Blogmuggling ;)

Read all about their schemes and adventuring.... it's well worth a fee......

2010-04-19T22:50:00.003+10:00

I don't really have anything to blog about, so it is with Aussie spirit that I have decided to have a whinge............. I am going to call it;

"WHAT CHEESES ME OFF..."

TV stations changing their programming just when things start to get interesting. I love watching tv: it is my chief recreational pastime. I find it extremely annoying when a station shows 1 or 2 episodes of a tv series, then don't run it for a while, or all of a sudden stick the show in at an obscure timeslot, eg "BUFFY" turning up at 1am on TEN the other day, "Supernatural" off for a couple of weeks, "House" coming and going at odd times and tonight, Nine decided to run a repeat of a "documentary" about Carl Williams instead of "The Mentalist"..... The same thing happened with a little series called "Roswell" back in the early 90's........ Unfortunately, most of the shows I like seem to be on late at night..... I know there's more, but that's enough of those for now.....

Anti-smoking ads: Anti-drinking ads as well. These just don't work. They are so awful and offensive, and the only people who seem to really pay attention are the people who don't partake of the advertised evil product. So much money is wasted that could be put to better use in the hospital system. GG is part of the "Healthy Harold" generation, for whom the evils of drinking, drugs and smoking any substance have been force-fed into them. Like most teenagers, they just don't care about any of the dangers......... it's more important to have fun..... they tend to look upon the ads with ill-disguised scorn. No amount of adverse advertising will ever stop this stype of behaviour unless people really want to. And no-one ever believes that they will become addicted. Putting up the price of cigarettes isn't really much of a deterrent either..... GG smokes "roll-your-owns" because they're cheaper. Our house has always been a non-smoking abode, so the argument of "children copy the example of their parents" doesn't fit here....

Parking fines. Or more specifically, my daughter's parking fines. Last year, I payed over $500 to cover these little babies for my daughter. This year, during February and March, my delightful daughter has racked up another 5 or so at $84 a pop, all because she "can't afford/be bothered" to organise more appropriate parking. There is only metered parking, not residential parking where she lives in Newcastle, and as a person who frequently works until 3am, waking up to move her car from outside her residence is not often a priority. Newcastle Council booked her 3 days in a row....... If the fines aren't paid by the due date, another $50 is added on. It's a rather convoluted process to submit a stat dec stating I wasn't the driver at the time of the infringement, involving a solicitor or legal counsel.......

Whilst I'm on a car-related rant, e-tags and motorway tolls cheese me off as well. last year, after a few of these little suckers arriving in the mail after Beloved drove through Sydney on his way south, I tried to buy an e-tag on-line. After 3 days of NOT being able to succeed in this endeavour, I tried to phone, again to no avail.... The same thing happened to Beloved again in January, but as he was driving a rental car, the account didn't arrive until March, complete with high administration fees. In March, GG managed to rack up 3 motorway tolls in the space of 14 minutes..... because she didn't address the issue within 48 hours (after she phoned me on the day and I advised her to phone 1300ROAM), the admin fees on these little suckers have ended up costing me $35 instead of $11... what-the! Probably the most annoying thing is that I can drive around Sydney without paying any tolls except to cross the harbour........ You're probably wondering why I pay the fines: it's simple. "Her" car is registered in my name so that the insurance and CTP is cheaper...... To change it over into her name will not only make the insurances more expensive, it will cost money (of course) for the transfer..........

Ok. Rant over....... thanks for listening......

Now, to think of a title.. it has to be lines from a song, or a title ..... Oh yes..... "Crime of the Century" by Supertramp.....

Here's the rest of the Supertramp song:

Now they're planning the crime of the century,

Well, what will it be?

Read all about their schemes and adventuring,

It's well worth a fee,

So roll up and see.

And they rape the universe.

How they've gone from bad to worse:

Who are these men of lust, greed, and glory?

Rip off the masks and let's see.

But that's not right - oh no, what's the story?

There's you and there's me

That can't be right.........

Cheers, Cyndy ;0)

We are family........

2010-04-12T21:21:00.004+10:00

Hi there Bloggers!

Are there any Bloggers out there anymore in this instant-update era of Facebook?

It would appear that I missed blogging in March all together. At least that’s another “first” that I can cross off my bucket list. Life has been busy (as usual) in the Blogmuggle household. Lots of time has been spent at work, and a lot of other minutae that is so incredibly (un)interesting that I can’t recall any of it.

THE most exciting event actually happened in April. April 2, to be precise.

GG turned 21!!!!!.

She celebrated with a select group of family & friends at Newcastle Harbour Foreshore Park, enjoying meat-laden barbeque-style fare on Good Friday. She was dependent upon her very cool mirror-style sunnies to protect her tender eyes that resulted from the previous night's soiree with friends at her home. It was her best buddy's 21st birthday as well..... Happy Birthday, Morgan!

The weather was fabulous! It was a fun affair, but I am mildly distressed with the fact that in this era of fabulous technology, no-one had the thought of capturing the event on celluloid (or microchip) for posterity...... We had a video camera on hand, and almost every person over the age of 12 had a mobile phone with a camera... none used....

Except for a few choice piccies.....

These were taken by my sister-in-law, Lisa. These kids are all cousins. This is all of them from my Mum’s side of the family, except for my absent cousin’s absent daughter.... My dad’s side of the family have no interest in our little family. Sad, but true. Actually, they have no interest in each other..... Even more sad, but true.

Grace, Eloise and Laura:

Eloise, Laura, Khiara, Ebony & Grace:

Rhys, Jack and Sam:

Eloise, Grace, Rhys, Sam, Laura & Jack:

Eloise, Ebony, Grace, Laura, Rhys, Sam, Laura, Jack ,Zachary & Khiara:

I’m so glad that Lisa took them: at least we have some photos of all the cousins together.

It’s hard to all get together these days. Zach, Khiara & Ebony are my cousin, Alyson’s brood. Ally’s Mum and my Mum are(were) sisters: Ally & I were more like sister’s than cousins when we were children, even though she’s almost 10yrs younger than me. Lisa married my only sibling, Glen, when he was 41. I will be forever grateful that they were blessed with their 3 gorgeous kids. Mum’s only surviving brother, has 2 children: only one of them has children and they weren’t present on the day. There is some good news: there are twins expected to arrive at the end of June (good one, Andrew!), but I doubt we will see a lot of them, probably only three times a year. I have cousins that live in the Netherlands that I have never met, the offspring of Mum’s younger brother who passed away in the 70’s. The poor bugger developed cancer and died shortly after his mother. Neither knew about the other, as we had no idea where Uncle Harry was. The Salvation Army finally found us. It allowed Mum & Dad to track down my remaining cousins and meet them. I don’t really know much about them, though, and despite a few internet forays on my part, I still don’t.

I grew up with a very large and involved extended family. Leisure time was spent with my Aunts & Uncles (whether or not they were “blood-relations”), cousins of the first, second & third varieties. Our family included “In-law” cousins such as fellow blogger, Lisa B, her sister (and now new-found sister, Kerry) & cousins. After school, weekends and holidays were spent with a myriad of people that were simply acknowledged as “family”. There was fishing, camping, simple play & games, music & laughter. There was never much money that I saw, but it didn’t matter. There was conditional acceptance of everyone and their circumstance. There were no skeletons in our closets: they were out there, loud & proud.

Beloved is part of a big family too. But there’s no photos of them from GG’s big day. There’s 2 new babies due there as well in the next few months. We never even managed to get around to singing the “Happy Birthday” song....... the day was over all too soon. But there was some great cake courtesy of GG's birthday buddy, Morgan's boyfriend the baker, Toby..mmmmmmmmmm

And that’s enough from me for today. Until next time......

xoxoxoxoxoxo

We are moving to a lighthouse you & I.... I'll just hold you tight & we'll not let those @#$$ers in.....

2010-02-24T23:37:00.003+11:00

I'd best get another blog in before the month's end, eh?

The usual everything yet nothing has been going on in my life. Maybe point form might be the way to address the past few weeks:

We've bought a "new" car. It's a lovely little diesel ford Focus. It's very "un-thirsty" and very suited to the large numbers of miles that we drive up here. Very schmick, shiny and silver, it is. One day, I will draw up a timeline of my life according to the cars that we have owned: it's a direct reflection, I assure you.

We saw the Newcastle Women's roller derby league demonstration day in Newcastle on Valentine's Day. It was great fun and very tactical. Beloved & I were amazed at the number of people there. And a few tattoo artists may have been afforded an overseas holiday based upon the amount and level of inkage on display. We're looking forward to GG's debut as "fresh meat"... seriously, that's what newbies are called.........

Last Tuesday, we attended a "send-off" for my cousin, Ian. Ian passed away at the tender age of 47, from a heart attack following 4 previous attacks in 8 months. He also had Graves Disease and Type II diabetes. He has a large and loving family and friends that will miss him dreadfully. Ian had married his high school sweetheart 14yrs ago after they met at a school reunion. Both had gone through messy marriages/divorces. Happiness turned his life around. Beloved reckons that it was one of the saddest funerals he's ever been to: I thought that Kiss & Metallica were never more appropriate, and how wonderful it was that "Boong" made so many wonderful memories for those left behind.

We then had 3 very busy days at work, and on Saturday, our little world was shifted on it's axis a little....... Beloved went to work to do a simple job. Except that it didn't end up being a simple job. I can't go into details for legal reasons, but Beloved and another work colleague were involved in an incident that saw the other driver choppered off to hospital. A phone called from a rather shaky Beloved for a clean shirt resulted in my not actually going to work. I was almost ready to go to work when he called: I turned up at the worksite as he was going into a bit of very-expected shock, so a phone call to work later, that was the end of that. Fortunately, work wasn't busy, and could do without me. On Sunday, they called me to see if I wanted the day off as maternity (where I was rostered to work) was closed, and the hospital was very quiet. Thank goodness. Poor Beloved ended up at work until midnight as investigations took place. Then back again on Sunday to sort things out. After yet another gruelling day of "sorting" on Monday, Beloved is now having time off until his soul has recovered a bit from the shock of it all. Fortunately, the "other guy" has had surgery and is home recovering. He should be physically ok in the next week or so. But Beloved is beleaguered with the fact that the other guy was driving the smaller machine that is usually Beloved's. The only reason Beloved wasn't in the driver's seat was because someone had phoned in sick, so Beloved had to drive the larger machine as the replacement guy wasn't licenced to drive the larger one. So he has the mindset of "it should have been me" compounded with the thought that the actions performed on the job may have had a truly dreadful outcome. He is full of anger, guilt & self-doubt at the moment. It's so hard to watch him feel like this. He is running on very little sleep, and is exhausted, which just makes it all worse.

Last night, we went to Lizottes in the old King's Theatre in Lambton to watch the one & only Josh Pyke perform. It was just him and his guitar: no band, bells or whistles. AND HE WAS AWESOME!!!!!! This man needs no engineering: his voice is rich, mellow and so multi-hued... it soars..... his guitar playing is superb.... and he has a sense of humour and fun. As the man himself said: "you likey Pykey?".... Yes we do. Absolutely. I wish we could see him again....If you haven't heard him, do yourself a favour and have a listen. But be prepared: his stories are bare and raw...... and he can fit more words into one breath than anyone I ever known..... The venue is great, and the service phenomenal. I've not had such complete service in a long time. The best ever, I'd reckon. Except for the old dears at the The Staff House at Newcastle Uni a generation ago.......

Then today we had our annual check up with the Skin Cancer Clinic. Beloved's ears need work: we have been prescribed some cream with the preceeding question; "are you in a health fund?".... It must be expensive...... Evidently, I have very good skin. Wrinkling, mature and (very tactfully) with some blemishes that occur after 30 that can be frozen if I want. I have chosen "not" for the time being.....

Then we saw "Shutter Island" at Charlestown with our free movie passes..... I'm not a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, but Beloved & I both liked this one. I'm not telling you about it.... It was a good diversion for a couple of hours. I caught the train home as Beloved has to get a towbar fitted to the Focus tomorrow and it was half the price at ISP compared to the price we were quoted up here. It was shame that they booked us in on the wrong date. It was supposed to be done while we were in Newcastle today. He's staying with his mum again tonight. I would prefer that we weren't apart at the moment, but there's not much we can do about it. I have an evening shift tomorrow. It's the first of 6 days. I was called today to see if I could fit any extra shifts in. I don't think that I can. 40hours this week will be enough, especially with everything that's going on........ I have 4 nightshifts and 2 dayshifts booked next week.... 56hrs..... It sounds like I'll be rolling in money..... huh!

It's a bit later than I hoped...... I'd best get off to bed. Goodnight.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxo zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Here I come: Here I go.......

2010-02-07T22:38:00.002+11:00

My gosh.

It's been over a month since my last post. I'm not sure where it went. I was working, I guess.

Anything big happened? Not really.

Beloved took some holidays to spend with his mum. He loved having the time with her. I think (and hope) that it will happen again. He also met up with Sboy in Newie and together they travelled to Canberra to pick up "Rumdawgs" so thay could go to Mulwala (NSW-Vic border) for the boys to perform at the annual waterski festival. Well, they would have if the big black F-truck hadn't died 2 hours out of Albury. Lucky for the boys, Beloved, who had been roped into driving them as neither of the two are licenced to drive towing a big trailer, was with them so that they were able to rent transport. The boys wouldn't have been able due their red P Plate status. And lucky that a couple of kind-hearted truckies offerred half their day to drive the boys & tow their trailer to the ski park. And lucky that they broke down outside a hotel that sold good food and were extremely hospitable, even if they didn't have any beds. The truck has been on a slow downhill slide over the past few months: they were very, very lucky that it didn't happen sooner. But in the end, everything worked out well. Beloved and I are waiting for some re-imbursement of our investment to get the boys home........ Given the fact that the truck is going to cost around $10,000 to repair, I think we'll be waiting a while.......

Sboy's boss arrived home from 2 months overseas on Saturday: we will see them next weekend as they have to travel here to pick up the trailer then drive it back up to Glen Innes for 3 days of shows next weekend. My big Sboy has turned 19 as well: his last year as a teenager!

Vboy's been having lots of fun over the school holidays. It doesn't seem to have finished, even though school's back. He's in for an interesting year. He's been moved up for Science, History & Geography. I worked very hard with him on his assessment tasks last year, and it seems to have paid off. Mind you, his final exam marks weren't all that flash...... Beloved and I will be moving heaven & earth to get him a maths tutor. I have been lobbying his teacher for quite some time now in regard to this subject, but she insisted that he was "holding his own" in class... I'm not sure exactly what of "his own" he was holding when I found out that his Final Yr 9 maths exam mark was 38%....... if he's doing ok, what about the rest of his class?????? I tried for most of the second half of last year to secure a tutor, but had no joy. Maybe since it's the beginning of the school year, it will be a little easier.

GG had a big day out at the "Big Day Out". She's been gritting her teeth since the beginning of December when Beloved & I bought her car home for repairs. It's rego ran out on Friday: we took the hard line with her & did not offer to renew the rego for her this year..... after 12 months, she hasn't come up with the money, so here it remains...... She tells me she will have the money this week. As soon as it's registered, I will return it..... when I can fit in the drive (and the train trip home). Maybe next weekend. Her newest passion is The Newcastle Roller Derby. We might catch that too next weekend.

Beloved & I went out in Hamilton then back to a friend's house in Wallsend last Saturday to help him celebrate his 50th birthday: it was great fun, but was in between work shifts for both of us. This weekend has been good for me, as I haven't worked, or set foot out of my little village all weekend. Bliss! Beloved & I have had some lovely quiet time together as Vboy was with friends. We like to watch movies together.

I finally finished the assessment tasks and workplace observations for the Aged Care Course that I was doing. Woo Hoo! I am doing a palliative care course next month. Hopefully it won't be too taxing on my shrinking brain. That might just about do me for my learning in 2010.......

My house is clean. The cars are vacuumed. The washing up as well the washing is up to date. Even the kids rooms are habitable. But.... (there's always a but).... before you get all high-fivey and congratulate me, just let me share with you that my spongemop has perished from lack of use. It left bits of interesting yellow stuff all over my clean floors. And ... ummmm..... that .. my... oven... hasn't been cleaned at all this year.... not since December 2008, in fact.....

It's interesting though, don't you think, that the only thing that will remove those ridiculosly large "Water Usage" star stickers on bathroom appliances is copious amounts of water and elbow grease?.... such an irony.

Ah well..... see how mundane my life is? Maybe that's why I have been such a pathetically unmotivated blogger... it saves you from hari-kari as a result of the boredom of reading if I had posted anything........

Goodnight!

Can I have another piece of chocolate cake?

2010-01-05T01:42:00.003+11:00

Hey Ho!

Happy New Year!

Well, it was for me, anyway.

Believe it or not, I spent New Years' Eve at home, on my own, watching DVDs!

Beloved & Sboy were at entertaining the crowds in Parramatta, and Vboy was staying at a friend's house. So I entertained myself with "Samson & Delilah", "Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince" & "The Boat that Rocked".

Very Anti-social indeed. But just what I needed. I have been busy at work, and have been rather bushed by it all. I will be glad to eventually settle back into part-time hours... eventually....

VBoy & I met Beloved & Sboy at Sister-in-law's on New Years' Day to help her survive her 50th birthday. It was a lovely get together with family & friends. Home again in the evening. Nanny Val is going well. Her speech is improving, but there is a long way to go.

Saturday, we went to see "Avatar": what a great movie! It was 3D, which was interesting, but even in 2D, it would be good. We had to drive through the most torrential downpour to get there.... I seriously don't do rain travel well. And the boys were travelling somewhere behind us in GG's car that needed 2 new front tyres, and only had 1 windscreen wiper...... VBoy sent me a text message; "Holy moly it's raining a lot mother!" And he was right. We had to pull over at one point as vision & conditions were so poor. I was rather astounded when a the learner driver that we had overtaken before the storm drove past us when we were pulled over, then turned right at an intersection when visibility was about ten feet.......

No work on Sunday.. hahahah... I had given myself a few days off and because today is my birthday! Actually, it was yesterday, because it's now 1.55am, yet I am disgustingly awake.....

I've had a good birthday. There's nothing like Facebook to give someone validation... a gazillion birthday wishes... And then there's all the usual well-wishers. It's lovely. While I was in town today, I lashed out & spent $20 on 2 balinese-style ceramic fish that now have pride of place on my coffee table. And my boys bought me the DVD set of "Torchwood: the Children of the Earth" series as well as "J-Lo" perfume. I've never worn it before, but Sboy (who chose it) said that reminded him of some perfume that I had worn. It is lovely, and hopefully, not too heavy. The bottle is gorgeous. A baked dinner capped off the evening.

The final surprise was when a friend of Vboy phoned and asked if he could come around, as he had a surprise for my birthday. As we hadn't eaten, I invited him to join us for dinner. Well, Jake turned up with a rather delicious cake that he had baked for me! He was a bit disappointed with the presentation, but he had decorated his choc-caramel-fudge cake with whipped cream & topped it off with candles! I couldn't resist his cake, his cuddle and spoken "happy birthday mum". He's leaving us for at least 2 months to go live with his sister on the Gold Coast: we will miss his 16yr old smile around here... and the "Keep looking" sticky notes that he hides...

Well, I have to work 2 shifts at Merriwa over the next couple of days. I sleep over, so I won't be around until probably Wednesday night or even Thursday.

I should probably try to get some sleep.

Goodnight xoxoxoxoxo

So this is Christmas....... and what I've done......

2009-12-28T23:26:00.002+11:00

Well, Christmas is done & dusted.

It was good.

We drove to Poppy Ken's late in the evening before Christmas as the air-con in the car (which HAD been repaired was on the fritz again after just 4 deliciously cool days of driving....)

The day started with NOT waking up at sparrow fart, then having a swim at Newcastle Beach, followed by breakfast at Maccas. Yes, you read that right: breakfast at Maccas.

And it was good.

Then, my Dad, Beloved & I & the kids all got together for lunch at my brothers house with his wife, kids & inlaw family types for lunch. Cricket was played, copious amounts of festive food/drink were consumed and a few people napped after lunch, as is the custom.

And it was good.

Then it was off to my sister-in-law's place to get together for a while, without too much food/drink involved. It was good to get together with everyone there, especially Beloved's mum, the lovely Nanny Val, as she sufferred a stoke a couple of weeks ago. She is doing well. She still has her mobility & physical co-ordination, but is finding speech, reading & writing difficult. There is a long road of therapy & a few lifestyle changes ahead for her, but she is facing the challenge head on with her usual approach of humour & grace in equal measures.

And it was good.

All three of the kids then returned to GG's place in King Street to watch Xmas-gift DVD's for the evening. A sleep-over at Sisters! That was different! My babies are growing up..... Beloved & I returned to Poppy Ken's and turned in for an early night.

And it was good.

Beloved & I had a day together on Boxing Day, not doing much at all until it was time to collect the kids & head off to Uncle & Aunts for the traditional Boxing Day/Night get-together. There is always such good food at Aunty Dor's..... it's changing though: I'm not sure if it will still happen in a few years.... this will be a shame. GG couldn't be there, as she had to work. And Sboy was very busy socialising. But Vboy had fun with his cousins.

And it was good.

Breakie on the Deckie at Nords Wharf with lovely friends started the next day, followed by a visit back at Sister-in-laws to see Nanny Val again, and more relatives..... We rounded out the day by catching up with a family that we hadn't spent time with for at least 7 years.... Their oldest is the same age as Vboy, then a boy who was 2 or 3 last time that we saw him, and the youngest is a delightful little girl that we hadn't met before...... we dropped in at 6pm and talked our way through until 11..... then drove home..... 1.40am was the end of our journey.

And it was good.

The rain has continued up here, which is marvelous, even though it has effected Sboy's "holiday" activities. I gave up almost any pretence of hanging the washing on the line: it is happily tumbling around & around instead. I've spent a fair bit of it watching "Scrubs" dvd's and pottering around dusting & wiping surfaces........ There may have been a wee power nap in there, too.....

And it's been good.

I have 3 days of work ahead of me before another 4 day break over the New Year period. It will be interesting, as I'm having a night away, sleeping in a nurses' home in between shifts at a hospital a little further west of here.

I'll fill you in on the details.

Hopefully, it will be good.

Bye xoxoxoxo

Tannenbaum, oh tannenbaum

2009-12-10T22:25:00.005+11:00

Renata,

your wish is my command........

This is my table centrepiece this year.......

simple, but effective.....

And the bush, which shall remain nameless (and out of focus...)

