[limp wince exhausted smirk] I have a gift for you...
Friday, February 28, 2003
Thursday, February 27, 2003
[3 days? *small, hopeful smile* That's not too long...]
Don't worry, OkapiPrincess, I'd never hurt your dolls, I'm careful about, um, tampering with other people's property. Just can't guarantee the safety of any dolls that find their way into my hands... Though I do still find the eurasianish 'New Scene' barbie - ack, what was her name? Madison? Chelsea? Basingstoke? - quite attractive. But not the actual Barbie barbie - I have dark thoughts about her, she reminds me of Melony...
And I'd still like to go see LoTR wth you. I promise not to laugh derisively at the elves. : ) Or rather, not laugh too loudly...
Finally felt well enough to go back to the school library and finish updating the database. Not quite sure what happened, but - the preps were all new students, fair enough they had no library record and had to be put in from scratch, but I would've thought the other students, having been at the school last year, would've already had records and all I'd have to do was edit them to update their year level/class name. Nothing is ever simple, is it? Gods know why but none of the other students were on the database either so I had to create their records from scratch as well. Not a problem, really, it's a small school and it only took a couple of hours - very easy to do. So now, hopefully, everyone is on the library database and I can keep my fledgling reputation for efficiency.
There's a travelogue sort of program on Discovery Channel (or the Coffee Channel - as the cubs used to call it when they were about 3. Had us wondering for days why they called it that, I mean, there hadn't been any programs about coffee that we knew about : ) in New Zealand. Lots of steep mountains and deep gorges and icy rivers. *sigh* Love to visit there.
[*smirk* Heh, who needs a helicopter to get access to these places?]
Tch, I'm craving real (ie: fresh brewed) coffee. Have to ask soulsis if she can get me some of the organic East Timor grown coffee at the market on saturday. And speaking of organic coffee, found a NZ brand of instant coffee in the supermarket last week. It's OK, I guess, a couple of notches about International Roast but not as good as Moccona. Hn, probably on a par with Nescafe but not quite as bitter. Mind you, that was the powdered type I tried, they have a granulated type as well, which might be nicer. I'll try that next time.
Oooh bloody Legolas!
'The red sun rises, there was blood spilt last night...'
No-fucking-shit, sherlock.... Elves...
Don't worry, OkapiPrincess, I'd never hurt your dolls, I'm careful about, um, tampering with other people's property. Just can't guarantee the safety of any dolls that find their way into my hands... Though I do still find the eurasianish 'New Scene' barbie - ack, what was her name? Madison? Chelsea? Basingstoke? - quite attractive. But not the actual Barbie barbie - I have dark thoughts about her, she reminds me of Melony...
And I'd still like to go see LoTR wth you. I promise not to laugh derisively at the elves. : ) Or rather, not laugh too loudly...
Finally felt well enough to go back to the school library and finish updating the database. Not quite sure what happened, but - the preps were all new students, fair enough they had no library record and had to be put in from scratch, but I would've thought the other students, having been at the school last year, would've already had records and all I'd have to do was edit them to update their year level/class name. Nothing is ever simple, is it? Gods know why but none of the other students were on the database either so I had to create their records from scratch as well. Not a problem, really, it's a small school and it only took a couple of hours - very easy to do. So now, hopefully, everyone is on the library database and I can keep my fledgling reputation for efficiency.
There's a travelogue sort of program on Discovery Channel (or the Coffee Channel - as the cubs used to call it when they were about 3. Had us wondering for days why they called it that, I mean, there hadn't been any programs about coffee that we knew about : ) in New Zealand. Lots of steep mountains and deep gorges and icy rivers. *sigh* Love to visit there.
[*smirk* Heh, who needs a helicopter to get access to these places?]
