Blah and flu

I notice it's been a little while since I last wrote. That's because I am busy. Too busy being boring.

Feeling off colour today. Blah and headachey. Hoping I'm not coming down with something. I'm taking holidays soon and I don't want to spend them sick. It's only a week, and I have great plans for that week. Like, staying home and doing nothing. But I would rather be doing nothing healthily than doing nothing sickly.

They offer free flu injections at work. I don't usually take them up on it. I don't usually get the flu. But you watch, this time I will....

Thank Heaven for Sunday

Sunday. And I sit here, trying to recover. My weekends are never usually packed with much of anything at all. But it all happened for me yesterday.

Thursday night I made an appointment with, hopefully, my new hairdresser. I have been living here for 4 years now. Which means having to find a new 'dresser. No small task for a girl. Especially one who is fussy about what sort of job they may do. I have my hair layered. Long layers. And they are too easy to mess with. I had a 'dresser tell me once that my hair would never accept layers. And proceeded to demonstrate by pulling parts of it up to show that they wouldn't blend. I didn't bother telling the hopeless woman I have had layers in my hair since time immemorial.

But I digress. Hair appointment. Saturday morning. Friday evening, a call from a friend. Please come over for a bbq tomorrow lunch. We've won a meat tray. Ok, no problem, I'll just squeeze that in.

So Saturday. Hair appointment in the morning. Off to the other side of the city for bbq lunch. Home for a quick nanna nap, then out to the restraurant for dinner. Home from that and duck across the road to the neighbour's house to join her birthday party. An invitiation to which we received shortly after the dinner was organised.

The dinner, btw, was subperb. The restaurant is attached to the Morrisons in the Gabba, the steakhouse is Fiasco's. There were about 9 of us at table. Service was fast, the meal was excellent. I don't think a single person had a complaint. I had the king prawns, in a cream sauce on jasmine rice. Perfect.

So. Sunday. Time for a rest. If today was this busy, I think I would be needing to go to work for a holiday.......

Is it home time yet?

So Friday is nearly over. And I can't say I will be upset to see the end of this week. It has been rather stressful, with all wanting stuff yesterday. Even if I only got it today. However, one of them did appreciate my efforts. Perhaps she picked up on the vibe that I wasn't exactly impressed that I had to ring someone to ask a question. Again. I got a chocolate bar out of it.

They're in their meeting today. Hopefully it has all come together. But I guess perhaps it has as I have not yet got a call to sort things out. But having just mentioned it......

I am sitting here, munching on a cake. Some one has donated a cake to the cause. A homemade butter cake. That looks like a watermelon. Bright green, bright pink and chocolate chips. Long live the sugar high.

So we are in the middle of organising a conference for May. And we are examining our options for schwag. Love that stuff. For those not in the know, it's the free stuff given out or swiped from the vendors. Last year, mine included a polo shirt. One of the things we are looking at are flashing ice cubes. In the shape of footballs. It didn't take one of the GT long to pretend they were eyes, and run around holding them up and letting them flash........

I refer back to the comment re sugar high. I seem to have combined the cake with coffee - not in the same cup of course - and have no sugar high. Coffee makes me sleepy. Or should I say, that drinking strong instant coffee gives me no caffeine boost. At all. I can drink a cup of coffee and still go to bed and sleep. Perhaps the fact that I drink it white might be the problem.

I actually have a quite a social life this weekend. This afternoon I am supposed to be going for drinks after work. But having drunk the coffee, I am ready right now for a nanna nap. If I don't improve before the end of work, I don't think I will be capable of going. My social calendar is usually very empty. This time though, I have 2 things that overlap on the same day. Now how did that happen? But though I would like to attend both, I can only manage to be in one place at once. What am I saying? Aren't I supposed to be a mother??? So, the farewell dinner for one of the GT's wins. I'm hoping that the neighbours will still be partying when I come home from the restaurant. Won't have to miss either then.

Bodies. Or where to hide?

Whew. The afternoon wears on, and after this morning, I thought I would take the time to relax a little.

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Have just discovered what a pain the lack of public transport where I live is. I have to find a way to get the Teen home from school. And it's an hour walk.....

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In the middle of all this relaxing, I am reminded of watching MOTH bend over to pick something off the kitchen floor. Now he's not getting any younger, or thinner, but I am certain neither he, the Teen nor I had any inkling of a disaster narrowly avoided. He bent over. And being built a bit like the Roly Poly man, he almost did a Humpty Dumpty on the kitchen floor. Well, a small grunt, a couple of steps, and almost head first into the open fridge. The Teen and I were in helpless hysterics.

