And here is the news........

No extensive platitudes, just a straight-up update of the Blogmuggle life.

• The docs have decided that Beloved does not have whooping cough, but a virus that is being treated with antibiotics anyway..... (does anyone else other than me see a flaw in this????). If his cough persists, then they will do a blood test to check for whooping cough in a month..... surely, if it is whooping cough, then a simple blood test done NOW will confirm this. Why wait a month? He is feeling better, but is rather flat and tires very easily. He intends to go back to work on Thursday as we need money in a hurry because

• Scorpaboy has been chosen to represent Australia in the Oceanic Mototrials Challenge against New Zealand in Queensland at Easter......... Go my boy!

• Sizzled-but-not-fried Farmer Terry is on the mend with a few cardiac issues, but considers a few burned patches and loss of his big toe to be a fair trade-off for his continued existence.

• The building work has really started on the addition. Today 52 holes were dug and filled in preparation for the construction of piers....... I have waited such a long time for this to happen, and now I am just not ready. I haven't decided upon my kitchen layout, and none of the other PC's have been chosen either........ not to mention the paintwork and such that needs to be done before windows are installed, bathroom vanities created out of old sideboards, and the such like....... pedal faster, Muggle, pedal faster..... you've had plenty of time to sort all this out.......

• GG finally has had her braces removed today, after almost 3 and a half years.... I can't wait to see her winning smile ;0)

• Mum. I've left the best until last. Not that there is any good news. It's just that that she's the best. On Friday night, Mum had 40cm of failing bowel removed and a colostomy bag installed, which may or may not be temporary. She will not be happy about this. It really doesn't matter; her bowel would have perforated and she would be enduring a slow and awful demise. Mum and I discussed a lot lot of scenarios prior to her operation; this was not one of them, but still....... I really want things to go the way that she would want them to. But I think that we crossed a line on Friday night that we didn't even realise was there.

She still remains in an unconscious state. Why?? No-one knows. Her sedation is minimal, and she should be a lot more responsive than she is. And I use the word "responsive" in a very guarded manner. She is still breathing on her own, but with the tubes in place to help her when she needs it.
Tomorrow, she will have a Tracheostomy so that the tubes can be removed from her throat. Her movements consist mainly of sideways head movements, so the tubes are causing some trauma to her throat, so in an attempt to preserve her airway in the view that she will wake up, the trachi-tube will provide easier access, preserve her airway, and allow potential communication when she is conscious. It is also felt that she may be less-stressed with no tubes in and around her. She is, however, still fed via a naso-gastric tube.
I threw a bit of a spanner in the works this afternoon when I requested that a brain scan was done before another "life-saving" hole was inserted into mum. Over a week ago, it was mentioned in passing that maybe a brain scan might be a good idea, but it didn't happen. I just don't think that Mum should be subjected to anything else if it won't help her. And ultimately, if her brain function has been impaired, then it is Mum's wish that no grand gestures or procedures are done to preserve her in a state that is less than the condition that she was able to maintain before she went into hospital. She was very aware of the fact that she would be in for a rough time before she became better, but was very clear in her desire to be able to maintain her independence and full life. In fact, she was looking forward to being able to do more than she was able to do before. So, I asked my brother to relay my request (it was very hard for him) and he was told that they were thinking that they might do one anyway.......
So, Mum has a busy day tomorrow..... Scan in the morning, and a Tracheostomy in the afternoon. What more could a girl ask for? .......

Enough for tonight. I have been at war with a migraine that is being kept at bay by 'Codapane', and it is time for bed.

After I hang out another load of washing, that is.

Goodnight all. And please don't forget to give generously to anyone that is donating locks and/or colouring their hair in an attempt to fun raise for "The World's Greatest Shave" this week!

Byeeee xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

If I lay here, if I just lay here........

Would you lie with me and just forget the world??????????

I'd love to, especially if it was with mum.

I spent a few hours with mum last night. Alternating with my Dad, brother, and GG. And there really is no change, except that, after 5 days of being fed "Jevity" via her naso-gastric tube, she has decided to empty her bowels for the first time. And a good jobbie it was too......... evidently, from the looks on the nurses' faces, and the aroma that greeted us upon entering the ICU. *snort*
The doctors say it's just waiting, waiting, waiting. And that she may have started to climb out of the hole. Hmmmmmm...... really???????

It's Mum's sister's birthday today; Happy Birthday, Helen!. (never miss the opportunity to insert a song, I reckon...) Helen would have been 69 or 70 today ( I think... I'm not good with these things). I must remember to ring her daughter, Ally, and husband tonight. Len has been struggling of late. He's very upset about mum. I think that they will do it tough today.........

Maybe she will come home after they finish celebrating today, hey?????? It must be some party, with all those women. It used to be a very noisy kitchen table at my Nan's when I was little.

Good news for Terry, the electrified-but-not-fried farmer. He was allowed to go home last night. But I think he will be on a go-slow for a wee while. And life in their household may change a bit, I think. More play and less work, perhaps.

It's a bit like that for Beloved this week, except that there's no play involved, just no work. You see, he messaged me at work lunchtime yesterday to pick him up from the doctors. A surprise not to be taken lightly..... So off I went, expecting to drop him into the A & E department at the hospital, then go back to work while they worked their magic; I assumed he'd had a bit of an accident at work.

BUT

No....... he'd had a coughing fit while driving his crane along the highway, nearly ran into a bridge, and had to be picked up and taken into the docs while his crane was retrieved. WHAT THE????
Oh, and the doctors think that he may have Whooping Cough.............

So I didn't go back to work, and I had to be cleared before I could. Fortunately, I had been vaccinated in 2006, so all's fine. But it meant that they were 1 short for the afternoon run...... And I will have to go in early today to make-up the time.

So Beloved is home for a least a week, and he really isn't well. We should find out for sure on Monday if he really does have Whooping Cough. And if he has, then everyone that he has been in contact with in the last 2 weeks will have to be vaccinated............

I'd better get off to work. See you later. xoxoxoxoxo

Yep, I if I could just lay here and just forget the world...........

This post has no title, just words, but no tune...

