Menagerie

I had to shoot back home to New Zealand recently for some sad times.

While at the airport waiting for my return flight back to Aussie, I checked my CCTV and saw Dilan digging a garden.

I asked what he was up to and he said something about a fruit garden or some shit.

When I got home, I tapped into my finely tuned, fading eyes and ears and concluded that a fruit garden was a pair of ducks.

I’m like, “What the fuck, man?”.

Dilan’s like, “They’re Indian Running Ducks, or one is anyway. Crystal and Shaniqua. Cool aye.”

“No, not even a little bit cool, man.”

Knowing we don’t really have a duck pen or pond, or whatever it is that ducks live in, I shake my head in wonder.

Crystal and Shaniqua
A proud dad

Around the same time we got our first duck egg, we also took in Harry the Huntsman. He roamed our house and grounds freely, taking down cockroaches, mice, rats, and the odd weak wallaby. Talk about feeling safe, man.

I buggered off on a cool little overseas trip and was again ambushed upon return.

Fuck me, I now had a chicken in my backyard.

I’m like, “Nah seriously Dilan, ya cunt! What the fuck, man? This ain’t even a little bit cool.”

“Hey, nah Dad, don’t be like that. Bad Betty’s cool and she’ll be laying eggs soon.”

A few days later Bad Betty had Skanky Sally join her.

I go to work and whinge to my mate.

That didn’t do shit, because I woke up the following morning and glimpsed what I initially thought was a goat on my patio.

Lucky I took another look though, because I then realised it wasn’t a goat at all. It was two goats!

Billy and Tyrone

Two goats pissing and shitting all over my patio area, looking up at me with cute as ‘come cuddle me eyes’.

Dilan had already left for work and I’m about to myself but I’ve got goats bleating, ducks quacking and chickens bock-fucken-bocking.

Ol’ Bad Betty had escaped her piss-weak prison and was out front showing me chickens can cross the road, no matter what the answer to the age old joke.

So I hunt chook for a bit and throw her back into the backyard, where she doesn’t yet know she even belongs.

Four of the bastards

I’ve also got our dog Bella that now wants in on the action. But she doesn’t know if she wants to eat them, protect them, shepherd them or what, but she’s whining and running around like a spastic.

And lets not forget the first of them all, our cat Pudding. Her scorning look of absolute disgust, as she looks on, following the recent farm annexation.

Pudding trying to prove to me that age isn’t a barrier to being flexible

On a positive though, now that the trauma of the goat invasion has somewhat subsided, one of the ducks has started laying eggs again.

Ouch

Yesterday I thought one of our chooks was being raped but apparently she gave birth to her first ever egg.

Dilan, full of pride, watched on from his room.

Bella loves eggs but prefers meat, including poultry

As for the goats, I’m pretty sure, I won’t be getting any eggs from them. The fact that they’re both males – without nuts has something to do with it.

So without even goats milk to make cheese, they’re kind of useless, except for maybe cooking or cuddling.

I actually started this blog hoping someone would want the goats, maybe on a loan basis, or buy back situation, but I’m going to change the theme a little.

Shall I let Dilan keep the animals, does somebody else want them, or shall we eat them for Christmas?

I’ll try work out how y’all can vote for a few options at the end.

Oh, and they’re some sort of midget goats by the way. You know, like the equivalent of our human dwarfs or midgets… and, like some of those cunts, these goats also try to root each other.

Now there’s a sales pitch if ever ya heard one right aye. Miniature gay goat porn. Bit of a niche there, I’m thinking.

Or maybe you’re a midget and love riding horses but always need a leg up. No longer a problem. You can own your own goat. Man’s new best friend.

In hindsight, maybe I would’ve been better off letting Dilan get a dog. For the record though, I did not say yes to a menagerie, ark, zoo etc.

I now have a backyard that, should I wish to access, I have to study architecture and train as a ninja warrior to get through the obstacle course Dilan created in an ad-hoc solution to animal containment.

I’m not sure Dilan realised, that none of these animals, are actually rocks that do not move.

Maybe a pet rock next time, Dilan

Their current living arrangement is a cross between a shanty town shack in South East Asia and bivouac style camping.

There may come a day when I build a mountainous Himalayas themed backyard to accommodate these animals but until then, anyone interested in them is asked to sing out very loud, or even whisper. Fuck it, just a hint will suffice.

The goats are like petting zoo level of friendly, cuddly and far too cute and cheeky for me to want to spend heaps of time with.

Not sure why I feel so inclined but I am purchasing a decent chook pen. If I don’t use it for the chooks and ducks, I might move Dilan into it.

They say a Mum, can’t really be replaced.

Unless it’s with two ducks.

