...Christmas! Arrrrgh! Everywhere I go lately there seems to be Christmas stuff everywhere. Shops are stocking cards, and papers and food and decorations already. Westfield was actually playing Christmas carols last weekend which I considered to be absurd! Normally I love Christmas but this really puts me off and I refuse to be pressured into buying Christmas stuff in October. Christmas will be a low-key affair this year and I am working on putting in place some new traditions. It will be sad without Dad this year but I am determined to make this Christmas a much more personal and a little more special and give us some time to reflect on his passing. I have the perfect personal gift for mum and my brother and sister this year and I am stressing a little as I haven't finished and I still have a long way to go! I am typing up Dad's memoirs as he wrote them and the hardest part is trying to translate his writing. The beginning was easy and quite legible but as he got sicker it seemed he tried to get more and more down on paper so the writing is harder to read but I am determined to finish it! My idea is to create a photo book done by companies such as Harvey Norman or the one I am using is from a website called Snapfish who make up beautifully bound books and you use their templates to add stories and photos and they print it out on glossy paper and bound beutifully in a leather or fabric covered book. A friend from work did one for her parents and it is absolutely beautiful! So my mission is to get this done. Writing dad's stories has been very therapeautic for me...I've laughed and cried my way all through it and there are stories he has never told us before. Stories from his childhood and his growing years up until he joined the army and beyond. It will be a wonderful gift I think.
Hmmm...now the week that was...nothing much has happened...well maybe it has but was too insignificant to remember! I really need to make notes! Pretty much work all week...oh wait I did have Friday off as MM's niece got married! She had a very quiet, very private registry wedding then invited us all to The Era Cafe at South Brisbane for her wedding reception. That was really nice! She and her new husband are lovely. They just bought a house a month ago and now here they are, married as well. Very exciting for someone that age! The food was of what MM calls "the yuppy variety" ie no cheerios, sausage rolls or pizzas lol. Still very nice but classy kinds of hors doevres. And there was lots of it! The food kept on coming and everyone was like "no, no more!" The wedding cake was a 3 tier mud cake and very nice.
That morning I went to my favourite stores and bought 2 gorgeous tops that were on sale from Crossroads. I was meant to buy one to wear to the wedding but found 2 I liked and bought both! But being on sale I got both for $40 so that was a steal! They will be ideal for Christmas functions as well. Black and silver with diamontes all through...very pretty and I have to admit I think they actually looked great on me. If you check my Facebook page there is a picture of me at the reception wearing one of the tops. I bought a crocheted black top to wear over top of it as well so that's what I was wearing. I bought jewellery from Diva because I love their costume jewellery! And I had a black feathered fascinator for my hair...so yeah I looked pretty classy for a change!
Sunday I spent some time with my niece Miss 16. She wanted to show me some of her graphic art and asked my opinion. And all I can say is WOW! She is really really good. And I told her so. She was pleasantly surprised at my reaction because honestly they are the sort of pics I would frame and hang on a wall. She hadn't thought they were that good and was amazed that I was so wrapped up in them...think it gave her a bit of a confident boost. Her teacher wanted to enter some in a contest but she didn't think they were good but after knowing I think the same she is seriously thinking she should. She does Film and Television at school along with art and she is very good at drawing and manipulating pics on the computer and its the kind of work she wants to do for a living. I told she could easily work for a magazine or in advertising with that kind of art work and she didn't beleive that would be possible. I bought her a magazine yesterday devoted to graphic art and showed her so now she realises there is a market for that kind of stuff and it is inspiring her now to develop her talents more. She wants to go to TAFE when she finishes school and is excited to know she can do photography and graphic art there rather than going to uni. She also eventually told me she will be presented with an Art award at school on Friday. She didn't think anyone would want to go as friends and family are invited but seeing my excitement at her work she decided to ask me. I told her she wouldn't be able to keep me away! So Friday morning I will be late to work and will go and watch her be presented with her award. Dad was always proud of her artwork as he did art before he lost his hand and always encouraged her in her drawing. So she is really keen to make him proud of her. Will post some of her pics here when I get a free moment.
I am really proud of her...
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
It's hard to soar like an eagle...
...when you work with turkeys.
Well I guess it hasn't been that bad but some days people frustrate me and because I try to be a nice person I find it so hard to not let out inappropriate comments! My tongue is almost ripped to shreds I tell ya!
