Tuesday, August 31, 2010

August Is Something Different!

This month has been very busy!  My brother bought a wicked coffee machine and brought it to Mum and Dad's house to set up.  After much trial and error and waiting for the temperature to get up, we had coffee!  It was lovely, but my brother being a perfectionist wasn't pleased with it.  He said that because they bought the coffee beans at a shop like Woolworths, he thought it would taste better.  Well, if you buy retail, it won't taste as good.  I suggested he try out Gloria Jean coffee beans as they sell them fresh at the coffee shops and you can sometimes test them out before you buy.  He said he'd have a look around.
On the following week of the 7th, August, I had the most horrendous headache had haunting me.  When I was in bed sleeping, I was fine.  I was also fine when I was playing the piano.  However, if I was doing anything else, well, I had a thumping headache, my eyes felt like they were out on stalks and I could barely eat or stand daylight.  So, off to the chiropractor I went and he found out that I had moved my head around in a funny way and made one of my neck bones press against the base of my skull... not a pleasant way to feel.  But he said that I had that neck bone pushing right up against my skull for the whole week.  He said that being in bed was probably alleviating the pressure and the posture that I sat at the piano for was also the correct sitting position we all need to sit with.
I've been painting a Traffic Signalling Box across the road from my unit complex.  They change the lights at intersections and can be pretty boring-looking as they are normally painted an army green or gray colour.  So, what the Queensland Main Roads Department has thought of over the last few years or so is to get artists from all over Brisbane to paint the signaling boxes so they didn't get tagged by kids who think it's cool to put their initials on everything.  I saw the one across the road and thought it would be fun to paint one of these things.  After handing in a design, and having it accepted, I asked Mum if she wanted to do it with me.  She jumped at the chance; but at the same time, she was asked to help Aunty Helen with her high school's big celebration (I think it's its 50th Anniversary I'm not sure) and so, Mum's been splitting up her time between me and Aunty Helen.  Painting the TSB has been physically and mentally a massive challenge for both of us; but it's been fun.
I won a double pass to see 'Salt' with Angelina Joli in it; and I took Mum to see it.  Seeing it was being shown in the city, we had to organise ourselves for the day and catch a bus in.  It was also on one of my paydays... so that was different too.  It was a very exhausting day.  Ian Skippen was there from Triple-M Radio station and he was disgusted about how people just kept on dribbling in when he had begun talking; saying to quickly find a seat.  Even then, they just stopped and looked at him as though they were staring into a set of oncoming headlights.  Idiots!  And even when the lights were down, people were still coming in!  There was even a couple who brought in a new-born baby!  What?  They couldn't find friends who didn't want the ticket?  Couldn't find babysitters at a week's notice?  Did they want to deafen they baby at that young age and terrify it at the same time?  Idiots!  They soon left once the first action scene broke out... which was five minutes in.
And speaking of movies, Mum took me to see 'Knight And Day' with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.  Even though I'm not a Tom Cruise fan (and haven't been for a long time), it's a great film in itself.  So, for a good laugh and dry humour, it's worth going to see.
Also this month, we had a Federal Election.  It hasn't been fun.  You see, we had a Prime Minister ordered to step down by his Deputy Prime Minister.  Then, there was a big shamozzal about her being Prime Minister and they called an election so we could pick one.  But it seems that none of us wanted any of them to run the country and it became a Hung Parliament.  So, the Greens have been sorting out who is running the country.  Personally, it took almost until lunch to get Mum, Dad and I to a poling booth because the school I normally go to decided not to open to one (and also they didn't tell anyone they weren't going to be one).  Then, the other school we went to had a massive line and then finally, the high school we went to normally didn't allow itself to become a poling booth.  So, something went wrong in the mix of things.
My Big Tidy-Up returned on the weekend.  After the Winter of not being around, I decided it was time to get back into it and put things away and get tidying again.  So, I'll be blogging about which part of the house is tidy and clean and which parts have yet to be done.  And there's always something to be done around here.  Until next month's Something Different, see ya later!
So, that's it.  My month of difference.  It's not very exciting this month, but it's been a cool month difference nonetheless. 