Morning Bloggers ;0)


I'd like to be able to tell you that Nan is on the improve, but I can't. She's has some hidden agenda that the medicos can't work out. Her temp is high (not white hot, but a concern none-the-less), and her blood pressure is extremely high, so her sedation was re-introduced. Then it sags, and is too low, so the nurses turn it off again. Nan is breathing on her own, but she just doesn't wake up, so the breathing tube has to stay in place so that her chest can be suctioned so that she doesn't develop pneumonia or some other dreadful lurgy. If she would just wake up so that she can cough on her own, then the tube could be removed. But she just doesn't seem to want to. She was responsive to our voices until about day 2 post-op, but has since retreated into some other "nicer place" where we can't reach her. She doesn't like having stitches or op-site removed though..... so she is responsive to painful stimuli. To me, this is good.

And then last night her blood her haemoglobin and potassium have dropped rather low, so they infused 2 units of blood into her. She has a naso-gastric tube in place as well as all the usual fluids running through her central line.

I wonder what today will bring.......

I have to work the rest of the week, but I will go back down for a quick visit on Thursday night.

I have to add at this point, that the staff in the ICU at the John Hunter Hospital have been absolutely amazing. Patient, caring, concerned and professional. Wonderful people. I hope that I can be as good a nurse as I have witnessed.


Anchell's right... life can be a tough relentless at times. One of my life-long friends called me yesterday with the news that her lovely hubby was electrocuted while moving pipes around their farm. Luckily, the pipe never actually came in contact with the high voltage wires, but arced between the two, so he didn't received the full 11000 volts....... He has been lucky; burns to his right hand, and possible loss of his toe where the charge left his body. It's not everyday you have an exploding toe, is it????????? He's in Tamworth Base Hospital ICU under observation to make sure that his heart rhythms are ok, and they'll then have to address the issue of his toe.........

So, that's all for now.

See you later, and thanks for reading.

xoxoxoxoox, Muggle.

Life is a highway.......... I wanna ride it all night long......

Or so it would seem at the moment.

Friday morning, after the boys went to school and Beloved walked in through the door and went to bed, I added a trip into Muswellbrook to take in the money for photos that the boys left behind and purchase some food for the pets before heading down to the John Hunter Hospital to see Mum. There had been no real change, except that they sedated her a bit more over the day after adjusting and fiddling with her pain meds after removing her epidural. The boys arrived on the 8.30pm train for the weekend. I struggled with the decision over whether or not to travel to Brisbane while my father just struggled with the vision of his motionless wife. It has distressed him enormously to see no physical indication of life from mum except for the waving pictures on the monitors. He hasn't really spoken to her, which is no surprise really; they never really have been all that conversational during their married life. He just watches her and the monitor....... all day. Unless I take him for a walk, or suggest that I need something to eat. Then He'll do it because I want to. And he'll whatever I eat.... so I've been eating the things that he likes. I fell sooo sluggish and blimpy at the moment. And he agonises over every non-essential blip on the monitor.......

Saturday, after consultation with staff, I decided that Mum's conditional was stable, and that she wasn't really going to alter much if I went away for 36hrs or so. It was with a heavy heart that I arrived in Brisbane on Saturday evening. And with an even heavier heart that I waved goodbye to my beautiful friend, Angela, after she had escorted me through the city and onto the M5 to Ipswich. Tears were streaming down my face. Angela is one of the most gracious and beautiful souls that I have known. Her life is extraordinarily difficult, but she just continues on with a dignity and serenity that she doesn't even realise that she possesses.

The drive home was uneventful. Petrol and a pee-break at Tenterfield ( with a coke zero and a wagon-wheel thrown in... I already feel gross and disgusting, so why not?), another toilet stop at Uralla, and then Garlic Pepper Chicken strips from Red Rooster in Tamworth for tea. I picked up the boys, who had caught the train home, in Muswellbrook, and hit the door at home at 8.35pm. I had left Kenmore at 11.30am. So now I can add another thing to my list of firsts; I have driven all the way home from Queensland on my own!

So now I have watched "Jekyll and Hyde", washed school and work clothes, and I am in the process of cooking some tea for the boys for tomorrow night as well as talked on the phone to Beloved, my Brother and my Dad. Beloved is tired, and the two latter men are weary and more than a little down.

And blogged. Because it feels good to do so. And becasue (xxxxx, Lisa) you care.

So tomorrow, after the boys board the bus, and (hopefully) Beloved arrives home, I will drive the hire-car back to Mayfield, and spend a few hours with Mum and Dad at the hospital. Her blood pressure is still all over the place, so they can't remove any of her support equipment yet. And yet, if they lessen her sedation, she reacts to it all, and tries to pull her tubes. So as a middle ground, so to speak, she now has restraints on her hands........
Then I'll shop and cook a few meals to refrigerate for Dad before going back to the hospital, and will probably head home about 8 or 9 pm. If I need it, I can probably get Tuesday and Wednesday off work, but I have to run the Centre on Thursday and Friday as Sue and Charlie will be in Barraba on a course. We'll see.

I'd love to go to bed about now, but my stomach is protesting about all the crap that I have forced into it over the last 5 days....... And in response to the small amount of pressure......

I think I'll go play scrabble. I just wish that it wasn't so late..........

See you later, and thanks for tall the good wishes. I'm not sure why my own comment posted 3 times, but at least I ended with more comments, hey!

Sunshine on a rainy day..........................

Hi.

It's midnight. I've just arrived home and I'm having some toast for my evening meal. I love vegemite; the best comfort food ever. And some of Aunty Dor's lemon butter...mmmmm....

Plenty of rainy day today, that's for sure. And some sunshine in the form of mum still in our plane of existence. Sure enough, she's got a few extra bells, whistles, tubes and pipes at the moment, but she's made it through the surgery. Surgery didn't occur until after 2.30pm, so it's been a looonnng day. She's sound asleep in the ICU now, so hopefully, when I go back in the morning, they may have removed her ventilator tube. Anyway, it's all pretty ok.

Thanks for your kind and healing thoughts, everyone.

And Poody, the boys are 17 and 13. They've never spent a complete night at home on their own, but the biggest complication was the fact that the elder son had to be picked up from work, as there's no transport available for him to get home any other way.

Well the toast is all gone, so I'm going to grab some shut-eye before today starts in earnest. It's going to be another loonng one, I can tell.

At least I can drift off listening to the sound of the rain drumming on the roof, even if Beloved isn't hear to share it with.