Tch, I'm craving real (ie: fresh brewed) coffee. Have to ask soulsis if she can get me some of the organic East Timor grown coffee at the market on saturday. And speaking of organic coffee, found a NZ brand of instant coffee in the supermarket last week. It's OK, I guess, a couple of notches about International Roast but not as good as Moccona. Hn, probably on a par with Nescafe but not quite as bitter. Mind you, that was the powdered type I tried, they have a granulated type as well, which might be nicer. I'll try that next time.
Oooh bloody Legolas!
'The red sun rises, there was blood spilt last night...'
No-fucking-shit, sherlock.... Elves...
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
[*cross with self for moping* This is ridiculous! It's not like I didn't know how to amuse myself before I met 'lestrel... *eyes lemon tree* Hmm, lights are on. I could pay them a little visit. Better than sitting around here feeling sorry for myself...]
Welcome back, Talon!
Home schooling? *eyes wide* Jeez, you're brave - or something. Much as I love my boys and have conniptions sometimes about them being out of my care, my relationship with them would suffer enormously if I had them with me 24/7. As for the head to head clashes that are occuring now when I make them do their homework - not to mention the heart-rendingly melodramatic tantrums - I'd hate to think how that would escalate if I was actually trying to get them to work full-time. No thanks. I like and trust their teachers. I like the school they're going to. I love my cubs even more when I have time away from them... *g*
I took myself off to see Two Towers again today.
Hee hee hee - I saw the elf stumble - hee hee hee.
Fair enough, it was after a 3 day forced march with no food and rest but still, mr graceful-nancy-boy stumbled and the human didn't. I really don't like elves - have I told you that? - and while I didn't exactly cheer each time one of them copped it at the siege, I did smirk a little. Actually, the company of elvish archers who turned up to save the day (well, more like delay the losing of the day so the actual heroes could save it later) reminded me of Vulcans, in their grey, hooded cloaks and pointy helms. Not that keen on Vulcans either... maybe it's the ears?
I do like the riders of Rohan, though; I like their clothes, I'm remarkably at ease with their society, I love where they live - brilliant flying country, that - bare, snowy mountains and wind-streaked, grassed plains *happy sigh*, I could live there.
Still prefer the burly horselords to the poncy elves. Bathe Ehomah and bring him to my tent!
Heh, on second thoughts, just bring him to my tent, I'll bathe him myself... *eg*
Months and months ago Vegemite (a black, visciously uber-salty spread we're blessed with in Aus) had a promotional offer where you could get a 'free thing' if you sent in x number of tokens. The 'free thing' in this case was a play mat/place mat sort of... thing that had a very simple maze around which you could shove a picture of some vegemited toast. The toast was stuck onto a magnet and the idea was to use your cutlery to move the toast around. Anyway, the cubs hounded me to get them these placemats. I said no, it wasn't worth considering, I would've had to spend $15 on vegemite to get two 'free' placemats. I'm the only one who eats the stuff and even I couldn't get through $15 worth by the time their use-by date went past. Soon enough, the commercials stopped running and the cubs forgot all about it.
I found 2 of the placemats today in an op-shop for 50c each. :) I'm not sure about the message they're putting out, though.
There's a cartoony picture of a girl - with a book, and a boy - with a skateboard. Hmm. OK, at least the girl isn't carrying a doll. But it gets worse. The playmat is littered with little phrases about what good things vegemite can do for you. Around the boy is 'fast reflexes', 'bright and alert', 'lots of energy'. Around the girl is 'puts a rose in every cheek', 'soft skin', 'shiny hair'.
What? Reflexes and alertness have no relevance to girls? 'Shiny hair' is something that boys needn't bother with as long as they can run fast and kick a football?
Grrrr... gender stereotyping starts early.
I must've been an awkward child, I refused to do as expected. I stopped getting dolls as presents very early on when it was noted that I didn't so much play with them as tie them up and torture them. I can still remember the sorts of things I used to do - quite perverse really, but very satisfying. (Incidentally, I'm sure if I did some of those things to a real-life (consenting adult) doll, there'd still be an element of satisfaction.)
