The old person strictly forbids me to set my sewing machine up on the dining room table for any reason. Most of my craft and art work he regards as "women's hobby" stuff and not one scrap of it he takes seriously. But if I do not go and admire his mowing, particularly in an area where I have repeatedly asked him not to work, I am useless, a cow and lazy among other insults not printable on the internet.
So there is a major difference between us just here, as you can imagine.
This morning the old person decided to use the Gift Card to purchase some trousers to wear to the races tomorrow. Someone has gained 20kg in 2007 and none of his old clothes fit him. But to go from size 95 to 107 is just too much. The new pants are about 6 inches too long.
Oh, so I can set up my sewing machine to take up the hems of his pants.
"That is what you got it for isn't it?"
If I hit him with the machine, do you think I could plead mitigating circumstances?
31 December, 2007
28 December, 2007
Laptop dramas ...
Just over 12 months ago, I purchased a laptop computer. Nothing fancy, but I could use it for my course and being a laptop it was portable if I needed to travel. Note: USB stick is better for portability.
Well, when I bought it, I also bought a Telstra wireless modem to plug into it, and agreed to pay an exorbitant amount of money per month for 20 hours of wireless usage. This was fine, some months I used all 20 hours, and some I did not.
Well late last year, I received an e-mail from bigpond telling me I should download some stuff from them to make the whole thing work faster. So I did.
BIG MISTAKE.
I could no longer access the internet. I tried a few things, but nothing worked. I contacted them by e-mail, but they said I should take it to a Telstra store. However, with going back to work full time and other things, I just was never able to do it until today.
I go to MacArthur Square, to the Telstra store there. Needless to say, they haven't got a clue. To his credit, the young man gave me a disc to upgrade the internet connection. Telling me to make sure I uninstalled anything I had previously.
I went home, uninstalled everything that was internet related, then put in the disc, whir, whir, rumble rumble and it was away. Everything went fine, until it tried to get a connection to big pond. The wireless modem was receiving signal, the graph on the screen confirmed there was signal coming in, but still not able to connect.
I ring the technical support. Try this, I do it, no avail, try that, I do it, no avail. this, that, this, that. Finally, he comes to the conculsion that I must have one of the few modems that has actually been killed by this download. WTF?
So, they are going to issue me with a new one. This happened while the modem was under warranty, so technically I am entitled to a new one. First I have to pay $290, and when I receive the new one, I have to ring them then they will rebate the money. I have to return the old "dead" modem. They can have it, no problems. The main worry I have is that I put an extra $300 into my account to cover this and Telstra being an ex-government department may
interpret an immediate refund as about six weeks.
Oh, and since it was possible that a virus or something like that could have caused this, I have signed on for $99 per year worth of bigpond anti -virus, -phishing, -other complicated nasty things that people can do to other people's computers software. Don't get me wrong, I am not good at any security stuff, and this will be a blessing, as long as it doesn't tell me my blog is actually a virus, my USB is actually a virus, etc. Even Mark Frauenfelder who wrote "Rule the Web" recommends this sort of security.
My poor sick laptop. I so love that little machine - well as much as you can become emotionally attached to a machine. Mind you, I don't love it as much as my sewing machines.
Now I have to go do my photos for my bilum blog or I will be behind the 8 ball when Sharonb starts her challenge next week.
Oh, the drama of it all :)
Well, when I bought it, I also bought a Telstra wireless modem to plug into it, and agreed to pay an exorbitant amount of money per month for 20 hours of wireless usage. This was fine, some months I used all 20 hours, and some I did not.
Well late last year, I received an e-mail from bigpond telling me I should download some stuff from them to make the whole thing work faster. So I did.
BIG MISTAKE.
I could no longer access the internet. I tried a few things, but nothing worked. I contacted them by e-mail, but they said I should take it to a Telstra store. However, with going back to work full time and other things, I just was never able to do it until today.
I go to MacArthur Square, to the Telstra store there. Needless to say, they haven't got a clue. To his credit, the young man gave me a disc to upgrade the internet connection. Telling me to make sure I uninstalled anything I had previously.
I went home, uninstalled everything that was internet related, then put in the disc, whir, whir, rumble rumble and it was away. Everything went fine, until it tried to get a connection to big pond. The wireless modem was receiving signal, the graph on the screen confirmed there was signal coming in, but still not able to connect.
I ring the technical support. Try this, I do it, no avail, try that, I do it, no avail. this, that, this, that. Finally, he comes to the conculsion that I must have one of the few modems that has actually been killed by this download. WTF?
So, they are going to issue me with a new one. This happened while the modem was under warranty, so technically I am entitled to a new one. First I have to pay $290, and when I receive the new one, I have to ring them then they will rebate the money. I have to return the old "dead" modem. They can have it, no problems. The main worry I have is that I put an extra $300 into my account to cover this and Telstra being an ex-government department may
interpret an immediate refund as about six weeks.
Oh, and since it was possible that a virus or something like that could have caused this, I have signed on for $99 per year worth of bigpond anti -virus, -phishing, -other complicated nasty things that people can do to other people's computers software. Don't get me wrong, I am not good at any security stuff, and this will be a blessing, as long as it doesn't tell me my blog is actually a virus, my USB is actually a virus, etc. Even Mark Frauenfelder who wrote "Rule the Web" recommends this sort of security.
My poor sick laptop. I so love that little machine - well as much as you can become emotionally attached to a machine. Mind you, I don't love it as much as my sewing machines.
Now I have to go do my photos for my bilum blog or I will be behind the 8 ball when Sharonb starts her challenge next week.
Oh, the drama of it all :)
27 December, 2007
Long and drawn out ...
Today has been one of those days - again. We went shopping this morning, just to the local Mall. I had decided I needed some new tops. No big deal, there are a couple of good shops selling nice, reasonable quality larger size clothing. So I tell the old person to go and use his gift card from the daughter in the shops it was for to get himself some jocks.
Off we go. I got some lovely tops, ones that I am very happy with. Then I took Granson2 and we sat and waited for the old person outside KMart, where he knows we always sit and wait for him. Half an hour goes by and we still haven't found him. The daughter had taken Grandson1 and visited some shops. So we went to the upstairs entrance. There is the old person, waiting for us.
"Where have you been?" I asked him.
"Waiting outside the Newsagency".
"Why, we have never arranged to meet there before?"
"Well that's where I was and you should have known and met me there".
Okay, so does anyone have any mind reading courses going?
Am I missing something here? He does things like this all the time. He totally refuses to use a mobile phone, even though all his friends, who are like 15 to 20 years older than him use them. And are very glad to do so. But he insists I am the stupid one and he is the brains and we should always listen to what he tells us. Why? So we can die faster?
Anyhow, I also got a new handbag. I have used the pink one I got last Christmas from my father all year. I want to pull out the lining of that, put in new, quality lining, clean it up somewhat, and keep it for other things. The new one is similar quality leather, but is a greyish blue rather like a lighter gunmetal. I really like it.
Her ladyship seems to have been a bit down today, probably because we were gone, and have not paid her all that much attention. Poor thing.
Off we go. I got some lovely tops, ones that I am very happy with. Then I took Granson2 and we sat and waited for the old person outside KMart, where he knows we always sit and wait for him. Half an hour goes by and we still haven't found him. The daughter had taken Grandson1 and visited some shops. So we went to the upstairs entrance. There is the old person, waiting for us.
"Where have you been?" I asked him.
"Waiting outside the Newsagency".
"Why, we have never arranged to meet there before?"
