And I have more reasons: freesias will bloom soon and they’ll be the best incentive for my daily walk. I love freesias and yes, I carry gardening scissors to cut a few from any public area.

When I’m not delighting in the scented bliss of our LGA’s (Local Government Areas or council regions) the team and I will be finalising our 2022-2023 business plans, updating policies and refining procedures. We have received funding for the 2022-23 FY (financial year) which is great news. But government funding also brings significant obligations and mandates to ensure it is wisely budgeted and diligently managed.

For example, the provision of a single transport with HKCT involves far more than the booking, pick-up and drop-off. Our ‘red tape’ includes processes and checks, ensuring safety and service quality, meeting employee obligations and government contract terms, along with operational efficiency and costing prudence.

And another by-product of red tape in our world is the regrettable necessity of abbreviations. Having recently answered two client queries as to what something means explains my deliberate use of them and their definitions in the sentences above.

My creative flow is trying to bring in PBI (Public Benevolent Institution) but I think I’ll surrender!

I’m confident you’re likely familiar with MAC (My Aged Care) and Cth DoH, which is now DoHAC (Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care). However, if we say or write something that you don’t recognise please let us know. The error is ours, not yours as the reader or recipient.

And thank you for patiently waiting on our August social program. We have been juggling staff changes and absenteeism, new IT equipment installation, a soon-to-launch fabulous website updating, repainting of our offices, and ‘not negotiable deadlines’ that have swamped us.

Shortly we will issue HKCT membership renewal invoices too.

Now importantly, I invite everyone to our Trivia Competition and lunch on 9th August. We’re hoping for six bus loads of HKCT’s fabulous clients in a big day out so please join us for a truly auspicious August event.

It may be cold and mask wearing is still compulsory on HKCT vehicles but it’s for everyone’s safety. We control our choices and attitudes so let’s make the best decisions for all.

In closing I offer this ‘meme’ (noun: image or text typically deployed by internet users, often humorous) as inspiration to keep calm and carry on, auspiciously: People who wonder if the glass is half full or half empty, are missing the point. The glass is refillable.

Cheers, Helen