Wednesday, January 21, 2015

One week left!

I can't believe the holidays are nearly over. Already. How quickly has that gone.

Niece has settled back in all right. I think. I haven't had to take her to task too often. Just for a couple of silly things mostly. I've replaced her shampoo with the sulfate free one she had been using. The last one was the same brand but not sulfate free. Sulfate free keeps her hair in better condition, and her scalp too I think.

We've had one small disagreement. About boys mostly. I walked into her room just in time to see her hide something. *why do teenagers do that???* I asked but she refused to give it to me at first, and then relented. I read it and then she had the lecture about boys. She thinks she's old enough but really she isn't. Nowhere near mature enough to have a boyfriend. I have suggested her behaviour is called flirting and is inappropriate at work. And with strangers in public. She doesn't understand this and thinks she is old enough for a boyfriend. I keep trying to tell her that her head isn't old enough and the way she behaves shows me this. We discussed the possible repercussions of inappropriate flirting and not being old enough to choose the right boy. Of course, I can tell her this but it will not sink in. However, she knows that it is inappropriate behaviour at work, and I shall remind her. She can talk to boys at school but she may not flirt. I've also told her she needs to concentrate on her school work. I shall have to remind her of this regularly as well. I have discovered a wealth of things in her report card that say she can do, but she certainly can't do them at home.

First thing will have to be coaching her to use the skills they teach her at school outside, in the wider community. For example, they say she knows her fractions and can follow a recipe. However, when she follows a recipe at home, 150ml of water in a measuring jug could be anything above or below that level. She can't judge that 150ml means filling to that line. 1/2 can be recognised when written, but she has to be reminded that half is two equal portions, eg, half a glass of milk with breakfast.

The saga with the bank continues. I've lodged a dispute with the Financial Ombudsman Service office but I doubt the outcome will be any different from anything else. After that, I guess I will have to approach a different financial service to find out what I can do and discuss bankruptcy. It will be the only remaining option I have I think. Otherwise the bank will take me to court to recover costs and apart from the car, I don't know what else I can sell. I need the laptop to study and it wouldn't fetch much anyway.

Jerome has been sick again. There must be something in this house. That's about four times since we moved that he's been sick. Either he's been eating things he shouldn't that I don't know about or he's just getting sick. Terrible green diarrhoea. He sleeps a lot but if you disturb him he's not lethargic. And his bottom in a terrible mess. I had to bathe him again. He almost got away from me this time. MOTH came to "help" and Jerome redoubled his efforts to get away. It was nearly a vet visit this time but today he seems to be relatively fine.

I finally have my half of the rental bond. ALL OF THE YAY! That's the last of the previous house. Not bad for a move on 28 November last year. MOTH received his payment last Monday but mine never arrived. I double checked the account details with my bank. And with the real estate agent. Oops. A mistype. But a call to the RTA confirmed it had been sent out by cheque. Now received and deposited. Whew.

Tee is back on deck after the break. She has now moved north, Autism Queensland has reorganised her shifts again so we have to figure out the fine points of Niece's hours. This might mean getting a new person in do take her out early in the week while Tee takes a couple of hours later in the week. This is going to be a king sized pain. Niece will be back at school so what can you do from 4pm on a week day? Not a whole lot that's for sure. Late night shopping is Thursday and three hours doesn't give much time to organise anything worthwhile.

I was going to pop in something funny MOTH did the other day. But now for the life of me I can't remember what it was. Ah well, rest assured I would have made it into a grand story....

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Nose to the grindstone

Annnnd I'm back. Back home from my trip up north. Catching up on my mail. And I had better make a serious effort to get back on track with my assessments. And that complaint. Better get that sorted. It's been a couple of weeks now and I still haven't managed to finish the time line and scan the supporting documents. Sigh. I really don't know where my life is disappearing to right now.

Hmmm. Thanks ladies, I hadn't thought of double bed sheets. I know they would work if I chose two flat sheets, but would Niece be able to handle making the bed up with them? There's no elastic to just snap on the mattress, and I don't have the time or the inclination to convert them. Something to think about.

