Didn't update yesterday cos I was too busy finishing the cleaning for the inspection.
So, some catch up weather.

Forecast for 17th: 24-35
Attained: 24-34

Forecast for today: 24-30
Attained: 21-24

Heh, reading the straight figures like that the temperature sounds almost reasonable, doesn't it?
However, consider: when I went to bed last night, it was 29 degrees. When I woke up it had only dropped to 25. The 'low' of the day came around lunchtime, and the 'high' around 3pm...

The inspection went ok. I was working but the cubs were home and texted me when it was finished. I don't know that they were happy to be here on their own but they did it, my wonderful children.
They're going to have to do it again tomorrow though, cos the owner's coming over to check out the stove and fire alarm. (I'd noted for the agent that they needed repair/replacement.) Haven't been able to use the oven for months: everytime it's on there's a strong smell of gas throughout the house. Not good, I'm sure. Stove top and grill are fine, just the oven is worrying.
As for the (mandatory) fire alarm, I tested it a couple of days ago and it didn't work. When the new battery went in, however, the damn thing wouldn't switch off! The unit is ancient and almost certainly needs replacing anyway...

~=o>

After Mum had had her stroke and I was toiling up and down the Warbie trying to get her unit sorted out, I stopped one Sunday at the local market near her place. I was worn out and depressed, and had rebelliously decided to give myself a small break before continuing to tackle packing up Mum's stuff. It wasn't a restful break as it happened. Mum and I, and frequently the cubs, and Soulsis et al, had been dropping in to this market for more than ten years. Wandering around it that day, knowing that I was never going to be there with my mum again was very hard. I bought myself a little succulent that'd caught my eye. After all, I would be moving in to a new house before the end of the year and it would be nice to have plants again...

I didn't look after the plant though and over the next few months it withered but I couldn't bring myself to throw it out. Not sure why. Anyway, this poor scrap of a thing was transported to the new place, where it sat hidden amongst the stuff piled up on the kitchen table. Everytime I cleaned up I'd find it, and still wouldn't be able to get rid of it so back it went, out of the way, still neglected and unwatered.

Several weeks ago I found it again and this time I decided to give it a good soaking and put it out in the light and see what happened. I reasoned that if it stayed 'dead' then it was dead and I could finally throw it out. However, astonishingly, it started to revive. I wasn't sure at first, I thought the leaves looked a tiny bit plumper but couldn't be certain. So I soaked it again, and again.

It came back. :)
It now lives quite happily on the little freezer under the kitchen window, and I smile everytime I look at it...


Feed me, Seymour...

Forecast: 16-33
Attained: 15-33

[flop] I can haz stop nao?
The battle has been hard fought but victory is close. The chaos has been forced to retreat step by step. Now, only a small pocket of resistance remains. On my bed. I'll deal with it tomorrow...

~=o>

The house shortly after we moved in at the end of 2010...

The house today, a year-ish later...

The house today after Penny did some pruning for me. :)

Look there at the fence! I haz a hedge!


KittenKong. Helping.
I'd just cleared that spot...

Forecast: 13-24
Attained: 15-22

Right! Bathroom, laundry & toilet are finished: everything else is half-to-almost finished. :) I've cheated a bit: the stuff I couldn't put away has been stuffed back in to boxes and stacked neatly. Still, there's less of that this time so I am pleased.

However. Gods above, I loathe grouted tiles in bathrooms. [grumple] So stupid fiddly to clean. At least in this place they're reasonably big tiles, instead of the manky little ones at the old place that meant even more grouting to scrub. If I'm ever in a position where I can chose the sort of wall/floor stuff for my bathroom, it will not be tiles...

~=o>

This time(ish) last year...

Cubs helping me move a wardrobe in to the house.
Well, when I say 'helping me', I mean I told them where to put it. :)

Forecast: 15-23
Attained: 15-20

Cos the inspection's so close I'm only really doing damage control tidying up now, that is just making neat piles of what's left rather than sorting and clearing away.
Not nearly so much fun but considerably quicker. Eh, there'll be more organisational stuff to be getting on with after Wednesday. :)

Will start looking out for another thin (40-45cm) bookcase or two. Can definitely squeeze them in now that I've rearranged the lounge room.

~=o>

Wow, I think it's been almost 3 years since I was last at the Melbourne Aquarium. Been meaning to get back there. Hopefully will do in the next month or so.

King penguins, parading. May, 2009.