I've been having a "I really hate my job" kind of week...I don't really HATE my job... it's more that I am more than bored with it and really need the change but with the way things are presently I am not quite game to take the risk of leaving it and hoping that something just as good will fall into my lap. This job is not a bad one and it really does pay very well, so well in fact that my mortgage will be paid up in another 12 months or so which is the incentive I have to stay here at this job. The thing with me is that I have "3 year" cycles. No matter what venture I undertake in life, I get bored with things around the 3 year mark. I have been in this job for 4 years now and really need a new challenge as I have mastered everything and everyone else's jobs so nothing excites me anymore. So unless something really exciting happens or a new challenge pops up I am going to be feeling like I'm stagnating.
On Saturday my brother bought mum a Wii console for her birthday. Oh lordy they are so much fun! My brother, my niece, mum and I all played most of Saturday at 10 pin bowling and baseball and shooting. Didn't we laugh ourselves silly! It was the first time I had heard mum laugh since dad passed and she really had a great time so it was a lovely day.
Sunday I was at mum's again to continue with her de-cluttering. I spent over a month there now and we have barely made a dent! I cannot believe she has so much stuff! We went and bought some packing boxes to start packing stuff she wants to keep but is not using right now. She is really anxious to sell but the way the house is at the moment it's not going to be possible just yet. The back yard is an absolute nightmare...full of bindii and matter of weeds. Dad would cry to see it now...so neglected. He spent so much time out there...his yard and garden was his little patch of paradise. With all of us working though it cannot be helped and with the water restrictions the lawn, what's left of it, is looking pretty drab and disgusting.
Yesterday, Monday, was Mum's birthday so after work, MM, son and I wento to mum's for dinner. We picked up pizza on the way and played a bit of Wii, ate pizza, drank Ricadonna, had what was left of mum's birthday cake she bought home from work and just had a great night. One of mum's sister arrived not long after we did and another couple of her brothers and a sister also phoned her so I think she had a lovely birthday. She was a bit worried because it was her first birthday without dad and he always spoiled her on her birthday but I think we all made up for it and she never really had time to reflect on it. She said she had a really lovely day so I'm glad. Now to get through Christmas! *sigh*
Well I guess it hasn't been that bad but some days people frustrate me and because I try to be a nice person I find it so hard to not let out inappropriate comments! My tongue is almost ripped to shreds I tell ya!
I've been having a "I really hate my job" kind of week...I don't really HATE my job... it's more that I am more than bored with it and really need the change but with the way things are presently I am not quite game to take the risk of leaving it and hoping that something just as good will fall into my lap. This job is not a bad one and it really does pay very well, so well in fact that my mortgage will be paid up in another 12 months or so which is the incentive I have to stay here at this job. The thing with me is that I have "3 year" cycles. No matter what venture I undertake in life, I get bored with things around the 3 year mark. I have been in this job for 4 years now and really need a new challenge as I have mastered everything and everyone else's jobs so nothing excites me anymore. So unless something really exciting happens or a new challenge pops up I am going to be feeling like I'm stagnating.
On Saturday my brother bought mum a Wii console for her birthday. Oh lordy they are so much fun! My brother, my niece, mum and I all played most of Saturday at 10 pin bowling and baseball and shooting. Didn't we laugh ourselves silly! It was the first time I had heard mum laugh since dad passed and she really had a great time so it was a lovely day.
Sunday I was at mum's again to continue with her de-cluttering. I spent over a month there now and we have barely made a dent! I cannot believe she has so much stuff! We went and bought some packing boxes to start packing stuff she wants to keep but is not using right now. She is really anxious to sell but the way the house is at the moment it's not going to be possible just yet. The back yard is an absolute nightmare...full of bindii and matter of weeds. Dad would cry to see it now...so neglected. He spent so much time out there...his yard and garden was his little patch of paradise. With all of us working though it cannot be helped and with the water restrictions the lawn, what's left of it, is looking pretty drab and disgusting.
Yesterday, Monday, was Mum's birthday so after work, MM, son and I wento to mum's for dinner. We picked up pizza on the way and played a bit of Wii, ate pizza, drank Ricadonna, had what was left of mum's birthday cake she bought home from work and just had a great night. One of mum's sister arrived not long after we did and another couple of her brothers and a sister also phoned her so I think she had a lovely birthday. She was a bit worried because it was her first birthday without dad and he always spoiled her on her birthday but I think we all made up for it and she never really had time to reflect on it. She said she had a really lovely day so I'm glad. Now to get through Christmas! *sigh*
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Dum de dum...