Monday, August 30, 2010

Night Creatures

Last night, just as I turned off the light and snuggled under my duvet, I heard a Boo-book Owl.  I haven't heard one since about April.  It was the most gentle sound in the silence of the evening as I listening in the darkness and its calls lasted for about half an hour.  I thought it was the sweetest thing I had heard all night.  What a wonderful bird; and yet we don't see it during the day.  Happily, I went to sleep with the moon rising behind my curtain.
At around 4am, I was awoken by a flock of Kookaburras.  They laughed and cackled for a few minutes and eventually stopped.  This is the second time I've been woken up by them in as many nights.  I was woken up twice by them on Sunday morning at 2am and 5am.  The 2am flock were much closer to us than the second flock and so I wondered when we'd be in for the rain they were predicting.  And seeing we've heard them this third time, I'm sure it's going to rain this week.

We also have possums.  They can get pretty noisy as they fight over food and places to sleep.  I normally hear them run relay races along my carport roof... it's funny when they do that because of their competitive ways.  They also fight in the trees and long the fences.  But when we come out with some food - like a banana - they are all cute and fluffy and ready to play nice to get that fruit off us.  Or if they don't like us, they'll wait for us to peel it for them and they'll come during the night - while we sleep - and take it off the fence posts or the old plates we leave the food for them on.

What kinds of animals do you hear at night?  Do they wake you up or do you hear them early enough in the evening to see them in your yard?

Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Big Tidy-Up Returns!

For one reason or another, I didn't quite finish the Big Tidy-Up this year.  I think it was because it was the weather; and how cool it became.  So, it's now come back and I'm into it again.

This morning, I got into my housework early with the laundry being hung out by 9:30am.  Then, I gathered together the newspaper from last week, junkmail from the PO Box and the street letterbox and a pile of books from the Children's Book Cull from earlier in the year that has been sitting around the place for the last 5 months and tossed it all in the wheelie bin.  Then, I put away my shopping trolley, vacuum cleaner and shoes too. 
Then, I turned to the kitchen table and gathered up the paper from today and tossed it onto the floor next to the garage door (ready to be tossed out at the end of the week) and then sorted out the empty envelopes, dead batteries from the digital camera and cleaned down the table with a damp washing up cloth and gumption.  Once it was clean enough, I gave the table a wipe down - as well as the chairs and folded up the kitchen towels and put them away.
The washing up was next.  I washed up everything except two pots with wooden spoons.  Why?  Well, they had to soak for a bit.  Then there was the cutlery from this morning that I forgot to wash up.  Otherwise, the cupboard doors are clean, the bench is clean and the rubbish was taken out from the last few days.  There's still a lot to do around the house; as per usual.  I have laundry to put away, paintings to store, books to find places for and dusting to get into (and believe me, there's dust in places in this townhouse that you wouldn't believe there is!).  So, until my next post about The Big Tidy-Up, get into your Spring Cleaning and let us know what you've done to jump into it.

Sleepless In Brisbane

Well, I never thought this would happen to me for any other reason except that my meds were keeping me awake.  Since Friday night, I've had nothing but bad nights' sleeps; and it was from other things outside my control.
On Friday night, I visited a wonderful friend of mine who was moving out of the complex.  We've been friends for around five years and we both like each other a lot; and on Friday night, he asked me not to go home, to stay with him.  I didn't stay the night; but I was tempted.  I haven't been in a relationship for a very long time and knew he wouldn't push if I said no that night.  He did promise to stay in touch and I said I didn't wish to lose him again (last time he left here he disappeared from my life for a long time).  I got home on Friday night and went to bed; but didn't sleep for a long time.
Saturday was a day of keeping busy on the net, photographing things and I caught up with my friend.  We chatted about the night before and we were more relaxed around each other; which is better than how we were before.
That afternoon, I jumped back on the net and stuffed around, talked to a few friends and then edited a story or two before getting off the computer and then practiced the piano at around 4pm.  It was only for 20 minutes or so, but it felt good to get back into it again.  I made dinner and before I knew it, it was dark outside and a friend of mine called me (Nick) and we caught up with two weeks' worth of news.  It was good to hear from him again after missing each other's calls for so long.  Then, I watched three episodes of 'Moonlight' on dvd and went to bed after a shower.
Today, I bought the paper and found I had two 'Escape' sections in it; this is why it was thicker than the other papers... oh well, I still got charged the same amount: $2.00.  I washed up a little after breakfast and did some laundry that really needed to be done.  Then, Mum called to see if I was okay.  I said I was and she said that I might have been out on a date.  I assured her I wasn't - and hadn't been - and told her what happened on Friday night.  What a mistake!  She went into a spiel about how set in my ways I am and how it could all go wrong.  Well, after about 20 minutes, I said to her that she's blown it all out of proportion.  My friend didn't ask me to move into a house with him, marry him or anything else.  He asked me to stay the night.  I wonder about my Mum sometimes.  Does she want me to be single for the rest of my life?  She told me about a friend of hers who's got a man in her life but they live in separate houses; and they're happy.  Well, that may have worked for them, but a lot of the times when you'd like to be with somebody - or get to know somebody - it does take time (and a lot of sleepless nights).  Why my Mum jumps to conclusions about my life and nobody else's is beyond me.  Yeah, I've had a rough time, but I'm okay now.  I think it'd be nice to share my life with somebody who wants me in theirs.