And some moron gave me a toy ironing board for my... must've been fourth birthday. 'Just like Mummy's' was emblazoned coaxingly on the front of the box (it's amazing what you remember, isn't it?) and a picture of prissy little girl in a poofy party dress with an unfeasibly large bow in her hair, ironing her dollies clothes. How adorable *gag retch* Yes, give it to me, I do so want to be just like mummy.
That ironing board became 'the plank' of my pirate ship/bed, and the drawbridge over the moat of my castle/bed. I was quite sad to have to leave it behind when we emigrated to Aus...
Of course, I'm all grown up now.
I still don't like dolls all that much, still want to torture and debase them (*smirk* but that's what fictional characters are there for though, isn't it?) and I'd still much rather play pirates and knights than do the ironing...
Welcome back, Talon!
Home schooling? *eyes wide* Jeez, you're brave - or something. Much as I love my boys and have conniptions sometimes about them being out of my care, my relationship with them would suffer enormously if I had them with me 24/7. As for the head to head clashes that are occuring now when I make them do their homework - not to mention the heart-rendingly melodramatic tantrums - I'd hate to think how that would escalate if I was actually trying to get them to work full-time. No thanks. I like and trust their teachers. I like the school they're going to. I love my cubs even more when I have time away from them... *g*
I took myself off to see Two Towers again today.
Hee hee hee - I saw the elf stumble - hee hee hee.
Fair enough, it was after a 3 day forced march with no food and rest but still, mr graceful-nancy-boy stumbled and the human didn't. I really don't like elves - have I told you that? - and while I didn't exactly cheer each time one of them copped it at the siege, I did smirk a little. Actually, the company of elvish archers who turned up to save the day (well, more like delay the losing of the day so the actual heroes could save it later) reminded me of Vulcans, in their grey, hooded cloaks and pointy helms. Not that keen on Vulcans either... maybe it's the ears?
I do like the riders of Rohan, though; I like their clothes, I'm remarkably at ease with their society, I love where they live - brilliant flying country, that - bare, snowy mountains and wind-streaked, grassed plains *happy sigh*, I could live there.
Still prefer the burly horselords to the poncy elves. Bathe Ehomah and bring him to my tent!
Heh, on second thoughts, just bring him to my tent, I'll bathe him myself... *eg*
Months and months ago Vegemite (a black, visciously uber-salty spread we're blessed with in Aus) had a promotional offer where you could get a 'free thing' if you sent in x number of tokens. The 'free thing' in this case was a play mat/place mat sort of... thing that had a very simple maze around which you could shove a picture of some vegemited toast. The toast was stuck onto a magnet and the idea was to use your cutlery to move the toast around. Anyway, the cubs hounded me to get them these placemats. I said no, it wasn't worth considering, I would've had to spend $15 on vegemite to get two 'free' placemats. I'm the only one who eats the stuff and even I couldn't get through $15 worth by the time their use-by date went past. Soon enough, the commercials stopped running and the cubs forgot all about it.
I found 2 of the placemats today in an op-shop for 50c each. :) I'm not sure about the message they're putting out, though.
There's a cartoony picture of a girl - with a book, and a boy - with a skateboard. Hmm. OK, at least the girl isn't carrying a doll. But it gets worse. The playmat is littered with little phrases about what good things vegemite can do for you. Around the boy is 'fast reflexes', 'bright and alert', 'lots of energy'. Around the girl is 'puts a rose in every cheek', 'soft skin', 'shiny hair'.
What? Reflexes and alertness have no relevance to girls? 'Shiny hair' is something that boys needn't bother with as long as they can run fast and kick a football?
Grrrr... gender stereotyping starts early.
I must've been an awkward child, I refused to do as expected. I stopped getting dolls as presents very early on when it was noted that I didn't so much play with them as tie them up and torture them. I can still remember the sorts of things I used to do - quite perverse really, but very satisfying. (Incidentally, I'm sure if I did some of those things to a real-life (consenting adult) doll, there'd still be an element of satisfaction.)
