Today’s Lunch – 12th December 2018

Published December 12, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Have I told you how I do not like summer? Yeah, summer and Helen with my AVM: Not good friends. Love wearing my cruisey shorts (3/4 length pants) and t-shirts, however if I’m not wearing a black tee shirt and I’m wearing white. It’s too damn hot! Add to that Peri-menopausal hot flushes, no you can’t tell which is from what.

Summer clothes

Also, blogger friend in Florida? You know who you are. Don’t worry, pretty sure I’m not coming to visit. Too damn hot!

Florida

Tuesday, not thrilled to go to a brain injury group meeting in the city. Miss made a noise like she might vomit. “What’s that Mika, you feel sick and I should stay home and look after you?” Sadly, I had to go. Didn’t bring my migraine home until 5.30pm! Then out on hellonwheels for a 7.30pm appointment. It wasn’t far but pilled a little on Oxy made my waxing a little easier to take. Really looking forward to chiropractor already even though it’s another hot one today.

Leg waxing

Have I mentioned 25degrees is my limit? I really don’t get it and today is, oh wait. It’s only 32 but I’m wearing my only white T-shirt already.

Summer

Today’s offering is a quinoa and chicken salad, with my standard medicine.

Chicken Quinoa Salad Latte

Just a thought. If anyone is still reading? Do people actually read this post or do you just like it as goody/coffee porn? (You know, pictures of good food and/or coffee?) Trying. not to feel needy, just working out if anyone’s going to be open to learning anything I have to say on a Wednesday? Or is it just the food porn!

Food Porn

Hit me with a Like and why not comment?

Like and comment

Cheers,
H

Today’s Lunch – 5th December 2018

Published December 5, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

As per usual, just when my Wednesday settles back into a comfortable routine there is a spanner thrown into the works. If you need a reminder, my Wednesday used to completely revolve around lunch at my favourite cafe followed by a short walk to chiropractor then tramming it back to acupuncture close to home then a hearty walk home. But because one of those things relocated from Clifton hill away from the tram route that I rely on. I would catch taxi’s however I am lucky young John fits me into his schedule and doesn’t charge me, in his words because he says he’s a “decent human being”, and I otherwise cannot afford to do taxis and the NDIS expects me to Uber. Hell NO! So, I started getting a carer for a rather lengthy shift just to get me to my standard Wednesday appointments.

Normal Plan

Just pointing out I don’t need handholding for 4 hours but here we are and you may wonder about this “red-tape” I’ve mentioned previously in regards to funding for disability? I learned yesterday the NDIS has decided I can’t use core supports (fancy word for carer hours) to cover the mileage for my carers. I will now be billed for that separately. Only .80cents a kilometre, but if you add it up for the year? Ouch! After consulting the lovely Noelle, my blog administrator and the person solely responsible for my memes, her son also a client of the NDIS recommended I have mileage written into my service provider agreements.

Red Tape

My other solution is to only use the providers who don’t charge for mileage. My Friday chick who takes me shopping claims hers I believe on her tax, which makes me favour her for community access shifts. Are you picking up my subliminal messages of all the new names and terms for things under the NDIS? Yes, let’s recap, shall we?

Service Providers – Companies that provide carers or other needs funded and registered with the NDIS.

Core Supports – The name given to funding allocated for hiring person carers or support Workers.

Subliminal – Like, how I’ve been sneaking it into your minds that not all brain injuries are the same.

The general consensus is that all people with brain injuries sit in a corner and drool without conscious thoughts and you are getting it that I don’t have that kind of brain injury. Nailed it!

Brain Injury

Also, today is different again and not getting to my favourite cafe at all. Instead going to a free screening of a film called Defiant Lives.

https://defiantlives.com/

Lucky for you I managed to get a quick coffee break last Friday in between missions and my Friday chicks, really should call her my Girl Friday. Had this delicious little treat. It’s half a lemon tart and medicine.

Lemon Tart Latte 1

I may squeeze in a medicine at a more local cafe close to home before I get home. To be continued……….

Latte 2

Oh, and here is my first calla lily out on my balcony garden. Only planted them a few months ago.

Calla Lilly 1 Calla Lilly 2

Cheers,
H

Wonderful Wednesday 1

Today’s Lunch – 7th November 2018

Published November 7, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Allow me to introduce you to some beautiful things about Melbourne, spring and apartment living in today’s post.

