Monday, January 31, 2011

Happy Straya Day mate!

How did you celebrate Australia Day? It seems to be a day for lamb on the barbie with ya mates, sinking a stubbie or two. Me? Eggnititioning and Triple J's Hottest 100 countdown.

This year though was steak on the barbie for lunch with just MOTH and I. No Triple J - I don't like what's been making the charts the last couple of years. Pizza for dinner. Yes! On our way to Brodies and MOTH asks, do you want pizza? Who was I to say no? I love international Australia Day!

New toys at work this week. Yep, out goes the desktop and in comes the laptop. With a new 27inch screen to boot. What the heck I want with a screen that big is beyond me, but nevertheless I have it.

Still getting used to the new operating system - Windows 7. MOTH runs this on his laptop at home and I don't like it much. I'd rather use my iMac....

The house-guests - Sheldon and Jerome - are now getting along like a house on fire. They've reached the playing and licking each other stage. Always a good sign. All I have to do now is find a way to stop Sheldon eating so much. Wish me luck!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Three days

A three day holiday doing not much of anything.

Washing some bedsheets.
Attempting to weed the garden before giving up.
Trimming up and disposing of some of the fallen palm fronds.
Breaking in the outdoor clothesline again.
Trimming back the hibiscus to make a path to the side garden where the clothesline is.

A random says to me "you're a beautiful lady and your dress is beautiful too". So says her 3 year old granddaughter, a delightful little princess in a multicoloured flowing dress. Her grandmother tells me she likes flowing things.

If only we gave ourselves and each other more compliments like that.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Whaa? I think I missed that!

Someone has so kindly pointed out that it's back to work next week. And I haven't even had my holiday yet!

Monday it was still raining. We planned to see a movie today. Ah well. We'll only get wet from the carpark to the cinema, right? MOTH came too, and babysat the umbrella while we watched Tangled. Loved it! There were some funny one liners and a teary bit *alright, I won't admit that was me, but I'm sure SOMEONE would have cried*

It didn't rain while we were indoors apparently. Typical.

Tuesday was ... ... ... rain. Yep. MOTH and I had doctor visits. It was MOTH's scheduled post op check up. He had to negotiate a new way there - the road he would normally take was cut. He sent me a text to let me know he'd arrived safely. I didn't get the text until after he had returned from the appointment. He told me he'd sent one. See? Not there. I reset the phone. And hey! There it is! Stupid phones and carrier services.

It was sunny Wednesday morning. Amazing! We stayed home. Nowhere to go really. The park would still have been a swimming hole and roads to anywhere are still cut due to the flooding. Another boring day.

Thursday was payday and we decided to take a chance and see what the shopping situation was like. We had heard stories of people panic buying and leaving nothing on the shelves. I hate that. I totally hate the selfishness of panic buying. Not a thought in their heads, they head off to buy whatever they can fit on their pantry shelves. Which leaves nothing for anyone else. And the most likely scenario is that it goes off before they can use it anyway. Or they lose power themselves and it all spoils. Stupid stupid people. There were plenty of stories of empty shelves and closed supermarkets because there was nothing left to sell.

We headed to our local supermarket and to our surprise, there were people everywhere. Most stock was plentiful; the only noticeable shortage was bread, eggs, milk, and tinned goods. Plenty of tinned asparagus though if you wanted that!

I overheard someone say that she could get to the shops in a nearby suburb, but they were all shut. Including the big supermarkets. That could explain the number of people at ours - they were coming from other places.

Reading over my work emails from home, I notice the University is closed until 19 January. I'm missing all the excitement - I'm on holidays.

Friday web updates lead us to believe the highway has opened again so we will travel tomorrow. Rabbit seems less than impressed.

Saturday is not raining either. Been a sunny last few days. Last minute tidy up, close the windows and off we go. We're not sure of some of the local roads - they've only just opened. One is still closed so we are forced to find a detour. We go slowly and the devastation in some areas is shocking. High water marks on buildings metres above ground. People are cleaning up and roadsides are lined with debris. Signage tells us the toll for the tunnel is waived, so we take it.

