Dammit, I'm sleeping in tomorrow...
Had to be up early so the cubs and I could catch a lift into the city with their father. It was fun though, we went to the Gallery. : )
We were there as it opened so there weren't many visitors, in fact there were more security personnel than anyone else! Kinda weird, that, especially when I noticed the cubs and I were being discreetly shadowed everywhere we went. What? What damage could they possibly think 2 eight-year old boys could cause? <bg>
Wasn't able to linger long anywhere (the trick to keeping the cubs interested was to keep moving, alas) but got some glimpses of some magical stuff. One painting (by Hillier, I think, early 20th century) really gave me the impression of clear, bright, harsh sunlight, the sort of light you get in places where there's a lot of sky. He'd achieved it, as far as I could tell, by making the edges and outlines of the building razor sharp, without using a dark colour to outline them.
And in another painting (French, 1880's) the artist had captured that luminous, 3D quality of an overcast sky - amazing.
The Gallery has a reasonable collection of Egyptian artifacts, and Greek, but not a lot of Roman which was a bit disappointing. However, one day I will get in there on my own for a proper browse.
Jackson Pollock's 'Blue Poles No.11' is in Melbourne at the moment, on loan from the Canberra Gallery. My family and I lined up for ages to see it when it was first exhibited in the 1970's (at the time it was the most expensive piece of art the National gallery had ever bought - very controversial) and I don't remember being that impressed. This time, however... There was a very soothing quality to it, I would've like to spend a long time just looking at the canvas and absorbing. Heh, next time, maybe. (Watched a documentary on Pollock a while ago where some computer geeks had discovered he'd apparently, instinctively, used fractals in his work. Very interesting.)
It was quite a surprise seeing how big some of these paintings actually were after mostly looking at copies in artbooks. Gives you a completely different take on some of them. I have to say though I generally don't like the Romantic school of art - far too melodramatic. I mean, come on, a mother sheep defiantly standing guard over her dead lamb against wolves in a howling blizzard? <rolls eyes> Puh-lease...
The gift-shop was lots of fun too, probly just as well I didn't have any money. I will be going back for a print of Blue Poles ($35 Aus) and possibly a print of that Japanese woodcut of the wave with Mt. Fuji in the background ($15 Aus). And then there was the hundreds of art books... <happy sigh>

The cubs and I went for a walk to fill in the time between them having had enough of Art and their father picking us up. I bumped into one of my high-school teachers, Ms Varrasso! Actually, she wasn't my teacher, she was senior school maths/science and I was very definitely fuzzy subjects, but I've always liked her. We chatted for a while and I've promised to send her a copy of 'Dancing' when it's published... <g>

I think the cubs enjoyed themselves but most likely wont want to go back there for a while. Heh, and there's still the Gallery of Australia to visit. : )

I took the time to reread what I've done of 'Dancing' today. It needs a lot of work but it's not too bad for all of that. Was a bit perturbed to discover a couple of sizeable chunks missing though. Not sure what happened, I think they got lost when I was shunting stuff about but I dug up one bit and Joules found the other on her hard-drive (cos she tends to save everything I send to her - not obsessive, you understand, just thorough <bg>). <GLOMPS Joules> Thankyouthankyouthankyou!
I made notes for ideas and things to include in the rewrite as I went through - I'm almost ready to get back to work on it now I think.

Heh, managed to clear 3 of the cardboard boxes in the garage, be good if I can get some more of the storage boxes before they're all sold. Eh, doesn't matter if I can't, they'll be on special again sometime soon.

I've been going through some of my old notebooks and rediscovered this, a lovely example of Chinglish I found on the packaging for a toy ages ago.
Bear in mind this was all on the same box...

Good Friend Fishing Game Who Fishes Best!
Sound a Beautiful Music!
Modern and Elegant in Fashion!
Most New Craze!

Cute, ne?

Gods, the things I do for my children...
I'm not much of a morning person, none of us are in this house, but it's me that has to get the cubs up and ready for school. How do I motivate two grumpy and resistant children out of bed and off to breakfast? By being a genki-girl at them until they wake a little more and are in better moods. Let me tell you, happy/bouncy is not a natural state for me within 2 minutes of crawling out of bed - takes at least an hour for that to kick in. : )

The integrated topic for this term at the cubs' school is Art & Artists.
Finally, something I know something about! Told the boys we could go and visit the Gallery (that houses Melbourne's international art collection - it's recently reopened after four years of renovations) sometime and they decided they wanted to go this weekend. Sure! <bg> I'm sure we can manage that. Heh, then I can suss out if they've got any Howard Arkly prints in the gift-shop, or if they can get a copy of one of Klimt's paintings of a beech forest...

