New beginnings. For some.

... You know, it's been about a week and a half since Chef left home. And how easy it's been to slip back into the old routine. The lounge room seems bigger. There is no one sitting at my desk. Constantly. We can mooch about the house in our pyjamas. There is still no food in the cupboard though.

... The Teen had her first day at school yesterday. Well, not first first, but first at her new school. I'm not certain she was impressed. She mumbled something in passing that it seemed ok, but it was all very scarey. I was busy at the time, so she didn't get much beyond "Well, it's new and different". Later she said she didn't want to talk about it.

I'm hoping she settles in all right. I understand it can be daunting. New school, new rules, new expectations, not to mention a whole lot of new people. And she doesn't do that type of stuff well. So she will surely need time to settle in. I'm hoping desperately that she will eventually drag herself out of that. And not spiral downward because she has convinced herself it's all too scarey and she cannot possibly cope.

Alas, she cannot be Piglet all her life... ... even if he is kinda cute ...

... Ground Hog Day ...

So for something different I decided to watch a dash of tv this morning. There is, after all, a tv in our bedroom. MOTH often retires to watch it after dinner. A bad habit, methinks, but then it does save some arguement about who watches what. Between he and I, that is.

But; I digress. We decided to flick on the tv before I went to finish getting ready for work. Oh, btw, I have no idea if this is what I was thinking about that was blogworthy. I suspect not.

There was some American morning show on. One of the ones that tries to follow the Australian format. And well they should. There is no way we would ever consider following theirs, right?

But the basic scenario was:

.. we watched it for a couple of minutes. Something about lapband surgery and how it's helped overweight people with diabetes.
.. cut to adds. About the new upcoming episodes of Bondi Rescue; something new with kids and hospitals and probably some other stuff. Which I forget for now.
.. back to the show. Something about lapband surgery and how it's helped overweight people with diabetes.
.. cut to adds. About the new upcoming episodes of Bondi Rescue; something new with kids and hospitals. If that much.
.. back to the show. What's Her Name Dreyfuss was on. That chick from Seinfeld. They talk for a couple of seconds.
.. cut to adds. About the new upcoming episodes of Bondi Rescue; something new with kids and hospitals.
.. back to the show. And about there, I think, dawned a whole new day.

Or something like that, anyway.

No, wait. I had to go to work. A repeat of yesterday...

Don't you hate it when.....

... you and MOTH are talking about something. It makes you giggle hysterically, and you find yourself thinking, Oo possible blogworthy!

But in the cold light of day, there's nothing there?

It's all in the name.

The Elder and I meet for lunch every week day. Usually, at least just lately, we dine at a cafe attached to a bookshop. Bolt down lunch then spend the rest of lunch hour browsing books.

Imagine my surprise then, while browsing through a book of sci fi baby names, to find.... Sol.

A liver-spotted old codger from somewhere or other. Oh yes, something called Soylent Green. Constantly waxing nostalgic. Everything was better in the old days. The world was better. Food was better. Actually, food is a big theme in that book / movie. Sol decides he would rather enter a sterile suicide chamber, than go without his lamb shanks.

Anyone see any pattern here?

Strangeness abounds....

Been a rather strange weekend, really.

... The Teen came home Friday. Hadn't been behaving. She managed to wrangle herself a severe tongue lashing. She's grounded. Until she's 18. Well, who knows. Priveleges back when she earns my trust again.

... Saturday we went out and purchased a couple of dresses for her to wear to school. With no uniforms, she needs something to wear. We also had to organise new ear jewelry. Something suitable for school. And a replacement, preferably a retainer, for her lip stud. We found a stretcher for her ear - slightly larger than what she currently wears, but the right size is scarce. Apparently! Retainers for lip piercings are as well. We ended up with a tiny plain black stud. I'm hoping they will find that passable.

... Saturday evening Teen and I were watching tele. Prince of Egypt. So, it's an old bible story, but heck, I love the animation. She was wriggling and I was beginning to find how just how bony her knees and shins are. After asking her to stop several times, I pinched the back of her leg. She reacted and kicked me in the nose. I know, it's a bit hard to miss. *Quiet, peanut gallery!*

Hurt like the blue blazes. And my eyes are streaming and my nose started to run. I asked for a tissue and she wouldn't get one. Nor, when she did, would she pass it over. She is busy chanting Your nose is bleeding while she dangled the box in front of me. I'm ashamed to say it, but I got angry and frustrated. I really showed her. Yep. I burst into tears. That's right. Ha. That'll learn her! It did give her a nasty shock though. She gave me the tissues. And she got an even bigger shock when she realised that my nose really was bleeding!

No black eye though.

... Sunday morning, bright and early, Chef left the building. We stayed at the airport long enough to make sure that we saw him cross the tarmac, and they pulled away the stairs. Then we left. His departure cost me a fortune, but I think MOTH thought it money well spent.

We got to the airport and at check in, they told him he had excess baggage, and would have to pay. Guess what. 6 kilos over, and a cost of $28. WHAT?!! Bloody airlines! Pay it or unpack 6 kg worth of stuff. And where, I wonder, was I supposed to put anything he unpacked? So, I had no choice. I had also brought my other wallet with me, and luckily had put my atm card in it. Just in case. Lucky.

And then they charged $11 for parking.

Glad I'm made of money...

... Got home. House is silent. Wandered back to bed for a bit of a quick nap - we were up at 0330. When I woke up, the lounge carpet is vacuumed, the lounge pushed back to where it should be. Wow. There is that much space in here?

... A message on Sunday afternoon. Sunny. He has been 'house sitting' with a friend. Close by. But the house has been full of transient friends. And he needed some quiet. We gave him coffee. We gave him a place to nap. We gave him food. And we sent him back.

