The Uncles' Duty

Once a week R or myself or both of us take the train to Heidelberg. It is a place I have only been to twice before, both times to go to Heidi, although we did once fly over it in the basket of a balloon. I don't know the area and I don't very much like it. It is too far from the sea and I don't understand the people who live there.

We visit Hippie Niece, in confinement in a women's hospital. It is a public hospital and she is receiving the best of care and it costs her nothing, paid for by our government taxes. It is not luxurious and she shares a room with another mother to be, but the medical attention is excellent. Although there was one point of fault, where her maternity specialist put some sort of restriction ring inside her to further slow the birth of her large latte coloured twin girls. She did not know until later and neither did the nursing staff. Everything that can be done to delay a premature birth is being done. She is not allowed to walk more than ten metres. When the birthing process begins, she will have a cesarian. While her partner and the father of her children visits her often, they don't live together and I can never see them in a conventional long term relationship, although he does pay his fair share of costs. Effectively, she will be a single mother of twins.

She will have a surprise baby shower within the hospital on Saturday, after some arrangements were made with hospital management. We will see her after the event on Saturday, easy to do as we will already be in town and ready to catch the train. We take her luxury confectionary from places such as Haighs, Coco Black and other such places.

Why will we be in town? To meet with Victor and Ad Rad for brunch. I am looking forward to seeing Victor again and meeting Ad Rad. While R now knows Victor, once again I am inflicting a stranger on R, but my instincts have proved to be ok in the past. An if Victor reckons Ad Rad is ok, then I think all will be well.

In the evening we will dine at a hotel with an old friend, who has spent a lot of time in hospital since Christmas with a diabetes related ulcer on his leg.  He has been treated in a private hospital and there is a difference. The food is better and he has a room on his own. Otherwise, not really so different from our public hospital care Most of the cost will be paid by his private health insurance.

It is quite a pleasant train trip Heidelberg, through the inner north eastern suburbs, then past more expensive and larger housing. We step off the train, cross the road and enter the hospital. Here are a couple of  photos.

No, not a snake on the bank, but a bicycle wheel and tyre tube.

Absently mindedly I was gazing at these train signals from the train platform when I suddenly woke up. Why is there a train signal in the car park? It is an old preserved semaphore train signal, placed and maintained by a railway historical society.

The camera lies from the moving train. The richness of pinks in this cutting  is amazing.