Joy to the world..... all the boys and girls....... Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea: Joy to you & me...................

• We have had THE BEST EVER CHRISTMAS PRESENT arrive: at 3.30 this morning baby Riley entered the world, as requested by his grandad, who is going on holidays this afternoon, & wanted to meet his new grandchild before he went! Yes, Dan & Twisty's lovely little man is here, and WE ARE THRILLED! Beloved wants to go meet his grand-nephew this afternoon..... but I can't go as I will be at work ;0(. I might have to sneak in a quick look on the way......... We are definitely going to see him tomorrow. I don't have any physical details...yet.... Hopefully, I can post a piccy tomorrow.

• I am ready for The Other Big Event.... Bring it on! I think I will bake a dinner: we probably won't eat until 2 in the afternoon. I'm not even sure what my Dad is doing yet, as he is working until about 3 or 4 this afternoon. He hasn't been up here for over 18 months: can he even find our house? He will certainly struggle if it is dark.......... I worry about him travelling on unfamiliar roads. He has been lost more than once........
  

• We are breaking new ground. This will be the first ever Christmas without Santa Sacks for the Jolly Red Man to fill....... My brother & his family are calling in for our Christmas this morning on their way to Mudgee for celebrations with his in-laws, so there will be lots of fun & excitement here this morning..... "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...." Friends may call in on their way home to Woolomin after visiting Dad as well.

• I have just eaten the THE best breakfast: Pan-fried bruschetta topped with chunky exotic Thai dip.... mmmmmmm.... very luxurious... and festive.... and my stomach, which has been rather objectionable of late, is already objecting...... Too bad, I say! I enjoy the tastes & pleasure of eating, so I'm not going to let my stomach dictate what goes into it. If I did, I would never eat anything. I would be a lot thinner though, I suppose. But crankier, too.

Oh My folks..... It's Christmas Eve already!

Ho, Ho, Ho............

Santa came to say....ho, ho, ho........

Good evening.

It was Christmas today in our little part of the world.

Beloved's mother, 2 sisters (1 from Canberra, the other from Newcastle)& 1 partner, & brother & his partner, nephew & very pregnant partner, neice & her son (from Kurri Kurri) all travelled to our home today for a 1st time look-see at our house & Christmas lunch as none of us will be able to get together on the big day. We had a lovely lunch, & lots of relaxed conversation. It's the first time we've all been together since the day of Beloved's Dad's funeral. The Beloved's Mum, lovely Val, dissolved into happy/sad tears before she left...... Tomorrow she's going to Canberra for Christmas & the Newie sister is going there as well. It was way better on an emotional level than we envisaged. And the food was lovely, including the $75 roll of seasoned pork (*choke...swallow....gag*) that I had bought to cook. I also made a killer icecream cake that received major kudos! It was a very simple affair, with everyone contributing something yummy.

I'm not working over Christmas now. In fact, I have 4 days straight off. I was rostered on, but the boss asked me if Iwould mind taking annual leave, but I could still keep the shift penalties..... well, yes, that would be ok...... I work morning shift Monday & Tuesday, then evening on Christmas Eve. So Lisa, we will be at the Aunties on Boxing Day, hopefully....

Nephew's very pregnant wife really is about ready to pop, GG reckons. Our Twist isn't due until the 28th, but she's a tiny wee little thing, with a very tight & now-teardrop-shaped belly.... She's very beautiful, but has no idea how beautiful she is. It will be good to have a new baby in our family. We are all looking forward to the arrival very, very much.

Watched "A Very Speccy Christmas" & "Joyeux Noel" tonight..... One funny, the other tragic, yet happy. It's hard to believe that these poor soldiers were basically all punished for behaving in a human, humane way.... stupid, stupid fat-cat "leaders"......

I have buckled under the pressure, & published a Christmas letter & cards......

I have finally successfully de-fleaed the dog....... she looks much happier..... "Frontera" is cheaper than "Frontline". I wonder how long it will work for? I will try some of your tips, too, Anchell.

I have almost finished the Christmas present catchnkill..... shopping is no big deal at this end of the world. We have a new Aldi that I'm going to shop at this week, too. Yessirree, we've come up in the world way up here in the count-ree.............

And having visitors come to inspect your house for the 1st time means that it actually has to be clean & tidy for once. And it is. And I like it. If only the pixies & fairies could keep the gremlins at bay, then it might stay that way...... Our yard is nicely mown & tidy, & I've re-potted plants and they now line up across the back verandah. Nice, yes.

And now it's time for bed.

Goodnight. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Schools out for ever......

Here are Sboy's Higher School Certificate results:

2008 HSC Results

Units	Courses Entered	Examination Mark	Assessment Mark	HSC Mark	Performance Band
Board Developed Courses
2	Drama	1 79/100	79/100	79	4
2	English (Advanced)	1 75/100	75/100	75	4
2	General Mathematics	80/100	77/100	79	4
2	Modern History	1 60/100	60/100	60	3
2	Retail Operations	Refer to Vocational documentation
	Retail Operations Examination	84/100	N/A	84	5

ELIGIBLE FOR HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE

Not too bad for someone who really didn't put in too much work, hey?

He's enjoying Jakarta. Not missing us too much at all.....

Monday I've got Friday on my mind......

How changeable is this weather??????

After 2 days of abysmal wind & rain, today is just divine: Mildly crisp with miles & miles of blue sky. It will probably be quite warm later.
The Hunter River is very high again (in flood really, but because of the levee banks, it's contained) for the 2nd time in 3 weeks.

My weekend was pretty good.

Work requested that I take an Accrued Day Off on Saturday as I had too many accrued: I said "no problems".... I had the roster in my hand when I went into the NUM's office on Friday to request an Annual Leave Day, so I wanted the day off anyway! Yeehah! .... *snort*.... no problems....

I was driving home verrrry slowly in the pouring rain at 11pm on Friday night, when I passed a police car around the corner from my house. I turned into my street, & could see the Christmas lights flashung from the Van Village across the road, when there was a flash of red & blue lights of the not-so-Christmas kind coming up behind me...... I was breathalysed 100m from my driveway! It was teeming rain... I'm not sure why it took me so long to find my driver's licence.......

All the rain meant that Beloved wasn't working either, so we headed down the valley to Maitland to pick up some Christmas gifts from the "Big Shops". Christmas shopping is just about done....
VB went to his gig at Panthers with his mates at 3pm.... and had to be picked up at 1.30am in Muswellbrook.... *yawn*.... He had a sick time though!
My friend, Angel & her youngest, Marcus, arrived at about 5pm, just as GG was leaving to go to Newcastle for a friend's 21st birthday. It's a talk-feast when Angel & I get together: bed is such an inconvenience at times like these! She had to leave at 9am on Sunday... ;0(

The weather was less rainy but still windy on Sunday, so of course, the washing machine was fired into action. VB spent his day recovering, I washed & cleaned, while Beloved did some much-needed landscaping in our back yard. Now his mother will be able to access and exit the house without re-breaking her leg....... You had to walk the plank to get onto our back verandah.. literally..... I watched "25yrs of School Spectacular" yesterday afternoon... amazing...... I also cleaned our oven for the first time since we installed it... and cut 2 fingers in the process.... (I knew it would be a dangerous process.....). I also single-handedly de-homed a whole continent of fleas that had taken up residence on what I had assumed was our dog, Clover. I now realise that she was a flea-continent masquerading as a dog..... I have never seen so many fleas in one place..... the shampoo & water ran red...... It's time for her annual check-up today.....

I did manage to wrap some presents as planned, and get them under the tree. A few more to go.......

One truly dreadful thing occurred at the weekend.
I found out that a much-loved & trusted family member has been behaving with some very young and innocent family members in a very un-loving and trust-betraying manner. This has rocked our family, filling us full of disbelief, confusion & revulsion. As you know, it happens all too often, and is life/world-shattering......... I hope this person realises that he can have no contact with any of us ....... but at the same time, I worry about him........ it's in the hands of the police........ so we'll just all take a step back & support each other.....