Picked up 2 more of the plastic storage boxes today - that's 2 more fairy-steps in the right direction. : )
Also picked up some photos I had in for processing (very glad they found yours, Joules!) including a couple of films from 4-5 years ago. Very interesting looking at the old photos and remembering what was going on at the time. I've still got another dozen or so unprocessed films that range from 3-6 years old. I'll go through slowly and get them processed. I'm not even sure what's on some of them! I know there's still photos from my first Blue Mountains trip somewhere amongst the lot, though I'm not sure if they'll have worked, my constant photographic companion ('Spocky') was on his last legs at that stage. Oh well, if the shots were ruined by a dying camera then I'll just have to go up and take some more. Hee.

I'm watching this program on Animal Planet where the presenter is traipsing around Australia, finding things that can kill him and poking them with sticks... Loony...

1st day back at school - and there was much rejoicing. The cubs were sort of enthusiastic, more so I think because they're finally sitting together after two years, at their very own table. I spent 4.5 hours in the library today, inputting new books and updating the database. Wasn't hard work, just fiddly, and now it's all done. And this year I had a clue about what I was doing so it all went very smoothly.

We had a great storm this evening. The thunder was short and sharp, like gunshots, never heard anything quite like it. : )

I bought myself a new journal today. Haven't filled up the old one, but the new one was on special, and better quality - ie: it's stitched and glued, not simply perfect-bound (a misnomer if ever I've heard one.)

I transferred the contents of a tatty old garbage bag into a plastic storage box this afternoon. One more mincing fairy-step towards being organised for the next move. Yeah! <g> The boxes are on special this week at the supermarket, might be able to pick up a couple more and finally get some of those grubby cardboard boxes sorted out.

Hee, and today I also put on lay-by a single place-setting of a lovely purplish crockery. I think I'll get another set in a few weeks time, they'll complement the green sets I'm slowly gathering.

Finished my next AC chapter and it's now posted. Big thanks to Joules for helping me over a sticky bit of it (aside from the usual bouncing back and forth of ideas help that is), but, sinam could you have made my 'thank you comment at the bottom of the fic any smaller? That wasn't a challenge, by the way. : )

I'm really enjoying Joules' Ultimate Muscle fics, especially the way she's writing Jaeger, but then, what's not to love about a submissive ubermensch? <eg>

Ack! Running out of portions of stock and I've got no more soup bones in the freezer. Time to do some more roasts, methinks. : )

Picked up the cubs' school-books today. Fortunately was able to make a part payment on them rather than having to find mega spondoolies just as the rent is coming up as well. Of course, if I'd been more organised I would've had the money saved. Eh, next year.
Spent an hour or so in the library today, putting out the tables and chairs and generally getting it set up. Tell you what, it doesn't pay to be too efficient though. There was a box of books next to the computer when I went in so naturally I thought they were returns to be shelved. Just as I was starting to put them away one of the teachers came in looking for the box of books she'd put to one side for her class this term. <sigh> Pen and paper are immensely useful things, for writing notes, leaving instructions... Tch.
The cubs decided they wanted a 'day-before-school' party so on the way home we nipped into the supermarket and got some cake and chips and lemonade. Cubs were happy.

Chatting about the 'If I become a Magical Girl...' list with Joules this morning before I had to go out, and something clicked. Consequently, by the time I'd returned there was another story plotted out, with a new character, that could slot in neatly with another big project.
I love my imagination. : )
And my next AC is all but finished, need to have a final look at it then Joules (bless her) can code.

Where do I sign up for The Society for the Easily Amused, and do I get a kimono? I'd like a deep pink one, with purple irises and green leaves, thanks. <g>

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a thousand words downloads faster.

<paranoid> I am very uncomfortable with landlords who take a personal interest in their properties. Finally rang the estate agent about the flapping roof and the owner came round to fix it himself. : ( Felt like I was under seige and no doubt I'll be getting a letter from the agent about the state of the garden and/or a rental inspection. Oh well at least the roof banging in the wind won't keep me awake any more.

Finished the third chapter of 'Elga' (it's posted, thanks, Joules!) and am half-way through the next AC. I think I'll tackle one of the older, dagging about fics next then maybe get on with another Dystopia. I should be able to get back in to 'Dancing' once the cubs are at school.

