I hope you all had a great Christmas! I had lunch with my family and dinner with Nathan's family, one of the nice benefits of being married, especially when your MIL is a good cook. There was a lot of really good food!! Needless to say, I ate more than my squished tummy actually wanted, but it was still a good day. It was fun watching all the nieces and nephews open their new toys, and I was given a few nice things, too. Mainly chocolate and books!
On Tuesday 26th we got up and packed all our stuff into the car. It was a squash! The tent doesn't pack into a very small space; we got a large one that can fit 8 people... for future family use, and a big esky that takes up a lot of room.
I fixed up the guinea-pigs: There are 6 females/babies in the big new hutch Nathan built for me, 3 girls in the 2 hutches down on the green grass over the septic line, and 8 boys running around loose on the same grass. They have huts to go into, but they don't leave the septic line grass, because it's long (and they can hide in it) and it's the only green grass for miles! lol. Nathan gave his galah (Velvet) lots of water and seeds. My mum said she'd come out on the Thursday to make sure they all had water.
Simon and Esther and the kids turned up at about 11:30am. They had so much stuff in their Kia they said they considered leaving one of the kids behind to make room. He he. We all headed off to Port Fairy, stopping in Warnambool for lunch.
We went camping at Port Fairy last year, too, but it was quite different. For one, it was hot enough to swim in the ocean. It was also hot enough (and close enough to the river) to be infested with mosquitoes!
This year it was a little cooler, but still pleasant. We were at a different camping ground, a much nicer one, as it happened. It was smaller, but there were a lot of things for the kids to do. There was a Jumping Pillow, which was this enormous inflatable pillow, anchored into the ground, which 15 kids could easily jump on at once, just like a trampoline. That was very popular! There was a playground next to it, so that the little kids (like my nephew Ben) could play on it when the older kids on the Jumping Pillow were a bit rough. There was a recreation room with pool tables and video games, which we didn't have any time for, and a mini golf course. Nathan and I played some mini golf; he's much better at it than I am! There was a heated indoor swimming pool, which we all tried, but it wasn't as warm as I would have liked. Poor Ezra, who is 16 months old (and therefore didn't do much exercise in the pool except get carried around) was so cold he was shivering. Pity, because he would have loved it if it was warm enough. I spent lots of time in the tent, reading a book Matt had loaned me. It was a novel about a time traveller who goes back to the time of the Bubonic Plague (accidently!). Very interesting and graphic.
We also went to the beach, but it was too cool to swim. We walked out to the lighthouse on the mutton bird reserve instead. The kids went wading at the edge of the ocean and collected a jar of blue shells.
The first two mornings there was a riot of squarking: about 200 cockies live there, and they go for a screech around the camp at about 6am! Lasted about half an hour each day. I was up and showered both times, as I found it a bit hard to sleep. They didn't turn up on the last morning; don't know why. They are fun to watch, actually. A lot of them jump onto the very tip of a gumtree branch, which, of course, bends, and they are left hanging upside down by their claws. It doesn't seem to bother them at all; they just hang there, nibbling the ends off the branch. Or they just hang there with their wings out, relaxing, looking like white bats!
There are empty paddocks nearby, and Ben and Tim and I would have breaky early, then go off in search of rabbits. We saw 6 on the last morning. It's hard to keep a 3 and 5 year old quiet, but I figured all the people trying to sleep in tents were already awake after the cockies!
We packed up on Friday morning and headed back home. Had fish and chips for lunch and checked on the pets, then we unpacked, cleaned up, and sat on the couch the rest of the day! It was lots of fun camping with the kids, but they're pretty tiring at times. Abby (6) and Tim (5) were old enough to entertain themselves a bit, or play Uno with Uncle Nathan, but they'd also misbehave at times Ü. Ben (3) didn't misbehave unless he was very tired and didn't want to go to bed, but he could entertain himself... by wandering off! He tells the funniest little stories. Ezra (1) is very cute. He's blonde, grins at everything, waves at everyone, and likes to explore. You have to keep your eye on him! He's pretty well behaved, and usually only cries when his older siblings take something off him, and then only for 10 seconds until he is distracted by a feather on the ground or Nathan throwing him the pink tennis ball or something. Ü
Happy New Year, all!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Christmas Eve
Today is Christmas Eve, which means I finished work yesterday! It also means Christmas is tomorrow. Ü
We had our "20 week" ultrasound last Monday, which was quite interesting. The baby's moving around quite a bit, and was well behaved this time, but we still got a good look. The sonographer had to measure so many different things, it took half an hour anyway. We found out the baby's sex, and now we have to try and keep it a secret! I was pretty happy, though. I had the slightest twinge of disappointment, I confess, but only until I realized that it was because I wanted both! Can't have both with one baby, of course, so I was just being ridiculous.
I had a dream two nights ago where someone at work found out what we were having and told everyone! I was SO angry that I couldn't go back to sleep for about 3 hours! So please don't try and trick me into saying anything, ok?
Tomorrow we're going to my parents' for lunch and Nathan's mum's for tea. In the last few months it hasn't taken much to fill me up, but lately I've noticed I can eat a heap. Maybe it's because the baby has abandoned the squishing of my stomach for the stretching of my belly... it's starting to stick out a bit more, now. I still don't feel like it's changed much, but that's probably just because I see my stomach every day.
I have to cook a chicken for lunch, but luckily I'm not the only one! So there'll be some nice food, too: ham and lamb and stuff. Can't wait to see all the kids with their presents; that's fun! We'll go to church tonight instead of tomorrow, and sing carols for a bit. Tomorrow I'll sleep in, and then cook some chook.
On Boxing Day we're heading off to Port Fairy again. We're camping with Simon's family, which should be even more fun than last year (as Ezra will be running around, too, and it's a slightly more fun caravan park). Hope the weather will be warm enough to swim; it's turned cool the last few days. I bought fat bathers and shorts and a top, so I want a chance to use them.
Well, better go. I'm getting another Sim Grandchild soon... he he.
We had our "20 week" ultrasound last Monday, which was quite interesting. The baby's moving around quite a bit, and was well behaved this time, but we still got a good look. The sonographer had to measure so many different things, it took half an hour anyway. We found out the baby's sex, and now we have to try and keep it a secret! I was pretty happy, though. I had the slightest twinge of disappointment, I confess, but only until I realized that it was because I wanted both! Can't have both with one baby, of course, so I was just being ridiculous.
I had a dream two nights ago where someone at work found out what we were having and told everyone! I was SO angry that I couldn't go back to sleep for about 3 hours! So please don't try and trick me into saying anything, ok?
Tomorrow we're going to my parents' for lunch and Nathan's mum's for tea. In the last few months it hasn't taken much to fill me up, but lately I've noticed I can eat a heap. Maybe it's because the baby has abandoned the squishing of my stomach for the stretching of my belly... it's starting to stick out a bit more, now. I still don't feel like it's changed much, but that's probably just because I see my stomach every day.
I have to cook a chicken for lunch, but luckily I'm not the only one! So there'll be some nice food, too: ham and lamb and stuff. Can't wait to see all the kids with their presents; that's fun! We'll go to church tonight instead of tomorrow, and sing carols for a bit. Tomorrow I'll sleep in, and then cook some chook.
On Boxing Day we're heading off to Port Fairy again. We're camping with Simon's family, which should be even more fun than last year (as Ezra will be running around, too, and it's a slightly more fun caravan park). Hope the weather will be warm enough to swim; it's turned cool the last few days. I bought fat bathers and shorts and a top, so I want a chance to use them.
Well, better go. I'm getting another Sim Grandchild soon... he he.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Midwives clinic
Had my "first" appointment at the midwives clinic yesterday. That is, I've had one where I had to do paperwork, and one where the doctor checked my blood tests, but this was the first one at the midwives clinic. I was going to join the primary care midwives program (PMCP) where you see the same midwife on each visit, and then she's there for your birth. But apparently I can't join it now, because it's booked out, and I didn't do my paperwork for it. 6 weeks ago, when there were spaces, I said I'd like to join it, but noone gave me any papers to fill in! Oh well... The midwives at the clinic seem friendly enough.
This one asked me how things were going; told her my stomach was sore at times, as though it were being stretched by... er,... someone inside. She said that's perfectly normal, and, of course, that is exactly what's happening. Then she took my BP (perfectly normal) and listened to my stomach with the u/s probe. I heard his fast little heartbeat for a second, and then 'whoosh'... "Oh," she said, "I had it nice and clearly, but the baby turned!" After that, every time she thought she'd found the heartbeat, he would 'whoosh' around again! Funny! She said he was a very active little thing, but I can't feel anything definite yet. Apparently it feels like bubbles moving, but I felt that before I was pregnant, too. Don't know what's bubbles in the guts and baby doing backflips. Nice to know that he is doing backflips, though.
I've finally finished my 6 days in a row, and now I have 3 off! Can't believe what a tired old granny I've turned into! I used to do 6 days all the time. And it's not like I'm working that hard; Brooke, my extremely organized preceptee, hardly needs me (and doesn't want my help) at all. She feels confident because I've let her do everything herself, something most nurses struggle to do, she says: they always start interfering when it gets busy. (I struggle, too, because I feel guilty, but I try not to help too much!) But now I only work 2 of the next 8 days, and then I have 5 in a row, two off, two on, and I'm finished! (Louise couldn't give me the week after Christmas off, so, as we've booked in our holiday, I had to resign again; she didn't mind at all, but told me I had to name the baby Louis or Louise!)
Am still reading silly "Don Quixote"! It's so silly that I don't feel too compelled to read it often. Thus, it's taking forever. I stopped for a while to read "The bronze Horseman", which Liz said was a good look at Russia during the second world war, but turned out to be a mushy romance and the first of a series! How many half-read series am I waiting to finish now! He he. Never mind.
Well, I must go clean the kitchen. Then, when the sun's a bit lower, I'll drag 4 or 6 buckets of grey-water down to the garden. I've got a row each of corn, lettuce, pumpkin, cabbage and tomato, in 5 ditches covered with mulch. So far so good, but watering them is a chore. Then I'll move the guineas. There are 17 now. I had Luna, Lupin, Lily, Padma, Parvati, Minerva, Poppy, Hokey, Seamus, Dean, Charlie and Heidi. Then Poppy had triplets, Fred, George and Snape, and Heidi just had 2, which I called Nick and Myrtle. Think I'll have to sell some soon!
One of my nurse-friends, Tam, has just started again, after being in England for 6 months. She says I'll call my baby either Harry or Harriet!
This one asked me how things were going; told her my stomach was sore at times, as though it were being stretched by... er,... someone inside. She said that's perfectly normal, and, of course, that is exactly what's happening. Then she took my BP (perfectly normal) and listened to my stomach with the u/s probe. I heard his fast little heartbeat for a second, and then 'whoosh'... "Oh," she said, "I had it nice and clearly, but the baby turned!" After that, every time she thought she'd found the heartbeat, he would 'whoosh' around again! Funny! She said he was a very active little thing, but I can't feel anything definite yet. Apparently it feels like bubbles moving, but I felt that before I was pregnant, too. Don't know what's bubbles in the guts and baby doing backflips. Nice to know that he is doing backflips, though.
