Grandpa, beach and pancake Sunday
Today was a bit of an anything can happen Sunday but maybe everything can happen Sunday would have been more fitting as we did a lot of things! It's been a full day of fun and enjoyment spent with my visiting brother, sister in-law, their son and of course, my ever-present sidekick Faith...
We began with breakfast together then saddled up to head over to the nursing home to visit my dad. You may not know, but he suffers with dementia and sometimes doesn't remember me so I was unsure how it would go with my brother whom he has not seen for a long time...True to form he didn't remember him but after some introductions we were well on the way to having a good time together.
My nephew of 16-months-old also go to meet his grandfather for the first time and they got on well. My nephew is such a little champ so I'm not surprised - He's very cute and likeable. I got so many great photos, none of which I'll share here of course, and it was a good visit, although someone what sad as my dad is declining quickly.
From there we went to my place to change before going to the beach.
Some frolicking in the water and more photo-taking happened there and my nephew managed to have me in stitches laughing at his antics. He loves birds and felt like it was his job to annoy every single sea gull in sight...He was effective.
We refrained from ice creams at the beach as we were heading out later for a special dessert so thought we had better be good. After some intense sand-brushing (I hate sand and abhor it getting in my car) we headed back home again so my nephew could have a snooze. While he was sleeping I made some phone calls...
...You may not be aware but in the last few days my city has had some terrible wild fires in the hills and I had to make some calls to see if my mates in the fire service were ok. Of course they didn't answer as they are fighting fires.
We have had 1 killed so far, over 70 homes in Cudlee Creek and Lobethal destroyed, some 350 other buildings burned down plus 250 vehicles and the fires are still raging. One of my co-workers lives in the town of Lobethal but I'm not sure if she is safe and well or has lost her house as many other's have. I plan to make some calls tomorrow on that.
We have been blanketed in thick smoke for the last three days and it's all we can smell currently however like always we Aussie's rally together, roll up our sleeves and help pitch in which is what many are doing. I've since heard from a mate who is an SES worker(State Emergency Service) and have arranged for me to head out early tomorrow morning to help make breakfast for the hundreds up there firefighting. It'll only take me a few hours and will make a difference to the guys and girls up there working so hard for the community.
So...Back to today. Phone calls made and nephew-sleep over we took off to the city for a walk around and to have some dessert at a special location.
We went to a place our parents would sometimes take us for a treat as kids. My brother has not stopped talking about it since he arrived here a few days ago and he "had to go there".
It's called the Pancake Kitchen in Gilbert Street, Adelaide. It was opened in 1965 and has hardly changed since. The pancakes? Well, as you can probably imagine from a place that has been there for 50 or so years...They were, and are, amazing!
I had the plain short stack on the left with ice cream and loads of maple syrup (perfect for diabetics like me) and my brother had the walnut stack on the right. The girls had strawberry and my nephew had a bit of each one...Just the pancake though as they don't give him sugar.
Trust me, if you're in Adelaide you have to go there.
We also took a little walk around and grabbed a few photos as well. You can see the main one at the top which I took of the footbridge of the River Torrens. Most of the images have my nephew or his mum and dad in though so I won't show them here.
Below are a couple of my nephew without his face showing so I can post it...He's with a big shaggy dog out the front of the South Australian Museum. There's an exhibition about man's best friend there and they've placed a few of these things on the grassed area in front of the museum entrance for advertising I guess.
Here's a panoramic showing the whole area. The brown thing in the middle is a huge dog bowl and the shaggy dog is on the other side of it. These things are big!
Overall we had a really great day; One of those days that starts out with only loosely constructed plans but manages to end with a plethora of memories. I don't think it could have turned out better than it did.
I hope y'all had a great Sunday, or are having one if you are in one of those countries that is a bit behind the 8-ball from a time-perspective. Get after it and make it the best ever!
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Hope you will give me some pancakes 😋😋😋
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Would be happy to...If we didn't eat them all!
Sorry mate, they were too good...😊
The pancakes look yummy :)
@tipu curate
Oh yes, they sure were...I got full quickly though...But now I think I could have some more!