There's some DBZ fanart on the If I become an anime... site. Yes, it's het and there's a lot of Bulma (and no Radditz, humph) but stylistically the work's quite good.
However, the If I ever become an DBZ character/villain/fashion consultant lists have some very funny things on it, especially this one:

I will tell everyone to fuse into one person as the first move of the fight, forming something called Picco-go-go-go-ge-trunks-in.

Going in to school tomorrow to pick up the cubs' books (grade 3! Ack!) and help set the library up ready for first day of the new school year on Thursday. I don't know that I'm ready for this!

Rang Soulsis this evening and she told me Niki and herself have been exploring the idea of weekend trips around Victoria en masse with the children. I'll be in that! Could be loads of fun. : )

And here's the link for the 'If I ever become an anime hero(ine)' list...

(nicked from Joules' blog:)

And another wee update: she's out of her hide and very conveniently stretched up against the tank wall, so we could measure her. Diagonally (from toe to toe of her longest legs: not sure if that's the right way to measure a spider but it's how we'll do it for consistency's sake) she's now almost two and half inches long, so she's grown an inch in three weeks. The hairs are a really lovely shade of pink!

... what was that I was saying earlier about new mums? <smirk>
You could make a little growth chart for her, to stick on the side of her tank. That'd be cute. : )

It was just sposed to be the cubs and I going to the beach today but their father woke up in time for them to invite him along as well. (We don't do things en famille all that often. Sure, the cubs' father and I are seperated but we're still friendly, and the cubs love it when we do things all together. The only thing I have to be wary of is slipping back into the old patterns of behaviour, like automatically deferring to the cubs' father. Heh, but I'm aware of that now so can more easily stop myself doing it.)
It was fun at the beach, not hot but the water was quite warm. The cubs happily got soaked while I only paddled. I'm glad I put big pockets in the trousers I made - I forgot to bring a plastic bag with me to carry the multitude of shells I scooped up with such glee. : ) It's interesting, at the beach in Adelaide there was only one or two different types of shells available, monochromatic but beautiful, where we were today there was easily a dozen different types with an amazing range of colours from whites, through golds, greys, purples and almost licorice-type blacks. Gorgeous!

This came from my housemate - it's no: 11 on the list of tips for 'If I become an Anime Villain(ess)'.

Whips, chains are fun. But they should be used sparingly unless I want to appear in yaoi fics for the rest of my born days.

<giggling> I think there's something in that for all of us, don't you? : )

Oh, really cute little graphics, Talon - the thought of 'geta as a bunny-boy seems oddly appropriate... <refusing to look too closely at that cos there's waaay too much pending as it is... >

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

<rolling around laughing>: Pink wings!? Oh, that's just too perfect!
And a flaming sword? I have got to use this somewhere... : )

Afterlife as an Angel by childdoll
Your Name
Astrological Sign
Angel Type	Angel of Death
Wing Color	Pink
Heavenly Weapon	Flaming sword
Created with quill18's MemeGen 2.0!

Well that was painless.
Spy Kids 3D even had a few amusing bits in it, but after having read Tad Williams 'Otherland' trilogy, the movie plot was incredibly trite.
The cubs had a go at making their own 3D drawings this evening, using red and blue pencils. Weren't perfect but they still managed to get the effect. : )

Heh, the cubs are telling me they want to go to the beach tomorrow. It's doable, I guess, not going to be too hot. Hn.
They go back to school this coming thursday. <shakes head> This would've had to have been the speediest school holidays ever.

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

I had to - even though it was too easy to manipulate the results...


Lord Flashheart


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Chapter 3 of 'Elga' is almost finished, then I'll get started on my next AC. Heh, amazing how 10 minutes of chatting can spark enthausiasm for something I'd mostly lost interest in.

The cubs and I are going to see 'Spy Kids 3D' tomorrow. My hopes aren't high - managed to avoid the first one and the second was excrutiating...
Tch, the cubs just aren't going to appreciate what I do for them until they have cubs of their own. : )

Finished the sixth (of fifteen) strips for my quilt! Woohoo! I'm going to have to think about border and binding material soon. Ack! More decisions!

(nicked from Joules' blog: as the new Ham-hams dvd plays in the background...)

Kai wants to mount the skin ... on a piece of bark for display purposes <visions of a long row of similarly mounted bits of spider as spiderlings shed every few weeks....>

<giggling>: I can just see it... weeks and weeks and weeks of material for 'show and tell'!

In the attempt to organise myself, last night I made a list of the fics I have pending...
Ok, there's a lot but it's mostly big, ongoing projects, not many one-offs and not as much old stuff to clear as I'd thought. Heh, so now I don't have the excuse 'I can't remember what I wanted to do' to keep me dithering.