Goodnight. xoxoxoxoxox

Shut up and drive, drive, drive...........

Yeah Rhianna, I will.......... no worries.



The McMillans; Sadie (Nan/Mum), and her beloved siblings, Alan (plastering and favourite uncle) and Helen (seated; sadly, she's no longer with us)

Well, it's set.

Tomorrow morning, at 11am, my mum, Nan of Nandpop fame, is having her aortic repair performed. She's been waiting almost 2 years for this. And is very unsure of whether she will see living or dead relatives when she "Wakes" up. Until an hour ago, I was steadfast in my conviction that I would drive down to the hospital tomorrow evening and talk to her semi-somnolent form whilst she was in recovery.
But she had other ideas. She thought that I would be there to go with her and dad prior to the commencement. I think that she thinks that she needs to say a potential goodbye. Her disappointment was palpable over the phone. As cool and calm as my mother usually is (she's the family matriarch), she sounded gutted.
So, after a call to Beloved and my wonderful boss, I am now driving to Newcastle at 5.30am.

Then I will drive home at about 6pm. Beloved has been placed on some unexpected (and then some delayed) nightwork, so he can't be home to run the boys around. He will be here for VB until aboout 6pm, so VB will have to spend a couple of hours with the neighbours until I pick up SB from KFC at 8.30pm on my way home. Depending upon Mum's condition, I may drive back down for the day on Friday. Hopefully, it won't be necessary. I am going back down again on Saturday morning for (hopefully) time at the craft show with the girls from work ( this has been planned for a while) before I go back to see mum.

Excitingly, after this, I head up to Williamtown to catch a flight to Brisbane so that I can pick up some leadlight windows that a friend has kept for me. They'll be coming home with me in an Avis rent-a-car on Sunday. I need these for the builder, who is due to commence work on March 10, and this seems to have been the only time I could fit it in at reasonable cost. The flight is $49 (actual cost $61.82, but still cheap) and the car is $79.18 plus petrol... that's CHEEP, CHEEP, CHEEP...

On Monday, I will drop the car back to Williamtown, spend the day with mum, then drive home.

It might be a quiet week after this.........

Come to think of it, I reckon that Mum's passed the matriarch mantle onto me........

See you all later. I've washing to do, and sleep to work on.

Yeah, Rhianna....... I'll shut up and drive, drive, drive.....

Sunrise......... Sunset..........

Sunset.

That's what I saw in the rear-view mirror as Scorpaboy drove us down towards Newcastle on late on a balmy Saturday afternoon. He drove as far as Branxton (1hour) before he decided that he didn't want to drive anymore. I'm not sure how this kid is ever going to log enough hours and garner enough experience to gain his licence.
The two elder teen-terrors were excitedly train travelling to Sydney early on Sunday morning to attend the "Soundwave" music festival at Newtown.
So I drove down to Marylands, where we called in on friends, and SB was supposed to resume his driving........... Nuh. He was just too tired........ What the???????

Never mind. It all became irrelevant when he casually asked me when we arrived at Nanandpop's;
"Mum; you picked up my ticket, didn't you????"
"No, mate. It's YOUR concert"
"You're joking with me, aren't you Mum????"
"Sorry mate. If you didn't get it, then your ticket's still on the fridge door at home"..........


Sunrise.

That's what I watched after driving to Macdonalds at Rutherford at 5am to meet Beloved with SBoy's concert ticket......
A lovely breakfast and drive back to Wickham, saw SB, GG and a bevy of teens in varying states of wakefulness and sobriety on the 8.30am train to Central.....

Lucky Citirail employees........

I returned to Nanandpop's and conveyed Vegeboy to the Munce's house for a day of merriment. (Thank you Munces). I was very pleased to learn in conversation with Kelly that she hasn't given away her burgeoning photographic career. She's waaaay to wonderful to stop giving so much pleasure to others with her images. You should jump on her link and check out her blog and website to see what I'm waffling about.

Then it was out and about with Nan to get her sorted for her hospital visit, which is scheduled for this Thursday. She's very unsure about the procedure, and the hospital has told her to "to sit by the phone on Wednesday so that they can contact her to confirm that the op will go ahead..."
I don't know how she will take it if they post-pone her op at the last minute. She has been on antibiotics and steroids for the last 2 weeks, and she's still hacking up a lung.... Hmmmm. On Thursday, they might decide not to do it once they examine her anyway.......

Actually, I would prefer it was post-poned until I was living down there in April . Selfish, I know, but it would just make my life soo much easier to be right there, on the spot, rather than having to trek down and back every couple of days... Time off work is not really a reality at the moment..... My last day at the Day Centre will be April 3.........

Then a quick visit to my forever bestie's (Janine) house at Nord's Wharf, and it was time to pick up VB, then head back to Nanandpop's to partake of KFC with my brother and his family. I actually went to bed at 9.40pm..............................

because I had to get up at 1.20am to get ready to pick up the kids from the 2.15am train at Hamilton.... I was even early. The train was late, disgorging its mix of elated/excited dusty, sunburned, (many) wobbly-booted passengers at 2.35am......

Lucky Citirail employees..........

After dropping varying passengers off (Nightroadworks SUCK!! So many detours......), I finally set off from Hexham at 3.33am, in the general direction of home........

5.15am....... home. 5.20am.... bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Bugger! I missed the Sunrise.......

7.15am... shower and readying for work............................

LATER..........

I took the dog for a walk, but never noticed the Sunset, but thought instead, that I had better walk home a bit quicker, as it was getting dark.

And finally my day is done ...... Phew......................

Goodnight! I can feel some serial and serious zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's coming on.........

I am looking for the holes.............

I have an issue with the issue of Beloved's work clothing issue........

They're worn out and full of holes!!!

I don't want to try to mend them..... there's nothing to sew onto!

He needs new clothes... like yesterday.

But his issue has only just fallen due to be ordered. Three sets of clothes for a job where you work in a dirty, coal, mud, and grease-filled environment just isn't enough. They just fall apart......

Plurghhhh.

I'll just have to get out the sewing machine..... And patch them up......

A little ray of sunshine...........

I need to add something so that my butt's off the page.

Thanks heavens, you say.

So here's another of Kelly Munce's award winning photographs.


