Town Talk

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Town Talk

By Marnie

May 16, 2022

Morning commute: Roger getting to work. Image: Contributed.

Welcome back to Town Talk,

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The unusual pic you can see was sent to me by Roger.

You might remember I was concerned about how the Climate Council’s report would affect Shepparton and suggested that fear keeps us tethered and love enables us to fly. Then, for Roger’s benefit, I explained that, in this instance, love means being kind to ourselves and others. He responded, last Tuesday morning, with this ‘photo’.

I love hearing from him because he always makes me laugh — usually at myself.

Politics and stuff

Last week, I also heard from Rodney – in regard to the elections. He is okay with me using his full name.

Good morning, Marnie,

I’ve only recently started to read your column but I am finding it interesting and fair.

I believe the election locally will be between the three who are putting themselves out into the limelight. I’m concerned about the various things being touted as being important. The water issue is very important long term and none of them seem to be pushing long-term changes that would make the scarcity of water to not be the problem it is.

My opinion, and that of others, is that we need another project like the successful Snowy River Scheme to divert some water through the Great Dividing Range in the time of flood from the flood-prone NSW coastal regions of Coffs Harbor and Lismore (I have relatives in the area). Yes, it would be expensive, as would have been the Bradfield Scheme, but would ensure in the variability of climate change (it has always been changing) that the food supply to Australia and the world would be better.

Best Regards

Rodney Champness, Mooroopna

Rod, I don’t know enough about this subject to make useful comment; however, it sounds sensible. It is likely that any long-term solution will be costly, most big ideas are!

A couple of years ago, I watched interviews with local farmers and they were heart-breaking. One was sitting on the bank of the Goulburn watching all the water, that he couldn’t use, flowing through to South Australia — and he was talking about his near miss with suicide. This is supposed to be the ‘food bowl’ and one could be forgiven for thinking that it matters. Our food matters and our farmers matter. All I really know is that this must not continue to happen.

Centennial poem: From the *News* in October 1938. Image: Contributed.

Progress through courage

The poem I have included this week was written to celebrate Shepparton’s centenary in 1938. I know I repeat myself, but I fail to be convinced that two white men, camping nearby, heralded the birth of our city. ‘And from this visitation, though unnamed, Shepparton, our town, was born that night.’

Perhaps if they’d said, or written, something interesting – such as, ‘This is the place for a village’.

Long COVID or chronic fatigue?

This research caught my attention: there is a possibility/probability that people suffering from long COVID have actually got chronic fatigue syndrome.

If so, it is bad news — containing some hope.

I had CFS for years and, if the truth be told, still have some symptoms occasionally. It’s not fun; it’s also very difficult to diagnose, and there is no known cure. Apparently, I’d had glandular fever (but thought it was a nasty flu until it showed up in a blood test) — and the outcome was chronic fatigue. It seemed to me to be a stupid thing to have and I decided to ignore it.

But — it wasn’t that easy! I was working on a project at the News and couldn’t understand why my legs felt like blocks of concrete, beyond my ability to lift. I remember climbing the stairs at the Marketplace, to have a chat with their marketing manager. I got about halfway there and discovered I couldn’t take another step, up or down. There was no option but to sit on the stairs until my legs were rested.

A few years later, I was working on a political campaign, for one of the parties, and making hundreds of phone calls. I came across several Shepparton people who were suffering from chronic fatigue and frustrated because they couldn’t get any help. They thought they should be considered for the NDIS because they couldn’t manage their lives. At least I was able to understand their problems and provide (useless) empathy.

Now, there is a good chance that COVID can also leave sufferers with CFS, and attention has been drawn to it. Perhaps, in the future, there will be some relief — or even a cure. It will be interesting to watch.

In the meantime, the people who have developed this syndrome need our understanding (useless though it may be).

Feed me, now!

Our cat (to me) ‘Look! You’ve been a reasonably good service provider up ’til now? But why ...’

Me (surprised and pleased) ‘Thank you, Princess.’

Cat ‘But why are you messing with my food. It’s been months now. You know I like beef in jelly and tuna in gravy — not the other way around. I like some good salmon but not, repeat not, mixed with mackerel — or tuna, for that matter. It’s not that hard, surely!’

Me ‘Shipping is being held up, and it’s costing more. A lot of your food is made in Thailand and China.’

Cat ‘I definitely don’t eat dog! Are there no beef cattle in this country? Don’t we have people smart enough to mix some gelatin with water?’

Me ‘Yes, of course and your tin of salmon is made here — but we have around 650,000 unvaccinated adults, still not allowed to go back to work. There’s a stupid Putin war and in Europe, an acute shortage of energy. In the UK electricity bills have increased by more than $2500 (Aussie) per year — and we have bad floods again in the north, where re-planted food has to be re-planted yet again.

Cat (creeping on to my lap for a pat) ‘Is it affecting your food too?’

Me ‘Yep! It just took me three weeks to find a lamb shank for soup and I refuse to pay more than $50 per kilo for eye fillet.’

Cat (purring like a Fergie) ‘Dear God! What a mess you guys have made of this world.’