a very eventful year!!!!

Hello everyone,
So sorry for not being a regular writer even when we have been in internet reception.
We have been very busy and caring for our friends properties during January to July.
It has been a difficult year weather wise [just like everywhere else in Australia] and we all DESPERATELY need good quenching rains.  Not just 20 or 50 ml, but about 100mm [4 inches] and then followup rains also.
It was a pleasure to care for our friends home whilst they travelled Tasmania in Feb to May, and then again in June when they travelled to Mexico for their sons wedding.  We also looked after our friends farm out near Crows Nest whilst they were away visiting the ancestral property out near Barcaldine.
In May, Darryl and I travelled to Barcaldine to be part of the AMLC [Australian Motorhomes Lions Club] GWR [Guinness World Record] attempt at 2 world records.  The first was the longest line of LED lights.  the World record was 660metres.  When the lights were measured at Barcaldine it was just over 5,900 metres. 
There were over 930 vehicles registered to participated in the longest line of rolling RV's.  On the Saturday afternoon and evening all the RV's had to drive out to the Barcaldine/Isisford Road and park up along the edge of the road, and be no more than 1 metre between you and the one in front.  This line of vehicles measured nearly 11kms.  We were vehicle 671 in the line.  On Sunday morning we were to be ready by 8am to begin the parading part of the record, but before we could start we had to wait for a helicopter to come flying over as it was recording the line of vehicles parked up.  At the same time the official distance recorder was marking a 3 1/2km stretch of road with lines at each kilometre.  There were video cameras and still cameras at each km and again at the 3 1/2 km mark, recording it all.
Darryl and I started rolling at 10am and reached Barcaldine (7km away) at 12.30pm.  We had a quick lunch and then had to head back to Toowoomba as I had to be there for Tuesday to teach weaving at the state [primary] school.
It took quite a few months for the data and videos and everything to be collated and went to Guinness World records office to be validated.  In October we were informed that the 'longest line of LED lights was NOT accepted as the line did not form and image.  I can recall that we were told it had to be the longest line, not that it had to form an image!  We found out in November that the Australian Records Office HAS recognised it as an Australian Record.
In Mid November we were informed that the GWR office had approved the longest line of parading RV's and will be recorded in the GWR data as having 868 vehicles [the previous record was 630 vehicles in Italy].
At the end of April Barb had a fall and damaged the thumb on her left hand.  Originally she was told that there was a small piece of bone chipped off it, BUT no one has been able to find it on x-ray since.  In late August she was informed that the joint is full of arthritis and she now has to wear a brace to keep the thumb bone in its correct position.
Throughout first semester Barb was teaching weaving to the students of the state school one day a week.  She thoroughly enjoyed this, and at the same time was attempting to teach the students some Wiradjuri language with the assistance of the Wiradjuri dictionary.  She had applied to do the language course through TAFE and was accepted to start in August 2019.
During May the doctors at the medical practice in Toowoomba changed Barb's medication to a newer form of her diabetic medications.
Towards the end of July, Barb was experiencing Meniere's symptoms and was treating it as per her usual regimen.  It didn't really improve and Barb was experiencing breathlessness on top of all her other symptoms [vertigo, tinnitus, nausea, vomiting] and then she started vomiting incessantly.
This progressed to where she was experiencing chest pain.  Darryl made the decision to take her the 45mins into the ED [Emergency department] at Toowoomba Hospital.  We arrived there at nearly 4 am and Barb was still vomiting and unable to walk more than about 4 metres at a time, before needing to rest and catch her breath.  She was taken through into ED proper and placed on a trolley.  Barb was quite dehydrated but the staff managed to get a sample of blood and then there was a room full of people and we were informed that Barb was in a DKA [Diabetic Keto Acidosis] episode and  we were very lucky to have taken her in when we did.
She was in ED for most of the 24 hours, before being taken to CCU/ICU [Critical Care Unit/Intensive Care Unit] where more procedures were attended and more IV lines inserted to try and get her glucose levels down and her other electrolytes within normal limits.  She was in CCU/ICU for 24 hours before being transferred to the medical unit.  It was here that she was informed that the new diabetic medications that were started in May, had been mimicking her Meniere's, and because she was treating the Meniere's symptoms, the diabetes was getting way out of control.  She is now very well aware that she must double check her diabetes BEFORE thinking it is Meniere's.
Barb was unable to walk as she was very unsteady on her feet and was instructed that she would need a physio review before being able to get out of bed.  After 4 days, she was reviewed and permitted to walk using a wheelie-walker with assistance.  Ummmmm - well, using a wheelie-walker anyway.
Because she was still having a lot of difficulty trying to drink and eat and still experiencing lots of burning in the oesophagus, she was taken to theatre for a gastroscopy, and informed that she had severe ulceration and oesophagitis.  She was commenced on anti-reflux medications via IV and oral.  She was reviewed the next day and instructed that she could go home with oral medications and a repeat gastroscopy in 6 weeks.
Barb stayed with Beckie and family for nearly a week, as she was unable to lie flat due to reflux, and she could sleep sitting up at the house.  After a week, Barb and Darryl moved to their friends home in Glenvale and awaited a review at the hospital.  After the review they travelled to Beachmere [near Bribie Island] for three weeks R+R.  Darryl did some fishing and Barb rested and began learning how to regulate her new medications.
We returned to Toowoomba for the repeat gastroscopy - and given a clear result. 
We then travelled to Wallerawang to spend time with Karen and Trevor.  During this time Barb travelled to Sydney to attend her Post-Grads luncheon at Parliament House and then a mini reunion with several of her fellow trainees.  It was a great time and she managed to spend two days with Gloria and 3 days with Sue.  She also caught up with Sheila (who had travelled out from England), Mary, Celia, Helen and Jenny.
Barb returned to Wallerawang, after catching up with Nicole in Penrith. 
We then spent a week with Karen and Trevor, before heading to Wagga Wagga and staying with Ian, Wendy and Holly.  Whilst here we caught up with Jenny and Family, Lyn and family, Barry and Raylene, Sharon and Stacey and then children, Di and Darryl and many others,  Sorry if I have missed anyone!
Barb also spent time with the Hands On Weavers [HOW] and also visited the Family History Centre to research different branches of the family.
We left Wagga Wagga and headed back towards Toowoomba.  We also stopped for the morning at 'The Dish' at Parkes.  What a fantastic morning we had, albeit with the flies.
We arrived back in Toowoomba and spent some time with Beckie and the grandchildren prior to travelling to Crows Nest to spend time with our branch of the Australian Caravan Club.  We had a great time catching up with old friends.  Hopefully over the next 12 months we will be able to catch up more often.
In November, Beckie purchased a small cottage in Toowoomba and she and the children have moved into their HOME.  No more rentals!
We are now in Logan Reserve spending time with dear friends [who happens to be our mechanic] and catching up with Sue and Gloria whilst we are here.
We are returning to Toowoomba for Christmas with family members before doing a farm sit for our friends Sandra and Tom.

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous and Safe New Year.