We are currently in Spring Carnival season here in Melbourne, in Spring in Melbourne we get most of our rainfall. Yesterday was the Melbourne Cup! Supposedly, the race that stops the nation? (I wouldn’t know as I was asleep when it happened) and I woke this morning just before 8am to the sound of thunder, pouring rain, someone running past my front door down the hallway towards the lift and my water feature on my balcony had returned. Looking outside to the otherwise busy intersection to see rain coming down ‘side-ways!’. You know the kind? With the sound effects of (ssssshhhhhhhh!!!!)

Spring Carnival

Melbourne Cup is very well known for people getting dressed up (or down) people basically making a huge disgrace of themselves and celebrities hanging out and rubbing shoulders in a pavilion called the Birdcage and the catering being to die for.

Disgrace

In short, I’ve never been, I don’t gamble and despite it raining buckets, the race still goes on.
The water feature on my balcony, I have a drain pipe on my balcony that was bubbling up water, that in itself you might think what’s so bad about that? Um, yeah. I live on the second floor! This is not a great thing, but it’s only happened twice now and I’ve just signed a lease for my second year here so I shouldn’t stress?

Bsalcony flood

Also, because I’ve had a 4-day weekend due to the public holiday yesterday and purposely keeping Monday’s schedule clear, I venture out of the house for the first time since Friday!

Long Weekend

Doing full Person and back to my crazy normal Wednesday schedule. So today’s lunch is a pancetta quiche with side salad and my medicine.

Pancetta Quiche Latte

Cheers

H

Today’s Lunch – 31st October 2018

Published October 31, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays lunch birthday

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Before I get started, how good is pineapple? I have recently rediscovered pineapple! Not big on fruit and hate buying it and it dying before I remember to eat it. So, very happy to introduce non-Australians to our very cool Big things. The big pineapple!

The Big Pineapple
Had my once a year haircut last Friday………here’s some pictures of my new hairdressing salon!

Annual Haircut

And because I stretch out my birthday celebrations for a week, here’s some photos of my actual birthday lunch. On the way over, Google Helen (giggle Helen) provided directions. You don’t come to my part of town and rely on google!

Including my Blood Orange mocktail with rosemary, and things I’ve forgotten. A amazing shoulder roast lamb, with salad, corn on the cob and zucchini chips and (OMG) Saganaki (haloumi cheese grilled with figs) mmmmmmmmmmmm…….

And Monday, my favourite cake from my favourite cafe. I can never recall what it’s called so when ordering I describe it as “chocolate salted caramel thing?” And Gabriel will tell the new-be what it’s called. I convinced Caroline to share it with me. Each bite all she could say was “Oh My God! That’s Amazing!” Which is why I took a second piece home. To last me the rest of the week.
Hey! No judgement. It’s birthday week! There are no calories in birthday week!

Chocolate cake

And a few weeks ago I got to an exhibition in West Melbourne with a friend to catch a chic I was at high school with back in the day. She is an artist who is based in New York! This is some of her smaller work. She did these in her last visit a few months ago so they could go in this group exhibit.
I always find myself at these arty things thinking why does this woman look familiar? (She is thinking the same thing of me) and I go through the rolodex of my history as to where we may have crossed paths? Oh, at one of my artists friends’ openings. Still got it!

Art 1 Art 2

Art 3

Art 4

And as I’ve finally even able to have someone get me to appointments on a Wednesday. Wednesday has resumed normal programming. Today’s offering. Pumpkin Arancini with side salad with my medicine.

Pumpkin Arancini Latte

Cheers,
H

Mika

Today’s Lunch – 24th October 2018

Published October 24, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

45! 45, 45! Repeat after me! Helen is still 45! Because, my next mid-week blog post I will not be able to say this, I’m not struggling with getting older, or closer to 50, it’s only a day older than the day before.

I’m not exactly anywhere near where I imagined life to look like by this age. I don’t know what a 46-year-old should dress, or act, or even be doing however I’m doing the best with what I have.

Still trying to have my Wednesday return to some kind of normal, but it’s taking longer than I imagined. So, I’ve been missing out on my favourite cafe. But I will remedy this on Monday and hopefully next Wednesday!

Wednesday

In a meeting for lunch today, for the self-advocacy group I’m part of, not for fun but important. To be continued……………….

Self Advocacy

Meanwhile, here’s what I had for lunch! Butter chicken with white rice and a paratha.
Have to get medicine later!