I'd better ring the vets & check the time of Clover's appointment.....


Have a good day..... & don't let the Christmas turkeys get you down!

Love, Blogmuggle ;0)

This is the week that was.......

The week in review:

• Saturday, Sunday: worked. Can't remember what else...... Oh that's right. Beloved's work Christmas show on Saturday night, then he went to Sydney to the final Oran Park car fest on Sunday... I played taxi (as usual..). Complained bitterly that a houseful of adults (young & old) do nothing around the house..... particularly the young..... it's hard for the old ones as they are always at work, supporting the young ones.... who spent most of their time on MSN, messenger or out having fun......
  
• Monday: Cleaned house, did some painting. Drove to brother's house to celebrate father's birthday with father. Discussed Xmas..... bah humbug
  
• Tuesday: Drove into Newcastle to buy Camera charger for Sboy to take overseas. Perused bikes at Hadley Cyles at Lambton for VB for Xmas. Drove to Sydney. Collected passport & visa from Indonesian Consulate in Maroubra. Sat on Maroubra beach for a millisecond. Very pretty. Not a "Bra Boy" in sight. Managed to safely navigate back across the harbour bridge because the boys didn't want to go through the tunnel again. That reminds me: I need to pay the tunnel toll... now it's too late & I will incur an extra fee... Dropped Sboy off at Texas Productions so that Paul could drive him to the airport to fly out on Wednesday. Drove home with Vboy for company. Sydney drivers would appear to have better manners & tolerance of "tourists" than their reputation suggests.
  
• Wednesday: worked. Met Beloved at his appointment with his surgeon to have the lesion removed from his leg. It is a day pocedure under sedation that may require a graft. Had a nice dinner with Beloved at Muswellbrook Worker's club. Drove up to St Joseph's high school Xmas pageant at Aberdeen, which is an annual social event (hidden within the guise of religious fanfare) for the under 18's & their indulgent parents. Between the time I dressed at 5am and the pageant at 6pm, a southerly had arrived, and I was freezing in my work clothes..... Sboy arrived safely in Jakarta.
  
• Thursday: worked. Met GG at the surgeon's office (the same one) for review. She's doing well & can now have 2nd daily dressings rather than daily, which is more convenient. I was doing one day & the community nurses the next, wherever GG could find a time & common location for the procedure. Drove to Muswellbrook Hospital to book Beloved in for his lesion op....... on Feb 5 2009 because the local theatres are closed from next week until then.... WHAT THE??????? Don't get a potentially fatal condition that needs surgery up here in Wattle Grove until then, folks...... Beloved is rather concerned, with good reason, that the lesion on his leg may be a skin cancer. I refused an appointment at a Newcastle clinic next weekend upon the strength of the local GP's advice that it would be looked after ASAP...... It's a scabby, festy area the size if a 20cent piece that will require either a graft or skin flap closure, performed after excision under local & twighlight sedation. We have private health cover.... what is going on here???????? GG & I then bought Christmas presents for the nieces & nephew. It's finally starting to feel a little like Christmas...... But I did manage to pick up the wrong size in one thing, so back it goes today.. Hopefully, I can exchange it. Helped GG to dye her dyed-white-blonde hair a very festive, vibrant & eye-catching shade of pink. She's not blending in at all..... I hope her employer likes it as much as she does.....
  
• Friday: VBoy left early for an excursion to Luna Park in Sydney. GG is working. I have an evening shift. Beloved is working, & will attend the annual Christmas party at the Van Village across the road. I have to organise another appointment for him somewhere else sooner than Feb for his leg. I have been organising VB's very exciting trip to Newcastle tomorrow with 2 mates to see the band, "Parkway Drive" at Panthers League Club. I don't know the boys, or their parents, so it is a bit of a leap of faith....... "Gibbos" mum seems quite nice, and was somewhat relieved that another parent actually rang her to arrange the trip. The poor woman needs some reassurance since she's taking 3 or 4 teenage boys out for the afternoon/evening..... & is locked in a car with them for 4 - 6 hours of it.... I have to clean the house & am in the process of stripping beds in case Angel & her family turns up from Brisbane tomorrow evening. They were hoping to attend a baby naming ceremony in Muswellbrook on Sunday, but I haven't had confirmation of this.......
• Saturday..... working... again..... Beloved, GG, me...... VB's big day out. Pick him up from Muswellbrook at about 12.30pm - 1am on Sunday morning...... GG goes to Newcastle for a friend's 21st birthday.
  
• Sunday.... ahh... nothing major planned, but I'm sure something will come up... Hopefully, I'll have finished my Xmas shopping & wrapped aforementioned gifts & placed them under the tree..............................

Well, now that I've told you about my life, I'd best go live it!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Ahem...... MeMeMe

1. 5 names you go by
Cynthia
Cyndy
Sninfia
Mrs K
Kavnuts and of course........
Mum

2.Three Things you are wearing right now
Work Shirt, trousers & Shoes

3.Two things you want very badly at the moment
Time.... and a wee break in between life's foibles

4. people that will probably fill this out
quite a few by now; I'm late as usual

5. 2 Things you did last night
Waited at the hospital to see a doc with Beloved
Ate a Thai yellow vegetable curry & then wished ever since 2am that I didn't

6. 2 Things you ate today
Vegemite on toast
Mini Timeout Chocolate bar

7.Two people you last talked to on the phone
Glen
Valda

8.Two things you are going to do tomorrow
Work
Eat

9.Two of the longest car drives you have had
South Australia
All around Tassie

10.Two of your favorite beverages
Coke Zero
Skinny Vanilla Chai latte

11.Two sports you watch on TV
ice skating
swimming


12.Three people you have on Speed Dial
dont use it


13.Five items in your wardrobe you never wear
Wedding dress
Bridesmaids dress
Some shirts of my mothers
Old, near dead favourites that I can't part with even though they are almost rags
Corsellettes/bustiers

14. The last 3 books you read
Haven't finished any

15. Three weird OCD tendencies you have
Switching off power points that have nothing plugged into them
Tucking in other people's clothing labels at the back
using specific pegs when hanging out the washing

16. Five presents you got from Santa as a kid
Nina doll
Mandy Doll
Walking Angelina
Thumbelina
Watch


17. Three most visited bookmarks
blogs
email
facebook

18. Two items on your wishlist for Christmas
Some earrings; but I haven't asked for them
Some good genie to come & finish our house

19. Five Things you can see right now
computer
camera
festive bush
phone
mess

20. 5 things on your fridge
Photo that GG had taken with a message saying "there are only two laasting bequests we can hope to give our children; One is roots & the other is wings...",
"mums are the best" hanging
petrol dockets
bills
rail timetable

21. Two items you own more than 10 of
opened tins of housepaint
pieces of Royal Doulton "old country Roses" china

Is this Christmas, my dear?

Well, after viewing Tania & Helen's delightfully festive bushes, I am almost too embarrassed to print these here. But anyway, my sparsely, but tastefully decorated purple-baubled tree is most likely a reflection of me as I am this year anyway........ you know, making the effort, but not really getting into all the festivities too much........ I can't even make the shots bigger, and I've wasted waaaay to much time even doing them........


Anyway, in an attempt the alleviate the boringly staid mood somewhat, here are the slightly dark & ascerbic lyrics to the "Wombats'" Christmas song that I mentioned in my last post........

The Wombats Lyrics - Is This Christmas Song Words

Artist / Band : The Wombats
Song Lyrics Title : Is This Christmas
Available on Album : -
Released : 15 December 2008
Music Genre : Christmas song, Indie

(Song Data Information from : Wikipedia)

Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the house
not a creature was stirring
except for
a Wombats?

I can hear the sleigh bells coming around the bend
here comes the darkest end Christmas is here

It’s about nights extend into the overdraft
To scrape out what is left at the end of the year

(It’s Christmas)

Turn back to the future off I’ve seen it before
maybe every year and more it’s great but not again

What’s that burning! what’s that burning, my mum shrieks down
While she’s touching up her brow for when the family arrive

And the red wine plummets down and we should all be in out beds
but it’s right wing versus left til the wings fall off out heads

And is this Christmas?
Is this Christmas?
Is this Christmas, my dear?