Isn't she lovely? And evocative.

I have been busy all over the place, especially in Newie over the last few days. I have been looking for a supplier for a flatpack kitchen. The choice of materials and finishes is amazing. I think I have decided upon colours and design, and I am close to choosing a supplier. My worry is, and this may sound a little silly, is that my choices might be a little too trendy or fashionable.....

Now I know that this may seem inane, but anybody that knows me, knows that I am the furtherest possible thing from trendy/fashionable. My decor tends to be eclectic, but personal. No themes at my house. I do like the choices that I have made at this point. But I've gone all neutral...... and I can't carry off urban/sophisticated that's for sure. I guess we'll just have to wait and see......

Has my butt gone yet?


Maybe I'll just space it all out more to ensure that it has.......


My life is situation normal (read that as chaotic, as is expected)


See you all later,

Love, Bloggie ;0)

I'm not going to change my mind.......

just because of what they said....................

Well you asked for it.

And because I don't know how to crop and photoshop, it is raw & untouched, with all of our crap in the background......


now for the boobs............


Goodnight!

Cindy, oh Cindy.....

What Cyndy Means

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. Or maybe I'm a little more ...............

What Cynthia Means

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality.

This chick got up........

Thanks to the Beatles.... and Colleen Hewitt;

"Girl, you're going to carry that weight,
Carry that weight a long time
Girl, you're going to carry that weight
Carry that weight a long time"

Well you know what?

I'M NOT!!!!!!!!

Thanks to Optislim, a new awareness of everything that goes in my mouth (and the ramifications of the same) and a promise to myself to MOOOVE, I have lost 4.8kg in the past few weeks.

6.6 to goal!!!!!!!!!!!

Clothes are finally starting to become comfortable again.

Tonight, I was sitting in front of the TV after tea, and I just couldn't sit there just watching the screen; I had to do something, so I rode the exercise bike for about 30minutes.

My knees are sore, but the end (literally) will justify the means........

I'm not too sure about the promised tush-encasing under/outerwear piccy though...... I'm not particularly fond of the way look in photos.....


And a bit of self-indulgence thanks to Thin Lizzy;

"You know that chick that used to dance a lot
Everynight she'd be on the floor shaking what she'd got
Man when I tell you she was cool, she was red hot
I remember she was steaming..."

Yeah... the girl is (on her way) back in town.....

Accidentally yours.............

What a day it's been!
Beloved & I had such good intentions of working on the front veranda paintwork.

Then Beloved was called into work at 5.30am.

So I started myself after I eventually got out of bed at 9.30am.

I was painting away merrily, when, all of a sudden, the paint bucket fell down, spreading "Blue Ridge" paint all over the unsealed cypress pine veranda flooring. I threw a painting towel over it quickly and attempted to flood the area with water........ except that the hose was down the back, and tangled up, as usual. I RAN down there and back, with shoes and lower pants full of the aforementioned paint. Quite a sight, I can tell you. I even answered a phone call from Beloved mid-run, as he wanted to know whether we had any hotdog rolls........ Then I feverishly hosed and hosed and hosed. And when I had thoroughly drowned the veranda in attempt to stop the paint soaking in, I decided that the pressure washer might be the best way of removing the remaining paint. I now had the company of my neighbour and Vegeboy. After narrowly missing drowning the neighbour, Beloved arrived home and rescued me as I couldn't get the hoses on the washer properly. As he went off to cook himself lunch, I proceeded to wash and wash and wash. And then I washed and washed and washed some more, including my shoes and pants.

And then I started painting again. Beloved decided to add more "Builder's Bog" to a couple of spots. And was almost done, when I looked over my shoulder to see the ladder, and him, rolling towards the driveway....... I stopped painting.

Rod from across the road came over, and we helped Beloved gather himself up, then packed his leg in ice, as it lost quite a bit of skin from the shin as it went through the rungs of the ladder. A medicinal beer in hand, he then settled in the watch the cricket, I had my shake for lunch, then went back to try and finish my painting.

And in rolled the black clouds and the gusty wind.

I almost got it finished before the rain started. At least its raining enough that all the "Blue Ridge" paint will be washed off the veranda as it runs off all the beams......

Bugger................................

And just a thought; I wouldn't recommend using a pressure washer to exfoliate......

I'm off.... I need a shower, and then I have to go into into the Brook to pick up Scorpaboy from the train station, who's been in Newie for the last 2 days, being independent, and spending his birthday money. Such a big boy now, he's 17, and has finally scored himself another part-time job. He's going to be working at KFC!!! Which is really funny, because we will drive 100klms further up the road rather than eat it.....

Ned was right; "Such is life!"

Hey there Little Red Riding Hood..........

These gorgeous award-winning works of art were produced by my friend, Kelly Munce.

Kel recently re-located from Muswellbrook to Lake Macquarie.

This one, "Red Riding Hood", is my all-time favourite, but this looks a bit too pixelated, and really doesn't do it justice.

But I love these ones too.

Her website has various albums for you to enjoy. I especially like the work that she has done with babies..... and bellies.
The belly I can do........

Her photographs are really wonderful; she's even won an award for her shot of the "Pasha Bulker".........

You can catch her at www.kellymuncephotography.com.au

Thanks to Kelly, at least my blog doesn't look so boring anymore!

Girls just wanna have fun..........

Thursday was weigh-in day for me, my first. And after 10 days of being disciplined and making sure that I've exercised for at least 30mins at least every other day, I've lost 1.5kgs.

Good.

But then the Gods ( Goddesses would never be so mean) began to conspire against me.

Some wonderful friends called in for an overnight visit as they diverted their road trip to come and see us. Food and alcohol that weren't supposed to be on the menu suddenly were. But it was so good to see Ross and Julie; it's been ages since we've spent any time together. Ross was Beloved's best workmate when we lived in Tamworth. Consequently, a lot of re-visiting good times was done. Even more when the alcohol kicked in. Not for me; for Beloved and Ross. I was being Good.