Wow. Might have to consider getting a pass for that one. We're across town in about half an hour. Well done!

Somewhere out on the highway we are tailing a car with something *a jacket?* thrown over the passenger seat. We can't quite see what it is. It looks like club colours. Black something but we can't make out the rest. We laugh as we pass - the bumper sticker says sponsored by Centrelink.

The rest of the journey is uneventful. Until we reach Gin Gin. Uh oh. A flat! It's sunny and very hot. There is no shade near the car. Luckily it's a rest stop so we send Rabbit, #1 and #2 to wait under the umbrellas. MOTH is doing it tough - the spare has to go on the rear, and the rear replaces the one on the front. It seems our full size sedan only has a 'toy tyre' for a spare. They call them space savers. What a laugh!

I'm worried that MOTH is going to hurt himself and I decide to help where I can. I've never changed a tyre before. Things get a little interesting toward the end. The saver is on and we are working on the front. Just lift the tyre into place and the car rolls off the jack! Luckily no one was in harms way and the car stopped as soon as it left the jack. Close call! It must have been on a slight slope. The car is auto, so the handbrake wasn't engaged. It was after that, let me tell you!

80km an hour after that. Slow going. But #1 and #2 behaved themselves the whole way. Very well done.

Sunday we spent the afternoon visiting with Ma and Pa. The weather was hot and humid.

Monday we spent some time with Ma, the Teen, Skywalker. The Elder joined us later. Wow - she looked amazing. She was handing out some resumes and had really made an effort. Hair was pinned off her face, a hot pink tailored blouse, black skirt with shoe print and pretty pink high heels the same colour as the blouse. Wonderful!

Mouse lent me her car to drive while MOTH checked out repairing the flat.

Roast rolled turkey breast for dinner and boy was it nice! Apple and cranberry stuffing. Might do that for myself one day.

Home yesterday with two cats in the car. This trip was uneventful. Sheldon spent quiet time in the cat carrier. Jerome cries constantly in one of those so he wears a lead and harness and rides in the passengers lap. He doesn't travel that well, but at least he's quiet that way.

Home to a power cut. It's very hot and humid. At around 8pm we decide to see what's about and head up the road. Hey! They have power! And here was I thinking nothing would be cooking. We certainly weren't! We buy a couple of sausage rolls and head home. Wolf them down and off to bed. Nothing else doing really. It's so hot!

This morning power is restored. And Ma calls to see if it's back. Over the course of the conversation, she reminds me that there are only a few days of my holiday left. Oh no!

And I haven't even had a holiday yet! How depressing.....

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

There's a snail in my herbs!

Several of them actually. The rain is bringing them out from everywhere. Along with a multitude of caterpillars. Yes, it's still raining. The highway is cut again, making our planned return north somewhat doubtful.

It's been a busy week.

We didn't see the New Year in; we were all too tired. New Year's day was spent quietly. The highlight of the day was watching 4 lorikeets and 4 galahs fight for rights to the bird feeder. It looked a pretty even match until the lorikeets called in reinforcements. The galahs decided descretion was the winning argument and left. *exciting lives we lead*

Monday dawned humid and overcast. There is a small park down the road with lots of kicking room and a basketball hoop. I take #2 there to play for a while. It was soggy! Too soggy to kick the ball, but we shoot a few hoops before we head back. The showers came through. Again. A trip out to a shopping centre is in order. We don't stay out long.

Tuesday is still overcast with showers. We decide to head to a different shopping mall. We debate if this one is bigger than yesterdays or the same size. Since we don't know how many stores there are, it's a moot point. We approach the escalators. Uh oh. #2 starts to get panicky. I'd forgotten they didn't have experience with escalators! We made it through and by the time we left he was riding like a veteran.

We toured the shops for what felt like ages. I didn't know a person could spend that much time in a single store.... And only the stores that are familiar. We start at the top level three and work down. We make it to level two. When I mention taking the escalator to the bottom level, Rabbit decides it's time to go home.