(Gods that hamster is so cute! <squinch>)

I've been bonding with my new plushie otter Soulsis gave me as an early birthday present. I'm calling him Otterly - cos he's otterly gorgeous! : )

Had a family day at the zoo today - my mum, Soulsis, myself and allll the children. It was good, actually; tiring, certainly but still fun. We didn't try and get around to everything, just the critters we really wanted to see. Bears, seals (which my cubs have fallen in love with), otters (though there was so many people I couldn't get close enough to really indulge : ( , elephants (in their new enclosure), giraffes, hoofed things and the tapir. Didn't get to the frogs, or the platypus and reptiles (which is something the cubs really wanted to see) but we'll go again soon. The gift shop, as always, was fun. That's where Soulsis got my otter! He really is lovely all the more so because he's a river otter. For some reason otter toys tend to be modelled after sea-otters... <rude noise> Like they're cuter or something. Tch.
The cubs talked me into buying them a plush 4 foot long snake each. They (the cubs) looked very fetching this evening, clad in nothing but their underpants and these colourful snakes draped over their shoulders... <shakes head>

Oooh! Forgot to mention - I've got a place in the Library course this year! Got the letter yesterday, just as I was beginning to think they'd a: forgotten me, or b: refused me a place and neglected to tell me.
Only planning on taking on one or two subjects per term though; it's been a decade since I've done any study, don't want to overload myself straight away (that and I still have a life to get on with.) Hn, should be interesting to see how this impacts with my writing. Heh, well I knew I needed to be more organised with my time, this could be the perfect opportunity. : )

A-hah!
Going by the plot summaries I've read on the covers of Vols 2&3 of Clamp's 'X', the movie I've got is a condensed version of the 20+ episode series. No wonder it felt rushed.
JB HiFi also has copies of the 'Samurai X' ('Rurouni Kenshin') movie, which - having done some minimal research - is another summary of a series. Hn. Probly will get that, eventually, if only to see if it grabs me enough to hunt down the full series (95 episodes! Ack! And 2 OVAs! <whimper>)

The cubs were very teary tonight. Kittenkong followed us for a little way when we went on a bike-ride but she wasn't waiting for us when we got home. She turned up soon after the cubs went to bed - and there was much rejoicing. : )

Had an interesting dream this afternoon when I fell asleep, exhausted - again, on the couch. I was in my new house, having a good look around. Nice place, well laid out with a lovely view from the back-garden, but I was wondering about the furnishings. Heh, an hour or so later, when I had to have another nap, I found out why the furniture didn't seem right. It wasn't my house, but one the cubs and I had wandered into when I saw the owner leave. They (accompanied by some friends and relatives - as possible 'protection' against the invaders, I later realised) came home in the evening. It was all very pleasant; I explained why we were there and they weren't concerned - we'd cleaned up after ourselves and paid for the food we used - but we couldn't stay. Hopped into a car (again, not ours, and again the owner didn't seem to be worried when we explained why we'd hijacked her car) and started home.
Then I was woken up by a cub wanting dinner.
I'm not sure I want to know what that particular set of dreams could mean, but it's been years since I've had a two-parter like that.

Hee, and Joules put forward her own version of the 'coffee/men' thing:

I like my men like I like my coffee.

Cheap and instant.

<giggling>
She asked me to point out that it was a joke and in no way reflects on Ken. : )

Got this from Okapi, (though she disclaims all responsibility, saying she got it from somewhere else. : )

I like my men like I like my coffee.

Ground up and in the freezer.

<rolling around laughing>

Penny had some free tickets so she and I went to see 'Return of the King' today. It's better the second time around. I was better able to appreciate the heroics, and the nauseating by-play between the dwarf and the elf was merely irritating this time. <eg> (Oh, and Soulsis - I checked, it wasn't BlondieBloom at the boat.)
Mmmm... Horselords... I wonder how far you'd have to ride from the Gold Hall to be out of sight...?

'Plot-spiders'? Most people have plot-bunnies... (I have plot-bunnies - gamboling about the place, digging up the roses, irritating things.) Then of course there's the plot-rhinos, the ones that come rampaging in to trample over every and anything else you're working on currently.
... would you let Bratling keep one of those? <sunny smile>

Hee, well Andi and I chatted for hours without realising and before we knew it, it was 6 pm and she kindly invited us to stay for dinner. : ) (Thank you!)
It was great catching up - while incidentally keeping an eye on the 3 boys' shifting allegiances (Alex has an electric train set, something the cubs are wanting desperately, so of course they concentrated on that rather than playing with their host. But they sorted it out and were all friends again by the time we left. <g>)
Andi gave me a huge spork while I was there, too - I might actually consider finishing off some of that Prosfic I've had dagging about my hardrive for years...