And two chickens.

And two goats.

And a huntsman spider.

Nah, she can’t be replaced but I do wonder what Marjana would’ve said.

I guess it’s all part of turning the page.

Five months…

Hey y’all,

A bunch of peeps been messaging me, so to save me replying to all, here’s a bit of an update.

Yes, I will blog again. In fact I probably need it more now than I did before. Just haven’t quite been able to bring myself to open up to the world like I did when Marjana was here to take joy from ’em. There’s more to it than just that and technically, I’m blogging now anyway so small steps I guess.

It’s just over five months since we lost my first wife and life has sucked like a back alley $2 whore but it’s also been good like the purest of virgins too. More on this when I open up and blog properly. The good and bad I mean, not virgins and whores.

A few months ago, I took our boys back to New Zealand where we reconnected with my family and mates and the boys really dug it. That trip was sad as fuck but personally, it was more therapeutic than I thought it’d be, so fuck yeah!

The recent ‘taking these boys for a ride on a big jet plane’ facebook post relates to a planned equivalent of our NZ trip but on a far bigger scale to Croatia, with a few stopovers along the way.

We’re gone for five weeks, most of which is in Croatia catching up with our family here.

As you’d imagine, there’s moments of joy and sorrow with Marjana’s family and friends but so far it’s been awesome.

Our family here are amazing. So pure! They’ve been crucial in plugging holes from wounds of sorrow, particularly with our kids and for that I’m forever grateful.

This is without doubt a medicinal trip of healing for the three of us travellers but also for our Croatian connection. On that note, I do appreciate the fact Dilan’s boss approved a five week holiday for him when I doubt he’s got anywhere near five weeks leave built up so cheers bro.

The reason we’re actually here right now is ‘cos our niece is getting married in a couple weeks. We always knew Marjana wasn’t gunna make it but she made me promise that I’d still come… and here we are.

On a bit of a downer though, our pet sitter advised me that one of our three pets is now dead too, fuck it. So that’s a little bit shit. Kind of a last on, first off scenario so sucks to be you Bird 😞 No more deaths though please 🙏

I will blog more but just give me a bit of time please as it’s taken me five months to put this post out there. Before you know it, I’ll be back writing shit for y’all.

This blog was brought to you by the letter C for the word cunt.

#61 Livestream link

Not sure if anyone’s ever really ready for a funeral and I gotta say it does feel like this Thursday’s celebration for Marjana was a long time in the making.

On Thursday it’ll be 12 rather long days since she passed and prior to that of course there was a three week wind down at the hospice, but we’re almost there.

I love this photo

If I thought the previous 60 blogs were hard to write, they ain’t got nothing on writing a eulogy for my first wife. Not only because I can’t say cunt but trying to fit her whole life into only a few minutes ain’t easy and in all honesty, I can’t do her justice like that. Actually, I could try reading her eulogy real fast like a racehorse commentator I s’pose. Yeah, nah, a few of ya will be looking around to have a punt.

But anyway, me and a few of our inner circle been working on the day’s events and unfortunately I now have a decent idea what’s required in organising a first wife’s Catholic funeral.

But we all gunna be there to celebrate her life and whether you’re there in person or watching livestream over a beer, I thank y’all in advance for even wanting to be there. For those watching online, unfortunately y’all gunna miss out on a decent feed at our Muddies Rugby Club. Sorry ’bout that aye.

QFES recruitment poster girl

Like most things we do, it’s a bit different to the norm and by that I mean most of it will be in English but some also in Croatian.

There’s a photo slideshow of family only and the reason for that is I just couldn’t risk leaving anyone out so took the easy option. It’s actually a nice little portrayal of her life with a couple of songs that may just help if anyone hanging out for a bit of a cry.

A few have asked me about a dress code. Oh man, I don’t give a fuck if ya wear a mankini (just don’t wear a lime green or we might clash). You can wear traditional black or you can wear lively bright colours or work uniforms. It don’t bother me none. Maybe just wear something comfortable. I dunno, up to you fellas.

I had my people talk to her people so we gunna have some our colleagues form a guard of honour which I am so fucking grateful for. It’s a nice touch, I reckon.

A very proud day for us all

It’s a bit of a weird one in a way as it ain’t really a traditional Queensland Police Service (QPS) service because she wasn’t a cop, nor was she a member of our Queensland Police Union of Employees (QPUE) or Police Legacy for that matter. She was of course a Queensland Correctional Service (QCS) prison officer and also an auxiliary firefighter on Straddie with Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES). I’d try funk this paragraph up with some more acronyms but four is probably enough aye.

