Nothing stays the same forever.....

As I told GG the other day, the only thing that you can be sure that will be constant in life, is change. Other than the love of a mother, that is.......... and a father too, I suppose.

As I ponder the things that are in the beginning of the new year, which also heralds the momentous occasion of my 46th birthday tomorrow, I am given pause to think...

Nah. Let's not go there. Instead, a point version of the Blogmuggle existence at this point.

• Christmas, spent in Newcastle with family. All presents successful and appreciated with just a few exchanges necessary. I was reminded yet again, as I sat on the balcony of an 8th floor apartment in Bolton street overlooking the harbour and up to Nobby's lighthouse, why I love Newcastle so much. And it should all be preserved as it is now.

• Boxing Day at the Mac's has been a family tradition, it was worked out, for 34 years now.... wow. It's always a good day to touch base with family, as funerals seem to be the only other time that this happens. Weddings and birthday celebrations seem to be a bit thin on the ground on our family.
  
  
• Home again on 29th, with GG in tow, which resulted in an uncommonly full rear seat in the mighty wagon.
  

• Clean up at home (very empty and somewhat mournful without the festive treatment), fun visits with friends and visits from family members in transit.

• New Years Eve spent on a friends farm. One beer consumed. Dabbling in fireworks resulted in an increase in the height of Beloved's hairline. No doubt, this is why fireworks were banned from general use........
  

• Jan 1, return to Newie with GG so she could attend work on Jan 2, then to "Raj's on the Corner" for dinner, followed by a movie; "Atonement". Loved this. There are always consequences to your actions. The filming and scenery were divine, even if it was wartime. And GG almost died with embarrassment when she realised that she'd rushed us in through the closed doors to watch the credits of the previous session. Still, we had our pick of the seats......

• Devastated Nanandpop by facilititating the euthanasia of their beloved old dog, Pepe, by having the unfortunate job of driving Nan and Pepe to the vets for the "Job" to be done while Pop was at work; Nan had decided that it was time to give the old, one-eyed, blind-in-that-one-dog some peace. We found out that he had a raging infection in one ear, and the other had already burst the eardrum.... chronic congestive heart failure, poor kidney function, but extensive use of fluid tablets resulted in the poor wee doggie peeing on whatever he thought might have been suitable... usually inside the house..

• Take Nan to her Aunty Viv's funeral on Thursday, Jan 3. She's the last of the "old generation", passing at the grand age of 84. Transported Aunty Marion and cousin Ally as well, and after the very short service (where Nan fully expected Aunty Viv to sit up in her coffin and mutter "bullshit", after the reading of the 23rd Psalm......), we dropped in on other relatives.... lots of hen-like cackling was heard by passers-by, no doubt. Evidently, our family owned half of Toronto... How come we're so poor???????

• Had a phone call from the Trainee Enrolled Nurse Co-Ordinator; I've been offerred a traineeship at Scone Hospital (45 country minutes from home), commencing with TAFE in Newcastle in April. Of course, I accepted (Unless you can see something better coming up for me Lisa....). So I have a little breathing space for now. Thank goodness....
  
  
• The bank has verbally ok'd our new mortgage for the renovations. This is a good thing (I think). The builder is due to start in 2 weeks. Of course, he's not my first choice, but what can you do when THE Master Builder isn't available to travel up to Walnut Grove (haha; haven't heard it called that for a while)
  
  
• GG is somewhat excited as Harvey Norman have a vacancy in Muswellbrook, and she's well over working at Golo in Belmont. She's heard nothing from the Jewellery Making Apprenticeship, so she's pressing on with other opportunities. So, she may come home again..... Does anybody have a caravan that we can borrow for a few months till after the renovations are done??? The poor kid doesn't have a room at home until they're done..... if she gets the job, that is.....
  
  
• Home for a few days. Family and friends will again drop in in transit. Had plans, but fiscal disabilities will most likely result in the consumption of 2minute noodles and rice until next Wednesday........ Petrol is SOOOOOO expensive at the moment. It jumped 10cents a litre overnight.....

• Anyway, I said that this would be short...... I am on leave until 11th, so maybe I will find time to babble on again.......
  
  Woo Hoo.... It's gone past midnight.......
  
  Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!
  

Bye Y'all xoxoxoxox