Joules and I have been doing research for a YnM fic. Well, to be more accurate Joules has been finding lots of nummy manga scans and sending them to me. There's a lot of dribbling and drooling going on currently, but probly not that much actual plotting <smirk>. (And yes, Onna, it was Oriya I was thinking of. : ) Mmmmmmbishie... All that lovely, long black hair...)

(nicked from Joules' blog: [in response to goodtwin's comment about misreading Kai bringing home a rhino rather than a rhinovirus])

[grins] Nah, Kai knows better than to try that; I wouldn't let him keep it - the garden isn't big enough...

Ah, but I can just see the pleading, big blue eyes while he tries to convince you... <giggling> You might be immune to my chibi eyes but I bet it's not so easy to resist when bratling switches them on.

(nicked from Joules' blog:)

... I'm off to watch the third dvd - though I'm guessing the character Lutra wants written is Mibu Oriya.

Tch, I don't actually remember his name which means, alas... <hand to forehead>... I'll have to watch YnM again. <heavy sigh> The things one does for research...

Right, the second chapter of 'Elga' is posted in DarkRealm and 'Birth' (the ficlet unconnected with anything else) will probably go into Darkside.
Today, all being well (as in I really should ring and check) the cubs and I are off to visit Andi and 'Little'Alex. : )

Are your chicks back safely, Soulsis? Did they have fun? Did they miss you? <g>

... just catching up...

(nicked from Okapi's blog:)
...oookaaay... <g>

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

Joules, glad you are enjoying YnM! I think I know what chara Lutra has in mind - does he have a katana, Lutra?

Hee hee hee... <silly grin>
Speaking of katana's, saw a preview of Samurai X. Looks like it could be interesting... (Or it could be like DBZ - interminable battle scenes interspersed with spots of plot and character development : ). It's better drawn though... Hm. I think I've seen it at my favourite dvd outlet too. <sigh> When do I get my next trickle of cash?)

You know what I really loathe? Traffic lights on hills - when you're moving upwards.
Don't mind me I'm just tired and grumpy. The weekend with the cubs at Mum's was fun, though tiring, and I don't know what possessed me to come home via Ringwood - even on sunday night the traffic was heavy enough to make me snarl.
As I said, we had fun, did lots of driving all over the place and had another trolley ride (hee!). Watched a nature documentary tonight before we came home - RoboShark'. Very interesting but between my my mum squeaking every time something was eaten and the cubs howling their eyes out at the end when the robotic shark got broken cos they were empathising with the thing... <head in hands> I have a headache.

Anyway, I'm back and looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, and finishing off some chapters of various things this week - though as this is the second last week of holidays (where the hell did that go??) I'll probly be trying to squeeze in as much 'fun' stuff as possible.

Had the misfortune on the weekend to read one of the worst books I've ever opened. I didn't have high expectations anyway - it was a Romance, after all <shudder> - but it was appalling. Shallow, flat characterisations, coincidence upon coincidence and even at my worst I don't write as childishly as this author did. It astounds me that crap like this gets published.. and sells. Talk about 'kleenex' books. Have people no discernment? No appreciation of the written art? I've obviously been spoilt. <settling ruffled feathers>
Why was I reading it in the first place? I was desperate for something to read and obviously giving into the the fluffy bunny's masochistic tendencies. Hmph.

Tch, keep forgetting to mention that Soulsis found me a couple of super kawaii maneki-neko in Adelaide! They're sitting on the mantlepiece with the rest of most of the collection, though the translucent pink one really needs to go in front of a window. : )

Anything else?
Probably but I'm knackered...

[...<plunking self firmly down in centre of bower, drags 'lestrel into cuddle, determined expression on face>... I don't care what happens I'm NOT moving from here until I'm... satisfied...

<gently fondles tail> Don't bother blasting the ningens, they have their uses...]

Dang! Just realised I'm going to miss another episode of Trigun and Orphen (and it's the final ep of Orphen, apparently.) >: I
<grumble> Well I was going to buy the Trigun dvds anyway, I can start collecting at the far end of the series I guess.

