Monday, April 23, 2007

Fool's Overture... or.. You took the words right out of my mouth.....


Hi all!

Since it's been so long, I'll just fill in a few blanks for you all. Get comfy, and help yourself to a drink and a snack; we could be here for a while.

The school holidays have just flown by. GG came home the Thursday evening after my last post, just in time to scam some late birthday drinks from Beloved and I, who were at the local pub's restaurant, belatedly celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary, which was the day before (April 11). A very excited (and a little embarrassed), GG shared with us the newest joy of her life; the "inkage" on her chest. We knew it was happening, and she'd had it done that morning, before she drove up. My camera's out of action; it won't load piccies on the computer, so I had to steal some from GG's Myspace photo album for you to see.






This is what the actual tattoo is based on. It's a dove, which is a logo of GG's favourite band, "Thursday".






As you can see, She has two, placed symmetrically on either side of her chest, just underneath her collarbones. They are plain blue ink. She absolutely adores them.


The other reason I was lax in my blogging was that we had planned a bit of a surprise party for GG's 18th birthday, which we held on on Saturday the 14th. Loose lips sink ships, so I had quite a job to keep it quiet whilst letting her friends know what was going on. And then there was the shopping and food prep. I kept it all very simple, especially given the fact that we only have a BBQ with a hood to cook on; no hotplates, no oven. Her lovely boyfriend, Tricky, and friend Kimmy, were invaluable in the organisation of attendees, but Vegeboy reckons it's still weird that I was SMS-ing and calling her friends. I worked until 1pm on Saturday, took Vegeboy to a friend's for the night, had friends call in on their way back from Mudgee, and the builder call around to discuss the additions, all between work and when the party was due to start, at 7.30....... GG had spent the Friday night with Tricky and his family, and was supposed to be home for dinner at 6.30 for dinner so that she had eaten before it all started, and as an excuse to make her and Tricky come home. She was late a usual. She thought that they were going out after tea. .... but.....

She was surprised when people that turned up a bit later, blowing party horns and popping streamers upon their arrival, screaming out "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLY!!!!!!!". She had been a bit suspicious that our yard and BBQ area were so tidy, with a large bonfire area and log seating area set up in the backyard. She had a great night;






That is 2 Smirnoff "Double Black" vodkas that she is sucking through the pipe. I think she restrained herself for the evening due to our presence. Guests came and went through the course of the evening, and a quite a few were exceptionally merry fairly early in the evening. I think that this is due mainly to;


  1. the fact that the drinks that are consumed have a very high alcohol content

  2. the drinks go down as quick as soft drink

  3. they can consume a large number of drinks in a very short time, and have no idea of pacing themselves so that they can party for a longer period of time

  4. they love to play drinking games

  5. they can vomit very easily, and get back to the serious business of drinking some more.

There wasn't a lot of late-night partying though; most of the party-goers had left by about midnight, with just a core of 8 left to sleep off the party. It was a good night, with only a couple of tearful girls who needed their hair held back at various times.. The plainative call was heard;


"Have you got a hairband, Mrs K?", "Where do we empty the bucket?"


Beloved went to bed at 11 as he and Scorpaboy were off to Moonbi to ride bikes at 6am. I had a few interesting conversations around the bonfire until about 3am, when I headed off to bed for a couple of hours.


Sunday was quiet, except for a planned drop-in by my brother and his wife in the afternoon. They were meeting Lisa's parent's from Mudgee, who had been wonderful and had enjoyed the company of their grandchildren for a few days. GG, Tricky, and friend, Anthony Brown went to the movies at Singleton. Monday was quiet. Tuesday was Beloved's birthday, and GG went home to Newcastle :o( . I worked Tuesday and Wednesday, then on Wednesday evening, Beloved and I took Scorpaboy to Newcastle so he could have a few days of riding in Sydney with a friend from Warners Bay. It was a bit of an adventure for the two of them, as they didn't have an adult with them, but were under the watchful eyes of the park owner, Dave. Dave and his family has been wonderfully hospitable, and lets the boys stay in a caravan, rent-free. They also feed them breakfast every day. Earlier in the week, we had a few bike-related surprises. The day before Beloved's birthday, Paul, the bike supplier who sponsors Scorpaboy, had sent a "Scorpa" riding jumper for Beloved as a gift. We were very surprised. I kept until his birthday. He loved it. Then on Tuesday, two brand new bike tyres arrived in the post, without any indication of their origin. It took a bit of ringing around, but it turned out that 2 friends who had been very impressed with the way that Scorpaboy had been riding had chipped in together and bought the tyres for him. Amazing, isn't it how generous people can be...... Patto lives in near Tamworth, and he rang the Tarp, who lives at the Central Coast and is a bike supplier for another company, "Montesa", (I'll give them a plug) and organised for Tarp to send them up. Beloved used to ride a Montesa, so we used to buy quite a bit of gear from Tarp, but when the Scorpa sponsorship came up, he sold his Montesa. He's been feeling guilty ever since, and now we are very abashed, but extremely grateful. We were given a few hundred dollars worth of bike gear last week..........

This Scorpaboy and his sponsor, Paul, manager of "The HellTeam", Australia at Pacific Park last year, with Jack's 1st new bike.