Wednesday is the big outing day. It's overcast for something different. We have plans to visit the museum and catch a movie. But first we have to take an hour bus ride. I dose them with travel sickness tablets. Just in case. I find out on the bus that there is a chance that #2 hasn't taken his. Rabbit dropped it and left him to retrieve it and take it. Fingers crossed there are no disasters!

We spend some time at South Bank, walking along the boardwalk and stopping briefly to look at the temple. The sun comes out briefly. We pass the Wheel. It costs to ride, but Rabbit isn't enthusiastic anyway. We take the lift and cross the overpass to the museum. #1 really enjoyed the turtle display, #2 enjoyed the dinosaurs. What he managed to see I'm not sure, he didn't seem to pay them much attention.

Into the city for lunch. There is a new store, Bread Top. It sells only bread products; naan bread, muffins, croissants, sweet and savoury rolls, danish. All sorts of interesting things. I settle on naan bread and a sweet bun for lunch.

We head home and #2 dozes off on the bus.

After our big day out, we decide to spend the next day home. MOTH and I go out briefly to see Sunny and exchange Christmas presents. Sunny has given me the Robot Chicken Star Wars II dvd! Whoo! I gave him a little book with funny sayings. He seemed to like it. We chatted a while and left. We made it to the food court but oh! It's bucketing down. We sit to wait it out *the umbrella is in the car* and hey! The roof leaks! Fun.

Saturday it's still raining but we head over to another local shopping centre; a smaller one. We spend some time there and head home. Sunday is still raining. I'm trying to think of things they can do that gets them away from television. The rain makes it hard as they can't go outside. Over the course of the week they've been taking quiet time that involves drawing, bouncing the ball - anything I can think of. Today I cut some potatoes and lay out a bit of paint. *stupid rain*

Maybe I should bake a cake... But I'm not sure they could handle the sugar rush.

Saturday, January 01, 2011

4 season in one day.

Week TWO

Sometime there, not sure if it was Sunday or Monday, I proposed to Elder that we take Sheldon. She wan't too enthusiastic at first but came around to my point of view. She promptly decided she would see if she could find alternate accommodation for Fred. Fred is boarding at mum's. She did. The Teen is taking him. She collected Fred that day.

On Monday we went to visit mum and I quizzed her about staying longer. If I did, could I bunk there? Mouse piped up, wondering why I didn't want to stay there. I thought you might have been a bit weary of entertaining very odd visitors. Nope, she says. So we are set to stay till Thursday.

We went out to dinner that night with the girls and their respective beaus. Wow. I don't think I've laughed that much for a very long time. The Teen and her boy Skywalker, the Elder and her boy Captain Camouflage. *cc for short* Yes, another. But this one seems to be more suited than Subs.

I'm not sure how CC got his name. It seems to be an in joke among the four of them.

Tuesday dawned overcast and guess what. Raining! Again. Still. Whatever.

Wednesday. The roads south are cut! Why the heck did we stay? We keep an eye on the news and the web to see what is happening. We still have an alternate route planned.

Thrusday dawned beautiful. The blue is breaking through, it's not raining and the breeze is blowing. The roads are still cut. BUT NOW OUR ALTERNATE ROUTE IS CUT TOO! Grrrr!

We consoled ourselves with a quick outing to the shops. While there I spied a familiar face, but I'm not able to put a name to her. Hello Froggy she says. Uh oh. I explain I'm Froggy's sibling. She's a little embarrassed, but not much. She chats for a bit and asks how Froggy is going. Swell, I say.

I've not been mistaken for Froggy for a very long time. *for those not in the know, froggy and i are siblings and often mistaken for twins when we were younger*

This afternoon MOTH checks the reports again. Our original route is opened again but expect delays. We decide to leave in the morning.

Friday we say goodbye to Mouse before she heads out to work. A quick tidy up then off to do the rounds of our kids to say hooroo. Then out to mum's to collect Rabbit and her kids. We are taking them for a holiday. They've been looking forward to it very much and didn't like having to wait longer.