"Well that's where I was and you should have known and met me there".
Okay, so does anyone have any mind reading courses going?
Am I missing something here? He does things like this all the time. He totally refuses to use a mobile phone, even though all his friends, who are like 15 to 20 years older than him use them. And are very glad to do so. But he insists I am the stupid one and he is the brains and we should always listen to what he tells us. Why? So we can die faster?
Anyhow, I also got a new handbag. I have used the pink one I got last Christmas from my father all year. I want to pull out the lining of that, put in new, quality lining, clean it up somewhat, and keep it for other things. The new one is similar quality leather, but is a greyish blue rather like a lighter gunmetal. I really like it.
Her ladyship seems to have been a bit down today, probably because we were gone, and have not paid her all that much attention. Poor thing.
26 December, 2007
The day after the day before ...
So yesterday was Christmas day 2007. Today it is Boxing Day. The paper said David Jones stores would be open at 7:00am. So we hied ourselves off to MacArthur Square, only to discover it was closed. All that way for nothing. So we took the boys to the Bowling Alley and let them have four games of bowling. The younger grandson beat the older grandson three games to one. The older grandson was so not impressed. But the younger one learns as he goes along and kept bowling five down the first ball and many of the rest with the second ball. The older could not work it consistently. He doesn't learn to adapt as quickly. Yet of the two boys, he is the smarter academically. And the younger boy is a left hander, but bowled with his right hand.
It was a fun day for them and meant our day was not completely written off.
The other sister is coming up from Canberra on the weekend. It will be good to see her. She has been studying flat out this year and we have not had much contact. Last time she came up we all went to Darling Harbour with the sister and had a good day wandering around the mall there. We had lunch and then out doors for coffee. It was winter and the outdoors place had outdoor heaters, which are a novelty to me. But the Harbour is lovely any time of the year.
This is Luna Park from under Sydney Harbour bridge, taken back in January 2007 when the three of us and the sister's Sunnyboy went walking around from Circular Quay to Winyard Station via the Rocks. There are some stunningly lovely places around there and some quite old places as well. Those were the only two times this year that the three of us were together. The sister is talking about moving back to Cairns next year, so we may not be together again, ever.
Then to top it off we hear rumours that our father is going to get the internet on. He hasn't been online for a good many years, and he will notice the difference. It is funny to think how it has all changed since I first started on the net some 10+ years ago. But the face of Google and Altavista are pretty much as they were then. Of course, they have changed internally and in reach. There was very little by way of blogging back then. I don't think I read any blogs. Still some of my favourites from then are still current, new ones have appeared, I have learnt to interact on forums, I have begun blogging myself and I am learning Website Design at TAFE in the evenings. So I hope by the end of my course, after semester one this year, this blog should be much better looking and more useful, and hopefully have a little more traffic.
I have quite a few plans for it, for 2008, including video, artwork and maybe a little advertising. I might also do book reviews, just for the heck of it. I would like to get my other blogs more seamlessly intergrated with this one, especially my horse training and craft blogs. Still, it will depend on my time constraints and what I actually end up doing this year. I have committed to finishing my course, naturally enough, and I have committed to a craft Challenge once a month, as well as my job, to which I return part time after the Christmas break. Depending, I guess, on my workload with all that what will become of my blog. The nights I go to classes I wont blog, because I refuse to blog at work.
I haven't made a final decision on the Diploma as I want to move at the end of next year, although I guess I should start it here even if I finish in QLD, because their fee is about double that of NSW.
My other non computing resolution for this year is to loose weight and actually get of the old derrier and exercise. lol.
Chances are ....
25 December, 2007
Joyeaux Noel
(I am not very good at Klatchian - am I a NKSB?)
Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and so on. It is the Celebration of Christmas. The celebration of the birth of Christ. The Catholic Church would have us believe that Jesus is therefore 2007 years old. But the general belief is that he was born in about 6BC. The choice of December 25th is harking back to the Saturnalia celebrations of the (Northern) Winter Solstice. It was the traditional end of the agricultural year.
Later, the Celebration of Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) was added, and thus came the tradition of giving and receiving gifts - although many traditions have gift giving involved. The Germanic tradition of decorated trees - likely a Norse religious tradition - was introduced to the English speaking world by Prince Albert, Prince consort (husband) to Queen Victoria in the 19th Century.
We celebrate Christmas in our family by giving and receiving gifts - loads for the children, and a few each for the adults. We will eat ham and pork today, but most years we have cold chicken, and salad. We will at some stage have plumb pudding and custard. Most of what we eat is chosen by the old person.
The boys will play with their gifts for the remainder of the week and then spend the remainder of their holidays complaining about how bored they are. This is some childhood tradition, I suppose.
I received an Ood, some hatching dragon ornaments and a pair of pedal pushers. The old person received a bag for going to the races and a gift card for K-Mart. The daughter got a gift card for Sanity, a light blanket, a footspa from her boys - where the boys received pencil cases and all of the items that you can imagine go in a pencil case and then some, a tamagotchi - electronic pets, books, t-shirts, sneakers and other junk.
I am happy with my things, the old person is happy, the daughter is happy and the boys are happy.
Happy Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and so on. It is the Celebration of Christmas. The celebration of the birth of Christ. The Catholic Church would have us believe that Jesus is therefore 2007 years old. But the general belief is that he was born in about 6BC. The choice of December 25th is harking back to the Saturnalia celebrations of the (Northern) Winter Solstice. It was the traditional end of the agricultural year.
Later, the Celebration of Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) was added, and thus came the tradition of giving and receiving gifts - although many traditions have gift giving involved. The Germanic tradition of decorated trees - likely a Norse religious tradition - was introduced to the English speaking world by Prince Albert, Prince consort (husband) to Queen Victoria in the 19th Century.
We celebrate Christmas in our family by giving and receiving gifts - loads for the children, and a few each for the adults. We will eat ham and pork today, but most years we have cold chicken, and salad. We will at some stage have plumb pudding and custard. Most of what we eat is chosen by the old person.
The boys will play with their gifts for the remainder of the week and then spend the remainder of their holidays complaining about how bored they are. This is some childhood tradition, I suppose.
I received an Ood, some hatching dragon ornaments and a pair of pedal pushers. The old person received a bag for going to the races and a gift card for K-Mart. The daughter got a gift card for Sanity, a light blanket, a footspa from her boys - where the boys received pencil cases and all of the items that you can imagine go in a pencil case and then some, a tamagotchi - electronic pets, books, t-shirts, sneakers and other junk.
I am happy with my things, the old person is happy, the daughter is happy and the boys are happy.
Happy Christmas.
23 December, 2007
It's done ...
I mostly blog about my horses on my horse blogs. But I want to share this experience with non horse people as well. As I have mentioned previously, we have been bogged down with the mare because Equine Influenza has been bought into this country. It stopped racing for three months and put a stop to much breeding in the TB and other horse industries. It has seen the deaths of several horses, mostly non TB, and quite a few foals. It has been a tragedy, and something I and others have been quite angry about.
Much of my anger has been at AQIS the quarantine service, although many people on the forums were angry with TB owners in general, and I have had a tough time defending not just myself, but others as well. This has been frustrating to say the least.
And even though it is late December, we are still restricted, and I cannot move my mare and I cannot have a companion come in for her. She has been very dependent on me and my family to provide her with company - not something we can easily do although we try very hard for her.
On Friday, I rang the vet's office to find out what was going on with the vaccines, since it was five weeks since I had heard from them and given them my information. I was then informed that in the next few days, we would be visited by the vet for the vaccine. No day or time. However, I was assured the vet would contact me prior to coming. That way I could get the mare and have her ready.