Forecast: 14-22
Attained: 14-20

I had a delicious dinner tonight. Grilled steak and tomato, with garlic and mushrooms sauted in far too much butter. Nom. :)
And then I had one of the sachet hot chocs Joules sent me. Banana/choc! Surprisingly yummy. I want another one now...

~=o>

Hee, halfway through season 3 of DS9. So far we've clocked up the Mirror Universe ep, the Time Travel to Earth's Past and try not Screw up the Timeline ep and Everyone Gets Weird and Uninhibited ep. Gads, I love the ST universe...

Forecast: 13-21
Attained: 13-21

This is a very cool story:

Elusive Burmese monkey captured on camera.

However, this line made me do a doubletake:

While researchers obtained a number of other deceased animals and observed them in the wild, the monkeys had never been photographed.

[snicker] What's wrong with that sentence? :)

Forecast: 13-19
Attained: 13-19

Melbourne! Where it's unwise to completely pack away your winter clothes during summer...

Pic taken at work today.
What it doesn't show very clearly is the wind whipping the rain around...

The stupid hot days are bearable cos I know the weather will swing back down again. :)

Forecast: 15-21
Attained: 14-20

First day back at work! Had trouble getting to sleep last night, but managed to stay awake today. :)
Just for fun, here's a list of the ways my holidays differed from work:

- barely wore shoes
- didn't get up at stupid'o'clock
- wore no polyester
- didn't get to bed at a sensible time (very often)
- hardly ever ate lunch
- got to relax with the cubs rather than chivvy them around
- napped in the afternoons without fear of being discovered

[nods] Was good.

~=o>

Aaaand got the notice of inspection letter from the agent today. Scheduled for next wednesday. Dun dun DUN. Lucky I've been doing all that clearing and sorting, eh?

Forecast: 15-24
Attained: 15-24

Cleaning up the house discombobulates KittenKong. The problem is she develops specific tracks around the place and if something's changed it can throw off her whole progress.
It is funny though, the look on her face when she jumps up to something that's no longer there...

~=o>

Oh, and Happy Birthday, Severus...

Forecast: 21-27
Attained: 20-28

Bit ambivalent about going back to work on Tuesday. I really like my job but the past couple of weeks have been great and I'm reluctant to relinquish that. :)
Mind you, this break has proved to me that no matter how much I like my job, if I didn't have to work, I wouldn't.

~=o>

[snicker]



see more Fandom

Forecast: 17-31
Attained: 15-29

Not a lot of clearing got done today, but I did manage to chip away at some of it before I had a nap attack. :)

~=o>

Aquarium sink.

You'd never get me out of the bathroom...
(Pic nicked from an AVG images search.)

Forecast: 14-24
Attained: 14-24

I can hardly see straight but I'm very satisfied.
Wait. That didn't sound particularly savoury..
Anyway.
I did a lot of work on the lounge room today. Unearthing neglected corners, rearranging, vacuuming. Was loads of fun! The sofa is no longer almost clear but the overall chaos in here has been reduced considerably.

A little concerned about the vacuum cleaner though. It's a Nilfisk, inherited from Mum, and it's fairly powerful and efficient but the interchangeable plastic heads are very fragile. Bits crack off when they're dropped or smacked hard against something; not uncommon with my clumsiness and inability to hold things securely for very long. Eh well, I don't think I've damaged them so much they don't function any more.

The best bit about this reorganising spree is that cos I've already done some work in my bedroom there's akshully space for stuff from the lounge room to go to! (The wardrobe in my room is all shelves and so is being used for crafting storage instead of clothes. Mind you, I don't have much in the way of clothes anyway.)
There is now nothing in the wardrobe that isn't meant to be there. :) Go me!

~=o>

Hee. I have that pic of John M.F. Watson from yesterday as my desktop wallpaper. I keep sneaking looks at it...

~=o>

In the kitchen the other day I heard a weird scrabbling sort of noise...

KittenKong had found a flattened box in the recyclables tub...
She was quite pleased with herself. I think she slept there that night.

