This year has certainly been very different... a lot of things have changed in my life; and a few things have stayed the same. But mainly, I've seen a lot of changes in my life; some good, some interesting.
January
I arrived home from Brunswick Heads to a house without any 8-legged residents waiting for me. I was thankful my plan to poison my house within an inch of its life before leaving was a good idea... about 5 months later, I got my first spider... YUK!
I joined up with 365Project. This is a site where you upload a photo a day which shows what you've been doing each day. I found it hard at first; but then once I got into the swing of it, it began to be fun and my photography improved too.
Mum and I both pulled a ligament in the same foot! How weird is that??? We had to get our left foot strapped by our podiatrist and he told us to take it easy on our feet. I did mine in by my orthotics not being properly installed in my shoes; they were moved forward a little, thus the pulled ligament.
February
This month, Little Miss Stevie has some health problems. I was worried she might have been losing her sight, but when I got her to Greencross Vets, the vet told me she was overweight. So, I had to cut back on her food and make sure she was exercising - flying around the room three or four times a day.
Mum did out her Tupperware cupboard and I got first dibs on it... so I could toss out anything that was worn out. Yay! Now, this stuff has a lifetime warranty on it... very cool. I've been using it all too.
This month, I began doing out my house. This was the year to try and keep my house tidy; or try at the very least. So, this month, I began cleaning out cupboards, rooms and areas of the house that were screaming out to be cleaned out. And I made great leaps forward too. The kitchen pantry was attacked first... as was the Second Pantry upstairs in the office. Then, I cleaned up the Mt TBR and started tidying up here a little. It was looking good. The lounge was opened up and sprayed for any creepy-crawlies that may be living in it and the fridge got a good cleaning out.
I was given a credenza by some friends of our who were moving to a retirement village. It's from the 1970's, so it fits all my vinyls in it, tapes and other things too... a very nice piece of furniture.
This month, I also received my 10 year badge for being a volunteer in Logan City and at the Logan Art Gallery. Mum and Dad were there and were proud of me. Another 20 people also received their badges too; and Doug Cartright retired from there.
March
I put down my first book from sheer boredom... it was 'Under The Dome' by Stephen King. It's a tome of a book and just wouldn't get on with the story. So, being bored out of my mind, I put it down.
On 8th, I went out with friends to 'The Globe' Theatre to see 'Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars'. Unfortunately, it was getting too flashy for me and smell of the mould was disgusting; so Geoff took me out of there to New Farm Park where we walked around for a while at a photographic exhibition... very cool. I was out for dinner too; and had a great day out.
26th, March was Purple Shirt Day. It's to remind people that Epilepsy is something to be noticed in the community. So, I went all out and wore not only a purple shirt, but purple, socks, undies, scarf and took along a purple bag and mobile phone holder too! Very much my colour!
April
This month was horrible. My next door neighbour of two years, Abdul, sold his house and new people moved in. Each weekend, they worked from 7am - 5pm on something about the place for about 5 weeks. It drove me nuts. They've got loud cars and dug out two trees from the garden. They painted the inside, played loud music and were rude to me when I asked if they could turn it down. Well, she was; but another wasn't; he compromised. They got their pipes fixed by their son but this made my pipe hammer; which isn't good for my house.
I've had Little Miss Stevie for 5 years. So, on 365Project, I put forth a theme of Animals of April; and a lot of people took part. For each day of April, I put up a photo of Little Miss Steve from the last 3 1/2 years; and nearly every day, she was on the Popular page. Such a cutie.
I got my 'Victor' Paling & Co. piano tuned this month... and found out it was from the 1920's! This lovely old piano means more to me now than ever did. And it sounds just so lovely too.
May
I scored big at Rockaways with some great vinyls at a vinyl sale... how could I say no? It was a great feeling to get some wonderful pre-loved things that I know somebody else enjoyed.
8th, May saw Mum and I going to Meadobrook Park for a Volunteers Day. This was to thank all the volunteers of Logan City; and was put on by Logan City Council. We got to meet Dean Vegas too! He was a great performer; despite his full-length Elvis suit being incredibly hot for him to wear.
Between 17th & 22nd May, Mum and I went off to Mooloolaba. I had won a three days up there thanks to Triple M Brisbane; and Mum was the person I chose to take with me. So, we had a ball. Mum also pegged on another few days to make it decent break. Dad got to care for Little Miss Stevie and we got to see the lovely days and nights on the Sunshine Coast.
29th, May was a sad day. I found out that Gary Coleman died aged: 42. He had had a lot of problems and was a very angry young man. Now, I hope he rests in peace.
June
This month was incredibly busy. From 1st, June when I helped Doug Cartright with designing a blog for an interstate artist... then he let me make a jewelry box in his studios, to the end of the month; I felt like I didn't have any time to myself to scratch. Especially seeing my neighbours have been quite noisily leaving the house by around 6am or before.
4th, June, I was at the GoMA to see Ron Mueck's artwork. Photography was encouraged; but we were all asked to turn off the flash of our cameras. So, I got some great photos, had a good look at them outside, then went back and got some more.
8th, June, Mum and I went to see a preview of 'The A-Team' courtesy of Triple M Brisbane. It was at Garden City and we loved it... such a funny film and it was like a movie-length episode of the television show. And seeing we enjoyed the tv. show, we enjoyed the movie too.
Throughout this month, the Big Tidy-Up continued - as it has for the last few months - and 'The Mixed Favourites Book Baggie' arrived home from its trip around Australia. I also bought a 'Clifford' dog at the Garden City branch of QBD... such a cute little thing!