And then today, after Beloved and I attended the local Australia Day Ceremony, I went to the movies with friends to see "27 Dresses". I found this movie to be a real hoot in places, and very bittersweet in others. And then lunch at a hotel afterwards. I chose a mini scotch fillet steak and a mini salad, and passed on the chips, and it was yummy. All for the grand sum of $9.50!! It was important that I spend time with these friends today, as my friend Jo is moving up to Mackay soon. It is very unlikely that I will ever get up there to see her. Jo was the first friend that I made when I moved to Muswellbrook. We met at the local library whilst trying to entertain our children in a new town during the January holidays. The friendship that was forged between GG and Jo's elder daughter has endured over the last 10 years. Even though our lives have moved in different directions over the years, there is a depth to our friendship that links us. Neither of us are letter-writers or good for reliable phone conversations.............. I hope that Jo develops a fondness for the computer, so that we can keep in touch. Damn... I miss her already..........

I haven't exercised for a couple of days, either. This afternoon, it was impossible. I'd bought some fuel for Beloved, and the container was in the back of the car, and by the time I drove it and myself home (about 50mins), I was feeling decidedly off, and ended up sleeping as I just couldn't keep my eyes open.

Never mind, at least I didn't have much appetite either... that's good, right? And tomorrow is another day.

I hope you had a Happy Australia Day!!!!!

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful; beautiful boy.

Heath Ledger.

A beautiful boy indeed.

I fell in love with Heath back in 1997, when he played the young warrior, Conor, in"Roar", at the age of 19. He put the phoar into "Roar". But there was so much more to Heathcliff than just his lovely presence on the screen.

There is so much we don't know about this young man. A private & shy person; a multi-layered individual indeed. A local boy done good, he started at 13 in "Home and Away", and chose the most amazing and diverse roles to play. He's even played Bob Dylan............

His final role as "The Joker" in the newest "Batman" saga may have been a little surreal; "The Darkest Night"..................

It it so very sad that he died alone, found by his housekeeper.

Like most in this situation, his star will burn agonisingly brighter in his death.

I am sad for his family and friends.

This beautiful boy will be missed.

The Champion of the World..................

G'Day Bloggers.

It is raining and bee-yoo-tiful in the land of the Blogmuggle. It's great weather for hunkering down in a comfy chair, reading a book or watching the TV. Which is how I spent my day so far. I've been going through old magazines, which are usually of the "Home Beautiful", "Burke's Backyard", "Australian Country Style" or any home and decor magazine that I've had in my "library", and sorting out the articles and pictures of decor ideas that I like. Maybe one day they'll even be put into use. There is quite a collection of these, believe me. And it's quite a time waster.

The other occurrence of the day has been that Beloved and I have watched a tape of the movie, "The Hurricane", which is the story of American boxer, Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter. Any movie with Denzel Washington starring is always worth a look, but this is a true story, which makes it all the more emotional to me. I just don't get racism or bigotry; why some people think that they're better at a cellular level. Because, we're all constructed from the same stuff on a physiological level, so why oh why are some superior? Or think that they are with such an unshakeable belief that others lives can be forfeited to support their beliefs. Regardless of the consequences.

Thanks heavens for the actions of others that help secure justice and freedom for Rubin Carter. But it was a long time coming.

Here's the lyrics form the song that Bob Dylan penned in support of Rubin Carter. It's a classic song, and the music supports the emotions that the lyrics produce. It's a mammoth 8 minutes & 31 seconds long, but it could be longer, it wouldn't matter; I love it.
Pistol shots ring out in the barroom night
Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall.
She sees the bartender in a pool of blood,
Cries out, "My God, they killed them all!"
Here comes the story of the Hurricane,
The man the authorities came to blame
For somethin' that he never done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

Three bodies lyin' there does Patty see
And another man named Bello, movin' around mysteriously.
"I didn't do it," he says, and he throws up his hands
"I was only robbin' the register, I hope you understand.
I saw them leavin'," he says, and he stops
"One of us had better call up the cops."
And so Patty calls the cops
And they arrive on the scene with their red lights flashin'
In the hot New Jersey night.

Meanwhile, far away in another part of town
Rubin Carter and a couple of friends are drivin' around.
Number one contender for the middleweight crown
Had no idea what kinda shit was about to go down
When a cop pulled him over to the side of the road
Just like the time before and the time before that.
In Paterson that's just the way things go.
If you're black you might as well not show up on the street
'Less you wanna draw the heat.

Alfred Bello had a partner and he had a rap for the cops.
Him and Arthur Dexter Bradley were just out prowlin' around
He said, "I saw two men runnin' out, they looked like middleweights
They jumped into a white car with out-of-state plates."
And Miss Patty Valentine just nodded her head.
Cop said, "Wait a minute, boys, this one's not dead"
So they took him to the infirmary
And though this man could hardly see
They told him that he could identify the guilty men.

Four in the mornin' and they haul Rubin in,
Take him to the hospital and they bring him upstairs.
The wounded man looks up through his one dyin' eye
Says, "Wha'd you bring him in here for? He ain't the guy!"
Yes, here's the story of the Hurricane,
The man the authorities came to blame
For somethin' that he never done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

Four months later, the ghettos are in flame,
Rubin's in South America, fightin' for his name
While Arthur Dexter Bradley's still in the robbery game
And the cops are puttin' the screws to him, lookin' for somebody to blame.
"Remember that murder that happened in a bar?"
"Remember you said you saw the getaway car?"
"You think you'd like to play ball with the law?"
"Think it might-a been that fighter that you saw runnin' that night?"
"Don't forget that you are white."

Arthur Dexter Bradley said, "I'm really not sure."
Cops said, "A poor boy like you could use a break
We got you for the motel job and we're talkin' to your friend Bello
Now you don't wanta have to go back to jail, be a nice fellow.
You'll be doin' society a favor.
That sonofabitch is brave and gettin' braver.
We want to put his ass in stir
We want to pin this triple murder on him
He ain't no Gentleman Jim."

Rubin could take a man out with just one punch
But he never did like to talk about it all that much.
It's my work, he'd say, and I do it for pay
And when it's over I'd just as soon go on my way
Up to some paradise
Where the trout streams flow and the air is nice
And ride a horse along a trail.
But then they took him to the jailhouse
Where they try to turn a man into a mouse.

All of Rubin's cards were marked in advance
The trial was a pig-circus, he never had a chance.
The judge made Rubin's witnesses drunkards from the slums
To the white folks who watched he was a revolutionary bum
And to the black folks he was just a crazy nigger.
No one doubted that he pulled the trigger.
And though they could not produce the gun,
The D.A. said he was the one who did the deed
And the all-white jury agreed.