I do need to give a shout out to my QPUE and Police Legacy for being so proactively involved and supportive over these trying times and as soon as they heard about my Kastelanka’s death, they were straight on the phone offering help where it was needed. My team in particular as an entity has stepped up to the plate and then some.

What the above does show is how absolutely amazing our employers, management and colleagues have been with their support throughout. We ain’t at the finish line just yet but close enough that I can say ‘Fuck yeah! Thank you and I am forever grateful. Maybe one more ‘Fuck yeah!’.

Once again, the funeral details are:

Where: Star of the Sea Parish, 53 Passage St, Cleveland, QLD 4163

When: Thursday 10th March, 2022

Time: 11am

The livestream can be accessed on the day by following this link Marjana Winslow livestream.

Any issues or queries y’all got my number or ask online.

Happiness right there

#59 And then there was peace

I’m privileged to announce that this morning, Marjana had one of her most desired wishes come true.

Unfortunately, it was her wish that she die before me.

On a positive note, my first wife is now at peace and that gives me and our boys peace, as I’m sure it does y’all.

She died peacefully in her sleep next to me.

Tomorrow would’ve been her 51st birthday.

On behalf of my first wife, Kodi, Dilan and I, we thank you for every single piece of love, support and care received since this cunt of a battle began.

I was going to finish these Cancer Chronicles with The end, but somehow think it’s not… the end, I mean.

Funeral details to come soon.

May the healing begin.

Počivaj u miru ljubavi moja

Winslow Family (left to right): Brendon, Bella, Kodi, Marjana, Dilan – absent is Pudding (probably pissing inside somewhere) and Bird (jailed in a cage)

#58 The sun is setting

I write this sitting next to my first wife as her life clock winds down during these final stages.

I’ve battled with myself whether I should throw this extra blog out or not as thought I was only gunna have to write one more. But tomorrow is two weeks into hospice life and by all your messages of love, I think we actually owe y’all an update.

A powerful photo 13 Feb 2020

Straight up, let’s try start on a positive; my first wife might be feeling a little bit shit right now but she wasn’t eaten by a shark like that poor cunt down Sydney the other day.

How devastating life can be when it’s taken so ruthlessly in an instant like that, yet still as natural a death as can be modelled by the Mother Nature approach. At least with our slow release version of a natural death, unlike ol’ mate down Sydney, we’ve had so much more time together since we found out we had a ‘use before’ date. To put it plainly, we’ve had time to say our goodbyes… fuck it.

I’ve already written about that heaps so it must sound repetitive but that’s because we’re continually appreciative of it. Maybe we have to be to even deal with this shit. I dunno, man.

Having said that, I’d like to think we’d also be appreciative should we have had to face an instant death because it would’ve been less painful in a way. Instant or a slow wind down? Our preferred option would be no fucking death at all.

It might sound like I’m harping on about this a bit and maybe so but when I think about it, it’s probably a coping mechanism to deal with the cards we’ve been dealt. On that note, if we got dealt these cards in the cowboy days I would’ve called the dealer a cheat and shot the cunt… woulda been in a saloon too, for sure. A real cool one.

So, to put our current situation into perspective, apart from those early hospital blogs when she was operated on, this is the only one Marjana hasn’t proof read before publishing. As far as first wives go, she really was a great lil’ proof reader though. I know if my words make her laugh when they’re mostly taking the piss out of her and our cunty cancer scene, then they’re at a suitable level for y’all commoners who aren’t my life choice. 

Problem right now though is that she’s pretty fucked up and her proof reading days are history like that cheating cowboy I woulda shot.

Ok, maybe I should’ve trimmed her fingernails before this pic

Tell ya what though, she’s one tough little squirrel, man! There’s no way she should still be here today sucking out my tears like Dracular does blood and giving me writing material.

That toughness though is possibly even trumped by her niceness. The staff here at our hospice don’t know of these blogs but even they kinda get she’s special. But a nice special, not a spastic kinda special like me.  Doctors and nurses come into our room and no matter how fucked up she is with pain or out of it from painkillers, so far she’s still managed to give them her smile with her angelic eyes and respond to the how are you question with a soft slurred ‘I’m good thanks,’ even though she is very far from good.

Here’s another positive (see we live in a good world, man), we’re now 20 days into February and I’m still waking up next to my little Kiwi rugby player huntress.  Yeah, different beds and mine’s some funky chair bed thing but I’m also no longer her chef slave cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.

Life ain’t particularly awesome right now but it’s ok, considering.

Also, not only does she hoard like a squirrel but she’s now eating and drinking like one. No, not like little nibbling bites or filling up her mouth with heaps of nuts ya clowns, I’m talking about the amount she eats. Surviving on few pieces of fruit, some ice cream and a little water, Powerade and chamomile tea. It’s nowhere near enough but when ya body’s in shut down mode it’s kinda hard to counter that.