I've finally finished my 6 days in a row, and now I have 3 off! Can't believe what a tired old granny I've turned into! I used to do 6 days all the time. And it's not like I'm working that hard; Brooke, my extremely organized preceptee, hardly needs me (and doesn't want my help) at all. She feels confident because I've let her do everything herself, something most nurses struggle to do, she says: they always start interfering when it gets busy. (I struggle, too, because I feel guilty, but I try not to help too much!) But now I only work 2 of the next 8 days, and then I have 5 in a row, two off, two on, and I'm finished! (Louise couldn't give me the week after Christmas off, so, as we've booked in our holiday, I had to resign again; she didn't mind at all, but told me I had to name the baby Louis or Louise!)
Am still reading silly "Don Quixote"! It's so silly that I don't feel too compelled to read it often. Thus, it's taking forever. I stopped for a while to read "The bronze Horseman", which Liz said was a good look at Russia during the second world war, but turned out to be a mushy romance and the first of a series! How many half-read series am I waiting to finish now! He he. Never mind.
Well, I must go clean the kitchen. Then, when the sun's a bit lower, I'll drag 4 or 6 buckets of grey-water down to the garden. I've got a row each of corn, lettuce, pumpkin, cabbage and tomato, in 5 ditches covered with mulch. So far so good, but watering them is a chore. Then I'll move the guineas. There are 17 now. I had Luna, Lupin, Lily, Padma, Parvati, Minerva, Poppy, Hokey, Seamus, Dean, Charlie and Heidi. Then Poppy had triplets, Fred, George and Snape, and Heidi just had 2, which I called Nick and Myrtle. Think I'll have to sell some soon!
One of my nurse-friends, Tam, has just started again, after being in England for 6 months. She says I'll call my baby either Harry or Harriet!
Monday, October 23, 2006
Ultrasound
Discovered that the main reason for this 12 week ultrasound, according to what the doctor wrote on the radiology slip, was to take "nuchal fold measurements". It's a test to see whether the baby is likely to have Down Syndrome. Today, the sonographer said it was a bit difficult to get the measurement, and could I come back next week. I don't care about the nuchal fold at all, as I would be happy to care for a baby with Down Syndrome if God saw fit to give us one. But it's cool to see it on the screen, so I booked in for another scan next Monday.
Today she just took measurements, and Nathan and I got to see the baby, which was great! He looks pretty comfy in there, and wasn't inclined to move at all, little couch potato, but his heart was racing along, so all seems well. The sonographer gave us a fairly hopeless photo, considering we'd seen rather better ones on the screen, but maybe I'll get a better one next week.
Today she just took measurements, and Nathan and I got to see the baby, which was great! He looks pretty comfy in there, and wasn't inclined to move at all, little couch potato, but his heart was racing along, so all seems well. The sonographer gave us a fairly hopeless photo, considering we'd seen rather better ones on the screen, but maybe I'll get a better one next week.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Books!
The other day I was reading some blogs, and I read that my old friend, Tab, http://www.pzy001.blogspot.com/, is working her way through a "100 best books" list. There are a lot of different lists, of course, but this was a pretty classic list. http://www.listsofbests.com/list/5883
I had a look at what she's read so far, what she owns, and told her about some I'd read. So far, on this particular list, I've read:
1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)
19. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
21. Cyrano de Bergerac (Edmond Rostand)
42. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Victor Hugo)
43. The Illiad (Homer)
45. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
58. The Odyssey (Homer)
63. The Pilgrim's Progress (John Bunyan)
67. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
74. Robinson Crusoe (Daniel Dafoe)
76. The Scarlet Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne) - he also wrote an interesting sequel to Pilgrim's Progress called "The Celestial Railroad"
86. The Three Musketeers (Alexandre Dumas)
95. War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy)
Only 13 out of the 100! Anyway, I don't plan to read everything on the list, as some of them look quite boring. But I felt a bit inspired to add to my little library, and so I drove in to "Angus and Robertson" and spent a chunk of my spending money on 12 new books!
7. Animal Farm (George Orwell)
20. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
26. Don Quixote (Miguel de Cervantes)
28. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson)
36. Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)
52. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)
53. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
90. Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson)
93. Vanity Fair (William Makepeace Thackeray)
100. Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy)
and
Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
Nineteen Eighty-four (George Orwell)
I also recently bought "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger, so I have 13 books to read! That is, after I finish my library books. I'm currently reading McCaffrey's "Acorna" series, which is 5 books. Sigh. Not enough time!
Anyway...
I've finished my 8 week contract, but Jackie (the temporary boss) has got me a few more weeks at 4 days a week... until January 14! That will be about as much work as I want, and even though I can't just cancel a few days if I want (as I could on the bank) I know I'll be on my favorite ward every day. Besides, I'm bound to get a bit of energy back soon.
I'll have to apply for holidays after Christmas, so I'm free to go camping. Hope I don't have to work Christmas. We did that last year, and it was fun! Also had to change the roster to accomodate my appointments on Monday and the Show next month. We're taking Abby and Tim again, which will be great.
Today I've done some reading, some knitting, refilled the guinea-pig's straw and water, and weeded a bit of the garden. Found 3 new babies today, belonging to Poppy. Called them Fred, George and Snape. Fred and George are almost identical. Snape is almost completely black... but not completely! He he. Now there are 15 of them down there. Minerva, Poppy, Padma, Parvatti, Charlie, Seamus, Dean, Lupin, Luna, Lily, Hokey, Fred, George, Snape and Heidi. Hmm. Really must rename Heidi one day.
Tomorrow Simon and Esther are coming around for lasagna, so I'd better go and do some tidying up. On Monday Nathan and I go in to look at the Jelly Bean for the first time. Hope everything is ok!
Here is a baby pic!: Adam and Ruth's son, Scott, born on the 16th, I think. Isn't he cute?
Saturday, October 14, 2006
More work
Just as I'm getting near the end of my contract, Jackie said she's trying to get me 2 weeks' more work. I have to appreciate it, but more truthfully, I was looking forward to working a bit less. Plus, just as I finish the hospital accreditors are coming; they roam around asking questions and checking up on us, and I was hoping to avoid working that week! Never mind! At least I'll be on my favorite ward instead of being hassled by the bank coordinator to work in some ward I'm unfamiliar with.
I'd say my nausea has settled down quite a bit, but it keeps popping up. It's not so constant, now, just comes and goes. I was dry retching as I drove to work the other day (great timing; too late to call in sick!), though I felt fine once I got there. Today I feel crook, too, though I'm banking on it not lasting... I'm going to work at 1pm.
I did a bit more walking on the treadmill, and then it petered off again. Stupid nausea. Plus I've been tired, still. Got home from work yesterday and went to bed at 4-ish. It's supposed to settle down in the second trimester, which is apparently "week 13". I'm currently week 10, so I might be lucky and feel better in a few weeks.
Anyway, I'm glad everything's going well, especially since everyone knows now!
At the moment, I'm waiting for my friends Adam and Ruth to have their first baby. I'm sure he'll be very cute! In my Sims game they had a son called Joseph, who married my daughter Ruby. When I wrecked my game and made up a new one, I accidently married him off to my second daughter, Pearl. Oops!
Well, my biscuits are cooked, and now I just have to lick the bowl. Bad food seems to help my nausea! Especially MacDonald's fries... sigh.
I'd say my nausea has settled down quite a bit, but it keeps popping up. It's not so constant, now, just comes and goes. I was dry retching as I drove to work the other day (great timing; too late to call in sick!), though I felt fine once I got there. Today I feel crook, too, though I'm banking on it not lasting... I'm going to work at 1pm.
I did a bit more walking on the treadmill, and then it petered off again. Stupid nausea. Plus I've been tired, still. Got home from work yesterday and went to bed at 4-ish. It's supposed to settle down in the second trimester, which is apparently "week 13". I'm currently week 10, so I might be lucky and feel better in a few weeks.
Anyway, I'm glad everything's going well, especially since everyone knows now!
At the moment, I'm waiting for my friends Adam and Ruth to have their first baby. I'm sure he'll be very cute! In my Sims game they had a son called Joseph, who married my daughter Ruby. When I wrecked my game and made up a new one, I accidently married him off to my second daughter, Pearl. Oops!
Well, my biscuits are cooked, and now I just have to lick the bowl. Bad food seems to help my nausea! Especially MacDonald's fries... sigh.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Jelly Bean Babe
I'm pregnant! Yay!
For our 7th Anniversary, Nathan and I went to the GP for our first pregnancy checkup. We're about 8 weeks pregnant, and he says everything seems good. So we decided we may as well tell everyone. It's traditional to wait until 12 weeks, I think, but I wanted to make sure the families knew first.
Technically my doctor was the first person we told, and the pathology ladies probably guessed what my blood test was about. But if I'm not seen going to the antenatal clinic by someone I knew, the blood bank nurses will soon be onto me anyway. I go to the blood bank every two weeks, and they must be getting suspicious that I have now missed 8 weeks, particularly as I'm up to 97 donations...
So Nathan and I sat at the kitchen table and rang the parents and siblings. We couldn't reach Seona, but we told all the others. I rang Seona the next day. We'd decided that if we told family we may as well tell everyone, so we said that it wasn't a secret. The next day at work a woman I hadn't seen for over a year congratulated me... she'd heard on the Mum-line! I kind of wished then that I'd said "wait a couple of days" because I haven't gotten around to telling some of my good friends yet, but oh well! It's nice to have good gossip about you being spread around!
I visitted my parents place yesterday, and soon after Esther and Abby arrived. Abby (6) was prompted to tell me that I should have a baby, so I could say "Guess what? I am having a baby!". She was stoked, but only if it's a girl... he he. I think there are enough boys in her life! I told the kids that the baby was as little as a jelly bean, which they thought was bizarre, and that it wouldn't be born until May. Abby asked me to ring her when the baby is born; I don't think she can comprehend "next May" and assumes it will be about two weeks or so! Unluckily for Abby, I've been thinking of the baby as "he". I certainly don't mind whether it's a boy or girl, though. Nathan would still like triplets... lol.
Well, I'm keeping pretty well. I've been really, really tired, especially after work, which is worrisome, because Brooke, my 3rd year student/slave, has been doing all my work for the last 5 shifts. What will I do when she goes? I've also been nauseous every day since about 6 weeks. Just a little tiny bit nauseous; not enough to have a sicky but enough to annoy me. I tend not to feel like eating anything, and then when I get hungry, I feel rotten, and have to make myself eat something. I like cold toast.