And some moron gave me a toy ironing board for my... must've been fourth birthday. 'Just like Mummy's' was emblazoned coaxingly on the front of the box (it's amazing what you remember, isn't it?) and a picture of prissy little girl in a poofy party dress with an unfeasibly large bow in her hair, ironing her dollies clothes. How adorable *gag retch* Yes, give it to me, I do so want to be just like mummy.
That ironing board became 'the plank' of my pirate ship/bed, and the drawbridge over the moat of my castle/bed. I was quite sad to have to leave it behind when we emigrated to Aus...
Of course, I'm all grown up now.
I still don't like dolls all that much, still want to torture and debase them (*smirk* but that's what fictional characters are there for though, isn't it?) and I'd still much rather play pirates and knights than do the ironing...
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Hee, just watched a report on Foreign Correspondent (the excellent global current affairs program we get here on our government sponsored channel - which actually isn't as dorky or partisan as it might sound) about an historical re-enactment group in Rome that teaches gladiatorial combat.
That is so cool!
Much as I enjoyed the medieval group I got marginally involved with a while ago, I do have a preference for ancient Rome. : )
Maybe it's the jewelry, maybe it's the clothes, maybe it's the idea that it was perfectly reasonable to own another human being...
*eg*
With luck, on friday night, my girlfriends and I (including Aaron, who's an honourary girl anyway - heck he's got more skin care products than I do! *g*) will be going to see a Gene Kelly movie double.
And, Onna - that sock monkey page was just disturbing.. Funny... but disturbing... *smirk*
That is so cool!
Much as I enjoyed the medieval group I got marginally involved with a while ago, I do have a preference for ancient Rome. : )
Maybe it's the jewelry, maybe it's the clothes, maybe it's the idea that it was perfectly reasonable to own another human being...
*eg*
With luck, on friday night, my girlfriends and I (including Aaron, who's an honourary girl anyway - heck he's got more skin care products than I do! *g*) will be going to see a Gene Kelly movie double.
And, Onna - that sock monkey page was just disturbing.. Funny... but disturbing... *smirk*
Eiri-san is a pisces, eh? That explains the introspection, the self-destructiveness.. oh, and the talent. *smirk*
What's my birthsign, you ask?
Well, pisces actually... *grin* So is Joules...
I watched KittenKong catch her first (I think) adult bird the other day, a female black-bird, it was kind of funny. For a start it was fighting back which impressed madame thunderpaws not at all, those beaks are really sharp.
And then there was the feathers...
On one hand KK was obviously being prompted by the hunting instinct - 'ahah! it moved!' *pouncebite* - but then she'd get a mouthful of feathers - *ptooieptooie* - and then the bloody bird would move again, she'd pounce and get another mouthful of feathers. Oh well, it'll teach her to make clean kills I guess.
The cubs and I were playing superheroes tonight, after watching X-Men Evolution (another program in it's umpteenth run). One decided he had telekinisess, the other had create illusions and I was deemed to have mind control. *eg* Guess who was the villain?
Well, I used my mind-control on the cub with illusion, (who played along very nicely), freezing him to the spot, then as he was struggling futilely against my awesome power, I quietly suggested he use his illusion to make me believe I still had him frozen to the spot, whereupon he would sprint away, drop the illusion from a safe distance and leave me staring at the empty space before roaring - 'Curses! Foiled again! Next time, illusion-lad, next time!'. Both the cubs thought it was marvelous fun. ^~^
Heh, I knew that decade of playing Champions and having the etiquette of superhero combat drilled into me would pay off...
Oh poop. The episode of The Bill that had Lewis Collins in it was on on Saturday and I forgot about it.
[*feeling comfortably full on the lemony treats sent over from the Canteen, a little less lonely and not quite as mopey* Thank you, Onna, much appreciated...]