All the decorations are shades and tones of purple, pinks, white, gold & silver.
It wasn't easy to get motivated this year. It has no flashing lights or sparkling tinsel. There are also a lot of decorations still in boxes. This year, less is definitely more...... It's also way better proportioned than it appears after I cropped the photo... (I never said I was a photographer.... which is just as well...)

Christmas shopping is almost all done, but not wrapped. This will have to wait until my course work is all wrapped up. (hahaha) It will be my reward to myself. The last of the shopping will happen in Newcastle with GG on Tuesday. It could get a little expensive........

It's hard to believe that a happy little standard such as "O Tannenbaum" could be used by the Nazis in an anti-Christian exercise........

"Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,
Your branches green delight us.
They're green when summer days are bright,
They're green when winter snow is white......"

It's almost Friday.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

:0 )

Santa Baby......

2009-12-09T06:51:00.002+11:00

Hi Bloggers!

I am alive and kicking, just busy and don't have time to sit here and share my life. Everything is fine up here, but hot. Bloody hot. But it's hot everywhere. A view excerpts from my life:

We've had 2 of our golden oldie men pass away in the last couple of weeks. Neither were blood relatives, but definitely golden men.

GG has moved house ....again. Hopefully, she'll stay put where she is for a while. I just can't move up and down too many more places with stairs. Mind you, where she is now has has a lovely view of Newcastle harbour, and the nor-easter breeze is to die for..... She's loving her Assistant-managing at Dominos. It can be fraught with stress & peril at times, though. But, she's happy; ergo, I am happy.

Sboy rode shows at the Sydney Motorcycle Show, and we spent a few days watching him. Damn he's good! He has 2 more shows in Sydney between now and the end of the year, and he'll be home in between, so that will be excellent! He has been working casually at a surf shop in Brisbane, so at least he has been able to feed himself when there are no shows.

V boy? Not too much happening with him...... it's a good life, when you're 15...... It's going to be a looooong summer school holiday break............

Beloved spent 4 days in Sydney & working with with "The Hell Team" at the Sydney Motor Cycle Show...... He loved it.... all those bikes: so little money.

I have worked and worked and worked. The Sunday before last, we all went to Newie for a Xmas lunch with Beloved's family. Then I stayed in Newcastle, went to a golden bloke's funeral then I had a course on the Tuesday. Then on Sunday, we moved GG to her new abode. Then Monday, we went on the CMFEU Picnic day at Luna Park in Sydney..... HOT HOT HOT!!!!!!! THERE WAS NO AIRCON IN THE CAR!!!!!!!....... but there is now....... Sydney harbour is beautiful......

The Xmas bush is up, most of the shopping is completed. We are in Newie for 4 days over the Christmas period, but I'm not sure what my contribution will be on the day, yet.

I have to complete the assignment & clinical placement days of my course.... by then end of the month.... I may have to negotiate and extension......

I have 2 days off between now & Xmas: one of these will be spent with GG, the other, I think I'll use to clean my house a little...... there is more than a little grime around here......

If there are any nurses or enrolled nurses out there looking for work, there's some (understatement) up this way....

If anybody needs an able-bodied man for some work, give my brother a call: he's unemployed and has 5 mouths & a mortgage to feed......

I'd best go: work is a-calling........ AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!

HoHoHoHo!

You say, "why": don't ask me why...........

2009-11-12T22:17:00.003+11:00

Hi.

It's been an unsettled few days here. I've lost track of the order of days. I think that it was Tuesday....

I found out that a lovely lady that I know had a massive heart attack at her home and died. I met E a few years ago when she was working at a local supermarket. She was one of those friendly people who always had a smile & kind word to say. She had changed jobs a few times, but her approach never changed. I used to see her out with her family, usually her mother, daughter & granddaughter. it's not often that you see 4 generations all together. And there was no mistaking that these girls were related. She may have been in her 50's: I'm not sure.

Then last night, I received a phone call from my NUM at the hospital in Muswellbrook to tell me that one of my workmates, C, had been brought into the hospital by ambulance, & had died.

C was 41years young.

I wasn't working at the hospital today, but C was one of those nurses that everyone knew. She was a people person, and very good at her job. She had re-trained a few years ago, so was familiar to a lot of departments from her clinical placements. On a personal level, C had had a bit of a hard time, marrying young and having 2 boys before the breakdown of her marriage. She then found happiness with a new man, G, and together they had a little girl, who is now 4. Her elder boys are about 17 and 22. The 22 year old is about to become a father for the 1st time, and C was very excited and very involved the arrival of her 1st grandchild, who is due to arrive at any time. It will be an incredibly bittersweet time when the baby arrives. C, who works as a nurse in maternity as well as the general wards, was going to be on hand at the birth. My guess is she still will be.

C had finished work yesterday afternoon and had taken her little girl to ballet lessons. She was chatting with the other mums, when she suddenly collapsed. A dr and a nurse who both knew C well attended her as they were also there at ballet lessons, but C wasn't coming back. The ambulance paramedics tried their hardest, and the nurses and drs at the hospital just kept on trying & trying, but to no avail. C was still in her uniform. She was one of ours.

Everybody was on autopilot at work today. Numb is a good word to describe feelings and actions. There was a debrief/get together at one of the local hotels this afternoon. Hospital staff, Drs, even the ambos came along. The sense of loss, shock and disbelief was profound. It wasn't easy to go, but necessary for those who were directly involved in particular, to help them verbalise and validate that they had done everything right. There was simply nothing that could have been done to bring C back. The cause of her death: a fatal aneurysm. There were no warning signs. Nothing could have saved her. It was just her time.

Other hospitals in the area are offerring staff to cover for C's funeral on Monday. That's what it's like in rural areas: we look after each other. Staff are already organising food for the "after the funeral gathering". In a couple of weeks, a bit of a roster will be put together to ensure that there is food in the freezer for C's family. There has been a huge push by top-level management to promote team work and the values of our health service. Well, we have news for them: if you want to see people that care, respect, support and love each other, just look at us.

But the grief here is palpable. And it will continue for the next few weeks at least.

It's so, so sad.

What am I supposed to say..... When I'm all choked up and you're ok?

2009-11-08T12:07:00.002+11:00

Sunday in Blogmuggle land.

It's quiet....... shhhh

Vboy and his friend have "gone out" for a while...... there's not much to "see" or "go out" to, here.....

Beloved is motortrialsriding at PPark on the Hawkesbury River. He wasn't going to go, but I told him that he really should. Things have been a little chilly betweeen us over the last few days, so at least we wouldn't have to spend the day at home ignoring each other.......

I went to a lovely friend's 50th birthday party in Newcastle on my own yesterday due to the afore-mentioned chillyness. Beloved felt that it would be a little hard and uncomfortable ignoring each other in public. I think that the 2hr drive down & back would have been more uncomfortable.... for him anyway. I was just intending to immerse myself in a book.....

I picked GG up after she finished work. She told me that she would "Get maggot enough for both of us", and she did.... funny girl, that one. She's happy and in a good place right now, thankfully.
I had a fun time, talking, singing and dancing. It was a lengthy drive home at 1am: it was funny being Random Breath-Tested 1 house from my own though...... "You're nearly home, Ma'am", said the not-so-burly-police officer, Dave, ........ "yeah, hurry up so I can get there" thought I.......... That's the second time I've been RBT'd in my street....... It must brighten up their very long nights while they're cruising the backstreets of a sleeping country village...... If they'd been out on the highway a little earlier, they probably could have booked me for speeding... just a little bit....... Home by 0315hours.....

It's been an interesting week, workwise.

I've been at the side of 2 birthing women. I want to bottle those feelings and that "look" in the time after the birth when she's holding her baby in her arms with her baby at her breast for the first time. There's no-one else in the room, you know, just the two of them. So beautiful..... *sigh*. What a priviledge to be there. <3

And then there's the other end of the emotion and life scale. I was caring for an 87yr old lady I'll call Joy. I have been involved with Joy for a number of years whilst I have been working in the Day Centre. Joy, a widow, had developed Macular Degeneration, so her vision has been slowly deteriorating, so her walking and ability to function on a daily basis has been slowly reducing as well, but with a little help, Joy has been able to stay in her own unit, doing her own thing. That was until she had a stroke a couple of weeks ago. The poor love has lost the use of 1 side of her body, but worst of all, her ability to talk. And Joy was a good conversationalist: very switched on. She was transferred back to the hospital overnight; I volunteered for the job of taking to the Aged Care Facility since we had a little bit of a history. I was aware that Joy had never, ever wanted to "go to one of those places...." She had been fairly stoic, but a little teary. When we arrived in her room in her new home, I put my arms around around her as she sobbed her heart out. Her sobs were the only sounds that I had heard Joy make.......... I am concerned that she will just give up. But if that is her choice, then so be it. Dignity can be hard to maintain when you've come the point of your life that Joy is now at. To be with her was a priviledge, also.

It's been a very busy week, so having the weekend off has been something of a relief, not that it has been quiet.

I have a new favourite song this week. I think my friend, Stefan, would really relate to this one. he's only just starting to come to terms with and make a life for himself following the breakdown of his marriage of 20yrs to Faye. Faye's gone from strength to strength since the break-up, which she instigated, while Stefan has struggled. It'a song called "Break Even", by Irish group, "The Script". The lyrics are very reflective of the emotions of many folk, I think:

"I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
Just praying to a god that I don't believe in
Cos I got time while she got freedom
Cos when a heart breaks no it don't break even

Her best days will be some of my worst
She finally met a man that's gonna put her 1st
While I'm wide awake she's no trouble sleeping
Cos when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven

What am I suppose to do when the best part of me was always you
What am I suppose to say when I'm all choked up and your ok
I'm falling to pieces
I'm falling to pieces

They say bad things happen for a reason
But not wise words gonna stop the bleeding
Cos she's moved on while I'm still grieving
Cos when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven

What am I suppose to do when the best part of me was always you
What am I suppose to say when I'm all choked up and your ok
I'm falling to pieces
I'm falling to pieces
(One still in love while the other ones leaving
Cos when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven)

You got his heart and my heart and none of the pain
You took your suitcase, I took the blame.
Now I'm tryna make sense of what little remains
Cos you left me with no love, no love to my name.

I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
Just praying to a god that I don't believe in
Cos I got time while she got freedom
Cos when a heart breaks no it don't break even

What am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you
What am I suppose to say when I'm all choked up and your ok
I'm falling to pieces
I'm falling to pieces
(One still in love while the other ones leaving
Cos when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven)"

One day, I'm going to learn how to upload videos........ computer always says nooooooo....

BTW: there was no other man in Faye's life who "was gonna put her first"...... Faye just found and liked herself. I don't think that makes it any easier though: sometimes it might be easier if there's a third party to blame, don't you think?

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, people!

Cheerio ;0) xoxoxoxoxo

I'm right there with you.......

2009-10-27T23:41:00.003+11:00

It's late, but I'm awake, so........

What to blog?

A NannyVal update: Poor nan hasn't really gotten over her infection all that well. She probably came off the IV antibiotics quicker than she should have. Every 2 days, she's back at the Drs, with the possibility of a re-admission hanging over her head. She is feeling sad and guilty as we have found a new home for the very (un)fierce Bindi the atttack cat. I think that Bindi was probably the last gift that PoppyDon had bought for NannyVal....... I think she needs something warm & furry for company..... but what/who/how/when?

Tomorrow: will be a difficult day. It's the 1st anniversary of Poppy Don's passing...... We've taken the day off to spend it with Nanny Val. I don't know what to expect, really. When it was my Mum's anniversary last April, we put notices in the paper, but didn't get together. Dad just went to work, as usual. So did my brother & I.... A busy mind kept us from dwelling on it, I suppose........ Dad is very private anyway, but misses Mum every second that he is at home. He aims to be away from home as much as possible.

What else?.... I've been working at the local aged care facility, which is ok. I like the residents. And the staff are ok too. Being 5 minutes away from work is very convenient.....

We are all well..... so that's a good thing. I think I'm a wee bit boring...... Facebook is quick & easy, isn't it?

Had dinner with friends before going to work on Sunday night.... Gay is such a wonderful cook... lamb roast...mmmmmmm

Ummm... working Thursday. Home on Friday. Prawn & Chicken Night Fundraiser on Saturday night. Working Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Course in Newcastle on Tuesday. Working Wednesday. Off Thursday, working Friday. Then 2 DAYS OFF! We're going to a friend's 50th birthday party in Newcastle..... That's me in a nutshell.. No deep & meaningfuls here. I think that they are buried too deep......

I've become a slave to tv again.... "The Vampire Diaries", "Good News Week", "Bones", "Moonlight", "Weeds", "Fringe", "Australian Idol", "NCIS", "Dexter", ABC Dramas & comedies mostly Wednesday/Thursdays... "The Big Bang Theory" "Frasier", "Seinfeld", "Flashforward", "Skins", "Nip/Tuck", "Curb your enthusiasm", "Eleventh Hour", "Torchwood", "Dr Who", "Red Dwarf", "Hogan's Heroes"........ mostly ABC & GO!. All of it is escapist.......

As a wise pig/sheep farmer once said......

"That'll do, pig..."

Goodnight all.

xoxoxoxoxooxo

What's new pussycat?

2009-10-15T21:52:00.005+11:00

This is the lovely Nanny Val, with her daughter, Susan and Susan's daughter, Sophie.

This photo was taken an hour or so after we scattered Poppy Don's ashes on the water on the beach at Tuncurry last April.
Isn't she a beautiful soul, Our Nanny Val?

Unfortunately, Nanny Val is laid up in hospital at the moment with IV antibiotics on board to clear up a nasty infection in her leg. Susan is the only offspring that resides in Newcastle these days, and so bears the weight of being there for Nanny Val when things take the path of the more winding road. And she does it fabulously. We wish that we could be there to offer more support. But we can't always have what we want.

Big kudos to you, Sue. Thank you. <3

The culprit of the aforementioned infection is pictured below. It's not the real culprit, mind you, but a fair representation of Bindi, Nanny Val's lovely Ragdoll cat. Bindi is only a young cat, and has a habit of hiding beind the furniture (her jungle), then jumping out & swatting her prey (Nanny Val) with her mighty paw . Previously, this has resulted in scratches that have required oral antibiotics, but, unfortunately, not this time. Bindi is wonderful company for Nanny Val, keeping her lap warm, as well as providing extra-furry insulation for the furniture (and anything else she comes into contact with).

She is sooo handsome. And soft. Softer than any tissues that you might hear about on TV. She is so lovely......

Hopefully, the two will be re-united at the weekend.

And hopefully, we'll be down to see them.

BTW: If anybody knows how to generate a lotto win, please let me know. I've found a gorgeous house at Speers Point that I'd like to buy..............

Tomorrow's just a song away.......

2009-10-10T16:42:00.003+11:00

Hey there, Bloggers!

The post title is a line from my current "song of the moment", Song Away by the band, Hockey.... It's a bit of fluffy, fun pop.... In the video, a nerdy boy dances solo to the song at a high school dance, entrancing a nerdy girl (after his shoe flies off & hits her in the head), and, eventually his enthusiasm captures everyone....... BTW, he gets the girl.........

It's been a quiet day in the Blogmuggle household. Beloved played golf with the guy from across the road. Upon his return, he professed that his may be "over it"...... He's lucky to play twice a year...... VBoy & I had a day in front of "Seinfeld" reruns, "The Flintstones", recorded episodes of NCIS.... yep, a day in front of the box.......

Oh and I LOVE GO! And ABC 1 & 2............ I watched a few episodes of "Frasier" last night.....

At the moment, I am "on-call" for Mussie hospital: a nurse escort is needed to take a patient to Maitland..... it might not be until 7 or 8 tonight, but at least I'm getting something while I wait. Work has been consistent, but I only have 2 Community Nursing shifts booked in this week. I'm fairly certain that it might not stay that way.... I worked a double shift on Wednesday, then knocked back a morning shift on Thursday. I was unsuccessful in my official job application/interview that I waffled about a while back, but I have found out that I am on the "Eligibility List"...... that's nice to know, isn't it: that I am eligible to do the job that I have trained for & that they call me in for on a regular basis?........

Life's pretty good.

GG has started an Assistant manager Traineeship at the Dominos Pizza that she's been working at. It will offer her up a few more challenges, less all-night shifts, and hopefully, a better lifestyle than she's had since she started there in February. It also gives her validation of her abilities & potential since she was singled out by management & offerred the job. She won't have to deliver pizzas as much either..... I am happy about that, for sure ;0) She seems happy, and settled. And very excited since there's going to be another "Big Day Out" in Sydney!

Sboy's been busy riding at shows, but this weekend sees an end to the bookings for the year. The clever little chicken has secured himself a trial in a clothing shop in The Hyperdome in Brisbane, so he's happy that he won't have to starve...... maybe he'll get more aquainted with "The Boost Juice" girl that he had taken a shine to......... hahahah

And Vboy? Well, life's just one big SMS for that one. He's happy just to be given his monthly $20 phone credit.... of course, he'd like more ... He's a good boy, sleeping until lunchtime, watching TV 'til late (He likes GO!, too). He even hangs out the washing & feeds the animals when I leave him a note.....

Just lovin' school holidays....... Last weekend, he & I caught "Inglourious Basterds" and "G-Force" at the movies: both good in their own way. I love Tarantino, and the animation & humour in "G-Force" was superb! While we were in Newie, Beloved was in Coffs Harbour motobikin' with Sboy. He had a great time. And we even managed to catch up with some friends for dinner on Monday night before we came home. GG was there too!

Ah well. That's enough of my drivel. I need to cook some dinner before I go to work.

Ta ta!

"Well, tomorrow's just a song away, song away, song away........."

Riders on a storm..................

2009-09-23T16:51:00.004+10:00

Well, the sky hasn't fallen: I've heard no trumpets, nor the galloping of the horseriders of the apocalypse. Actually, I'm rather ignorant of the finer points of the biblical apocalypse... just tried to remember what I have assimilated over the years...... I'm much more familiar with the end of the world, "Buffy-Style" or in accordance with the breaking of the seals in "Supernatural".......

This, the advent of the orange sky morning, Beloved & I contemplated the potential "end of the world".... He was getting ready for work, whilst I still langoured under the covers: I posed to him the question of, since it may have been the end of the world and all, that maybe we should have sex. He replied wth a laughing "Do you think?"....... Together, we pondered it for a moment longer, then we decided we had better get ourselves ready for work........ It put a smile on for a moment there. And besides, there were birds singing outside the window, and in my vast experience, when the end is nigh, the birds will know well before we do, and it will be eerily quiet........ Anyway, there was no Lindt chocolate or champers on offer, either......

It's very bloody dusty, though.

I'm sure a goodly proportion of the Simpson Desert is going to end up washed up on the beaches in New Zealand.

I had a good weekend, catching up with some good folk in my life that I don't see enough of. That is, until Sunday afternoon, when I was driving home, and began to feel a little on the seedy side, but not for any good, over-indulgence reason. I spent Sunday night/Monday de-toxing my system... purging without my permission, that is....... food is still not my friend.

I am on the mend. Today, I went back to work, and have a busy few days ahead of me. But it's all good. I like my job: a lot! I haven't heard anything about the job interview that I had a few weeks ago. I'm not feeling too confident about success at this point, but I'm not doing to poorly on the work front anyway.

GG had a job interview this evening. She's quite happy with the way it went, so we'll just have to wait & see. She was shortlisted from 100 down to 40 for the 1st round of interviews, which is pretty good in itself. This was for a job in retail...... a written email application drew 100 applicants! Lordy, it's tough out there....... She's only applied for 1 other job, and then attended an interview. All of her other jobs have been an informal "Chat" with the manager that she was introduced to..... It's all very intimidating.

She's lovely, though, my GG. And customer service & people are her thing. I hope that she managed to get this across tonight. She'd be an assett wherever she worked. her Dominoes manager offerred to write her a cracking reference if she wanted one, not because he'd glad to get rid of her, but because he likes her so much........ One day, she will work out what she is really capable of, so look out! *sigh*... proud mother moment there. No apologies will be given.

Anyhoo, I awa' tae the sho-werrrrr...... Hoots mon: Only 2 days to the weekend, people!!!!

G'Bye <3 <3 <3

Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen Give me down to there, hair! Shoulder length, longer (hair!)

2009-09-17T22:42:00.004+10:00

Hi Bloggers!

I've had a lovely day today.

I didn't work.

I pottered around home doing not a lot, for some of the morning.

OK: I facebooked & payed bills on the internet... sms'd...talked on the phone......

Then I headed off into town and got a new "do". Last year, I decided that I would "stop fighting the inevitable, and embrace my grey...." or something similar. Well, after finally seeing the natural colour of my hair for the 1st time since I first started playing with the colour when I was 15, I have decided that my natural colour is rather boring.

Obviously, I was smarter at 15 than I thought......

It is now a vibrant, deep violet colour. I have kept the front grey, which is actually a shiny silver colour. From the surprised looks on peoples faces (and the very positive comments,) it works. It took a while, but I convinced the colourist to leave the grey, and not to foil in any blonde. She's quite pleased with the results. too. The clever girl straightened it too, and looks very shiny and mod. I look a bit spiffy......

Even Beloved approves, and he's never liked it straight before.........

I thought I'd best capture the moment for posterity, as it will never look like this again..... the camera gave me quite a bit of grief, and the colour reproduction really isn't all that good........ ah well, not to worry. By lunchtime tomorrow, after I have showered a few oldies as well as myself, the insistent wave will creep back in.......

Then I braved the RTA to hand in the number plates from SBoy's car that died way back in April. Afterwards, off to the NRMA after that to cancel the insurance.

Followed this with a wee wander around the *ahem* shopping centre before I saw my friend, Tunde, who tried valiantly to remove the knots that have wound their way around my neck & shoulders, resulting in filthy headaches, and most recently (today) pain & immobility in and around my right shoulder/shoulderblade & back. There weren't enough hours to unravel everything, so I have to go back again next week.
I wish I could say that it was pleasantly relaxing, but I can't.
Fricking painful, that's what it was/is..........

A quick trip around the supermarket to find Vboy, who was socialising (it's a sad time when the most exciting place for young folk to gather is the supermarket, don't you think?) with his friends, then home and a takeaway for tea.

Then tv.

It's an exciting life. I bet you're kicking yourself for that wish that I blogged more often......... I bet you're glad that I'm blogging now......

hahahahahahahahahaha....hysterical laughter........hahahahahaahahah

Bye ;0)

He's like the wind...................

2009-09-16T06:50:00.004+10:00

He had the time of his life...........