Is this Christmas?
Is this Christmas?
whatever happened to that festive cheer?

Can you hear the sleigh bells coming around the bend
here comes our darkest end
Christmas is here

And the ice burns up the hill until we all lose our feet
Though it never really snows it’s more like horizontal sleet

And is this Christmas?
Is this Christmas?
Is this Christmas, my dear?

Is this Christmas? (oh no it’s Christmas)
Is this Christmas? (oh no it’s Christmas)
whatever happened (oh no it’s Christmas) to that festive cheer?

Don’t you just love Christmas (oh no it’s Christmas) (5x)
Everybody loves Christmas (oh no it’s Christmas)
Everybody loves Christmas (oh no it’s Christmas)
Everybody loves, everybody loves
Everyone it’s christmas!

just call me the BahHumbug Blogmuggle...........

Everybody loves Christmas... (Oh No it's Christmas....)

Hellooo!

Just a quickie:

• Sboy will be home today sometime today, but will be gone again in 6 days
• GG's car died, so now we are pondering whether or not the time is right for her to borrow money to buy another one. Living out of town means that a car is a necessity, not a luxury. Uni will have to go on the back burner (maybe). Hard call: she doesn't want to stay here & wants to be back in Newcastle, but the fiscal benefits of staying are evident.... She will also need to get more work.... Resonsibility weighs heavily......
• My Christmas tree is up & decorated & there is a tasteful selection of ornaments around the house (read that as can't be bothered to work out where the rest can go....) I have photographed it, but can't find the cable to upload it.......
  
• There are pretend gifts under the tree as I haven't any to put there yet.......
  
• Have bought my first Christmas presents. Luckily, there aren't too many to buy. Well, lay-byed them, anyway
  
• I'm not doing the Xmas card & letter thing this year...... it's usually a huge thing for me..... not this year. I'll just answer the ones that I receive.
  
• I have only 2 pays to finance Christmas. Usually, my shopping is mostly done by October... help......
• I have one weekend off. Beloved's family are all coming here for a "Christmas" day on the 21st.... help....
• My wonderful friend from Brisbane, Angel, is coming to visit on the 13th. I hope she's staying the night as I'm working...... she wants to see how good her door looks installed in our house..... I hope she's not disappointed.
• GG is still having daily wound packing. She's over it, but (butt...*snicker*) she's healing well. The community nurses have been going out of their way to look after her. She is going to Homebake in Sydney this weekend, and will be staying in Carrington, so the community nurse has organised for a community nurse from Newcastle to visit her there to pack & re-dress her wound on Sunday.
• I am working back at Scone from tomorrow. I like the hospital, but it adds nearly 2 hours travel to my day... & soooo much of my wage disappears in fuel costs........*sigh*
• Beloved has an appointment today at the GP's to have his oils & waters checked. He has a lesion on his leg that needs attention, too.
• My nephew has had surgery this week, so lots of healing energies need to be sent out for him & quite a few others this week, please.
• I really like the "Wombats" Christmas song....... and "Bones"...... David Boreanaz is just so.... HOT!!!!!! And Mark Harmon is a grey hottie as well........... So easy on the eyes.....
  

I'd better get on with it. I've got painting to do.

And it's getting quite warm......

Bye ;0)

Everybody's workin' on the weekend.....

Well, not everybody, just GG & me in this household..........

Good Sat'dy Morning.

Beloved & Vboy have just left to go off on an end-of-footy-season waterskiing trip. Sboy is at Port Macquarie doing some serious stress-reduction with his Yr 12 friends. I'm not sure what exactly has caused him stress, but whatever...... GG worked last night, partied, will work again tonight, party, then work again tomorrow...... I worked last night, again tonight (and all the other nights this week), then a day tomorrow.... and then....days off..... YAY!

GG is on the mend. She had a favourable report from the surgeon, but he wants her to continue daily dressing changes until she sees him next in 2 weeks. The procedure gives her a lot less discomfort now, but the logisitics of having it attended to on a daily basis are difficult. I'm not sure what will happen next weekend when she goes to Sydney for Homebake...... Just to keep life interesting, Sboy has a pilonidal sinus as well. After his sister's experience, he asked me to look at an area of concern in his butt crack as well, & sure enough, there they are: three little holes that look like very deep black heads, except that the dark areas are deeply embedded flakes of hair, skin & sebum. His haven't inflamed yet, but I am concerned that with the heat & humidity in Indonesia together with the amount of time that he will be spending riding his bike, that they may. For some inexplicable reason, a foreign country is not the place where I would like my son to be having invasive surgery..... A quick trip to the docs & some antibiotics are in order I think......

Nothing much has been happening around here otherwise. Not that I have my finger on the pulse here, mind you. Things just happen whether I'm in the game or not. I am considering the position of my Festive Bush. There are a couple of options..... and I am home on December 1, so that might be the day, I think. Hopefully, GG will get enthused with me.

It's so hot & steamy here: I live inland, you know, where it's dry heat. As Professor Julius Sumner-Miller would say: "Why is it so?". There you go... now you all know how old I really am........ I hate the humidity. I have no desire to visit Bali, or holiday in the tropics. It's dry heat or plain old cold for me, I'm afraid. I was worried that I would slip off one of my patients last night, it was so hot, or that I would knock them out with my sweaty smell..... What's wrong with airconditioning, that's what I want to know....... More hot, sweaty rain to come, too..........

Has anybody tried to get a passport lately? Evidently, the marriage certificate that Beloved & I payed for 21yrs ago from the Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages is not legal proof of my change of surname. I need to apply to The Registry for a newly issued one, certified with new stamps & dates, that says the same thing, at a cost 0f at least $40+, mind you... bah humbug..... Evidently, the old ones may be fraudulent..... I said that if I had to have a new marriage certificate, then perhaps I should have a new spouse as well....... This was for Sboy's passport, not mine. I've never been overseas.... double bah humbug....

Anyway, I'm probably boring the pants off you. I'm off. I still have that damnable assignment to finish...... yep, the one that I've mentioned over that last few weeks, except now it's due in on Monday. Now people might understand when I say that I'm not a good candidate for a nursing degree by distance education... no ficus (I'm leaving that there, no focus either hahaha), that's me...... no photos either. How boring am I!!!!!

Have good weekend!

Jack, get back, C'mon before we crack.... lose your blues...

Morning All!

Yegods it was freezing yesterday! This weather has been so inconsistent & weird lately. I usually pack away all my winter clothes, but this year....... Today, there is miles & miles of blue sky, & the day is full of promise.

Great weather for washing!

Well, last week ended up being another of those weeks in the Blogmuggle household. Poor GG's abscess turned out to be a pilonidal sinus, which is basically a deep infection of a hair follicle in the natal cleft (aka the butt crack). These can be really nasty little suckers, that can reveal, of all things, a collection of hair & teeth deep within them. Yep, you read that right: teeth & hair deep within the recesses of one's butt crack.......

Anyway, after being unwell & in loads of pain on Sunday, the emergency doc "fixed" her up with some antibiotics on Monday & some advice that surgical drainage is often the only way that these things resolve, so be sure to come back in a few days... no advice on pain relief, though.

By Tuesday, GG spent the day nauseated & vomiting, spiked a mild temp & had stomach cramps as well. Poor chicken. Despite the antibiotics, the infection had spread, and was tracking an angry red further across her cheeks.

We attended the ED early Wednesday morning, the nurse in charge gave GG a shot of stemetil & sent us to wait see the emergency doc at the docs surgery, and said that she would probably see us again later when GG would be admitted for theatre on Thursday. You have to go & sit & wait to see the doc: there is none on duty at the hospital at any time, & they are called in when needed. So back to the surgery we went. We waited nearly 2 hrs to see the doc, who then referred us to the surgeon, so we waited another 2hrs to see him. Then we waited for paperwork, & headed back up to the hospital for GG to be admitted. Thank heavens that I had taken GG for the stemetil shot earlier.... The only position that she has been comnfortable in has been lying down, so she was laying on the floor in the docs until they cleared a bed for ther in the sisters' procedure area.