Nathan's started doing housework as well as all his outside jobs, which makes me feel like such a slacker! I've been falling asleep on the couch, which I rarely ever did before, so he knows I'm not making it up. He he. He's looking after me well.
For our 7th Anniversary, Nathan and I went to the GP for our first pregnancy checkup. We're about 8 weeks pregnant, and he says everything seems good. So we decided we may as well tell everyone. It's traditional to wait until 12 weeks, I think, but I wanted to make sure the families knew first.
Technically my doctor was the first person we told, and the pathology ladies probably guessed what my blood test was about. But if I'm not seen going to the antenatal clinic by someone I knew, the blood bank nurses will soon be onto me anyway. I go to the blood bank every two weeks, and they must be getting suspicious that I have now missed 8 weeks, particularly as I'm up to 97 donations...
So Nathan and I sat at the kitchen table and rang the parents and siblings. We couldn't reach Seona, but we told all the others. I rang Seona the next day. We'd decided that if we told family we may as well tell everyone, so we said that it wasn't a secret. The next day at work a woman I hadn't seen for over a year congratulated me... she'd heard on the Mum-line! I kind of wished then that I'd said "wait a couple of days" because I haven't gotten around to telling some of my good friends yet, but oh well! It's nice to have good gossip about you being spread around!
I visitted my parents place yesterday, and soon after Esther and Abby arrived. Abby (6) was prompted to tell me that I should have a baby, so I could say "Guess what? I am having a baby!". She was stoked, but only if it's a girl... he he. I think there are enough boys in her life! I told the kids that the baby was as little as a jelly bean, which they thought was bizarre, and that it wouldn't be born until May. Abby asked me to ring her when the baby is born; I don't think she can comprehend "next May" and assumes it will be about two weeks or so! Unluckily for Abby, I've been thinking of the baby as "he". I certainly don't mind whether it's a boy or girl, though. Nathan would still like triplets... lol.
Well, I'm keeping pretty well. I've been really, really tired, especially after work, which is worrisome, because Brooke, my 3rd year student/slave, has been doing all my work for the last 5 shifts. What will I do when she goes? I've also been nauseous every day since about 6 weeks. Just a little tiny bit nauseous; not enough to have a sicky but enough to annoy me. I tend not to feel like eating anything, and then when I get hungry, I feel rotten, and have to make myself eat something. I like cold toast.
Nathan's started doing housework as well as all his outside jobs, which makes me feel like such a slacker! I've been falling asleep on the couch, which I rarely ever did before, so he knows I'm not making it up. He he. He's looking after me well.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
New Tready
My new little treadmill was pretty good value for money, I've decided, after the first day. The first day was a bit of a trial.
First the delivery van pulled up with a 120kg box in the back. The lone delivery guy says to me, “Well, we put it in the truck with a forklift; I'm not sure how we're going to get it out...” Well, gee, what was he expecting me to do about it? Get my forklift out of the garage? Talk about thinking ahead! In the end I had to help him wrangle it inside. Luckily it was only going a few meters from the front door.
Then he left, and I had to try and get all the bits out of the box. Or rather, get the box out from under the machine, as I certainly couldn't lift it out. Then I realized that I had about 10 bits and about 20 bolts and washers with absolutely no assembly instructions. And it looked nothing like the one I'd ordered. Sigh! After a few hours of studying the picture, I worked out how it should go. I was so proud of myself! Then I realized that there was supposed to be a cord going through one of the bars from top to bottom... I was going to have to pull everything apart again to do it!
I gave up and went shopping for a bit, and later on Nathan gave me a hand to finish it. What a good hubby! The instruction book was not written by someone who speaks English well, but it's a pretty easy machine to figure out.
I've got it set up near the TV. I "walked around the lake" while watching "The Matrix". I walked about 7km while reading a chunk of "Where the Heart is". I tried a set program which included a 5-minute run that almost did me in. I've done quite a few k in my socks, and now I'm having a few days off because I have blisters! lol.
Work has been really tiring, especially since I just can't seem to go to sleep. How I manage on 4 hours a night for a week I don't know; my theory is that the sleep I do get is concentrated REM. I do seem to have a lot of vivid dreams. Luckily we have students to do all our work for us!
No, I'm over students this week. I appreciate their help and all, but I just can't get my day organized when I have to let them do everything. Their teacher says, "let them do it all and try not to help them; just answer their questions and supervise." But they're a bit frustrating.
My virtual trip is up to 1791km, so I'm still in the middle of the dullest patch of road in Australia. The WA border is coming up in about 60km, I think. I don't even think there are any houses here! I've done a fair bit of exercise since my last blog, but it takes much longer to walk than ride.
Now I'm off to watch a movie and knit!
First the delivery van pulled up with a 120kg box in the back. The lone delivery guy says to me, “Well, we put it in the truck with a forklift; I'm not sure how we're going to get it out...” Well, gee, what was he expecting me to do about it? Get my forklift out of the garage? Talk about thinking ahead! In the end I had to help him wrangle it inside. Luckily it was only going a few meters from the front door.
Then he left, and I had to try and get all the bits out of the box. Or rather, get the box out from under the machine, as I certainly couldn't lift it out. Then I realized that I had about 10 bits and about 20 bolts and washers with absolutely no assembly instructions. And it looked nothing like the one I'd ordered. Sigh! After a few hours of studying the picture, I worked out how it should go. I was so proud of myself! Then I realized that there was supposed to be a cord going through one of the bars from top to bottom... I was going to have to pull everything apart again to do it!
I gave up and went shopping for a bit, and later on Nathan gave me a hand to finish it. What a good hubby! The instruction book was not written by someone who speaks English well, but it's a pretty easy machine to figure out.
I've got it set up near the TV. I "walked around the lake" while watching "The Matrix". I walked about 7km while reading a chunk of "Where the Heart is". I tried a set program which included a 5-minute run that almost did me in. I've done quite a few k in my socks, and now I'm having a few days off because I have blisters! lol.
Work has been really tiring, especially since I just can't seem to go to sleep. How I manage on 4 hours a night for a week I don't know; my theory is that the sleep I do get is concentrated REM. I do seem to have a lot of vivid dreams. Luckily we have students to do all our work for us!
No, I'm over students this week. I appreciate their help and all, but I just can't get my day organized when I have to let them do everything. Their teacher says, "let them do it all and try not to help them; just answer their questions and supervise." But they're a bit frustrating.
My virtual trip is up to 1791km, so I'm still in the middle of the dullest patch of road in Australia. The WA border is coming up in about 60km, I think. I don't even think there are any houses here! I've done a fair bit of exercise since my last blog, but it takes much longer to walk than ride.
Now I'm off to watch a movie and knit!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
More exercise
Yesterday I spent a heap of money (for me) on Ebay and bought a treadmill! Well, it wasn't as expensive as even the cheapest one at the local sports store, so I think it will be a good deal. They're sending it to me from Melbourne, but I'm not sure when it will arrive.
When it comes I'll be able to add my walking k's onto the trip around Australia. Since I restarted I've only ridden 50km on my exercise bike, mainly due to being a bit weary. I don't think I've had one night in the last week where I've had more than 4 hours of sleep. Stupid restless legs! I make up for it by falling asleep on the couch in the middle of the day.
We've rearranged our lounge room a bit. With quite some effort, we moved one of our new recliners into the other lounge room, where the two old chairs were. Nathan's finished his four ornament shelves in there, complete with brackets made by the blacksmith at Sovereign Hill, five ornaments and a bit of dust. And his mum has recently finished all our curtains. So now it looks like a proper lounge room and not just a spare room for the clothes horse!
I sat in there the other night, when Nathan was asleep and I was up reading at 2am. I had the heater on, my feet up, my milo on the table next to me, and a book. It was great! I've finished reading "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" again, plus the 3 books that come after it. (They were bound into one book called "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: a trilogy in four parts") Funny book. Ridiculously hilarious. Oddly witty. Now I'm reading a wierd but interesting science fiction one borrowed from a nurse I work with.
Nathan's got a new xbox game, which he's playing now. I actually haven't played the Sims 2 for some time... too much working. I have managed to marry off my eldest daughter to Adam and Ruth's son, Joseph, though. Hehe.
Speaking of kids, congrats to my old friends Tim and Marnie, who are having another cute baby next February. You guys should consider moving back here; there are nice blocks for sale right across the road from us, you know...
When it comes I'll be able to add my walking k's onto the trip around Australia. Since I restarted I've only ridden 50km on my exercise bike, mainly due to being a bit weary. I don't think I've had one night in the last week where I've had more than 4 hours of sleep. Stupid restless legs! I make up for it by falling asleep on the couch in the middle of the day.
We've rearranged our lounge room a bit. With quite some effort, we moved one of our new recliners into the other lounge room, where the two old chairs were. Nathan's finished his four ornament shelves in there, complete with brackets made by the blacksmith at Sovereign Hill, five ornaments and a bit of dust. And his mum has recently finished all our curtains. So now it looks like a proper lounge room and not just a spare room for the clothes horse!
I sat in there the other night, when Nathan was asleep and I was up reading at 2am. I had the heater on, my feet up, my milo on the table next to me, and a book. It was great! I've finished reading "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" again, plus the 3 books that come after it. (They were bound into one book called "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: a trilogy in four parts") Funny book. Ridiculously hilarious. Oddly witty. Now I'm reading a wierd but interesting science fiction one borrowed from a nurse I work with.
Nathan's got a new xbox game, which he's playing now. I actually haven't played the Sims 2 for some time... too much working. I have managed to marry off my eldest daughter to Adam and Ruth's son, Joseph, though. Hehe.
Speaking of kids, congrats to my old friends Tim and Marnie, who are having another cute baby next February. You guys should consider moving back here; there are nice blocks for sale right across the road from us, you know...
Monday, August 28, 2006
The Big Trip
Years ago I bought a recumbent exercise bike for $80. My goal was to lose weight, as usual (lol), and to make it interesting I planned a virtual trip around Australia on it. I downloaded a stack of maps and directions from a travel site, pasted them into a book, and kept a record of all the kilometers I rode on it.
Of course, I didn't lose much weight, so my motivation kind of stalled. I got half way to Perth (a little over 1700 km), and then the bike just sat there, gathering dust.
Nathan bumped the little computerized bit a while back, and broke it off, and yesterday he designed and built a little metal bracket in his shed and fixed it, better than new. Inspired, I cleaned off all the dust and old tape (which used to hold the computer bit on) and got out my old "The Big Trip" exercise book. I did 5k last night and 5k this morning, and I'll update you all on here when I pass a major milestone. The WA border is next, I think, in about 150k. There aren't many towns about!!
In other virtual news, I managed to screw up my Sims game, and after deleting and installing 3 times, I was so pleased to get it working, I decided not to try and reintroduce the old saved games. They're still there, but I'm not going to try and put them back again... So I've started an all new neighborhood! I'm going to have my original kids, but they won't have all their previous skills and stuff. Oh well...