Mum tried to talk me out of it but I stuck my fingers in my ears and went la la la alalalalalalalal. As you do.

We packed all in the car. Tight fit! The day was long, but they behaved themselves till we were nearly home. I guess #2 was getting a little antsy by then. All in all, I think they did well.

The roads home were clear. There was plenty of traffic going both ways but I think the road surface was about the same or even a little better than our trip up! It was possible to see where some of the river water had been with crushed reeds and mud covered leaves to halfway up the trees. Impressive in places. It didn't rain.

We're home earlier than we expected. Around 6pm.

So today it dawns full of promise .... of a rainy day. Gods but I hate the rain....

it's like 4 seasons in one day.

Or two weeks worth of doings crammed into one post...

Week ONE *that could almost make a good title for a movie!*

It's Monday and I'm finally on holidays! Whoo! Seems like I've been waiting for this moment for ever. The Elder also gets home today. It's good to see her and Fred seems to think so too. He seems to be deliriously happy. I'm checking my facebook account and lo! There is a message from Sub's mother, telling me how poor they are this Christmas; that the Elder owes them all this money and surely I could help them out? And she made sure to tell me that the Elder also wrote on the walls and Subs has been working hard to clean it off. Cheeky!

I really don't know what the purpose of the email could have been. I'm certainly nowhere near as well off as she. And if the Elder really does owe that amount of back rent, what the heck rent was she charging for a rat and flea infested two room hovel in a very overgrown backyard full of rubbish? With not even, I might add, a flushing toilet?

The Elder it seems took the offer to not pay rent when she became unemployed at face value...

On Tuesday MOTH has appointment with his GP. The suture site looks fine for the most part but the ends of the incision are becoming a little inflamed. It's still weeping. Infected the GP states. A course of antibiotics for you!

Wednesday morning we left on the road trip. Hoping to get away around 6am we finally left home around 6.45am. Through the city and out on the highway, I spy a chap riding a motorcycle. He's wearing shorts *silly* and I can see the hairs on his legs blowing in the wind!

There are delays on the way. It seems a truck has gone off the side of the road and I'm hoping his family doesn't have to deal with the full impact of a truck crash. We stop near Maryborough for Sexie coffee. The Elder assures me it is VERY good. MOTH buys me a coffee while I take Fred and Sheldon for pit stops. He comes back. Plum pudding flavour he says proudly. Alas, it tastes just like an ordinary flat white. His and Elders have much more flavour - they are mocha.

The road is bad! Full of rough patches and potholes. And this our national highway??

On Thursday we took the Teen to have the phone changed over to her name. There is no trouble doing this, but when it comes to actually giving her the phone, they won't. Until the account is fully activated. Just in case. What?? I've never had this happen before. I got a new account with Optus 3 years ago and I got the phone straight up then. Oh, they say. We can't give you that. And it could take up to 24 hours for the account to activate. The Teen is so very not happy!

The following day we're back at the shop to check to see if it is ready. Success! Finally.

Saturday is Christmas day. We head out to mum's after breakfast for the grand present opening. Everyone finds a spot while Dad gives out all the presents, one by one. MOTH and I manage to snag a double slow cooker. I steal some recipes from Mouse's new recipe book. *grins* Both MOTH and I have managed to bag some good stuff. We head back to Mouse's place to get changed and then off for lunch at a local restaurant. The food was good and the restaurant not too crowded.

Boxing day dawns and we head to mum's for lunch. Roast lamb. Who can pass that up? We decide to catch up with the kids later on in the day. I ask MOTH if he would consider taking Sheldon back with us. I feel that the Elder is going to have trouble housing the two of them. A friend has offered a place, but only if they get along with her pets. it is much easier for Fred to get on with her small dog than it would be for Sheldon to get along with her two cats. He agrees. But oh! I've misjudged how much it would cost for fuel to get here. There isn't enough in my bank account now. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Mother has mentioned in passing she would give me some, but I don't want to have to rely on that.

Maybe I could stay till Thursday *payday*?