The Lovely Man

That scene from "Ghost" in 1990

Look at all those young faces....... "The Outsiders" in 1983. Patrick Swayze, Emilio Esteves, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe & Tom Cruise

The "Woman".... "Too Wong Foo Thanks For Eveything, Julie Newmar" (1995)

How great is this pic: they look so happy!

And of course, there's THIS one...............................

R.I.P. Patrick Swayze
18/08/1952 - 15/09/2009

And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind the wind...

2009-09-12T23:30:00.003+10:00

Lyrics to The Lighthouse Song : Josh Pyke

And I've been getting urges late at night
To walk and walk for days and throughout lights
Through people's houses, picking food from plates
Through people's gardens, picking locks on gates

So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
While seas drown sailors, we'll be locked up safe and dry
And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind
I'll just hold you tight and we'll not let those fuckers in

And I've been leaving gifts out in the woods
That someone might stumble upon and wonder at their origins
I've been feeling like a fox with sad old eyes
Whose skulk has all moved on to leave the dark and empty den behind

So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
While seas drown sailors, we'll be locked up safe and dry
And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind
I'll just hold you tight and we'll not let those fuckers in

I'll anull these little walls of attrition and these invocations
That's seen me holding my camera out at arms length
To self-document these new locations
When I should be leaning against you
Deciding on things to get done
And you should be leaning on fountains
And filling my space up and breathing the air from my lungs

Na na na na

So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
While seas drown sailors, we'll be locked up safe and dry
And we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
Our beams will burn the clouds to beacons in the sky
And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind
The wind...
I'll just hold you tight and we'll not let those fuckers in

[ The Lighthouse Song Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

This morning, in a romantic moment, I stepped into the space occupied by my Beloved as he opened the fridge.

Josh Pykes' album was playing on the stereo. "The Lighthouse Song", Beloved's favourite, had not long finished.

I wrapped my arms around his divinely cuddle-able body.

Whilst encompassed within the haven of his arms, I said to him:
"You're MY lighthouse..."

Without missing a beat, he looked deep into my eyes and said:
"What: I'm stuck on a pile of rocks in the middle of nowhere, just going round and round....?"

*sigh*.

That's my boy..........

At least he cooked me bacon & eggs for breakfast afterwards......

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

All around me are familiar faces..........

2009-09-10T23:20:00.002+10:00

I really should blog more often:

but i really have nothing to say..........

xoxooxoxoxxoxo

Time is like the ocean: you can only hold a little in your hands.......

2009-09-08T06:59:00.007+10:00

I can't for the life of me, move this pic, so here it stays..... GG and 2 friends at the blonde boy's 21st birthday recently.... it's her profile pic on Facebook... I stole it....shhhhh

Good Morning Bloggers!

My brother said that it's time I updated my blog, and who am I to argue with an edict from my big bro?

My life has been doing it's usual busy thing. Too much to put into 1 post, so I'll give you a condensed version with just some of the highlights... and maybe a few lowlights, just for light & shade, in the interests of reading enjoyment (and a more balanced piece of prose, as it were...). It's over 2 weeks since my last post........

It might be a bit of a short novella...... be warned....... disclaimer here........

I have been in Sydney: down & back, Wednesday, via Newie.... Sydney: down on Friday.... Newcastle: Saturday and back to Sydney. Home Monday. Newcastle: Saturday, down & back. Maitland: Down & back Sunday..... phew......

VBoy's rugby league team made it to the grand final against Central Charlestown. That was why we had to go to Newie on the Saturday from Sydney. It was a great game, played in good spirit, with all our family in attendance (except for Sboy, who was riding at a show at Rockhampton). Unfortunately, we lost, 22-18. We gave it a good shake, though.

We were in Sydney at Pacific Park on the Hawkesbury River, for the Aussie MotoTrials Championships. Beloved was supposed to be competing, but missed the 1st day of competition while we were at the football, so for him, Sunday was a day of enjoyment. He finished the competition, so he was happy with that. It's been quite a while since he rode competitively, or at all, really. He really enjoyed himself. And the company over the weekend was marvelous! We are a very small country in the world of trials, with a huge geographic area, so it takes a lot of dedication to be involved. There were West Australians, Queenslanders and even New Zealanders! Most of the time, it is a Gentleman's sport, (even the women are mild mannered, but oh-so-good!) but I have to say, the behaviour of a few of the riders in the "Expert" division leaves a little ( a lot) to be desired.... their mothers should give them a clip behind the ears for their rude attitude & bad sportsmanship (oh hang on: maybe mum was part of the problem....).. damn primadonnas! Methinks it's time that the up-and-comers knocked them off their pedestals....

This is an example of what Sboy does for a living....... shortly afterwards (very), he lands this...

This is Sboy with his bosses (and adopted family), Rhianna Buchanon and Jack Field....... it's a hard life..... they call him "Kavy" to save confusion.

A lot of the time, he does commentary work: at least this time he's not the one on the ground.....

VBoy celebrated his 15th birthday with a special meal of....... a plate of vegetables, followed by Woolworths caramel mudcake...... at his request. We cut our time in Sydney short so that he could go to school on his birthday (at his request....): it's not that he is an incredibly dedicated student. He just loves the social aspect of his school life. In the end, he wasn't well & didn't go anyway.....

Vboy in his birthday clothes with his mate, Dylan

I had a job interview at Muswellbrook Hospital for an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse position on Friday. I didn't have to worry about drycleaning The Black Power Suit for the occassion, as I was at work anyway..... I just made sure that I put on a clean shirt & smoothed my hair down as I interviewed in between tasks (& patients). OK, I freshened up my lippy, too. Smoothing my hair down is no mean feat, either: it has attitude, if you know what I mean.

It seemed to go ok, but there were quite a few other girls from work that interviewed, too, as well as others that I don't know. It's a pretty cruel system of employment. A few of the girls who are permant part-timers (who are after full-time work) have interviewed on numerous occassions, but not been successful. You have to be able to sell yourself (and maybe your soul... and perhaps that of your firstborn as well): there's a panel of interviewers who ask questions, and the answers are graded on points that may total up to 100. So even if you've been working well in the position within the hospital for 20years, if you get stage fright on the day, you'll miss out. And this has happened quite a few times, to a few of the nurses. It's a system that doesn't necessarily put the right person in the job. But sometimes it does. We'll have to wait & see now, won't we?

Sboy tackled his 1st solo drive home from Brisbane on Wednesday night, arriving shorly after 6am on Thursday. He & Beloved then headed down to Pacific Park (PP) for a friend's surprise 80th birthday dinner. Sboy reported that he was so glad not to have missed it! He & his dad then had a great day of riding with the other party goers (they're all MotoTrials nuts, and PP is THE place to do it). After arriving home on just after 7pm Friday, SBoy went out with friends in Mussie, Vboys slept at a mates place, so Beloved & I went to the local bowlo for tea. Crumbed Cutlets: Yay!

Thanks to MySpace for this lovely pic of my boys being tools in my nice, but under-utilised bathroom. They know how to impress the ladies... ;0)

Saturday was spent in the company of my lovely Mother-in-law, Nanny Val. Her helpful sons & grandsons (including SBoy) were giving her place a spring clean. She was the best supervisor..... Then she & I attended the Waratah Girls Choir performance of "Journey; songs of the world" at the Hunter Theatre. My beautiful (and talented) 11yrold niece, Grace, is a member of the choir. It was a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The title & focus of the performance wasn't so much about the physical journeys that we take in life, but rather more about the spiritual & emotional travelling that we do. This quote by Norman Cousins resonated with me:

"Death is not the greatest loss: the greatest loss dies inside us while we live"
hmmmmm.....

While at Garden City in the morning, I also saw my favourite hairdresser, Maxine for a hair reduction, and had a quick chat with a lovely, hobbling-on-crutches-friend, Coralie. I can't feel too sorry for her though: she's on crutches as she tore her AC ligament while skiing in New Zealand.... a few weeks after returning from a sojourn in Europe & the UK....... I really like her parents too.... (they were shopping with her & love a chat too: I'm not that weird.)

After arriving home, I sat down for an hour or so before going to work.

breathing, breathing... in.... and...... out

Beloved was Head of Security at friends' eight year old daughter's birthday party....it was a disco *snicker, snort*

Fathers Day; I finished nightshift, did 2 loads of washing while Beloved cooked bacon, egg, & cheese rolls for breakfast. Then we were off to Greta to watch Vboy's football coach and some of his mates play in the Under 18's Grand Final against Greta-Branxton. Unfortunately, another loss, 22-18, but it was sooo fast, and tough..... lots of testosterone out there...... a Father's Day treat for Beloved was supposed to be a test-drive in a Volkswagon Maxi-caddy van (he's lusting sfter one), but we didn't do our research, and they weren't open on a Sunday... DOH! So we had lunch, and saw "The taking of Pelham 123"... Denzel & John...... it was good for me too <3.>
Monday saw Beloved drive back to Maitland after works as his wallet had fallen out of his pocket at the movies.... lucky for him, it was still there.... Lucky also that I suggested that he go to the Volkswagon dealership & get some brochures to drool over. Maybe I was just a little tired, suggesting this to him..... Don't encourage him.... I was just drooling (and dribbling, it would seem) after after runing on no sleep from Saturday to Sunday night, then a 6.30am start on Monday....

No wonder it cost us $800 for new tyres when rego was due last week....

In between this I've worked 5 morning shifts, 1 evening (I cancelled 1 the evening before the interview as I had a migraine) & a nightshift. I have a Muswellbrook nightshift tonight, followed by 2 mornings, then an evening shift. After that, things slow down, with only 4 more days of work booked in until the 26th......

Happily, Sboy has arrived home safe and well in Lismore. Not so lucky was a fellow party attendee at a party that Sboy went to at Morrisset on Saturday night...... the kids had a very subdued gathering/debrief on Sunday after the boy died in a horrific car accident after the party.

GG is tired but happy. She works too many unsociable hours for not enough money. It has made her come to the realisation that "she must start thinking about getting on with her life as she is 21 soon, and will most probably be tired of partying by then...." She is thinking that nursing may be a viable career option for her...... I think that the world is her oyster... she should see it's layers first before it all gets away and life closes on the pearl..... She also might be ...*ahem*... seeing a boy..... Her phone conversations are erratic, amusing and usually at innappropriate times/places with disparate content...... but whatever.... I'm just happy to hear her voice. Her latest call this morning was to tell me that she had lost her only set of car keys & her car was in a metered zone outside her work...... *sigh*..... I can feel a tow from the NRMA coming on........ and completely new lock barrels all round..... She may be without wheels for a while.

GG with some luscious & much loved hair extensions that a friend gave her... this was before the party in the 1st pic.... again, with thanks to MySpace... where else can you find pics of your kids? ;0) oh that's right.... facebook. ..

That's enough, no? And I said that it would be short.......
Housework, thy cause is mine!

or not.....

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Long night gone, yellow day........

2009-08-24T07:52:00.003+10:00

Morning Bloggers.....

I'm going to start off with an apology: I've not long walked home from night shift, so I make even less sense than usual, you'll know why.

Vboy has just left for school, the washing machine is doin' its thang, the toast is good and the tea is yum...... it sounds a bit like "Breqakfasat at asweethearts" ..... I meant to type "Breakfast at Sweethearts...", and that's how it came out, as, not only am I tired & unco, I'm leaning on my knees with my feet up on the chair, which makes typing difficult..... I love this Cold Chisel song:

Campbell lane
Through the window, curtain rain
Long night gone, yellow day
Speed shivers melt away

Six o'clock I'm goin' down
Coffee's hot and the toast is brown
Hey streetsweeper, clear my way
Sweethearts breakfast is the best in town
Oh-oh, Breakfast at Sweethearts . . .

Hey, Anne-Maria
It's always good to see her
She don't smile or flirt
She just wears that mini-skirt
Drunks come in
Paper bag, Brandivino
Dreams fly away
As she pulls another cappucino

Six o'clock I'm goin' down
Coffee's hot and the toast is brown
Hey streetsweeper, clear my way
Sweethearts breakfast is the best in town
Oh-oh, Breakfast at Sweethearts . . .

I would go to bed except that I have to hang the washing out, and call work in Mussie to ask the DON if I can use her as a referree for a job in her department.

VBoy's league team, the Muswellbrook Rams, managed an almost repeat miracle performance of the previous weekends football win when they played Greta-Branxton. Last Saturday, they played Swansea-Belmont in the final. The Black Swans thought they had the game pretty well sewn up; they were winning 14-6, until about 5 minutes before the end: we scored 2 tries to romp into the Grand Final against Central Charlestown at Harker Oval next Saturday. The final score was 22-14. We are still pinching ourselves.

I had a lovely shift in the maternity department last Friday, with 2 brand new babes in residence. I am back working there tomorrow morning, and there will be at least 1 baby delivered in the morning... I know, as it's going to be a caesarian delivery. I am really looking forward to it ;0)

Ah well... I'm fading, and the washing machine has stopped.

Goodnight...err... morning..

xoxoxoxoxoxo

You are not alone, For I am here with you, Though you're far away, I am here to stay.........

2009-08-18T10:13:00.002+10:00

Hi Bloggers!

I know it's been weeks.... but just look at the words of Michael Jackson up above..........

Actually, I am pretty sure that most of you won't even bother reading my blog any more as I post so infrequently these days. And I don't blame you one little bit...........

What's been happening in the world of the Blomuggle?

Ummmmmm........

Work. And lots of it. In different places, and differing shift patterns.

GG has moved house (with the help of her mother & uncle) just on 2 weeks ago, now. Her new residence is somewhat scarier than the old one. She shares with somewhere between 6 & 8 uni-style students (depending upon who's visiting) in a very... ummm .... interesting "rooms- above -the -shops" with a downstairs laundry, no yard/clothesline/balcony, 1 bathroom, 5 or 6 bedrooms with a common living area. Her room is small & internalised, with no real ventilation unless she opens the door.... but it's cheaper, and so far, she loves it. If you've ever watched the 80's TV show, "The Young Ones", starring Nigel Planer, Ade Edmonson & Ric Mayall, then you will have an idea of what the place is like....... It's also one of the reasons that she loves it so much... There's quite an assortment of young, ecclectic people there...... She is also recovering from a bout of H1N1 flu that she contracted the same time. She came home for a few days to get over it....... But I hardly saw her because of my work committments.

Sboy has been around Newcastle for a week or so, but I haven't seen him either. His boss has been working in New Caledonia without him, so SBoy made the most of the opportunity to catch up with old friends, and make some new ones.......

Vboy's football team, the Muswellbrook Rams, has performed a minor miracle. After being beaten very soundly by Greta-Branxton twice in the last 3 games, the boys managed to rip the game out from under the G-B Colts in the dying minutes last Saturday. This eliminates G-B and means that we will face Swansea at Charlestown this Saturday to play for a position against Central Charlestown in the Grand Final....... I'm not sure that my delicate constitution can survive another event like last Saturdays........ Mother Mary McKillop may get her sainthood yet.

Beloved is excited that his tax refund has arrived in the bank, as am I....... Mind you, I don't know where to spend it first...... But I payed for the caravan that we have hired for the week of the Aussie Mototrials Championships at the end of the month. This year, it's being held at our home club, Pacific Park, on the Hawkesbury River at South Maroota, near Windsor. Beloved is looking forward to it, & I have had to re-arrange my shifts to accomodate his week-long absence, as well as act as chauffeur, as we only have 1 car these days. He has been riding his newly registered (old) motorbike to work. Lucky for him, it hasn't really been much of a winter.

Vboy & I went to his school's final performance of "Footloose, the musical" : it was so much fun. What may have been lacking a bit in "musicality" was more than made up for in enthusiasm.... We saw"GI JOE" at the movies on Saturday on the way home from the football. It was entertaining, but not to be taken seriously at all. The local catholic high has it's musical on this weekend, but I don't think that we'll make it.... Bugger!

I've not got much else to say really...... thank goodness, says you ........... life just keeps on going.... thank goodness....... I don't play games on Facebook anymore, & I'm flat out just trying to keep up with blogs & Facebook updates..... If I don't leave a comment, please don't take it personally: I'm still here.... and there.... and there...... then there.......

As the good man, Micheal Joseph Jackson, sang:

You are not alone,
For I am here with you.
Though you're far away,
I am here to stay.
For you are not alone,
For I am here with you,
Though we're far apart,
You're always in my heart.

For you are not alone........

Cheers Everyone.

Love, Blogmuggle xoxoxoxoxoxoxonnnnnnnnnn

Another Saturday night, & I ain't got nobody....

2009-07-25T20:59:00.002+10:00

Yep, It's Saturday night, & I'm home alone.

Beloved is at work, & Vboy is spending the night at a friend's place. TV is now boring, so I thought I'd drop a little blog, then shower & bed.

It's been a fairly normal week in Blogmuggle land.

Last weekend was good. Poor NannyVal was under the weather with a flu, but we were at a good place to have a quiet time. And yes, time was definitely spent sitting around the lovely fire. The hosts, Alison & Adam were wonderful, and the food was excellent! The company was pretty good too.

Monday was the 1st anniversary of my friend Sharon's passing. Where did the year go?????

Tuesday, I had my first day working with Patient Transport, with a lovely excursion up to the Land of the Golden Guitar to collect a patient & return him to Muswellbrook Hospital. I am looking forward to 4 more Patient Transport days in the coming week. I was curled up in bed with my book by 8.30pm, much to everyone's disbelief.

On Wednesday, I worked an evening shift at Muswellbrook Hospital: it wasn't too busy for a change. The ol' H1N1 flu has been quite rampant up here, with lots of staff having been off work. After work, I drove down to my bro's at Elermore Vale, as I needed to return PoppyKen's car that I had confiscated a few weeks ago.

Thursday morning, I attended an appointment at the Cardiologist with PoppyKen. The cardiologist isn't all that impressed with pop's progress: he is still in cardiac failure, needs to take it easy, and was advised not to drive anywhere (he discussed the insurance ramifications in the event of an accident: poppy said nothing), & increase his medication, pending his visiting with the cardiac surgeon next week. The problem is, neither my brother nor I can attend this appointment with him, so not all of the info will be absorbed, nor shared.........
The doc on Thursday will be most impressed to know that Poppy couldn't wait to go home & have his breakfast in a rush so that he could hop in his car & drive to work on the Central Coast. Evidently, PoppyKen found some keys to the old car, & has been driving himself to work & wherever & whenever he wants...... regardless of the ramifications.

My bro & his lovely wifey picked me up at Pop's then met SBoy (who was driving around in GG's car) at Jesmond so I could drive Sboy up to Williamtown to catch a plane back to the Gold Coast.... He's gone again!!!!!! My wallet will be glad of the relief.........

I then drove a bit further up into the wilds of the Tiligerry Peninsula to visit a friend since I was in the area, but there was a very artfully written sign on the door advising:
"Back at 3.15"........

I drove down to meet GG at Mayfield, but not before I stopped for the 1st ever time to ogle & listen to the wind turbine at Kooragang Island. There's a big kerfuffle up here at the moment as a wind farm has been planned, & the locals are up in arms about it. There is a definite "woosh, woosh" sound, but I think I could live with that. It's got to be better than the rape & pillage of the coal mines that dominate the landscape (& economy) up here.......
En masse, I think that a field of white windmills possess a rather unique beauty. It's peaceful.

GG dropped me off at Hamilton station & I settled in for a quiet read on the train, until a friend got on at Maitland & we talked all the way home. Beloved & Vboy met me & filled me with Maccas for dinner.

Friday morning, I worked for 4hrs at the local hospital, but by the time I finished catching up with people, it stretched out to almost 6 before I arrived home at 12.45pm & made Vboy get out of bed. He's certainly turned into a teenager, that one!

I was so shagged by that time, that I rolled up in a blanket, & barely moved off the recliner, dozing off & on until bedtime.

Today, Vboy played footy in Muswellbrook: they went down again, and have just 1 more game until the semifinals start. 3 weeks ago, they were virtually unbeaten & on the top of the points table. Now they are in 4th position, & will have to work really hard to make the finals.

I should have been at Singin' Sue's Karaoke 40th birthday party tonight. Instead, I came home from footy & a bit of shopping and rolled up in my blanket again, too tired to do anything else. I am really peeved: tonight would have been an enormous amount of fun with the great crowd from the theatre group, but I just couldn't do it. This flu, after almost 3 weeks, is still having consequences...... I have 6 days straight at work this week, so I need to be on top of my game.... get plenty of rest in the bank... if you can bank it, that is.....

Tomorrow, I have nothing planned. I need to make a dent in the washing, and seriously look at cleaning around here. it's been a while since the floors were vacuumed, & even longer since they were washed..... they're all timber....... the shopping can wait until Monday after work, I think.

Anyhoo, it's time to shower & bed, I think.

Goodnight ;0)

zzzzzzzz xoxoxoxoxo zzzzzzzzzzz

Sail away, sail away, sail away..............................

2009-07-22T08:16:00.002+10:00

"A ship is safe in the harbour..............

but that's not what it's for."

Is this another way of saying: "You must paddle your own canoe"?

It's a beautiful, wide, vast ocean out there..........

;0)

In a cavern, in a canyon, excavating for a mine, dwelt a miner, forty-niner, and his daughter, Clementine.

2009-07-17T16:06:00.007+10:00

This is where Beloved and I are spending the weekend!

It's the Glen Davis Boutique Hotel, located at the once-thriving mining township of Glen Davis, which is nestled in the Capertee Valley, north of Lithgow & east of Mudgee.

As you can see from the rising escarpments behind the hotel, it will be cold..... but once inside, the roaring fire will keep us warm.

If all else fails, we will have our love to keep us warm .........

or we could run up & down the stairs, maybe.......

We might have to, if we eat too much of this.......

Of course, there is the pool, but since it's July, we might have to partake of pool of the indoor variety.....

Evidently, attractions include;

"4WD Tours, Accessible, Adult retreat, Birdwatching, Bushwalking & wilderness, Canoeing & Kayaking, Dinner, Bed and Breakfast, Family Friendly, Farmland Experiences, Fishing, Golf, Great view, Heritage Trail, Horse riding, Massage, Motor Bike Friendly, museums and galleries, One Night Bookings Welcome, Rockclimbing & Abseiling, Romantic getaway, Valentines Day, Wedding venue, Wine Appreciation, Winter Holiday"

And this one is a bit of a personal favourite:

"Take an early drive or stroll in winter and you're bound to see our local wedge-tailed eagles feasting on road kill."