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

<rolling around laughing>

the downfall of your fandom by skuldchan
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The cubs and I are going up to Mum's for the weekend. Thankfully we still have the use of Niki's spare car so that cuts the travelling time down by 2/3^rds and it means we don't have to worry about only taking what we can carry. : )

Joules and I were chatting the other day about incarnations and it reminded me of a story idea I had years ago, back before I had any clue how to take an idea and actually turn it into something readable.
It's only a short piece, 3 pages, and I'm not sure what I want to do with it - it has no connection to anything else I'm doing. But that's not a bad thing, it works well enough on it's own, and not everything has to interconnect, ne?

Second chapter of 'Elga' is almost finished too, then I have to think about how to link the plot void between that and the end of the first part. <g> Time for some magical girl stuff - and more gratuitous nudity. Hee.

You know how cats do that little bottom wiggle thing before they spring? So do jumping spiders.
It's kind of cute - in an alien kill-anything-with-more-than-4-limbs sort of way. : )

I'll never be able to listen to the Bay City Rollers' 'Bye, Bye, Baby' again without bursting into tears but the fluffy bunny romantic is very happy.
Soulsis and I went to see 'Love Actually' last night. Gods I haven't laughed/cried so much in a movie for a long time - kind of embarrassing, really. : ) Lovely, lovey British comedy written by Ben Elton (so it was very sharp in places) with an extensive cast culled from nearly every Brit show on telly at the moment except 'The Bill'. I want to see it again. <g>

The cubs and I watched a cartoon movie on the Holy Rodent Empire channel yesterday - 'Time Kid'. It was pretty dire, even for HRE. Based loosely (if not nicked wholesale) from H.G. Wells 'Time Machine' it involved a teenage boy from 1902 using his father's time machine to go into the future to find said father. 10,000 years ahead of his own time he meets the 'Lumans', surface dwellers whose food is provided for them by the 'Submen'. Morlocks and Eloi, anyone? I couldn't help smirking, though, when one of the pretty Luman was dragged beneath the ground as payment for the food. (Actually, the Submen used the Lumen's mental abilities to power their machines but that wasn't my first thought <smirk>). The Submen were kind of attractive too, in a Beast from X-men sort of way with long, beaded hair, piercings and tattoos. Heh. All in all there were worse ways to spend 75 minutes of my life.

(nicked from Joules' blog, about my dalek/ham-hams comment yesterday:)

[gets out 'lestrel's mallet and waves threateningly] Yeah, highly appropriate, both species want to take over the world....

Heh, I'd rather be ruled by cute and fluffy than metal and monotone, any day!

... and then there was this...

I have been told to hurry up and watch YnM: Lutra wants to rave at me about one of the characters in particular.

Just one? <evil grin>

Awww! How cute! The cubs have made dalek costumes for their ham-hams... ^~^

[... yes, dammit! <nuzzlecuddle> ...now order enough food from the Lemon Tree so we don't have to surface for three days <smirk>...]

Heh, I'm back. : )
Soulsis and I had a fun weekend - did and saw a lot of things - and we're resolved to go back again soon, with money. <g>
The train trip up wasn't a lot of fun but then travelling at night is never less than dull. Fortunately, The Overlander (the train that goes to Adelaide), unlike the XPT (the train that goes to Sydney) has a dining car with comfortably padded seats and room to stretch your legs, and tables (so I could get on with some patchwork, impossible to do in cattle-class with its droopy little pull-down trays.)
Only managed to get a few hours of broken sleep on the way up, so arrived in Adelaide feeling kind of shell-shocked, (though with the lights in the carriage dimmed we could see the moonlit landscape - that was quite nice.) The trip back was much better - during the day, by coach, which didn't have a full complement of passengers so we were able to spread out.

Went to see 'Return of the King' while we were there.... It really needed a fast-forward button, and the Frodo/Sam angst got a bit much. Yes, we understand they're suffering but can we get on with this, please? I still love the scenery, especially the mountains, and where the horselords live (mmm.... horselords...). Had some interesting thoughts about Gondor (or is it Minas Tirith? The white city? I'm never good with names, anyway... ) I was thinking that as the city stands it'd rely heavily on food being produced outside of its walls. All well and good but given the amount of space there it wouldn't be impossible to grow a substantial amount of food - excepting grains, perhaps, but that can be stock-piled for years - within the city itself using the food scraps for compost. Heh, permaculture in a fantasy-realm.

Alarice drove us to Victor Harbour so Soulsis and I could go on the horse-drawn tram that goes across the causeway to Granite Island. Interesting place, and somewhere we'll be going back to with more time on our hands to explore. On the way there we stopped off at a cheesery for some cheese-tasting, and a yummy milk-shake. The factory was part of a 'Tourist Produce Trail' and we also passed a smoked trout outlet, a winery, an olive processing plant, and fresh berry farms. <bg> The plan is to do the tourist trail next time then take all our goodies to a picnic at Victor Harbour.