Yesterday (Saturday) around 1.00pm, the vet rang to say he would arrive around 3.00pm. I had to find another halter for her, since she had just broken hers the day before. Luckily we had an old one lying around. A quick clean of the dust and we put it on her. We found her lead. Usually she is so good, we don't need a lead and it rarely gets used.
Another thing about the mare is that she loves our vet, and she would go home with him if he would take her. He can walk up to her, put a needle in her neck and she will nicker friendly at him as though he had actually give her a big hug.
So just as it is about to rain, the vet comes in a new vehicle. He has to don a "spacesuit", a disposable overall with a hood. He has on blue disposable gloves. The mare is convinced this is an alien and he is coming into her paddock! I really thought she was going to pull her lead off me and bolt. But he spoke to her, and right away she relaxed ("Oh, its you"). She offers him her neck, as usual, he puts in the needle with the microchip, she flinched a little. Then she didn't seem to notice the needle with the vaccine. It was as easy as that. She neighed after him as he walked back to his car.
The vet removed all his disposables, hands them to me, so I can dispose of them. They only have "our" germs on them. I had to sign some paperwork, put a label in her passport. Off he went.
He is a very nice man, he really knows his stuff with horses, very professional.
So the mare is fine this morning; there can be slight side effects. There was a slight warm lump where the microchip is, but I will keep an eye on that. At least she wasn't off her food.
Oh, and the sister came to visit yesterday. It was lovely to see her. I am glad racing is back on, because the old person doesn't like the sister, and I can only invite her over when he is there. The daughter and grandsons have gone to Woollongong for a couple of days.
Much of my anger has been at AQIS the quarantine service, although many people on the forums were angry with TB owners in general, and I have had a tough time defending not just myself, but others as well. This has been frustrating to say the least.
And even though it is late December, we are still restricted, and I cannot move my mare and I cannot have a companion come in for her. She has been very dependent on me and my family to provide her with company - not something we can easily do although we try very hard for her.
On Friday, I rang the vet's office to find out what was going on with the vaccines, since it was five weeks since I had heard from them and given them my information. I was then informed that in the next few days, we would be visited by the vet for the vaccine. No day or time. However, I was assured the vet would contact me prior to coming. That way I could get the mare and have her ready.
Yesterday (Saturday) around 1.00pm, the vet rang to say he would arrive around 3.00pm. I had to find another halter for her, since she had just broken hers the day before. Luckily we had an old one lying around. A quick clean of the dust and we put it on her. We found her lead. Usually she is so good, we don't need a lead and it rarely gets used.
Another thing about the mare is that she loves our vet, and she would go home with him if he would take her. He can walk up to her, put a needle in her neck and she will nicker friendly at him as though he had actually give her a big hug.
So just as it is about to rain, the vet comes in a new vehicle. He has to don a "spacesuit", a disposable overall with a hood. He has on blue disposable gloves. The mare is convinced this is an alien and he is coming into her paddock! I really thought she was going to pull her lead off me and bolt. But he spoke to her, and right away she relaxed ("Oh, its you"). She offers him her neck, as usual, he puts in the needle with the microchip, she flinched a little. Then she didn't seem to notice the needle with the vaccine. It was as easy as that. She neighed after him as he walked back to his car.
The vet removed all his disposables, hands them to me, so I can dispose of them. They only have "our" germs on them. I had to sign some paperwork, put a label in her passport. Off he went.
He is a very nice man, he really knows his stuff with horses, very professional.
So the mare is fine this morning; there can be slight side effects. There was a slight warm lump where the microchip is, but I will keep an eye on that. At least she wasn't off her food.
Oh, and the sister came to visit yesterday. It was lovely to see her. I am glad racing is back on, because the old person doesn't like the sister, and I can only invite her over when he is there. The daughter and grandsons have gone to Woollongong for a couple of days.
21 December, 2007
Late - as usual ...
Here I am up late again, suffering from insomnia. Two nights ago it was because I had chicken for dinner, but tonight, I have no idea. Just cannot switch off, relax and sleep. I have trawled the internet for hours to no avail. So I am here to write.
Finally I have three weeks off work, and return back to my part time work in mid January. I have offered to come in on the second enrolment day, which is a Monday. They will trade me another day, which suits me. At least I don't have to fuss and bother about my own enrolment. I just have to tick the boxes of accepting on some webpage and a bill will be forthcoming which I can also pay online.
It is shaping up to be a long, but good year. Long, because again I will be working and doing night classes. They muttered something about Tuesdays and Thursdays so I will have to be careful with my rest to make sure I get enough sleep. Good, because we will be getting her ladyship vaccinated against EI any day now, and we will not have to worry about it any more.
By the time the breeding season comes around, she should be okay to travel wherever she has to go and not have to worry. A dear online friend has assured me she will be fine being both vaccinated and microchipped.
She broke her halter today, so she will have the temporary inconvenience of a rope halter when she gets her shot, and hopefully Sunday the old person will travel to Narellan and get her a new one. She has had that halter about four years so it doesn't owe us a thing - i.e. we will not fix it.
I once dreamed of leather halters for my horses, but my budget is more realistic. Nylon flat strap it is, then.
Tomorrow I will start on all those crafty things I have been pondering the last few weeks, and hopefully will have an update soon.
Finally I have three weeks off work, and return back to my part time work in mid January. I have offered to come in on the second enrolment day, which is a Monday. They will trade me another day, which suits me. At least I don't have to fuss and bother about my own enrolment. I just have to tick the boxes of accepting on some webpage and a bill will be forthcoming which I can also pay online.
It is shaping up to be a long, but good year. Long, because again I will be working and doing night classes. They muttered something about Tuesdays and Thursdays so I will have to be careful with my rest to make sure I get enough sleep. Good, because we will be getting her ladyship vaccinated against EI any day now, and we will not have to worry about it any more.
By the time the breeding season comes around, she should be okay to travel wherever she has to go and not have to worry. A dear online friend has assured me she will be fine being both vaccinated and microchipped.
She broke her halter today, so she will have the temporary inconvenience of a rope halter when she gets her shot, and hopefully Sunday the old person will travel to Narellan and get her a new one. She has had that halter about four years so it doesn't owe us a thing - i.e. we will not fix it.
I once dreamed of leather halters for my horses, but my budget is more realistic. Nylon flat strap it is, then.
Tomorrow I will start on all those crafty things I have been pondering the last few weeks, and hopefully will have an update soon.
20 December, 2007
OOOoooh ... I want one ...
Every now and then I wander the fringes of the internet and I came across this guy. His latest load of video rants he is running a competition to "outnerd" him. He was showing around his garage/shed (it's an Aussie bloke thing). He has boxes of Judge Dredd comix! All I have is the Judge Dredd video with Silvester Stallone. But I could never "outnerd" Angry. I will be very surprised if anyone can. I try to pretend I am more sophisticated than that, but really, deep down, I am a crazy nerd. Afterall I am a Babyboomer, and so many of us are like that.
I have a laptop computer, a mobile phone, okay I don't have an MP3 player nor a portable DVD, I have to draw a line somewhere. I do have loads of Star Trek stuff, and the daughter is a crazy Dr Who fanantic. I have started collecting the Star Gate TV series, and have the movie that they made before the TV series. Somewhere is the Matrix movies - the daughter was a crazy Keanu Reeves fan since she was about 10. Actually, I think she is nuttier than me! And she is a generation Y, not X. The grandsons are about on a par with her as well.