Butter Chicken 1 Butter Chicken 2

Butter Chicken 3

Cheers,
H

Today’s Lunch – 10th October 2018

Published October 10, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

People often think people with disabilities don’t have a sense of humour, they would be wrong. Made the best disability joke yesterday and only two people were there to witness it. I was at Ross House where the self-advocacy group, I go to is located. All the resident organisations are not for profit (NGO’s) The lift is old and small and slow, there are stairs. I’ve never used them. There are four floors and with my young carer who normally escorts me shopping and cooking on Fridays in the lift and a complete stranger, the lift seemed to stop every floor on the way down yet there was no one there to get on the lift. I muttered to my carer as to why the lift kept stopping without anyone joining us? “Someone probably pressed the button and they got sick of waiting and took the stairs but, I can guarantee you it’s not someone in a wheelchair!” Yeah, I went there.

Disability humour

Wednesday has started a bit differently. No water in the whole apartment complex until after 1pm so lunch will be after my only appointment and I think it’s about time I put a myth to rest, I wrote in an earlier post how I dislike the “Like”. It may have been taken out of context. I love the “Like” I have only two ways to tell if people read or like my posts. I know it sounds needy, however, hit me with a “Like and comment” I need to be validated too. Oh, yeah! I just hit 200 followers. I know, it’s not that many to some of you. I still get excited by every single one. I go check out what you have to write about and hit you up with a “Like” so you know I dropped by. If you write about something I’m interested in or feel I can support you I will follow you also.

Like

Eventually I got out on Hellonwheels to get to my only appointment, which was to get stabbed, that being acupuncture. In true Melbourne style it’s spring. So, t-shirt weather if you are lucky to be in the sun but not catching the wind. I couldn’t wait to get home to put on some warmer clothes. I stopped to collect a little cannoli and a French donut (it’s got custard in it) and stop at the post office.

French donut

No photos today. But I can show you some cute toys I bought Mika last Friday. You have already shown more interest in her new toys by reading this. Except, well I think I don’t need to describe what obviously happened here.

Mika toys

Need more coffee, much more coffee! Medicine!

Coffee

Today’s Lunch – 26th September 2018

Published September 26, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day!

Life has been way too chaotic lately. What is going on? Is it just me?

Chaotic

Last Thursday, my young carer and I went over to the west. My artist friend Larissa had organised a huge Fringe event called Disability Pride. Here is a little taste. You can see photos of the event on my Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/helen.caligiuri

Disability Pride 1

Disability Pride 2

And if you can share the posts already on fb for this event. I’m still struggling to share to that page. I’m doing it wrong, obviously. https://www.facebook.com/larissa.macfarlane

Disability Pride

And like my sleep isn’t challenged enough? Enter this scenario. Late Monday night far, far away in the country. My mum chases in Two cats (One likes to stay out later than the other prompting me to tie them together.) I can’t believe she bothered to tell me why she couldn’t do that. Then she drove to Melbourne (3.5 hours) to arrive at 2.10am, I was in bed around 3am and my younger sister was returning from her first overseas trip. I woke at 7.30am, to wonder where they both were? I had expected to wake to an extra body snuggled down asleep in my bed. Did I need to give her intensive border control training? Doubtful. Getting luggage took for ever apparently. So overall, four hours sleep. Not good at all.

Sleep

My one appointment Tuesday was cancelled without anyone bothering to tell me so after my family departed I had a kip and I finished the day with a friend coming for dinner and a film. I had managed to convince my friend Susanne (her real name) to watch Deadpool with me.

Forgive the irony, I told her she could hit me if it was too violent. I forget, I find the violence so highly stylised and the humour for me wiped my memory of the violence. I gotta hand d it to her, the moments she closed her eyes and blocked her ears, I stroked her leg (more of a pat) and told her “butterfly kisses!” And reminding her of Ryan Reynolds rack, eighteen minutes from the end she waved the white flag, she had, had enough and I didn’t get my slap.

Deadpool

It’s now very early Wednesday morning as I tap out this blog and another crazy day is ahead.

Crazy day

So, today’s lunch, Spanakopita with a side-salad and medicine. Nom! Nom!

Spanakopita

Latte

Cheers

H

Happy Wednesday

Today’s Lunch – 19th September 2018

Published September 19, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Another busy week, a whole lotta crazy! What’s new, right? Monday, I did 5,000 steps. Yeah, I’m a step-counter, at 45 and steps are still important. Oh and today is International talk like a pirate day! Ah, yah! Yes, me hearties.

Pirate talk

Very happily was down at my regular cafe yesterday and got to have one of my favourites, the almond croissant and medicine!

