Sunday, March 27, 2011

Sunday morning. On a high.

It's 07:10 Sunday morning. It looks like it's going to be a good morning.

I discover that Sheldon has removed the pins from the notice board again. Time to repepper I think.

The sun is out. A gentle breeze rustles the palm fronds and the trees and moves the light clouds across the crystal blue sky. It's a good morning for outdoors. I grab the little shovel and a pair of hedge clippers. MOTH mowed the back lawn yesterday so it's time to tackle some of the heavier work. With all the rain over Christmas/New Year, a lack of drive, and a mower only working sometimes, it's the first time it's been mowed properly in a while.

Fred comes with me to supervise.

Sheldon sits at the back door and picks at the insect screen. Let me out, he's asking.

The biggest problem is that the garden waste bin is on the other side of the house and there is no wheel barrow. Small bits at a time. I work at trimming the trees first. Landscaped gardens they said. Not by my books! What sort of landscaper worth his salt would put trees that grow metres tall in the same area as a rotary clothes line? Under the line in fact.
The dogs next door start to bark, and I decide that it's time to quit as they are becoming quite noisy. I haven't managed to accomplish much.

Fred and I play for a little while. It is a lovely morning.

Sheldon and Jerome are rebellious today. They are indoor cats who long to be outdoor cats. They haunt the side door, waiting for me to come in. Usually a gentle toe in the ribs and the word Boot is enough to shift them; Sheldon rolls on his side so you have to step over him. Today, he decides to attack *ouch! teeth and claws on bare feet hurt!*

It's a team effort. While Sheldon is holding me down, Jerome dashes out the not quite closed screen door. Straight into Freddy. Luckily. Jerome would dash for the deepest part of the garden if given a chance. Where the rampant ferns, dead palm fronds and spiders live...

Fred and I manage to get him back inside. He heads for my outdoor smelling thongs, and Sheldon has somehow managed to shuck his collar. He wants his share of the thongs and refuses to sit still for a collar that he does not like.

When the novelty of the thongs wears off, it's time to scruff with Jerome again, run up the walls and all the way up the screen door.

It's now 07:30. Surely things will calm down now? No, wait! Whew. That was close. He nearly hurled on the carpet....

It's a little quieter now......

The rest of the week has been quiet too. The construction work is still ongoing, although it seems they have finished work on Level 5. They waterproofed the balcony outside our office. It's now an almost glaringly reflective white. Hopefully that won't last too long. The little tree growing in the debris has been uprooted and removed. We think the building is going to fall down now.

Contractors decided that in order to finish the waterproofing they must turn of the airconditioning for the day on Wednesday. The General Manager gives us permission to work from home that day. Whoo! Late Wednesday we get an email from the GM to advise the airconditioning didn't go off, and must be done another day. It's Friday and we are sent to work from home again.

I don't mind this working from home gig at all!

It certainly made Friday a bit easier. A trip to the doctor to check test results. Bummer. Low iron and B12. Injections once a week for the next 5 weeks, then test again.

I think I am going to find out what a pin cushion feels like...

Monday, March 21, 2011

Bus fares. Who'd have them....

Been a very quiet week this week. The office building still looks like a construction site. We've not been able to access the internal staircase all of last week. I shouldn't complain but with the drilling, paint, glue, people, wires, and stuff it just seems stupid to wait several minutes for a lift to go one flight of stairs.

Or is that just me?

The renovation continues through this next week as well. For some time I think. And to think, it's not even for us. Level 5 is being refit for a totally different group of people to move in while they have their area refurbished. This has happened before - apparently no one wants to work in the building we have to work in. Terrible, isn't it.

This Monday when we came into the office, we found that builders had left their rubbish behind and in our office entrance way. Nice surprise for the first in on Monday. A bin full of plaster cut offs, stair railings, and plastic bollards. Our area is supposed to be secure. It has a keypad for entry. Cheeky!