Rubin Carter was falsely tried.
The crime was murder "one," guess who testified?
Bello and Bradley and they both baldly lied
And the newspapers, they all went along for the ride.
How can the life of such a man
Be in the palm of some fool's hand?
To see him obviously framed
Couldn't help but make me feel ashamed to live in a land
Where justice is a game.

Now all the criminals in their coats and their ties
Are free to drink martinis and watch the sun rise
While Rubin sits like Buddha in a ten-foot cell
An innocent man in a living hell.
Yes, that's the story of the Hurricane,
But it won't be over till they clear his name
And give him back the time he's done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

What else has been happening in my world?

Well, we went to Sydney as planned and it was fun. We spent time on Friday sorting out some house stuff, including planning a kitchen with the guys from "Romos" at Rutherford. The price has come in ok, but I might tweak it a little more yet. Any ideas of better flatpack kitchen suppliers, Bloggers? Beloved, Vegeboy and GG came home on Friday night. Scorpaboy & I stayed in Newie. SB had planned to spent time with friends and riding his bike.

Saturday, I took NanandPop puppy shopping, and finally arrived home at 3 in the afternoon with 2 new chihuahua puppies. Nan is the proud owner of a lovely white little girl with black spots & ears, with some tan spots, that she has named Gidget. Pop has a new little black guy, who has markings similar to a rottweiler (but much, much, much smaller), that he has named Pepe. Not a problem for him, but this is the 3rd Pepe that they've owned, including the one that was buried less than 2 weeks ago. Did I mention that Dad has some qualities that indicate that he is in the early stages of dementia? At least he won't forget the pup's name........ They are lovely and busy puppies. As one would expect. I went home shortly after that.

Sunday was a nice, quiet day at home. Then Sunday night I drove back to NanandPops as I had a 2 day computer course for work. Boring, and not all that helpful for me, but I did get to take SB & my brother to see "American Gangster" on the Monday night. I enjoyed it. But it's so hard to work out what makes people tick, isn't it? I liked the characters and I thought that Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington were great in these roles.

Tuesday, Beloved, VB and a friend caught a (very) early morning train down to spend the day at Lambton Pool, and so were all a little crispy-fried when they picked me up in the afternoon. After a trip to NanandPops to pick up SB's things, and later on the way home, SB himself, it was back to "Walnut Grove" as Lovely Lisa calls it.

The rest of the week has just been as per usual. Blog reading, scrabulous, work, shopping, house and family stuff. Beloved has finished removing the rear of the house, so we're ready to go as soon as the bank says "MUSH"......

I can't wait.

But for now, I'll just listen to the falling rain, listen to it fall. (And with every drop of rain, I can hear you call...)

Yep, there is a song for every occasion. Thanks Jose.

If a picture paints a thousand words.....

I win, Blogger!!

My pictures WILL be posted!!

Read the post preceding this one, and it will make sense. (although there are no guarantees).

Before Beloved worked his magic, ably abetted by Scorpaboy.......

Afterwards, the job is almost done. This is Scorpaboy's rear view......
He's standing on what was formerly the bathroom ceiling

And last but not least,

The magnificent Vauxhall Victor 101.............

3 speed column-shift, good tyres, last registered in August 2005.

VICTORY IS MINE BLOGGER!!!!! *maniacal, hysterical laughter*.......

And now that it's nearing 1am, I'm off to bed..........

G'night...... >_< ...... zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

House of Cards.....

My Beloved is a magician!

2 days ago, the back of my house looked like this....... (you'll have to imagine a ramshackle skillion addition hanging off the back of the house as blogger won't let me put my picture here... PLURGH!!!!!) .......


Tonight, ....VOILA!!!

(Indulge me here, folks. I had really good intentions..... Blogger even deleted me a number of times before I "undo'd" a few times...)

The back of my house has disappeared!

It has re-emerged as piles of debris all over the yard.

And the local tip is closed until Friday. Problem..... the trailer is full of decaying peach-tree & fly-blown-peaches, and we can't empty it then fill it up...over & over & over & over & over & over & over etc....

And Beloved needs it so we can take the trade-in motorbike to Sydney on Thursday... he will travel a few extra miles tomorrow to empty it, and collect a jackhammer to make a few more piles of debris..... but heavier this time.......

It's been a good few days. My birthday on Friday was good. Uneventful, but good. We bought me a laptop. YAY!!! I'll need it when I'm studying in Newcastle. Eventually, I'll connect it up to the internet so I can blog whenever I want (when we go wireless, that is). But I can't remember my bigpond account password.... and can't be bothered sitting on the phone to PC support for ages.... We emptied out the back of the house before the afore-mentioned demolition, into spaces that we had to make out of other spaces that really weren't spaces at all.

Does anybody want to buy a lovely 1964 Vauxhall 101 Special? We need to sell it to make space. It's not registered at the moment, but will easily pass........
(again, no picture here thanks to Blogger, but it's very neat and tidy, pale green, & runs well)

And I had a lovely day on Monday working split shifts at the local hospital as the rostered-on AIN was unwell. And it was good. Beloved and the builder nutted out the details of the up-coming addition. GG and Scorpaboy have a music festival in Sydney on Thursday night, so SB will have his 1st ever solo train ride to Hamilton to meet GG so that they can go together. The "Boys of Summer" ticket is her Xmas and birthday present to him. There are no sensible and safe trains scheduled for them to come home, so we will drive to Sydney (as already mentioned), have dinner with the bike seller and his wife, pick the kids up, then drive back to Nanandpops to sleep for a while......

As usual..... Phew......

That'll do for now.

I promised that I would blog more whilst I was on holidays.....

See you later ;0)

Nothing stays the same forever.....

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bye Y'all xoxoxoxox

Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun.......