The scarey thing is, my sister is also like this too. At least she and I have different Fantasy taste, although we are both Pratchett fans, where the daughter is not.
Oh, and I am the only one with a job.
I have a laptop computer, a mobile phone, okay I don't have an MP3 player nor a portable DVD, I have to draw a line somewhere. I do have loads of Star Trek stuff, and the daughter is a crazy Dr Who fanantic. I have started collecting the Star Gate TV series, and have the movie that they made before the TV series. Somewhere is the Matrix movies - the daughter was a crazy Keanu Reeves fan since she was about 10. Actually, I think she is nuttier than me! And she is a generation Y, not X. The grandsons are about on a par with her as well.
The scarey thing is, my sister is also like this too. At least she and I have different Fantasy taste, although we are both Pratchett fans, where the daughter is not.
Oh, and I am the only one with a job.
19 December, 2007
Let me see ...
We had a very special visitor last night, Bruce "our" Koala. The daughter noticed him running along and he dashed up this tree. He is about a metre from me here, and was totally unafraid of me. I almost could have reached out and touched him.
He is about 75cm tall, has a scent gland on his chest denoting him as a male. He was just so cute.
The daughter looked up on the 'net and discovered he is a Northern Koala. He is a grey colour with a white stomach and silver hair on his face. In the photograph below, you can see his scent gland better, and the fact he does not have a pouch.
It is a pity his eyes reflected the flash of the camera, but it was pitch black outside. We didn't want other lights scaring him: we thought the flash might have sent him off completely. It didn't.
I stirred them all up at work saying I had pictures of my new boyfriend. They all had a look and a good giggle. The librarian who is a bear collector, I told her I had a picture of an even better teddy than she had. Since I know that she has a very valuable collection of teddies, she was very sceptical. But she went and saw grizzlies in Canada and Alaska last year, so finally I could pay her back.
He took off about 20 minutes later back to his tree, just at the end of our house, and later I heard him calling out to the girls. What a racket. It was a very special moment to be up close and personal with a truly wild creature. He is such a darling.
18 December, 2007
Funeral ...
I went to the funeral of the Security guard from work who passed away last week.
The Boss put on a bus, and we travelled to Woranora (?sp) cemetery for the service. It was held at one of the Chapels there. I stood with a large group outside. I signed the guest book. There were so many people from work there. It was a very dignified service put on by White Lady funerals. A lovely recorded song played while the coffin was bought in from the hearse and placed on a stand in the Chapel. A pair of his golf sticks were leant against it with his straw hat.
Members of the family spoke about him, and the lady from White Lady funerals spoke very eloquently. A family man whose life was his family especially his grandchildren. He was a keen punter and golfer. Infact, he died playing golf. But a lovely man, very much the definition of a gentleman.
Afterwards, the family and their friends went to Bankstown Trotting Club, but we all went back to work. There was wine and nibblies back at work. Later, this afternoon the Boss bought a couple of cakes for us to pig out on.
I was glad that I went.
The Boss put on a bus, and we travelled to Woranora (?sp) cemetery for the service. It was held at one of the Chapels there. I stood with a large group outside. I signed the guest book. There were so many people from work there. It was a very dignified service put on by White Lady funerals. A lovely recorded song played while the coffin was bought in from the hearse and placed on a stand in the Chapel. A pair of his golf sticks were leant against it with his straw hat.
Members of the family spoke about him, and the lady from White Lady funerals spoke very eloquently. A family man whose life was his family especially his grandchildren. He was a keen punter and golfer. Infact, he died playing golf. But a lovely man, very much the definition of a gentleman.
Afterwards, the family and their friends went to Bankstown Trotting Club, but we all went back to work. There was wine and nibblies back at work. Later, this afternoon the Boss bought a couple of cakes for us to pig out on.
I was glad that I went.
15 December, 2007
Sleepless ...
I have been trying to sleep for the last hour and a half, to no avail. This happens from time to time, and is one of the reasons I cut down on my work, because I am invariably tired the next day. I cannot sleep past 6 am no matter how much I want to. I have to be up and make sure her ladyship is fed, and has a fly veil on if necessary. It's just me.
My mind has been going over the fact that I have a Wedding Scrapbook to prepare these holidays. One of the ladies where I work got married last October and as she is such a very nice person and was very helpful and kind to the daughter, I offered to Scrapbook her Wedding as a Wedding Present. Yesterday she finally gave me the CD with the photos on it, and this morning the daughter and I looked at them. They are beautiful photos, it was a beautiful wedding. The couple were married in Vanuatu. Lovely Tropical Island setting. Very Romantic. I have been mulling over ways to prepare the Album for them, make it something they will treasure. I would like to make two smaller ones for their friends who went over to witness for them. So I will be quite busy. I will document the album on my other blog, http://bilum.blogspot.com. So you can track it there from just after Christmas. I have too much other stuff this week to finish for Christmas to think much more about it.
I went Christmas shopping today. Ugh! My feet and ankles were killing me. I should have worn my laceup shoes and not slip ons. Still, I got the old person a useful bag, for him to take to the races, it will hold all his kit: his newspapers, his tranny, his pen, his glasses that he refuses to wear, even though he is almost blind as a bat without them, his munchies and any other goodies he wants to take. Since I really like it and I am pretty chuffed with finding it, I doubt he will appreciate it at all. It is the way he is.
I managed to get some nifty little dodahs for the ladies at work, and not very expensive. I just need to find something for the boss. I don't think he will particularly care what I get him, as long as it isn't kitch. I have to make a few more Christmas cards and that's it. I am more organised this year than I thought I would be.
I will get the daughter a store card, she can get what she wants with it. Probably layby some expensive DVD set she is always talking about. She said get junk for the boys, so I will buy them some useful junk. They are at an age where useful junk is good. I think I will get similar useful junk for the newphew as well. His birthday is on Tuesday, he will be 11. One more year and he will be in High School. They grow up so quickly. He is a very bright boy and I think maybe a bit too smart for his age.
I will report on the Christmas booty afterwards. lol.
My mind has been going over the fact that I have a Wedding Scrapbook to prepare these holidays. One of the ladies where I work got married last October and as she is such a very nice person and was very helpful and kind to the daughter, I offered to Scrapbook her Wedding as a Wedding Present. Yesterday she finally gave me the CD with the photos on it, and this morning the daughter and I looked at them. They are beautiful photos, it was a beautiful wedding. The couple were married in Vanuatu. Lovely Tropical Island setting. Very Romantic. I have been mulling over ways to prepare the Album for them, make it something they will treasure. I would like to make two smaller ones for their friends who went over to witness for them. So I will be quite busy. I will document the album on my other blog, http://bilum.blogspot.com. So you can track it there from just after Christmas. I have too much other stuff this week to finish for Christmas to think much more about it.
I went Christmas shopping today. Ugh! My feet and ankles were killing me. I should have worn my laceup shoes and not slip ons. Still, I got the old person a useful bag, for him to take to the races, it will hold all his kit: his newspapers, his tranny, his pen, his glasses that he refuses to wear, even though he is almost blind as a bat without them, his munchies and any other goodies he wants to take. Since I really like it and I am pretty chuffed with finding it, I doubt he will appreciate it at all. It is the way he is.
I managed to get some nifty little dodahs for the ladies at work, and not very expensive. I just need to find something for the boss. I don't think he will particularly care what I get him, as long as it isn't kitch. I have to make a few more Christmas cards and that's it. I am more organised this year than I thought I would be.