Well here I am again...another Monday afternoon where work has quieted down a little.
My weeks lately have been rather uneventful and there's nothing that I can interest you with really! So today's lesson will be my experiences on Queensland Rail Monday through to Friday.
In the last 21 years I have lived in Brisbane and used the city rail network I have seen so many weird and wonderful things! I have realised that there are so many people out there with mental health issues who have slipped through the cracks and it appears they all travel on Cityrail!
I have had a fellow sit beside me on the train who insisted on wanting to tell me his life story and wanting to talk even though it was very clear I had my ipod on and was engrossed in my book. As a rule I don't mind chatting unless I am on the train. When I'm on the train I like to get into "my zone" and listen to music or catch up on reading. I had even politely told the fellow that I really wanted to finish my book and wasn't in the mood to chat and he was like "oh ok then" *big grin* then proceeded to merrily keep chatting away anyway. When I finally got off the train 45 minutes later with a whopping headache a lady who was sitting behind me came up and said she knew how I felt as she usually copped him! She had to end up being rude to him and he has never sat beside her since hence the reason I got him! It's sad as he most probably is very lonely but he was only a young guy, younger than me but obviously has not many friends.
Another time on the way home there was a very dirty, very smelly old man, who smelt like he had bathed in booze and urine at the same time and was sitting in a seat at the back. He had this old garbage bag on the seat beside him and was sitting staring out the window muttering to himself. The train arrived at Central Station and as usual at the end of the working day people poured into the train all desperate for a seat. A well dressed middle aged guy in a suit approached the seat the old guy was in (what was he thinking???) and said I'd like to sit there please and proceeded to move the old guys bag so he could sit. Well...it was like a bomb went off. "Don't you touch my f**** bag you f**** c***!!!" Suit guy almost pee'd himself escaping back down the crowded aisleway with the old dude swearing and cursing about the government and the cops and aliens and ranting and raving. Meanwhile the rest of the passengers were all trying to look away and trying to pretend to be somewhere else! By the way, a lot of people actually moved carriages because the poor guy really stank. I had a seat so decided to put up with the smell and the ranting...again thank god for the ipod!
I have shared carriages with a small group of aboriginal girls who were all squeezed together in a four seater and "chroming". You could smell it and that time I really did have to move or I would have puked and it was making my eyes water! One girl had the very obvious tell tale marks around her nose and mouth and all of the girls were swearing and cursing and if someone looked their way they started abusing them and saying "whachulookinat".
I hate travelling on the train Tuesday to Friday. The trains are always packed like sardines but I'm lucky because I get on at the main stop and the train starts here so I always get a seat. The problem though is that there is a very simple minded young chappy who also catches this same train and always ends up in my carriage. And he is the most annoying person. I think he also has a form of Tourette's. If the train is so much as a second or two late in leaving the platform he will start banging his head on the glass and start throwing around the F-bomb very loudly and making everyone around feel extremely uncomfortable. Us regulars now ignore him as we know he is not all there and thats just how he is. He has another simple minded friend who gets on at the next stop to ours who to his credit keeps telling him to "calm down" and "don't worry about it". But it is something he can't really control so we mostly put up with. Thank god for my ipod as that drowns him out completely!
But the most memorable guy was an oldish fellow who was quite large and when he got on the train was quite packed so he stood in the aisleway. Suddenly he raised his voice and started swearing and cursing atthe person who was standing in front of him. Now it wasn't the poor guy he was yelling at but more that this old guy must have seen his son in this guy and was telling him he was a loser and would amount to nothing. He was saying things like "I told once ya once I told twice all that satan music would get you nowhere...your a loser just like your mother" and so it went on. Then the chap would turn around and find another face in the crowd to start ranting at. After a while he'd get bored with that person and move on down the carriage to pick on someone else. Again very sad but you have to wonder why there are people out there with obvious problems who aren't getting the help they need. It's all very well for us to sit and giggle nervously about "the loony guy" but the numbers seem to grow every day. And sadly for me unless I change jobs and get a car park I will contiunue to have stories like this!
My weeks lately have been rather uneventful and there's nothing that I can interest you with really! So today's lesson will be my experiences on Queensland Rail Monday through to Friday.