My body seems to be very much not in shut down mode as I’m all for lookin’ after the world and shit and am pretty sure that food wastage is bad for the environment. So two feeds, three times a day, possibly also with a little contraband plonk and beer, is my way of helping the world counter global warming. You are very welcome.

No surprise here but apart from an initial attempt upon arrival, the ying to my yang hasn’t got out of bed since we arrived. That also puts things into perspective a bit.

Her right leg was getting all funky when we were still at home as had to drag it when walking. A couple days after arriving at hospice she lost use of it altogether and as of a few days ago has now also lost use of her right arm and hand. Now that’s what I call a little bit shit but taking that positive angle, she doesn’t seem to realise that she’s even lost use of it. Plus she’s right handed so I haven’t been clipped around the ears for a while.

I had her family and friends back in The Old Country send voice recordings of nice memories they shared together and it appears she even had a life before she met me. Go figure that aye. It’s so heart warming to see her smile as she too recalls those good memories when listening. It’s kinda like an olden days version of taking selfies but analog… in a digital sorta way.

Heaps of you, our cult followers are always checking up on me and that’s all cool and appreciated and shit but it’s not lost on me or our boys that Marjana is by far the greatest victim in this travesty. Yeah our lives, like yours, will change for sure but fuck man, nowhere near as much as hers. We’ve had some shit times (more good ones though) and we gunna be copping some more pretty soon too but for now, we’re doing alright.

These blogs are almost confessional in a way but wouldn’t be like that if I fluffed things over so… I gotta admit, sitting beside your dying wife’s bed witnessing life drain out of her by the breath, is an absolute cunt of a thing, man. It’s a little bit shit and I don’t like it very much but there is no place in the world I’d rather be right now.

I’d much prefer fun filled days together with cold beers, fine food and orgasms but when it’s ya most treasured human being, even struggling moments are appreciated. Like when the ol’ girl does her sneaky little look me in the eye melting smile trick. Life could be worse. Yeah man, of course it could be better but it could still be worse.

She’s so cute too aye. She’ll be crashed out big time and there’s a very light knock on the door from some room service sheila. It’s not enough to wake her up but her sleep lightens enough for her to respond ‘Come in,’ with a sweet slurred whisper.

Over these last couple weeks I’ve probably done a bit of soul searching with emotions running like clothes, food and junk in Dilan’s bedroom… all over the place. Heaps of emotions, including feelings of guilt ’cause here I am still enjoying some moments of pleasure when my greatest love can’t. I’m happy to call myself a dumb cunt but I’m also aware of the grieving process and know that’s all part of this gig, even though we aren’t quite at the finish line yet.

I even tried to make my brain think the person near death beside me is as healthy as she was before… oh hang on… yeah… nah, I think that was the plonk talking actually.

What wasn’t the plonk talking though and is still very much a cunt of a chore is having to get up off my chair bed thing to watch the first wife up close very intently to see if she’s still breathing. So far so good but it ain’t really heaps of fun.

I’ve been here with her pretty much 24/7 and the boys come every day with my ol’ lady. The first day they came was emotionally draining as fuck for ’em both. They sat with their ol’ lady taking in and trying to accept the reality as any 17 and 22-year-olds starting out in life would, could, hope to. They then lay down and fell into a deep motionless coma for couple hours and exactly the same happened the following day.

zzz zzz zzz

In case any of y’all are wondering, I have read and/or played every single message you’ve sent to my first wife, some more than once but rest assured she does get ’em. If you’re one of her chick mates and you get a reply from her phone saying you should root ya man more or cook him a feed or something, you probably should do it so you don’t go against ya mate’s wishes aye.

Our hospice holiday might not be quality time but it’s still time together even if we are running on fumes in an empty tank. She’s still got the ability to make me happy to aye. For example, she’s obviously drugged and confused as fuck from painkillers but when I helped the nurses give her a bed bath and she realised it was me holding her close enough to whisper, she gives me her purest smile and does Bella’s trick whenever my head gets close to hers, and starts kissing it. But not like Bella’s dog licking kisses. Nah, these are more like a woodpecker doing the woodpecker thing on a tree. A machine gun of kisses, almost.

Your quote of the day ain’t really a funny one but we like it.

First husband: I love you.

First wife: I love you.

Finally, I can honestly say that since we’ve been here in hospice our mutual friend has received the most compassionate gentle care in as happy an environment as potentially possible. She gets hand, feet and face massages and although they’re with my rough hands and not that of a hot beauty therapist sheila, surely, that’s gotta give us all a little peace of mind so on that note, peace out y’all.