I will get the daughter a store card, she can get what she wants with it. Probably layby some expensive DVD set she is always talking about. She said get junk for the boys, so I will buy them some useful junk. They are at an age where useful junk is good. I think I will get similar useful junk for the newphew as well. His birthday is on Tuesday, he will be 11. One more year and he will be in High School. They grow up so quickly. He is a very bright boy and I think maybe a bit too smart for his age.
I will report on the Christmas booty afterwards. lol.
14 December, 2007
Aftermaths ...
Well, the post mortems came today, about what had happened yesterday at the luncheon. It was generally accepted it wasn't bad, but many of the guys got drunk and stayed back till late. The person who had been rude to me the first year I had gone, turned up. He mentioned not seeing me, and I replied it might have been because I did not go. It means the other lady can go, and they seem to enjoy her company alot more. Even though he no longer works there, he still casts a long shadow; and since he was there yesterday, I am so glad I was not.
I have been invited to the funeral of the guy who died. My work is putting on a bus for us, so I said I would go. I will have to take a box of tissues. I have never been one for crying in a hankie (hankies are germy). I can probably knock together a decent enough outfit, hopefully remember to wear dark sox, not pink or turquoise ones and borrow a handbag off the daughter. My present handbag is a girly pink number from kiik. I love it, it was a Christmas pressie from my father last Christmas when I went to visit him. But probably not the best thing to take to a funeral.
I have not been to a funeral for quite a few years. It will be a bit strange. Also being with some of the people from work, who I do not particularly like as people. I don't know if I should take some flowers or not. I better ask someone I suppose. I feel very bad for his family being so close to Christmas and all.
Funerals have a tendency to make me think of my own mortality and I do not like doing that. I don't like to get maudlin; which I have a tendency to do.
Very quiet day and now the old person is watching a Western and trying to convince me to watch as well. Aaarrggh!
I have been invited to the funeral of the guy who died. My work is putting on a bus for us, so I said I would go. I will have to take a box of tissues. I have never been one for crying in a hankie (hankies are germy). I can probably knock together a decent enough outfit, hopefully remember to wear dark sox, not pink or turquoise ones and borrow a handbag off the daughter. My present handbag is a girly pink number from kiik. I love it, it was a Christmas pressie from my father last Christmas when I went to visit him. But probably not the best thing to take to a funeral.
I have not been to a funeral for quite a few years. It will be a bit strange. Also being with some of the people from work, who I do not particularly like as people. I don't know if I should take some flowers or not. I better ask someone I suppose. I feel very bad for his family being so close to Christmas and all.
Funerals have a tendency to make me think of my own mortality and I do not like doing that. I don't like to get maudlin; which I have a tendency to do.
Very quiet day and now the old person is watching a Western and trying to convince me to watch as well. Aaarrggh!
13 December, 2007
A long, long day ...
I am quite tired. I have had a very long day.
The office went off on its annual Christmas Party, and I elected to stay back and "man" the switchboard and keep things running. This was after we all had breakfast at 8:30 am, consisting of eggs, bacon and sausages on a bun. A very soft hamburger bun. And Champagne and Orange juice, just to be really decadent. I think most people had more of the champers than OJ. Still that is people for you.
Then at 11:oo am they all hied off to the Bowling Club for lunch.
I went the first year I was there. One of the guys got extremely drunk, was extremely rude and disgusting. Then I had to work with him on an almost daily basis for 18 months. So last year and this year, I opted to not go. It meant one of the other ladies, with whom they are all great pals, could go with them, as for the past several years she had never been. They will still be the same tomorrow, but I will not have seen them today.
It was a bit boring, but boring is better than obnoxious. A few teachers did not go, and some came back early and they expressed their appreciation of us keeping the place going. The other person was the Temp; when you temp, you are like nobody anyhow. Maybe I should go temp.
The office went off on its annual Christmas Party, and I elected to stay back and "man" the switchboard and keep things running. This was after we all had breakfast at 8:30 am, consisting of eggs, bacon and sausages on a bun. A very soft hamburger bun. And Champagne and Orange juice, just to be really decadent. I think most people had more of the champers than OJ. Still that is people for you.
Then at 11:oo am they all hied off to the Bowling Club for lunch.
I went the first year I was there. One of the guys got extremely drunk, was extremely rude and disgusting. Then I had to work with him on an almost daily basis for 18 months. So last year and this year, I opted to not go. It meant one of the other ladies, with whom they are all great pals, could go with them, as for the past several years she had never been. They will still be the same tomorrow, but I will not have seen them today.
It was a bit boring, but boring is better than obnoxious. A few teachers did not go, and some came back early and they expressed their appreciation of us keeping the place going. The other person was the Temp; when you temp, you are like nobody anyhow. Maybe I should go temp.
12 December, 2007
So very, very sad ....
Yesterday afternoon at work one of my coworkers took a call to say that the afternoon security guard had had a heart attack and would not be in.
This morning when I got in, the morning security guard came in and told us he was on life support in hospital and the prognosis was not good. In fact, his family would be asked to switch his life support off. Then this afternoon, his son-in-law phone to say he had passed away just after lunchtime. It is just so very sad. He was such a lovely man, tall, lanky, about 62 years old. He would sometimes bring his grandchildren in. They were his whole life, that little boy and girl, and he was theirs too. I feel so sad for them with their Pops dying.
Sometimes of a night, when I would sit outside and have a smoke, he would come and talk to me. Next year he was going to retire and take his grandkids to Disneyland, in the USA. He knew alot about many things, and was always bright and great to talk to. I am really going to miss him. It still hasn't sunk in he is gone.
All this is tempered by the fact he died doing the one thing he enjoyed most - playing a round of golf. He had travelled to England earlier this year to see the British Open. I always think that if you have to go, if you go doing something you love, it really tempers the loss. I know he would have felt that way about his golf. It's just the other things that make it sad.
Only the good die young.
This morning when I got in, the morning security guard came in and told us he was on life support in hospital and the prognosis was not good. In fact, his family would be asked to switch his life support off. Then this afternoon, his son-in-law phone to say he had passed away just after lunchtime. It is just so very sad. He was such a lovely man, tall, lanky, about 62 years old. He would sometimes bring his grandchildren in. They were his whole life, that little boy and girl, and he was theirs too. I feel so sad for them with their Pops dying.
Sometimes of a night, when I would sit outside and have a smoke, he would come and talk to me. Next year he was going to retire and take his grandkids to Disneyland, in the USA. He knew alot about many things, and was always bright and great to talk to. I am really going to miss him. It still hasn't sunk in he is gone.
All this is tempered by the fact he died doing the one thing he enjoyed most - playing a round of golf. He had travelled to England earlier this year to see the British Open. I always think that if you have to go, if you go doing something you love, it really tempers the loss. I know he would have felt that way about his golf. It's just the other things that make it sad.
Only the good die young.
10 December, 2007
Trolls who work ...
Okay, I do not have the best job in the world. I do what I can and try and keep out of trouble. I am more careful than I have ever been. I take people who ask about Courses seriously and I try to help them find something they will enjoy studying to achieve their goals. I like that part of my job and I believe I do it well. I have had so many people say to me "You have been so helpful to me, when no one else would make the time". I really believe if I can't help someone, I should be able to direct them to someone who can. I find it just baffling that people don't give a stuff about other people to the extent they can't at least give them a phone number to take them to the next person - maybe the one who can actually help them.