Well....... Maybe not. It's a cold, windy and rainy Christmas morning and ..... Merry Christmas Bloggers! This was my favourite Christmas song when I was a child, and still is; Early on one Christmas Day, a Joey Kanga-roo, Was far from home and lost in a great big zoo. Mummy, where's my mummy, they've taken her a-way, We'll help you find your mummy son, hop on the sleigh. Chorus: Six white boomers, snow white boomers, Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun. Six white boomers, snow white boomers, .. On his Aus-tra-lian run. Verse: Up beside the bag of toys, little Joey hopped , But they had'nt gone far when Santa stopped. Un-harnessed all the reindeer and Joey wondered why, Then he heard a far off booming in the sky. Chorus: Six white boomers ... Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat, Took his fur-lined boots off to cool his feet. Into one popped Joey, feeling quite OK, While those old man kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh. Chorus: Six white boomers ... Joey said to Santa, Santa, what about the toys, Aren't you giving some to these girls and boys. They've all got their presents son, we were here last night, This trip is an extra trip, Joey's special flight. Chorus: Six white boomers ... Soon the sleigh was flashing past, right over Marble Bar, Slow down there, cried Santa, it can't be far. Come up on my lap son, and have a look around, There she is, that's mummy, bounding up and down. Chorus: Six white boomers ... Well that's the bestest Christmas treat that Joey ever had, Curled up in mother's pouch all snug and glad. The last they saw was Santa headed northward from the sun, The only year the boomers worked a double run. Chorus: Six white boomers ... You've gotta love Rolf Harris! Have a wonderful day everyone!

[

Deck the bus with Christmas Decals... falalalala lalalalala

Morning has broken. And it's quiet ... except for the hum of the computer and a tractor mowing a field somewhere nearby. And the birds.

And it's cool.

Delightful.

The boys have trundled off to catch the bus. It's their second last day of school for the year, and luckily for me, they're quite happy to still be going. A lot of kids have already decided that they don't need to go anymore. But at least I can be reasonably sure that they're not off annoying harried and over-Xmas shopkeepers somewhere.

A quick review of my week;

The shopping trip to Westfield at Kotara netted GG some lovely pants, and the promise by mother to buy her the same blouse as the one that she liked, but in a more suitable size at Charlestown on Friday (stupid, stupid mother...) Then yummy dinner at Raj's on the Corner.... It was worth all the traveling just for that.

Saw the Rheumy-doc on Friday; a lovely bloke. We chatted quite a while so that he earned his $300 consult fee. Exercise, physio and Tony Ferguson would all be good. And a bone density scan, more blood and urine tests (are there ever enough of these???). I tell you, we're in the wrong business.. if we ran a pathology diagnostic company, then we'd be sitting pretty.....

And I think that the BMI, as a tool for assessing healthy weight , is the most & limiting thing ever invented....... according to this little chart, I'm on the verge of being obese, but I need only need to lose 10kilos.....

If only I was 6 inches taller.... *sigh*

Then I took Nan and unwell niece shopping at Waratah. It was a Xmas sortee..... and a successful one at that. Then home to Belmont for Nanandniece, and I braved Charlestown Hellmouth.... *hahahaha*... I drove straight into a carspace....... *maniacal hahahahahah*........

Bought the aforementioned blouse for GG (crisp & white, as requested). And a calendar from the Lucky (but tired & over it) Ho. And other things that I can't remember....... "so, this is Christmas....."

Then home, via "The Bakers Cottage" at East Maitland to buy some pies for tea, and yummy breadrolls.

Saturday and Sunday were nice and quiet at home. We had dinner at the local pub on Sunday night with friends who have lived in the caravan park across the road for the past year. They had originally called in for "a couple of days" on the first leg of their "Trekkin' Oz" adventure... such is the charm of our little town... Ahem.

Monday ; usual workday.

Tuesday; the client's Christmas lunch at the Day Centre. One of the top restaurant's in Muswellbrook, Phillipes's, caters for this event every year, free of charge, for the centre. And the food is always beautiful. And their cakes and gateaus are to die for.........

Tuesday night, the community health team went to Phillipe's Restaurant, as my manager, the head of Occupational Therapy, is leaving to move to Gosford, after 14 years with the team. She will be sorely missed...... lots of tears, fond memories, & smiles.

We didn't open the Day Centre on Wednesday. Instead, we had "Night Centre on the Bus". Starting at 6.30pm, we picked the clients up from their homes, and took them to McDonalds for dinner, then drove all over town looking at Christmas lights and singing Christmas songs. There was lots of laughter, to be sure. And a busload of somewhat subdued pensioners by 11pm.... The utterances of "Merry Christmas; Safe New Year" became quieter and quieter as each person exited the bus....I arrived home at 12.20am......... zzzzzzzzzz

So it will be a quiet day at work today, with no clients, and the awful job of packing up the Christmas decorations, as we will be closed from Friday until January 14. We've got to de-decorate, and Christmas hasn't even arrived yet!!!!! But there is light in the day in the shape of birthday cakes for my workmates, Sue and Megan.... from the aforementioned Phillipe's ... mmmmmmmmm

And then tomorrow, it's off to East Maitland Bowling Club with the Social Health Group for Christmas Lunch. Tomorrow night, I'll be dining with my workmates from Denman Hospital for Christmas. at one of the local hotel restaurants....

What was that about Tony Ferguson? ...... "Oh yeah.... Me and Mr Ferguson...We'll have a thing going on......"

I'm going to look like an oompaloompa by the time New Year rolls around.....

Oh, and GG's Apprenticeship interview went well. They said that they'd contact her soon... whatever that means. I'll let you know as soon as we know.

You know what?

I need to post more often than once a week........

But right now, it's shower and work for me.

There's a caramel gateau that's waiting for me.......

"Oh yeah......."

Love,
from the very Christmassed Blogmuggle xoxoxo

Some days are diamonds, some days are pearls......

It's Wednesday.

Hump Day. If there is such a thing. My days and weekends seem to be equally busy.

Last weekend passed in a blur, as usual. Pop's birthday tea was a good old baked dinner, cooked by Nan, which was quite a surprise. Nan really doesn't cook all that much these days, and when the family descends upon her and Pop, we usually eat takeaway, so it was with great delight that we tucked into roast lamb and baked veges. As is typical with Nan, she never cooks by halves. It's almost as if she is making up for the times that she doesn't cook; she will bake 6 different types of biscuits or three cakes instead of the normal number of 1 or 2. The table will be loaded with whatever she cooks. This time, it was roast lamb AND roast beef (which we were too full to even carve) and an enormous baking pan full of veges.

Yum.