Now, seriously, this Saturday is the first of Poppy Don's birthdays that he is not here to celebrate with us, so we decided a few months ago to take Nanny Val away for the weekend in an attempt to make it a little less traumatic for her. I found the brochures for this hotel in a service station in beautiful, downtown Rylestone when the dog was stolen (sorry, rescued) back in April. Beloved and I will be accompanied by his sisters, brother, and their respective partners, and of course, the lovely Nanny Val. All our meals are included in the package, so hopefully, it will be a lovely weekend full of food, ambience & fun. Lots of memories will be shared, too, no doubt.

Unfortunately, I'm still only firing on about 60%, so I won't be doing much bushwalking or exploring. I'll leave that up to Beloved's very energetic sisters. I can see Nanny Val & I quite happily curled up in front of the fire, engrossed in our respective books with a cuppa and nice little tidbit on the side.

Although, a massage would be nice. I wonder how the massage therapist feels about legs that resemble the forests behind the hotel?

The boys are remaining behind to "mind the house"........ EEEK!

So everyone, please have a good weekend, and if you are somewhere where it might get cold, stay warm! If you're not, then lucky you!

;0)

If you just smile...

2009-07-15T10:24:00.002+10:00

Hi guys. This little piece came to me as am email, & I thought that I might share it with you:

BANK ACCOUNT!!!

This is AWESOME ... something we should all remember.

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each
morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved
perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After
many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled
sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description
of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just
been presented with a new puppy.
Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.
Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is
arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;
I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the
parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful
for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day
and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank
account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.
I am still depositing.
'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more..
5. Expect less.

Pass this message to 7 people except me. You will receive a miracle tomorrow.
Now, STOP! Did you hear what I just said. You WILL receive a miracle
Tomorrow. So send it right now!
Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.

Food for thought.

:0)

This little piggy went to market: this little piggy stayed home....,.

2009-07-14T15:16:00.004+10:00

I am still here!

I have not succumbed to the suspected Human Swine Influenza! Ok, I did.... but nothing's certain or definitive.......

Lots of others have gone down up here: the hospital has called 3 times to see if I am well enough to work over the last few days. I'm not and I'm not going back to work until I am well enough to cope with the rigours of the job. I am constantly tired, have a persistent cough that is eventually productive, but dry and annoying until it is, and a runny nose. My chest hurts and I have a very sore rib muscle from all the coughing. And then there are the very stressed out bladder muscles that are beyond hope at the moment........ At least I can sleep relatively well at night.

I rang the GP's this morning: of course, they have people lined up out the doors, and the clinic sister suggested that I give the Tamiflu another day or so to work........ Until this cough resolves, I can't go back to work, and I have now knocked back planned work right up until next Tuesday..... I will be very surprised if I don't end up on antibiotics anyway. Imagine if I had been someone who is really unwell, immuno-supressed or at either end of the age spectrum.....

At least it doesn't look as if I've shared it with anybody so far. VBoy has a bit of a cold, but all other family members seems to be in relatively good health and the household is longer under our self-imposed quarantine.

I'm a bit sad though: school holiday midday movies & kids' tv used to be good. What's happened? Did we get too busy or something for the networks to bother? Thank goodness for J.R.R Tolkien, Peter Jackson, J. K. Rowling and all the other dvd makers that have kept me entertained.... I've re-discovered my David Eddings books.... Unusually, I haven't watched any "Angel" this time around. But I would just about kill for the "Buffy" series...........

Ah well, never mind.

Back to my recliner ;0)

<3>

Miss Polly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick......

2009-07-09T12:30:00.003+10:00

Hi Bloggers!

It appears that the universe may have cut me some slack in the form of the dreaded H1N1 Influenza!

I went down with flu-like symptoms on Tuesday evening, and a visit to the local doctors resulted in 5 days worth of Tamiflu & a week off work. I am also in isolation for the next 3 days. I can't see Dad either.

It appears that a patient that I nursed on Sunday night has tested positive, so any contacts/exposures that develop symptoms are treated as if they have the same thing.

All I know is that, I wouldn't wish this on anybody, & I'm not particularly sick.

I also wish that instead of looking at me as if I was a leper in the docs as I was the only one wearing a mask, that all the other coughers & splutterers had had the common sense to wear one too. What a hot-bed of potential infection!

Anyway, I'm retiring to the isolation of my lounge, where I've been residing since Tuesday night anyway. I've just decided to leave my mask on, & not go near anyone. Beloved & the boys haven't been game to come near me anyway....... The "oink, oink" jokes have been thick & fast until I returned from the docs..... Now they're all just a little bit wary.

Anyway, all jokes aside.... I am not particularly unwell, and will be back on track in no time. I'd better clean the keyboard & mouse, I suppose.

See ya!

Wee, wee, wee, wee............ (you have to imagine this is a squealing piglet.....)

*************************

downhearted... this post comes with a numb-bumb warning

2009-07-06T23:33:00.004+10:00

Forgive me Bloggers: it has been some time since my last blog.

Life is busy, and I seem to have really lost interest in anything computer-related. I have just checked out a few blogs every so often, maybe commented, and then just had a quick peruse of Facebook. Even emails are at the bottom of the "to-do" list.

SBoy came home for his little op last Thursday, survived his overnight hospital stay and he's doing well.

VBoy played football on Saturday and has socialised as much as has been practical when not engaged in school, footy or footy training. He plays at Swansea this weekend coming.

GG is enjoying her life at the moment, & is even attending a school-reunion & career day tomorrow in Muswellbrook. This is amazing, considering her disdain for all things Muswellbrook. She won't be coming home to see us though, as she has to work tomorrow night.

Beloved is recovering slowly from his bike accident & returned to work last Wednesday after 10 days off.

Me?? Well, life has revolved around everyone else, of course, with a bit of work thrown in to give me a bit of respite........ and money. Thank god for the money...and the distraction......

Today however, I crossed some personal boundaries with my dad. As I have previously mentioned, he is not easy, with a stubborn streak and irrational way of making things a tad difficult. Something as simple, say, as following a doctors instructions. Dad has had an on-going problem with swelling in his legs since his surgery. His GP's advice? Wear surgical stockings, elevate & rest the legs as often as possible, but make sure that you go for 15 minutes of gentle walking twice every day. It hasn't really happened. When I left him last week, I was not happy that his swelling & fluid retention had increased further up his body, which is usually a good indicator that something is not quite right with the workings of the heart & cardio system.

Another instruction? Don't drive for 4 - 6 weeks, and don't return to work until fully fit usually after at least 6-8 weeks....
Dad arranged with his boss to pick him up & take him to work last Thursday, 3 weeks after his surgery. Friday night, he called me to say that he was feeling fluey and unwell, but that he was going out for the evening. Early Saturday morning, he phoned me to say that he was more unwell & breathless, and needed the mum's left-over ventolin nebuliser medicine and where is mum's old puffer that he couldn't find? He has never, ever been prescribed ventolin, but was insistent & refused to go to the doctors. My brother, bless him, took dad to the chemist to buy one. It didn't help, as the breathlessness was the result of the increase in fluid pressing on dad's chest. He was also insistent that he needed me to return his car as he had to drive to work on this coming Wednesday, & felt that he didn't have the strength in his right leg to drive the old brown car in the shed. After work, he has tickets to a show in the evening, and needed to drive to that as well. I had arranged my week to return his car on Wednesday, so that on Thursday, 4 weeks after the surgery, he could take a drive up to the shops, or to visit his friends up the road, and gradually increase his driving time, as advised. But not my dad. He kept on nagging until I changed my arrangements & drove to Newcastle this morning & met he and my brother for his appointment with the cardiosurgeon. Dad said that he felt 100% better following the 1 diuretic tablet that he took yesterday as "it's cleared the phlegm and lets him cough better". He has not been prescribed this since his return home following surgery, but lack of a prescription has never stopped him taking medicine before.

His surgeon was not impressed. Nor was he impressed with the admission that dad had gone to work: he's not supposed to return for 2 months, nor to drive for 6 weeks, as his condition has deteriorated & he needs new blood pressure medications that he probably shouldn't have needed, including diuretics... He has had a chest xray, & will see the doc again next Monday.......

He was ropable upon our return home, & stated that he will drive when he wants to & go to work, regardless of what the doc says, as he feels fine and the doc is just "covering his arse...". Evidently, we should respect his right to make bad decisions. Which we do, but not when the lives of others can be affected........

The new medications may cause havoc with his blood pressure and the info sheets that he was insistent upon having advise not driving or operating heavy machinery in the first few weeks of taking it.........

Result?

Boundary crossing 1: I have driven home in his car, as well as taking the keys to the old brown one. I will not return until Saturday, and he's not getting the keys back yet either.

Boundary crossing 2: I contacted his boss to explain the situation, as he was unaware that dad had any issues as he had told them, of course, that he was just fine....... well derr.... that's why the nurses are coming to his home 3 days each week... they thought that it was miraculous that he has returned to work so soon after a major operation....... Dad feels that he will now lose his job as the company he works for will go bust without him there....... and they will think that he is a liar..... who put that thought there?????? ...

From my discussion with his boss, it would seem that he is quite a reasonable man, who would prefer have a healthy Ken back at work in a few weeks rather than one who is not going to be well for a while longer if he returns to work too early. He decided that he would pick dad up this Thursday sometime after 10 and bring him home again about 2 ish so that dad gets out a bit, but doesn't overdo it. I keep trying to find a compromise as I know that dad is hating being at home...... not that dad sees it that way.... I'm just too bossy & interfere too much..... It's got to be better than the 7 till 3 day that he did last Thursday.........

After a tirade on the phone after I arrived home this evening, I am going to make him sick, have a heart attack & vomit all night... evidently..... Well, that's your choice dad... whatever makes you think that this is easy for me?????

Boundary crossing 3: I visited the person with whom he was going out with on Wednesday night, & she informed me that she had expressed her doubts to him before he bought the tickets, but he was insistent that they should go as he would be fine...... There it is again... insistent and the "I" word again..... She is much happier with my disclosure to her. I told dad today that there was no way that I was going to let her go in the car with him.......

Dad is very big on the "I can", "I will", "he/she is doesn't know what they're talking about (even though they are an expert in their field)" & "I'm in charge". I get this: he's always been a control freak. He was something of a maverick in his younger days, with some wonderful achievements in his areas of interest. But he has enormous double standards. Most of the time, we accept that this is the way he is. But in this situation, his arrogance & irrational thinking has gone too far. When the safety of others is potentially compromised, then it's time to do the right thing. Because that's what my brother & I were taught to do: the right thing. Morally, dad is in the wrong, so he will just have to wait a bit longer.

When he IS well, and he is given his clearance to drive & work, then he can. The sooner the better as far as my bro & I are concerned, because it relieves us of the responsibilty that we have at the moment.

As I said to dad tonight:
"You need to just get over yourself & suck it up. You cannot just do whatever you want. You are Ken. You are not superman. You are 72yrs old, you have just had major surgery, and you will follow the same rules as everybody else. You were doing ok, and now you're not. If you were, then we wouldn't be having this conversation. We will fight & argue, & then get over it, because that's what families do..."

Of course, there was a lot more, but I'm sure you get the gist of things......... We have a lot to learn in the family stakes....... Hard work.

It's so sad..... I talk like this to dad, and it's my brother who dad said he will "Knock his block off if he comes anywhere near me tomorrow..."

Of course, he is going nowhere near dad... me neither..... I love you Glen <3

I find it so sad and disappointing that I have had to react in this way to my father's actions. But we were always aware that there would be issues. I took his car keys into protective custody while he was in hospital. I was just hoping that I wouldn't have to actually keep them.......

*sigh*

I feel so sick at heart.........

Well, that's a blog...... a few weeks worth, at least.

Am I off the hook now?

:0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) :0) ;0) ;0)

I won't hestitate no more, no more, I cannot wait..... I'm yours........

2009-06-25T16:21:00.005+10:00

Hi there!

I am writing this blog (very quickly) from Belmont TAFE Library before it shuts. Thank goodness for free TAFE libraries! Dad only has dial-up at his house, and begrudges you every second that is spent there, so I just don't use his computer. And don't I miss it!

It is 2 weeks since his surgery, & he is doing well. Complaining, as usual, about anything & everything. As is his way. He isn't an easy person, my Dad. But you get that. I finally managed to get the community nurses on board: he wounds have infected, & he needs their expert attention. I think their advice is more appropriate than his doctors at this point. Now, if I can get some meals-on-wheels on board, all will be good, but he is resistant to this idea so far. He can't cook and is reliant on my brother or me to cook & leave meals for him. I would prefer him to have some independence rather than rely upon us: it's a long time before he really needs to be dependent upon us!

I went home monday night as Vboy was due to return fronm his camping expedition in the Tunumbar National Park: in a hoarse voice from singing on the bus, he exclaimed that "he had the BEST TIME EVER!!!".

Good.

He's back at school, so life is back to normal for him.

Poor Beloved had a fall from his motorbike last Saturday, and is laid up for a week or so after the handlebars had an intimate yet forceful meeting with his groin & upper thigh.......

I came back to Dad's on Wednesday morning, and will remain here until Sunday at this stage, I think. While he was in hospital, we basically gutted his bedroom so we could lay new carpet in there after the old, blind & incontinent dog decided that every piece of furniture that cast a shadow was a tree...... all over the house. Not surprising really, considering that he was a chihuahua...... I have threatened the new dog with death if she pees in his room....... It's difficult with her, as she isn't adequately toilet-trained, and will pee & poo in a number of locations well chosen for there position in high-traffic areas...... There is only 1 room left with original carpet in it, & she will toilet in there if given the opportunity. Dad just doesn't seem to understand that she will continue this behaviour while ever there are any traces of the old dog's places, and will happily put old mats and furniture (usually of the old, swollen-pee-laden-chipboard-bottomed-variety) back.... and so the cycle continues. His room was so bad that ithe smell knocked you over when the door was opeded. He was just putting paper on the floor to catch her eliminations.......

The clean-up continues, but I'm getting there.

Life will return to some normality next week. I am working on Monday and again on Tuesday night, so I may string together 5 days at home....... It will be good to work again. And to be at home. Sboy will be home from Wednesday as he is to have a minor surgical procedure on Thursday.

Anyway, I'd best go...... time is ticking away, and I wouldn't want to keep the lovely lady waiting. I haven't checked my emails or facebook yet!

Stay warm and safe!

love, Bloggie xoxoxoxoxxo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ain't to sunshine when he's gone.......

2009-06-12T16:29:00.002+10:00

Update:

PoppyKen good. Back in Cardio ward after 6+ hours of surgery and a night in the cardio intensive care ward. Eating and not hooked up to any machinery.

Blogmuggle well. Bought a very striking red wooly anorak-style coat from Salvos :). Looks like a coat to brighten a drab winter day.

Brother of Blogmuggle good. Proud owner of a striking black woollen European-style cay with dark green trim and wooden buttons from the Salvos shop. He is very chuffed with his purchase.

All things considered, all's good.

See y'all later.

On the road again.......

2009-06-11T00:33:00.002+10:00

Hi. Just a quick post.

Result from colonoscopy yesterday good. Able to break wind again without reservation of "follow-through"........
Busy on PoppyKen & puppy duties as PoppyKen's CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft) surgery and heart repair in on tomorrow (Thursday). The John Hunter hospital called me today to get him in for the surgery sometime after lunch tomorrow. This is a BIG operation that will sideline Pop for a few months.
I will be floating around Newcastle for the next few weeks while we get Pop back on his feet again.
Don't know how much computer time I will get, but I will keep you posted.
I'd better get off to bed: I've got to be on the train at 6am, & it's 12.36am already. Who needs sleep anyway?

See you later <3

;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0) ;0)

Send her victorious, happy & glorious........

2009-06-08T17:46:00.005+10:00

The Queen's Birthday holiday. Thank goodness ;0)

A day of nothing really. Washing by the overflowing clothesline full, cleaning of the bathrooms, & watching some tv that Beloved had recorded yesterday for me while I was at work. He has busied himself around the house constructing & fitting architraves. He's lovely, & much, much more handy than he thinks. He hates doing this sort of stuff, but does it anyway ;0)

Oh... and no food: clear fluids, noodle-less chicken noodle soup & the pico-prep necessary for the colonoscopy scheduled for tomorrow. I dunno: jelly just isn't the same without drunken sponge cake, fruit, custard & icecream. My empty stomach has responded with an acidic mutiny.

Never mind: it will all be over soon. It will give me better perspective about how the patient feels..............

Cleaning the bathrooms out gave me time to think today. It may have simply been the effects of the bleach fumes.

Is it ok to walk out on a marriage because "We've nothing in common anymore"?

On the other side of the argument: "Is love enough to stay where other things are lacking?"

Neither of these has anything to do with my marriage (Oh yeah, as if, I can hear you say), but are words that I have heard from friends as relationships breakdown, seemingly irretrievably.
My mum reckoned that we don't try hard enough these days, but I used argue with her that life is short, so time shouldn't be wasted with someone that you don't want to be with.
I still think that this is the case. But not in every case.

As a society, we have been conditioned to believe that our own needs are paramount, with a "live for now mentality", and the social changes that we see these days are a reflection of that. More than half my friends are in a 2nd or 3rd committed relationship, struggling with the demands of blended families, stretched finances combined with the impositions of emotions and moods that extended families, partners, in-laws bring as well as trying to swim against the tide of overwhelming expectations to have the right house in the right suburb, the right car to drive around to all the after-school activities as well as an amazing education for our children who are supposed to be the best at everything that they do in up-to-the-minute fashions.

Is it any wonder that there's no time to "find" ourselves, or work out what can be made of a marriage that appears to be less than desired? Or that we think that this can only happen outside the "confines" of a marriage?

Sometimes I wonder if we can't see what we are looking for even though it's right there all the time. Can't see the forest for the tress, so to speak. Our poor old heads & hearts are so saturated with information & expectations.

In my line of work, I see a lot of octagenarian couples who are still devoted to each other. Other marriages may not have been so good. But a lot of these people have had the experience of making a life & growing old together. Wars, depression & deprivation, ill health, hard living conditions & meagre lives have all been part of their journey. But at the end of the day, they have each other.

Are we going to deny ourselves this dependable companionship in our "golden years" because the bells aren't ringing in the middle?

A lot of marriages are never meant to be, and it is the thoughts & actions of the individuals involved make it so. But is a marriage really meant to be with Prince Charming in the drivers seat and Mrs Perfect Housewife/Mum at his side? Is it possible to be individuals within a marriage, and still make it work?

I would like to think so. I am a romantic at heart, but a very practical, pragmatic one. I don't know if we are meant to be monogamous: maybe some of us are, & some aren't. It's whatever works for the individual.

But then, that's probably the hard part: finding out what works. And that takes time & patience. Maybe we need to make sure that we're not always looking for the greener grass only to find that it's greener because there's a sloshy old drain hidden under it that makes it so lush-looking.

Ah well: no answers here, just a few sociological ponderances.

Put it down to the bleach fumes, empty stomach and the colonic evacuation, hey ;0)

And that Beloved was eating chocolate in front of me when I couldn't have any..... Say, does anybody know a good laywer?

Goodnight all.

Take Care

xoxoxoxodohxoxoxoxodohxoxoxoxoxo

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favourite things! And then I don't feel so bad!,

2009-06-01T11:22:00.006+10:00

These are the roads most travelled for me. They are the roads that I drive on from my home in Denman (or, "Wattle Grove", as Lovely Lisa likes to call it) to Muswellbrook. It starts out as "The Golden Highway". If I drive another 27klms or so north along the "New England Highway", I will reach Scone.

But not for the last few days.
After coming home from work on Friday, which was a call-in for community health, I started on my downhill run. Stuffy head. Sore eyes. Headache. Achy everything, really. Sneezing, snorting, sniffing, blowing. Potential for my face to explode: you know: that sort of thing.
And sleepy. But not effectively sleeping. The most comfortable place is my lovely recliner chair in the loungeroom, & woe betide any person or animal that tries to occupy it.........

But......

I am Pseudoephedrine!
I am Chlorpheniramine!
And Paracetamol. Oh yes..... Paracetamol!
And I would fail a breath test as I'm sure that I have absorbed enormous quantities of alcohol from my gel hand rub......
I am also very obedient, as the box says not to drive a vehicle or operate heavy machinery, so operating the washing machine, vacuum cleaner and stove/microwave are out of the question........ especially whilst driving.......

The TV & DVD remote control are do-able though.

As is this very short stint in front of the computer.

I cancelled last night's nightshift in Muswellbrook. The money would have been handy......

I don't have much else booked in except for a day in the Aged DayCentre on Wednesday this week.

I should be better by then. It's only a cold.

Seriously, I don't have the H1N1 Influenza strain. I refuse to refer to THAT flu as "Swine flu".... I haven't seen a pig suffering from it yet. Just a lot of people with the flu, and a whole pile of rampant media hysteria. If we all practise suitable hygiene, then we should be ok. If people stayed home to get well, rather than swallowing drugs & soldiering on because our employers need us, and because we are determined that nothing will interfere with all Necessary Very Important Things in our lives, then there wouldn't be so many people ill, either. Bosses like to pull the guilt trip on us, don't they????? Money, money, money........

Anyway, this little chicken is off to re-claim her recliner, swallow more lemon & honey & fall asleep through yet more daytime television.

Stay safe, warm & well, People!

Now as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes, I cry

2009-05-28T22:25:00.003+10:00

Wow.

Thank you, Michelle.

I have received award an occassional award before, but this one from Michelle, & the accompanying sentiment is just so lovely and from the heart..........

And such a slack & uncommitted blogger, I am. And very humbled.

Like Lisa, I don't tend to "do" awards, but .......

Well, there you go.
I am speechless.

I bet that if you all realised that this would be all it that was needed to shut me up, then you would have done it ages ago.... *snort*

I rode my bicycle past you window last night......

2009-05-26T19:23:00.002+10:00

Good evening Bloggers ;0)

I have finally worked a full shift as a real nurse! And it was nightshift, too: my first ever!!!!
It wasn't too scary, but the hospital at night is such a different place. We were constantly busy, & never even stoppped for a break, but ate & drank at the desk throughout the shift. I worked with some of the best of the staff as well.

I will have to learn how to sleep properly after a nightshift, though. I was called in at lunchtime, so by the time I went to bed this morning, I had been awake for 29hrs straight. The shift was from 9.30pm until 7.30am: I only slept for 4hrs, then was awake again. I have another shift booked in for May 31, and again, I don't have to work the next day (I have refused a shift in the daycentre), so if I don't sleep too well, it won't be an issue. But, I have a month of nightshifts booked in for August, so I really will have to learn how to sleep as I have to back up for 4 nights in a row.....