Well, that's my weekend at the moment.  It's getting onto lunch time.  The laundry is still out on the line and sun is still out warming the day.  Spring is almost here... thank goodness! 

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

A Good Day To Stay Home

As the title says: it was a good day to stay home; truly it was.  The wind was chilly, the temperature was low and I had to don my leather gloves to go out and about anywhere.  And the places Mum and I went were the nutritionist and the dentist.
Over at Sunnybank, I was given a clean bill of health by Holly Frail; who told me that my diet as a vegetarian is very good.  All I needed to do was eat a little more for lunch (seeing I don't actually have lunch due to my medications keeping my appetite away); otherwise, I'm doing everything else right.  She also gave me a few recipes to try out too... and they all sounded brilliant!
Mum and I broke out of usual routine of good healthy food and grabbed some Hungry Jacks on the way home... it was lovely to eat something and not feel horrible about it.  All too soon, it was time to take off to the dentist where I was told my teeth were in great health.  Peter Caswell told me that I had a little wear mark on a tooth I was worried about; otherwise my teeth were in good shape.  All they needed was a good clean by the hygienist and for me to back off using Biotene for a little while.  I'm so pleased the cavities are going away and my teeth are getting better; and so is he... not to mention Mum and Dad!

Well, I got home tonight and made myself a lovely pasta dish and I could still taste the paste Peter put on the wear mark on my tooth - it tasted like bananas - otherwise, it was a slow night in the way of programs on the television.  I watched a repeat of 'Lie To Me' and then put on an episode of 'Moonlight'.... a very cool vampire show I used to watch.  Such a pity they only made on series of it!
I'm off to bed now.  I hope tomorrow is better than today; then Mum and I can finish the TSB and send the box back to Clayfield.  Well, good night all.  Until my next post, take care and keep warm - or cool - whatever your case may be. 

Sunday, August 22, 2010

A Blast From the Past

I've had a good weekend - if you don't count the goose chase of a day called voting day.  I spent a good part of yesterday morning with my parents trying to vote on who runs this chicken farm called Australia.  After one school was closed - because the polling
booths had been moved and nobody was told - and the next school we tried out had a line where we had to wait 45 minutes to get in, Dad drove us to Springwood State High School.
Now, this place has some memories for me from my childhood that I remember well; and all good ones.  As we drove through the gates at the top of the hill and took the long road to the school, Mum said she didn't remember the last time we were at the school.  I said that I did; and it was when I was a little gymnast aged 9 years old for the Springwood
Springers.  We met in the gymnasium and as we came to the end of the road, we found that the old place hadn't changed much; just had more gardens around it more buildings as the school grew over the years.
We walked up after parking the car and found that we were going to vote in the gymnasium.  And as I waited outside for my turn to go in and get my named crossed off, I told the lady who was standing at the door that the last time I was here was as a child.  She asked why and I told her about my days as a little gymnast... she thought it was great that I remembered it so well and fondly too.
As I walked into the place, I looked around and found the place inside had changed a lot more than I thought.  Sure, the stores rooms (where the mats were kept along with the equipment) was still at the same end and the markings on the concrete were the same, but the whole place had underdone a rejuvenation and it was new.  My memory of the place may have been clear to me, but there were things around the place that weren't there before.  But that's progress.
I'm just glad the building is still there.  My memory of it was without the gardens and mainly it being surrounded by just dirt and not much else as the school was still growing slowly.  
So, what have you revisited lately that has been an absolute blast from your past?   Did it change colour, shape or stay the same?  Did you feel the same about the place as you walked through it?  Or were your feelings new and exciting because the place was still there after so long?
Well, until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever your case may be.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Voting Day Shamozzal