What's my birthsign, you ask?
Well, pisces actually... *grin* So is Joules...
I watched KittenKong catch her first (I think) adult bird the other day, a female black-bird, it was kind of funny. For a start it was fighting back which impressed madame thunderpaws not at all, those beaks are really sharp.
And then there was the feathers...
On one hand KK was obviously being prompted by the hunting instinct - 'ahah! it moved!' *pouncebite* - but then she'd get a mouthful of feathers - *ptooieptooie* - and then the bloody bird would move again, she'd pounce and get another mouthful of feathers. Oh well, it'll teach her to make clean kills I guess.
The cubs and I were playing superheroes tonight, after watching X-Men Evolution (another program in it's umpteenth run). One decided he had telekinisess, the other had create illusions and I was deemed to have mind control. *eg* Guess who was the villain?
Well, I used my mind-control on the cub with illusion, (who played along very nicely), freezing him to the spot, then as he was struggling futilely against my awesome power, I quietly suggested he use his illusion to make me believe I still had him frozen to the spot, whereupon he would sprint away, drop the illusion from a safe distance and leave me staring at the empty space before roaring - 'Curses! Foiled again! Next time, illusion-lad, next time!'. Both the cubs thought it was marvelous fun. ^~^
Heh, I knew that decade of playing Champions and having the etiquette of superhero combat drilled into me would pay off...
Oh poop. The episode of The Bill that had Lewis Collins in it was on on Saturday and I forgot about it.
[*feeling comfortably full on the lemony treats sent over from the Canteen, a little less lonely and not quite as mopey* Thank you, Onna, much appreciated...]
Monday, February 24, 2003
[*sitting in the middle of the bower, fingers trailing disconsolately through the jasmine petals* ... it's only been a day... *sighs, takes out bishie-'lestrel pic and props it up so it can be seen by sooky tenshi while she drops off to sleep*]
Let's hear it for aspirin! I feel almost human...
Had a sore throat for a couple of days which magically transformed into a chest cold while I was sleeping last night. Oh joy. Spent most of the day zoning out on the couch while the cubs ran rampant around me. Needless to say, I didn't get any writing done, as I'd hoped to. Well, that's not quite true, managed to do a couple of paragraphs but nothing that can be shown to anyone yet.
Joules said I couldn't possibly have caught this off of her - she was poorly last week, remember? - but you never know with these computer viruses...
Bloody effing Cartoon Network (I'm not putting them in capitals, they don't deserve it) last thursday was the DBZ episode where Majin Buu's puppy gets snuffed. I missed friday's ep, unfortunately, but I thought 'no prob, I'll catch up tonight (monday).'
Humph.
We've gone back to the beginning of the Babidi Saga for gods' sake! *grumble growl* Spose I shouldn't complain, at least we didn't go back to the beginning of the world tournament - again...
Oh well, there's new eps of Samurai Jack coming up in about a week. That's something to look forward too.
Hope you're already feeling relaxed and hoopy, Joules, and that bratling and Goodtwin are having fun too!
Let's hear it for aspirin! I feel almost human...
Had a sore throat for a couple of days which magically transformed into a chest cold while I was sleeping last night. Oh joy. Spent most of the day zoning out on the couch while the cubs ran rampant around me. Needless to say, I didn't get any writing done, as I'd hoped to. Well, that's not quite true, managed to do a couple of paragraphs but nothing that can be shown to anyone yet.
Joules said I couldn't possibly have caught this off of her - she was poorly last week, remember? - but you never know with these computer viruses...
Bloody effing Cartoon Network (I'm not putting them in capitals, they don't deserve it) last thursday was the DBZ episode where Majin Buu's puppy gets snuffed. I missed friday's ep, unfortunately, but I thought 'no prob, I'll catch up tonight (monday).'
Humph.
We've gone back to the beginning of the Babidi Saga for gods' sake! *grumble growl* Spose I shouldn't complain, at least we didn't go back to the beginning of the world tournament - again...