But I am reminded of various tumbles, trips and near misses.
Falling down in the shower and taking the shower curtain with him. Sister 1 standing anxiously outside the bathroom door, not sure whether to rush in and offer assistance.
Bending over to retrieve a ball he had been throwing at me. Misjudging the distance of the wall behind and bouncing behind off the wall.
Trailing fingers down the wall of the front steps. In the rain. Wearing a motorcycle helmet. Fingermarks take a sudden downward trend and he never hit his head once. Incidentally, the fingermark was still there when we moved out some years later.
Running up the street chasing a kite which escaped. Falling flat on his stomach. And bouncing.

So, what do we do when our body begins to change and we are no longer accustomed to the shape of it? The size and the volume we now take up? I lost track of the number of times I sideswiped doors when I was pregnant. And finding that I can no longer slide between the chair and the bench like I used to. Leaning over the sink and getting the front of my shirt wet because I am resting on the edge of the bench.

I would desperately love to resize myself. But then I think of the hard work it takes. ....... nah. Think I will just have to learn how to avoid face plants in the kitchen .....

Happy Anniversary to me

And today, on strict instructions from my friend, I am wearing flats.....

Today is worth celebrating. I think. Today is worth worrying about. Today is...... the 12 month mark in recovery. From a broken ankle. Yes, today is something of an anniversary.

On 14 March 2006, on my way home from work, I lost my balance. And broke my right ankle. Doing something stupid. Like, getting off a bus. While sober. And while wearing platform shoes. But no one will stop me wearing those things. I've been doing it for years, and shall continue to do so.

But I digress. It was an old bus. One I call a clunker. Which should have been put off the road years ago. Lacking noticeably in stature, I am forced to make a choice - a long step down to the road, or a long step out to the footpath. I chose, as usual, the latter. Time has a funny way of taking .... well, its time ..... in situations like those. I even had enough time to tell myself - as if I hadn't already figured that part out - I was going to fall over. Really, how stupid do I think I am? Well, I guess the ankle tells that tale......

And I heard it break as I went over. How creepy is hearing your own body begin to malfunction? Not pleasant. My first concern was that no one would help me and I would have to try figure out a way to get help. There had recently been in the news a story of another woman in another suburb who, in a much more serious condition than I, had lain on the footpath for hours before someone stopped to help her.

Mind, I couldn't have chosen a better place to do it. If I had planned it in advance that is. Right outside the podiatrist's rooms. Yay for me. Aren't I clever???

At any rate, during the course of my recuperation, I found out just how much we rely on being whole and intact. Not having had to live with an injury of this type before, I was stunned to discover that I couldn't do basic things - like get into and out of the shower without help, prepare and carry my own meals/drinks and lots of other basic things.

Crutches are bloody hard work. I hated the things. 8 weeks in plaster, counting the backslab I had to wear for the first couple of weeks after surgery. 9 to 10 weeks on crutches, and I threw those away as soon as I could put weight on my ankle again. If I am ever stupid enough to do this again, it's wheelchair all the way.

And rehab! (Hey, I've been in rehab. I'm trendy!) 3 months of intensive physio including pilates mat classes and gym, each twice a week. I did manage to talk her out of giving me pool work though. Hate pools.

But I think I have done well. Considering I have 2 screws on the inside of my ankle, complimented by a plate with 7 or more pins on the outside. 8 months after the injury I was back wearing my platforms. Although I do make concessions, and these days I wear flats a lot more frequently. I actually had to buy a pair for while I was on crutches - I had none.

... and no, I don't set off the alarm at the airport ...

Living with a Teenage Drama Queen

Ok, I give up. I'm living with a Drama Queen. Well, I always knew that, but last night it was driven home. In a big way.

The Teen arrived home from work. Sometimes she's chipper. Sometimes not. Last night, definitely not. In fact, she came through the door. Crying hard. And early. OMG! What happened?! Visions of lost job swirling through my head. But no, that would have made her happy.

Straight round to the kitchen, crying and yelling. Dancing about, ordering and yelling. Which gets my back up quick smart. When she finally calmed a little, but still crying, I found out the reason why. She was suffering hot water scalding. Both hands, wrists and forearms.

The worst part is the tale she tells from the employer. Who told her to run her hands under the cold tap. And did nothing else. Fair enough, MOTH was there to pick her up. The least would have been a suggestion for him to take her to the hospital and let them know what was happening. I didn't ask his side of the story so for all I know, it could have been suggested. There seemed to be some disagreement 'tween MOTH and the Teen about what an ambulance could have offered and the ambo station being dark.