Forecast: 12-23
Attained: 15-21

Snapped awake at 5.30 this morning then couldn't get back to sleep so decided to get up about 6. Cleared the washing up and de-decorated the xmas tree before deciding I needed a nap at 8am.
Had meant to get up again around 9.30 but ongoing problems with my 'phone means the alarm doesn't work. Or rather it works, but only once, despite being set for snooze, and I never hear the first alarm. That's going to make going back to work interesting. May need to get another small alarm clock for my bedside. (Really, really, really don't want to have to get another 'phone just yet.) I still have the secondary, jarring alarm across the room but if I can roll out of bed before that goes off it's a much better start to the day. :)

Anyway, while I was asleep I had an interesting dream. Me and some friends - the Islandkateer group plus others - went on a trip. A ferry would take us out to the middle of the bay, then we'd all take our turn to perform some small piece to the group. Everyone had brought food so there would be noms, and laughs, and then places to sleep. (A bunch of single-beds jammed in to a room. I'd claimed my berth with a hot pink coverlet.)
Was a fine time, enhanced by a surprise appearance of John Barrowman - arriving bum-first through an overhead hatch - and being a bit lewd and very entertaining. (It's ok, I know where that bit of the dream came from. I'd watched a clip from one of JB's shows last night so no surprise there!)
All the same, I knew that the middle of the bay wasn't the best place for the ferry, especially not with the storm clouds gathering in the distance...

~=o>

Cubs and I, and their dad, went to see Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows this evening. Started off a little bored, admittedly, but the story started getting exciting about halfway through and I was loving it by the end.
I must once more reaffirm my allegiance to John M.F. Watson...

(Pic nicked from somewhere online then cropped.)

Forecast: 18-24
Attained: 19-22

[happy sigh] I've just had my first cup of tea in 4 days. It's been too hot to even think about hot drinks...

~=o>

Don't look now but the sofa's almost cleared of stuff.
Almost.

~=o>

Crafternoon with Penny today! Very relaxing... also, Penny gave me a handful of little lapidary (lapidaried?) mineral eggs. Why, just the other day I was contemplating the half dozen mineral eggs I already had and thinking I should like some more. :)
See? Just have patience and all that you desire will appear.

(And I've set myself (another) challenge for this year. For making stuff in a crafty fashion I'm not going to buy anything extra but make do with using bits from the not inconsiderable stash I've already got. The exception might be for specialist equipment that I don't have, like felting needles. But between mine and mum's stuff I have just about everything I could possibly want!)

Forecast: 24-35
Attained: 24-30

Almost finished watching season 2 of DS9.
I find myself strangely attracted to Cardassians.

~=o>

I've been sorting out more stuff. It turns out I have a lot of empty containers. Almost certainly more than I could possibly need. Time for a cull perhaps?
Though perhaps not quite yet. There's still boxes and boxes of stuff still stored at other peoples' houses that needs to be gone through...

~=o>

Temperature's come down at last. We should have a few days of reasonable weather before it gets silly again.

Forecast: 22-40
Attained: 20-40

Watched GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra today on dvd.
... what a load of rubbish. I'm very glad I borrowed it from the library and didn't spend any actual money on it. I dozed through half of it - don't think I missed much.
The only bright spot was Brendan Fraser. :)

~=o>

... I thought I had something else to say but no, iz too hot to think. (32 degrees at 11.30 pm. Ridiculous...)

~=o>

My chicken calendar is up. Happy 'bout that. :)

Forecast: 19-35
Attained: 19-33

[grump] I dislike sweating.

~=o>

I thought I'd managed to give myself a blister on my foot yesterday - my own fault, hot day, shoes that rub and no socks - but I'm wondering if it's actually a bite. I can't see anything that looks like a bite site, but it's damn sore and very red. If it is a blister it's one that's gone deeper than just the superficial epidermis. Needed panadol last night before I could sleep.
It's a little better today but still owie.

~=o>

Zomigodkewt!
Listen to their widdle voices!

Forecast: 17-32
Attained: 18-35

Happy New Year! [fireworks, etc.!] :)

~=o>

Cubs and I went to see Puss in Boots today (NYE). Was very funny, and the animation was fabulous! Jack & Jill were hysterical! Definitely one to get when it comes out on DVD.

~=o>

NYE was spent with Niki and Soulsis et al, watching Time Team and nomming on N's excellent home-smoked salmon. Mmmm... We watched the Sydney fireworks at midnight. A good relaxing evening, helped immeasurably by Niki having aircon. :)

~=o>

While in the supermarket today...

IT WASN'T EVEN JANUARY!

(pic taken 31st December, 2011)

Speechless. Srsly.

Forecast: 14-28
Attained: 16-28

Hee, still ferreting about in boxes and cupboards, resorting stuff. Having a great time!
The chaos will recede, I'm sure...

~=o>

LOLOL!

Forecast: 14-24
Attained: 15-22

Wow, I made a clean spot...