The electrician came in to do our fluro tubes. Several of them have needed replacing for a few weeks by now. He was most surprised to find the lights in the General Manager's office had burnt out. Completely. The capacitor and a couple of other parts needed replacing. He mentioned that it should have made a loud noise and smelled terrible. When I eventually mentioned this to the GM, he said Oh yes, there was a smell...

The rest of the week was uneventful until Friday. I decided on a whim to change my earrings. Replace the sleepers with studs. Sheldon was on the bed 'helping' me make it. I probably wouldn't mind so much but he helps with his claws extended. I'm getting lots of little holes in the doona and sheets!

The bed is made and I'm changing the earrings. There is a movement and POUNCE! Sheldon has dived for the earring and OH NO! HE'S EATING IT! I dig my fingers in his mouth and there's nothing there. DAMMIT! I'm devastated. HE'S EATEN MY DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE EARRING! The ones MOTH bought me many years ago.

But I move the edge of the pillow case and there it is. *wilts*

Friday lunch time Elder arrives home. She's moved back for a while. To save some money and to look after Freddy. He needs his owner around.

Saturday it's raining. Elder decides to head out to a fairly local shopping centre and see if she can find something in the Smiggle shop. Just because. We head down the drive to the car and can hear Freddy whining as we leave.

It's not in that Smiggle store. We head out for another. It's still raining and parking is scarce. At least under cover. We head for a higher level where there is no shelter. Heading for the nearest entrance, Elder spied ... puddles. She laughs and has a go at splashing me. She gets me a little bit and I splash back. We're laughing and kicking and by the time we finish, my skirt is soaked to the knees. I have to wring it out before I can enter the centre. A young bloke walks past. He's smirking. Don't care, I'm having fun.

Yes, the thing she wants is in that store but not at the price she was looking for so she decides to leave it. We look at the time and heavens! It's after lunch.

Sunday was lovely quiet. Mother called fairly early and I tell her that everyone else is asleep - even Sheldon and Jerome. Jerome is feeling a little unwell today. Later I settle in to watch Resident Evil: Apocolypse. MOTH started but couldn't last the distance. This is ridiculous he pronounces. And heads off to Facebook.

This morning I cleaned out the cat trays in the laundry. Completed the task and surveyed the room. Happened to look up......

Monday, March 14, 2011

I must remember to go to the post office...

I actually have a letter to post! Yes, I do. I've been desperately trying to save to attend an interstate wedding. I've finally given up the ghost and had to send an inability. Took me a while to find one too. I was beginning to think that I was old fashioned and they didn't exist anymore.

It's the tail end of summer and into early autumn. The grounds are crowded with corellas at play. They can be very noisy, calling to each other from the trees. Zman and I could have sworn we heard one call Hello as we passed underneath!

I stepped out of the bedroom and heard a commotion from the kitchen. Thinking it was Sheldon raiding the rubbish again, I started yelling. Only to discover that both cats where actually in the same room as I. Jerome flattened himself to the floor; Sheldon bolted across the room and threw himself into the recliner. No one does Innocent like that cat, I tell you. I've still got no idea what they were doing.

This weekend I decided it was time for a blow the budget completely event. We went out to dinner at Sizzler. For those not familiar, it's a family restaurant where you can order from a menu, or pay for all you can eat salad/dessert bar. With all you can drink softdrink/coffee for a little more. We chose the salad bar option. I started with a hot food plate - alredo, potato bake, nachos. I was a little disappointed with that one; the alfredo lacked flavour and the potato wasn't cooked properly. Second plate was salad. Green garden salad, seafood salad and a smoked salmon and prawn salad. Not too bad but I was worried that I wouldn't be able to fit in dessert! Must have been the softdrink filling me up. A small respite and off for dessert. I started with my traditional vanilla icecream, chocolate mousse and chocolate sprinkles. My fave dessert from there. And went back for seconds ... vanilla icecream, warm custard and rainbow sprinkles. Yay!

We had dined early and headed back home. MOTH loves his radio so we listened to his usual old person station. The song says Rev it up, rev it up little boy and ride... And a car cruises past with a rear window sticker that says Yeah, I ride. Timing!