Springwood Central Poling Booth
What a mess today has been!  This morning, I woke early and went to the local school on Smith Road to vote to find it was closed and there were people arriving to do the same; it was 8am, when the voting poles opened.  While I was standing around wondering who the hell to call,  a car pulled up and a lady go out, called somebody and shouted out that the Polling Booths had been moved to Jean Street.  This is another half hour's walk away for me... and put other people off.  My question today, is:  why weren't we told that this was going to happen?
So, I called my parents and told them.  I was really mad about this.  They weren't too pleased that I couldn't get my voting done as early as I usually do.  This meant they had to drive me to a school to vote - as well as themselves.

By 10:30am or so, we were off to Springwood Central Primary School where we found there was no signage, very little direction of where the booths were in this school.  When we finally did find them, there was a 45 minute wait to get in.  Dad said to stuff this and we took off to yet
Springwood High School Polling Booths
another school:  Springwood State High School.  This school never does poling booths, but it was there we voted.  It took no time at all and we heard that at Springwood Road Primary School, the lines were as long as Springwood Central.  

This was a ridiculous day of running around and stupid for us to have to find out through other people while we were out and about on the day where to vote.  I was not told of the school around the corner not being used for poling booths; and yet there's still another 8 hours or so to go until they close... which will make it a very long day; and still there
will be people who won't be able to vote because they will be mis-informed about where the poling booths are and aren't.

So, why is it that we are kept in the dark about where to vote?  Is there really so much to hide from us that they don't want to fair fight on this day?  If so, what's to hide that's so bad? 

Friday, August 20, 2010

Busy, Busy Week Almost Finished!

Whoda thunk it?  It's Friday... finally!  Thank God for that!  I for one am thankful that this week is coming to an end; however it's not without it's feeling of being a roller coaster.

Monday and Tuesday were mainly my two days to scratch and really just sort out my laundry, shopping list and figure out what the heck I'm going to do when Wednesday does finally come around... the day when my week really kicks off.
When Wednesday did arrive, I was out of bed as close to sparrowfart as I dared myself and got ready to go shopping.  The money was transferred across, my photo for 365 was uploaded, my breakfast was eaten, Stevie was cared for and the shopping trolley was pulled out of the cupboard and prepared.  I posted off a parcel via sea mail to Canada and then was off to the bus stop; where I arrived just in time to catch the bus!  Once I got to my stop at Triple C, I walked to Life Line in search for a new handbag to use in everyday life... yep it was time to upgrade to another one.  At the post office, I had to pull out three or four things to find the PO Box key and that was embarrassing.  So, I thought it was time to get a new one  that was more likely to store my stuff and less likely to hide it.
And I found a lovely one!  It only cost me $10 and was a Pinelands brand; and it fits everything I need in all it's pockets and zips perfectly... and I love the long strap on it!  What a bag!  Once outside, I emptied the old one into the new one and redonated it back to place I bought it.  They were happy it was still in such good shape.  Actually the lady said she remembered that it had been a few years since she sold it to me; and is amazed it's still in good working order - actually in the same kind of condition I had bought it in.  I'm just hoping the next owner has as much satisfaction with that handbag as I did... now I've got a new one, I'm happier.
Off to Woolworths I went and my grocery day began.  I bought my fresh fruit and veggies and chocolate here and then walked it to K-Mart Plaza where I went to Tru-Hardware and bought a small item.  Onward I walked to Woodys' to pay $10 off my usual layby of dvds I've chosen from their collection along the wall from last fortnight and I ordered in the first season of 'My Own Worst Enemy' with Christian Slater as the main character (72 is showing it at 12:30am on Tuesday nights, but I can't watch it and can't tape it; so it's better if I own it).  So, I'll be paying that off too... a nice big layby before Christmas.
I bought bird seed for Stevie at the pet store (the same one I bought her a little over 5 years ago) and then I went to the chemist and Coles where I did all my other shopping.  At around midday, I was through the checkouts with my trolley full of green bags and my blue trolley being dragged behind me.  