~=o>

I've introduced the cubs to DS9. :) We've powered through the first season in the past few days and have started the second. I forgot how much I enjoyed it. I'll probly have to get the rest of the seasons now, heh.

~=o>

[giggling]
That dratted star...!

Forecast: 14-23
Attained: 14-22

The lounge room has asploded again, though I did briefly see a little bit of floor today when I finished sorting through some more stuff...

~=o>

Cubs and I sat down to watch the original Planet of the Apes this evening. Excellent movie, though slower and less subtle than I remember. :)

~=o>

Grrr... >:(

Forecast: 14-22
Attained: 16-22

I donate blood very occasionally - the last time I managed it was in 2007. Today I actually made it in to the centre for an appointment only to discover that my blood iron was too low so I couldn't donate.
[grump]
On the plus side, my iron level has risen from the not-quite-anaemic point where it was languishing several months ago to somewhere-at-the-lower-end-of-normal. The supplements and change of diet has worked, just not well enough to enable me to donate yet. Ah, well.
I'm barred from donating for six months so it looks like more 'steak and cabbage' (thank you, Joules!) in the meantime.

~=o>

I was quite happy to stay home yesterday and avoid the mania of the Boxing Day Sales. Last year was lesson enough! The cubs and I were going up to see Soulsis et al so I thought I'd pop out nice and early and pick up some sushi for her... [eyebrow] Took me 20 minutes to get in to one of the carparks, only to realise there was no way I was going to get a park there or anywhere else, then another 20 minutes to get away from the place! [shudder]
Anyway, quieter today so I nipped off to the supermarket hoping to pick up some post-xmas specials.
Pfft. Unlike previous years less than half of the xmas stock had been marked down and only about half again of that had been marked down by 50%. 50c off an item that's $2.50 is not a bargain! Eh, don't really need any of it anyway. :)

~=o>

Hee, I took a pic of VortexCub's hair today, to show him how long it's getting.
He's impressed! So am I.

He usually wears it pulled back in a pony tail. I think he should leave it out more often... :)

(Seeing as I've missed a couple of days - mostly due to the amount of weather we've been having - will need to do a bit of a catch-up with the weather thingy.)

Forecast 24/12: 18-32
Attained: 18-26
Forecast 25/12: 20-30
Attained: 19-29
Forecast 26/12: 17-23
Attained: 18-21


So yes, Kweeznuz. Was quite enjoyable this year, despite being very wet and very stormy. :)
Cubs made me a fabulous card, which I'll scan when I remember to do it, and I received exactly what I asked for!

From Soulsis et al, an itty bitty frying pan:

So kewt!

The cubs' father gave me season 2 and the movie of 'Dead Like Me', while my wonderful cubs gave me this!:

Listened to it today, and it was awsum!
(Heh, xmas eve, the last day for shopping, cubs inform me they need to go out to get my present. They were prepared to go via public transport, but it was icky hot so I offered to drive them. First place we stopped they couldn't get in to cos there was a fire alarm! What had happened was someone with a trailer piled high with stuff had knocked out one of the sprinkler valves in the underground car park, and because that had sent an alarm out the fireies had to show up and the staff couldn't let anyone in until they'd been given the all clear. Bit annoying as it meant we then had to go the shopping center, which was what I'd been trying to avoid. But it wasn't too bad at that. There was still plenty of parking, surprisingly, and I stayed in the car and waited for the cubs...)

Xmas day we loaded up the car and trooped over to the cubs' father's place.

That's not just food in there, but cooking/baking stuff.
One cub cooked gluten-free shortbread, the other cooked hedgehogs. Note the special tusked one down the front. :)

Soulsis et al arrived there with their feasty contributions and then we spent the rest of the afternoon grazing...

Not a lot of food left over either, very satisfying.
There was a fantastic storm, too, thunder and lightning for several hours, including some very close strikes that scared the life out of us! :) We had it lucky though - other parts of Melbourne apparently had dreadful hail.

Today, Boxing Day, was very quiet. Didn't leave the house - didn't need to - so avoided the dreaded Sales, and managed to cross another thing off The List.
Egad, will have to make a new one soon!

Forecast: 17-31
Attained: 18-30

Last day of work: I yam on holidayz nao! [happy dance] We even got to leave work early today, too. Ok, it was only 15 minutes early but still. :)

~=o>

Penny invited us over for dinner tonight, a buffet of bread rolls and scads of noms to stuff them with. Was very nommy!

~=o>

Tired now...