We arrived home, noticed junk mail in the letter box. MOTH goes to fetch it and spots a parcel near the front door. Goodness knows how long it's been sitting there; Mr Observant he's not.

Open the garage door to this..... He seemed very pleased with himself!He sleeps on an old blanket now. Luckily the rest of the bed is ok!

The rest of the weekend was quiet and spent playing WoW and wishing tomorrow wasn't a work day. Sigh.....

Monday, March 07, 2011

Quick March!

Yes. All together much too quickly. I can't believe that we're into the third month already.

Zman has been out of action this week so I have had to catch the bus. There is more to look at and a bit more to blog about.

Monday must have been boring because I have no notes for that day. The kids are gone and the house is quiet. Well, it might be if Sheldon didn't keep getting into mischief. And encouraging Jerome to do the same.

Tuesday and I'm standing at the stop in the city waiting for my changeover. A car moves into the bus zone and drops off a passenger. A bus is coming down the hill and wanting to change lanes. The car starts to move out but is effectively blocking the bus so it can't move in. A simple stop completely would let the bus move in front and allow the car to take their lane behind the bus. But no. The bloke in the car makes a gesture. The bus pulls along side, the doors open and the woman driver yells at the man in the car. I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE POINTING AT ME! She was quite cross. And well she should be. Cars are supposed to keep out of bus zones!

I note all the students pile into the bus at the popular stop. Once the bus was nearly empty. Now it's standing room only. Further along a mother with a preschooler and a toddler gets on. Two of the female students vacate their seat for her. NOT A SINGLE MALE SHIFTS IN THEIR SEAT. Sad state of affairs when the girls, one of whom maybe be pregnant herself, offer their seats.

Wednesday a student gets on the bus. His t-shirt states that zombies hate fast food. It makes my morning.

Thursday and it's bring on the weekend! It's still so far away. I'm at the bus changeover in good time. I'm waiting and waiting and the scheduled bus does not arrive. A twenty minute wait for the next one. Sigh. While I'm standing there, a car pulls into the bus zone. *yep. another one* I can see two adult males occupying the front seat. The rear passenger door opens and out spills three adult females, a preschooler and a young baby. Obviously overloaded and unrestrained children. Really, what are people thinking! It's all very well wanting a trip into the city, but please! Think out your transport options carefully!

I'm finally on the bus and I can see flashing lights. It's a fire engine. The fireies are gathered in a group on the footpath, some crouched, some with jackets off. But alas, I cannot see what they are doing.

Friday. Finally. The light is creeping in through the bedroom window. I'm awake early again. It's still semidark and I can see something on the wall just above MOTH's pillow. I can't quite make it out. Is it moving? Don't think so. But I don't have any clue what it may be. The light strengthens and I can now see what it is.... WTF? It's the spot bandaid I put on my finger before I went to bed...... How the heck did that get stuck to the wall?????

I try to sleep in on Saturday. It's a lost cause. I can hear the cats scratching at the door. Alright, alright. I'm up. But you can still wait for your breakfast.

MOTH is getting tired of Sheldon leaping halfway up the wall to the shelves and stealing. Stuff. He steals stuff. Pins, photos, hearing aids. It doesn't matter; we think it's the thrill of the chase. MOTH rearranges the room. It takes him a while and keeps him out of mischief while I wash the doona cover and vacuum around him. The cats have taken to sleeping on the bed, and they are shedding. Terribly.

I go back to my room and suddenly there is a commotion from the study. The change of position of the desk has failed to deter Sheldon and he has launched himself from the desk instead of the chair. I might have to consider drastic measures. Or we could just keep the door closed. Poor MOTH. It's hot in that room with the door closed.

Sunday is a lazy day. We don't do much of anything. I run another campaign on Starcraft, level a couple of WoW characters, and take a couple of naps. Jerome jumps from the couch to the top of the lace curtain. Luckily it doesn't tear. Roast rolled turkey breast for dinner and then Bones.

All is quiet now and it's just the end of another crazy week.