“Life … sends you detours” is a line I quoted from the short story “Sunrise over Sausalito” in the last review I posted here at Gums. That review, posted on 11 July, was for the short story collection Love on the road 2015. Unfortunately, since then we have experienced our own love-on-the-road detours. This is why, as some of you may have noticed, my posting here has slowed to a crawl – the last three posts were in fact written more than a fortnight ago and scheduled for posting over the last two weeks – and why you have not seen me commenting on blogs that I do try to visit regularly. I have, in fact, not opened a book in the last two weeks, even though I have always had one or two near at hand.
Here in a nutshell is the story. On 18 July we were heading off on a trip through Central and Northern Australia with two friends. However, on 17 July one of those friends found herself in hospital undergoing surgery for a broken hip. In one of those coincidences we’d hate in fiction, at exactly the same time she was under the knife in Canberra, Son Gums was under the knife in Seoul for a badly broken arm. He was in Korea on a brief teacher exchange but a team-building water sport activity went a little awry for him and … life, as they say, sent him a detour!
Uluru, on an unusually grey winter day, but rather suiting our mood
So, we rather reluctantly set off on our holiday as a twosome rather than a foursome and rather expecting that we’d have to cut our holiday short if our son returned to Australia – which is exactly what happened a week into our trip. So, any spare time during our trip was spent not relaxing with a book but rejigging, and then re-rejigging our travel plans, or communicating with relevant parties about the two patients.
I won’t bore you with more – both patients are on the mend now – but I did want to explain that a) I will get back to visiting your blogs soon and b) I am not in a reading slump. It’s simply that the love of children and friends has taken priority for the moment and detoured us from the road we had planned for this July.
Now, where is that book …
Whispering Gums 
Oh dear. Disappointment and anxiety all round.
Sure has been, RJ. Hope yours is settling down now too.
Hope everyone is healing nicely.
Thanks Sandie … So far they seem to be on the right side of the bar now. Hope that continues.
Sending you good thoughts, Sue… 🙂
Thanks Glen …
Love for children, relatives and friends can do that. All best wishes to you all.
Books are patient creatures and will still be waiting for you when you get the chance but friends and family do have a habit of needing love and attention at the most inconvenient moments. You made the right call…
Thanks Karen, you’re right, they are patient, so I will be patient too while looking out for patients! I’ll see you over at yours soon.
“the love of children and friends” does indeed take priority and as BookerTalk says “books are patient creatures”. Hoping for speedy recoveries.
Thanks Karenlee … The wonder about modern medicine fortunately is that these mechanical, I guess you could call it, injuries do seem to be managed very well with great outcomes.
Detours always lead home. Good to hear all on the mend, and that book is just waiting to be read.
Oh, that’s true Meg, thanks. I hadn’t thought of it that way, “home”, physically or emotionally, eh?
Oh, phew ! A broken arm that needs a plate is a lot less harrowing than a broken head. But, of course, it still means lots of pain and ensuing nobility of expression while smiling through … and it’s that that’s hard to have to wear. [grin]
MR, you’re right. It could have been much worse, like a broken neck. We really are counting our blessings. Also that it happened in a modern country like South Korea where the hospitals are very good.
Didn’t know that – good to know, Sue …
Just glad that all is (relatively) well.
Thanks Michelle … so are we. All is pretty much as well as one could expect at this stage. A way to go yet but definitely on the right path.
Glad to hear all’s well, but sorry your trip was mangled.
Thanks Dorothy … We are too, particularly given we could have been in warm Kakadu right now rather than cold Melbourne, but it’s been good to be here of course.
Your poor friend and son! I am glad both are on the mend and wish them a full recovery!
Thanks Stefanie … It’s been a bit hard but we’re lucky too that they are both short term setbacks, and for that we are relieved.
Isn’t it always the way. You can be at home all year in routines and as soon as a holiday is planned all he’ll breaks loose. I can’t count the number of t I mes I have seen this happen. You just have to roll with the punches so to speak, eat chocolate and laugh a lot. 😂
Murphy’s Law or something eh, Pam? It is unbelievable though. You wouldn’t accept it in fiction I’m sure. Still hoping we’ll make it to Hobart in October though, fingers and toes crossed!(Perfect emoticon btw)