But the quiet. And I can get changed into my jammies when I have a shower. Oo, look at me. Wandering the house in my jammies.....

Daring.

All quiet here on the Eastern Front.....

Things have been a little quiet here. Everything seems to have settled into some sort of routine. MOTH snipes at the Teen, the Teen snipes at MOTH; the Elder snipes at everyone; MOTH, the Teen and the Elder all join forces to snipe about Chef. Chef snipes at the Teen - through MSN. As you can see, all is wonderful.

Decided to take the bull by the horns and make a financial investment in my peace of mind.

I bought and paid for Chef's one way flight to Mackay. He tells me he wants to spend time with his grandparents. All going well, he flies out of Brisbane at 0620 on Sunday. MOTH thought it money well spent. I'm not going to celebrate though until I am standing at the airport and the plane is taxi-ing out to the runway. Then I might breathe.

Till then, all is quiet on the Eastern Front.

Wild animal rescue....

It never rains but it pours at my house.

Night before last it was an owl they rescued. Last night it was a kitten. I'm inclined to believe it was feral. Or at least headed that way.

They heard it crying in the back yard. I was in the bedroom and got up to investigate. MOTH continued on watching the tv. Totally oblivious. But then, he is that a lot these days.

So, I looked to see what the noise was. And next thing, the Elder creeps around the side of the house. The first thing I noticed was that she was wearing my expensive thongs. Oi!

I went out a little later. After I noticed both Elder and the Teen creeping about the back yard and through the gardens, armed with a towel. They almost had it captured at that point. But I was very sharply admonished not to come any closer. Then directed toward the bushes at a particular spot. I wasn't happy with the catching of the thing. The RSPCA wouldn't have any interest in it. And frankly, neither did I.

Teen nearly had it. Then it had her. She had scratches and a bite to boot. Elder managed to get it wrapped in the blanket. But I deliberately made a none too subtle move and it wriggled out of her hands. Back into the bush she just pulled it from. Then it dived across the yard and tried to jump the fence. It succeeded the second time, when I made a move toward it. Up and over the fence and gone. I heaved a sigh of relief.

I always knew being big and scarey would come in handy some day.

Wonder what's going to show up next?

Now owl did that happen?

Sitting here, feasting on the leftovers from something Chef cooked for dinner night before last. He has now cooked dinner two nights running and I am wondering what he's sucking up for. He hasn't cooked for a little while now. He leaves it till late, Ken gives up waiting and starts something. Or leaves it for me to start. It was a seafood fettucini, with a cream based sauce. And chilli. I told him about medium, but I think it turned out medium/hot. The prawns in it were delicious though!

I did mention that we had given the Chef the date. Everyone seems to be on the countdown now. It will be good to have some privacy back. You know, the small things you take for granted when living with your family - like the quick dash to the bedroom from the bathroom while just wearing your underwear; roaming about the house dressed in your jammies. I seem to be the only household member these days who can tolerate him. And even I am looking forward to the end.

The dinner he cooked last night was home made chicken nuggets, chips and some vinegarette dressing thing with tomatoes and onion. I ate all I was given. The girls weren't keen to eat anything Chef might have cooked and were going to go out and get takeaway. I managed to talk them out of that and getting dessert instead.

Took them a while to come back with it though. But the Elder walked into the house holding something carefully wrapped in a towel. The Teen followed excitedly behind.

Turns out that while out wasting time and avoiding the house, they came across a bird that had been stunned by a car. It was an owl. A dainty little brown bundle of feathers it was. They thought it might have been a boobook, based on an acquaintance with one who lives on campus. After dinner - the Elder raved about the chicken, out of Chef's earshot of course - they rushed out to take the owl to a friend who is a wild life carer.

The owl turned out to be a barn owl. It was in excellent health although a little concussed and probably dehydrated. It will be released by the carer today.

They didn't get a photo. And, sorry to say, neither did I.

2008 Whatever next?

Well, it's been a mad rush. At least, it certainly seems like it. Then again, my life seems to be flying by like a hamsters treadmill. On speed. That is when it's not a mad, mad whirl like the fabled Eleanor Rigby's.

Christmas has been and gone. I eventually relented and let them put up the tree about a week before the main event. Did I mention that in a previous post? I think I did. Sunny was over at the time. The girls got into it, Chef stated unequivocally that he hated Christmas. It was a sentiment echoed by Sunny. I rolled my eyes and said nothing. But guess which one of them asked if they could join in the decorating?

The main event arrived. Along with some really great gifts. I felt on edge from the moment I woke up. Maybe I was expecting trouble. And it arrived. Chef started in on the 'hate Christmas' angle, complete with expletives. Untill I growled his name from the kitchen. He went quiet. He did cook us breakfast though; french toast and bacon. I almost forgave him. Almost. The gifts were doled out and lo; Chef had one. He told me later it was his first ever Christmas gift.

I finally managed to gather the courage in both hands, and gave Chef a 'move out' date. Australia Day weekend. That was tough. The Elder thinks we should be careful. She's of the opinion that some of our stuff could move out with him. How the heck did she get so cynical and bitchy? It's not like she has ever 'lived' enough to develop that. Her cynicism does indeed exceed my own. And I've worked at Centrelink.

New Year also came and went. Now how did that happen? But this year, I managed to stay up and see the year in. Do I amaze you? MOTH tells me it was about 0230 when I dragged myself off to bed. Mind, I was awake again just after 0500. I moved out of the room though after listening to enough musical breathing to drive myself crazy.

And didn't get to sleep again until about 2330 last night. Haven't had late nights like that for many years now. Phone me around 1500 today to wake me up, will you?