Of course, I didn't lose much weight, so my motivation kind of stalled. I got half way to Perth (a little over 1700 km), and then the bike just sat there, gathering dust.
Nathan bumped the little computerized bit a while back, and broke it off, and yesterday he designed and built a little metal bracket in his shed and fixed it, better than new. Inspired, I cleaned off all the dust and old tape (which used to hold the computer bit on) and got out my old "The Big Trip" exercise book. I did 5k last night and 5k this morning, and I'll update you all on here when I pass a major milestone. The WA border is next, I think, in about 150k. There aren't many towns about!!
In other virtual news, I managed to screw up my Sims game, and after deleting and installing 3 times, I was so pleased to get it working, I decided not to try and reintroduce the old saved games. They're still there, but I'm not going to try and put them back again... So I've started an all new neighborhood! I'm going to have my original kids, but they won't have all their previous skills and stuff. Oh well...
Monday, August 21, 2006
Back at work
Well, I was going to start work on August 14, but I ended up caving in to the guilt and working on Sunday night (after being rung 4 times in the previous week to "please work, even though you're not supposed to be on, because we're desperate") Louise also rang to give me some work for the week on my old ward, so I've worked Sunday (13th) night, Tuesday morning, Thursday night, Saturday morning, Sunday afternoon and this morning. All on my old oncology ward!
In fact, I could probably have the rest of this week off!
I was a bit nervous that I would have forgotten everything, until someone asked a question in the first handover, and the answer popped straight into my head from nowhere! Now I almost feel as though I never left, except that I now remember why I love nursing so much. From now on I hope to do at least a few days a week, even when (if) I have kids. It's a very satisfying job!
Now I'm off to party with my little nephew Ezra, who turns one today!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EZZIE!
Speaking of nephew's, my SIL Seona sent me a picture of Timothy wearing the little aran jumper I spent countless hours knitting! Cute, eh?
In fact, I could probably have the rest of this week off!
I was a bit nervous that I would have forgotten everything, until someone asked a question in the first handover, and the answer popped straight into my head from nowhere! Now I almost feel as though I never left, except that I now remember why I love nursing so much. From now on I hope to do at least a few days a week, even when (if) I have kids. It's a very satisfying job!
Now I'm off to party with my little nephew Ezra, who turns one today!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EZZIE!
Speaking of nephew's, my SIL Seona sent me a picture of Timothy wearing the little aran jumper I spent countless hours knitting! Cute, eh?
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Rubies and Pearls
It's a funny coincidence. Yesterday I was talking to Kelly on the phone, and we got talking about the Sims 2, which we've both started playing recently on our computers. We found out that:
Kelly's sim has a daughter called Pearl and she was considering calling her next daughter Ruby.
My sim has a daughter called Ruby, and I was considering calling my next daughter Pearl!
Bizarre!
The good news of yesterday is that I got the job I applied for! First someone from the nurse bank called to give me an interview (as long as you're qualified, you're bound to get in to the nurse bank, as they're often desperate). Then Louise rang. She asked when I could come in for an interview, and then she said, "Well, not really an interview, more of a talk about details." Then she asked me how many days a week I'd like to work, as she's trying to do the roster. ;-)
This job is an 8 week job, and I said I'd work full-time if it suited her, but she said 0.84EFT would suit her better (which is 4 days a week). That actually suits me better, too; I just needed an excuse to not work full-time! She also said she was very glad I had applied, which is nice! Probably just means noone else did... lol! She said Jacqui was in the background, nodding, because she likes working with me (and vice versa). I'm going to be replacing Jac, while she does Louise's job, because Louise is going on LSL. Jac's a great boss.
Also did my tax return (and Nathan's) on the internet yesterday, which turned out to be pretty easy. Can't believe we've paid an accountant for the last 6 years. Between us, we had 2 group certificates and 4 deductions. Simple!
Well, I'm off to play the Sims 2 again. See if I have a Pearl...
Kelly's sim has a daughter called Pearl and she was considering calling her next daughter Ruby.
My sim has a daughter called Ruby, and I was considering calling my next daughter Pearl!
Bizarre!
The good news of yesterday is that I got the job I applied for! First someone from the nurse bank called to give me an interview (as long as you're qualified, you're bound to get in to the nurse bank, as they're often desperate). Then Louise rang. She asked when I could come in for an interview, and then she said, "Well, not really an interview, more of a talk about details." Then she asked me how many days a week I'd like to work, as she's trying to do the roster. ;-)
This job is an 8 week job, and I said I'd work full-time if it suited her, but she said 0.84EFT would suit her better (which is 4 days a week). That actually suits me better, too; I just needed an excuse to not work full-time! She also said she was very glad I had applied, which is nice! Probably just means noone else did... lol! She said Jacqui was in the background, nodding, because she likes working with me (and vice versa). I'm going to be replacing Jac, while she does Louise's job, because Louise is going on LSL. Jac's a great boss.
Also did my tax return (and Nathan's) on the internet yesterday, which turned out to be pretty easy. Can't believe we've paid an accountant for the last 6 years. Between us, we had 2 group certificates and 4 deductions. Simple!
Well, I'm off to play the Sims 2 again. See if I have a Pearl...
Saturday, July 15, 2006
The end is near
The end of my holidays, that is. I'm starting work again in about 4 weeks, providing I'm needed, of course. I applied for the nurse bank, which should be easy enough to get onto, but I'm not looking forward to that. Not only do they tend to ring you at 6am to see if you can work at 7am, but they could send me anywhere in the hospital. I'm in an oncology rut! I've worked in medical/oncology so long I feel like I've forgotten everything else. Access a port for a three-year old in emergency? No worries. Take blood out of someone's foot. Not a problem. Explain tumor lysis syndrome to a 25 year old with Hodgkins? Piece of cake. Reason with a psycho morphine addict? Sounds like fun. But I wouldn't know what to do with a post-splenectomy or a kid with a fever or someone in traction. I hate going to a different ward and feeling like a student again!
I also applied for an 8 week full-time job, which is on my ward. The boss is going away for 8 weeks, so there's a temporary gap. I didn't want to work full-time, but it's not really fair for me to refuse if Nathan has to. But I think I can handle full-time for 8 weeks. Of course, I might not get the job, in which case it's just what God wants, anyway; I'll leave the details up to him.
Simon and Matthew are off at Kapooka, enjoying the fresh air, exercise and new experiences of Army Reserve boot camp for a month. Simon's spending his birthday there, today, but I don't have his address, so I couldn't even send a card.
Happy birthday, little bro!
I hope they're having fun!
Meanwhile, I've been doing the usual. I spend half the day reading, do some cleaning, move the guinea-pigs, go for a walk, and then do some knitting. I am knitting myself a jumper, which I started last year some time, and I'm on the last sleeve. I'm aiming to get it finished before I go back to work, although it might not fit me. I weighed myself the other day, for the first time in months, and I've gained a few kilos! Well, I suppose that's what happens when you read all day, and I'm up to my 36th book for the year. I have resolved to get myself a decent treadmill, if Nathan will allow me the space, and I can save the money. I can walk and read, without going outside and getting cold, wet, hot, sunburned or abducted, any time of the day or night. And if I can put it in the lounge somewhere, I'll be able to walk and watch TV. Maybe jog in the adds.
"Villette" was my 36th book, but I had to stop half way through, because of a printing error. Pages 63-96 were there... twice. Pages 97-129 were missing altogether. Neither does the library have another copy present, so I decided to read "The Three Musketeers" instead. It's quite funny, though their moral stance on marriage was a bit poor in general. Then I'm going to read "Cyrano de Bergerac", which is written like a play, but looks funny. I flicked through it briefly, and found this bit, where a bunch of poets become inspired by the cake they're eating. One bursts into recipe-rhyme:
Beat, until it mercy begs,
Two dozen eggs,
When the consistency's like silk,
Add a cup of lemon juice,
Then introduce
Two tablespoons of almond milk
And so it goes on for two more verses, all rhyming, which is not bad work, as it was originally a french rhyme. I just laughed.
Nathan is currently on holidays. He spent all the first week in his shed, making something for the front of his buggy. He's also planted about 100 of his seedlings along the fence. What a hard-worker! Of course, his idea of fun is freezing in the shed, or going through Halo 2 on legendary again (which he's also done). At least he sleeps in sometimes!
I didn't watch any more of the FIFA world cup. I stayed up late to watch each match the Aussies were in, but when we lost to Italy I was a bit disgusted (I thought the refereeing bad and the timing of the winning penalty terrible). But I was glad that Italy won the World Cup, because all of us Aussies know that we should have beaten them! He he.
Well, I must go see what happens to Lady de Winter! The duke's just been killed by poor Felton, and now the 4 musketeers are trying to save the young Madame Bonacieux...
I also applied for an 8 week full-time job, which is on my ward. The boss is going away for 8 weeks, so there's a temporary gap. I didn't want to work full-time, but it's not really fair for me to refuse if Nathan has to. But I think I can handle full-time for 8 weeks. Of course, I might not get the job, in which case it's just what God wants, anyway; I'll leave the details up to him.
Simon and Matthew are off at Kapooka, enjoying the fresh air, exercise and new experiences of Army Reserve boot camp for a month. Simon's spending his birthday there, today, but I don't have his address, so I couldn't even send a card.
Happy birthday, little bro!
I hope they're having fun!
Meanwhile, I've been doing the usual. I spend half the day reading, do some cleaning, move the guinea-pigs, go for a walk, and then do some knitting. I am knitting myself a jumper, which I started last year some time, and I'm on the last sleeve. I'm aiming to get it finished before I go back to work, although it might not fit me. I weighed myself the other day, for the first time in months, and I've gained a few kilos! Well, I suppose that's what happens when you read all day, and I'm up to my 36th book for the year. I have resolved to get myself a decent treadmill, if Nathan will allow me the space, and I can save the money. I can walk and read, without going outside and getting cold, wet, hot, sunburned or abducted, any time of the day or night. And if I can put it in the lounge somewhere, I'll be able to walk and watch TV. Maybe jog in the adds.
"Villette" was my 36th book, but I had to stop half way through, because of a printing error. Pages 63-96 were there... twice. Pages 97-129 were missing altogether. Neither does the library have another copy present, so I decided to read "The Three Musketeers" instead. It's quite funny, though their moral stance on marriage was a bit poor in general. Then I'm going to read "Cyrano de Bergerac", which is written like a play, but looks funny. I flicked through it briefly, and found this bit, where a bunch of poets become inspired by the cake they're eating. One bursts into recipe-rhyme:
Beat, until it mercy begs,
Two dozen eggs,
When the consistency's like silk,
Add a cup of lemon juice,
Then introduce
Two tablespoons of almond milk
And so it goes on for two more verses, all rhyming, which is not bad work, as it was originally a french rhyme. I just laughed.