In the last 21 years I have lived in Brisbane and used the city rail network I have seen so many weird and wonderful things! I have realised that there are so many people out there with mental health issues who have slipped through the cracks and it appears they all travel on Cityrail!
I have had a fellow sit beside me on the train who insisted on wanting to tell me his life story and wanting to talk even though it was very clear I had my ipod on and was engrossed in my book. As a rule I don't mind chatting unless I am on the train. When I'm on the train I like to get into "my zone" and listen to music or catch up on reading. I had even politely told the fellow that I really wanted to finish my book and wasn't in the mood to chat and he was like "oh ok then" *big grin* then proceeded to merrily keep chatting away anyway. When I finally got off the train 45 minutes later with a whopping headache a lady who was sitting behind me came up and said she knew how I felt as she usually copped him! She had to end up being rude to him and he has never sat beside her since hence the reason I got him! It's sad as he most probably is very lonely but he was only a young guy, younger than me but obviously has not many friends.
Another time on the way home there was a very dirty, very smelly old man, who smelt like he had bathed in booze and urine at the same time and was sitting in a seat at the back. He had this old garbage bag on the seat beside him and was sitting staring out the window muttering to himself. The train arrived at Central Station and as usual at the end of the working day people poured into the train all desperate for a seat. A well dressed middle aged guy in a suit approached the seat the old guy was in (what was he thinking???) and said I'd like to sit there please and proceeded to move the old guys bag so he could sit. Well...it was like a bomb went off. "Don't you touch my f**** bag you f**** c***!!!" Suit guy almost pee'd himself escaping back down the crowded aisleway with the old dude swearing and cursing about the government and the cops and aliens and ranting and raving. Meanwhile the rest of the passengers were all trying to look away and trying to pretend to be somewhere else! By the way, a lot of people actually moved carriages because the poor guy really stank. I had a seat so decided to put up with the smell and the ranting...again thank god for the ipod!
I have shared carriages with a small group of aboriginal girls who were all squeezed together in a four seater and "chroming". You could smell it and that time I really did have to move or I would have puked and it was making my eyes water! One girl had the very obvious tell tale marks around her nose and mouth and all of the girls were swearing and cursing and if someone looked their way they started abusing them and saying "whachulookinat".
I hate travelling on the train Tuesday to Friday. The trains are always packed like sardines but I'm lucky because I get on at the main stop and the train starts here so I always get a seat. The problem though is that there is a very simple minded young chappy who also catches this same train and always ends up in my carriage. And he is the most annoying person. I think he also has a form of Tourette's. If the train is so much as a second or two late in leaving the platform he will start banging his head on the glass and start throwing around the F-bomb very loudly and making everyone around feel extremely uncomfortable. Us regulars now ignore him as we know he is not all there and thats just how he is. He has another simple minded friend who gets on at the next stop to ours who to his credit keeps telling him to "calm down" and "don't worry about it". But it is something he can't really control so we mostly put up with. Thank god for my ipod as that drowns him out completely!
But the most memorable guy was an oldish fellow who was quite large and when he got on the train was quite packed so he stood in the aisleway. Suddenly he raised his voice and started swearing and cursing atthe person who was standing in front of him. Now it wasn't the poor guy he was yelling at but more that this old guy must have seen his son in this guy and was telling him he was a loser and would amount to nothing. He was saying things like "I told once ya once I told twice all that satan music would get you nowhere...your a loser just like your mother" and so it went on. Then the chap would turn around and find another face in the crowd to start ranting at. After a while he'd get bored with that person and move on down the carriage to pick on someone else. Again very sad but you have to wonder why there are people out there with obvious problems who aren't getting the help they need. It's all very well for us to sit and giggle nervously about "the loony guy" but the numbers seem to grow every day. And sadly for me unless I change jobs and get a car park I will contiunue to have stories like this!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Ack! It's Monday Again!!
I swear someone keeps stealing my weekends. I go to sleep on a Friday night and when I wake up again it's Monday! Nooooooooo!
Since my last blog my life has been fairly uneventful. Miss 21 and I attended MM's niece's Bridal Shower last weekend. The first of the current generation of young things in his family to be married. It was a Bridal Shower/Tupperware Party so we were meant to buy enough to allow the bride to be able to buy things for her new home which she and her groom just bought. They will marry at the end of October at a Registry Office then we will all be attending a soiree at a nice restaurant at Southbank. Bride to be is a lovely girl and really the least expected to get married as she had never had a boyfriend until she turned 20 (she is 23 now) and this guy is "The One" and they do make a lovely couple so I hope they will have a lovely life together. She has never been one for a lot of attention so a quiet registry wedding is so definitive of her. He is also her first love so she is very lucky in that respect.