Oh well, there's new eps of Samurai Jack coming up in about a week. That's something to look forward too.
Hope you're already feeling relaxed and hoopy, Joules, and that bratling and Goodtwin are having fun too!
Sunday, February 23, 2003
[*arches eyebrow* What? I'm not going into details, you pervy lot... but I will say that we're very happy with Falan's... service. *smirk*]
Bleuch, it's been very muggy the past couple of days, hot and sticky and generally yuck. Got a few more days of it then hopefully it'll start cooling down again.
I'm undecided. The cubs are well enough to go back to school tomorrow, but I feel like crap and the thought of getting them up and organised is making me wince.
Eh, deal with it tomorrow morning, last thing, like always.
Ok, enough whinging, time to think about plots and stuff.
(Oh, the next Shinju/Okami fic is in the works. Thank you, Onna, again for the inspirational postcard. *g* I really like those two.)
Yay, Ripley! 3 years old! Woohoo! Congrats, Talon, your cub is *gorgeous*, and just think, in two more years she'll be at school...
I'm getting narky with these quizzes that imply if you like pink you can't be hentai/twisted/evil..
Humph! What about Tulip, eh? She's more twisted than most and she's drowning in pink!
Have a wonderful holiday, Joules - we'll try not to miss you too much. *watery smile*
[*sniffle* Make sure the ningen relaxes, tokage...]
Bleuch, it's been very muggy the past couple of days, hot and sticky and generally yuck. Got a few more days of it then hopefully it'll start cooling down again.
I'm undecided. The cubs are well enough to go back to school tomorrow, but I feel like crap and the thought of getting them up and organised is making me wince.
Eh, deal with it tomorrow morning, last thing, like always.
Ok, enough whinging, time to think about plots and stuff.
(Oh, the next Shinju/Okami fic is in the works. Thank you, Onna, again for the inspirational postcard. *g* I really like those two.)
Yay, Ripley! 3 years old! Woohoo! Congrats, Talon, your cub is *gorgeous*, and just think, in two more years she'll be at school...
I'm getting narky with these quizzes that imply if you like pink you can't be hentai/twisted/evil..
Humph! What about Tulip, eh? She's more twisted than most and she's drowning in pink!
Have a wonderful holiday, Joules - we'll try not to miss you too much. *watery smile*
[*sniffle* Make sure the ningen relaxes, tokage...]
Saturday, February 22, 2003
The cubs asked me this morning if it was all right for two boys to marry the same girl. It seems they both like the same little girl in one of their classes.
*blink* Not a fair question when I'd only just woken up. Was too fuzzy to answer with any clarity beyond 'it's illegal to do that' without explaining that if all three are in agreement then there's bar to them all being together, or sharing - just not married.
*head in hands* Just the other day someone was making jokes about them bringing home the same girl...
Here's the coloured version of Joules' bishie-'lestrel pic. Mmmmmm.....
[... still MINE!!]
(I like the idea of the artists get together, Onna, I'd be there like a shot! Maybe we could do something similar at the AC convention? *crossing fingers*)
I need more practise with light and shadow! (Joules)
*blink* Not a fair question when I'd only just woken up. Was too fuzzy to answer with any clarity beyond 'it's illegal to do that' without explaining that if all three are in agreement then there's bar to them all being together, or sharing - just not married.
*head in hands* Just the other day someone was making jokes about them bringing home the same girl...
Here's the coloured version of Joules' bishie-'lestrel pic. Mmmmmm.....
(I like the idea of the artists get together, Onna, I'd be there like a shot! Maybe we could do something similar at the AC convention? *crossing fingers*)
I need more practise with light and shadow! (Joules)
Friday, February 21, 2003
The cubs have come up with a scheme to get rich by selling frozen choc-soy drink ice cubes... Money and food - they are such little Cancerians! ^~^
They're home from school today, which is a little annoying, I was planning on trawling round some nurseries. Eh, can always delay the pleasure for another day...