Nathan is currently on holidays. He spent all the first week in his shed, making something for the front of his buggy. He's also planted about 100 of his seedlings along the fence. What a hard-worker! Of course, his idea of fun is freezing in the shed, or going through Halo 2 on legendary again (which he's also done). At least he sleeps in sometimes!
I didn't watch any more of the FIFA world cup. I stayed up late to watch each match the Aussies were in, but when we lost to Italy I was a bit disgusted (I thought the refereeing bad and the timing of the winning penalty terrible). But I was glad that Italy won the World Cup, because all of us Aussies know that we should have beaten them! He he.
Well, I must go see what happens to Lady de Winter! The duke's just been killed by poor Felton, and now the 4 musketeers are trying to save the young Madame Bonacieux...
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Snow!!
Well, okay, bubbles.
Kelly and I took Abby and Tim to Sovereign Hill yesterday, to see the School-Holiday Snow! It's created with machines perched on some rooftops which blow a whole lot of froth down from the sky; it does look quite a bit like snow, enough to thrill the kids.
We went in at openning time (10am) and started wandering around. Tim's first mission was to get to the top of the poppet head (which he stubbornly calls "the Eiffel Tower") because his mum "never lets him" (ie. she can't be bothered carrying Ezra up all the stairs). We looked through the battery, which was broken today, thus quiet, and Tim was very interested in how it all worked. We headed to the main street to see the first "snow" and buy Cheap lollies, and then down to see the "lolly making" exhibit. Then the kids went into one of the old houses, where there was a nice fire burning, to listen to some stories. At 12 we headed up to the boiler house, because Nathan was cooking us 4 pototoes for lunch. But they weren't ready, so we decided to see the Gold Pouring demonstration instead. Afterwards, we picked up our potatoes and headed for the kiosk tables. When our butter-drowned spuds were gone, we walked back up to the boiler house, where Nathan let Abby and Tim come behind the barriers and blow the 1pm whistle. They each had a go; Nathan said he'd gotten permission for a 1:01pm whistle, too! Then Abby and Tim listened (very patiently) to the Stoked Tour, which is "how steam works" for kids. It was a little over their heads, perhaps, but then again, one should never underestimate the understanding of children.
After that long talk, it was time for cakes! We found the bakery and picked out some good sugary stuff to restore our energy levels. We did some gold panning, watched a silly but funny play in the old theater and went 9-pin bowling. We visitted the school and tried to write with the old pen-and-nibs and inkpots. Tim wrote every combination of "T" and "I" and "M" you could imagine without actually writing "TIM". Abby mainly drew pictures, and was as pleased as punch when the "school-teacher" told her they were good. We also lost Tim for a bit, which was... er... not part of the plan; he was singularly unaffected (for such a normally timid kid). Someone had taken him to the office, and one of the 'soldiers' walked around with him a bit until he found us. I asked him if he'd had fun, and he said "yeah" and that he just thought he would wander off!
They were pretty tired by the end of the day, and so was I! But they were very well-behaved, and I think they had a lot of fun. As I left, Tim was trying to explain to his Grandpa the sound that the whistle made when he pulled the rope; funny!
Kelly and I took Abby and Tim to Sovereign Hill yesterday, to see the School-Holiday Snow! It's created with machines perched on some rooftops which blow a whole lot of froth down from the sky; it does look quite a bit like snow, enough to thrill the kids.
We went in at openning time (10am) and started wandering around. Tim's first mission was to get to the top of the poppet head (which he stubbornly calls "the Eiffel Tower") because his mum "never lets him" (ie. she can't be bothered carrying Ezra up all the stairs). We looked through the battery, which was broken today, thus quiet, and Tim was very interested in how it all worked. We headed to the main street to see the first "snow" and buy Cheap lollies, and then down to see the "lolly making" exhibit. Then the kids went into one of the old houses, where there was a nice fire burning, to listen to some stories. At 12 we headed up to the boiler house, because Nathan was cooking us 4 pototoes for lunch. But they weren't ready, so we decided to see the Gold Pouring demonstration instead. Afterwards, we picked up our potatoes and headed for the kiosk tables. When our butter-drowned spuds were gone, we walked back up to the boiler house, where Nathan let Abby and Tim come behind the barriers and blow the 1pm whistle. They each had a go; Nathan said he'd gotten permission for a 1:01pm whistle, too! Then Abby and Tim listened (very patiently) to the Stoked Tour, which is "how steam works" for kids. It was a little over their heads, perhaps, but then again, one should never underestimate the understanding of children.
After that long talk, it was time for cakes! We found the bakery and picked out some good sugary stuff to restore our energy levels. We did some gold panning, watched a silly but funny play in the old theater and went 9-pin bowling. We visitted the school and tried to write with the old pen-and-nibs and inkpots. Tim wrote every combination of "T" and "I" and "M" you could imagine without actually writing "TIM". Abby mainly drew pictures, and was as pleased as punch when the "school-teacher" told her they were good. We also lost Tim for a bit, which was... er... not part of the plan; he was singularly unaffected (for such a normally timid kid). Someone had taken him to the office, and one of the 'soldiers' walked around with him a bit until he found us. I asked him if he'd had fun, and he said "yeah" and that he just thought he would wander off!
They were pretty tired by the end of the day, and so was I! But they were very well-behaved, and I think they had a lot of fun. As I left, Tim was trying to explain to his Grandpa the sound that the whistle made when he pulled the rope; funny!
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Timothy James
He was finally born (2 weeks overdue) on Thursday, June 15, weighing 8lb 1oz, and 50cm long. He's very cute, of course, and he was wide awake when we visitted him yesterday. I gave him the little jumper I'd been knitting the last few months, and Seona said she'll send me a photo of him in it... when he's big enough to wear it! I made it to fit a 3 month old, but he looks so tiny it's hard to imagine it ever fitting ;)
Seona and Chris said they've known it was a boy, and they had told Michael (who's 3). It was a secret, but the funny thing is, Chris said, that if anyone had asked Michael about the baby, he would have said, "It's my new brother, Timothy, in mummy's tummy!" He actually told Nathan, but Nathan didn't understand Michael's 'version' of 'Timothy' (except in hindsight), so the secret was safe! Michael is apparently struggling a little to reconcile this 'baby' with the brother he was going to play cricket with the instant he was home!!
Monday, June 12, 2006
Countdown
I've got two more months left of my holiday, and then, we decided, I'd go back to work. So I'm going to talk to the boss this week, and see if she's got any spots for me. Ideally I'd like a part time job, but working on the nurse bank will be just as good. I'm aiming to go back in mid-August. Hopefully I won't have forgotten everything!
I heard the name "spironalactone" the other day (a common drug) and I couldn't remember what on earth it did! Not until the next day, and that has me a bit worried...
Anyway, if the boss is willing to hire someone who's brain has gone soft, I'll be fine.
I heard the name "spironalactone" the other day (a common drug) and I couldn't remember what on earth it did! Not until the next day, and that has me a bit worried...
Anyway, if the boss is willing to hire someone who's brain has gone soft, I'll be fine.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
80 months
I realized that today is a funny sort of anniversary; I have been married 80 months! Woo hoo!
Not that we take much notice of anniversaries anyway, but I didn't have anything much else to write about...
It's amazing how slack you can get, after working so busily only a few months before. I remember being so busy that I didn't feel like I had the time to work and do the dishes. Now I do all my housework and spend hours every day doing what I like. I've never had a holiday like this before... it's great! I wish I could stop feeling guilty! Nathan works pretty hard, but he can't have half a year off. Well, not at the same time as me, I guess. I've been knitting a jumper: a very fiddly one. Wish I hadn't started it now; it's taken so much of my time up. Doesn't seem like a good use of so many hours. Especially when I could just buy one from a shop! Oh well. Only one sleeve to go, so I can't stop now. I've been mainly reading. Wish I'd kept track of all the books I've read this year; I can add up about 30 in my head, but I must have forgotten some. Just went to the library this morning to get half a dozen more. Should keep me entertained for a few weeks.
Had a wierd dream about work last night. I'd gotten a new job as at a restaurant (not as a waitress, though) and the guy who was my boss was also giving me chemo. I had to hook it up myself, though, and walk around the restaurant with an IV pole for 5 days each month. It was something like Herceptin, but the IV tube went down my throat. Then one of my uni teachers was there asking me questions about it, as she had a special interest [in real life Gabe had breast cancer]. Mum and Kelly had breast cancer, too, but they weren't in the dream. Couldn't get over how well I felt! lol! What a stupid dream...
Have been meeting people from work in the supermarket a bit lately, and getting emails from another nurse who's working in London now. Maybe that's why I was thinking about work... I met one nurse at Coles who very sneakily asked me if I was still going to the blood bank. It was sneaky, because I suspect it was her subtle way of asking if I was pregnant. And she is a sneaky one! Of course, she did write me an email saying she'd dreamed I was pregnant, and in my reply I was careful to avoid "confirming or denying" it. Ha ha. I wish I had have said from the beginning: "None of your business" to everyone's baby queries. Might start. It's just annoying that people ask at all. Anyway...
I'm going to the blood bank at 1:30. Donation number ninety-something. I forget.
Aaaaa... Mum just brought me in some little quiches. I put one straight in my mouth and it burned! It's Thursday again, so I'm sitting up at Mum and Dad's on the computer. Dad usually tapes "Prison Break", which is good of him. I miss it because of our Wednesday night bible study. I do all my little jobs and pick up Nathan after work. Today's jobs were buy a picture frame, swap some library books, drop a form in to the bank, go to the blood bank, get groceries, watch "PB" and buy "Cyrano..."-whatever it's called. I've decided to spend some of my spending money improving my library. Couldn't find that book, though, so I've reserved it at the library. Might go buy some other classic after the blood bank. One year I had a new year's resolution to read a classic every month. I read "The count of Monte Cristo" by Dumas, and "War and Peace" by Tolstoy. Read Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey" and Tolkien's "Silmarillion". The Iliad was one of the hardest books I'd ever made myself read! I think I bought a pretty difficult translation, though. I saw one in the bookstore today that looked readable. But after that, and "War and Peace" (also a drag) I let myself read the Austin books (again!) and after that I decided that Rowling's were all "classics"! He he.
Spent some of my birthday money on a book of poetry. But I should have some more classics. When I've finished these library books, I'm thinking of reading "The Count of Monte Cristo" again. That was good.
I should buy a lotto ticket! If I won, I'd be able to stay home. I could buy a fancy treadmill, and walk and read all day. We could extend the house, and I could have a huge library! A library with a treadmill in it! And 10,000 books...
sigh
Better get off the internet and get drinking. Got to be at the blood bank soon.
Not that we take much notice of anniversaries anyway, but I didn't have anything much else to write about...
