Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The Week That Went Too Fast

I can't decide if it were a fast week, or a slow one actually.

I'm stopped at the traffic lights on my way to work. There has been a red mazda in front of me that doesn't seem to be able to travel in a straight line. It's now in the lane beside me as we wait for the lights to change. A movement at my peripheral vision makes me look. The red car is stopped between two vehicles ... and rolling backward and forward between them. What. An. Idiot. Glad they aren't in my lane!

MOTH has managed to get in and shift some stuff around in the garage to make room for Elder and Burrich. And all their junk. He's even put out a couple of markers so they don't go beyond that and block the clothes line.

So. Everything looks settled. Jerome can sense the tension. He's wandering around lost and a little cuddly.

Looks like rain today. They are scheduled to arrive but we aren't sure when.

There goes the neighbourhood! They are on their way and I get a text to say they were stopped at the driver reviver station at Granite Creek. They've even managed to score a box of biscuits as the bloke serving the coffee said they expire in a month and they need to get rid of them. Nice one!

MOTH and I are going out to dinner with the Baby Sitters Club. Most of them anyway - the evening has promise as Wombat will not be there. Elder and her crew are welcome to join if they arrive in time. We've decided on Sizzler. It's been a while since I have been there.

Elder and her crew have arrived. All is noise of course and the first things unloaded are Sheldon and Penny. I have relegated them to the bathroom for the time being. They are flea treated and watered and there they shall stay until tomorrow I think. When we are home to supervise the introductions.

John and his daughter collect us. We've decided to use the train as the restaurant is part of the shopping village and the station is right underneath. Much easier than driving and trying to catch a parking space. I've forgotten to warn them - not experienced public transport users - to carry change. Uh oh. But I think we can eftpos the fare. It turns out we can't but the ticket office is open.

The train is at the platform and I am fielding questions from K about how I know it's the right one. We board and wait, John and K in one set of 4 seats, MOTH and I across the aisle in the other. From there, it's one long laugh fest until we reach our station. K stops for a ciggie but it turns out the rest of the party have beaten us!

The kids don't end up joining us - they've flaked and are running on empty.

The night is a blast. We've arrived early, around 5pm and the place is almost empty. By the time we leave an hour and a half later, it is packed. I'm glad we decided on an early dinner! The ticket booth at the destination station is not open and we have to use the TVM (ticket vending machine). A lass is in front of us, we have 15 minutes to get the tickets and down on to the platform. She is so organised! She presses the buttons, digs around in her back for her gocard, fiddles about some more and I can see the clock ticking away. By the time she's finished and we make it down the platform we have about 8 minutes to wait. Needn't have worried so much after all.

We must do it again. Different restaurant next time? Who knows. I did find out that I let the cat out of the bag that morning. Apparently K and I are in charge of planning a bbq when Stan returns from the UK. I didn't know it was a secret ...

Not much happening Sunday. Looking around my messy house. Love 'em to bits but missing when it was just me. And MOTH. And Jerome. Already...

I think the cats have reached an uneasy truce. That is still yet to be determined.

Monday, September 17, 2012

The Dr is in the House!

Well, he's not really. He's on my iPad at work. Except this week because I forgot to bring it.

Our ABC is screening this series on their website prior to it screening on Free To Air. Which is totally delightful, and I'm really enjoying this series. So far. This is week three. If it continues in the same vein of fun as it has begun, it will be a ripper.

Rode the bus to work twice this week. And what do you know? I've seen some odd things. Driving to work never gives me much of an opportunity for the weird!

I'm staring out the bus window as we pass through the city on the way to the last stop. Oh. There's a cat on the ledge at the edge of the garden bed. Wait. No, not a cat. What is it? Still thinking it's some sort of animal *a possum?* I look again and realise it's ... A WIG! Someone has left their hair the in the garden! And it wasn't even a party wig...

Cruising along the riverside, daydreaming out the window. Yes, I'm on the bus. Again. Oh. The dredge is right alongside the river bank. There is a truck and a 4WD parked on it. Spares I guess, just in case the water gets a bit shallow? You never know!

Today is R U OK day. The wider work *we are but merely a part of a whole* is having a morning tea. I've RSVP'd in the affirmative as it is in a good cause, particularly after recent events. It turns out that no one else in my office is going. Slack, lazy lot! For heaven's sake, it means a 10 minute shuttle bus ride to and from campus! *shakes head*

Since I'm catching the bus, I let all know that I will be going straight there instead of coming into the office first. I can pick up GM's replacement mobile, some coffee beans to replenish the machine while I'm there. My supervisor is fine with this. Morning tea is early at 09:30 to avoid a clash with another meeting. The morning tea is great; set up out on the balcony. Fortunately there is some small amount of shade for the tables but the tim tams are still getting a bit soft! The sun has bite in it, even at this time of day.

There are many faces there that are familiar but whose names I don't know. But I have asked some of those I do know how they have been. It is actually good to catch up with them. I don't know why my lot don't seem to want to make the effort. Off now to catch the shuttle and ..... darn. It's driving up the road and I'm still too far from the stop for him to see me if I wave.

