Thursday, May 14, 2020

NEON KALEIDOSCOPE







The title is a fitting, not exaggerated description of my mind’s activity the other morning....early morning. 

Around 3.15 am I was rudely awoken by Nature calling.  The call came not on my landline, nor via email, if you get my drift.  Once impatient Nature’s  (“She” who cannot be ignored) needs had been attended to, I hopped...well...not quite hopped...back into bed; drew the covers up; apologised to my two unimpressed furry bedfellows for disturbing them, and then shut my eyes. 

Immediately upon doing the latter, the lights in my mind switched on.... technicolour neon lights a-blazing.  There were enough bright lights illuminating my mind to light up this whole plateau on which I dwell...and the valley below!  Even the Gold Coast would have noticed the illumination lighting up the western skyline.

Becoming more frustrated as each minute passed, I waited, and waited...and waited... for sleep to take hold again...for my mind's shutters to close.  But, no...there was no chance of that happening.  Sleep had packed its bags and left town.  Sleep had broken the self-isolation restrictions.  It escaped, with no intention of returning. 

Have you ever had one of those nights/early mornings when once having woken, the mind stays awake and alert, refusing your pleas to shut down? 

Like a misbehaving, tantrum-throwing two-year old, during those wee small hours of the morning my mind refused to settle. No matter how I tried to quieten it... to dull it; to shut it down and off... my mind just wouldn’t shut up, or switch off!  It was a hive of activity.  A full-blown party was going on up there!

For whatever reason, my mind flew...not drifted...flew back to my time spent living and working in various northern regions of this wonderful state of ours known as “Queensland”.   

During my time spent in the north, I not only had two cats, Pushkin and Rimsky, but I also adopted my brother’s dog when he was unable to keep his pet at his new home base.  Without a doubt, Missy, a black and grey cocker spaniel was the Dame Edna Everage of the dog world.  Missy was in my life...and the bane of Pushkin and Rimsky’s lives...for five years. 

She was lovely old girl, who really didn’t deserve the whacks across her nose she was given every now and then by the feline duo. Pushkin and Rimsky wanted to make sure Missy understood who ruled the roost, and for her to know her place on the ladder.

I’ll cease my ramblings, and return to my early morning mental roaming that stopped me from falling back to sleep....

The managers of the motel/restaurant, in which I was the cook/chef at one stage, not only had a cuddly cat named “Tiger”, they also had a dog...a lovely Irish setter.  And, he was the cause of my mind getting bogged in the deepest mire. 

For the life of me, during my early morning mental activity, I couldn’t remember the dog’s name.  I could see him as clear as day!  I loved that dog.  We were the best of buddies; but his name escaped me.  No matter how or what I tried, his name deserted me.  The more I tried the more awake I became, and the more frustrated.  I tried my oft-used method when trying to recall a name. I began at the beginning of the alphabet, letter by letter, from A to Z.  Failed!   I was at an impasse.  

Out of the blue, around 5 pm that afternoon, many hours later, the dog’s name came to me.  “Bundy”.  My sandy-gold Irish setter mate, the same colour as “Jimmy”, the beautiful Border Collie who lives across the way...was named “Bundy”. 

One day while I was staying at the motel, looking after Bundy and Tiger, I jumped in my car to shoot back to my abode to check on my own pets.  

As I was driving down the road, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. 

Turning my head, I came face to face with Bundy's smiling face staring eagerly and excited at me!  He wanted to come along with me.  I stopped the car, opened the passenger side door...and let him in.  Bundy was a very happy, contented passenger, more than pleased to go along for the ride.

After my early morning neon light, kaleidoscopic frustration, that night, after finally remembering my Irish Setter mate's name, I slept through, undisturbed, until the sun had risen way above the eastern horizon. 

No mental neon lights a-blaring; only happy memories of “Bundy!