She was scheduled for theatre to incise & drain the feral butt crack sometime on Thursday. She went well, especially considering that it has been her 1st ever hospital experience, & that the last time anyone saw her butt was when she about 5.......... She came home late Friday afternoon after the horrendous experience of having her wound unpacked, washed then re-packed...... this is excrutiating for her, and it has to be done daily at the moment. On Friday, they had to give her a type of morphine tablet so that she didn't have to be scraped off the ceiling. Evidently, is very hard to access the natal cleft when the patient is all the way up there.
For Saturday's re-pack, she was sucking on nitrous oxide gas, which only just managed to take the edge off it the pain. Sunday it was done at the local hospital with just panadol....... hopefully, the community nurse can come and do it at home from today. Poor GG cries before they even touch her in anticipation of what's to come. She's always had pretty good pain tolerance: this had just rocked her. She knows that she needs to (Literally) get her head out of her arse, & find a happy place while it's being done, but is struggling with this. And one can't have clenched cheeks at a time like this........

Poor love. She remembers her manners though: she always thanks the nurse for putting her through the worst pain on her 19yrs....

She knows that this may go on for quite a while........ often, pilonidal sinus can take months to heal competely. She is very concerned about her "Homebake" concert on December 6.

Today, we'll plug some of her favourite music in her ears while it's being done............

At least I've got today off. I'm absolutely shagged after last week. With GG's going on & work, I feel as if I lived at Muswellbrook hospital last week. I had yesterday off too, but was too tired to do much else other than washing. Poor Beloved was tidying, moving stuff & sorting in the yard, & all I could do was watch...... Put me in a position less than 45 degrees from upright, & I start to drop off to sleep.....

Today will be better. I have plans.

Did anybody watch the Adam Hills special on ABC last week? Adam said that when we are happy, we tend to swagger a bit & drum our tummy. And in Egypt, the traffic is so bad, that when the frustation builds & becomes too much, people get out & dance on the roof of their cars to some Arabic-style "Footloose" music to release their tension.

Well, that sounds good to me.

I'm choosing to drum my tummy, and stand on the metaphorical roof of my car & dance my frustrations away.........

before I work for my last 6 days at Muswellbrook hospital before I return to Scone hospital.......

Have a good day everyone. Remember to tummy-drum & dance, even if it's only on the inside!

Cheers ;0)

In a world of my own....

Morning All! I'm getting on the "point form" bandwagon:

Life is good. All the usual stuff (hiccups/dramas) in the Blogmuggle life.

• Beloved is working too hard. He had a good day with his Mum on Sunday (his only day off) cleaning her ceiling fans & light fittings. He's going with his brother on a "blokes weekend" to Oran park in December, though. He wants us to finish the hallway & hang all the photos so that it's nice when his Mum & sister come up the Sunday before Christmas. I'm not sure we'll have time....
  

• GG has been working at the petrol station, & spending as much time away from home as possible. This has been compromised at the present time as she is struggling with an abscess in an area that some may have experience with. She is very excited that she now has tickets to both Homebake and Soundwave.

• SBoy had his Yr 12 formal on Thursday night. He looked very shmick in his suit, as did all the other young men & the girls all looked lovely, as usual. I can't find any photos of the formal.... nobody seems to have put any up on Myspace. Maybe these kids have a life or something .... I wish that more attention would be paid to appropriate underwear... quite a few frocks looked less "dressy" due to a lack of attention to suitable underwear! He was only in attendance long enough to be awarded his portfolio & commemorative glass, then he hopped into his car & drove to Sydney so that he could fly out to Perth early Friday morning. He's been riding in a Freestyle trials exhibition at a "burnout/car/rev-head" fest at Narrogin. He probably won't be home for Christmas as the team will probably head off to Jakarta for 3 weeks or so of exhibition work at a theme park.... I guess there's no chance of him ever making a crust & having fun on his motobike is there???? ... *snort* The owner covers all his expenses, and pays Sboy as well.....
  

My Dad says that Sboy should get his head down & get a trade first, then do "all this riding stuff..." . The way I see it, Sboy is only 17, really doesn't have too much interest in a trade at this point (& vice versa), and will have an aging body that won't allow him to do this sort of riding for any real length of time. You only live once. He's learning some valuable life lessons along the way as well. And as for the political unrest in Asia? Well, there's not too much I can do about that. We let our kids out loose on the roads in their cars & hang on the streets & and that's pretty dangerous too.

• Vboy has become very mature. Actually, he's spent way to much time amusing himself of late. Beloved & I went to a works Dinner on Saturday night, & we had to leave Vboy at home with a mate. The pair of them ended up at another mate's place watching the "Scary Movie" series. He's the original latch-key kid these days. He gets himself up & readies himself for school, including making his own lunch. He's usually the first one home of an afternoon as well. I often feel a bit superfluous around here these days, but then I look at the mounds of washing, the messy house & the empty fridge & pantry, & I am reassured that I have a place in this family....... Vboy still loves to cuddle his mum, as well. And he always needs money for something.

• Me???? I love my job. I am a little concerned that I have to look for a new contract come May next year, but there's going to be plenty to occupy me between now & then. I believe that this traineeship was given to me for a reason, & that nursing is where I am meant to be. My back has improved, but it will take a while to resolve the inflammation that is present. I'll probably always have problems with it, so my work practices will have to reflect this. Maybe I'll need to come & work with Twist with the little tiny patients.....
  

I spent Sunday with my Dad & an old family friend going through loads of old photos. "Aunty Dawdley" is such a character! She's one's one of life's real survivors; it's been a hard existence for her for sure, but she has a robust sense of humour & a remarkable outlook . She even discussed her funeral plans, which to me is incredibly important. I wish people were less afraid to discuss this sort of stuff: every other celebration in life is planned to the tiniest detail, but this greatest celebration of all is often left in the hands of grief-stricken & sorrowful people who are often unable to think straight. And it is really hard to think straight, believe me. Another old aunt decided to share her "after-passing" plans with me recently. I asked had she told any of her 5 (adult) children, one of whom was in the room with us. She said "no, she was telling me, so that it was done right..." I hope that I am around to honour her wishes. I asked to her write it all down, put it somewhere safe, and tell a few of the kids where she'd put it. I also asked her son (the poor man had buried his wife 6 weeks earlier) whether or not he had been listening, & he assured me that he had... thank goodness.....

Over last year, I have had a lot of exposure to the experience of death & dying, on both a work & personal level. I have developed a great respect for it all. It is an eventual reality for us all, isn't it. It is a hell of a lot less traumatic when the person is old, but still sad. I am quite comfotable with caring for the dying these days, & think that it is a priviledge to care for someone who is approaching the end of their days. Once the family/carers have accepted the fact that their loved one is dying, the most common comment seems to be; "we wouldn't put our pets through this....", or something along the lines of "this shouldn't take so long..... it's too hard ..."
It's a hard thing: when does:" intervention" stop? What is "comfortable"?..... What is "Dying with dignity"?????..

Ah well. That's a discussion for another day. I've blogmuggled my own post......

The washing machine is calling my name.....

Enjoy your day!

He's so fine......

Hi guys!

No deep & meaningfuls from me today.

My back is on the mend, but by the time I finish my last shift on Saturday, it might be a bit rough. I need to get some Bowen therapy done to sort it out, I think.

I have to go over the road to sew Sboy's suit pants for his formal on Thursday night, this morning. I bought him a "Cheap" suit at Lowes, as the Lowes account is the only spare money at the moment: he picked the most expensive on e in the shop! I promised him that I would run in the legs to make it look a bit more "edgy"....... WHY DID I DO THIS?????? My sewing machine is dead, so need to use Gay's to do this. At least I get to spend an hour or so in the company of this lovely lady ;0)
He's not really that fussed about his formal, & had to be talked into going as he has to drive down to Sydney afterwards. He's going to cut his evening short, as on Friday morning he flies out to Perth to perform freestyle trials at a SummerNat-style weekend, then flies home again on Tuesday. Then next week, he & his mates have a schoolies week at Port Macquarie. What a life he has! There is also talk of him going to Indonesia over the Christmas-New Year period to perform at shows over there. Beloved & I have some reservations about this as a result of the unrest over there. We will see how things pan out.