............. Newie tomorrow to try to sort out Poppy Ken's operation schedule. Good luck to me with that one >_<

The weekend was good. SBoys Freestyle Trials Stunt show is a lot of fun. He has learned an enormous amount over the past 6 months. After watching what he does, I think I can feel a heart attack coming on......... Nanny Val & Poppy Ken both saw the shows on Sunday, and were most chuffed, even if Nanny Val was watching it with her eyes shut a lot of the time! Poppy Ken reckons that the boys are mad, but I found a newspaper clipping of him in his younger days practising to break a motorcycle long jump record....... which I have used with good effect. GG turned up to watch before heading to Mussie to work, & family friends, Doug & Nine were there as well. We were even home in time to watch "Merlin" on Sunday evening!

I took Vboy to the on-call GP yesterday, arriving at the surgery at 8.40am. We finally saw the doc at 11.50am. She decided that Vboy most likely has a viral infection rather than the appendix issue or bowel blockage that I was concerned about, which she feels will right itself. I hope she's right, as on June 16, Vboy heads off on his "Outward Bound" bush camping experience in the Toonumbar National Park, near Kyogle, for 7 days. There are no toilets there: the kids dig a hole when they need to go.......... It's definitely not the place to have a bowel infection. He will be eating loads of different food to what he's used to, so I think that his stomach is going to be very challenged. I will be very surprised if he doesn't arrive home a lot lighter than when he left. But the idea is that he challenges himself to find what's within. The founder of Outward Bound, Kurt Hahn, has the saying;

"We are better than we know. If only we can be brought to realise this, we may never be prepared to settle for less"..........

I hope he's right.

I think that's about all I have to report for now.

Have a good day tomorrow!

:0) ;0) :0) ;0) :0) ;0) :0) ;0) :0) ;0)

Home, home on the range.......

2009-05-22T08:43:00.002+10:00

Still here.

But Vboy is not too bad. A quiet day at home with his mummy will do him good. I am concerned that he may have a rumbling appendix.

See y'all later ;0)

________________________________

If you leave me, can I come too?

2009-05-21T22:08:00.002+10:00

Hi Guys.

It's a wet and windy night up here. Great for blogging, eating, facebooking, eating, drinking, eating and, eventually, snuggling up in bed with Beloved.

I'm not sure if I'm coming to Newcastle tomorrow.

My car is a bit off, so Beloved has bits (coils) that he is going to have tested tomorrow. We've checked out a number of other possibilities, but have been unsuccessful thus far.

VBoy is a bit off-colour this evening as well. He has had a headache all day & looks quite rheumy around the eyes. He also has some tummy tenderness that bothers me more than anything. He is quite flat & not himself. I'd rather not leave him at home on his own tomorrow. If the car was ok, I'd just bring him with me, but if I come, I'll be catching a train at 6am. He's not up to that.

*sigh*

I guess I'll make a decision about 4.30am.

GG says that she can manage the specialist without me. But she needs my money. I would like to make sure that she is adequately treated as well, which hasn't necessarily been the case up to now.

Sboy and Jack F are performing at the Caravan & Camping Show at Maitland this weekend, so I hope that the weather improves for them. We are hoping to travel down after Vboy's rugby league game on Saturday, spend the night with Poppy Ken, then take Nanny Val to watch the shows on Sunday. Weather permitting, of course.

I have been looking forward to this, as I've never seen my Jack perform a show before.

I finally finished painting the architrave around the pantry door today: big news, hey?
Thank goodness: that's one less to be done.

I tried to post a couple of pics of the boys on here, but, as usual, Blogger found my technical abilities wanting....... I got them on here, but then couldn't move them or cut/copy and paste without everything highlighting itself then deleting..... such are my skills....

Never mind. See you all later ;0)

__________________

I hear the train a comin' : it's comin' round the bend.....

2009-05-19T23:26:00.002+10:00

Michelle over at The Truth as I Know It is right: it would be would be really good to be able to get off the railway tracks right about now. Or at least of this merry-go-round.

Life has thrown another of it's curlies at us over the last week or so. This time, it involves Poppy Ken. Poor old Poppy has been having very decidedly inconclusive tests for varying ailments over the last year or more. Or, at least they were inconclusive until one particular cardiologist decided to be more tenacious & motivated/proactive than other medicos that Poppy Ken had seen. The result: Poppy Ken has to have 4 coronary arteries bypassed & grafted sometime in the near future. This is a fairly common procedure these days, but is not without risks.

And for Poppy Ken, the thought that he will be unable to work for a period of time (about 5 -6 weeks before he can drive ) is just unthinkable. He is convinced that he cannot live on the pension during his recuperation. I think that he is also very concerned that he won't have a job to go back to. Mind you, he grumbles & grizzles about this job every day......... but then he tends to err on the glass half-empty side of things anyway about just about everything...... he is 72 going on 92, I think.....

But he has to have this operation, or else his heart, which is showing moderate signs of failure, will just slowly wither & die, and we all know where that will leave Poppy Ken. The cardiac surgeon has offerred Pop a good deal (of the money-kind) in return for his exclusive service for a few days. Pop, under enthusiastic encouragement from my brother & I, has elected to utilise this financially-enhanced service. Of course, the admissions department at the John Hunter Hospital has never heard of such an arrangement, which threw Pop for a while. Investigation & reassurance by the surgeon & his receptionist has eased some of these worries. And as we all know, the receptionists are the real power brokers: they know everything.......

I go to great pains to never upset the receptionists.......

So far, no-one can give any indication of an approximate date for the surgery, which is a pain from Pop's standpoint: he needs to organise his work. He prefers to be in control of his live. In fact, he needs to be in control of every aspect of his existence.....
It's a bit of a pain for me too, as I intend not working for a few weeks so that I can be with him as he recovers. My Brother wants to take time off as well.

As I suggested a couple of posts ago, I wasn't overly concerned in regard to finding work, as I thought that it would find me, and that has been the case.

I was called in to work at Muswellbrook hospital this morning, & I have a day in the Aged Day Centre tomorrow. The local hospital here in Denman has booked me in for a weeks work after the long weekend in June, as well as a month of night shifts in August/September. The trouble is, I can't say for certain if I will be available until we know what is happening with Pop. The Denman manager wants an answer by next week.

I have to take GG to an appointment on Friday: I intend to see the lovely staff at John Hunter Hospital before this to see if they can shed any light on the subject. I'm not holding my breath, but I am hopeful.

Is anyone interested in some afternoon tea on Friday afternoon? Lovely Lisa has my mobile phone number.....

Anyhoo, time for bed. My reflexes at avoiding impact with problems are better if I get enough rest......

Goodnight zzzzzzz

The spicks & the the specks.......

2009-05-17T15:57:00.003+10:00

Why is it, that during the simple process of painting the architraves around the pantry door, I managed to sprinkle my russet-brown tresses with "Whisper White" Aquanamel??????

"Whisper", my foot: it's shouting from the curling long bits at the ends !!!!!!

One coat: that's all I was doing, before heading off into town to pick up Vboy from a friend's house, and then buy some groceries.

Oh @#*%#@#*%$@# Plurgh!!!!!!!!

Groove is in the heart........

2009-05-16T00:51:00.003+10:00

12.51.
9 minutes before 1am.
Probably not the best time to be posting a blog when one has to be up at 7am. But there you go. As a very wise 11yr old named Lucy once said: You get that.

This evening, very late, of course, I had an epiphany.
I should warn you at this point, that I may be here a while. But anyone who is a regular reader of my not-so-regular-blogs is aware that I'm not known for the conciseness of phrase.... I'm more along the lines of your read-until-you-can-no-longer-feel-your-legs style of blogger....

So there it is... a question of style. Or lack thereof. Over the last year or probably 5, I've just lost it. I'm not even sure what "it" is. For the purpose of this exercise, let's call it my "Groove"....

There you have it: Cyndy wants to get her groove back....... I'm not sure that I'm up to posing this question when I sit here wearing uggboots & a pair of lolly pink flanellette pyjamas with sheep on them that are "Dreaming of Ewe..." Fetching, no??????

A girlfriend of mine almost peed herself laughing the other day when I told her that I had lost my motivation & drive, but that I had the idea that they were hiding in a corner of my mind, behind my libido that was rocking in a foetal position, sucking it's thumb............

Sad, but true. And I know that I'm not alone. I'm not unhappy, per se, just not ............... Discontentment: perhaps. A constant companion......

I went to Sydney yesterday: I am officially now a Registered, Endorsed Enrolled Nurse. So workwise, things are all good. Don't get me wrong: I have made major leaps & bounds in a professional sense. I placed myself on leave over the past few weeks, & now have to find work. But I'm not too concerned, as I think work will find me. And I am not my occupation, even though it binds to people & places.

There have been so may major changes in my life over the past few years & they won't be the end of it. Probably the oppposite, in fact. There are definitely more on the way. Aging parents & the care of the same in the knowledge that their health & abilities are going to diminish, teenagers becoming adults, retirement (as if that will ever happen) and the mortgage that just doesn't seem to shrink, even though the money does.....

I seriously needed a couple of weeks to re-group. Holidays..... I've been constantly busy, back & forth to Newcastle, running family members to appointments & such, here & there, just like everyone else. When I've been home, I've just stopped..........

Now look where that has led us.......

Beloved knew that there was something afoot when he entered the back door to the aroma of cleaning products & the frisson of activity in the air... at 11pm...... "I think I need my sunglasses... it's too shiny..." he said on his way to the shower.......

As I tucked him into bed with a kiss, I mentioned that I thought that I needed to get my groove back: he knew immediately what I meant & nodded in agreeance, with the comment "I think that we're both a bit like that, but we'll get there". And it wasn't sex that he was talking about, even though the loss of groove is not without collateral damage......

Ah, Beloved.

My divine husband. I really couldn't have asked for a better partner. I told my mum after knowing him for about 3 weeks that he was going to be "big".. you know, "the one"..... We've certainly tested each other out over the intervening years. It will be 25 years since we met on July 4, & we launched straight into a courtship that lasted almost 4 years before we were married. He gives me a lot of rope/freedom, but will always be there to lift me down if I hang myself with it. This is purely in a metaphorical sense, mind you. And this is ardently (if grudgingly at times) reciprocated. He has accepted my need to be away in both a physical & emotional sense, just as he accepts that I often cannot share his bed when he is snoring or sleep simply eludes me. Shift work & study probably made this a little more acceptable initially.

He loves me. Me, me, me me............

We're big on change at our place. We've never lived in one place much longer than 3-4 years. I'm not quite sure why. Beloved & I both lived our respective family home until the age of 21. Beloved's parents only sold their home a couple of years ago, & my dad is still living in the house that he & mum built in 1963.

Some changes & decisions haven't been the most successful, such as buying the house we're in now.... dumbass me, & dumbass Beloved for supporting me in this, even though he was trying to keep me happy. Beloved: now there was a good choice... ;0)

I'm not sure why I have this drive to keep moving.... I think that it may have weighed heavily upon our kids at times........ VBoy is adamant that we don't move again as he likes being a Denman Boy.....
After all, where is home? To me, it's simply been wherever we all are, & never about the postcode or walls around us.......

But back to the question of Groove. Maybe we never left it.

I'm a bit of an "action" person, although not in the physical sense: I'm rather lazy.... Economical with my energy, I am. I think that you make things happen for you. So, I guess I need to make some positive steps in the groove-making scheme of things. Get myself out of this rut that I seem to have grooved myself into & start making a new one. Maybe I just wore the old groove out, so that it just disappeared into the dust. Maybe I do need to just start etching away again..........

Enthusiasm..... Joy de vivre... Where are you??????

If only I knew where to start....... but there are some positive steps taken.

I have booked myself into the docs to address a few of my minor, but nagging health issues. It's boob-bus & pap-smear year. I probably need a consult with the gynaecologist: it's been a while. You'll be pleased to know (not) that I have a colonoscopy booked on June 10....... A visit to the dentist, optometrist & naturopath should round-out my look-after-me-campaign. Yegods! I'll be working until I'm 90 to pay the bills...... The dentist, in particular, will be fiscally challenging.

Hmmm.. maybe I think that I'd better get more active on the looking-for-work front. It might not find me soon enough.

Can you still feel your legs?

Blogging seems to bring some clarity, doesn't it? My cat is happily purring as he eats his food: he always does this. And into my mind pops......

"Free your mind, and the rest will follow"...... the EnVogue song from 1993.....

Yep, let's free my mind so that I can get some sleep: it's almost 2.30am.......

You know, maybe if I can successfully clear out the crap that clags up my mind, then I will indeed find the Groove that's in my heart.......

"Groove is is the heart....... ah, ah, ah, ah....." So say Deee-Lite, anyway.

After all, the cat is now snoring happily. I might try to do the same. And Beloved has just appeared looking delightfully dishevelled & bed-rumpled, with a questioning "wha....?" & shrug. He looks like he would be a snuggle that is second to none. I'm off then.

I'll keep you posted.

Night all.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz (hopefully)

Woo Hoo!

2009-05-04T10:29:00.002+10:00

Sorry that I missed out on catching up, ladies! The week went so fast...........

As reported, Friday/Saturday spent in Canberra. Sunday/Monday was spent in Cowra & travelling home via Newcastle to pick up S Boy from the airport & the dog from my Bro's. Washing done Tuesday, Sboy taken to see surgeon, then back to Newcastle on Tuesday night.

Sboy taken to airport to fly back to the Gold Coast Wednesday after sorting out last details of traineeship paperwork. Shop with GG, visit Lovely Lisa for a quick cuppa Wednesday evening. Cooked dad Red Rooster for tea.

Thursday, cleaned out mum's wardrobe, visited with bestie, Janine, after dinner.

Friday; shopping, haircut, cuppa with Glen & Lisa at Westfield (I bought 2 pairs of high heeled shoes!!!!!), organised impromptu housewarming for my friend/hairdresser, Maxine. 6 women sat around Maxine's table, & 6 lives have all undergone big changes over the last year. It was so good to sit and talk. Oh... and laugh..... the conversation definitely took the odd bawdy turn..... there was so much cackling, that I wouldn't have been surprised to see an egg or two under the chairs....

Saturday, I went to the send-off of the mum of a friend of mine. Ann & I have been friends since we began working together at Newcastle Uni in the early 80's. Her mum, Mary, was 83. A delightful lady, to say the least.

Saturday disappeared as I drove home & met Beloved after Vboy played football. Saturday was the "Denman Food & Wine Affair", which is the premier event on the Denman social calender. The main street is closed & festival runs all day, then the fun continues into the night. The stalls were all closed by the time we arrived: Beloved, in his naivete, had thought that we would be able to eat a lovely meal at the pub.... no chance when to town's population doubles in size for the evening....... Thank goodness for the local scout group and their sausage sandwiches..........

A band played into the night, & much singing & drinking ensued....... I was a little hoarse yesterday.......... but I didn't dance my socks off...... because my entire week was hampered by the stupid calf muscle that I had strained the previous weekend in Cowra! At least the bruises are finally emerging.... bugger of a thing is still sore, though... and I can't walk in flat shoes properly as it stretches the muscle out......

And here's a picture! Or 2..........

Beloved having fun with Tracy & Lois (she's going to kill me for this....)

Tracy, Amelia & I getting our smiles on........

At this stage, I am coming back to Newie with GG on Wednesday evening/Thursday morning, so the quest for coffee may not be over yet!

Have a good day all!

Waltzing matilda

2009-04-25T11:56:00.004+10:00

Hi guys.

This lovely song is being sung by John Williamson on the TV as I type. I am in Beloved's sister's living roomin Canberra.

I'm going to be AWOL for a while as I'm away for a few days, & will be sans computer.

The good news is that I'll be in Newcastle for a few days from Tuesday.

Lisa, I will be in touch soon so we can organise a get together.

Have a lovely weekend: ANZAC Day is just so special.

See ya!

I've been everywhere man...........................................

2009-04-22T23:04:00.002+10:00

Today I've been through/to:

Hollydeen
Sandy Hollow
Gungal
Merriwa
Borambil
Turill
Ulan
Budgee Budgee
Mudgee
Mt Knowles
Havilah
Lue
Toobong (I kid you not)
Rylstone
Bylong (along the Bylong Valley Way; lovely)
Kerrabee
Baerami before revisiting Sandy Hollow & Hollydeen before reaching home, ie Denman.
various "gaps"
watercourses that include the Goulburn, Merriwa, Krui, Cudgegong rivers as well as too many creeks to name
Lots of hills; I think I crossed the Great Dividing Range 3 times (at least)

Vboy reckons we have some (actually, lots) weird, but interesting place names. Methinks he's right.

It was a grey day, but not too cold. Rylstone made me feel like it should have been cold, as it was so overcast, with a heavy sky & a brisk breeze. It's a very pretty town that was settled in around 1840, nestled in the valley between the mountains. The main street is very wide, with a generous island of trees down the middle, which have already been busy making a show of their autumn leaf colours, which was another reason that I felt that it should have been cold. Well, it was cool enough for Vboy & I to don our coats and enjoy a wood-fired oven pastry for lunch. Vboy rather ascerbically pointed out that the pies may have been cooked in a wood-fired oven, but then they were put into an ordinary old pie warmer......... but the sausage roll that he ate wasn't half bad, though.

It hasn't been too yuppy-tourist-ified yet, but it's on the way... the lovely old stone buildings and grace of the town are definitely appealing, as are the small selection of shops, 3 real estate agents, 3 pubs and bowling club. I can understand the pubs/club, but 3 real estate agents? The locals tended to look as if times haven't been all that grand, & the tourists stood out, especially from the local family we saw consisting of Mum, Dad, 3 kids under the age of 6, the black cattle-labrador cross all walking up the street... with their goat on a lead as well...... yep: they had their goat on a lead. Vboy reckoned they went into the vets, but I'm not so sure...

Anyway, we've got Clover back. We travelled just under 3 hours on the way over via Mudgee, as we didn't want to travel over the crappy unsealed roads between here & Bylong. But the lovely Fiona from the Midwestern Shire Council informed us that the newly sealed road was opened last weekend, so it took us less than 2 hours for the return trip. And it really is a delightfully scenic drive home. And we got to see Bylong, home of the famous Bylong Mouse Races........

Clover seems happy to be back home, but will have another roadtrip on Friday when we drop her off at my brother's house in Newcastle on our way to Canberra. On Saturday, we travel to Cowra so Beloved can ride his shiny-but-tastefully-blingy-bike in a competition on Sunday, then he will drop me back in Newcastle on Monday for my "holiday".........That means........

COFFEE & CAKE TIME LADIES :0)

Woo Hoo! See you later ;0)

Well, we’re taking this road, and it’s the road that we’re taking..........

2009-04-21T17:23:00.001+10:00

We can all breathe again. Clover has turned up. Life must have become a little humdrum around here, because our girl decided that she needed a........

ROADTRIP!

What the?????????

This afternoon, I received a call from Fiona at the Midwestern Shire Council, asking whether we had lost a dog.......

Well, yes, we have.......

And would we like to come & pick her up, or do we need to arrange to meet a ranger or somebody to transfer the dog because she quite a ways from home?

No, I will drive over & pick her up, because I feel like a roadtrip, & really want to get my dog back.

But I was confused as to how Clover ended up over there. Because "over there" is Rylstone, which is at least 3 hours driving from here, over Mudgee way. The pleasant Fiona from the Midwestern Shire Council is also a bit confused, as the people holding her picked her up yesterday afternoon...... in Denman, whilst they were driving through. Or at least the lady's son, husband or brother picked Clover up..... Beloved & I cannot understand why he didn't check at the local vet's, service station or community centre, instead of taking her with him. And given that she doesn't like men (she is scared out of her wits by them & will even run away from Beloved, even though he feeds her), how did he even get her into his vehicle?

Questions, questions.........

Anyway, tomorrow, I roadtrip. And there's a box of choccies for the caretakers of my dog. No more holidays for Clover, though. From tomorrow, she's tied up more often, since we've no fences.

Oh alright.. she can come inside instead.

It's a good thing that I'm on holidays, isn't it?

Where, oh where....... has my little dog gone?

2009-04-21T10:42:00.003+10:00

I had the unfortunate task of making this poster up today.

LOST!

Clover is a 4 yr old Boxer that most likely followed some kids home from the main street on Sunday. She is very friendly, but is unsure around men. She is small for a boxer, de-sexed, registered & micro-chipped.

Please contact us if you have seen her: we are missing her :0(

Thank you, from the Kavanagh family from Macauley Street.

I had a lot of trouble finding photos of our girl, even though I know that there are oodles. But you know where I found some? In "Blogmuggling...."

I knew that there is a reason that I blog.......

Have a good day ;0)

This is the dawning of the rest of our lives...on holiday

2009-04-20T19:45:00.004+10:00

Hi Y'all.

Well, today was the final day of my traineeship.

I wish that it wasn't. I feel that I have so much more to learn. Don't get me wrong: I have learned an enormous amount over the last year, on both a personal & professional level. This has been such a steep learning curve for me. I know that I am not alone in this. But I feel that I fall quite a ways short of the mark, too.
Working as a nurse has deep & profound responsibilties attatched to it. The trust that clients/patients ( the terminology changes depending upon the place of work) have in me & my abilities scares me at times. Work colleagues need to be able to have faith in me as well. As I said to a workmate today, I feel "undercooked". She laughed, but re-assured me that all was ok.

But it's not unusual for me to have doubts in my own abilities. I don't think that this is necessarily a bad thing. I think that it makes me work harder to ensure that I do my best at all times.

It has taken me 14 years & 4 attempts to get to this point. I seriously started to think of nursing as a career when I was pregnant with GG (she's now 20!), but it wasn't until VBoy was 5 months old that I decided to give uni a go after working as a lab tech from the age of 19, with a 4 year stint as a family day carer thrown in as well. After 1 year part time studying for my Bachelor of Nursing, Beloved secured his job in Muswellbrook, so our move to the country with 3 children under 9 (with no family support around) put paid to any idea of continuing my studies.

Fast forward to 1999, I started working as caretaker at the local dog pound, then my career changed in 2002 to working in Dementia Daycare & I was offerred a traineeship as an Assistant in Nursing in Aged Care. At the same time, I was nightfilling in the new Big W in Muswellbrook. The move to Denman concluded my relationship with Big W, & I became the Activities Co-Ordinator at Denman Aged Care Facility.

This was a lovely, comfortable, non-threatening job, but nursing continued to beckon. The more time I spent within the hospital system, the greater the urge to nurse became. Then the idea of an Enrolled Nursing traineeship was suggested. But securing a traineeship was easier said than done. I applied once, twice. I was interviewed once, twice. After the second attempt, I was contacted to say that I was shortlisted, but 1 off the list. If someone dropped out, I would be in. "Who do I have to shoot?" was my reply.

