 9 Deg C and maybe later storms and possible a blessing of hail. Lovely weather. Some restrictions are also easing in Victoria but not much. On the news is George Floyd and USA in turmoil. Let us pray that it will end and the madness stops. But its hard to change a culture overnight. Where is the sense and sensibility of it all. Especially in these times when the world needs to change and we need to change. Just drove the car in for service and the roads are not packed for a Monday. At Subaru Service center it looked like business as normal other than me having to state and sign that I am not sick. A piece of paper says that only 109 are allowed in the service center hangs loosely below the declaration. Really did they count? Well its Monday 1 June 2020 and the world is still changing. God Bless and have a great week ahead everyone. Be well, Stay safe and seize the day. Shalom!

It’s April 1st and my wife asked me. Hey Ron what on your face. She then points to my face and says yes right. Go look in the mirror, which I do. Then she says April Fool. Ok she got me.

How I wish that this virus was an April fool’s joke. How we all would wish it to be. But its not, all around world countries have been infected by many cases of this fast spreading contagion, Corvid19. It had also killed many people. So much so that borders have been closed. No-one can fly in or out from anywhere. In Australia, in Victoria we are on stage 3 lockdown.

Essentially meaning only two people from the same household can go out and only for essentials. Like the supermarket, GP, hospitals, for a quick exercise and not much more. Beaches have had to be closed as too many had flocked too the beach. Not sure what they were thinking. Gathering of more than two will see people being fined. Police are enforcing the restriction. Only essential workers like nurses can move about somewhat freely. And so our battle with this pandemic contributes as April begins. It also seems like suddenly the darkness descends upon us. Suddenly.

When I was growing up we ate fish more than three times a week. Fish was cheaper than Chicken and other meat products I guess. I was too young to know. Following Mum to the wet Serangoon Road Market, yes wet market, was always an exciting time for me. But that’s another story.

Getting back to the sardines, today Sonia and Maxine cooked sardines curry. Topped with Ikan Bilis, eggs, and some long beans fried on garlic and black sauce makes for one delicious lunch. Served with basmati rice. It was to say the least simply delicious. Oh! Forgot to mention that cherry tomatoes from garden were added with curry pillay leaves a well. Yummy! Least to say it was all gone between the four of us.

The world is now in the grips of a Pandemic that originated from Wuhan in China Hubei province. Corvid19 or SARs 2 has caused every country around the world to go into lockdown to stop the spread until a vaccine is found. It spreads through human contact and starts like a common flu or cold. Australia started to lockdown on March 18 2020. My 61th Birthday. Imagine that. The latest for Victoria situation can be found on the Vic Emergency app on Advice – Pandemic: Victoria https://emergency.vic.gov.au/respond/#!/warning/13765

For Victoria we are in stage 3 lockdown, which means that we can only move about 2 at a time per household and only for essentials. Its a worrying time. Everything is closed except supermarkets, Hospitals and Medical centres, certain government offices like Centrelink. Many have lost their job or work due to the closers. Businesses have shut, airlines like Virgin have cut 90% of all flights as countries close their borders. Anyone coming back to their country must quarantine for 14 days. Either in hotels or at home. Nobody seem to have an answer as economies are beginning to slow and head towards recessions. Australia has pledge 4 Billion so far. But is it enough. Some countries like the USA are in semi denial as the number infected sore. New York is a ghost town with no one allowed to leave their homes. Technology is now used to connect and chat with friends and relatives. When will it end. No one knows.

If your ever in Melbourne CBD and are near bourke street looking for good Sri Lankan food do come to The Paramount food court on the ground floor. There you will find a good selection of food from Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Western. But the best value food is at Ceylon Wok. For a little as $10 you can have a full size meal of Any rice, one meat and two vegies. Or for $12 two meats curries and two Vegies. Not only is the serving quick as everthing is cooked fresh daily but they have three people serving you. The food is wholesome and tasty. For me one of the best value for money meal in Melbourne. Today I had Briyani with Fish and two vegies. Delicious. It is a taste to remember.