I let my supervisor know and settle down for a half hour wait till the next one. Brilliant day weather wise and I'm glad I'm outdoors.

Turns out work had their own spur of the minute thing.

Saturday I look at the kitchen window and think it needs cleaning. I'll try the new Norwex cloth. I've used just water and most of the grime lifts off and it doesn't streak. Impressive. I wipe some of the cupboard fronts, splashback and bench tops.

But now I can see the grass. It's dying in a very rapid way. Out to water it but there is no nozzle on the hose! Dammit. I use it anyway and try to make spray using my fingers. It works. In that I get soaked. Without even realising it at first. Think being blonde is rubbing off.

I've shifted clothes and folded up the stretcher bed. MOTH helps me move the single bed from the end room to replace the stretcher. The chair moves as well, along with the small cabinet. Yes folks, Elder and Burrich are coming down to house hunt. But with all their funiture in tow. Yep, they are moving in...

I'm looking out the front window. Again, the lawn is dead. In fact, it's worse than the side lawn. The hedge is totally overgrown but at least it hasn't taken over the stairs up to the front door. Okay. I get the pruning shears and clip a couple of the branches. The pruning shears are dull as, so I can't take the bigger ones. Ah well, looks like it's something that is going to take all summer to accomplish. I don't really want MOTH to get into it. He's too messy! Heh.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Hello Spring!

And goodbye in the same breath! Lovely warm days in the mid 20s C, then cold again during the evenings.

The week has been busy. Well, the week has been busy for MOTH. Not necessarily for me. The Elder and Burrich are looking to move down this way so MOTH has been at their beck and call doing house inspections. It's not easy to find one that is pet friendly.

Once upon a time the Teen had a facebook. Just recently she's deactivated her account. I miss being able to snoop on what she was doing, how she was going and things of that nature. Who would have thought that it would be such an inconvenience? I guess it's a sad state of affairs relying on electronic communication so much but neither of us like to use the telephone for what it was actually invented for!

My Norwex products arrived during the week. I had almost forgotten about them. Although the hole in my wallet should have reminded me. Bestie and I thought the best way to hand them over was to join up for a late lunch/early dinner. Excellent. All set.

We had decided to revisit that pet store and pick up some diet food for Fatty Jerome. Yes, I know that could give him a complex - that's why I'm typing it here. Where he can't see. That outlet stocks all sorts of cat food brands including Royal Canin and Science Diet. But gosh they are expensive! A small bag of Royal Canin *i didn't check the weight* is around $40. Today though I am after the wet food. A very friendly shop assistant finds MOTH in the toy aisle while I make my selection. I join them and they are talking toys, pets, pet dietary requirements, rugby league, rugby union, NZ in general.

During the course of the conversation he asks what we are feeding Jerome. I tell him that at present, we have Purina and something else. He suggests that supermarket food is mostly fillers and not nutritionally complete. Hence the desire to eat grass. I just nod sagely. He could be right for all I know but as far as I remember, the Purina brand is put through some very rigorous testing. Well, it used to be.

While we are up that way, I recall that we don't have any cheese knives. I thought we had, but we don't. Not a one. We look to see if Loot might have any. There is an outlet in that centre. Nope. I didn't think so, but hey, you never know.

The Elder has asked us to inspect a property for her this morning. It's a small place, but the yard is fenced. There are about five other couples looking. Open house inspections these days only last about quarter hour. The bedrooms are tiny. There is built in wardrobes in the main bedroom but barely enough room for a queen sized bed.

We head back via the usual haunt *the village* and MOTH decides to check out the cheap shop to see if they have any. This isn't a cheap shop, I say. What is it then? It's a junk shop. *it's a small space with lots of things crammed into it. like dollars and cents and all of those 'junk' shops* But it turns out to be a junk shop with cheese knives. Cheap ones, but functional all the same. Two knives is just under $6.

Home again and clean up time. Vacuum the floors, wipe the benches, clear stuff off the table and Mr Sheen it. The kitchen looks tidy, the loo is clean. Now just time to settle and wait. I settle on the couch with a book and the tv. Aaaaannnndddd ... suddenly I'm awoken by a text message! She's let me know she's on her way.

The afternoon/evening went very well. Chicken thighs done in maple syrup, soy and sage, chicken sausages, rump steak *just for bestie as she doesn't eat dark meat and isn't keen on sausages* Boston baked beans, lots of salad and a cheese platter for dessert. Bestie brought along a bottle of Brown Brothers .... you know, I didn't look at the label! I think it was Crouchen Riesling.

Bestie mentioned that the sausages were quite tasty and after all that, I have a bit of salad left over and one piece of steak. I think it went down well. They trundled off around 9pm, tired kids in tow.

Cleaned up a little on Sunday morning, and Bestie left me a note to say we should do it more often, even hubby agreed it had been a really good night. MOTH went out to check up on the Babysitter's Club. In a way previous blog post I had mentioned the woman who approached them on the topic of religion. She approached again and MOTH introduced the Club. By his telling, she said three happy ones and one grumpy one, while pointing at Wombat.