Avo-Go Eggs & Bacon:  Preheat oven, 218C. Cut 1 medium avocado in half; remove seed. Scoop out a little flesh...just a little to make room. Crack 1 egg in each half; sprinkle with a little grated cheese; season; top with cooked  chopped bacon; cook in oven 14-15mins.

Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Beans: Combine 4 crushed garlic cloves, 1tbs hot-smoked paprika, 4tbs dried rosemary, pinch of salt and 4tbs olive oil. Slash 1x2-1/2kg lamb shoulder all over with a sharp knife; rub in the mix; marinate up to 24hrs, but not essential. Heat oven 150C. Heat 1tbs olive oil in roasting pan over med-high heat, add 2 roughly-chopped onions, 4 roughly-chopped carrots and 1 garlic bulb, cut in half; sizzle 5 mins until onions and carrots are softened. Pour over 500ml chicken stock; bring to boil. Nestle lamb in pan; cover, then transfer to oven; roast 2 hrs. Uncover and transfer lamb to a plate. Stir into the stock, 3x400g cans drained and rinsed butter beans, 460g jar drained, roughly chopped roasted red peppers, and 300g jar pitted black olives.  Sit lamb back on top; return to oven, uncovered, for 1 hr 30 mins. Transfer lamb to a board; shred using two forks. Stir 4tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley through beans; serve. 

Bananas & Rum Syrup: Put 2tbs butter and 3tbs brown sugar in pan over low heat; stir until sugar dissolves and begins to bubble. Simmer 2mins; add 2 bananas, cut in half, then sliced lengthwise; continue to simmer; turn bananas; simmer a minute or so. Add 1-2tbs Bundaberg rum; stir; remove from heat. Place scoop of ice cream into 2 bowls; top with banana; drizzle with syrup. 




31 comments:

  1. I've often had nights like that, usually because I've slept so deeply I don't need more sleep. That's when I either read in bed until dawn and then go back to sleep or I'll get up and turn on the computer, maybe read a few blogs, maybe write the next Friday story, maybe surf the real estate sites and look at houses I can't afford. Until I get sleepy again.

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    1. Hi River....it is probably better to do what you do in such instances, than fight against it as I did. All I wanted to do was go back to sleep...a battle royale took place...I was the loser. I didn't dare disturb my two bed-mates! :)

      I did finally go back to sleep...but not for long!

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  2. I know nights like that only too well.
    We battle often and they win. Triumphantly.
    These days I get up. Sleep will come again.
    And isn't it infuriating that the missing piece of information does pop into the upper surfaces of our brains hours later when we are not thinking about it. Which is probably a lesson that we NEED to let it go.

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    1. Hey,EC...it's the "letting go" that is difficult, because that little worm keeps wriggling away...refusing to let go! lol

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  3. The egg and avocado looks delish. Yes I have that same problem too at times. What helps me - is I have a pad of paper by my desk. I write down - well I worry - my worries - or thoughts so that I don't forget them - and I can address them in the morning.

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    1. Hey, Sandie...I have many notebooks close at hand in the top drawer of my bedside cabinet. Said top drawer is always left ajar. I'm always jotting down thoughts for later reference.

      I'm annoyed with myself because during the night some worthy thoughts came to mind...and silly me, believing I would remember them today...after I woke up...didn't jot them down! Guess what! Yes! I've forgotten those world-shattering, history-making thoughts! :)

      At times,too, when I don't reach for a notebook, I write clues on the back of my hand!

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  4. Sleep and lack of is an eternal topic. I suppose anyone (me included)has find out some tricks to help with going back to sleep.

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    1. I've tried singing...but that has woken up the neighbours...and they live quite a distance away, DUTA! :)

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  5. Anonymous12:27 AM

    Some things you can Google and find out, but I doubt Bundy's name was one of them. I try to remember and not Google. Mostly I succeed, eventually but sometimes something really has left the building, so to speak. A few nights this week I have woken at 5.30 instead of being woken by my alarm at 6.55 and I wasn't able to return to sleep. By 9am I was yawning. Sometimes I don't mind lying in bed half awake with my mind running.