But, once my displays are full of brochures for courses, and the phone ceases to ring, there is not alot else for me to do. I do ask others for work, but not alot is forthcoming. They don't want me to do it, I can't just make it up out of thin air. It doesn't work like that.
So when you pay a compliment to someone who doesn't like you, you just do not expect them to come back with "Whatever". Totally ignore me, by all means, but rudeness? Someone I had thought had a bit more class than that.
Still on the bright side, the union is coming tomorrow and they are putting on lunch. I imagine they want to recruit more souls.
If we are getting the new manager I think, the souls will need to be union members if they want to get through. Still I imagine they will have all the "crawlers" they want. I seriously think I do not want to continue working if she is going to be manager.
And on another bright note, I formally met the Head Teacher of IT today. Very nice young man. I will be going to see him during enrolment week to find out about going on with my course. There was a subject I really did not fully understand last term, and want to do some more in it before moving too much further on with the subject and the programming languages. Goes with the territory.
*******
I read some of the blogs of people who will be joining Sharonb's Take it Further challenge. Some of them are really, really good. I would go so far to call them gifted. Just such beautiful works. Eventually I will put links to some of their sites on Bilum. The good thing is they give me goals to work towards with my own stitching. I am excited.
So far she has listed 162, and although some will drop out and some will join, it will stay around that number, which will be exciting to work with. I don't think I will do another challenge this year, but I would like to think about a few charitable works as well. I have seen some really good causes out there, with International appeal.
My bed beckons.
But, once my displays are full of brochures for courses, and the phone ceases to ring, there is not alot else for me to do. I do ask others for work, but not alot is forthcoming. They don't want me to do it, I can't just make it up out of thin air. It doesn't work like that.
So when you pay a compliment to someone who doesn't like you, you just do not expect them to come back with "Whatever". Totally ignore me, by all means, but rudeness? Someone I had thought had a bit more class than that.
Still on the bright side, the union is coming tomorrow and they are putting on lunch. I imagine they want to recruit more souls.
If we are getting the new manager I think, the souls will need to be union members if they want to get through. Still I imagine they will have all the "crawlers" they want. I seriously think I do not want to continue working if she is going to be manager.
And on another bright note, I formally met the Head Teacher of IT today. Very nice young man. I will be going to see him during enrolment week to find out about going on with my course. There was a subject I really did not fully understand last term, and want to do some more in it before moving too much further on with the subject and the programming languages. Goes with the territory.
*******
I read some of the blogs of people who will be joining Sharonb's Take it Further challenge. Some of them are really, really good. I would go so far to call them gifted. Just such beautiful works. Eventually I will put links to some of their sites on Bilum. The good thing is they give me goals to work towards with my own stitching. I am excited.
So far she has listed 162, and although some will drop out and some will join, it will stay around that number, which will be exciting to work with. I don't think I will do another challenge this year, but I would like to think about a few charitable works as well. I have seen some really good causes out there, with International appeal.
My bed beckons.
09 December, 2007
Koala ...
The koala is still in his tree. However, I am beginning to understand more about why they are so close to the houses. There are people who ride motorbikes through the bushland next door. They go around and around, mindlessly, for hours on end. The birds all leave - the ones who can fly - too bad about the nestlings. The nestlings are therefore left vulnerable to the wretched crows that live around. I don't know much about what the other wildlife does, so it doesn't come our way.
There isn't much the police can do, they are not on public roads.
I finally decided perhaps I should report the koalas to some conservationist outfit. So I looked on the internet. Most of them you can't access without being a memeber. Too bad if koala's are dying, if you aren't a member you cannot get in. Finally I found some organisation and left them a message about what is going on. I do not hold much hope.
So I think koala conservation is another group of people with bigger egos than their actual care for the koalas. So typical with animal welfare. Well, that is generalising. There are some groups that really care and do a good job, they are just harder to find.
Our koala is okay. He has plenty of leaves still in his tree, and the tree next to his is the same species by the look of it, and since I know there are other koalas over on our side of the property, there have to be other trees as well. But we think these motorbikers are also cutting trees or covering someone who is. The noise would scare the snakes, so they aren't likely to scare back, or I would wish snakebite on them.
There isn't much the police can do, they are not on public roads.
I finally decided perhaps I should report the koalas to some conservationist outfit. So I looked on the internet. Most of them you can't access without being a memeber. Too bad if koala's are dying, if you aren't a member you cannot get in. Finally I found some organisation and left them a message about what is going on. I do not hold much hope.
So I think koala conservation is another group of people with bigger egos than their actual care for the koalas. So typical with animal welfare. Well, that is generalising. There are some groups that really care and do a good job, they are just harder to find.
Our koala is okay. He has plenty of leaves still in his tree, and the tree next to his is the same species by the look of it, and since I know there are other koalas over on our side of the property, there have to be other trees as well. But we think these motorbikers are also cutting trees or covering someone who is. The noise would scare the snakes, so they aren't likely to scare back, or I would wish snakebite on them.
08 December, 2007
Being told how to think ...
As I wander around the internet, mostly lurking, occassionally joining some of the forums I am registered with, I learn things, I pick up information and stickybeak into what people care to share of their lives. It is endlessly fascinating to me, and I never tire of it. Some nights I have to drag my sorry carcass to bed stil wanting to savour more. Depending on what my interest in a given topic is.
I mostly search through yahoo!, occassionally through Alta Vista, both search engines seem quite adequate to the job, although everyone says you should "google", infact "googling" has become part of the English lexicon, even if not officially. Yahoo! number their searches, so you go back and look at something if you have to, a very useful feature. Alta Vista was the first I ever used as once I used Netscape Navigator and found AV through that. So I use AV for sentimental reasons.
But what I have found, is that if you want to read the more "sophisticated" or "intelligent" websites, you must be in the same frame of mind as the author, whether you agree with the person or not. I find this very off putting, and furthermore, I also object to their ad hominem, illogical attacks on people who think differently to them. On the internet, they behave like this, and they get away with it.
Maybe this is a topic for my Alien Thoughts page, but seriously, I just find it so childish and annoying. I find myself soon leaving and resorting to very cold, but more practical manuals on line. Just to find some basic information. I just shake my head.
Still it is the weekend now, and I am quite smooth, having watched some mindless DVD's this afternoon - some Dr Who vids that I had not seen previously, including one with dear Derek Jacobi and the movie Starship Troupers, based on Robert Heinlein's book of that title. Bit hammy and full of dreadful aliens, but the best sort to wile away the afternoon while crafting and chilling out.
Her ladyship the exracehorse is now to the most extent happily ensconsed during the day down the back near the stables. She is still spending nights up the front, so she isn't scared during the dark, but I am going to spend my holidays convincing her to live down with her stable once more. It is only a matter of time till we get a hail storm - we have had quite a few thunderstorms - and I don't want her out in hail.
I will phone the vet next week and find out what is going on with the vaccines. Sigh.
Till next time ...
I mostly search through yahoo!, occassionally through Alta Vista, both search engines seem quite adequate to the job, although everyone says you should "google", infact "googling" has become part of the English lexicon, even if not officially. Yahoo! number their searches, so you go back and look at something if you have to, a very useful feature. Alta Vista was the first I ever used as once I used Netscape Navigator and found AV through that. So I use AV for sentimental reasons.
But what I have found, is that if you want to read the more "sophisticated" or "intelligent" websites, you must be in the same frame of mind as the author, whether you agree with the person or not. I find this very off putting, and furthermore, I also object to their ad hominem, illogical attacks on people who think differently to them. On the internet, they behave like this, and they get away with it.
