Hankin Redden Blog

  130 – Cancelled, Part 4: 28 December 2024 I took these photos on Sunday 22 November 2020.  They give some insight into the fragile nature of our lives on this planet and the tenuous nature of relationships that seem so permanent. Butterflies are so exquisitely beautiful, but their lives are so short. **** Flowers bloom in Spring and look just as beautiful as the butterflies.  They live longer than butterflies, but they too have short lives. **** We humans think our lives are permanent because we live for much longer than butterflies or flowers, but we too have limited time spans during when we are permitted to live on this earth.   We think our friendships are permanent, but they too can die without any prior signs of illness. **** This is the sequence of texts between me and Anne Ryan in February 2021 which enabled her to tell me that Margaret and I had both been cancelled. **** I sent this text to Anne at 9.15 am on Wednesday 3 February 2021. Are...

  129 – Cancelled, Part 4: 27 December 2024 This is a photo of Chris Reilly at our housewarming in 2001.  Chris was the husband of the beautiful Sue Marshall who came to the housewarming with Chris.  Chris Reilly was an honoured guest at out barbecue on 26 January 2021.  He was sitting next to me when Anne Ryan ranted about Australia Day.  Chris Reilly eagerly joined the Cancellation Crew organised by Anne Ryan.  He attended Margaret’s funeral but refused to speak to me and I became aware he was present only when I accidentally met him after the funeral had finished. ****   This photo shows Chris Reilly and Sue Marshall at the 2001 housewarming.  Sue always had a beautiful smile for everyone she met, even after she was given her terminal cancer diagnosis.  Chris Reilly always found it much harder to be welcoming to any people except Sue. **** Margaret and I loved each other from the first moment we met.  This is us at our housewarm...

  128 – Cancelled, Part 3: 24 December 2024 This photo shows me with the exceptionally wonderful Sue Marshall.  Sue had cancer and was dying when this was taken.  Sue’s widower was Christopher Reilly.  He was sitting next to me when on the barbecue day, Anne Ryan flounced her hair ( literally ) just like Miss Piggy on The Muppets, stood up, said “I am not going to listen to this” and then flounced her way back into my home. Chris Reilly promptly joined the Cancellation Crew.  He knew exactly how Anne Ryan had behaved, and he completely approved her awful behaviour. **** This is the second half of the letter I sent to Anne Ryan on 28 January 2021 Now to return to what happened yesterday. By walking away and saying that you were not going to listen any more to what I was saying, you were in effect saying that if I say anything that you disagree with, you have the right to claim that you are upset by what I am saying and I must in future take c...

  127 – Cancelled, Part 2: 24 December 2024 Margaret was unable to quit smoking but I loved every aspect of her, including her inability to stop smoking.  Margaret did not have cancer when this photo was taken. **** Our love was mutual.  Every moment of every day, I knew with complete certainty that Margaret loved me at least as much as I loved her.  Our love for each other grew with every year we lived together. If anything, the horrific events that followed the barbecue on 26 January 2021 strengthened and deepened our love for each other. **** I commenced writing a letter to Anne Ryan on the day after the barbecue.  My letter told her the impact her behaviour had had on me.  I sent my letter by email at 10.01 am on Thursday the 28 th .  I received a reply by text almost immediately at 10.17 am. I read your email and I recognise everything you said.  I’m so sorry you had such a bad physical reaction.  I have no idea what to d...

  126 – Cancelled, Part 1: 23 December 2024   **** I loved every moment with Margaret.  These photos of us date from our 2001 house warming.  We both glowed. The cancer and our cancellation were then 20 years away. **** Our cancellation began on 26 January 2021 – the Australia Day public holiday.  That day supercharged my health decline and brought me to the edge of death.  My decline was so rapid and severe that for months, it was probable I would die long before Margaret did. **** The Australia Day public holiday is celebrated on 26 January.  The First Fleet of British settlers consisting of British convicts, their guards and the ship crews landed at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788.  The Commonwealth of Australia would not exist if that event had not happened. Before 2021, the date of Australia Day had been slated.  The Woke Folk claim Australia Day commemorates the beginning of a British “invasion” of Australia.  This...