Nan & I took GG shopping at Bunnings, then GG & I re-hashed her resume, and worked up a cover letter for an apprenticeship that she wanted to apply for. It took some time. These things always take longer than you think. Then Vegeboy & I headed for home at 6.30pm, around & through some of those wonderful storms on Sunday night. The cloud formations and colours were amazing.

GG posted her application, which is for a Jewellery Manufacturing & Repairing Apprenticeship, on Monday morning. At lunch-time on Tuesday, the employment company asked her to attend an Aptitude, Numeracy and Literacy test and Interview. This evening, a very excited GG telephoned to say that she has been asked to attend an interview with the shop manager next Wednesday morning. WOOT! Last week, after reading the "positions Vacant" ad, she took herself off to meet the manager at the shop to find out a bit about the job before she decided to apply. Maybe he won't be so scary at the interview now that she's already met him. We're laughing about it now, but she forgot to introduce herself to him..... Hopefully, she made a good enough impression, and he'll remember her in a favourable way.

All this in two days, and the applications for the job don't actually close until this Friday.

So tomorrow afternoon after work, I am to drive down to Newie so we can shop for some suitable clothes. I was already planning to go, but I hadn't decided whether I would go down on Thursday night or Friday morning, as I have the appointment with the rheumatologist on Friday morning anyway. So Thursday night it is, so I will probably see the Lucky Ho tearing out her hair at the Hell Mouth formerly known as Charlestown Square whilst on the quest for reasonably priced interview clothes (that will secret the dove tattoos on GG's chest, for the interview at least). Hopefully, he'll like the piercings (one on each side) of her nose. It's jewellery, right?

There's been no news on whether I have been successful on the traineeship front. I received a phone call at work almost 2 weeks ago requested a 3rd type of identification, so I provided the woman with my Hunter New England Health ID number, which was a bit cheeky of me since she was enquiring on behalf of Hunter New England Health....... The information package said that all referees would be contacted by December 14, and results would be posted out by December 21. So we're nearly there.


Scorpaboy's sponsor rang HIM the other night to tell him that he wanted to organise an exchange with a couple of Mototrials riders from New Zealand next year. He has a unit that he and SB could stay in, but there's a couple of sticking points;

• He hasn't talked to Beloved and I about it, just SBoy.
• Sboy sits his Higher School Certificate next year, and believe it or not, this IS important.
• We're broke.
• We've going to continue to be broke (more broke than usual, anyway) for at least the next four months, even without taking the addition into consideration......
  

And anyway, money has to be spent on the house next year, not trips around the world for just 1 member of our family. It's not fair that Sboy should have these things just because the has talent on a motorbike. GG would like to travel overseas, and declined an exchange programme as we couldn't afford it. And we can't afford this either. I'm sure that there is something that Vegeboy's heart desires, also. Same for Beloved, same for me. But we are allowed to have un-realised dreams. As a society, we seem to be blindly accepting of the demands of our children, their peers and others, and are commonly made to feel guilty for saying "no" for whatever reason. The kids just expect us to provide, provide, provide........ and we do. If Sboy wants to go to New Zealand, then he's going to have to get himself a job, and save some money for it. He's had a lovely, leisurely life since his "retirement" from IGA/Thriftylink. So now he has become used to me providing him with money for phone credit, gym workouts, food, entertainment etc. I have bought 3 pairs of shoes and new socks for the boys in the last 6 weeks. And they had a new pair each, and socks (6 pairs each.....) before we went to South Australia in October (that's not very long ago....)

I suppose this makes me selfish, but it's not fair on the other kids that Scorpaboy gets so much..... Even if it is a wonderful opportunity.

That's enough grumbling.

Send some good thoughts GG's way next Wednesday morning, please.

Bedtime. I've grumbled my way into exhaustion.

Goodnight.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Motorcycle Mama

There was much excitement in the land of the Blogmuggle yesterday.

It began with a text message; "CODE RED, CODE RED. THE EAGLE HAS LANDED".

This let me know that Scorpaboy's new motorbike had finally arrived. In a large, brown cardboard box. Strapped into the back of the little beige ute.


When it was finally unstrapped, unloaded, undone, and de-bubbled-wrapped, it looked liked this;

TA DA!!!!!

And after all the excitement had died down, we discussed what we were going to do with the cardboard.

***** A light bulb moment on my part; "Let's put it up on the wall behind the bathroom!"******

So. Up on the wall it went, and Beloved put 2 screws in to hold it until I located the drill in the morning to finish fixing it to the wall. Then we decided that the fridge and freezer were too close, and a potential fire risk.

So today, as Beloved and Sboy drove off into the sunrise with the bikes in the trailer for a weekend of mototrials in the Blue Mountains, I re-configured the Muggly-shed to facilitate a safer environment. Which means it got a good cleaning. I've just finished; I started at 6.30am. Multiple loads of washing were done too, then I have to shower and then take Vegeboy and Clover-dog to Nanandpops to celebrate Pop's 71st Birthday!

It looks good anyway.

And last weekend, I decided to put the big Christmas tree up, so there was a minor re-configuration last weekend as well. My lovely big bush has pride of place in between the lounge and sideboard, and there are decorations suspended from the roof. At least there's some bonuses to having no linings...... With only 2 double power points, there's no lights, though. Here's the piccy that Sboys put on his MySpace. Evidently, "tree-shots" are the thing....



Anyway, time to go. Newie awaits!

Have a good one, Everyone!



Cheers, Blogggie ;0)

One Perfect Day............................................

Good Morning Bloggers!

I was just checking my bank accounts, and the Power Credit Union has posted the date;

Monday January 14, 2008.

Did I miss something?????

Am I Rumpelstiltskin???????? Or maybe Sleeping Beauty????

Nah..... (that's a scrabulous word, you know)

The boys have decided that they must have been in a coma, & have just woken up.

VB asked if he could have his Christmas presents, if this was the case. I told that Christmas has already been & gone. SB said he received a new motorbike for Christmas. Poor VB.... nothing for him.

I just said that I was glad that it was all over and done with.

But.....

I know it is all a dream. "Sunrise" are still talking about the up-coming Christmas festivities.

Oh well, one can only dream.

But what's going on with the Credit Union dates, eh....... doesn't inspire confidence, does it??????

On with the day. Have a good one!