It's amazing how slack you can get, after working so busily only a few months before. I remember being so busy that I didn't feel like I had the time to work and do the dishes. Now I do all my housework and spend hours every day doing what I like. I've never had a holiday like this before... it's great! I wish I could stop feeling guilty! Nathan works pretty hard, but he can't have half a year off. Well, not at the same time as me, I guess. I've been knitting a jumper: a very fiddly one. Wish I hadn't started it now; it's taken so much of my time up. Doesn't seem like a good use of so many hours. Especially when I could just buy one from a shop! Oh well. Only one sleeve to go, so I can't stop now. I've been mainly reading. Wish I'd kept track of all the books I've read this year; I can add up about 30 in my head, but I must have forgotten some. Just went to the library this morning to get half a dozen more. Should keep me entertained for a few weeks.
Had a wierd dream about work last night. I'd gotten a new job as at a restaurant (not as a waitress, though) and the guy who was my boss was also giving me chemo. I had to hook it up myself, though, and walk around the restaurant with an IV pole for 5 days each month. It was something like Herceptin, but the IV tube went down my throat. Then one of my uni teachers was there asking me questions about it, as she had a special interest [in real life Gabe had breast cancer]. Mum and Kelly had breast cancer, too, but they weren't in the dream. Couldn't get over how well I felt! lol! What a stupid dream...
Have been meeting people from work in the supermarket a bit lately, and getting emails from another nurse who's working in London now. Maybe that's why I was thinking about work... I met one nurse at Coles who very sneakily asked me if I was still going to the blood bank. It was sneaky, because I suspect it was her subtle way of asking if I was pregnant. And she is a sneaky one! Of course, she did write me an email saying she'd dreamed I was pregnant, and in my reply I was careful to avoid "confirming or denying" it. Ha ha. I wish I had have said from the beginning: "None of your business" to everyone's baby queries. Might start. It's just annoying that people ask at all. Anyway...
I'm going to the blood bank at 1:30. Donation number ninety-something. I forget.
Aaaaa... Mum just brought me in some little quiches. I put one straight in my mouth and it burned! It's Thursday again, so I'm sitting up at Mum and Dad's on the computer. Dad usually tapes "Prison Break", which is good of him. I miss it because of our Wednesday night bible study. I do all my little jobs and pick up Nathan after work. Today's jobs were buy a picture frame, swap some library books, drop a form in to the bank, go to the blood bank, get groceries, watch "PB" and buy "Cyrano..."-whatever it's called. I've decided to spend some of my spending money improving my library. Couldn't find that book, though, so I've reserved it at the library. Might go buy some other classic after the blood bank. One year I had a new year's resolution to read a classic every month. I read "The count of Monte Cristo" by Dumas, and "War and Peace" by Tolstoy. Read Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey" and Tolkien's "Silmarillion". The Iliad was one of the hardest books I'd ever made myself read! I think I bought a pretty difficult translation, though. I saw one in the bookstore today that looked readable. But after that, and "War and Peace" (also a drag) I let myself read the Austin books (again!) and after that I decided that Rowling's were all "classics"! He he.
Spent some of my birthday money on a book of poetry. But I should have some more classics. When I've finished these library books, I'm thinking of reading "The Count of Monte Cristo" again. That was good.
I should buy a lotto ticket! If I won, I'd be able to stay home. I could buy a fancy treadmill, and walk and read all day. We could extend the house, and I could have a huge library! A library with a treadmill in it! And 10,000 books...
sigh
Better get off the internet and get drinking. Got to be at the blood bank soon.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Bludge Camp
Nathan and I have been to bludge camp this week! The most work we did was setting up the tent, and for most of the remaining time at Jubilee Lake, we read books! I didn't take enough books, and when I finished HP2 I was a bit bored! Nathan is reading Lord of the Rings, so he didn't finish it in 2 days... He kindly let me read it when he got sick of me sighing with boredom... LOL!
Jubilee Lake (near Daylesford) is quite small, and I walked around it 3 times. Only takes about 20 minutes, if you walk slowly. It was in the bush, nice and quiet... well, there were lots of noisy galahs squarking in the morning, so it was just like home ;-) .
When we got back home, we grabbed some groceries, then kidnapped Abby and Tim. We took them to a few playgrounds and fed them pizza and sugar and all that... so much fun to spoil kids. Nathan decided they were tired and sent them to bed at 7:30, and we sat on the couch reading and listening to them talk in bed. They're so funny! Tim, who had seen car lights whiz by, was trying to explain the difference between a "shooting star" and a "shooting car"!
The next day we watched cartoons, went to another playground and played Spyro. The kids were both too scared of the baddies to play much. They wanted to run Spyro around, but if they saw a baddie (or "baby" as Tim kept calling them) they'd beg Uncle Nathan to help them. ("Help, Uncle Nathan, the baby's going to squash me!!") Nathan tried and tried to get them to be brave enough to fight them (you just have to push "B" and "X") but they couldn't! Finally (after about an hour) Abby was brave enough to attempt it, and she was immediately contemptuous of Tim's fear... so funny. No sympathy at all! He he.
They cooked tea, which was fun, and ate it all, and were very proud of themselves. And we took them home, because we were a bit tired. We are old fogies!
Nathan has been relaxing, playing the xbox and reading the book. He keeps commenting on the differences between the book and the movies. He has a good memory for detail. I guess that's why he never feels the need to read anything more than once. Whereas I'm reading HP for the 7th time, and I'm still finding things I hadn't noticed, or had forgotten.
Tomorrow is my birthday. Yay! Well, I'll be 30, so I don't feel like I can call myself young anymore, but I haven't felt young since before I worked on the oncology ward... I suggested the HP4 movie for my birthday present, as it just so happens to have been released 2 days ago in Australia :-) -hopefully Nathan bought it for me, but if not, I have $30 in my wallet so I'll get it anyway. May as well collect the lot...
I should go do something useful. Maybe I'll read a bit more. He he.
Jubilee Lake (near Daylesford) is quite small, and I walked around it 3 times. Only takes about 20 minutes, if you walk slowly. It was in the bush, nice and quiet... well, there were lots of noisy galahs squarking in the morning, so it was just like home ;-) .
When we got back home, we grabbed some groceries, then kidnapped Abby and Tim. We took them to a few playgrounds and fed them pizza and sugar and all that... so much fun to spoil kids. Nathan decided they were tired and sent them to bed at 7:30, and we sat on the couch reading and listening to them talk in bed. They're so funny! Tim, who had seen car lights whiz by, was trying to explain the difference between a "shooting star" and a "shooting car"!
The next day we watched cartoons, went to another playground and played Spyro. The kids were both too scared of the baddies to play much. They wanted to run Spyro around, but if they saw a baddie (or "baby" as Tim kept calling them) they'd beg Uncle Nathan to help them. ("Help, Uncle Nathan, the baby's going to squash me!!") Nathan tried and tried to get them to be brave enough to fight them (you just have to push "B" and "X") but they couldn't! Finally (after about an hour) Abby was brave enough to attempt it, and she was immediately contemptuous of Tim's fear... so funny. No sympathy at all! He he.
They cooked tea, which was fun, and ate it all, and were very proud of themselves. And we took them home, because we were a bit tired. We are old fogies!
Nathan has been relaxing, playing the xbox and reading the book. He keeps commenting on the differences between the book and the movies. He has a good memory for detail. I guess that's why he never feels the need to read anything more than once. Whereas I'm reading HP for the 7th time, and I'm still finding things I hadn't noticed, or had forgotten.
Tomorrow is my birthday. Yay! Well, I'll be 30, so I don't feel like I can call myself young anymore, but I haven't felt young since before I worked on the oncology ward... I suggested the HP4 movie for my birthday present, as it just so happens to have been released 2 days ago in Australia :-) -hopefully Nathan bought it for me, but if not, I have $30 in my wallet so I'll get it anyway. May as well collect the lot...
I should go do something useful. Maybe I'll read a bit more. He he.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Nathan's holidays
Nathan is on holidays. Woo hoo! Now I don't have to feel guilty every time he goes off to work and I'm lying in bed!! Of course, he's still working! Today he started re-staining the outside of the house. Spent all day up the ladder! Well, now he's sitting on the couch, reading "The Hobbit", so he's relaxing a little...
I have been knitting instead of reading, so I still haven't finished "Lord of the Rings". It's been sitting on top of the drawers in my room, collecting dust for about a week! I suppose I haven't read it since before Kelly came to stay. She's on holidays from her childcare course, so she stayed in our spare room for 3 nights. We spent most of the time playing "The Sims 2" on Nathan's x-box, which was a lot of fun, and very lazy!
Kelly has been crocheting a poncho-type top for herself, out of some thick, knotty wool. She started a square while she was here, and by the time she left she had enough to cover a bed (slight exaggeration). I started a new baby jumper, and got about 5 square cm of ribbing done. Sigh. Oh well, I'm trying something a bit more tricky, so I have to take my time and concentrate!
Tomorrow I'm getting up early to see a -8 iridium flare. If you don't know what that is, you should check out http://www.heavens-above.com/ It's a flash in the night sky caused by the sun reflecting off the dish of an iridium satellite. Sometimes it's almost 100 times brighter than Venus at its best, but only for a second.
We might go away camping while we're both on holidays. It depends on the weather... whether we get organized before his 2 weeks are up!
I have been knitting instead of reading, so I still haven't finished "Lord of the Rings". It's been sitting on top of the drawers in my room, collecting dust for about a week! I suppose I haven't read it since before Kelly came to stay. She's on holidays from her childcare course, so she stayed in our spare room for 3 nights. We spent most of the time playing "The Sims 2" on Nathan's x-box, which was a lot of fun, and very lazy!
Kelly has been crocheting a poncho-type top for herself, out of some thick, knotty wool. She started a square while she was here, and by the time she left she had enough to cover a bed (slight exaggeration). I started a new baby jumper, and got about 5 square cm of ribbing done. Sigh. Oh well, I'm trying something a bit more tricky, so I have to take my time and concentrate!
Tomorrow I'm getting up early to see a -8 iridium flare. If you don't know what that is, you should check out http://www.heavens-above.com/ It's a flash in the night sky caused by the sun reflecting off the dish of an iridium satellite. Sometimes it's almost 100 times brighter than Venus at its best, but only for a second.
We might go away camping while we're both on holidays. It depends on the weather... whether we get organized before his 2 weeks are up!
Monday, March 13, 2006
Sunday Roast
Hmm, maybe that title's a little bit inappropriate! But I was thinking of my guinea pigs, who almost got roasted in their little hay beds in the bushfire last night...
Yesterday (Sunday, March 12) we had a hot day, and we spent the morning at Sovereign Hill (as I mentioned in the last post). I had planned to turn off the internet and read "Lord of the Rings" (in truth, to go to bed and have a "nanna nap", as Nathan's mum calls it). But a big bushfire started in the nearby towns, Snake Valley, I think. It was about 20km across, and travelling 30-50 km/hour straight towards us! At about 2:30 some fire trucks went by, so we saw there was a fire. But a bit later Nathan pulled me outside to look; the afternoon sky was filled with smoke, and by the time it got dark there was an eerie orange glow to the south west. It was quite exciting, but a little scary!