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You are always on the go! Glad you got some nice memories! My Sunday will be spent doing nothing but sitting at home and playing with the kids. Wanted to do some metal detecting but not the best weather. Stay safe out there!
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Yeah, seems that way. we are trying to make the most of the time my brother is here...We won't see them for a while once they leave; Maybe a couple years. Relaxing Sunday sounds like the go!
(I'd want to go metal detecting too!)
Sounds like a day well spent. It's not any easy time when one's parents are in poor health. Your nephew sounds like he's a bundle of joy. It's such a pleasure to just sit back and enjoy their antics, as their actions mask no hidden agendas.
Glad you got to spend some time with your brother and his family.
Yes, my dad's situation causes me a lot of heartache, most of which I'd never say here. It's a pretty sad situation and one I deal with on a daily basis...Although, you're right time spent with my nephew sort of balances that out...He's a pretty neat kid...I love him very much and will miss him a great deal when he goes home.
Thanks for commenting. :)
I haven't had proper pancakes in years! Is Berties off Hindley still around?
I am guessing no Christmas lights at Lobethal this year.
Berties was off the Mall, Pancake Kitchen is in Gilbert, off Hindley. Pancakes are good, oh so good.
Yeah, Lobethal is messed up, Cudlee Creek is worse. A lot of pain and heartache here right now. The weather is pushing back into the high 30's too and with fires still burning...Could get bad. Christmas day is going to be spent firefighting for many people.
I don't think I have to either since I was a kid.
Yep, it is going to be a bit of a crappy Christmas for many people, but it is part of living in that kind of climate I guess. Pity about the arsonists who compound the problem.
Yep, a large percentage of bushfires are deliberately lit. It's shameful. Bushfires are a part of living here yes, devastating though when they happen.
Family meetings are always nice, and the most important ones, especially when the family is spread around the world. I assume you are the bigger brother and that you stayed in the area/city where you were born. Sad about your father and the fire, but some things you can't simply design and have to accept they as they are and the best out of what the time offers. The view in the first pic is simply splendid. Have a nice week ahead!
Yes, family is important...Some realise it too late though. Not me of course.
Yes, I stayed here...Can't move due to my dad's situation. I don't mind though, Adelaide is a nice place to live. Enough for a simple bloke like me.
Thank you, much appreciated.
Our pleasure :)
You keep saying you're not a photographer ...
Haha...Well, not compared to others here...I use the point, shoot, hope method.
You must be God's/Lady Luck's favourite, then. :)
Haha!
#blessed
Speaking of luck, superstition is really a kind of technology people use to try and control the uncontrollable.
I tend to prefer the make my own luck ethos although I've had near misses in which luck played a hand. Yes, I agree, superstition has a controlling factor. Take religion for instance.
What a great way to spend a Sunday, Thanks for taking us along..
It was a pretty good sort of day...Adelaide is an easy place to relax...And my nephew is a cool little dude...Combine them both and you're on a winner.
Apparently kids are good for the brains of dementia-sufferers, my aunty told me that when we started visiting regularly when the kids were younger my grandmother would watch them playing and sometimes would interact for chats and things she was pretty sure that she was improving.
My kids are now just occasional chatters being teenagers so they prefer to huddle on the couch with devices after the initial greetings though they will watch movies with her sometimes if there's something interesting on.
Those pancakes look amazing.
Hope all your friends are okay :S did you leave texts if they're too busy to answer? They still might not answer the texts but it's always nice to know someone's thinking of you?
So far everyone I know is ok...But I haven't heard about my colleagues house yet. All the firefighters are fine. I went up to help with breakfast today, they all looked pretty tired.
Yes, kids and pets are good for dementia sufferers generally, I've heard the same thing...If they get off their phones for long enough I guess.
Yay good start. Seems like it would be pretty exhausting, fire can spread quick and easy but energy levels are much harder to restore and the number of people doing the fighting might not be changing much :S
They rotate the teams but yes, one never gets enough of a break to fully recharge I think.