But, I'm on holidays...!

Forecast: 15-28
Attained: 14-27

Hee, cubs got their end-of-year school reports today. Aside from Food Tech - which we knew they wouldn't rate well in - the rest of their subjects are littered with distinctions and high distinctions, and scores well above their year level. [proud] I'm proud!

~=o>

Going back to 1978.
I still dance like this! :)

Forecast: 14-27
Attained: 15-25

For many months I've been mourning the apparent demise of Red Tulip's After Dinner Mints. [mourn] Nothing else was even close. [sigh] Too thick, too dry, just bleurgh...
However, I think I've found a substitute. (Aaaand, I can't find the box so I'm not entirely sure what they are but don't worry, I'll recognise them when I see them again...) They're rectangular rather than square, and the chocolate is coarser, but the filling is about the right taste and consistency. The mints are also individually encased in little dark paper envelopes that, while not shiny like the originals, still rustle and crinkle almost the same way. Happier now. :)

~=o>

The Hilltop Hoods are an Oztraylian hip-hop outfit that've been on the scene for yonks. Anyway, they've recently released a pretty good single, that has three video clips. (Link goes to the clip page.)
I've seen and enjoyed all three but the one made by AnimalLogic is my favourite. Just a sucker for clever animation, I am.
Go watch, even if you don't like hip-hop.

~=o>

This appeared on 'Set Phasers to LOL'. It made me giggle so much I even managed to overlook Batman's innaccurate costume colours.
In regards to Lego I guess you just have to work with what you've got.



[g] I make no apologies for loving the '60's series...

Forecast: 15-23
Attained: 16-22

We had the front door open this evening to help air out the house, and incidentally got to enjoy a neighbour's music CD. I must say, they have an excellent sound-system. Good and loud with no distortion. I was impressed but would've been more impressed if they hadn't been playing xmas carols...

~=o>

One episode to go of first season First Blood. (Link is teeming with spoilers, by the way...)
It's been entertaining but I still don't get the sexiness of vampires. (Except for Eric, perhaps, but that's more likely cos of the blond seme thing rather than cos he's a vampire.) At least this lot don't sparkle...

I haven't developed any particular fondness for any of the characters so I'm not in a hurry to get to the second season. Might pick it up if I see it very cheaply somewhere.

Forecast: 18-23
Attained: 18-23

I was up and out early this morning so I could tackle the shopping centre before it got crowded. Picked up what I hope is the last of the non-perishable xmassey stuff and left just as the hordes started trickling in...

This afternoon was my work xmas lunch at a local RSL. I had a nommy gnocchi prima verda, which, though delicious, wasn't quite what I was expecting. Eh, doesn't matter: the boss paid for it. :)
Ambled back to work for an hour or so for an informal 'ideas' discussion before I slunk off home. I was the only one there not technically rostered on today!

This evening I cleared my bed and changed the sheets. Then, because I could, I lounged on my bed reading for a couple of hours while the cubs fed themselves. After the big lunch I really wasn't hungry. (Though now, at 10pm, I'm a little peckish...)

~=o>

Mah booty!
In the parcel from Joules, was: pink stuff! CD! Santa tealight! (Which I will take a pic of when I dig up some matches to light the candle.) Boodgie elephant incense holder! Chocolate santas! Postcards & fridge magnet!

Note the variety of hot chocolate sachets, and the vibrating ham-ham! They almost completely obscure the fabulous 'Bristol' calico bag. :)

It's lovely having someone on the spot, as it were, who can pander to my Isambard Kingdom Brunel fascination. :)

Thank you, Joules! Much appreciated :)

Forecast: 20-16
Attained: 22-26

Double surprise today: a parcel from Joules, and that it was delivered on a Sunday! Yay for xmas delivery schedules. :)
Thank you, Joules! [bounce] Will take pics of mah booty tomorrow!
(And yes that is indeed an awesome playlist! :)

~=o>

Cats just don't take the spirit of xmas seriously...

Oh Little Town of BethlahaaaaAAAAGGGGHHH!

Forecast: 16-30
Attained: 17-32

I was shamed in to doing some dusting today.
As you can see, it was needed...

But, I was able to cross another couple of things off The List.

A not particularly good pic of some of my pretties after dusting.

And after decluttering my bedside table.

Look! Room for the cat!
Well, once I move the book, yes. :)

Forecast: 13-29
Attained: 14-29

Bloody hell! Xmas is a week away! How did that happen? End of the year seemed so remote at the end of September...