*pleased, secretive smile* Nope, no hints.
They're home from school today, which is a little annoying, I was planning on trawling round some nurseries. Eh, can always delay the pleasure for another day...
*pleased, secretive smile* Nope, no hints.
So there's a possibility of new YYH toys, eh?
Hope they're better than the last ones...
Sure the action figures of the 4 main charas looked good from a distance, but up close they weren't so hot. The moulding was rough and the paint jobs were generally very sloppy. I would've bought them only I wasn't impressed at all. If there's new toys coming out there might be a chance of some Botan merchandise - that'd be nice...
And finally - new Samurai Jack eps in march. Huzzah! Only been waiting a year for them... *grin - whinge whinge complain complain...*
I think I might go and buy myself some cacti tomorrow...
Hope they're better than the last ones...
Sure the action figures of the 4 main charas looked good from a distance, but up close they weren't so hot. The moulding was rough and the paint jobs were generally very sloppy. I would've bought them only I wasn't impressed at all. If there's new toys coming out there might be a chance of some Botan merchandise - that'd be nice...
And finally - new Samurai Jack eps in march. Huzzah! Only been waiting a year for them... *grin - whinge whinge complain complain...*
I think I might go and buy myself some cacti tomorrow...
Thursday, February 20, 2003
'Divorced, beheaded, died - divorced, beheaded, survived...'
Katharine of Aragon
Which Wife of Henry VIII are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Katharine of Aragon
Which Wife of Henry VIII are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Well that'll teach me... went to lick a dribble of sauce from the side of one of my cast-iron skillets before I washed it.
Chipped one of my front teeth, didn't I? *rolls eyes* Not a bad chip, just a little indentation in the bottom edge, not painful but enough to feel the irregularity with my tongue and lip.
I've been helping in the school library, I think I've mentioned this before. I'm really enjoying it. : )
The thing is, parents are encouraged to help out around the school, to volunteer for things - it helps lower the running costs and creates a feeling of 'community', apparently. While the cubs were in prep and Year 1 I volunteered for PMP (perceptual motor program), which wasn't too bad, even if it meant I worked up a sweat supervising little groups of boisterous brats through the exercises and had ringing ears and a hoarse throat from trying to make myself heard over the chaos. But Year 2's don't do PMP which left me with the options for volunteering for the canteen, or helping in the classroom with reading and math, none of which appealed at all.
Very pleased when I found out I could work in the library. *g* I'll happily spend 5 hours a week there where I'd begrudge that 5 hours over a term doing anything else.
Today was a bit of an adventure too - I was attempting to update the borrowers list, delete the students who had left the school and add the new preps. A straight-forward task, one would think? Yes, if the users manual had been any help at all. After 2 hours of trial and error on mine and the school secretary's part, we got it sussed. Was actually very simple - I'd been trying to delete the barcoded numbers for the ex-students, with no success at all.. turns out I didn't need to do that, I simply had to overwrite the details of the old student with the new... *sigh* Still, I feel like I've achieved something today, and when I go in tomorrow to update the rest of the school list (shifting them all up a grade, basically) it won't take me long at all! *g*
I made myself more rice paper roll-up things tonight. Almost the same as last time only with fresh coriander this time, and a sprinkling of crushed, roasted peanuts... Mmmmm....
Chipped one of my front teeth, didn't I? *rolls eyes* Not a bad chip, just a little indentation in the bottom edge, not painful but enough to feel the irregularity with my tongue and lip.
I've been helping in the school library, I think I've mentioned this before. I'm really enjoying it. : )
The thing is, parents are encouraged to help out around the school, to volunteer for things - it helps lower the running costs and creates a feeling of 'community', apparently. While the cubs were in prep and Year 1 I volunteered for PMP (perceptual motor program), which wasn't too bad, even if it meant I worked up a sweat supervising little groups of boisterous brats through the exercises and had ringing ears and a hoarse throat from trying to make myself heard over the chaos. But Year 2's don't do PMP which left me with the options for volunteering for the canteen, or helping in the classroom with reading and math, none of which appealed at all.