Alarice also took us to the Port Market, an intersting place - a huge warehouse with lots and lots of stalls, a mix of antique, junky and cheap/new. There are times I'm very glad I don't have a credit card, would've been all too easy to blow the limit on that. One of the things I had to leave behind was a pair of old, crab-shaped salt/pepper shakers. Just lovely. : ) Ah well, if I'm meant to have them they'll be there for me next time.
(We did loads more stuff as well, which I won't go into detail just yet - running out of time - but the descriptions will probably come dribbling out over time when I'm not so distracted.)

There were 2 very snuggly cubs waiting for me at the bus stop when we got back to Melbourne. <soppy grin> I think they missed me. So did KittenKong.
Big hugs for Alarice and Pete for feeding-housing-entertaining Soulsis and myself. We had a great time, hope you did too. : )

(nicked from Joules' blog:)

[growl] You only realise how much the computer is your life-support when faced with the prospect of not having it.

Ack, yes! I hate that adrenaline-fuelled chill that twists your bowels when you realise something's not right with the computer...
Are we too dependent on our tech? <g> ... nah.
Hope it's all sorted soon, Joules.

[... <doves scatter as an anxious tenshi barrels into the bower>... ]

Heh, nearly ready. Been making things as easy as possible for the cubs' father to look after his children this weekend. I've sorted all the cubs' clothes into piles that even someone with male-pattern blindness can interpret, and I've bought enough sensible groceries to last them. (If they want junk they'll have to dip into daddy's resources. <smirk>) There's ample food for the piggles and the cat (though I forgot to get some fresh meat for kittenkong while I was out this morning - have to remember to ask housemate to get that.)
Yesterday, while the cubs and I were out we found a really cool shark calendar for 1/2 price in Oakleigh. I had planned on going back there and picking it up after the essential shopping had been done at Chadstone but - woohoo! - we found the same calendar for cheaper again at Chaddie! Bonus! And I didn't have to travel to another shopping centre to get it. : )
The cubs are very happy with their calendar - one of them has made a 'warning: sharks in next 100cm' sign from the plain cardboard insert. <g> (The 100cm being the distance from the sign to their bedroom door...)

Heh, still got a fair amount to do - see you all on monday!

Hee, that's 3 new pairs of trousers completed. : ) The cubs like the purple ones but unsurprisingly, my favourites are the pink pansys...
Almost finished packing as well (first use of my new suitcase!), with a list of last-minute things not to forget.
Organisation - you gotta love it <bg>

[... <mopey pout>... I'm taking my 'lestrel plushie...]

Started the 2nd Elga chapter - made up another pair of trousers (lavender), cut out the pieces for a third pair (dark-pink pansy pattern : ), and cleaned the lounge-room with the cubs' help - so why do I feel like I've done nothing?

I watched 'Rollerball' last night, the original. I think that'd have to be in my top 10 list of movies (along with Spartacus, Singin' in the Rain, Terminator, Die Hard... there's others but I can't think of them at the moment.) Hard to say why I like RB though I suspect the worldframe has a lot to do with it. Like a lot of futuristic movies from the 1970's there's thought-provoking layers to this movie and I like works of fiction that keep me thinking after the initial viewing.
Did you know RB was filmed on location in Munich and at the Pinewood studios in England? Neither did I - 'mazing what you can learn from reading the credits. : )

I really should start making a list of things I need to take with me to Adelaide...

Forgot to mention...
In the supermarket yesterday there were hot cross buns for sale.
<snarl> It's only January the 5th for pity's sake!

Eeep!
Yesterday evening I could smell something electrical burning. Eventually tracked it down - a good few hours later - to the fan in the lounge-room. It was switched on but the blades weren't turning and the motor casing was hot. Ack! Hate to think what could've happened if I hadn't found it. <shudder> Hn, spose it's time it was replaced anyway, had it for more than 15 years.

The cubs have been playing International Rescue... they've taken their old foam mattress and folded it over in a corner to make the 'secret headquarters'. And of course they've remembered the walkie-talkie set they got for giftmas a couple of years ago and are hassling me for new batteries... : )

I made a pair of trousers last night - purple. Bit fiddly cos they had pockets, and the old trousers I cut down for the pattern were perhaps not the simplest to use, but the new pair fit and are comfy. Need to get some waist-band elastic now, and then I can get on making a couple more pairs. Should have them ready before I go to Adelaide on thursday.