At any rate, she commenced with the hopping up and down, panic and demands. Still crying of course. Now, having done similar myself, I know how much it can hurt. Mind, she could have won an Oscar for all the wailing and gnashing of teeth. Eventually I had to ask her what her last slave died from.

Eventually things calmed back down though and she said "mum, I've never experienced pain like it". Nor should she. She's only 14 .....

Ah, the perils of living with a Teenage Drama Queen.......

The loss of modern tech....

OMG!

On the way to work this morning I realised I was running late. Heck I don't care - I don't like getting to work early. But I have a friend I travel on the train with. Who gets on at a station earlier than mine. Who spreads herself all over the seat, and saves it for me. Aint that special? So, if I'm late, I'll just send a text and let her know. Not a problem.

Until I realised - my phone is still on the kitchen counter attached to the charger!! >.< D'ho!!

Which led me to thinking, how difficult could it be not having my mobile for the day? Can I live without it? Well, I guess I will have to, but its 0924 and I miss it already. Ok, I haven't had to use it. It's a security thing. Just to have it there. I'm good. I'm strong. I can do without it. ..... Until I have to let MOTH know I'm on the way home so he can pick me up. And my music. I'll have to ride the bus/train with no music. How the heck am I going to manage that????

But on the lighter side. I won't have anyone sending "Mu-um, can I...." "I want ....." "Where is .... "What time ....."

Ah, the peace and quiet. Yes, I think I can manage the day without my mobile ...

All is quiet here. On the western front....

Whew. Back to work. On Monday. For a holiday. To recover from the weekend. Never thought I would say that......

Father and sibling 3 arrived for the weekend. Last Thursday. A day earlier than I was expecting. But obviously I had my timing wrong. Nothing unusual about that. She was down for a surgical procedure, scheduled for Friday morning. I had that wrong too. Expecting it for Saturday.

She had to be at the hospital for 0630. With a travel time of about 3/4 of an hour to get there. Needless to say, things were a bit hectic that morning. They got away later than MOTH was expecting. But. I had to catch the bus. Haven't done that for a while. Catch the bus to the station that is, not catch a bus as a whole. I am now a seasoned public transport user. But, at any rate, they made it. Just. MOTH was still waiting for them at 1245.......

Saturday morning, the Elder had to fly north. And of course, she couldn't get to the airport herself. Mummy, please come with me?? So, $22 later for the train fare out to the airport, I saw her off. And halfway there, she realised that she didn't have her travel tablets. Sigh. $15 later and there went any saving I thought I may have made. Talking her into paying for my fare. Cause I was broke.

It was also my mother's birthday, and I didn't have a gift. What to get, what to get? Da-ad, what can I get mum for her birthday. A good book he says. Greaaatttt....... Found something after a time, with fingers crossed that she didn't already have it. There, she can have a gift and a text. That's enough from me.

Sunday, the Teen needed to get shoes. And the family were due to leave. Ok, Teen, you can come with me. Be seen in public with your mother and the old people. She did. Without too much complaint. But she was due to start work at 1400. The olds were leaving at 1100. Bit of a tight squeeze. Allowing for about 1 hour to get home by the time you count train and the drive. But she found a pair. Not the ones she originally wanted, but these would substitute. Gotta be a name brand, can't be Dunlop volleys. No sir! But we grabbed the shoes and made it back home with enough time for her to get ready and go to work. Whew.

Sunday. The Elder also sent a message to let me know that I was in trouble. I didn't phone mum for her birthday. Darn! I had to phone her after all. I love the old dear to bits. But man, I hate telephones. I am happy to use the mobile to text, but don't ask me to talk on it! Can't stand answering the phone at work either. If the phone didn't ring, I would be happy. Happier still if these people would just email me instead. I can ignore that much better......

At any rate, I phoned her. She promised to write. Some time in the next 2 years. Luv her ...

For some reason, I crashed at 1500 Sunday afternoon.......

Whoa! Missed a spot

On the way to work the other day, while in the car with MOTH, he changed the radio station. As driver, this is his privilege. That's the rule. In our car. Driver get choice, since they are the ones supposedly in charge of the vehicle. Saved a lot of arguements with the kids too.

Nowdays, the Teen just helps herself whenever he leaves the car and is foolish enough to leave her in it. Unsupervised.....

But, I digress. I realised that I had left a song off my top ten list. How could I do this?! Now I know I have many more than 10, and figuring out the top of those is a herculean task in itself for one like me, but I totally forgot about......
Keep on Movin' by Five. Ok, so I know I forgot because it's no longer, and hasn't been for many years, tres cool. But the melody is bouncy and the lyrics encouraging. And I like it.....

And that's all that counts.......