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

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!)

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...................

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...

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..........

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.......

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........

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.........

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....

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..............................

"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.

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...

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....,.

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......

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

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........

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.......

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.......

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........

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!,

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!