The football season is on again, and twice-weekly training is back! Saturday saw us in Muswellbrook for a home game against Waratah-Mayfield, which the boys won, 32 - 12; go the Rams!!! Then it was off to Newcastle to attend my best friend's younger daughter's 21st birthday. Scorpaboy was dropped off at nanandpop's where we were staying, and then it was off to Nord's Wharf. The parties there are always a fabulous, fun and family night. It felt a little different now that Janina's parent's have both passed away. I'm sure I could feel the Alice (Janina's mum) there though. Beloved was hoping to go for a bike ride, so I went back for Brekkie on the Deckkie on Sunday morning, and arrived back at nanandpop's at lunch time. He didn't get his ride, but GG and I went to Garden City for a haircut while Scorpaboy went to JB HiFi. We met up at his parent's at Elermore Vale, and GG went home ;0( , whilst we travelled back up the New England Highway to arrive home just after dinner time. We ran into some friends who had travelled from Tamworth to "Steamfest" at Maitland at the "Baker's Cottage". A quick catch-up in the carpark followed.

A litttle look at Denman, AKA "Walnut Grove" very early on a Autumn morning about 2 years ago. The Mountains are wrapped in fog. They are more like overgrown hills than mountains....

I don't have to work until THURSDAY!!!!!! I'm looking forward to ANZAC DAY. I love the Dawn Service. It is so emotional and evocative. The Last Post brings me undone every time. I'm frequently known to become teary through the national anthem..... The boys will march with the school in Muswellbrook, then again at Denman. It is right that we preserve these memories. I don't do the pub and club thing, but it is a day that brings people together. I used to travel around Newcastle with the pipe bands and dance in quite a few of the RSL clubs when I was younger. My dad has always been a staunch supporter of the RSL club and Anzac Day, never missing Dawn Service, but oddly, he never asked nor encouraged me to go with him, but practically bludgeoned my brother into going with him. But Dad has always been incredibly old-fashioned and sexist in his approach. When I moved out of home to live on my own the week after I turned 21, he was following me back and forwards to the car, not carrying anything to help, but telling me over and over that "girls can't leave home until they are married" and "good girls stay at home". Bad, un-married girl, was I..............


I am to work Thursday and Friday, and Saturday morning I will drive down to Swansea for football. Beloved will probably work. We have to be home by 2.00pm as we are participating tin the "Relay For Life" at Muswellbrook Showground until 10am on Sunday Morning. The whole family is camping overnight. We are in a team with friends from the caravan park, and another family. GG is travelling up on Friday night (to party of course), and will be in attendance off and on over the course of the proceedings. It should be fun. Beloved has to work again on Sunday as well. Yegods, he will be tired.


The following weekend Vegeboy plays football at home, then we head to Newie again for my Godaughter's long-awaited engagement party. She's sooo excited, and has planned it down to the last detail. She is Janina's elder daughter, and it will be the first party not to be held at Janina's house, as Leah and Chad wanted to have it at their home in Mayfield. Our lovely Lil was born aged 25, I think. She was my first Godchild. Next was Lisa's Joshua, then my cousins' son, Zachary. I have let the boy's down I think; I have been very involved in Leah's life, but then again, we had so much time together before I met Beloved, and Beloved and I moved away from Newcastle. She was a very fetching co-flowergirl (aged 5) at our wedding, accompanied by Beloved's niece and Godaughter, Abby (also aged 5). I have moved in and out of Lisa's life, but I have probably seen more of her as an adult than I have seen my cousin, Ally. Ally and I were raised together as children. As she was an only child, and we practically lived together, I think I was more like an older sister to her than cousin. She had a bit of a hard life, and I think that I was one of the few positive constants. Both Janina and Lisa, together with my mum, minded my babies while I was at work; I couldn't have asked for more wonderful "Mum's" to love and care for my babies when I wasn't there for them.


Goodness; I've become sidetracked, haven't I??????


Another trip to Newcastle for footie on the May12, but only as far as Cessnock on that occassion. The weekend after that on May 19, we will play footie in Muswellbrook on the Saturday, followed by a BBQ at Beloved's workplace, but then we will head down to Canberra for Mototrials on the Saturday afternoon and Sunday. I'm going with the boys on this occassion as we will stay with Beloved's sister (Sis 1) in Canberra. I haven't seen her newly renovated home, and I love the way she makes a home feel. She had a home in Wickham, which she sold for the Canberra move, which was absolutely divine. She just oozes style, but does it in a way that makes me feel comfortable, rather than making me feel insignificant, which Beloved's other sister manages to do. Sis 1 came with us into the labour-room when Scorpaboy was born, which is a measure of our regard for her. She is warm, funny and smart. I love her to death. I think it will help to have 2 drivers on this trip as well.......


Phew! That's as far as the calendar goes... so far... I don't want to look any further ahead...... So, about making/manifesting some time to come to The Cottage girls...........



I think I need a cup of tea...... no, I think I'll have a Milo instead.....

While you're waiting........

Here's some more pictures of the Pete and Nyrie's farm at Moonbi, where we went camping/riding a few weeks ago..........


Our car and trailer; almost sunset.....

A bit later on.........

Believe it or not, this windmill works!



That Milo didn't last long enough. I think I need another one. With a biscuit. Or two.
So I think it's time I said goodnight!
Stay safe, and be happy!
Love, the (now typed-out) Blogmuggle <3,>




7 comments:

Michelle said...

GG is looking very growdup!
My goodness you have a busy life muggle....I shall whinge no more!

Cyndy said...

We all have busy lives arty farty Mary; it's just that I seem to divide and spread my life over a 200km area, and the tyrrany of distance means that I can't do everything. Events have to be prioritised. Naturally, the things that I want to do have a low priority...... ;0)

Kathie said...

Wow! You are a very busy on the go kinda person!

Unknown said...

wow please blog more often..takes me soo long to read...loved it all though

Anonymous said...

Could be the longest blog ever.

Excellent inkage!

poody said...

By the time I got thru reading how busy you are I was tired and in need of a nap! LOL Milo?? You live in the country as opposed to the city right?

Unknown said...

i love milo and marathon blog postings- love the new bike and the tats too- Elly is so brave.....take care.........x