Nobody dropped out, but again I was contacted, this time asking could they put my name forward to a private company. Of course I said yes. Another interview, but for a Newcastle facility. I don't think that they believed that I would have been happy to work out of my geographical area. I was actually applying to work anywhere from Wyong to Gloucester/Taree & all over the Hunter.

Discontent had set in at Denman, & I applied & was succesful in securing work in the Aged Day Centre at Muswellbook Hospital. At the same time, Beloved & the kids convinced me to apply once more for a traineeship. I was reluctant as Sboy's HSC year was coming up, & I felt that it was important that I was available if he needed me. Vboy was had only recently turned 13. Was it fair to take so much time out from my family?

Their resounding response was "YES!". The application went in the same time as the application for the Day Centre, about September/October. The boss knew this, but wanted me to work with her anyway. Again, I was asked to attend an interview. God, how I hate interviews.......... All the required questions were asked, & appropriate answers given. My one & only question to the panel towards the end of the interview went something like this:

"Well, it's no secret that I've been here in this seat before. Actually, 3 of the 4 of you on the panel have interviewed me previously. So, my question to you is.... 'What do I have to do to convince you that I am the right person that you need for one of these traineeships? How can I convince this panel that you should employ me? That you need to employ me....'..?". There was a bit of shuffling in their seats, & a few wry smiles before the question was answered. After this we ended up having a lovely informal chat about the direction of healthcare etc...... On January 5, 2008, I received a call on my mobile after my Aunty Viv's funeral offerring me a traineeship, based out of Scone Hospital.

And the rest is history. You've walked the journey with me.

I can't believe it's over.

I feel that's it's a bit of an anticlimax.

My lovely workmates bought me a beautiful chocolate cake for afternoon tea, and some handcream & shower gel. I love these women. This morning, they argued over who was taking me with them...... It was so nice... And I only had 15 days with them. But they are my original employing department in healthcare. In my appraisal, I said that I felt as if I had come home.

I'm now unemployed. But instead, I'm referring to it as "holidays"............

Who knows?

I might have LOTS more time to blog.............

*sigh*

Amazing grace.. notes...NOT

2009-04-19T01:29:00.004+10:00

I love the bagpipes: always have.

It's a good thing, since I have spent over 20years as a highland dancer & travelled all over the place with pipe bands.

So why is it do you think that I don't enjoy it when the guy who lives next door decides that his favourite party trick at 1.30 in the morning is to;

1. play his bagpipes (not all that well)

2. Let his very inebriated friends have a go at them as well.........

Grrrrrrr...........

At least they're inside the house. On other occassions, it's happened in the screened enclosure not too far from our bedroom window......

Yep... grrrrrrr............ note that this post has been written at 1.30am........

If he's got to play "Mairie's Wedding" couldn't he at least get it right?????? And in it's entirety???? Any song from beginning to end would be an improvement fro the snippets that he manages........

Hrpmh.

Whinge over.

G'night.

Happy zzzz'ding.

xoxoxoxoxoxooxox

NB: for those confused by the title, grace notes are played on the bagpipes. I think that they are unique to this style of instrument. Ok: I have bored you with enough trivia for now.....

Get a haircut, & get a real job........

2009-04-18T10:22:00.004+10:00

Slack me has been going to post for days, but I haven't been able to... this is especially bad since it was Beloved's birthday yesterday;

"BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BELOVED"

And because I love him so much, here is a picture of his favorite thing. He has spent hours pulling this bike down to nuts, bolts & pieces, then buffing, polishing & painting bits until it has been bling-ed (very tastefully) within an inch of it's life........ this photo doesn't do it justice, really. It is Sboy's newest bike that we bought him, which he then systematically managed to demolish over the past few months with his show riding...... He has hinted that he might need it for the Caravan & Camping Show at Maitland in May, as his show bike will still be in transit from Darwin... really, his chances are between none & buckleys.........
Beloved's biking cohorts are green with envy at the sight of this little beauty, & they have sighed whilst requesting a "Do" for their bikes in Denman....

As you can see from this pic, our house & yard are less of a passion..... unmown lawn, building rubble, dirt pile, unpainted house, unused/unfitted water tank... & a 1974 model car........ It must drive our neighbours mad, as they have a pristine house & a yard that looks like it is vacuumed regularly....... with 2 for sale signs out the front. Do you think that we may be de-valuing their home, or even worse, scaring off potential buyers????? EEEEEK!

Damn "Bejewelled Blitz"!! You know that you have played a game too often when you see red squares, blue diamonds, orange hexagons etc on the insides of your eyelids when you shut your eyes....... and I still suck at it. I very occassionally post a good score, without really knowing how I achieved it....

It has been a good week workwise. I really like Community Nursing. There are lots of options & variety in it. I spent Thursday in the Chemotherapy Lounge, where people with cancer receive their intravenous cancer drugs. It was an incredible positive experience, & I met lovely people who were more than willing to share their journey with me. Because that's what cancer does: it sends you on a journey of self-discovery. And a journey through the halls of medicine. And I think that I like being part of that experience. I'm a talker, and you need to be in this job. And more importantly, you need to be a listener, and as someone wise once said (even though it was in a movie, & said tongue-in-cheek), you need to listen with your eyes as well.

Monday is my last day... *sigh*.......
The girls took me out for lunch yesterday... none of the other places that I have worked has been as warm & social as this one. But then again, I have a history with these people. Working with them has been a bit like going 'home'.

And as of Tuesday morning, I am unemployed. Does anybody see anything out there for me? I have only ever been unemployed by choice. I have to admit, the thought of being unemployed is doing my head in a bit, considering our level over fiscal over-involvement.. Oh, and I need a haircut, too...... (see the blog heading..)

I hope that a few of my Goodest Ones in Newie (and Backpassage) are up for cuppas & food...... a bit of a holiday will be good.

So now I've shared, I'd better get on with the day. After all, it's 11.23 am, & I'm still sitting in my dressing gown & slippers!

Enjoy your day!

<3>

Should Auld Aquaintance be forgot.... part 2.

2009-04-13T21:36:00.003+10:00

G'day.

Easter has passed already........ so much chocolate: so little time....... so much lard added to my ass.....

A few days have passed, but here is the second & final instalment of my Mum's eulogy:

Surprisingly, Sadie had another life-changing event awaiting her. In an attempt to channel the energies of her busy 6yr old daughter, Mum & I attended a fete in the grounds of John Darling Colliery, where Scottish Highland dancers were entertaining the crowd. Enchanted, we attended our 1^st highland dancing class the next week. And so began many years of a love of all things Scottish. An enthusiastic group of parents formed the Lake Macquarie Scottish Association which fostered & promoted many aspects of Scottish culture. Scottish country dancing, tutoring in bagpipes, highland dancing competitions, talents, ceilidhs, & fundraising to support these ventures filled what little time was left available. Sadie turned her very able sewing hands to the creation of many, many dance costumes: her ability & creativity at this meant that she would often sew late into the night as the demand for her services grew. As anybody who was a part of these activities will attest, it was a very special & fun time in our lives. But this wasn’t quite enough for Sadie: she became an active member of the Newcastle Highland Dancing Association, & later, the Hunter Valley Scots Club.

Anything that she would do to help, she would. It may have meant using her home as a base for the packing of lamingtons for a lamington drive (& if you haven’t seen the amount of coconut left over after you’ve hand-packed what seems like 300 dozen lamingtons, you’ve never lived), or providing transport for families or cooking up a storm whenever needed. As with the motorcycling, Sadie opened up her home to all & sundry, with a warm& welcoming smile to whomever needed a bed, with the instructions of:

“You can stay as long as you like. There’s the fridge & there’s the pantry. Whatever you want, you can get it yourself, & don’t expect me to wait on you...”

But of course, she did.

Pets were a constant source of joy for Sadie. A multitude of pets were a part of her life: cats, dogs (she was known as the rat-dog-lady within the motorcycling fraternity as she always seemed to have a Chihuahua tucked away somewhere), birds, & fish. All seemed to know that Sadie’s was a great place to be, including the 4 guinea pigs that I brought home one day, that soon turned into 63........... Pets: she never felt complete without them.

As time moved on & the children grew, of course, their interests changed, so Sadie had to find new ways of spending her time..... Pottery, porcelain doll making, jewellery making, lapidary pursuits & cake making & decorating all became her interests, along with the purchase of the sandwich shop with her wonderful friend, Diane, by her side. Never one to do things by halves, Sadie was never just keen about a hobby, she was PASSIONATE... ...which led to the building of a few more sheds around the yard to absorb her hobbies after they could no longer fit into the house... to the point where she could drive Ken to distraction with all her “Stuff”.... But then again, he’s always had his own “Stuff”.......

Travel became a new passion as well, with 2 trips to Britain & Europe to visit family& friends as well as a Samoan adventure a little later on.

And there was always time to listen to Macca on a Sunday morning.

But far & away, Sadie’s greatest passion was for her family. But you don’t need to be a blood relative to be a treasured member of Sadie & Ken’s family: they gladly accepted & included just about all & sundry of the various peoples who have walked through their lives over the years. In some cases, this includes a new generation of “grandchildren”.

Nothing was more important to Sadie (Referred to from here on in as ‘Mum”). The loss of her own mother was a defining event in mum’s life, & set in place behaviours that she would carry throughout the rest of her life. Ill health had plagued, but not stopped Mum throughout the years, but it had certainly slowed her down in the last few. But it didn’t stop her family involvement; instead perhaps it enhanced it by providing her with more time to be with them.

A little while ago, I asked Mum what she thought was her greatest achievement or thing in her life that has made her the most proud. Without pausing to think, she answered “You & Glen”. I think that has now been surpassed with the arrival of grandchildren into her life. For a woman who used to complain that she was “too young to be a grandmother” (until she became one, that is), Mum became the most wonderful nanny that a child could want, unfailingly indulgent & generous with her love & whatever else she could provide. At one stage, whist we were living in the shed at Mum & Dad’s, my youngest child, aged about 17months, stomped out the door at about 6.30am because I wouldn’t give in to his demand for a biscuit for his breakfast. He was adamant that his nanny would give him one, so I let him go, & sure enough, there he was, sitting up at her kitchen table, enjoying a bikie & a chat with his nanny at 6.30 in the morning........

But you all know Sadie. That’s why you’re here today. Your presence is a reflection of the woman that IS Sadie. And as I look out at you, I can see that Sadie will never leave us: she has left a piece of herself with each of you. She was different things to different people: Sarah, Sadie, Mac, Sarah J, Sade, Sister, Mrs T or Mrs Ken, Mum, Aunty Sadie, Nanny. However she was known to you, please don’t be a stranger so that we can get together & share our Sadie again.

So take a breath & be relieved: there is no more........

Goodnight all

xoxoxoxoxox

Lisa, Lisa

2009-04-12T00:16:00.002+10:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LISA!

It's a great day for a birthday......

Many Happy Returns, Cousin of Mine!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox

Oh! How Happy......

2009-04-11T16:45:00.002+10:00

Today, Beloved & I celebrate 22 years of marriage.

It really doesn't seem to be that long, & catches us constantly unawares...... When we married, it was for '"forever", although sometimes that may have seemed a bit longer than we may have wanted at the time. There is still a lot of joy in our marriage, & like most couples who have been together for a while, there has been compromise along the way. We started out finishing each other's sentences, & we still do.

I am thankful for the love & support that we have provided for each other: it is a blessing to know that there is someone who will always be around to provide love & support, even at the most trying times. And there have certainly been a few of those, particularly over the last year or so.

We've never actually chosen a song that is "ours", but if either of us were to choose this one, it would be this song by Art Garfunkel, from his "Fate for Breakfast" album, released in 1979.

Oh! How Happy

Oh How Happy you have made me,

Oh How Happy you have made me.
I have kissed your lips a thousand times,
And more times than I can count,
I have called you mine.
You have stood by me in my darkest hour.
Oh How Happy you have made me,
Oh How Happy you have made me.
Oh How Happy you have made me,
Oh How Happy you have made me.
Through our years together
We have had stormy weather,
But our love has been so strong,
That's, love, how we carry on.
Oh How Happy you have made me,
Oh How Happy you have made me.
You brought joy in my empty life,
All that was wrong, you made it right.
My love, my love, my love…
Oh How Happy you have made me,
Oh How Happy you have made me.
Oh How Happy, Oh How Happy,
Oh How Happy…
Oh How Happy you have made me,

Oh How Happy you have made me.

It is a simple song, but the melody & lyrics are happy & heartfelt.

Lucky, aren't we!

Have a good Easter, everyone!

Should Auld Aquaintance be forgot.... part 1.

2009-04-09T23:58:00.005+10:00

Hi Bloggers.

Today has been a good day. It certainly could have been awful & tragic, but it wasn't, due in part to the fabulously kind & considerate people that I work with, but I feel that it is mostly is due to the wonderful memories that I have of my lovely mum, who as I have previously mentioned, passed away 1 year ago today. Mum instilled me a very strong instinct to survive, rise above the unhappy things in life, & deal with things in a positive way. She was very much an "accept the things that can't be changed & change the things that can be changed" person: I am eternally grateful that she passed this on. She has left such big shoes to fill..........

To celebrate her life, I have decided to share with you the eulogy that I gave at her funeral last year. Upon re-reading, it appears to be rather long, although it didn't appear so on the day. To spare your time & tushes, I have decided to publish it in a couple of installments.

I hope that you enjoy getting to know a little bit of Sadie. It is my greatest wish that you had been able to know her in the flesh. I realise that I am a little biased, but to know her was to love her.

Sadie’s Eulogy
14th April, 2008.

My mother, Sadie June McMillan, arrived into the world on Jan 23, 1936 at Toronto West, NSW. The first child of Sarah (known as Sadie) & Moe, her delivery by Nurse Bules was greeted with much celebration, particularly by her father, who continued to celebrate for a prolonged period of time. This resulted in the Sadie’s registration by the nurse, who was sure the baby was to be named after her mother. So, Sarah Jane, as she supposed to be named, became the unique woman that we came to know as Sadie June.

Sadie was quickly followed by her siblings, Alan, Helen & Harry. The family lived in Carrington, where Sadie was educated in the local school. She attended Hunter Girl’s High School until around the age of 12, when she had to leave to commence work to support the family. Her school reports state Sadie was a quiet & studious young lady with a higher than average IQ, who always did her best. Mum was justifiably proud of the fact that she achieved her Intermediate Certificate before leaving school, which placed her 2 years ahead of schedule. Life wasn’t easy, but Mum never really shared much of these darker times, but was instead more inclined to share the colourful details of the many & varied things that happen when you are part of a big, extended family, with lots & lots & lots of children. Such as the fact that there was a bed at The Royal Newcastle Hospital with ‘McMillan’ written on the nameboard above it as there was always 1 child or another in it as a result of their escapades or accidents... such as the time Sadie burned her feet & suffered quite a long while in hospital & numerous surgeries, only to have sister Helen accidentally stick a pitchfork through her foot not too long afterwards.

Even during the tough times in the aftermath of the depression, young Sadie secured work in a number of places, settling into a job at the Co-Op Store in Newcastle. Sadie never complained about her short childhood, just accepting her lot as she continued to do throughout her life, rolling with whatever came her way.

Her childhood & teen years are full of stories, mostly about kids who were a bunch of larrikins who had very little, but had a great time with each other. Mum’s good times seem to relate mostly back to the time spent with her family in Toronto, some of which have been shared, but a lot of which I’ve been told are a bit naughty, so I’m not allowed to share them. Mum did tell me though, that she used to enjoy swimming in the creek wearing only the boy’s hankies tied together as swimmers. Were hankies bigger back in those days? It’s a good thing that tissues weren’t invented way back then........

Let’s skip forward to the early 1950’s. While living in Denison St, Hamilton, the lovely teenaged Sadie regularly attended the local dances. It was often said that she & her mother looked more like sisters than mother & daughter, which was a good thing for one of her brother's mates, who didn’t attend the dances. Instead, he spent these evenings at home polishing the silver with Sadie Snr while Sadie Jnr went out & had fun. But this time & polishing paid off for young Ken Thornton, who worked his way into young Sadie’s heart, until they were married in August 1955. Baby Glen arrived, followed by Cynthia (moi).

Ken & Sadie lived in Orange then Tamworth as Ken pursued his career as an aircraft engineer & motor mechanic before settling into their present home at Belmont North, collecting friends along the way. Sadie was the perfect partner for Ken in their membership of the Newcastle Aeroclub, even though she really didn’t like to fly. Transportation, before Cynthia arrived, was a motorcycle & sidecar, Sadie in pillion position behind Ken, with baby Glen tucked snugly into the sidecar.
Their life together moved in a new direction when Ken re-established his connection in the motorcycling world with their involvement in the Mayfield, then Belmont District Motorcycle clubs Scrambles & motocross became part of the daily life in the Thornton family. Meetings, working-bees & lap-scoring beside dusty motocross tracks became an integral part of Sadie’s life. She was unfailingly supportive of Ken’s endeavours & achievements in this sport; quietly supporting him & opening the family home to motorcycling enthusiasts from Australia & the world as motocross was entered onto the Australian motorsport map from within a loungeroom in suburban Belmont North.

Later on, the pair became keen members of the Newcastle Vintage motorcycling club, & were part of just a handful of members to actually ride their vintage AJS motorcycle to the Gold Coast in 1987. Most other folk towed their bikes in a trailer, enjoying all the creature comforts of their car.........

Siblings; Sadie, Helen & Alan

Tune in for a wee bit more tomorrow.... have a good Good Friday.

Cheers, Cyndy xoxoxox

Sunshine on a rainy day makes my soul trip away....

2009-04-08T18:01:00.004+10:00

G'day.

Lots of nothing have been going on in my life. But it's been the nothing of the busy kind. I'm sure you know what I mean.

I'm still really enjoying Community Nursing; I think that this is about the closest to my "Thing" that I'm going to get. Whatever my "Thing" is.........

After all the rain last week, I thought that Vboy's Rugby League would be cancelled on Saturday, but no, 3 changes of starting time & 1 venue change later, Vboy's team eventually kicked off another really good, fair game of footie between 2 well-matched teams in some delightfully muddy conditions. Our boys were the victors, just scraping home against Cessnock 32-28. I even won the mother-who-takes-home-the-muddy-jerseys-to-wash award for the week. Poppy Ken, Gidget the blunder dog, Uncle Glen (my brother...hello Bro, leave me a comment xoxoxo) & Sam the Man all travelled up from their respective homes in Lake Macquarie to watch. And chat. Yep, lots of chat.

But getting to that point wasn't without it's dramas. GG & Sboy were supposed to meet us at the football grounds at Beresfield, as after the game the whole family were driving up to Forster to spend the weekend with Beloved's family, as a very special family event was planned for Sunday morning.

Sboy didn't arrive back in Newcastle to pick up his sister as planned, but instead, caught the train to Sydney to see a band on Friday night, then stayed then night at Morriset with friends, where he'd left his car. He was supposed ( note I say 'supposed')to pick up some motorbike parts on Saturday morning before picking up his sister.

Shortly before arriving at the grounds (which took us a while & a few extra turns to find), Vboy informed us that he couldn't find his boots... they were resting comfortably in the plastic bag on the lounge on the back verandah.... no mud for THOSE nice white boots.....
As we were sorting through this hiccup, Sboy rang to say that he had broken down on the exit road from the freeway on the way back from Tuggerah.......... Tuggerah? What the...... ? He should have been in Newie...... and enroute to the grounds.... & hadn't picked up the parts....... "CALL THE NRMA" was our instruction..... he couldn't understand why we were a bit annoyed..... he'd only thrown ALL our plans out because 2 girls wanted to go shopping..... gotta look after the ladies...... this was at about 1.45pm. A quick call to GG: the good girl picked up the bike parts..... and then she waited for something to happen....

A very helpful member of the Beresfield club went home & picked up his own size 12 boots for Vboy to wear........ evidently, there aren't all that many junior league players with boots in that size...... and he graciously accepted the very sweaty & muddy boots back with a smile ;0)

The NRMA still hadn't arrived by 4.30, so we decided to head down the Central Coast to see what was happening. Vboy went home with Poppy to Belmont to have a shower & get warm. After a wonderfully scenic drive around the wilds of the South-western Lake Macquarie, we arrived shortly after the NRMA at 6.15pm...... and Sboy's car needed to be towed away anyway..... so it's now holidaying at Lake Munmorah until we decide what we will do with it. Apparently, 1984 Toyota hi-lux utes really aren't worth repairing the cracked head on...... Watch out with the cost of a tow, folks.... the 1st 8ks are free, then it was $5 per kilometre after that. Sboys 14km tow set us back $30! And the car is still over 2hours away from home.......

But back to the story... I know you're rivetted.........

We arranged to meet GG at Raymond Terrace Maccas & leave her car there overnight. Seriously folks, do not go to this Maccas for a feed... it was probably the worst I've ever had.... And on Sunday, it looked like somebody had showered a river of mud off in the toilets......
In the pouring rain, we headed off up the grimy, dark, roadwork-disabled highway to meet the family, finally arriving at Forster at about 10.30pm. Dreadful driving conditions, to be sure. And we really had no idea where we were staying. But it all worked out ok in the end. Some of the family were still awake & up for a chat, & we had a comfy cabin to sleep in. My trouble is, I couldn't sleep. Not at all. At 2am, I got out of bed & went & sat in the car & actually found an ABC radio station with a real person on it. At 4.30am, the need to pee heard me creeping quietly back into the cabin, & into bed. A moment's shut eye later, & it was time to get up.......

You see, the whole family had gathered together on this particular weekend to scatter Poppy Don's ashes into the sea off the beach at Tuncurry. It was such an emotional experience. Nanny Val, who said that she wasn't able to say anything, but invited us to say whatever we felt, went on to say it all for us & more. Incredible indeed, as she is not a woman given to emotional displays & is usually economical with her turn of phrase. Poppy Don wasn't going out easily though. There was an out-going tide, rough, biggish surf with a stiff onshore breeze, so out we waded........ fully dressed as we were. We must have looked quite the sight at Gloria Jeans a short while later.....

The sky had been a bit dull & overcast, threatening rain, but once the job was done, we turned around as a sudden parting of the clouds turned the early morning ocean into a shimmering, silvery quilt......Breathtaking, to be sure. Maybe that was a parting gift to us all. I think we were all reluctant to wash off the residual traces of Poppy later on..... Beloved's family are a good mob, even more so since Poppy's passing. Another gift from Poppy Don, maybe.

