SWMBO remains in a comatose state, safely in her permanent residential care. I’ve become an occasional visitor, staying at her bedside like an invisible man. My visits are short and as her carers constantly remind me, I must look after myself and not grieve. On the bright side, I can now resume the activities that once occupied my free time.

I now drive an Isuzu MUX 4WD vehicle complete with raised suspension, off road tyres, bull bar, massive driving lights, electric 10,000lb winch and a roof rack that can carry a baby elephant.

My camera gear has expanded a little and including Nikon Z9 and ZF bodies and several Nikon lenses including a massive 18-600mm telephoto lens. Membership of two camera clubs and the photography section of the local University of The Third Age, (U3A) occupy a lot of my time.

Landscapes, street photography, sporting action ,table top and camera club projects dominate and post processing the images for either use on the Internet or printing for competitions and shows have created an almost full time occupation for me.

Of course there is always a downside. When I bought their Nikon Z9 m mirrorless camera body, the salesman jokingly asked me when I was buying a new house. He saw the look on my faves and added that the Z9’s images were so massive I’d need bigger walls upon which to hang them. It wasn’t until I started to process the cameras images that I realised I’d need a new computer to handle the file sizes. So, off to the local Apple Store and now I’m sitting in front of a neat and tidy 32 inch screen powered by an Apple 32 GB M2Pro computer. Then of course, Photoshop CC had to be updated, as did my Apple Lap top and my I Pad.

The first two images are from my table top photography collection.The background to the crocodile is the Wollondilly River that flows about half a mile from my house. The crock of course is from my toy collection as is the dinner treat.The second image background is an abandoned shed about 10 miles from home and the roos and eagle are also from the toy collection.

The final image is of my friend Sally, standing on her five acre block near Canberra. Her mother is SWMBO’s life long friend and visitor.

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So, there we are, it’s a lovely day here, forecast temp, 31c. Time for me to pop out and mow the grass before it gets too hot.

It, s good to be back k.

Hoo Roo.

SWMBO’s comatose situation has deepened and she remains in full time care with no improvement possible. I now only visit occasionally because, as one of SWMBO’s carers remarked, ‘you are just an invisible man, no need to feel guilty!’ That made me smile with a weight lifted from my shoulders.

I now drive an Isuzu MUX complete with raised suspension, large off road tyres, massive bull bars with additional long range lights, CB radio, 10,000lb electric winch and a roof rack capable of carrying a small elephant. All the vital extra compulsory for driving around town.

Photography has resumed its place in taking up all my time. I’ve new cameras and lenses including a Nikon 180-600mm telephoto lens. When it’s connected to my Z9 camera body, the combo is so heavy I need to employ a Sherpa to carry it around.

The two camera clubs to which I belong meet monthly and my membership of the U3A( University of the Third World) meets every fortnight. Each club sets subject to be photographed and judged by an external expert whilst the U3A requires its set subjects to be commented upon by the class members. In all, twenty images are required each month to comply. Processing the club/U3A images takes up a lot of time and if you add in the images taken for your own pleasure, there is not many hours left in a day for reading and watching endless reruns on TV.

I’m having a lot of fun with desk top photography and here are two examples. The crock shot has the Wollondilly River as a background, about half a mile from my place. The roos’s background shed is about 10 miles from home’

This last image is of my friend Sally stranding with her recently purchased 5 acre block, the site for her dream home.

It’s great to sit here, feeling free and settled in my own space. No more grizzling, just enjoying being part of this ever changing environment.

So, hoo roo for now.