Then, I found out my neighbour didn't like me playing my piano. I had bought some music to improve my dexterity and tried it out on the Queen's Birthday Weekend. Well, the first try of anything is going to be hard; so I did my best and was patient. Then, suddenly I heard a shrill scream: 'Stop playing that!' I didn't because it's in my house and I wanted to get it right. Eventually, I did because I was getting nowhere with it and went for a walk; at which point my neighbour watched me leave my house and then 10 minutes later she watched me come home. Really creepy.
24th June saw Mum and I at the Epilepsy Symposium at the P.A. Hospital. It was a long day and very informative. My neurologist was there and we chatted quickly before she was on the podium for her talk. It was so good to see her.
July
I had an allergic reaction to a generic brand of Topamax... this is something I bought to save money; and instead I found it just plainly didn't work. So, I'm stuck with the more expensive brand now.
On 11th, I had friends drop by and the power drop out. So, once they went off home, I called Energex and they told me that it was going to be restored later and later in the night. Bummer. Oh well, I was going out anyway. So, I got ready early and used my reading light to read my books and a head lamp to play the piano until I got bored and Mum and Dad picked me up and we all went out to Katrina's birthday at Punjab Palace in West End.
27th, Mum and I went to see 'Inception' at the movies. And what a great movie it was! I loved it. Gotta get it on dvd when it comes out!
Also in this week, my paints for the Urban Smart Projects arrived at Mum and Dad's place. This is something I've been looking forward to doing for a while.
August
I was very ill for the first week or so of this month horrible headaches. So, I was off to the chiropractor and he said that I had moved my head in a funny way and my neckbones had pushed up against the base of my skull causing the headaches... ouch! Once he moved them off there, I felt immediate relief. Thank you, Dion!
For a good part of this month, Mum and I painted a Traffic Signaling Box across the road from my unit complex. We had fun doing this and enjoyed all kinds of weather.
I won preview tickets to see 'Salt' in the city courtesy of Triple M Brisbane. And of course I took Mum with me to see it... and what a movie! It was fantastic!
September
I read the most inspiring book this month by a doctor in Toronto. Dr Norman Doidge, M.D. wrote 'The Brain That Changes Itself' and when I got into it and found bits of myself in it, I was kept awake at night thinking he was talking about my brain and how far it's come. Being a person who can recognise numbers, but doesn't know what they're value is, whose comprehension was terrible when she was two and had lost her co-ordinations completely after a massive seizure at that age, I've come an awful long way. A part of my brain may never work again, but the rest of it is always learning. Thank you Dr Doidge for not only writing the book but for also for answering my e-mail; you're brilliant.
I found a bag of vampire romance books outside a house on my way to a bus stop.. .picked them up and took them home. What a find! I have yet to read them still, but I do look forward to getting my nose into them all.
On 3rd, September, Mum and I finished the Traffic Signaling box. It's not a Da Vinci, but it's lovely and really does stand out on a dull day; and that's what I wanted it to do. It's called 'Spring Comes Early'.
October
For the first week or so of this month, I did a complete clean up of my unit; with the rain around, there wasn't anything else to do... I was officially bored out of my mind enough to tidy my house within an inch of its life!
So, it looked good for my birthday.
I received some good pressies on that day... most comprising of $50 lots. There was a $50 book voucher, a $50 Rockaways voucher and other things too. Dad got me a book that he keeps asking me if I've finished yet... unfortunately, I haven't gotten to it but it's on my Mt TBR to get my nose into it.
On 9th, saw us all at Gabe and Kat's place to celebrate Gabe and Riley's birthday as Gabe and Kat wouldn't be in the country by the time they came around. So, we had the birthdays then. I gave Gabe a bottle of scotch and Jeff Beck's 'Truth' from 1967-68 studio recordings. He was stoked about it; but there was no turntable to play it on yet. Bummer.
On 16th, we froze our butts off at Uncle Allen's house for his birthday. It was a lovely affair and he brought out bottles of unopened scotch that was from years ago... and he didn't know when he had gotten it. Even poor Jay didn't want to freeze and found the warmest room in the house; smart little woofy.
Halloween was fun. I carved two pumpkins, dressed up and watched the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' on my new surround sound system. Then, some kids came around and got some lollies off me and I walked them around the complex to trick'or'treat and saw them home.
November
Melbourne Cup Day was on the Day of the Dead; so I dressed in black for the occasion. Mum and I went to the Epilepsy Queensland Luncheon for this day. I had put down my bets at the TAB; so had Mum. There was an Elvis Impersonator there and we got a table right at the front and with the big screen in front of us. Lunch could have been better for vegetarians as the meat eaters got a better deal. But I won $88 and Mum won too.
Less than a week after Melbourne Cup Day, I was off to see Sir James Galway in concert. However, I had a bad sinus infection; but that didn't stop me from going. I totally enjoyed concert and waited in line to see him again - as I had met him before when I was 13 in 1986. I showed him the photo of us then and he was thrilled to see it! I asked if he could sign my first vinyl that I bought when I was young and his book; and he was happy to. And yes, I got another photo with him and his wife, Lady Jeanne. The moment I got out to the car, I went to tell Dad about the concert and found that my voice was completely gone.
Not long after that, Dad replaced my clothes line. He was here all day; and heard my place knocking all day; saying it was dreadful. Now the new one holds four loads of washing - better than the old one by far!
On the last weekend of November, the Logan Art Gallery went on its annual Christmas Party. This year we were off to the Gold Coast Art Gallery. Mum couldn't make it this year as she went to attend Ted Lane's 80th instead. Ted has Prostate Cancer and I was thinking about him the whole time; wishing they had the net and I could upload photos for them to see. Oh well, I guess if they don't wish for it, you can't force them. The Gold Coast was lovely, humid but not raining. We walked around the famous Sculpture Walk and went to Jupiter's Casino for lunch. What a day it was. We had lots of fun and dozed on the way home.
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