My husband and I packed our car and left when they said on the radio "Either leave right now, or prepare to stay and defend your homes". Our place is pretty good, firewise, that is, the grass is short, there are no trees near the house, and the firetrucks can easily get in and around our land. So we left Velvet (the galah) at Nathan's mum's, slept at Mum and Dad's, and came back in the morning.
Fortunately, it started to rain at about 1am, which helped the firefighters a lot. Nathan and I drove back home at 8:30 in the morning. The fire had gotten close to us... the edge of the black grass was less than 2k away. There were 6 houses burned down, so we have been very lucky. God looks after us.
Well, today is Labor Day, and we are having our All-Day Halo 2 day. The first people came at about 10:30, and there are currently Matt, Jason, Nigel, Austy and Chris playing Halo with Nathan. Dr Matt and his 2 boys were here before, but they had to go out; Dr Matt is coming back later without the boys (much to their disgust!! Lol!) A couple more people are expected later. I'm having the occasional game, though I do get impatient with being slaughtered all the time... I've just been fiddling around doing some calligraphy.
Yesterday (Sunday, March 12) we had a hot day, and we spent the morning at Sovereign Hill (as I mentioned in the last post). I had planned to turn off the internet and read "Lord of the Rings" (in truth, to go to bed and have a "nanna nap", as Nathan's mum calls it). But a big bushfire started in the nearby towns, Snake Valley, I think. It was about 20km across, and travelling 30-50 km/hour straight towards us! At about 2:30 some fire trucks went by, so we saw there was a fire. But a bit later Nathan pulled me outside to look; the afternoon sky was filled with smoke, and by the time it got dark there was an eerie orange glow to the south west. It was quite exciting, but a little scary!
My husband and I packed our car and left when they said on the radio "Either leave right now, or prepare to stay and defend your homes". Our place is pretty good, firewise, that is, the grass is short, there are no trees near the house, and the firetrucks can easily get in and around our land. So we left Velvet (the galah) at Nathan's mum's, slept at Mum and Dad's, and came back in the morning.
Fortunately, it started to rain at about 1am, which helped the firefighters a lot. Nathan and I drove back home at 8:30 in the morning. The fire had gotten close to us... the edge of the black grass was less than 2k away. There were 6 houses burned down, so we have been very lucky. God looks after us.
Well, today is Labor Day, and we are having our All-Day Halo 2 day. The first people came at about 10:30, and there are currently Matt, Jason, Nigel, Austy and Chris playing Halo with Nathan. Dr Matt and his 2 boys were here before, but they had to go out; Dr Matt is coming back later without the boys (much to their disgust!! Lol!) A couple more people are expected later. I'm having the occasional game, though I do get impatient with being slaughtered all the time... I've just been fiddling around doing some calligraphy.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Sovereign Hill
Even though it's one of Nathan's days off, we visitted Sovereign Hill today, and took along all his family. We signed in at the staff entrance at 9am (an hour before the park opens) and got our visitor ID badges, then headed up to the boiler house. It was already 25 degrees outside, so the boiler house' thermometer said 35. We were just in time for the safety valve check. At 90 PSI the safety valve lifted with an explosive hiss and steam filled the rafters. It was loud! When the pressure was back to 80 PSI the valves closed, and Nathan told us all about the boilers and lines, how it gets cleaned, what the various little engines did, about the old-time boilers, what to do in an emergency (apart from pray!) and all sorts of information that he's probably given tourists for the last 9 years. It was really interesting, and I think I understood most of what he said!
Then the safety valve of Boiler 2 went off, louder than the first! We continued on to the engine room and then the battery, with Nathan explaining everything as we walked. Michael was fascinated by all the big, greasy wheels and the roaring fire and the noise!
At 10 the park openned, and we went to the kiosk for a drink. Then we all wandered around for a couple of hours, buying lollies, checking out the shops, climbing the Poppet Head, listening to the little street band and panning for gold. Michael patted the horses, pumped the water pump and dipped a candle into colored wax.
I took a few pics, and put some of them on the website (see "Links" at the right). I was trying to get a half-decent family pic, but without resorting to "okay, everyone, look here and say, 'cheese'"; naturally I didn't get one! The three on the website are of Michael.
Nathan is revacuuming the floor (which I did yesterday!!!) because we're having a Halo Day tomorrow. People will be coming from about 10am, hopefully, and staying as late as they want, playing Halo 2. It's Labour day, an appropriate holiday to spend playing!
Then on Tuesday my sister's coming to stay a few nights--to play with my calligraphy stuff, she says! And to watch movies and chat and bludge... should be fun.
iHasta la vista!
Then the safety valve of Boiler 2 went off, louder than the first! We continued on to the engine room and then the battery, with Nathan explaining everything as we walked. Michael was fascinated by all the big, greasy wheels and the roaring fire and the noise!
At 10 the park openned, and we went to the kiosk for a drink. Then we all wandered around for a couple of hours, buying lollies, checking out the shops, climbing the Poppet Head, listening to the little street band and panning for gold. Michael patted the horses, pumped the water pump and dipped a candle into colored wax.
I took a few pics, and put some of them on the website (see "Links" at the right). I was trying to get a half-decent family pic, but without resorting to "okay, everyone, look here and say, 'cheese'"; naturally I didn't get one! The three on the website are of Michael.
Nathan is revacuuming the floor (which I did yesterday!!!) because we're having a Halo Day tomorrow. People will be coming from about 10am, hopefully, and staying as late as they want, playing Halo 2. It's Labour day, an appropriate holiday to spend playing!
Then on Tuesday my sister's coming to stay a few nights--to play with my calligraphy stuff, she says! And to watch movies and chat and bludge... should be fun.
iHasta la vista!
Monday, February 20, 2006
Waffle
Oh, I am such a slacker! I haven't written in this for ages, because I have so little to say!
I confess I have not felt bored since I started my big holiday. Each day I do my FlyLady list, and then I have a bit of free time, which I normally use for craft, the internet or reading. My exercise this month is to hit 10,000 steps a day on my pedometer, or rather 70,000 a week; I do more some days and less others. Yesterday was Sunday, the end of the week, and I had to go for a 2 hour walk to get my steps up! I'm also doing my Pilates DVD each week (50 minutes). The annoying thing is, when I exercise more I'm hungrier, so I'm not losing weight. Oh well; good for the old heart, I guess.
Actually I have trouble deciding what to do some days. I have been cross-stitching and watching the Winter Olympics, though they are mostly on in the evening. I'm reading a nice fat book, though mostly in bed... can't seem to find time for it otherwise. I'm practicing a bit of calligraphy, too, and I have my calligraphy stuff all spread out on Kelly's desk (which we are babysitting). I'm in the middle of knitting a jumper, though I want to start a few other knitting projects. I'm determined to finish this jumper first... well, maybe not determined. We'll see! Lol! I'd like to finish it before Winter, but there are other projects I want to do before then. I haven't had time for knitting anyway, as I've got too many other things I like doing!
We had a Halo night on Saturday, which is always fun. About 10 people came, and most stayed until about 2am. I played a bit, although I do get sick of being slaughtered all the time! Spent most of the night making a little present for my dad... Also made a few other presents recently.
When I was working, I could spare a bit of time for craft, though it felt very wasteful to sit and do calligraphy for 3 hours when the dishes weren't done. Now I have a reasonably clean house and lots of time for fun!
I'm starting to feel like Never going back to work. I know I'll have to, though not full-time, but I guess it doesn't hurt to dream ;-)
...told you I had nothing to say. It's just waffle...
I confess I have not felt bored since I started my big holiday. Each day I do my FlyLady list, and then I have a bit of free time, which I normally use for craft, the internet or reading. My exercise this month is to hit 10,000 steps a day on my pedometer, or rather 70,000 a week; I do more some days and less others. Yesterday was Sunday, the end of the week, and I had to go for a 2 hour walk to get my steps up! I'm also doing my Pilates DVD each week (50 minutes). The annoying thing is, when I exercise more I'm hungrier, so I'm not losing weight. Oh well; good for the old heart, I guess.
Actually I have trouble deciding what to do some days. I have been cross-stitching and watching the Winter Olympics, though they are mostly on in the evening. I'm reading a nice fat book, though mostly in bed... can't seem to find time for it otherwise. I'm practicing a bit of calligraphy, too, and I have my calligraphy stuff all spread out on Kelly's desk (which we are babysitting). I'm in the middle of knitting a jumper, though I want to start a few other knitting projects. I'm determined to finish this jumper first... well, maybe not determined. We'll see! Lol! I'd like to finish it before Winter, but there are other projects I want to do before then. I haven't had time for knitting anyway, as I've got too many other things I like doing!
We had a Halo night on Saturday, which is always fun. About 10 people came, and most stayed until about 2am. I played a bit, although I do get sick of being slaughtered all the time! Spent most of the night making a little present for my dad... Also made a few other presents recently.
When I was working, I could spare a bit of time for craft, though it felt very wasteful to sit and do calligraphy for 3 hours when the dishes weren't done. Now I have a reasonably clean house and lots of time for fun!
I'm starting to feel like Never going back to work. I know I'll have to, though not full-time, but I guess it doesn't hurt to dream ;-)
...told you I had nothing to say. It's just waffle...
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Catch up
Had a great day today, catching up with people. The only one I haven't really seen is Nathan!
Esther called me at about 11, and Kelly, she and I went to the craft market, then Spotlight, then Mum and Dad's. I think we spent 4 hours wandering craft shops ;-) which is easy to do. The family had a bbq, but I left because I was already going out for tea. I bought myself a new t-shirt (as my shirt was a bit scruffy) so I wouldn't have to go home, and went to GC's instead. It was a dinner for me, on my "retirement"!
Lots of people from work turned up! Well, they'd reserved the table, of course, and there were 12 people there: Louise (the boss), Wendy (formerly we worked on the "Blood transfusion" portfolio together, in light of which she's given me a job one day in February!), Liz (patchwork queen), Lynn (whose house I went to last week for a good-old Craft Day), Lyn (one of my favorites in charge, who's just started working only 2 days a week), Debbie (fellow movie-goer), Nola (who paid for my meal and a glass of champagne!), Steve (who's on holidays but came anyway), Gail (still having treatment for cancer but looks fantastic), Fiona (a former grad who's not even on our ward any more), and Jacqui (who worked a late shift and then came after work for a drink... until 11:30!)