I took the train trip up north to fetch her back. I'd forgotten how long a six hour trip can feel. Most of the way I shared my row with another lady. She was a good travelling companion. Chatted occasionally but spent most of the time attached to headphones and music. I spent my time in my seat, watching a movie because I didn't know how to attach myself to the sound. I knew there must be some way but I wasn't enthusiastic enough to try to figure it out. I read for a while, and bought lunch. Once I got past the fact that the "traditional gravy" was in fact some sort of mint flavoured sauce or gravy it was actually a very good meal. The meat was tender, and the veges still crisp. *for those not in the know, two flavours i hate with lamb are rosemary, and mint*

There was plenty of leg room. I confess, that's usually at the very bottom of my list of requirements! The only drawback was I had very sore shoulders and a headache. The arm rests are just a bit too high and I was actually unconsciously raising my shoulders to use them.

Elder met me at the station and off we went. Or at least, that was the plan. The car battery was dead. She called her father in law and he came to the rescue. Got mobile, back to her place out of town to swap cars, then back into town to join Ma and Pa *and the rest of the family* for dinner. Take away. They had pizza and I had golden chicken. I always get a 1/4 chicken and veges with gravy. Love it.

Mouse had a pizza called a "butchers block". I don't know what's on it, but even without cheese *one of her dietary no no's* it looked quite all right.

The next morning I spent with Ma and Pa again. Burrich joined us for a short time before he headed off to work. Then off to the next town to ditch me at Teen's place. She was excited, but more I think, for the fact that finally she had someone who could ride the passenger side while she drives. No one else in her group is legally allowed. You have to be on your "opens" for at least 12 months. Bman makes that mark in March or April I think. At one point during the visit, there was no honey. Let's go out and get some! Such excitement that she could just jump in the car and go. Hopefully the license won't be too far away.

I meet Bman's family at a bbq dinner. Everyone seems to be there - his parents, a grandparent, a cousin who lives in the granny flat, and his brother. The dinner was great. Especially since someone else cooked it. Lunch again with his mum a couple of days later and plenty of driving about and trying to teach Fennekin to sit while I scratched her ears. She's a very enthusiastic pup!

Then end of week and back to Elder. That week has just gone so fast! I offer to treat Elder to the movies. I want to see Into The Woods. She thinks she might like Big Hero 6 as well. We stop by the cinema and check screening times. BH6 isn't screening this late. *sorry elder, but i wasn't sorry* and it's Into The Woods. We grab some snacks with the view of getting dinner afterward.

I loved the movie. It's a musical like the original play. Fairy tale based but not necessarily happy endings for those involved. Some messages there in the story line for sure! I'd watch it again and again. Looks like that's on the DVD list.

And when the movie ended, Elder wasn't hungry and I couldn't decided. I eventually went adventurous and tried the steak wrap from Maccas. And found a cousin serving behind the counter. Excellent!

Ma tells me that Niece has been very well behaved this trip. I know there was some reversion to previous behaviour but certainly not to a huge degree. I guess I should be happy with that. But she's come back with her scalp condition. I'm hoping that a change of shampoo will help. The one she has brought back is not the one I buy for her. She needs sulphate free to control the amount of grease. And Ma commented on the fact that the scalp condition had all but disappeared. Her skin has broken out again too, and I think that may have something to do with not limiting her diet and eating too much oily food. I try limit that here too. Cause I'm mean like that.

The trip home was uneventful. Niece handled it well, listening to some music and dozing some. I was a bit peeved since our seat had no power point so I slipped to an empty chair to use theirs. For a few minutes before the next stop and boom. Someone was seated there. Dammit. But this time, the PA announced the correct channel for the movies. Thanks chaps, I could have done with that on the ride up when I actually wanted to watch the movie...

And home to my lovely, wonderful, darling MOTH. Whom I love to the moon and back. And, incidentally, has double paid the rent in my absence. Siiiiiigh....