~=o>

Need to take a car load of grass clippings down to the tip - or 'waste transfer station' as they're now called - this weekend. Annoyed about it, but eh...
Several weeks ago my lawn-mowing service's regular break coincided with a lot of rain. Result, a bumper crop of long, wet grass. They filled the bin, which the council couldn't take away cos it was too heavy. Tried to take some of the stuff out but it was still too heavy. In the meantime the mowers have been again and cos the bin's not empty I've now got mounds of grass clippings dotted decoratively about the place. [grump] Plus the original stuff in the bin has been mouldering into something nasty - but still acceptable to the green waste people as compostable, thankfully - so getting that in to plastic bags is going to be a delightful chore this weekend.

~=o>

(Cheering myself up...)

This is neat!

Make a Mood Monster for your Desk.

(Pics lifted from site.)

Forecast: 11-25
Attained: 13-23

Kitteh 'helps' with yoga.

This is adorable. I love the nuzzle at 0:33




Just Glue Some Gears On It (And Call It Steampunk)

Yes, thank you!
Summing up what's wrong with a lot of the 'Steampunk' I see.
[shudder] Twits, they just don't get it...

Forecast: 12-21
Attained: 14-20

Free xmas lunch at work today! The canteen was crowded, as expected, and I had to queue for the noms, but ultimately it was worth it. On offer was beef or pork - I got a look when I asked if I could have a little of both; a cheesey, bacony potato bake; steamed mix veg; bread roll and mince pie.
Meat was particularly nommy, could've had more of that, and yes, I did get both sorts. :) There was also a veg quiche but that was the vegetarian option and you couldn't have any if you already had meat.
Given that I'm really not very with it when I first wake up, I'd forgotten about the free food and packed a lunch. Not to worry though, it didn't go to waste. Most of it went on to the pizza I made myself for dinner. :) I am so full now...

~=o>

This was quite interesting. A questionnaire to determine your Morningness-Eveningness. That is, it helps define your circadian rhythm type. Are you a morning person, or an evening person? [g]
My result was 'Intermediate'. Of course it was: ever the middle path with me...

Forecast: 14-20
Attained: 14-19

Finally got the cubs' booklists for next year. Almost a grand between them...

~=o>

Somewhere in Italy...

One of Niki's photos from the Euro-trip she took with her kids last year. I ar intrigued!

(Posted without permission.)

[edit:] Apparently it's a medieval mill!

Forecast: 12-20
Attained: 13-20

I hadn't planned on going in to an op shop today but I'm glad I did.
I found a copy of the Illustrated Family Doctor, 1935! (Site is a blog that has pics from the book.) I used to have my Mum's copy of this book but it got badly damaged in the last house. Very happy to have another copy.

I also picked up a Modern Illustrated Home Dictionary, which Amazon tells me is also 1935. There's no publishing date inside - not uncommon with old dictionaries.

Two other smaller treasures found as well. Saffron & Currants: a Cornish heritage cookbook, Susan Pellowe, rev. ed. 1998 - I don't have any Cornish cookbooks! - and A dictionary of Cut Flowers, Mary Bailey, 1969, cos I sort of collect old dictionaries as well, and you never know when you'll need to look up a cut flower related term. :)

All of this goodness for just $11.

~=o>

Ran in to Bart, our next door neighbour from the old place today. He told me that the house has finally been demolished and there's plans for 2 units to go up on the site. Wow, that took a year to do. The owner would've been losing money on the property all this time.

I'm trying hard not to think of the things we left behind. Not that there was anything we really wanted or needed. They were left because we ran out of time - and paid for the cost of clearing it all - but it's all gone now and I'm feeling a little melancholy.
I'm taking comfort in my sparkly tree and the new additions to my library... :)

Forecast: 16-20
Attained: 15-20

Merry Kweeznaz!
It's tree tiemz!

My lubly fibre-optic tree, before decorating.

A selection of shinies. I didn't use all of them.

The aforementioned tree after decorating...

... and with the lights on!

Details:
The beautiful dancing girls Joules sent me a couple of years ago. The closest things to angels I'll have.
And yes, our tree-topper this year, is another tree. One of the cubs made it at some point in primary school.

Special finds from the Oxfam Shop post-xmas sales year before last. A gorgeous peacock, and one of three embroidered stars. (I think they're s'posed to be snowflakes but as I'm not going to have snowflakes they are stars.)

The kweeznaz slug!