It was so great chatting to them all, especially Gail. It was wonderful to hear about the annoying new computer program they have to use, the doctors that annoy them, the conversations with dementia patients ("I am Thor!!" one said today, with an imaginary lightning bolt in his fist!) and all the stuff that goes on at work. I laughed and laughed and laughed. But it did remind me how much of the stressful stuff I've already forgotten. Some days I think to myself, "I miss work", but it's the people I miss, not the politics, early mornings, angry visitors and 10km of walking up and down the hall each day.
I don't think I'll ever have to work there full-time again, and that makes me feel good!
Yesterday I read a book from 5 am to 1 am. I stopped to go for a walk and to have meals. I did a little housework. But I spent most of the day reading until I finished the book! This is the life.
Tomorrow I'm going into town, as I do every Thursday, but I have barely any jobs to do, so I'm going to see a movie (Nanny McPhee), which Debbie recommends, and get the groceries.
Everyone at dinner kept commenting on how relaxed I look. Probably because I've lost all those stress wrinkles and I'm not frowning and moaning all the time ;-)
..oooO................
..(.....).............
...\...(..Oooo........
....\__)..(.....).....
............).../.....
...........(__/.......
Esther called me at about 11, and Kelly, she and I went to the craft market, then Spotlight, then Mum and Dad's. I think we spent 4 hours wandering craft shops ;-) which is easy to do. The family had a bbq, but I left because I was already going out for tea. I bought myself a new t-shirt (as my shirt was a bit scruffy) so I wouldn't have to go home, and went to GC's instead. It was a dinner for me, on my "retirement"!
Lots of people from work turned up! Well, they'd reserved the table, of course, and there were 12 people there: Louise (the boss), Wendy (formerly we worked on the "Blood transfusion" portfolio together, in light of which she's given me a job one day in February!), Liz (patchwork queen), Lynn (whose house I went to last week for a good-old Craft Day), Lyn (one of my favorites in charge, who's just started working only 2 days a week), Debbie (fellow movie-goer), Nola (who paid for my meal and a glass of champagne!), Steve (who's on holidays but came anyway), Gail (still having treatment for cancer but looks fantastic), Fiona (a former grad who's not even on our ward any more), and Jacqui (who worked a late shift and then came after work for a drink... until 11:30!)
It was so great chatting to them all, especially Gail. It was wonderful to hear about the annoying new computer program they have to use, the doctors that annoy them, the conversations with dementia patients ("I am Thor!!" one said today, with an imaginary lightning bolt in his fist!) and all the stuff that goes on at work. I laughed and laughed and laughed. But it did remind me how much of the stressful stuff I've already forgotten. Some days I think to myself, "I miss work", but it's the people I miss, not the politics, early mornings, angry visitors and 10km of walking up and down the hall each day.
I don't think I'll ever have to work there full-time again, and that makes me feel good!
Yesterday I read a book from 5 am to 1 am. I stopped to go for a walk and to have meals. I did a little housework. But I spent most of the day reading until I finished the book! This is the life.
Tomorrow I'm going into town, as I do every Thursday, but I have barely any jobs to do, so I'm going to see a movie (Nanny McPhee), which Debbie recommends, and get the groceries.
Everyone at dinner kept commenting on how relaxed I look. Probably because I've lost all those stress wrinkles and I'm not frowning and moaning all the time ;-)
..oooO................
..(.....).............
...\...(..Oooo........
....\__)..(.....).....
............).../.....
...........(__/.......
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Camping
We finally used our tent!
Nate has been trying to organize a day at the beach, and on Christmas we organized to go camping with Simon and Esther and all the kids. So on Wednesday, 28th we loaded up the car. Mum and Dad arrived with Abby and Tim, who were going to come with us, and Simon, Esther, Ben and Ezra arrived soon after. We drove all the way to Port Fairy, stopping for lunch, and found our site (which someone had camped in!) Then we were given a better site, and we popped up the tents. It was hot work!!! And we didn't have to look after 4 kids age 5 and under!
Then we wandered across the road to where SUFM beach mission was setting up for their first night. It was a little unorganized; apparently they didn't have many volunteers that year. And the mozzies were swarming! I thought I slapped them pretty quick, but I still have 6 bites on my arms and legs.
Abby was a bit disappointed that we didn't go to the beach right away! She's the only one who'd been to the beach, at 10 months of age, and she was kind of excited!
We had tea in our tent, as we have a little front area we could all sit in with a little table, and we could limit the number of mozzies allowed in (like Bouncers). Then, when the kids were asleep, the four of us adults played Canasta until after 1am.
After taking the kids to Beach Mission again, we had lunch and headed to the beach. It took 5 minutes to walk there! There was lots of grass, lots of flat, nice sand with shells here and there, and little waves that came in a fair way on the flat beach. Out further, there were bigger waves; just big enough to push you all the way in on a boogey board, but not big enough to push you under. I held Ben's hand, and we went in up to about his knees. He was so excited about the waves! He'd scream, then laugh, and grip my hand tight. We stayed there quite a while, until the poor boy started shaking with cold. It was a nice warm day, and you'd be pretty much warmed up by the time you walked to the towels. He wanted to go straight back in, but his lips were a bit blue!
Tim was another story, of course; he lasted about 30 seconds before he ran. Simon and I looked around, after we'd been in the water for about 2 minutes, and Tim was gone. (I tell you, it was not the first time either of us lost a kid we were keeping an eye on! Those tackers are quick!!) When we spotted him, he was heading up the ramp, presumably on his way back to camp! He spent most of the afternoon digging and building, though by the end of the day he was wading in up to his knees for short periods (to clean shells.) I was proud of him!
Abby was braver, of course, and went out a bit further with her dad and her Uncle Nathan. Uncle Nathan tried to teach her to boogey board, but it was a bit much for a 5 year old... she gave it a good try, however, and thought "swimming" with Uncle Nathan a bit of a high-light.
When Esther and Ezra came with the car (after his "lunch") she set up a little tent, and he laid in it the rest of the day. He's only a few months old, after all. Esther had a bit of a swim later, but keeping track of the kids, as I said, was rather a full-time job.
I had a good go on Nate's boogey board; the waves were great! I got lots of sore muscles and just a bit of sunburn, but it was definitely worth the trip, just for that swim.
After tea, when the kids slept, we four finished off the Canasta game we'd started. The boys won :o( but we had lots of fun, and didn't finish so late. And in the morning we packed up and were gone by 10-ish. We stopped in to see Auntie Sandie and Callan in Warnambool on the way home. Once Nathan and I had dropped Abby and Tim home, we dumped our luggage and watched 3 DVD's; we felt wrecked! It was still boiling. It's only just started to cool off this afternoon (Jan 1) after a bit of rain.
New Year! I stayed up until after midnight, but not to see in the new year; I was playing the Sims 2, and didn't even realize it was 2006 until about 1am as I went to bed. However, I got up at 8:30, which I'm planning to do most days, and had a healthy breaky, made my bed, did my hair and gave the kitchen a quick clean. I did all the things on my FLY list for Sunday, and now it's Free Time until I cook dinner. I weighed a bit less this morning than I did on last Jan 1. But hopefully I'll be quite a bit lower by the end of my holidays.
Well, I might go play Sims 2 again. It's a bit of fun!!
Happy New Year!
Nate has been trying to organize a day at the beach, and on Christmas we organized to go camping with Simon and Esther and all the kids. So on Wednesday, 28th we loaded up the car. Mum and Dad arrived with Abby and Tim, who were going to come with us, and Simon, Esther, Ben and Ezra arrived soon after. We drove all the way to Port Fairy, stopping for lunch, and found our site (which someone had camped in!) Then we were given a better site, and we popped up the tents. It was hot work!!! And we didn't have to look after 4 kids age 5 and under!
Then we wandered across the road to where SUFM beach mission was setting up for their first night. It was a little unorganized; apparently they didn't have many volunteers that year. And the mozzies were swarming! I thought I slapped them pretty quick, but I still have 6 bites on my arms and legs.
Abby was a bit disappointed that we didn't go to the beach right away! She's the only one who'd been to the beach, at 10 months of age, and she was kind of excited!
We had tea in our tent, as we have a little front area we could all sit in with a little table, and we could limit the number of mozzies allowed in (like Bouncers). Then, when the kids were asleep, the four of us adults played Canasta until after 1am.
After taking the kids to Beach Mission again, we had lunch and headed to the beach. It took 5 minutes to walk there! There was lots of grass, lots of flat, nice sand with shells here and there, and little waves that came in a fair way on the flat beach. Out further, there were bigger waves; just big enough to push you all the way in on a boogey board, but not big enough to push you under. I held Ben's hand, and we went in up to about his knees. He was so excited about the waves! He'd scream, then laugh, and grip my hand tight. We stayed there quite a while, until the poor boy started shaking with cold. It was a nice warm day, and you'd be pretty much warmed up by the time you walked to the towels. He wanted to go straight back in, but his lips were a bit blue!
Tim was another story, of course; he lasted about 30 seconds before he ran. Simon and I looked around, after we'd been in the water for about 2 minutes, and Tim was gone. (I tell you, it was not the first time either of us lost a kid we were keeping an eye on! Those tackers are quick!!) When we spotted him, he was heading up the ramp, presumably on his way back to camp! He spent most of the afternoon digging and building, though by the end of the day he was wading in up to his knees for short periods (to clean shells.) I was proud of him!
Abby was braver, of course, and went out a bit further with her dad and her Uncle Nathan. Uncle Nathan tried to teach her to boogey board, but it was a bit much for a 5 year old... she gave it a good try, however, and thought "swimming" with Uncle Nathan a bit of a high-light.
When Esther and Ezra came with the car (after his "lunch") she set up a little tent, and he laid in it the rest of the day. He's only a few months old, after all. Esther had a bit of a swim later, but keeping track of the kids, as I said, was rather a full-time job.
I had a good go on Nate's boogey board; the waves were great! I got lots of sore muscles and just a bit of sunburn, but it was definitely worth the trip, just for that swim.
After tea, when the kids slept, we four finished off the Canasta game we'd started. The boys won :o( but we had lots of fun, and didn't finish so late. And in the morning we packed up and were gone by 10-ish. We stopped in to see Auntie Sandie and Callan in Warnambool on the way home. Once Nathan and I had dropped Abby and Tim home, we dumped our luggage and watched 3 DVD's; we felt wrecked! It was still boiling. It's only just started to cool off this afternoon (Jan 1) after a bit of rain.
New Year! I stayed up until after midnight, but not to see in the new year; I was playing the Sims 2, and didn't even realize it was 2006 until about 1am as I went to bed. However, I got up at 8:30, which I'm planning to do most days, and had a healthy breaky, made my bed, did my hair and gave the kitchen a quick clean. I did all the things on my FLY list for Sunday, and now it's Free Time until I cook dinner. I weighed a bit less this morning than I did on last Jan 1. But hopefully I'll be quite a bit lower by the end of my holidays.
Well, I might go play Sims 2 again. It's a bit of fun!!
Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