Very pleased when I found out I could work in the library. *g* I'll happily spend 5 hours a week there where I'd begrudge that 5 hours over a term doing anything else.
Today was a bit of an adventure too - I was attempting to update the borrowers list, delete the students who had left the school and add the new preps. A straight-forward task, one would think? Yes, if the users manual had been any help at all. After 2 hours of trial and error on mine and the school secretary's part, we got it sussed. Was actually very simple - I'd been trying to delete the barcoded numbers for the ex-students, with no success at all.. turns out I didn't need to do that, I simply had to overwrite the details of the old student with the new... *sigh* Still, I feel like I've achieved something today, and when I go in tomorrow to update the rest of the school list (shifting them all up a grade, basically) it won't take me long at all! *g*
I made myself more rice paper roll-up things tonight. Almost the same as last time only with fresh coriander this time, and a sprinkling of crushed, roasted peanuts... Mmmmm....
[standing on bank of pond with tenshi] The water's been filtered… [leans down to taste, grimaces, stands and crosses arms over chest, tail flicking] And all the micro-organisms have been filtered out… [points to wrinkled green and brown tubers floating on the surface] Those are vahanah bulbs. Dead vahanah bulbs. You won't ever have seen vahanah. It's incredibly rare. The plant only blooms once every 50 years. It's a glorious sight, shimmering silver and pink flowers the size of your hand, and the fragrance is… [shakes head] It changes depending on the ambient temperature. Sometimes it's a little like jasmine, other times like roses, or night-flowering stocks, or hyacinth… Impossible to describe, but extraordinarily beautiful. And the flowers last for a full year, floating on the surface of the water, trailing fragrant, tasty leaves - fish love them - below, long stems anchoring them to the bottom.
While you were away last year, I went hunting for some for you. For a surprise present. The tubers were 49 years old, due to flower later this year. They cost me an enormous amount of effort and personal pain to acquire, and they were the last available specimens in the galaxy. But they have a weakness. They're very sensitive to their environment and will only survive in water with the right constituents. I had to add native water and leave the pond to settle for three days, for the microbes to multiply and create the right microsystem, before I could plant them.
It would have been so beautiful, aijin. For you, and for the fish, and for everyone else who visits.
And now they're all dead, and there won't be any more available for 50 years.
[snarl, tail lashing] Right now all I want to do is reduce the lemon tree and anyone who might be in it to atoms. One more 'incident' like this and I will. Tell your 'guests' (Guests? Hah! I've met better behaved fucking vandals!) to stay within the tree's boundaries - if I catch any of them outside I'll rip their fucking heads off.
[growling to hide rising tears] I'm going to find something to destroy. If I stay here I'll only kill someone.
While you were away last year, I went hunting for some for you. For a surprise present. The tubers were 49 years old, due to flower later this year. They cost me an enormous amount of effort and personal pain to acquire, and they were the last available specimens in the galaxy. But they have a weakness. They're very sensitive to their environment and will only survive in water with the right constituents. I had to add native water and leave the pond to settle for three days, for the microbes to multiply and create the right microsystem, before I could plant them.
It would have been so beautiful, aijin. For you, and for the fish, and for everyone else who visits.
And now they're all dead, and there won't be any more available for 50 years.
[snarl, tail lashing] Right now all I want to do is reduce the lemon tree and anyone who might be in it to atoms. One more 'incident' like this and I will. Tell your 'guests' (Guests? Hah! I've met better behaved fucking vandals!) to stay within the tree's boundaries - if I catch any of them outside I'll rip their fucking heads off.
[growling to hide rising tears] I'm going to find something to destroy. If I stay here I'll only kill someone.