I'm sure GG thinks that she has missed out, all because she can't ride a motorbike, & I'm wondering if Vboy thinks that all this sets the benchmark for him. All I know is that Sboy seems to have all the pieces fall into place for him. He even has had the local electrician ring him over the last few weeks to ask whether SBoy would like to come & give him a hand....
At least SBoy will get to wear his suit again Thurday week, as he has been invited to an awards night dinner as he has been nominated for Year 12 Retail Student of the Year by Hunter Youth Express! I hope that it doesn't clash with schoolies..... He was a bit excited when he told me yesterday!

Anyway, I'm going to load up the washing machine, & put on the recording of "Supernatural " from last night.

Have a good day!

Blue skies smiling at me................

It's a beautiful Sunday up here in Wattle Grove.

Miles of blue sky & sunshine.

Beloved has been called in to work.

GG has had a sleepover, & will then go to work.

SB will be going to work.

Vboy has had a friend here since Friday evening, & is busy trying to get in some last minute PS3 skateboard action before SB takes his mate (and the game) back home to Muswellbrook.

I have miles of washing to do. And an essay to write.

All of this is difficult as I have "acute backpain", as diagnosed by Dr Tony on Friday afternoon. It started on Tuesday afternoon, I rested it all day Wednesday, then worked (I use this term very loosely: I am in deep gratitiude to my patients who were quite helpful in doing things for themselves to save my sore back) Thursday & Friday. I have been quoffing 6hrly nurofen plus, with little effect. The doc suggested that I continue this, but take paracetamol as well, rest, don't sit, walk for 5 mins every hour or so, and perform some wee stretches while laying flat on a hard surface............. Well, stuff me if it doesn't feel any better at all. And all the household crap still needs to be done, and I have 6 days straight at work this week....................... At least he bulk-billed me, gave me some free Somac so that the nurofen plus doesn't burn a huge hole in my gut & suggested that I could come back if it doesn't improve.

And it that it may last 3 days to three weeks.

Cool.

Only 16 days to go.

I think I'll need more Somac.

Got to go, guys. I can't sit here. It's too uncomfortable.

Have a lovely Sunday!

What a wonderful world........ oh yeah.......

Louis Armstrong crooned this in the funeral chapel on Monday towards the completion of PoppyDon's funeral service.

It pretty much summed up PoppyDon's approach to life.

His was a lovely service, with "no bullshit", as was PoppyDon's request. Overseeing the celebration of a life well lived was Annie Laurie. Annie is a retired nun(?), grief counsellor & representative of the "Make Today Count" organisation, which helps people with life-limiting & terminal illness. She is a genuinely caring, compassionate & honest woman, without the sleek oiliness that can sometimes be apparent in people who choose to stand out the front in church. She officiated at a funeral that PoppyDon had attended: he requested her presence for his own. He's always been a good judge of character.

It was a sad, yet positive occassion.

The first song that was played was for PoppyDon & NannyVal. Nat King Cole crooned "When I fall in Love"; it was a beautiful start, and the lyrics are true. When Don fell in love with 14yrold Valmai, he had to wait until her parents decided she was old enough to marry at 19. He really did mean that "it would be completely.... and forever" . And she was certainly worth the wait.

My Beloved delivered a heartfelt eulogy about his dad: I am so proud of him. <3, <3, <3.
10 grandchildren all stood up the front supporting each other as 3 grandsons & 1 granddaughter shared their thoughts about their Pop.

The grandsons then all walked their Pop out to the waiting hearse. It was good planning to have 6 grandsons, wasn't it? Actually, in 1992, 18yrold grandson, Michael, died in tragic circumstances, and PoppyDon told me that "he didn't like having an odd number of grandchildren, & could I please provide him with another grandson, please?" Of course, I was happy to oblige: Vboy is the result.

Over 200 people attended. A measure of the man indeed.

His favourite toast was "Happy Days". I can't recall him ever saying another.

Some other excerpts:

“Some people walk in and out of our lives
without making an impression…
Others stay a while and make the time
to leave footprints on our hearts…
and we are never the same again.”

SONIA BROWN © 2003

Donald John Kavanagh
Born: 18 July 1927 in Adamstown, NSW
Died: 28 October 2008
Aged 81 Years

• Don was the fourth born child to Jack & Molly Kavanagh and brother to
Patty, Veronica (Bubby), Del, Nola & John.
• Well Known as ‘Kav’ to his mates, Don was raised in Adamstown where
he completed school and served his apprenticeship as a motor mechanic.
• On the 13th January 1951, Don married Valmai and fathered four
children Owen, Kristine, Susan & Darren. He became grandfather to
Michelle, Michael, Justin, Keith, Daniel, Abby, Joshua, Sophie, Eloise,
Jack & Reece and great grandfather to Micha, Amelia & Mackenzie.

• After working as an NRMA Road Service Patrolman for most of his
career, Don semi‐retired and continued his passion of restoring motor
cars. Winning a number of awards for his efforts, Don was recognised as
a superior tradesman by car restoration clubs.

• Some of Don’s favourite expressions were; tops, beaut, immaculate and
“get your hands off my car”. The best of all expressions made by him
was “Happy Days”.
• Don was a keen sports enthusiast, with a particular interest for all sports
involving motor cars and motor bikes.

• Known for his optimism Don always saw the glass half‐full and was
happy to help his family, relatives and friends when in need. Don was
dignified, proud, loyal, fair, fun, a larrikin, positive, hard working and
happy.

• Always a gentleman and loving husband to Val, Don will be sadly
missed by his family and friends.

The programme won't let me copy the great photo of PoppyDon that is on the order of service, and believe it or not, there are no pictures on this computer. I've even been looking through my old posts as I know I blogged some after Pop's 80th birthday, but do you think I can find them: no way. I have written a lot of stuff, though........

Oh well, I'll find one later........

To quote a great man:

Happy Days!

Mama Mia......... here I go again.....

I made a momentous decision yesterday.

Life-changing.

It may well affect others perception of me, including Beloved & my children.

I'm not sure of the ramifications on a professional level.

My identity as a woman, a vital, sexual being is on the line.

My sanity will be questioned: my ability to think coherently and make valid, considered decisions.

I am not having a midlife crisis.

I have been considering this for quite some time now, but was unsure of how to make the first step.

I have decided to.....................................

Let my hair grow out into it's natural grey and brown colouring.............

"Duh", you say. I have no idea what the natural colour of my hair is, as I have been colouring, dying, foiling & tiniting my hair since I was 15. So that's quite a while. I am plain tired if it all. I have never been a good customer at the hairdressers: none have ever been able to take holidays based upon my my repeat visits. I have ordinary hair; just wavy, yet I struggle to find a decent cutter up here. My lovely friend, Kathy, used to cut it beautifully, then she moved away. Her eldest girl & my Vboy are the same age: we met at playgroup. She loved to cut my hair (madwoman), and told me that it was difficult to find someone that was able to cut wavy hair well. How right she was.

Then Colleen moved in next door, and she would cut my locks & whack on a colour in between me putting in the roast & the veges that I would wash off before making the gravy..... then she moved away. We would have some lovely Friday night chardies together. It never mattered that I was the same age as her mum. I actually hadn't really met her, when she called out to GG over the fence that she needed to see me, & did I have some time after tea? So I rocked over after tea, in my houseclothes, grotty bare feet and unwashed body, concerned about my new neighbour. She gave me a lovely pedicure while we got to know each other........ Initially mortified, I soon realised how warm & genuine this young woman is. And, boy, is she a good hairdresser. That is why she had her own very successful salon at the age of 21.

