Yay! Space to move

I still can't get over the amount of space there is here. With the students gone and all. Most of them - there are still some international students hanging about. One thing I did notice about the break though. Market day goes downhill with some of the stall owners not turning up. Mediocre Market Day becomes Pissweak Market Day.

It seems that I opened my big mouth and mentioned to the Elder about my last post. No, not the one that makes the dogs howl. Which in turn reminds me of a play we looked at staging in high school. For the sheer joy of the play itself. Just us, not a whole of the school gig. Something entitled Custard's Last Stand. Or similar. The play was set in the wild, wild west. And it gelled with our warped sense of humour at the time. F'rinstance:

A: My daddy brought me out here in a covered wagon.
B: Yes. Looking at you I can see why he covered it.

I can't remember the plot but I think it had something to do with a shipment - if you can get a ship out in the west - of custard pies going missing. Did the indians do it? You'll never know because I can't remember.

But I digress. I must have told her that I wrote about our lovely day at the lake. Raining today though, so I doubt there will be a repeat. At any rate, I guess she decided to read it. And checked the archives as well. Apparently I made comment that she was dressed all in black and white, striped too, and reminded me of a beetle. Which reminded me that I needed to revisit Beetlejuice. I was in trouble. Fortunately briefly.

But guess which movie I know have on my shelf?

Summer and semester breaks

Whew. I think summer is coming. It's beginning to get somewhat overheated. And it doesn't help if you are wearing black.

I think semester break is here. Along with school holidays for most. I noticed this morning, on my usual commute with the Elder and hanging desperately onto the car door for support, that there was definitely a reduction in the amount of traffic.

And space on the bus. Without any fool having to stand in the aisle and hang on for dear life. Which is never me by the way. I always manage to get myself a seat. By fair means or foul.

No students loitering in the middle of the footpath. A group of which I encountered just last week. Who were quite well aware they were blocking the path. I nearly trampled them. At least, my brain was desperate for some action, but before I knew it my body had taken a detour and I was squeezing past on the outside of the throng. Darn. Opportunity rang the bell and ran away.

Back to the weather. The Elder and I decided to have lunch by the lake. And look at the wildlife. Today I think I encountered a bit more than I bargained for. Unfortunately the heat was rendering certain areas a tad too aromatic for my liking, but we persevered. We wandered the path, across the bridge, and chanced to espy a turtle sunning itself on a choice spot just out of the water. Further along, we looked up. Corellas. Lots of them. Crowding in the trees and watching. I felt that I was wearing a sign. A big one, with concentric red circles. I waited, I expected, and I braced but it didn't happen.

The patch of grass we found was spongy and welcoming. I was a little wary, expecting to find myself sitting in ducky doo doo. Settled in and around they came. A goose and lots of smaller birds. The goose got pushy and tried to pinch the Elder's pie crust. I guarded the best bit from the marauder - the cream donut.

After lunch, we thought we would have a bit of sport and get close to a big turtle sunning itself on a branch. No, not the earlier one. This one was bigger. As we approached, it waved its legs about trying to get a grip before propelling itself back into the relative safety of the water.

We watched turtles, birds and eels play in the shallows. Baited them with crumbs of donut. On the way back, after again running the gauntlet of the corellas, I pointed out the water dragon on a raised grate. And another in the water. Surrounded by birds. There sure are a lot of birds on the lake. We fed them. Donut of course. The wet dragon jumped out and on to the bank. To the disgust of the dry dragon who proceeded to chase it off. And the dry dragon reigned surpreme. And was rewarded with donut. Right up to my toes. I stood still. You don't want one of them thinking that a toe is a meal. I wear sandals you know.

Which encouraged a bunch of american students to stop and look. They didn't see the dragon on the path at first. The boys thought it was great, the Elder threw some donut at them. The students. And the dragon moved; the girl went girly and hid behind one of the boys. One took photos and they eventually moved on.

On the bridge on the way back, we watched one of the white heron-like birds hunt.

But then, it was back to work. To the airconditioning. A totally relaxing way to spend lunch hour. I don't really want to settle in to work now.

Random stuff....

... The magik attack hit again this morning. The gardener was cleaning up after a brush turkey had been about. Gack! It was a helpful attack, quite out of character.

... Just saw a student wearing patterned stockings. Fair Isle pattern. In shades of grey. What's with that???