Okies, 'Change', my next Dystopia chapter is finished and will probly be posted soon. <perusing the list of pending fics> What shall I tackle next? Maybe the next chapter of 'Elga'? Yeah...

Yesterday morning I was woken a full hour and a half earlier than I intended because my natureboys thought they heard a bird in the house and refused to leave my room until I'd investigated. Wusses. : )
It was a bird, young but feathered this time, another one of KittenKong's prizes. Caught it and put it outside in the lemon tree where it sat and chirped enquiringly - for it's parents, I assume. Then we had a biiiig storm and by the time I got out there again the bird had disappeared. No idea what happened to it. Eh, maybe if it'd been a native species I might have made more of an effort.

Joules has finished her second Alexei/Trey chapter for Dystopia and it's fabulous. I really like this pair, not just for the lemony aspects (which are marvelous!) but because they're two of the most well-rounded characters I've read.
And what am I doing?
Not a lot admittedly, I'm missing having the time to myself to write. It's not that the cubs are demanding but they're there all the time and half of my brain is tuned in to them. Eh well. Almost finished my next Dystopia chapter anyway and thought of some refinements for others. I'll soldier on, regardless. <noble look>

Looking forward to the Zarbon fic, Talon, and the next instalment of R&L...

Mmmm... creamed rice and raspberry jam...
Sure, it looks like something you'd scoop out of a monkey's skull but it tastes divine. : )

So there I was, half-watching The Thunderbirds while chatting to Joules, envying John Tracey his solitude alone up there in orbit above the earth in Thunderbird 5 (2 weeks into school hols and counting) when the lightbulb pinged...
I don't think the forthcoming fic will be part of any of the main arcs, more like a side-story, but I'll finish the chapter I'm already working on first.
And speaking of Thunderbirds... Tin Tin may have a thing for Allan but she's all over Virgil and Mr Tracey.

On an impulse I detoured into my favourite music/dvd store today while out with the cubs. I wish I hadn't - they're having a sale.
Picked up another anime I know nothing about - X. I wasn't going to but it was less than half the original price and the words 'CLAMP' and 'supernatural action' in the blurb on the back changed my mind.
Mind you, I don't know if I've got the first in the series (there was also a Vol 2 and 3 there) or a movie, or what but it looks interesting.

(nicked from Valkyrie's lj:>

New Year's Resolutions...

*I will try to figure out why I "really" need 12 e-mail addresses.
*I will stop sending e-mail to my wife (husband). A phone call every now and then would be appreciated.
*I resolve to work with neglected children -- my own.
*I will answer my snail mail with the same enthusiasm with which I answer my e-mail.
*I will stop sending e-mail, ICQ, Instant Messages and be on the phone at the same time with the same person.
*I resolve to back up my 12GB hard drive daily...well, once a week...okay, monthly then...or maybe... at least once a year.
*I will spend less than one hour a day on the Internet - This, of course, will be hard to estimate since I'm not a clock watcher.
*I will stop checking my e-mail at 3:00 in the morning... 4:30 is much more practical since my friends overseas already had time to answer me by then.
*When I hear a funny joke, I will not reply, "LOL... LOL!"
*I will read the manual... just as soon as I can find it.
*I will think of a password other than "password."
*I resolve... I resolve to... I resolve to, uh... I resolve to, uh, get my, er... I resolve to, uh, get my, er, off-line work done, too!

.. the one about the neglected kids is particularly relevant. : )

When I'm feeling miserable or angsty I tend to switch perspective, mentally, and think of how the negativity could be worked into a story. This immediately makes me feel better but is it actually helping? I'm not addressing the cause of the aggravation, only distancing myself from it until I can cope again.

The cubs and I watched the Edinburgh Military Tattoo last night. <g> That was fun, especially when Soulsis rang in the middle of it and then we sat and virtually watched it together, her in her house, me in mine, sniggering at the voice-over. The Korean (South, I assume) army's display was visually the most interesting, very colourful with pink fans and guys with long ribbons attached to their hats which they swung like tassles! Their rendition of 'Scotland the Brave', though, was a bit of a giggle.
Going to see the Tattoo live is one of those things I'd like to do, one day. The cubs' father and I used to talk about how cool it would be but I figure it'd just be me (or me and the cubs) going to see it now. : )
And, oh yes, I like bagpipes... very stirring...

I'm not sure what my subconscious is trying to tell me...
Last night I dreamt I was in prison - a 'Prisoner/Cell Block H' type prison - and while there I watched two pigs attempt a high-wire walk with disastrous results...

Happy Western Calendar New Year everyone. : )

Enjoy the fireworks wherever you are!