Finally, after wasting money on haircuts & colours that I never liked, I started getting my friend Maxine to cut it, but she lives in Newcastle, so it's difficult to get to her when she's at work. She will cut it at home, but won't take any money for her excellent services, then won't let me pay for the pizzas that we devour afterwards...... I love the way she does it, & she loves my hair. Actually, I just love Max. She's gorgeous. We met through a mutual friend when our girls were wee babes, and have been friends ever since.

I had foils put in by a lovely girl in a salon at Belmont at the beginning of the year, but it's too much effort to maintain them. I bit the bullet & had a trim at a salon in Muswellbrook earlier this month. $34 poorer after the quickest trim (no wash) and a straightening blow-dry, I had a cut that... guess what? I don't like..............

I chatted with the new salon owner, Nell, here in Denman yesterday. She made sense when she advised me to not strip the colour out of my hair, as it may damage it, but rather to just colour it with semi's until it grows out. And she suggested that I try the woman who cuts her own wavy hair, as she is happy with her. So on Wednesday, Denice gets a go...........

I am going to have to be very, very patient. Hmmmmmmm.......

So there you go.

Really, truely, a post about nothing. A bit like "Seinfeld", the self-confessed show about nothing. But still a bit of fun.......

I'll be Blogging AWOL again for the next 5 days or so: shifts do that to you, don't they?

Poppy Don's funeral service is on Monday morning. I hope the weather is nice for his send-off. Work has been brilliant in accomodating my needs over the past few weeks. I have dubbed myself the "Claytons's Trainee". You know: "the Trainee you have when you're not having a Trainee......". Now my age is showing.... Some will probably not remember where that came from.....

I think I'll stop watching the news....... never any good news, is there?

Have a good one.

Love, Cyndy ;0)

Everyone around, love him, love him.............

Hi. I am home.

PoppyDon passed away this evening (Tuesday) at just after 7pm. He managed to stay around so that his sisters & brother could all say their goodbyes, which I'm sure was a comfort to them, even though PoppyDon has probably been unconscious since yesterday.

It is sad, but a blessed relief for him.

Life will never be the same.

He was spirited individual, with a kind & generous heart, and an amazing positive outlook on life & it's many foibles.

Rest in peace, lovely man. xoxoxoxo

i'M FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES, PRETTY BUBBLES IN THE AIR....

Well that's what I would prefer to be doing, anyway.

The family has been backwards & forwards & now simply staying put with PoppyDon at the hospital.

It's been a torturous time. On Wednesday of this week, we convinced him not to have the surgery that was, more than likely, going to end his life, based upon the promise that we could provide him with a painless and peaceful passing if that was what he wanted.

It turns out, that this was way more difficult than planned, and it has taken until last night to have some appropriate and effective pain management put in place, as the doctor in charge thought that we wanted Pop lucid throughout the proceedings........ and was taking the softly softly approach in medication. After an interesting discussion, whereby the doctor accused us of asking him to perform euthanasia (which he said that he was neither comfortable, nor happy with ... give the man a gold star), we asked him to just DO HIS JOB and provide Pop with the peace that he so desperately wanted, as we had been assured would be the case. To us, this was a happily snoring Pop until his poor, worn-out body just gives up, rather than the pale man in excrutiating pain who almost needed to be scraped off the ceiling.

Finally, last night, the intravenous line filled with opiates, relaxants and antipsychotics was finally put inplace that I had suggested at 11am yesterday. The result is the happily snoring Pop that we all wanted......

So now we wait. His daughters are paranoid and insisting upon silence lest we wake him....... Understandable, but an over-reaction.

That will do for now. I'm not sure how much time I have left at the internet cafe here at the hospital.

Be well & happy people.

Love, Cyndy ;0)

And the beat goes on......

Good Morning.

Life goes on.

I was in Newie on Friday & Saturday visiting unwell family members.

Poppy Don remains in hospital, and will be unwell for some time. I actually believe that he isn't going to become well, but is now in a place where he will improve from how he is now, until he becomes unwell again. Poor darling. There doesn't seem to be anything that can be done to fix his "problems", which are now multiple in numbers, just manage them as best as possible.

Favourite Uncle has tests today with a neurologist. It was decided that his last couple of funny turns were mini-strokes, so he's on a necessary 'go-slow' at the moment. He'll be ok I think, and a few lifestyle changes probably won't go astray anyway.

Beloved will be home from his weekend in Victoria tonight. He struggled with going in the first place with his dad being unwell, and Beloved has had a throat-flu as well. He seems to have enjoyed himself, but will be glad to be home, he said. He wants to drive down to see his dad tomorrow. I'm going to see if I can change my shift so I can go with him, but I'm not sure whether this can happen.

The young Blogmuggles are all well. GG has finally started on paid shifts at the service station yesterday, and works on Tuesday evening as well. Sboy starts his HSC exams on Friday. KFC has him rostered on to work every night this week........ He is to inform them that this is not possible, especially Thursday night. Mind you, I don't think that it will make all that much difference, given the amount of preparation that he has done (read this as minimal folks). VBoy headed off out the door this morning to catch the bus at 7.30am; its the first morning that he's been out of bed before 11am in 2 weeks...... He's a good boy....

I'm off folks. Washing to hang, paperwork to sort out before I head off to work at 11am. I want to go to see school & sort out some things before work as well. I won't be here much this week, as I'm scheduled for evening shift tonight, then 5 mornings..... gah......

Bye ;0)

Big boys don't cry........

Just dropping in to say hello.

Life is good. I returned to work on Monday (public holiday pay; yay!). So far so good there. I have an ADO on Friday, so somebody somewhere loves me, but the roster is a bit on the weird side. I work 6 days straight next week, which is ok, but then there are 10 days of unscheduled leave followed by another ADO, 4 days of quick shifts then goodness knows how many days on a new roster on my next rotation at Muswellbrook. I think someone messed up somewhere.....

I will have to go into Mussie before I start work this afternoon, see if their roster is out, then try to sort it out when there is time at work with the acting NUM,when she has time..... good luck with that. Staffing is a huge issue at the moment as school holidays are always a juggle, and lots of people are sick at the moment. It seems that illness is always an issue in the healthcare industry. It must have something to do with the "aura" of the sick people in hospital (the professional term for this is Infection Control...), stress & shiftwork, I suppose.

All is well in the family up here in Wattle Grove. Kids are enjoying their holidays. GG has worked a few shifts (unpaid until today's shift, but that is ok: she's got to start somewhere & they have appreciated her committment). She has missed her Newie social life, though. Sboy is busy preparing for his exams: NOT. He's very relaxed, though. "Being a kid", he calls it. Vboy has been sleeping until midday & "just hangin'".......

Beloved heads off to Victoria tomorrow with his mate, Pete. He should have fun....

I'm happy as I've managed to cut $65 off our weekly expenditure at home this week. I wonder if I'll ever find it????????

Sad note: The fabulous Poppy Don is back in hospital this week, and the divine Uncle Al (the one that lovely Lisa & I share) has been in & out over the past few weeks, & is not a well boy either. (Maybe this was the cranky bloke in a dressing gown that you saw in your dream, Lisa? He hates being unwell: it frustrates him no end...). Some healing energies would be appreciated for these luvverlies please.... I know that everyone is fairly stretched at the moment....

Anyway, I'm off. Things to do.

Have a good one!

Love, Muggle ;0)

He had a severe case of " the Emperors new clothes....."

Hahaha!

Lisa left me a comment on my last post about the kids that made me laugh: She insinuated that the school principal was deserving of a capital P, followed by the letters R,I,C,K.... It's funny because he goes by the term, "Mr P. Crick", except that for most people, the 'C' is silent......

ahahahahaha!

A few more lyrics from the aforementioned song.... just because I can...

Maybe I was mean
But I really don't think so
You asked if I'm scared
And I said so

Everyone can see what's going on
They laugh `cause they know they're untouchable
Not because what I said was wrong
Whatever it may bring
I will live by my own policies
I will sleep with a clear conscience
I will sleep in peace

Maybe it sounds mean
But I really don't think so
You asked for the truth and I told you
Through their own words
They will be exposed
They've got a severe case of
The emperor's new clothes

That is all. Bye. ;0)

Each of these, my three babies, I will carry with me......