Heh, I've managed to decorate the tree with no reference to either the xtian or santa myths. (Please don't get pernickety with me about the meaning of the tree itself cos I'll likely just throw something at you.)

Conversing with one of the cubs while decorating the tree, we both professed a nostalgia for the Advent Calendars I used to do for them when they were (much) smaller. Might think about reinstating it next year, with grown-up goodies this time. The cubs will be, after all, seventeen.

~=o>

And after dinner I badgered the cubs in to sorting out two more boxes/bags of stuff from their rooms. Progress is being forced on them made. :)

Forecast: 19-27
Attained: 19-28

Was just starting a post last night but had to stop cos of a thunderstorm. It was a cracking one, too! Lasted for a couple of hours, rolling over us with intense flashes of light and a couple of thunder peals that shook the house! Not 'fun', precisely, but certainly enlivening. :)

I've checked recently to see if it's still best practice to switch off the computer during storms. It's still recommended, by my isp among others, especially if your modem is connected to the wiring - wireless is fine, apparently - or the wiring in your house is not recent. Check and check. So, better safe than wailing that I have to get a new computer.

~=o>

One of my nephews goes to a hirology club down this way on weekends. I offered to pick him up yesterday and get him home cos it's a sod of a long way for Soulsis to come all the time.
Had the address but wasn't quite sure where it was. Bit of a clue, however, were the men carting clocks around. I just followed them... :)

~=o>

Buddahs at a gardening centre.

I really want to post this pic but blogger's upload thing keeps posting it on its side. This is the only pic I've had so far that's done this so I'm wondering if there was a problem with the way my camera phone initially saved the file. Eh well, it displays normally on the 'puter and will print out fine.

Please to tilt your head when viewing...

Forecast: 20-32
Attained: 19-31

Photocopiers.
I remember the old days, when photocopiers didn't have helpful graphics to show you where the jam was and you had to take the thing apart piece by piece until you found the problem.
And there were none of these modular slip-in-slip-out components. If you removed something from the copier you had to make damn sure you knew how it went back or the result was a machine out of commission until the tech got there.

... I didn't like the old days much. :)


~=o>

Heh, a week after the event and it looks as though the camera in my phone is working again.

It's still a rubbish camera but is ok for emergencies.

~=o>

Two weeks 'til holidays!

Forecast: 17-30
Attained: 16-32


Big Things. I like Big Things.
I haven't seen that many, alas, but of the ones I have seen I like the Big Merino (Goulburn, NSW) the best.

(And I like Google Maps, too.)
It's been a while years since I've visited Rambo, not since he was moved across the highway.



The move came about to increase Rambo's visibility. When the bypass was built you couldn't see him from the road anymore.

This is the Big Koala at Dadswells Bridge, Victoria.

Road-tripped past him a few times but never stopped in. Sometimes cos we're zooming past in the dead of night and it's closed but sometimes (okay, once) because the person I was travelling with refused to indulge me because we were 'running late already'. Humph.
One day I will get to the Koala, oh yes I will, and the tacky souvenirs will be mine, mine!

*ahem*

This is the Big Watermelon Slice, just down the road - sort of - from me.

Technically it's a Big Thing cos, well, it's big, but I think a Big Thing only really qualifies if it's big enough, or potentially big enough, to walk in to. The Slice is only a couple of metres tall.


Last but not least, I saw a big Ned Kelly in Marysborough, QLD, in 2007.

I pondered the question of Why is there a Big Ned Kelly in Qld?
(Yes, yes, I know you can't 'walk in to' this one but as it's considerably bigger than me it counts.)


I have a list of Big Things around Oz I'd like to see. I'd like to see them before they disappear... :)

Forecast: 12-28
Attained: 13-29

Remember the mysterious little paper sculptures that popped up anonymously in Edinburgh earlier this year?
There's been a development!

(And for more more detail of the sculptures, go here.)
:)

~=o>

Want.

http://www.moresoapvicar.com/

But not a good idea to browse when I'm hungry. :)

Forecast: 10-25
Attained: 11-26

Got the cubs' school fees sorted out today. It's going to be more expensive than I'd hoped. [sigh] We'll manage, no doubt.