Maybe this is a topic for my Alien Thoughts page, but seriously, I just find it so childish and annoying. I find myself soon leaving and resorting to very cold, but more practical manuals on line. Just to find some basic information. I just shake my head.
Still it is the weekend now, and I am quite smooth, having watched some mindless DVD's this afternoon - some Dr Who vids that I had not seen previously, including one with dear Derek Jacobi and the movie Starship Troupers, based on Robert Heinlein's book of that title. Bit hammy and full of dreadful aliens, but the best sort to wile away the afternoon while crafting and chilling out.
Her ladyship the exracehorse is now to the most extent happily ensconsed during the day down the back near the stables. She is still spending nights up the front, so she isn't scared during the dark, but I am going to spend my holidays convincing her to live down with her stable once more. It is only a matter of time till we get a hail storm - we have had quite a few thunderstorms - and I don't want her out in hail.
I will phone the vet next week and find out what is going on with the vaccines. Sigh.
Till next time ...
07 December, 2007
It seems to me ....
there are never enough hours in the day. I think this comes about from the fact that I have been working full time. I worked out a way that I could actually get a much higher position earning considerably more money, but it would mean working full time again permanently and I am not sure I want to do that anymore.
These weeks leading up to Christmas have been a real drag. I have got very little done at home because on the weekend I just want to sleep and do nothing for a while. If I had my usual four days, this wouldn't be such a big deal, but when it is only two days it seems such a waste. One of the joys of getting older, I imagine.
I have been thinking lately I would like to go and live somewhere far away, in a caravan, just me and my computer and sewing machines. On a nice almost tropical beach, just potter away my hours with some sewing, some art and some plants. How relaxing it would all be. Even if I only did it for six months. After that I would probably be bored of it and want something else to do.
My biggest worry would be where to keep her ladyship for that time. I don't really like the idea of agisting her away from us for months. I guess if she was with other horses she would be fine. This EI has been like a surreal nightmare.
Last night she was walking around grazing and came to the back door looking for attention. So I was about to make dinner, I had grated off a carrot and so I gave her the ends of the carrot, which she really appreciated, then the skin and finally the left over bits from grating it up. I could not believe how sooky she was. She wont come into the house, any more than she likes going into stables, but she puts her head in and sniffs at whatever is on the bench by the back door. She is not a bother, and does not make a nuisance of herself, she just stands there, poor thing.
Then she wanders off to eat grass, one eye on the back door incase we come out with a carrot. I would so love to get her a companion, but we haven't been informed about the vaccines yet, nor have we been advised on movement of horses in the area. It seems to have gone on forever, and not just a little over three months. And typically of a government department, the need to communicate with people about what is going on, is non existent.
Our fencing is in dire need of fixing up. She doesn't go anywhere, because she likes being a "domestic animal", you get regular feeding being one. You also get tidbits.
So I bide my time patiently, waiting, thinking, sleeping (I wish) and one day it will be time to make those decisions.
These weeks leading up to Christmas have been a real drag. I have got very little done at home because on the weekend I just want to sleep and do nothing for a while. If I had my usual four days, this wouldn't be such a big deal, but when it is only two days it seems such a waste. One of the joys of getting older, I imagine.
I have been thinking lately I would like to go and live somewhere far away, in a caravan, just me and my computer and sewing machines. On a nice almost tropical beach, just potter away my hours with some sewing, some art and some plants. How relaxing it would all be. Even if I only did it for six months. After that I would probably be bored of it and want something else to do.
My biggest worry would be where to keep her ladyship for that time. I don't really like the idea of agisting her away from us for months. I guess if she was with other horses she would be fine. This EI has been like a surreal nightmare.
Last night she was walking around grazing and came to the back door looking for attention. So I was about to make dinner, I had grated off a carrot and so I gave her the ends of the carrot, which she really appreciated, then the skin and finally the left over bits from grating it up. I could not believe how sooky she was. She wont come into the house, any more than she likes going into stables, but she puts her head in and sniffs at whatever is on the bench by the back door. She is not a bother, and does not make a nuisance of herself, she just stands there, poor thing.
Then she wanders off to eat grass, one eye on the back door incase we come out with a carrot. I would so love to get her a companion, but we haven't been informed about the vaccines yet, nor have we been advised on movement of horses in the area. It seems to have gone on forever, and not just a little over three months. And typically of a government department, the need to communicate with people about what is going on, is non existent.
Our fencing is in dire need of fixing up. She doesn't go anywhere, because she likes being a "domestic animal", you get regular feeding being one. You also get tidbits.
So I bide my time patiently, waiting, thinking, sleeping (I wish) and one day it will be time to make those decisions.
05 December, 2007
Training ...
Every morning and every afternoon, on the days I work, I get the train. I happen to enjoy train travel. Daily train travel isn't as grand as catching say, the Indian Pacific, but it is always fun to do. I get on at Campbelltown and get off at Padstow. There are several stations inbetween. Sometimes in the afternoon the train is an express and misses a good number of stations, but the train in the morning and the night trains after classes stop at all stations but the next two after Padstow. It is an interesting thing to do. Unless you know someone on the train, you never talk. Some people talk on their mobile phones, but mosty they don't. Sometimes a person will sit with their laptop open, either watching a DVD or doing some work.
I am fascinated by watching people and what they do, how the behave and what they are talking about with each other. It was better when I took the train to and from Central in the City, it was a longer trip. Mostly, these days I do a crossword book and ignore the trip. I have seen it so many times over the past twelve years. I have seen buildings built, houses and streets built, I have seen projects abandoned. I have seen wooded lands laid bare and ugly house built on them, roads and shops put in. I watched them build the F4 into the tunnel, and then they put a brick wall up so you cannot see in or out.
The Indian Pacific travels from Sydney to Adelaide, and on to Port Augusta. It used to stop at Port Pirie, but no longer does. I have never taken it past Port Augusta. Port Augusta is about an hour's drive from Whyalla, where I used to live. It is about a 30 hour trip between Port Augusta and Sydney, through some of the loveliest country you are ever likely to see, and the most desolate mooonscapes you are ever likely to see. You will see every animal imaginable, both native and domestic and some in between. You have to travel it yourself to really appreciate the grandeur of it. It really is Australia up close and in the raw.
I would love to do the trip for Port Augusta to Darwin on the Ghan. These trips are very expensive these days, and I wonder if they still have third class where you have to sit up the whole way.
I have travelled from as far south as Adelaide to as far north as Cairns by train. The Indian Pacific to Sydney, the XPT to Brisbane and the Queenslander to Cairns. Over about a week all up on trains. Just the best way to travel.
So, no matter how blase I am about daily train travel, I always enjoy it.
I am fascinated by watching people and what they do, how the behave and what they are talking about with each other. It was better when I took the train to and from Central in the City, it was a longer trip. Mostly, these days I do a crossword book and ignore the trip. I have seen it so many times over the past twelve years. I have seen buildings built, houses and streets built, I have seen projects abandoned. I have seen wooded lands laid bare and ugly house built on them, roads and shops put in. I watched them build the F4 into the tunnel, and then they put a brick wall up so you cannot see in or out.
The Indian Pacific travels from Sydney to Adelaide, and on to Port Augusta. It used to stop at Port Pirie, but no longer does. I have never taken it past Port Augusta. Port Augusta is about an hour's drive from Whyalla, where I used to live. It is about a 30 hour trip between Port Augusta and Sydney, through some of the loveliest country you are ever likely to see, and the most desolate mooonscapes you are ever likely to see. You will see every animal imaginable, both native and domestic and some in between. You have to travel it yourself to really appreciate the grandeur of it. It really is Australia up close and in the raw.