Another line from Sinead O'Connor. But Sunday morning in the Blogmuggle household is quiet, except for the Fleetwood Mac CD that I have just started listening to. Beloved is playing a rare round of golf. Not that he was all that interested in it, mind you, but he "told Rhod that I would play in this charity day...." such a martyr....... He took his nurofen with him to ease his dodgy knee.....

My three babies..... one day I will learn how to put them where I want them.....


SBoy & GG GG & VBoy

There have been big "grown-up"changes afoot here....

For a change, I'll start with Vboy: His room underwent a major overhaul a few weekends ago. He used to have 2 bunks with desks/drawers/bookcases under them in his room, which was always handy as he is rarely solo on the weekends. Now the bunks are gone, and he has his very own "Big Boy" double bed, which he loves. He was just too big for the single bunk...... He is eager to finish dressing the bed with the schmick new "stripey boy bedding" that his sister bought for him instead of the blue, red and purple hearts bedding that is on there at the moment (all that I had on hand)...... Mind you, the girls think that he is pretty cool.... in touch with his sensitive side...*snort*... Sunshine enters the room with him.

GG: Last week, (under the firm encouragement of her parents) GG made the decision to come back home to live, for a while anyway. Life hasn't been to kind to my darling girl this year, and she seems to have had a dark, ever present cloud that would rain down on her at ever-increasing intervals. Work has been sporadic, money scarce and her domestic situation as been tenable at best. Whilst her Pop loves her, living with him without the presence of Nan has not gone well. GG has found it difficult just to be there without Nan, and consequently has spent a lot of time on friend's floors & couches...... no space of her own, no money to add to the household coffers of equally poor, but generous friends. She has stauchly resisted my attempts to come back home, viewing it as "failure". Broady Maccas has only been provding 1 or 2 short shifts each week: now, with the school holidays here, she has been offered none.
Monday saw us at Centrelink: hopeless waste of time. She qualifies for nothing. She fits into none of their categories. We were given a job search number and headed to Mission Australia. Luckily, my friend Michelle was on the front desk, and was very encouraging and helpful in the light of GG's negative attitude. Tuesday was a wee bit black. Wednesday we went to the Caltex Service Station that GG's aunty manages. The result: A trial shift for GG at 6am Saturday. Aunt & Uncle had actually been discussing between themselves whether GG would like to work there the night before..... we have never discussed it with them, as she had been so resolute in her need to stay in the "bright lights"... Coincidence?????
A visit to the hairdressers and a snappy new "do" sealed the deal... GG decided to come home...... She worked at Maccas on Friday, then arrived late Friday night. She found the shift at Caltex on Saturday fun, do-able and is keen to work again. It is good to see the enthusiasm back in my gorgeous girl. She went to a friend's house last night in Mussie, and stayed the night.
She will be home today as she wants to re-enrol at Uni. I have stipulated 1-2 subjects at most... slowly, slowly I say. She needs to remain rooted here for a while, with some Ma n' Pa love, support, food, and the ability to earn her own money. Money's not the answer, but it seems that way doesn't it? She had dreams not so long ago, and had gotten to the point where she wouldn't look to far into the future, or even discuss them. "hush Mum. Don't say anymore.." she would say. She had lost sight of it all, and had no hobbies at all. With the arrival of her tax return, she bought herself an acoustic guitar on Thursday. The other day, she uttered the immortal words: "If I can save enough, maybe I can piss off over seas for a while next year..." Yes my darlin', you can.....

SBoy: Graduation and his last day at school on Friday. Until his HSC exams in October. He has worked at KFC everynight this week, and will most of next week as well. His "awesome, cute" girlfriend caught the train upfrom Newie to be with him except that he was at work, then had to train it back to Newie at 10am the next morning. They're working hard at grabbing every spare minute, this pair. Scary when you consider that he's only 17 & she's 16. The fact that he has bought her home is an indicator of the depth of his feelings for her. He is cautious in the game of love.... He call's her "the missus..." ...... " Wouldn't it be funny if we did get married Mum?" he said to me...... "Hilarious, Son...." eeeewwww......
It's an "instant" society these days: no long-winded courtships, with pussy-footing around, dating and coutship rituals. We have never met nor spoken to "Cute-girl's" parents, yet without consultation with us, she was allowed to travel up here and stay with people that they know zip about. We have an open door policy at our home, so her being here wasn't an issue, but we have always checked out where our kids go to, and ensured that they were a) welcome, & b) under supervision by people who were not drug-addled/alcoholic/axe-wielding/raving lunatics... any more than normal, anyway...
His Graduation was ... Interesting..... SBoy has been an active member of his school community, & proud of his school. A member of the SRC from yr 7, representative in school soccer & other sports, at science & engineering challenges, SRC conferences, MUNA, walked the streets on Legacy Day, BBQ'ed, fund-raised. He took on the lead male role in the Yr 10 musical (he believes that he can't sing, but did it because he was asked). He was elected Yr 11 & 12 prefect by his peers, regardless of the fact the the Principal told him "not to bother running as he would not support him if he did....".
You can see that there may have been a problem here, yes? I have had the occasssional exchange with this "man"..... Even shaving off his glorious long hair, which had always been a issue for the Principal (who doesn't deserve the capital P by the way,) for "Shave for a Cure" didn't seem to make a difference....
SBoy received no acknowledgment for his services to the school. His friends who were Captains & prefects all received awards, deservedly so. As did 32 other students. He was the only one of the executive that sat on the stage throughout the entire proceedings that received nothing. There are only 57 students in his year. I am not a trophy-hound mother. My son deserved recognition. My gut tells me that this was personal........
Every student walked onto the stage to accept their final school report. Each 1st place getter in each subject was announced when they were to receive their report & shake hands with the principal. SBoy tied for 1st place in Retail Operations with another student. Her name was called out whern it was her turn.
His wasn't. Everything became shallow, hollow for him after that. He went through the motions after that. Talked with friends at the morning tea afterwards, signed shirts. But he wasn't really there. He wanted to go home & get ready to go to Dubbo with the Freestyle Trials crew, who had arrived on Thursday night, & were waiting for him at home. And that's what he did. He had his head & heart in place by the time he left for Dubbo. And Jana & Jack F like SBoy & will look after him. It was a good idea for him to go & blow off some some steam. He's having fun.

I think that he grew up a bit more on Friday. Another of life's sucky, hard lessons. He asked me on Friday morning if "it was wrong that he felt like he had already moved on in his head?" when he was slow to get to the school breakfast. Having cute girl around made it harder to leave. But he took her with him.

Hmmmm. "Each of these, my three babies, I will carry with me."

Always.

The whole time I'd never seen that all I'd need was inside me......

G'day.

You know, I don't think that I have mentioned to y'all that I am on holidays. I have unpacked some very patient boxes, and have been slowly getting my house in order. I rang the hospital at Scone to see if they wanted me back, and you know what? They didn't have me on the roster. I suggested that another week off work would be ok if they needed me to take it......... I don't start back at work until October 6!

Yeehah!!!!!! Not that I don't want to go back: I do. I'm really looking forward to building on the new skills that I have learned: there is so much that I have to learn......

Anyway, this isn't a long post. I have another one in mind that I will compose later. I am listening to Sinead O'Connor at the moment. I love her heartfelt, headstrong forthrightness. And her voice is a gift from within. She quotes the serenity prayer at the beginning of her album:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Evidently, this is the Alcoholics Anonymous adaptation of this well known piece of prose. I thought that it very old, but Wikipedia gives credit to Reinhold Niebuhr, who used it in a sermon in 1934.

Wiki also offers a juxtaposition by W.W. Bartley, with a Mother Goose rhyme, written about 1695:

For every ailment under the sun

There is a remedy, or there is none;

If there be one, try to find it;

If there be none, never mind it.

What do you think? Me, I've no idea. I just love the sentiment. It's probably the underwriting of my belief about life. That's me: If there is a problem, fix it. If you can't...... Meh. You can't do everything, or control everything in life.
Maybe I'm more like the Mother Goose rhyme.... Yeah... take God out of the equation..... or not..... because that makes me responsible........ Meh......