Thursday I had my follow up at the doctors to get back all my final test results and guess what?? Everything is normal! Yay me!!! Even my liver is fine although there is some fat there which can be helped with eating well and exercising (which is what I thought I was doing but anyway...) I have lost nearly 20kg since January and the issues I am having now is due to an underactive thyroid which medication is going to help with so all in all everything is going to be fine. I have to take 25g of Thyroxine which is half of the teeny tiny 50g tablet so I am having so much fun trying to split that little sucker in half!
My weekend was the same as it has been the past couple of weekends...time at mum's cleaning and de-cluttering...I never knew that woman had so much stuff! I don't think she realised she had so much either! At the moment everything is packed outside in the patio area until we hire a skip and then it is all going. All the old furninture has been broken up and ready to be dumped. Everything is so old and dad was always adamant it was all still good so he'd be pretty cranky that it's all going. Sorry Dad! There is no way mum will sell the house with so much stuff in it but already she is feeling like a weight is off her shoulders with it all gone.
The puppies are having a ball as well as they now have more play space although less hidey spaces to hide things! We have uncovered most of Coco's hiding places much to her disgust. The look she gives you as she retrieves her "treasure" to hide again is a classic. And she always makes sure Sasha is nowhere around when she hides things. She is such a funny little thing! I'm pretty sure Sasha was a blonde in her last life...she's very feminine but also quite ditzy and she gets very cranky when the teen next door plays his drums or has his band over rehearsing in their back shed. She stands at the back door and barks and growls. Then when they break she goes back to her bed until the band starts up again then over to the back door again to rouse on them. So funny! While this is going on Coco will be getting cross with Sasha and pawing her in the head telling her to behave herself. Sasha just doesn't like a lot of noise at all!
Since my last blog my life has been fairly uneventful. Miss 21 and I attended MM's niece's Bridal Shower last weekend. The first of the current generation of young things in his family to be married. It was a Bridal Shower/Tupperware Party so we were meant to buy enough to allow the bride to be able to buy things for her new home which she and her groom just bought. They will marry at the end of October at a Registry Office then we will all be attending a soiree at a nice restaurant at Southbank. Bride to be is a lovely girl and really the least expected to get married as she had never had a boyfriend until she turned 20 (she is 23 now) and this guy is "The One" and they do make a lovely couple so I hope they will have a lovely life together. She has never been one for a lot of attention so a quiet registry wedding is so definitive of her. He is also her first love so she is very lucky in that respect.
Thursday I had my follow up at the doctors to get back all my final test results and guess what?? Everything is normal! Yay me!!! Even my liver is fine although there is some fat there which can be helped with eating well and exercising (which is what I thought I was doing but anyway...) I have lost nearly 20kg since January and the issues I am having now is due to an underactive thyroid which medication is going to help with so all in all everything is going to be fine. I have to take 25g of Thyroxine which is half of the teeny tiny 50g tablet so I am having so much fun trying to split that little sucker in half!
My weekend was the same as it has been the past couple of weekends...time at mum's cleaning and de-cluttering...I never knew that woman had so much stuff! I don't think she realised she had so much either! At the moment everything is packed outside in the patio area until we hire a skip and then it is all going. All the old furninture has been broken up and ready to be dumped. Everything is so old and dad was always adamant it was all still good so he'd be pretty cranky that it's all going. Sorry Dad! There is no way mum will sell the house with so much stuff in it but already she is feeling like a weight is off her shoulders with it all gone.
The puppies are having a ball as well as they now have more play space although less hidey spaces to hide things! We have uncovered most of Coco's hiding places much to her disgust. The look she gives you as she retrieves her "treasure" to hide again is a classic. And she always makes sure Sasha is nowhere around when she hides things. She is such a funny little thing! I'm pretty sure Sasha was a blonde in her last life...she's very feminine but also quite ditzy and she gets very cranky when the teen next door plays his drums or has his band over rehearsing in their back shed. She stands at the back door and barks and growls. Then when they break she goes back to her bed until the band starts up again then over to the back door again to rouse on them. So funny! While this is going on Coco will be getting cross with Sasha and pawing her in the head telling her to behave herself. Sasha just doesn't like a lot of noise at all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)