About 10.30am, we all parted company & headed off for home, hopefully all of us a little lighter in spirit. After picking up GG's car at Raymond Terrace, we had heard on the radio that 2KO had a tent outside Retravision at Heatherbrae, & were giving out free sausage sanwiches & drinks at the "BIG" Retravision sale, so off we went to try them out. I have to say, they were good. And great value for the price. The boys went into retravision for a quick squiz while Beloved & I stood outside talking to radiostation people whilst enjoying the fine fare. The bloke from the station was quite taken with GG, & asked for a photo with her .... she just blended into the crowd... actually, there weren't too many others outside... with her bright pink hair, beautiful, khohl-laden eyes, purple tie-dye petticoat dress & pale mauve leopard skin-print leggings, with her tattoo emblazoned across her chest, which had 3 sections of picture hanging chain from Mitre 10 dangling down to her waist.... she jangled as she walked in her barefeet....*snort*...
Then it was back on the road for a late lunch/early dinner at Singleton, then GG parted ways as she had to be at work in Muswellbrook by 4pm.

Both the big kids stayed overnight, with Sboy home until Tuesday, then he went back to Newie for some fun. I think they'll both be home on Good Friday. GG is working in Mussie over the weekend anyway. As are Beloved & I.

I think that's enough. This post should have come with a "epic-warning"......... I"ll try to post again tomorrow. It's another monumental day...... tomorrow will be the 1st anniversary of my Mum's passing..........

*sigh*

Goodnight all xoxoxoxoxoxo

My Elois-er....... I long to see her....

2009-04-02T19:36:00.005+11:00

Someone likes red drinks.....

This is GG & Miss Messy, her BF: it's her birthday today too!

Upside down Miss Pat..... (for the non-Aussies & those too young, this was a line that was popular with Mr Squiggle...)

Today, My lovely girl celebrates her 20th birthday. I found this video by Swedish group, "Arvingarna".

This song was their entry in the 1993 Eurovision song contest; it came in 7th! Unfortunately, I can't get a translation, so Swedish it is.

Happy Birthday, Chickie!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHtlNKcFypo&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lyricsmode.com%2Flyrics%2Fa%2Farvingarna%2Feloise.html&feature=player_embedded

Money, money money,.... always sunny... in a rich man's world........

2009-03-31T20:51:00.004+11:00

Good Evening!

It's been a lovely rainy day up here in Wattle Grove. So much so, that VBoys footy training was called off. He played his 1st game of the season last Saturday, & played really well. The team was successful on the day, defeating Southern Lakes 48 - 10!

Friday was interesting. I pottered around home for a while, then headed off to Newie after lunch to pick up GG on the way to Morrisett to pick up a 2nd hand washing machine that I had arranged to buy her. I wanted to buy a new Marriage Certificate (evidently, even though my old one has been ok so far, it is no longer "legal", & I need it for my nursing registration) & post a letter to the Nurses & Midwives Board of NSW, but silly me forgot that Friday was Newcastle Showday Holiday! To quote a very eloquent nurse that I know....plurgh! Anyway, GG & I waited in the wilds of Morrisett for over an hour for the seller to arrive home from work, then had a lovely drive back to Wickham to install the "new" beast. The tap leaked like a small creek, & I think that it needs a hose re-attatched on the bottom of the machine. At least, I hope that's all that the problem is...... Then GG & I parked near the Northern Star hotel to get some Indian for tea, & just as I was reversing into the carparking space, the engine rumbled, coughed, spluttered, then died. 1 NRMA call, yummy food & 40 minuts later, the NRMA saved the day with $15 worth of fuel that I had requested. The Nasty fuel gauge had intimated that there was still 74k's of fuel left in the tank........

I had such a slow & nothing weekend. It was brilliant! Even the 2 DVDs that we hired on Saturday evening didn't work.

Sunday evening, GG walked in through the back door in tears after her shift at the Mussie Service station around 11pm...... She hasn't worked much lately, I really had no idea which of her dilemmas had upset her so....... until she blurted out; "I don't want to go to uni anymore...."
I was relieved that this was her only issue... at least it's not too serious, & in all honesty, I could see it coming. She was worried that we would be disappointed.... There are more pressing areas in her life. Dominos haven't paid her, even though she has worked for them for over 3 weeks. A sum of money appeared in her bank account, & GG assumed that it was her belated wages. Until yesterday, that is, when she received a "please-pay-us-back-or-else" letter from GoLo requesting back the money that had had mistakenly paid her. She hasn't worked at GoLo for over 6 months. The letter was sent to someone named "ELOSIE" to an address that we haven't even lived at for almost 4 years. It is (un)lucky that she even received it. She doesn't have the money to pay it back. They suggested that she pay it back at $50 per week: she answered in the negative. She has only been paid around $120 each week over the last few weeks from her service station job, especially since Dominoes have been so lax in their paying her. Even $50 is not manageable. My only suggestion is that she works shifts to pay it off. She is insistent in her mistaken, naive belief that the mistake wasn't hers, so why should she? She will end up in court, & will lose: that's why she has to pay it back......
She has to find some work that pays, & soon........ This being self-sufficient thing is a myth. I have explained to my kids that I am unemployed in 3 weeks, & all my financial help dries up with my pending unemployment. I don't think that they believe me.........

And GG has her 20th birthday on Thursday. She is planning to go camping with friends.... but the weather looks abysmal! I'm not quite sure what they think they are going to sleep in/under... none of them has any camping gear......
And from her family, all she has received is a leaky washing machine.......

Sboy arrived home for a few days yesterday. Well that was the plan until he drove to Newie, then Sydney this morning........ He's enjoying himself, anyway ;0) He has no more shows scheduled until May, so he needs to watch his pennies vigilantly, too........ Hahahahah... he locked my keys in the boot of my car yesterday.... thank goodness for the NRMA... AGAIN! But at least this time, he used his membership, not mine.

God... I HATE money & all the trouble that goes with it......

I've done 2 days of community nursing, & I love it ;0) The pace is slower & care is more focussed on the individual, people are more receptive to treatment & care, & a nurse is much more able to build up a rapport & relationship with her clients. This rotation will be over way to soon..... I have really had my eyes opened up over the last 9 months: there are so many people out there who are sick, fighting illness, & have amazing spirits. But it's not just the patients that are important: it's the families & support networks too. Good Healthcare is a team effort folks!

ok... that's an update...of sorts......

Enjoy this delightful autumnal (yes...it's a word) weather folks ;0)

The main thing we do is rock your socks off.....

2009-03-25T10:26:00.002+11:00

Hi.

17 working days of my traineeship left.

Hmmm.

Life is exciting. Not.

This afternoon is my one & only evening shift in the aged care facility, then a quick turn around into a final morning shift tomorrow. The highlight of my day is the $6 all-you-can-eat salad lunch provided by the Hospital Auxilliary ladies. Hey... this includes dessert, can of drink & a bread roll!

I am gainfully spending my morning watching tv whilst making pairs & folding socks. My laundry bench had a basket of socks on it that had overflowed into a bag, then oozed down over the bench, then slid all over the floor.... a few too many socks, I fear.......

But it was not a waste of time..... I manufactured 33 pairs of matching socks! Then there was the left-over shopping bag full that I thew out..... I did manage to rescue a couple of lonelies who I feel may have a mate out there somewhere........

Yep.... it's meaningful existence...........

Have a good day ;0)

Still here in this quiet room, deep in delusion sending me over.........

2009-03-21T08:38:00.003+11:00

I've been up a few hours after deciding to get out of bed with Beloved at 0530 this morning.

I desperately needed a hot cup of tea to soothe the burning in my throat. I've had a bit of a bug this week, with 2 days spent upon my lounge, basically dying. It seems to be a re-occurring thing that I've had 3 times since last June. It's a stupid headache-sore-throat-can't-stay-awake-thing that I've decided is a low grade infection in the sinuses and nasopharyngeal area. Apart from the 3 near-death-occassions (yes, I am being over dramatic here...), I have had sore-throats & sinus issues on & off that I've been treating with nasal washes, hot lemon/honey drinks & paracetamol as needed. But I'm getting rid of the little sucker this time with a double course of antibiotics..... DIE BUGS, DIE! Wonders of wonders, I was able to secure a doctors appointment on the same day as I rang....

Anyway, since I was up so early, I've treated myself to an uninterrupted viewing of 'rr.r.r.r.r.rage' on the ABC.... I love music......

There has been quite a bit of forgettable stuff, including Britney's Circus... WHEN WILL SHE LEARN THAT SHE CAN SING WITH CLOTHES ON & WITHOUT MULTIPLE CHANGES INTO VARIOUS FORMS OF UNDRESS WHILST PERFORMING A LAPDANCE WITHOUT A LAP TO DANCE UPON???????

But there was still quite a few highlights for me;

Beyonce, Halo: Lovely song, but the surprise was the girl herself, totally devoid of make-up, looking so young & fresh. No overt sexuality to be seen.

Lily Allen, The Fear: You got to love the clever lyrics in this song. A very ascerbic observation of society..

"Life’s about film stars and less about mothers
It’s all about fast cars concussing each other
But it doesn’t matter cause I’m packing plastic
and that’s what makes my life so fucking fantastic"

It's worth reading the rest of the lyrics........ And she wears the same dress throughout the clip.

The Ting Tings, We Walk: Another clever film clip. Take responsibility for your own happiness:

"You see the changes in things that come

It's how you deal with it when switching off
Make a decision, a precondition
We've got the choice if it all goes wrong, We walk, We walk (if it all goes wrong)
Where nothing makes you feel good... We've got the choice if it all goes wrong
We walk"

Ladyhawke, My Delerium: Love the whole beat of this one.

Kate Miller-Heidke, Caught in the Crowd: She's special, this one. Unique to be sure. A lovely song of apology to a boy she went to school with. A good, simple clip.

The Howling Bells, Into the Chaos...

Kings Of Leon, Sex on Fire: Voices to melt your knickers, reminiscent of Jon Stevens & Noiseworks in the late 80's. Of course, nothing can cause knickers to spontaneously combust the way that Micheal Hutchence could... and one, night, at the Bel Air Hotel in Kotara, Michael Hutchence's sweat dripped on me..... I was 10cm right in front of him, just the cool, slim metal of the mike stand between us.... the man was RAW, even as a teenager..... Oh, sorry.. Where was I? ... Oh yes: Sex on Fire;

"Hot as a fever, rattlin' bones, I could just taste it, just taste taste it.... if it's not forever, if it's just tonight, Oh, it's still the greatest, the greatest, the greatest. You, your sex is on fire... consumed with what's to transpire....."

Beloved's song to me... hehehehehehe

Fallout Boy, America's Sweethearts: A clip that's pure theatre.

Short Stack, Princess: The song's ok, but it's the hairstylist need a round of applause....

Empire of the Sun, We are the People: I just love the harmonies & melodies..there seems to be a heart-felt need to reach the audience. And anyone that can dress up & wear make-up like that & still look good deserves kudos. Or maybe they're just hiding......

Josh Pyke, The Summer: Who else could fit some many words into one line of lyrics while painting such a beautiful story?

British India, God is Dead (Meet the Kids): A really bald, effective clip that I couldn't take my eyes off. It matches the lyrics: I love the song.

Fever Ray, When I Grow Up: Raw, tribal, yet not...

The Presets, If I Know You: This is different for the Presets, but I just love that solid back-beat, & the Voice....... it probably reminds me of the Romantic 80's...... Their live performances viewed on the tv seem ...live.....

Lupe Fiasco, featuring Matthew Santos, Superstar: I surprised myself with this one. I don't like rap, but when he actually sings, he sings.....

And last, but not least..........

Sherbet, You've got the Gun: C'mon... it may not be their best, but it's SHERBET!!!!!

Ok. I've bored you enough.

Have a good weekend! ;0)

Why, oh why, can't I.........................

2009-03-20T09:29:00.010+11:00

Just to show you all that I can write a short post........ inspired by by music on Natalie's blog..... thanks Nat xoxo

Way back, when I was a cute wee lass, I used to sit on a swing in my Nan's front yard in Warners Bay, singing 2 songs at the top of my voice. The poor neighbours & passers-by! It was all Nan's fault: she used to encourage me....

The first song was "I like Aeroplane Jelly". Yeah, I know: I was corrupted by the media, even at the tender age of 3 in the 60's.....

The second song was "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".

I love this song so much. It still resonates with me. In 2003, GG performed in a production of "The Wizard of Oz", playing the role of "Nikko" the leader of the evil flying monkeys. If ever you want someone fluent in evil monkey gibber, she's your girl. I was backstage manager. Kate Squires had the role of Dorothy. Never once, throughout every rehearsal & 8 shows, did Kate's performance fail to evoke weeping lacrimal glands on my part. I can't explain why: it just does. So much, that I want it as part of my funeral service.... I'll have to save the part of Kate singing it on the DVD from the show..... by the time I peg it, she'll be too old to sing it..........

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

It must be the eternally optimistic dreamer in me............

I'm a happy little vegemite, as bright as bright can be.................

Short(er), no?

xoxoxo

Remember the days of the old school yard.. when we had simplicity... warm toast for tea.... and we laughed.......

2009-03-18T08:28:00.005+11:00

Hi there.

It's a beautiful day here in Wattle Grove. And time for a Blogmuggle news update.

I have nothing of any real interest to report.

That's a relief, isn't it?

Beloved: Working too hard as usual. The 3 of us that are left living here these days went out for a meal & to see a movie with our across-the-road-neighbours last Friday evening. We had a good pub meal at Singleton, then saw "The Nightwatchman". It was a long, rather odd film that became better as the story became clearer. Not for everyone though.

GG: Has commenced a new career as a pizza delivery driver for Dominoes in the heart of Newcastle. She hasn't had too many dramas until Monday night, when some crackheads abused her for taking too long, so they had to put their kids to bed without dinner. These economically-challenged folk were spending $37 on pizza for tea on a busy Monday night whilst making my daughter cry because they were too stoned to cook their children tea... Whilst she was apologising profusely, she really wanted to tell them that they could have given their kids dinner for at least 2 nights for the same money, but just couldn't cope with the harrassment. Then one of the more stoned ones tried to ask her out...... She has delivered to them before, (She's been delivering for less than 2 weeks) so it wasn't a special occassion or splurge thanks to Ruddi-money.....
She's persevering though. All her shifts are at night, sometimes until 2am, so she sleeps late. The buggers forgot to pay her for her first week of work, too. Even a petrol allowance doesn't help you to drive your car for work if you don't get paid! She still has some shifts up here at the service station, & will continue until she has enough regular work in Newcastle to rely on. She hates coming here though, & will not stay if it's only for 1 shift, preferring to drive up & back in the same day. She says that Uni is OK, but doesn't talk about it all that much. We see her very little & text messages are very limiting. During the time that she lived here, she actually rarely slept here, preferring to stay on a friend's lounge in town.
She is rather frustrated with Centrelink. She was hoping to be a greatful recipient of some Ruddi-money so that she could travel to Mackay in May for a friend's 21st birthday. GG has never received any government subsidies even though she has basically lived out of home for 2 years now, not even rent assistance. She earned around $9000 last tax year, & was informed that she does not qualify for Ruddi-money as she received all of her tax back last year... which, by the way, was quite a bit less than the $900 Ruddi-money pay out. However.........
.........if she qualifies for just $1 of Youth Allowance, she will be paid out the full amount. How does she do this? By her parents signing documentation stating that her family situation is intolerable, untenable & unredeemable & she cannot possible live at home....... For pity's sake! She is almost 20yrs old, deemed legal in every sense of the word, but because she chooses not to live in the same area as her parents, 2hrs way from home, studies, tries to support herself & be independent whilst living under the poverty line, she cannot access the same government assistance as people that do NOTHING!!!! As I have said previously, we cancelled our Family Payment even though we were entitled to it, in the hope that GG would receive her own........ The government is under the impression that we should still financially support her, evidently........ Beloved & I have paid tax since we entered the workforce at the age of 15.....
Of course, if she had earned MORE money, then by some strange government quirk, she would have been eligible. Obviously, she & all the others just like her (and I'm sure that there are many of them) must live in some idyllic, mythical land like Brigadoon.....

Based on this logic, then SBoy doesn't qualify either, because he's not registered with Centrelink & has only paid a small amount of tax, all of which he received back, too...... He's living La Vida Loca... never here, but all over the country, based up near Byron Bay. He's definitely enjoying his life at moment, but I do wonder how long one can continually live out of a suitcase. He will be home for a visit at the end of the month.... YAY! He's learning how to budget, as he only gets paid when they perform, so he has to make his money last. I'm looking forward to having him home, but I have a sneaking suspicion that most of his time will be spent with his sister in Newcastle. He wants to go out with her in Newcastle for her birthday on April 2. I think the celebrations may last a few days.

VBoy is back into footie training. Rep trials are this Thursday, & the first game is March 28. And so it begins........
Parent-teacher interviews were yesterday. Nothing of any real concern was raised, which is an improvement on previous years. One teacher didn't even realise that Vboy was in his class, which for us was fabulous, as the usual report was that his presence in the classroom could be overwhelming... most of the time. It's also a sad reflection of the public schooling system that we have to cope with. The teacher was new to the school, & not really sure of any of his students at this point. Only the louder ones, I would guess. Every teacher reported between 29 & 30 14 & 15yr olds in their classroom. How can we expect them to teach this number of kids when they've got so many to cope with, for just 40 minutes at a time....? We complain about just 1 hormonal pain-in-the-ass at a time at home...... The smallest class had 28 kids, which had been reduced from 32... this was a maths class......
Another teacher reported that whilst he was aware of the spread of abilities in his class, by the time that he was able to get around to dealing with the need for increasingly challenging work for the more able students, the lesson time was over. And he had only had the kids for the last week or so as they had been under the tutelage of a trainee teacher for the previous 3 weeks... they had basically chewed up & spat out this poor fellow......
There is a large turn-over of teachers up here in the country. Newgrads gain credit points & ambitious teachers get extra points for spending a stint in the country, but not too many stay. The ones that do tend to be weary & apologetic. And I can fully understand why.

I am struggling with the decision of whether or not to keep Vboy at the public school, & I have been thinking about changing him to the Catholic high school in Aberdeen for some months. I have idealogical differences screaming in my head: I have always been a staunch advocate for public education, but now I an beginning to feel that my child will be disadvantaged if he remains in the public system........ Year 9 is such a difficult year......

Enough for now.

I've nothing to report in regards to Me. I'm working in an aged care facility, which is an area I'm familiar with, so it's not too scary. I finish next Thursday, then it's off to Community Nursing. Then as far as the traineeship goes, "That's all folks!!!".
It's finished.

And so am I.

See you later. Have a good day!

Real Love......

2009-03-10T23:09:00.006+11:00

I'm posting this video here for anyone that would like something beautiful to listen to for a change.

It's Regina Specktor's version of the John Lennon classic, "Real Love".......

I needed to put something lovely here as a diversion away from the sadness of my posts of late. And yet it continues. Another beautiful person in my life has passed away in the last few days. If anyone has seen my Facebook page, they will have seen Denise mentioned.

Denise passed away suddenly from a heart attack whilst enjoying a celebratory meal with another friend, Lani. Denise was just 53. Her funeral is on Thursday. It will be quite a day, I think. Fortunately, I have Thursday & Friday off this week, so I will join the vast crowd wishing to pay their respects to this amazing woman & her lovely family.

Enjoy Regina. Hopefully, it will load. I've never uploaded a video before.

xoxoxoxooxox

Sorry.... it won't let me... so here's the link instead.

http://abc.net.au/triplej/media/s2176643.htm

And John Lennon's original lyrics:

All my little plans and schemes
Lost like some forgotten dream
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you

Just like little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
Seems like all they really were doing
Was waiting for you

Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone

It's real love
It's real, yes it's real love
It's real

From this moment on I know
Exactly where my life will go
Seems that all I really was doing
Was waiting for love

Don't need to be afraid
No need to be afraid

It's real love
It's real, yes it's real love
It's real

Thought I'd been in love before,
But in my heart I wanted more
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you

Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone

It's real love
Yes it's real, yes it's real love
It's real, yes it's real love...

Goodnight xoxoxoxo

L-O-L-A.......... Lola

2009-03-03T22:46:00.002+11:00

Yesterday was spent at another Blogmuggle family funeral. Beloved's paternal sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2007, & given the all clear until last November, when a sudden loss in Lola's sight led to the diagnosis of secondary cancers in her brain. Lola, aged 75, was laid to rest on the hill in Wallsend cemetary, where she can watch the goings-on of the town where she has spent the last 53years. She & husband, John, were married in Bundarra at the tender ages of 21 & 22 respectively.

Following the Funeral service & Eucharist Mass, the more personal part of the service was finalised when the song, "They tried to tell us we're too young..." sung by Nat King Cole, was played. It was lovely.

They try to tell us we're too young
Too young to really be in love
They say that love's a word

A word we've only heard
And can't begin to know the meaning of

And yet, we're not too young to know
This love will last tho' years may go
And then, some day, they may recall
We were not too young at all

And yet, we're not too young to know
This love will last tho' years may go
And then, some day, they may recall
We were not too young at all

After 53 years, six children & six grandchildren, maybe they were right.

I love the part in the mass where you turn to the people around you offering the greeting "Peace be with you..."

If only we really meant it. And for longer than the period of time within the walls of the church........

I don't know why the italics won't stop..........

More sad news over my weekend:

Saturday night was spent in the company of delightful friends. One girlfriend has been purposefully pulling her life back together after the very drawn-out breakdown/up of her marriage. She has began a new relationship with a man that I believe will be an important part of her life. Unfortunately, he has very recently been diagnosed with primary cancer on his eye (initially thought to be a detatched retina), and has some suspicious spots on his lungs.......

And then.......

Last night, I received an email from a very special girlfriend. Her mum, an extraordinarily robust & healthy 81 yr old, has been diagnosed with secondary liver cancer in the last few weeks. Until yesterday, the docs had been unable to find the primary cancer. Unfortunately for Mary, the primary cancer is in her pancreas, & there's not much that they can do except to try & buy her a little more time. But the treatment will make her quite unwell. What awful decisions they have to make.........

But life's not all bad in the Muggle house. Arty Farty Michelle is right. Life's gold nuggets are there, hidden in the mire: you just have to keep looking for them. And sometimes, they just find their own way to the surface......... a bit like a splinter working it's way out of your finger......

In the meantime, Peace be with you..............

;0)

She's got the look.............