Wombat has really been getting on my wick lately, and stressing MOTH. His digs at MOTH are becoming less polite and barely disguised as humour these days. On previous occasions he has been known to tell MOTH that someone will punch him one day. And by god if he does, that shopping centre will see a witch whaling on an old man whose mouth is too big for his head. Who knows, I might even make it bigger by physically taking his foot and shoving it in there.

Although, having said that, he's a different person when his wife is around - he doesn't speak much. And Saturday, he was pleasant and laughing.

After lunch we head out to do a drive by on another property. No inspection on this one but just to see what it looks like from the outside. If the net photos are anything to go by *HA!* I think I might move in myself. Nothing too flash but very tidy looking. And much cheaper than the place we are in!

It's a brilliant Sunday afternoon drive, and we top it off by looking at car yards. Again. We aren't in the market for a car really as we are only on one wage, but maybe in a couple of years? Who knows ...

Monday, September 03, 2012

Sleepy kitteh

Very sleepy. Wow. Already. And it is only 08:51 on Monday morning. Oh wait. Monday. That could very well be it. The office is quiet this morning; only two of us are here so far. I've had a cup of coffee but caffeine is overrated. It never peps me up.

Both funerals were this week. Same day, same time. I went to support my friend while she buried her grandfather. MOTH dropped me off and went to amuse himself in the shopping centre. Ippy was very glad to see me. I was smothered in a hug while she cried for a little. The gathering was small, mostly family and RSL friends it seemed. The service was lovely; the RSL friends laid poppies on his casket.

I teared up a little at one point. They had been married for 66 years or so and it made me pause to wonder if MOTH and I will ever get that far. *realistically, probably not. we're half way and MOTH is nearly 60* And what the heck will I do without him? I nearly lost it there, but deep breaths helped.

MOTH was a little late coming for me as he had to negotiate the length of the shopping centre back to the car and being MOTH didn't get my message straight away. I caught plenty of curious looks so satisfied myself with being the mysterious blonde that turns up at these kinds of dos. In the stories anyway.

The days have been delightful. Well, looking from inside it has been and I've been receiving regular reports from the campus mailman about how beautiful the days have been. He's a lovely old fellow, always a smile and a cheery word.

Sometimes I wish I didn't have to be stuck in an office all day, and could pack up and walk out whenever I wanted. I think I need a job where I can work from home at my own pace and my own hours. Any suggestions as to a job like that anyone??

The day is lovely and for something different, MOTH and I wander the car yards. We aren't really in the market but it used to be my favourite passtime when I was a kid. That, and a trip to the dump. Who didn't enjoy that as a kid. Though we were never actually allowed to get out of the car, it was still a lot of fun. The dirt. The smell. The birds. The flies. The adults and kids crawling over piles of refuse looking for treasure. Mum found so much useful stuff!

So. We wandered up and down the street, looking at cars. So many I would love to have! But hey. I'd need a second job to be able to afford one.

We decide to look at the new JB HiFi store that opened recently. On the way we decided to stop at a pet store in the same complex that we hadn't seen before. It's .... spacey. Large. Plenty of stock, specially pet food. The supermarket stuff, Royal Canin, Science Diet and many, many more. Expensive, but possibly worth looking at when we go to restock. We purchase a small 'auto' feeder for Jerome.

JB HiFi is also spacey. I succumb and purchase a couple more DVDs to add to my collection. Harry Potter 7.1, Batman Begins *for MOTH* and ... and ... oh yes. Conan. The latest one, not the original Arnie version.

The feeder is set up. It's not technical at all, just a plastic tube with a tray at the bottom that lets the food slide through. If you turn the tray and attach the tube to the other set of notches, it can be converted to an auto water dispenser as well. We fill it with dry food. Jerome eats what has dispensed into the tray and when he discovers that he has to use his paw to get it to dispense further, he seems less than impressed.

Father's Day. I phoned my dad without being prompted. And spent half an hour chatting. I think that is a record. Neither he nor I are particularly chatty when it comes to the phone. Mind, the call lasted an hour. Half hour for Dad, and another half for Ma.

I decide to cook MOTH a nice lunch. He had chosen a piece of steak from last shop which we had forgotten about. Kind of like a cutlet but probably about 500g or more. The aim was to portion it between the two of us, but I thought what the heck, you have to die of something, it may as well be something you enjoy *no, i'm not trying to hasten him along. heh* I seared it on the bbq, then moved it to a roasting pan to finish. It was still going about 30 mins later. MOTH tells me I should have put the pan on the plate, not the grill. It would have cooked better, with a more even heat distribution. Ah well, next time I'll know. It did still turn out well though, and served with some mashed sweet potato seasoned with cinnamon *his fave* some peas and carrots. I ate the peas and carrots and a couple of pork sausages. He gave it a good shot, but couldn't finish it.

He ate the rest of the steak for dinner, wrapped in bacon and trying to pass itself off as a mignon. It failed on that count *no sauce, no crouton* but was still very tender.

So another week begins. The day is looking lovely through the tinted office front door. I think I might go for a walk...