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    1. Information on Bundy would not be available via Google, Andrew, just as info on my pets would not be available on Google.

      I never use an alarm. I usually wake early, but prefer not to wake in the wee small hours. I don't mind laying in bed with my mind running, either...but not at 3 am or 3.30 am, or earlier. Those hours I prefer to be sleeping, and my mind occupied with dreams.

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  6. Anonymous12:30 AM

    PS. I noticed a blog link on your page that sounded interesting, Witless Relocation Program, but alas, the blog is dead.

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    1. I can't recall who that blog belonged to, Andrew. As it has not been active for two years, I should get rid of it, I guess.

      I am pro-medicinal marijuana...but I can't remember anything about that site...unfortunately.

      There are a few on my blog list I should do some housekeeping with...

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    2. I remember that blog and also remember why I stopped reading it.

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  7. Obviously you had to remember the dogs name before sleep came again.
    Must say usually I sleep right through occasionally waking about 5am, but then going back to sleep about 6am till late making up that hour I missed.

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    1. Hi, Margaret. Yes...when something starts niggling away like that...it's difficult to stop it.

      I usually wake early...around between 5.30 - 6 am...and if I don't do so naturally...naturally, my two furry mates make sure I do! :)

      Thanks for coming by.:)

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  8. That happens to me more often these days. My sister-in-law calls it Monkey Brain.

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    1. Hi Annie...Our mind has a mind of its own!, and if it wants to go at full speed ahead, and not go to sleep, it will do as it has a mind to do! :)

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  9. I sure know that feeling of lying in bed with your brain going 90 miles an hour. I usually do it when I go to bed though and it keeps me awake for hours sometimes. It is quite frustrating, isn't it?

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    1. Hi,Bonnie...It's good to know I'm not alone in the midnight and wee small hours lively mind activity! :)

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  10. Wonderful photos. It's good to see good these days.

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    1. Hello,Sandi...Yes, good is good!

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  11. It's so annoying having to get up - but sometimes you just have to!

    Loved the pictures on your post and the Avo-Go Eggs & Bacon sounds delicious!

    All the best Jan

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    1. G'day, Jan...I didn't get up...I stayed in bed and let my mind do the wandering...and annoying! :)

      Thanks for coming by... :}

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  12. There's nothing quite like the word or name quite out of reach to make your mind do crazy things. Glad you remembered and hope you get some good rest tonight!

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    1. Hi messymimi....one day...and one night at a time...one mind...a million thoughts!

      Thanks for coming by. :)

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  13. I hate it when that happens.
    You've had some lovely companions over the years haven't you?
    Stay safe. Stay healthy.

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    1. Hey Sandra...So many thoughts...so many memories...all jostling for position!

      Yes...I have had lovely pets...I loved each of them dearly.

      Thanks for coming by...you, too, keep taking good care. :)

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  14. That rarely happens to me I'm thankful to say. However it happened recently around 4am. I presume I dozed a bit although I was sure I hadn't. Anyway at 0605 I decided to get up (I'm usually up before 0700) and the next thing I knew my phone was reminding me to do something and it was 0805. The body (mind?) is a strange thing.

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    1. G'day, Graham. Our minds are incredible...they never rest, really. On the go thinking while we're awake...and dreaming while we're asleep.

      I'm usually up before, or around 7 am, too...most mornings.

      Thanks for coming by...take care. :)

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  15. Next time that happens to me I'll try to remember others see the funny side rather than get into a proper grump about it. Forgotten names is one of the things that can keep me awake, too. Stay happy.

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    1. Hey, Pauline...others see the funny side when it's not happening to them! :)

      It is so annoying to forget a name...a name you're so familiar with! This one had slipped through a crevice...and I had to retrieve it with a magnet, and fishing line! lol

      Thanks for coming by...keep taking good care. :)

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