... Been thinking of buying an iPod. It's taken days to even decide which one I want. Even longer to price them. So work sells them to students and staff. But as far as I can tell, at the RRP. When I contact them to place the order, the model I want is no longer available. It's been replaced by the new ones. And I'm quite welcome to spend another $100 and get one of those. But I don't want that one! I want THAT one! It's not fair! *insert wailing and gnashing of teeth here*

Magik

I'm sitting at my desk eating something healthy and nutritious for lunch. If you're a student. Only a student can live successfully on noodles. But I was wishing I had something better that I had someone else to prepare for me.

And as I drifted off into the half tracelike state between waking and sleeping, it made me think of one of my favourite day dreams as a child.

I wished I could do magic. Not wand magic like Harry Potter and his lot. That's for girlies. The real stuff. Change things with a thought or a gesture. And magic happens. As I feel at the time. Small and subtle, or large and dazzling. As a child though it was mostly small and subtle. I couldn't let just anyone know I could do magic. You never know what might happen.

Strangely enough, most of my magic daydreams involved helping other people. These days I think I centre more on revenge. Oo a cyclist in a pedestrian only area. Small nod and hey! Front wheel sticks and there they go - straight over the handle bars to do a very messy face plant on the cement. Not a problem. Twitch of the fingers and it's all cleaned up. But not the cyclist.

Don't want to go to work? Yay. Suddenly I have a clone. But it had better not be an evil twin. I know what happens there. But wait. Yes. Finger click and it's like I don't exist. They won't miss me because they never knew I was ever there. Of course, I can't give up work completely - that would totally ruin my social life.

And if I didn't like the way it turned out, I could put it all back exactly the way it was before.

I have no idea what happened in the years between generosity and selfishness. Maybe it was life??

Cement in a can.... Hairspray

Last night, I thought I would do something different. And catch a movie. What a movie.

Hairspray.

Now, I know the pundits would say it's a remake. And then draw all sorts of comparisons, usually unfavourable, between the new and the old. But I've never seen the old. And totally loved the new.

Bright. Colourful. Fun. My feet were tapping and my head was nodding. And I left the theatre bouyed by an overflow of good spirits.

On one occasion I laughed myself into an attack of the snorts. Hopefully it got lost among the general laughter. And there was plenty to laugh at.

John Travolta was amazing as Edna. Knowing full well it who was in the suit under the makeup didn't detract from the viewing pleasure. For me, it probably enhanced it. I couldn't help thinking 'how cute!' through some of the scenes. And he was soooo girly!! And how much practice to be able to dance in a pair of heels? Ok, so not the stilettos Michelle Pfeiffer's character was wearing, but heels nontheless.

The chemistry between Edna and Christopher Walken as Wilbur was sweet. The scene I call the 'seduction scene' was sweet. Walken couldn't stop smiling and looked like he was going to burst into giggles.

And the new girl! What a voice!

I loved it. I can't wait for the dvd. And I think I'll overdose on the soundtrack for a while. Wow.

And by the end of the movie, all I could say was "Big is Beautiful!!" Long live the big.

Father's Day. Or How to Give the Man a Heart attack

Yes. Yesterday was Father's Day. And the girls gave MOTH some small gifts. And MOTH nagged me to call my own father.

A difficult task. Not that Pop Too and I don't get along. Quite the contrary. But he lives in another city, which means that I must actually pick up a phone and speak.

I don't have any trouble speaking. Anyone who knows me knows that quite well. I'm armed with opinions and like to share them around. But physically picking up a phone and calling. Well that's another thing entirely.

I hate them. Telephones. Says she who carts a mobile around with her. But that's the beauty of mobiles. You can SMS. Which means a conversation. Without speaking to someone.

But I did it. I phoned my father. Course, I had to fortify myself with a shopping trip first. Can't do these things cold turkey you know.

And I think he was pleasantly surprised. At least, I hope it was worth the effort. I save the phone calls for special occasions. Father's Day. Mother's Day. Christmas. ...... yep, that's about all.

But I do think of them often.

MOTH was pleased with his gifts. A voucher to use at Kmart. And dvd's. One featuring Jessica Alba. His favourite. And cards to go with them. Which, for some reason, both featured bodily functions. Of the same type. Which made him comment on their similarity. Accompanied by a sheepish smile and a bag full of denial. Wholly accurate, we vote. It's obviously a man thing.......