Almond Crossaint

Got to see my GP, who gave me a print out of my latest blood tests. He confirmed my liver is ok (I wasn’t thinking I had pickled it I was previously told I had a fatty liver!) that can’t be good right? But now it’s all good! I’m happy to even donate my liver!

Liver

One of my friends mentioned to me this week when you are sliding into the Pause, your weight fluctuates. I smartly asked, “when does it go down?”

Menopause

I confess I got lazy today and had a kip before leaving home to do “person”. I stayed local closer to home. And my two appointments. Getting stabbed and tortured by my beautician.

Doing person

Today’s offering, a Mediterranean focaccia. (Mina cut it up for me, she’s so sweet!) Medicine and this little pecan tart.

Med Foccacia Latte

And lastly, I think I should mention Mika my companion cat might be getting a name change to include Houdini, maybe a middle name? We will build on it.

Mika 2

Last Friday, I let my carer out via the car park and returned upstairs, when I went back inside and locked the door Mika made her escape and I didn’t realise for several more hours! Eventually having looked everywhere inside including inside the pantry and the European laundry I checked out in the hallway. Saw my neighbour and as I’ve only met her once or twice she offered to come in and help me find her. She is a nurse who works night-shift. Hence why I never see her. Now you know I asked if she had eaten? I make my Nona proud every time!

Nona

As I had sent out my texts to my other neighbours to collect muffins there was a knock at my door and Will stood there and suggested they had something in their apartment that might belong to me? I’m sorry, I blurted out “Do you have my fucking cat?” His partner wanted to keep Mika and Mika wasn’t much interested in me or returning home. She had to be caught and carried and not by me. Now don’t hate me, however, my new fur-child is not food-orientated. So, when I had been banging around in my kitchen she had not surfaced and she had not noticed me putting out her food.

Mika 1
Mika has not had a collar but she’s getting one this week and it’s going to look like a charm bracelet, with those things. So, she if found roaming the halls, please return to, “xyz!”

Cat bling

I’m also imagining her out in the hallway thinking all the doors look exactly the same! Feeling like a bad fur-parent!

Bad Fur parent

Cheers,
H

Hump Day

Today’s Lunch – 12th September 2018

Published September 12, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Well, this week has been very different from normal, I even left the house (apartment) on Sunday. I went to what I like to call the crazy cat lady festival. It was the cat show on at the exhibition buildings in Carlton.

Exhibition Building

CCF 1 CCF 2 CCF 3 CCF 4 CCF 5

And my friend, her son and the son’s girlfriend that were nice enough to take me, great day! Just great!

Even when pulling out of the underground carport, after getting lost looking for the exit. “Look toward the light! Go to the light!” And my friend’s son replying to me “I’ve had just about enough of you!” Totally felt like part of the family…….

Go to the light

Tuesday I was at the committee meeting I go to for the self-advocacy brain injury group I’m a member of, coming home with the standard side serve of migraine.

Committee Meeting

Super!

Wednesday, now today! No Chiro or acupuncture to help with the migraine. I definitely had to get out to my favourite location for some normal. That said! Today’s offering? The brain grain salad, with the standard medicine and carrot cake, does it count for one of my veggie servings for the day? Just asking!

Brain Grain Salad

Latte

Cheers,
H

Midweek 1

Today’s Lunch – 22 August 2018

Published August 22, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Another busy week, and struggling to get used to the new Wednesday schedule. It’s my official Punchy/Stabby day! Ow, it’s my lazy/I might get to my favourite cafe where they all know my name (no, it’s not called Cheers) and otherwise, sneak in lunch at my more local cafe near where I get stabbed!

Favorite Cafe

Mika has settled in, sleeping on the bed with me. I am gradually translating her different meows and noises. All I can tell is she seems to be calling me to go to bed in the same way Jamima my last fur-baby used to come out to the lounge room late with sleepy-squinty eyes with a meow that asked where I was and when was I coming to bed? She had generally been there sleeping for hours and my bedtime is so far past the normal bedtime……..

When are you coming to bed

Also, in the last week my lovely administrator has been responsible for Hellonwheels having a Fanpage https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellonwheelslifeonehanded My goal there is not to bombard you with my fun and very cute cat/dog/bird everything posts but to have the opportunity to chat and be in contact with anyone that chooses to reach out. I hope to share some useful tips on how to survive one-handed, without losing one’s independence.

So, today’s offering, Ortolani quiche with the side salad and my medicine!

Quiche Latte