Too much time on my hands.......

Too much time to think.........

Did I mention that I'm on holidays?????????????????????????

Hmmmm..... you might get sick of a relaxed Blogmuggle...... I'll be back later.

See ya!

Thank you for being a friend....

Just a few thoughts:

Friends are like butt cheeks.
Crap might separate them at times,

But they always come back together.

and.........

"When you're sitting on a balcony, on a clear night, sipping scotch with your best friend, 'now' is everything".

Denny Crane


Yep, "Don't worry: Be happy"

;0)

zzzzzz to come.....

TAFE is done and dusted.

I scraped over the line this afternoon with a teachers foot firmly toeing me over the line.

Seriously.

But.

I'm off to see "The Producers" tonight. I'm going with one of my oldest friends. It should be fun.

I'd better go and get ready. See ya!

Bring me sunshine, in your smile.....

"My life may be a pain in the bum, but at least it's never boring.."

A wise woman I know once wrote this. I think I need to steal it & make it my own.

My last week in Newie: so full of promise.....

Sunday's visit to Poppy Don in hospital at JHH was relatively uneventful, with his proclamation that he will be going home on Monday. Unlikely, thought I, but hoped that I was wrong. He was determined to be at least home by beautiful wife's birthday on Tuesday.... and he was. She went out to her post-broken femur therapy session as usual, and he arrived home. GG & I arrived on the doorstep shortly after they finished their dinner to to deliver birthday booty to Nanny Val, & pass on the belated winning birthday lottery tickets to Poppy Don from his July birthday. "Happy Friggen Birthday", read the message inside his card. And so it was. Shortly afterwards, Poppy Don was showing some odd behaviours and signs, which amplified over trhe next 20mins. My 1st thought was a stroke, but I wasn't convinced, & couldn't put my finger on the problem. The ambos saved the day (as they inevitably do) and bought him out of his 1st "hypoglycaemic event"...... Now I've seen one, I'll never forget it. It's looks as though someone is paralytically drunk whilst they are having a stroke...... The normal blood glucose level is between 4 & 8: Poppy Don's was less than 1.
The short version: GG stayed with Nanny Val, while I braved the JHH A & E department. Sister-in-law, Sue, joined me for a few hours. After 3 doctors, tests and many glucose injections and drip infusions, Poppy Don is now an in-patient, with highly unstable blood glucose levels. It is continually dropping, and is proving difficult to maintain. So he's a pretty crook fellow at the moment. And typically in public hospital form, there were no staff to hold his sick bag & monitor its use, so I stayed until he was finally given anti-vomit medication and settled down close to 4am..... Very important TENurse duties.....

The blogpost title is a direct reference to the evening's events: the sun came out from behind a cloud (even though it was after 8pm) when Poppy Don smiled as he was coming out of his "event".......


Another clinical skills assessment was passed at TAFE today, so I shouldn't cause too much permanent damage if I am administering oral medications to any patients now.....


S.Boy attended his interview yesterday, but isn't too hopeful, as he doesn't think that he answered the questions in the way that was wanted. Wait & see, I say. To make the final 10 is an achievement in itself, and at least he has an idea of what is involved in the process now.

GG went to see about the chef apprenticeship, and was told that they have changed their minds and want a 2nd year apprentice indstead of a 1st year...... oh well..... she looked really nice, too.....

Vboy is going to a Sport & Rec camp this weekend on an island on the Hawkesbury River, so that should be fun for him....

Anyway, I'm going to see GG, who's babysitting her cousins after her one & only shift at Maccas: I'm thieving the car to go and see Poppy Don.

Then it's study time. and probably zzzzzzzzzzzzz

C'MON AUSSIE, C'MON, C,MON!!!!!!!

Matthew Cowdrey, swimmer

Kylie Gauci, wheelchair basketballer


How amazing are our paralympic athletes!

brave, courageous, and determined.

Wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair basketball: not for the fainthearted, or for those who need a lot of personal space.......

Some swimming strokes need a bit of imagination to see them as the "stroke" that they are, but OMG, it is amazing.

I think they all should be proud of their efforts, in the medals or not. I am.

HOORAY !!!!!!!!!!


__________________________________________________________

If there's a bustle in your hedegrow, don't be alarmed now.......

About time..... I started a blog post last weekend, couldn't upload photos, and ended up a tad pissed with my potential pist, and so, didn't post it. A wee update:

TAFE is finished this coming Friday. How quickly did that 7 weeks go???? Scary that time moves so fast. Our lives don't to be ticking by, they seem to Whoosh..... 5 more days..... 1 exam on medications & administration on Friday, and compulsory clinical skills assessments. All essays & assignments are in. My finishing present to me is an excursion the see "The Producers" at the Civic Theatre on Friday night. It should be fun.

My lovely father-in-law has been in, out and back into hospital over the last 10 days. Beloved, VB & I will visit him in JHH this afternoon, and I will stay at Newie for the last week of TAFE. Beloved is a bit excited as he and a friend from Tamworth are going to Sedgewick in country Victoria fort he Aussie Mototrials Championships in October. He's going to ride, but hasn't actually ridden competitively for over a year. His body will probably pull him up after a few hours, let alone 2 days, but for him it's more about the social than anything else. If my year has been a bit ordinary & stressful, then I think that Beloved's has been more so. He's been so unexpectedly busy with everything going on at home, and with me this year, that he deserves a few days away. He's been simply brilliant. I think he's learned a lot about himself, too. Gorgeous man, and yes indeed, Beloved.

GG has only had 1 or 2 shifts at Maccas over the past few weeks, and all of them only short. Certainly not enough to live from. She is available anytime of day, is not locked into school hours, and Broady Maccas is open 24hrs: do they have so many casual staff on their books that she can only have 10 hours at most, during the day?? She has applied for a chef apprenticeship, and has spoken to the owner on the phone twice during the past week. I have convinced her to take the proactive step of actually going to the restaurant & introducing herself to them this week, so they can put a face to the name, and demonstrate that she is keen & has initiative. Hopefully, something may come of this. She really needs to assert her independence, and without money, that is impossible. Fingers crossed, eh? I'm crossing, my toes, legs, arms, eyes and t's as well.

S.Boy is enjoying his life at the moment. He had a great time in Sydney riding with the Freestyle Mototrials guys, travels to Armidale next weekend for a show, then after that to Dubbo, and Bathurst to ride at shows. He has been on the receiving end of kudos at KFC, with awards on paper, so hopefully, this will help him when he attends the final interview for an apprenticship for Port Waratah Coal Company on Tuesday. He's made to the final 10, with 2 mechanical & 2 electrical trades appenticships on offer. I think that just getting this far is an amazing feat, but he has no pre-apprenticship background, or electronics or electrical/computer training, so advancement past this point would be almost a miracle. But, he's made it this far, so there's something about thim that "they" like, so you never know. He is very keen to move to Newcastle to live, especially now that he has a "Cute, Awesome" girlfriend who lives at Charlestown. It is very convenient that he has his licence & a car, I can tell you, otherwise someone would have to drive him to all these places......... School is, well, almost over..... Somehow, we have to keep his feet on the ground for his HSC next month..... hmmmm

VB, who will have to have a new name soon, as he eats food other than vegetables these days, is a lovely, normal now-14yr old boy. He's had a birthday since my last post (the same day as Prue's), and enjoying the thrills of "Guitar Hero 3", a new PS3 controller and an up-dated, schmicker mobile phone. We bought him 1 for Christmas, but it has been in for repairs 3 times, so Mr Harvey Norman offerred a new phone as a replacement with a few extra dollars from us, as the new phone was almost 3 times the price of the original. He's happy. Thank heavens for Tax returns, I say.

I am the proud owner of a dishwasher, too. We've still no hot water connected, yet, but we're closer, with a written quote from a plumber........

That will do for now. I have to get ready to go.

Cheers!~

<3 Blogmuggle ;0)