I would love to do the trip for Port Augusta to Darwin on the Ghan. These trips are very expensive these days, and I wonder if they still have third class where you have to sit up the whole way.
I have travelled from as far south as Adelaide to as far north as Cairns by train. The Indian Pacific to Sydney, the XPT to Brisbane and the Queenslander to Cairns. Over about a week all up on trains. Just the best way to travel.
So, no matter how blase I am about daily train travel, I always enjoy it.
04 December, 2007
Finding inspiration ...
Hard when there is a thunderstorm about to break overhead. Hard when I have to work for five days a week, but there still is not all that much work to do. Hard when I am tired, and tired of being tired. But I need to keep in there. Not let too many days go between blogging. So that by the time I am doing the challenge, blogging it isn't a challenge.
I can't watch TV anymore, because the old person is having a senior's moment and watching old war and western movies. He goes to the video shop every sunday and rents five movies and comes home and watches one every night. He pretends to himself that he chose at least one for me which I wouldn't watch, even if you paid me to watch it. But still he insists I sit there with him and watch the stupid thing. Talk about lack of imagination. Often I get out of it saying I have to feed the horse and then get an early night for work. Luckily I can then get up very early in the morning. Provided he doesn't have a different seniors moment whereby he slept the day away and then can't sleep at night.
There were feral cats at work last week with kittens. The mother would feed them right in front of the door. It is a large glass pane door. So she was easy enough to catch on Monday and two of her kittens. The ladies had the RSPCA take them away. The mother would be euthanased immediately, being unhandlable, but the kittens were under six weeks and not quite so unsociable. So they might live, if they can be found homes.
Then they found the ginger one. Well that went home with one of the ladies at lunch time since it had conviently pooped on her. She is going to call it Paddy after Patrick Swayze. Don't ask.
The guys have been playing it up, offering to drown them, bash them over the head with a brick and drag them along behind cars etc. The reason they say these things is not because they would really do it, but the squeals and attention it ellicits from the ladies. Makes them feel like real men. The cleaning lady is always offering to put an axe through them, but she later told me she had a cat once and after two years it got squished and she doesn't want to risk getting that emotional about an animal again. She is Macedonian, I think I understand her point. We don't have rats where she cleans - nope, we have possums - bigger rats.
So that is my day ...
I can't watch TV anymore, because the old person is having a senior's moment and watching old war and western movies. He goes to the video shop every sunday and rents five movies and comes home and watches one every night. He pretends to himself that he chose at least one for me which I wouldn't watch, even if you paid me to watch it. But still he insists I sit there with him and watch the stupid thing. Talk about lack of imagination. Often I get out of it saying I have to feed the horse and then get an early night for work. Luckily I can then get up very early in the morning. Provided he doesn't have a different seniors moment whereby he slept the day away and then can't sleep at night.
There were feral cats at work last week with kittens. The mother would feed them right in front of the door. It is a large glass pane door. So she was easy enough to catch on Monday and two of her kittens. The ladies had the RSPCA take them away. The mother would be euthanased immediately, being unhandlable, but the kittens were under six weeks and not quite so unsociable. So they might live, if they can be found homes.
Then they found the ginger one. Well that went home with one of the ladies at lunch time since it had conviently pooped on her. She is going to call it Paddy after Patrick Swayze. Don't ask.
The guys have been playing it up, offering to drown them, bash them over the head with a brick and drag them along behind cars etc. The reason they say these things is not because they would really do it, but the squeals and attention it ellicits from the ladies. Makes them feel like real men. The cleaning lady is always offering to put an axe through them, but she later told me she had a cat once and after two years it got squished and she doesn't want to risk getting that emotional about an animal again. She is Macedonian, I think I understand her point. We don't have rats where she cleans - nope, we have possums - bigger rats.
So that is my day ...
02 December, 2007
Things that go bump in the night ..
About the only thing that goes bump in the night around here is the koala falling out of his tree and/or falling off the roof. Yes, every time I hear it, I run out and check, but there is nothing there. I think all that fat cushions him and he just goes off, does whatever it is he has to do and then he is back sleeping it off the next day.
Often when I go out to feed her ladyship her hay of a night I can hear the koalas in the trees calling. It is a snorting snuffling growl. When I first heard it when we first moved here, I thought it had to be a wombat or lizard because it was on the ground. Then early one evening I saw Bruce, our particular koala, standing in his tree making the noise with his mouth open. I was shocked that a koala could make such a dreadful noise. But there you go.
The problem with koala, is koala droppings. Millions of them. Well it seems like millions. We just sweep them into the long grass and bushes and they don't seem to kill anything. You will be sitting down watching tv or a video, minding your own business and suddenly hear drop, drop, drop, what seems to be thousands of stones being thrown on the roof. Next day you realise it was the koala doing his business from the heights of the tree. Ekch.
Other than that he is a good neighbour. He sleeps during the day, he does not scare the horse and the females don't seem to visit him in his tree.
Yesterday was quiet, I did some craft, some computing on other things and slept. It was lovely and quiet. Still all good things come to an end and the old person came home, not having picked a winner. Neither had his friends turned up - although they just telephoned him now. They thought it was going to rain all day yesterday and had not wanted to be driving in rain. They are even older than the old person, so I can't blame them. The live on the complete opposite side of the city from here and it takes over an hour to drive to their place.
I have my laptop working again, but I do not have my wireless connection working yet. I will have to take it into a Telstra office and get them to fix it. It is quite frustrating. I don't like having to use the daughter's machine all the time. It is a fantastic machine, has everything and does everything, but it is hers and should be for her use. It also has both printers connected to it, but I should be able to use the laptop and I am quite cross paying for connection I cannot use.
Anyhow, that is your lot for today.
Often when I go out to feed her ladyship her hay of a night I can hear the koalas in the trees calling. It is a snorting snuffling growl. When I first heard it when we first moved here, I thought it had to be a wombat or lizard because it was on the ground. Then early one evening I saw Bruce, our particular koala, standing in his tree making the noise with his mouth open. I was shocked that a koala could make such a dreadful noise. But there you go.
The problem with koala, is koala droppings. Millions of them. Well it seems like millions. We just sweep them into the long grass and bushes and they don't seem to kill anything. You will be sitting down watching tv or a video, minding your own business and suddenly hear drop, drop, drop, what seems to be thousands of stones being thrown on the roof. Next day you realise it was the koala doing his business from the heights of the tree. Ekch.
Other than that he is a good neighbour. He sleeps during the day, he does not scare the horse and the females don't seem to visit him in his tree.
Yesterday was quiet, I did some craft, some computing on other things and slept. It was lovely and quiet. Still all good things come to an end and the old person came home, not having picked a winner. Neither had his friends turned up - although they just telephoned him now. They thought it was going to rain all day yesterday and had not wanted to be driving in rain. They are even older than the old person, so I can't blame them. The live on the complete opposite side of the city from here and it takes over an hour to drive to their place.
I have my laptop working again, but I do not have my wireless connection working yet. I will have to take it into a Telstra office and get them to fix it. It is quite frustrating. I don't like having to use the daughter's machine all the time. It is a fantastic machine, has everything and does everything, but it is hers and should be for her use. It also has both printers connected to it, but I should be able to use the laptop and I am quite cross paying for connection I cannot use.
Anyhow, that is your lot for today.
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