~=o>

... wut?


see more Lol Celebs

Forecast: 9-23
Attained: 9-21

Completed the registration transfer for Mum's car this morning. Took longer than I expected - cos I'm an eternal optimist and forgot how long you can spend waiting in government departments - but it was relatively straight forward, and I had all the paperwork needed. Phew.
I haz a car... :)

~=o>

I always read through the local community newsletter, it's nice to know what's going on. This edition however, I've taken issue with. There were a couple of articles/editorials that had pictures of the authors, I assumed, but no by-lines. That niggled, not entirely sure why.
Also in this edition was an announcement that the refurbishment of one of the reserves in the area had been completed. 'Awesome!' quoth I, 'I'd like to pop along and see what's been done...!' The reserve was named but no address was given. [grump] I wondered if the editors thought that everyone who lived in the area would of course know where this park was. To compound matters, some of the details of the design blueprints were displayed in impossibly tiny detail. Even in good light with glasses I could barely read it. Crikey, people, don't try and cram so much in! Less details, or expand the print area!
Am I being too picky with what is essentially a volunteer-run publication...?

~=o>

Crafternoon with Penny! Got stuff done, had yummy sammiches and was also given a couple of tomato plants! Excellent afternoon...

~=o>

Detail of the hand-sized fossilized nautilus shell I found in an op-shop last year.

It's one of my favourite things. The pattern looks like fabric. I spend a lot of time fondling it. :)

Forecast: 11-19
Attained: 12-18

So, the phone. I didn't see about getting it fixed/exchanged today cos it was working this morning. Well, nearly everything is back to normal. The camera/camcorder won't start up, which is annoying but ultimately not omfg-end-of-the-world. I can phone and text, use the alarm, play solitaire and listen to radio/music. [shrugs] That'll do. I have my little fuji digital camera for pics.
(As it happens, I'm not near the end of the contract so I'd still have to pay off this phone even if I did get a new one.)

I did manage to salvage the bald muppet pic though!
Can you see it...?

No? How's this?

:)

Forecast: 11-20
Attained: 13-20

Bum. My phone's died a watery death (don't ask). Lucky I archived all those pics last week, eh? The only thing I didn't d/l was the bald muppet pic. Oh well...
(I just tried switching the phone on now, having left it to dry out for about 24 hours after the dunking. It seemed to switch on and behave as normal for a minute or so before freezing and shutting down. Now it's flipping out with occasional flashes of the screen. Bit disconcerting. I might have to put it out of its misery and take the battery out again.)
I think I'm close to the end of the 2 year contract thingy anyway, so getting a replacement shouldn't be a problem. Will see about it tomorrow.

~=o>

Heh, forced the cubs to drag a couple of boxes of stuff out of their rooms this evening and sort through it. They see now it's not that awful a thing to do but no doubt I'll still have to remind them to do it regularly.

~=o>

Ham? Really? I thought it was just a really large potato... [eyebrow]

Yes, the xmas indulgence ham arrived today! 5 kilos of nom, now spread between the 'fridge, freezer and our tummys. :)

Forecast: 10-21
Attained: 11-20

Yay, car is clean and happy and serviced, and passed the roadworthy check! Next I'll find all the necessary paperwork to transfer the registration to me. :)
I think I know where most of it is...

~=o>

Yay, I've finally got the set of original Planet of the Apes movies! When the set was first released - 10 years ago now? - it was $100 and I just couldn't afford it. Today I picked it up for $26. Happy now.

~=o>

Yay, I worked out why my fracking spreadsheet wasn't summing. Or rather, I blundered through the various 'explanations' online and managed to translate the white noise of jargon in to understandable words.
Oh yes, the tutorials are very useful once you know what they're talking about. [grump].
(In summary, don't be sloppy about where you put the sodding formulas. [head desk] Goddamn, M$Excel is written by and for anal retentives...)

~=o>

Some of the danglies on my kitchen cupboards.

Forecast: 11-19
Attained: 10-18

Hm. I think I might need to eat more meat.
And/or follow my doctor's suggestion about iron supplements...

~=o>

Woohoo, long weekend! Dagnabbit, I feel like I've earned it. All being well I won't be needed 'til Wednesday. Which is just as well cos there's a sod of a lot to do before xmas, followed as it is by a rental inspection.

~=o>

Presentation night at the cubs' school! BadgerCub received the Science award for his level. Very chuffed! So's he :)
Plus, bonus, the thing went for 30 minutes less than last year! Woohoo!
([snerk] There was a bald guy two rows ahead of me. The contours of his skull and the dips and folds of flesh looked uncannily like a Muppet blank. You know, the basic form, before they get eyes and stuff. Once I'd noticed that I couldn't look away. Was quite distracting. I have a picture of it but I'm not sure how well it'll work.)