2009-02-24T22:11:00.003+11:00

Hi all.

Life goes on.

I spent a day with my Dad yesterday. It was good. We went to Charlestown Square, then to visit my Uncle & Aunt in Mount Hutton, & then Mum's cousin in Toronto. All are getting are getting on a bit, & their health isn't the best. It was wonderful to see them. Mum's cousin, who was probably Mum's best friend during her teens & early 20's is missing Mum enormously. The poor love, as we were eating lunch was just gazing at me as we talked, and commented with a wistful smile; "You look so much like your Mum...."

I think that maybe I have mannerisms that are like hers, as I tend to physically resemble my Dad's side of the family more, I think, in the face, anyway. My body is simply a shorter, chunkier version of Mum's. GG & Sboy are very much like my Mum's side of the family. My Brother is very much the same as well. Beloved didn't get too much of as look-in with our children. GG has echoes of his maternal grandmother, & Vboy is built very much like Beloved's Mother's brother. He has Beloved's mother's large eyes, too. Sboy is slight, like Beloved's father' s side of the family. None have Beloved's red hair, or tall, generous body shape. They all have his over-developed smart-ass sense of humour........

Work is very busy. I'm on my last few days at the hospital. It's very unpleasant when someone takes a dislike to you, isn't it? I just can't do anything right as far as one nurse is concerned: I don't even bother trying anymore. I hate it when we have to work together......... on days like today........ And she is SUCH a grumblebum. Of course, I am never one......... I believe that you get back what you put out there: I just do not put out what I get back from her (at least at the beginning, anyway) I will concede that I might be a touch ambivalent towards her these days..... But I definitely do not give out the impatient, disdainful, hostile & aggressive vibes that come my way. She looks the other way when we pass in the corridor......I have a tendency to smile & say hello to her, (because I can...) ... When she has to speak to me, she tends to hiss & spit it out, especially if she thinks that I may have done something wrong. When she thinks she's right, the hint of a smug smile tugs at her mouth.....

It's one of life's skills, isn't it, to cope with the crap that some people deal...?

Bah! I will waste no more time on her. Tomorrow is another day.

Time for a shower & bed.

Goodnight all ;0)

Lost in love & I don't know much; I was thinking aloud & I fell out of touch......

2009-02-20T09:46:00.003+11:00

God, how I love 70's & 80's song lyrics....

You know what?

My last post was quite a bit longer than was published.

I took us on a rambling walk through the the 80's weekend. A social commentary on the lost art of "the weekend".

Then I cut & pasted in the song article.

And my ramble was lost.

I didn't realise until after it was published.

And I'm too tired to write it again.

Now I am sad.

But never mind.

You get 2 posts in half an hour this morning.

Maybe the universe was telling me something. (Not just that I am techo/computer dumb...)

Working, working, working.......

I'm having at leat 2 weeks off in April/May........ I need a holiday.

Whinge, whinge, moan, moan......

Have a good weekend. ;0)

Everyone's wondering; Will you come out tonight....?

2009-02-20T08:59:00.007+11:00

Friday.

*sigh*.

Enjoy your weekend.

And now, a blast from the past (since I'm there anyway).

Remember "Loverboy"? A there was a string of hits from this 80's "superband":

Working For The Weekend - Loverboy

Everyone's watching, to see what you will do
Everyone's looking at you, oh
Everyone's wondering, will you come out tonight
Everyone's trying to get it right, get it right

Everybody's working for the weekend
Everybody wants a little romance
Everybody's goin' off the deep end
Everybody needs a second chance, oh
You want a piece of my heart
You better start from start
You wanna be in the show
Come on baby lets go

Everyone's looking to see if it was you
Everyone wants you to come through
Everyone's hoping it'll all work out
Everyone's waiting they're holding out

Everybody's working for the weekend
Everybody wants a little romance
Everybody's goin' off the deep end
Everybody needs a second chance, oh
You want a piece of my heart
You better start from start
You wanna be in the show
Come on baby lets go

(quick break)

You want a piece of my heart
You better start from start
You wanna be in the show
Come on baby lets go

You want a piece of my heart
You better start from start
You wanna be in the show
Come on baby lets go

With a string of three multi-platinum albums, Loverboy was one of the most successful mainstream hard rock groups of the early '80s.

Comprised of vocalist Mike Reno, guitarist Paul Dean, bassist Scott Smith, keyboardist Doug Johnson, and drummer Matthew Frenette, the band formed in Toronto, Canada, in 1980 and immediately signed with CBS Records. Later that year, their Bruce Fairbairn produced debut album appeared. Featuring the slick, hard-rocking singles "Turn Me Loose" and "The Kid Is Hot Tonite," the album went platinum in both Canada and America.

Loverboy recorded the follow-up, Get Lucky, in 1981. Driven by the anthemic "Working for the Weekend," the Fairbairn-produced record was a major success in the U.S. and Canada, yet it failed to gain an audience anywhere in Europe. Nevertheless, the band was a staple on AOR stations across North America, as well as a popular concert attraction. The band's good fortunes continued with the 1983 album Keep It Up. Again, Loverboy worked with Fairbairn, who kept their melodic yet tough sound intact; the album featured the hit single "Hot Girls In Love."

Loverboy's fortunes began to slip with 1985's Lovin' Every Minute of It, which was produced by Tom Allom (Judas Priest). Allom gave the band a harder edge, which didn't prove as commercially successful as their past records; nevertheless, the band's fans managed to make the album go platinum. Fairbairn returned from working with Bon Jovi to produce 1987's Wildside, yet the combination didn't prove as potent as before. After an extensive two-year tour, the band returned to Canada. In 1989, their greatest-hits record, Big Ones, was released. The same year Reno and Dean announced plans to make solo records, which effectively put an end to the group; a reunited lineup returned in 1998 with Live, Loud and Loose. Tragedy struck in November, 2000, when Scott Smith was swept overboard by a wave while on a boat near the California coast and he drowned. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine

And I love the thought...........

2009-02-17T21:37:00.003+11:00

Good evening!

It's so lovely & cool in Blogmuggle land this evening. The last few days have been such a change from the melting heat from the first week of the month. It was 46 degrees both days of the weekend the Victorian Bushfires, & we were at a bike riding weekend on the banks of the Hawkesbury river, not too far from Windsor. It was 41 degrees in the shade. I am revelling in the cool change. Today, when I was driving into Muswellbrook, the day was grey, but the scenery was crisp; green. I usually find that when the sky is overcast after a shower of rain, that everything in the surroundings seem to have more clarity & depth.

I have been busy at work, but it's been enjoyable. I had my 1st visit into an operating theatre as a nurse & watched a gallbladder being removed by keyhole surgery. It was interesting; not at all gory, but I don't think that it's really my thing. I like my patients to talk to me! And caring for a patient coming out of anaesthetic is not an easy task: they tend to be scared, hurting & in shock. Not fun. Lots of monitoring & number-checking.

Can someone please tell me what the pain is in my groin that won't go away?

Beloved has been working nights this week, which is a bit different for us. Luckily, I have been on 3 days off, so at least we have seen each other. I go back to work tomorrow, so we won't see each other until maybe Thursday...... I've now only 1 more day off until March 1, then only that day until March 7 & 8.

GG has her tutorials sorted out for uni, but is more excited about 'Soundwave' in Sydney this Sunday, as is Sboy about 'Soundwave' in Brisbane this Saturday. GG has rather diverse tastes in music, & loves a lot of older style stuff. It's funny the way some things work out. Today GG was trolling through MySpace music & asked about "that song that Simply Red sang: you know, the big one". It turns out that it wasn't the big one that I was thinking of; "If you don't know me by now.." But it turns out that the song that she had in mind was the song that I knew as "Fairground". The odd thing about this song is that it was my favourite song that I would play loud & often when GG was about 8 & Beloved was living & working in Muswellbrook whilst I continued to work for a year & lived in a shed at NanandPops with the 3 kidlets at Belmont. I played it even more on a Friday leading up to the time that we would all be together for the weekend. The girls at work all reckoned that I looked a kilo or 2 lighter and glowed like a hundred watt light bulb on a Friday.........

Anyway, I must have brainwashed GG........ she loves it too....... I love the simple lyrics, & the way the excitement builds with the melody & tempo..... The chorus is my favourite bit.

"Fairground"
Simply Red (1995)

Driving down an endless road
Taking friends or moving alone
Pleasure at the fairground on the way
It's always friends that feel so good
Let's make amends like all good men should
Pleasure at the fairground on the way
Walk around, be free and roam
There's always someone leaving alone
Pleasure at the fairground on the way

(chorus:)
And I love the thought of coming home to you
Even if I know we can't make it
Yes I love the thought of giving hope to you
Just a little ray of light shining through

Love can bend and breathe alone
Until the end it finds you a home
Don't care what the people may say
It's always friends that feel so good
Let's make amends like all good men should
Pleasure at the fairground on the way

(chorus)
I love the thought of coming home to you
Even if I know we can't make it
Yes I love the thought of giving hope to you
Just a little ray of light shining through

Pleasure at the fairground on the way

(chorus)
I love the thought of coming home to you
Even if I know we can't make it
Yes I love the thought of giving hope to you
Just a little ray of light shining through
Love (love the thought)
Even if I know we can't make it
L-l-love the thought
L-l-love the thought

And then I found these misheard lyrics on the website: http://www.kissthisguy.com/7176misheard.htm

"And I love the thought of coming home to you
Even if you're gonna be naked"

hahahahahah............. the real lyric:

"And I love the thought of coming home to you

Even if I know we can't make it"

hahahahahaahah................

I reckon the misheard ones were more appropriate for us.

I wish that I knew how to scan some photos from this time into the computer so I could post them. The kids were so gorgeous! We made every bit of spare time count as time was so limited. We lived apart for almost a year........ We had so many adjustments to make when we were all together again.

But we're still going........

One day I will bore you with my romantic tales. But Natalie ("Musings From the Deep" in my sidebar) has set the bar pretty high.........

Goodnight everyone. ;0)

PS. If you read this, Brother of Mine, you really are allowed to make a comment!

Free the people.....................

2009-02-13T10:04:00.002+11:00

See...

I was right.

"Mobilising the power of humanity"

Humans are amazing.

Strong.

Committed.

Generous.

Supportive.

Caring.

Loving.

Industrious.

Resourceful.

Surviving.

Living.

And so much more...........

Have a good day.

In the heat of the night.........

2009-02-09T16:58:00.003+11:00

Right now, I am glad that I don't have a conventional, unshakable faith in a religious icon. Glad because right now, that faith would be shaking in its boots, especially if I lived in Victoria or Northern Queensland.

How anyone could maintain their faith in such a "kind, loving & merciful" god is beyond me. Anger, despair & confusion would be what I would feeling. And a guilty relief that I might have survived such a cataclysmic event.

I have a tendency to put my faith in people instead. Over the coming hours, days, weeks & months, I know that faith will be justified. The stories of loss in Victoria make my heart quiver: the tales of survival astound me & make my heart beat faster. So much: too much.

I want to do something: there is no blood bank here in Denman or Muswellbrook, and blood supplies are urgently needed for burns victims, so that's out. Working as a volunteer? well I'm better off staying here at my little country hospital & letting more experienced professionals head off to where they are needed. So money it's then: The Red Cross have organised a hotline for donations, & I believe that the Commonwealth, National & Westpac banks are also taking donations.

Whatever you believe, organise some rain for our folk in Victoria: good solid, drenching rain. Dance, pray, wish, will it or simply hope that it will happpen.

Hope. And have Faith. There is no justification for the events of the last few days. But faith is necessary, whatever or whomever you have faith in. It's not a tangible thing, but then that's the nature of faith, isn't it?

I also hope that KRudd sends my manna from Kevin to where it is really needed, & without all the usual accompanying red tape.

Grab that cash with both hands..........................

2009-02-03T23:13:00.003+11:00

Evening Bloggers.

I wasn't going to post anything today as I thought that I had nothing to say. But as I pondered the newest manna from Kevin, it lead me down a path.

Why the heck are we being given money to spend, when just today, a patient sent a pink lady on an errand to buy 5 boxes of tissues for the hospital because they had run out, & there was not a box in the stores department either? A palliative care cancer patient returned her "back-up" box of tissues to staff for other patients to use................

Why are we to promote the economy when people are waiting months for potentially life saving/enhancing/promoting treatment in a hospital because they can't afford to buy themselves private hospital services, & existing services are so stretched that beds are empty because hospital budgets don't allow the employment of staff to utilise them? Income levels should not drive the level of healthcare that an individual receives, yet.......

Why are patients forced to wait because budgets don't allow for more staff?

Why aren't more medications subsidised by the government, which would potentially improve access to medications?

Hospital staff are constantly reminded of the cost of every towel, sheet, flannel & pillowcase. Incontinence aids, types of tape used & gloves........ All are related back to the inflexibility of the hospital budget.

Why are waiting lists so long?

Why aren't more doctors & nurses being trained? Surely less overtime stress & shorter shifts would improve patient care. Staff are tired & stressed.

Why aren't doctors offered better incentives to practice in rural & outlying areas? What happens to the ones that are being trained? Hint; they don't end up in country hospitals. The majority of medicos in rural practice are imported from overseas......

Why is so much money wasted on fireworks? Every bang & flash of vibrant colour sees a hospital bed, education for our children or helping out a company that is going down the tubes disappear with the fading colour.

The same goes for the "Why aren't you a good enough Australian" campaign and just about any anti-smoking ad.... To me, they are just a huge waste of money. Our kids could be provided with an education that is appropriate for the individual rather than one that barely caters for the masses.

Money is wasted that could be better spent providing services that could make people more comfortable when thay are ill, aging or dying. Or setting up a decent pension & welfare plan. Infrastructure & teachers in our schools all gone up in smoke. And save our teachers from inconveniencing already stressed families with more strike actions.

I'd better stop now.

I could rant for quite a while if I get a roll on. ( and you thought that I was already... way more to go yet).

Of course, like most other folk, I will not give manna from Kevin back. Beloved & I have been paying taxes since we were 15..... I believe that I will still be working into my 70's: the government has decreed that there will be no pension for Beloved & I, so I'll take mine as it comes along.

*sigh*

I'm such a hypocrite.

Having said all this (actually whinged all this), you will receive good, safe & professional healthcare in our hospitals. Our system is still way better than the USA's. We'll just have to be patient, that's all. And in country hospitals, there is no benefit to private healthcover as there are no docs in private practice, nor are there usually any private rooms on offer/available anyway. It just means that private patients' care is charged to the health fund, & the goverment (ie you & me) doesn't pick up the tab.

Goodnight >_<

Pink Floyd: Money

Money, get away
Get a good job with more pay and your O.K.
Money it's a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I'll buy me a football team
Money get back
I'm alright Jack keep your hands off my stack.
Money it's a hit
Don't give me that do goody good bullshit
I'm in the hi-fidelity first class travelling set
And I think i need a Lear Jet
Money it's a crime
Share it fairly, but don't take a slice of my pie
Money so they say
Is the root of all evil today
But if you ask for a rise it's no surprise that they're
giving none away

There's a party going on right here.....

2009-02-02T08:05:00.004+11:00

Good Morning on a Monday, People!

If this post is confusing, & gives you a sense of dejavu, don't worry, you're not losing it: Blogger posted my text before the pics uploaded..... soooo slow..... then I re-published it......

There will be no deep & meaningfuls here today, mainly because I just couldn't be bothered. There never are any really, are there? Maybe I'm too shallow..... or insular...... or just plain lazy.

The latter, I think.

It started out a biggish weekend. SBoy, Yana & JackF (his bosses) arrived home on Thursday night while I was at work.

Sboy turned 18 on Friday........

Many drinkies for Sboy & various peoples over the course of the day, starting at lunchtime, both at home & at the local pubs. More drinkies at the pub later with family & friends. Then more drinkies at home with the patrons of the pub back at ours..... copious amounts of party pies, sausage rolls, garlic bread & potato wedges soaked up some of the alcohol..... Sboy slept through a lot of the latter proceedings...... We finally cut his birthday cake (sans "Happy Birthday" song) on Sunday for afternoon tea.
And the most dangerous bushfires are not in Victoria or Tassie, they're right here in Wattle Grove: They're concocted of white rum & tabasco sauce, I believe.

There were times when it wasn't pretty: not a family show at all.

I love being 18.....

still loving it, but... going.....

going..........

GOOOOONNNNNEEEEE................

All things considered, there were no hassles on the day/afternoon/night/early morning. Except that I never slept AT ALL.... backing up after 3 hours the night before & a full week of evening shifts...... *yawn* X 50 squillion.......

My 18 year old son is now my hero. You may be familiar with the scene in the movie, "Zoolander", where the 2 models, Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) & Hansel (Owen Wilson) have a "walk-off" on the runway & Hansel's coup-des-gras to win the competition is to remove his underwear by pulling them off & out of his pants from the waist........ well that was performed on Sboy by his "best mate", and without a stunt double...... Hopefully, he will still be able to provide me with some grandbabies.......

Please ignore those fingers that seem to have developed tetanus....

They were a rather expensive pair of bonds "very comfy undies" that I bought him for Xmas..... and as you can see, he wore his best clothes for the occassion.....

As you can see we're a party waiting to happen in our family.......

I DID NOT give Vboy that beer....... maybe he's holding it for his brother... brotherly love..

And I take absolutely NO responsibility for the behaviour of the young adults that I gave birth to....... those genes must have come from Beloved....... even though he says that I had them last.....

Saturday was necessarily quiet. Tea at the pub, then the younguns went to lovely Amy's 18th birthday party.

On Sunday (the day of the week, not the fashionably individual name chosen by our Nicole & Keith for their little darling), we purchased a new/old car for GG. A very functional and relatively attractive 2000 model Ford Festiva Trio.... Happy 21st birthday for 2010, baby....... She's happy...... And loving her new domestic arrangements at no 25 as well. She will be actively looking for work in Newie as she is desperate to "get out of this s'hole town..." Wickham is def better baybybee......

On a brighter note, I have solved my work dilemma in regard to the lack of surgical experiences on my surgical rotation, so that's a weight off all of our shoulders, isn't it????????

Vboy's happy back at school, with only one request at the moment: "more pimple wipes please Mum, cos my skin's gone off!" It could certainly be worse. Oh that's right: I forgot. He wants a $150 pair of skate shoes to wear to school "cos they're black leather like I'm supposed to wear". The black Dunlop volleys that he's previously favoured are certainly more economical........... damn those OH&S regulations......

Better go.

Cya ;0)

We are young, but getting old before our time....get into the car & drive....

2009-01-24T23:15:00.002+11:00

It's been a funny couple of weeks. Lots of time spent on the road. And it's been hot. So hot. But a southerly has come through in the last hour. Every door & window is now open to let out the stuffy air & encourage the coolness in.

Sboy flew back up to the Gold Coast last Sunday & will be riding at a show at Penrith on Australia Day. Then maybe he will be home on Tuesday (hopefully) for a week or so in preparation for his 18th birthday on the 30th. There is a job in Sydney Feb 7 & 8, so hopefully he'll stay at home with us in between. Then he leaves us again, probably until after Easter.

On Wednesday, GG was accepted back into Newcastle Uni to study for her BA in (I think) in Anthropology, Social Science & Drama. She will be attending part-time, but will remain working up here until at least April, whilst looking for work in Newcastle after that. She's very excited at the prospect, but her world is blissfully revolving around her part-time move into a house at Wickham with friends that she is VERY keen to make full-time. So keen is she, that she is going to pay them a weekly rent to secure her room full time even though she will only be in residence 2 to 3 nights a week until she moves down there...... I suppose it's only fair: she has virtually lived on their floor off & on over the last 18 months rent-free..... Her hair is no longer vibrant fuschia: it's white-blonde with pale silver-mauve streaking....... So tomorrow is spent moving GG & some gear down to No 25, as well as picking up stuff from Pop's to take there too. The house is a semi-detatched terrace, & she has the top rear bedroom. God I hate stairs.... & moving up furniture up stairs...... At least she will be there for a while.

And tomorrow, we will look at a car for GG at Medowie on the way down. Sboy will need his back at some point, & GG needs one that is comfortable & reliable with all the travelling that she will be doing. And easy on the fuel. Hopefully, this one will fit the bill. Vboy will probably need a new car before the year is out, too. Hopefully, he has heeded our warnings about saving his money to contribute to the purchase ........... It's hard when they are so young & living away.... you really have no idea about what is going on in their lives: only what they choose for you to know.

Vboy has had probably the best school holidays ever, but I think that he forgets that he is only 14 sometimes, & just expects to be able to do whatever he wants to do. Here in our little village, he & his mates can pretty much ride their bikes anywhere & everywhere, swim in the river & hang around without getting into too much trouble. It's much the same in Muswellbrook (in the daylight anyway). He is expecting us to let him catch a train to Newie with his mates on Australia Day (of course they're all allowed to go....). He just doesn't get that the city is a different ball-game, & not necessarily safe. These kids have little or no street-smarts.... He's cranky with us at the moment, & revolting at the prospect of coming to Newie tomorrow.....

Poor Beloved went to an old friend's funeral last Tuesday........ There's been too many of these .... And I see way too many young people (that's under 70yrs, folks) struggling to stay alive in my line of work. But I never fail to be amazed by the sheer tenacity of the human spirit.......

I've been a bit out-of-sorts. My shifts have been all over the place; 4 days on last week starting Sunday, then a day off with Beloved to attend a skin clinic appointment, worked the next day, then Sat, Sun & Mon off. I turned up for work this Tuesday in the morning, only to realise that I was on an evening...... I ingratiated myself with my workmates by doing a morning tea run to Maccas & spent most of the morning helping out..... which was just as well as I was mixed up on Thursday. I thought that I worked in the evening, but I was phoned at 7.10am to find out where I was.... lounging in bed of course, after working the previous 2 evenings..... Friday was Mum's birthday, so Friday was never going to be full of promise..... but it was ok in the end. I wasn't even late for work. And the money came through to buy GG a car......

I go back to work on Monday evening (1.30pm). People at work have checked to roster with me a few times (with a sly smirk, but more often, a wide smile.. ;0) ). It's my last week up on Afloor at Muswellbrook, then it's downstairs into the Aged Care Facility. I just don't think that I've learned enough, nor am I good enough for the assessments that need to be done. I think that I will need to organise some of my own time for more practise & assessments. *sigh*.

April 21, the end-date for my contract is so close. And my assessment book has to be completed & in by mid-March.....

I'm off to shower & bed. Tomorrow will be busy. Oh: I forgot about the load of washing to hang
out ....

Enjoy what's left of your weekend!