But my day wasn't finished.  

Once home, I jumped online and quickly did everything I needed.  By 1:30pm, I turned off the computer, had a shower, dressed and put away all the groceries (the cold stuff was put away when I first walked through the door).  Then, I readied my bad to go into the city with Mum to see 'Salt'... I had won a free double pass from Triple M and we weren't going to miss out on this!
What a film!  We got home around 8:30 - 9pm... and I was able to see one of my shows I normally watch on Wednesday nights.  But I crashed because it was a very full day.

Thursday was another full day out and about; but not far from home.  Mum and I went back to the TSB and worked on it from 11am until 3:30pm.  It was such a hot day that we had to really take our time with it; but we got a lot done and now we have the detailing to do on it.  I have had to ask for a week's extension to finish the work.  We got to meet the lady who lives at the house and she was so pleased to have met the people who paint these boxes; and her daughter is so excited that we got to paint their Traffic Signalling Box!  They've been watching it being transformed from the army green to blue, the flowers being painted on, the white stems and now, there's more on there to look at, she said it's looking really lovely.
I was hoping to get an early night, but a unit here at the complex had a massive fight.  A screen door was broken off its hinges and Darryl was trying to contain it; without success.  The police were called in to see what happened and one of the people from that particular unit disappeared in to the night... I'm not sure if they've been found, but I hope they have because they're older than the young ones who had the fight and she didn't look good when I last saw her.

Well, that has been my week.  Today is so dreary and dull, I'm not doing much but hanging out one here - something I haven't had time to do for the last few days.  Until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever you case may be. 

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Busy Week Ahead!

After today, this week is going to be one of those where I'll be so busy I won't know which way to turn!  Yep, today will be my last lazy day; as tomorrow will be the beginning of the busy runaround which normally starts on Monday for everyone else.
This morning, the termite guys came around and looked at all the units.  It was actually the second part of the complex they were doing.  Next door wasn't home, so they did my place just before I went out.  As far as I know, my little unit has a clean bill of health;  but the fences don't... but I already knew the news about the fences.
Tomorrow, I have my usual shopping day around Logan Central.  It's going to be a good day of getting out there and doing what I do best... finding a bargain.  Then, tomorrow afternoon, I'll be off the net and computer early and readying myself to get to the city via a bus with Mum as I won a double pass to see 'Salt' in the Myer Centre... very cool!  And thank you Triple M, this is the second double pass I've won through these very cool people!  
Then, on Thursday, we'll be back at it again at the TSB painting the last bits across the road.  It ought to look wonderful.  We have the rest of the flowers to go on it and the stalks.  Mum keeps making things hard by suggesting that I try out colours when the mixing chart is in the lid.  So, I've said to follow the chart and let it do it all for us.  But last Saturday, we got a lot done; and I'm thankful we did because it's a big job. 
Friday is going to be a day where I'll sleep well and Saturday is the day we all go to the poles and vote in a new Prime Minister for Australia.  As I don't put political stuff on this blog, I won't go into detail about the two.  When I first began voting, I was proud to be in on the whole thing of being able to have a say in who goes into power in my country; but now, it's something I hate to do... it's a drag and very annoying; because no matter who you vote for, no matter who wins, the country loses out anyway.

Well, until next time.  Keep warm - or cool - whatever you case may be.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Busy and Lazy

Sunday being Sunday, it's a lazy day for me.  I'm also a little bit sore from the painting session yesterday at the TSB.  Mum and I were there at 11am and we set it up as though we were old hands at it.  It didn't take long for us to attract attention from motorists and people on foot; after all, it was the last day of the EKKA and everyone was out and about doing what they do on the weekends.  And Mum and I wanted to do as much as we could on it before our last session.
We made sure it hadn't been tagged - and it hadn't - and then we pulled out some templates I had designed for this thing and began drawing on the blue background.  It didn't take long for the design to take shape.  Then, came the mixing of the colours and I followed the mixing chart on the inside of the lid.  It was wonderful and simple... and Mum and I also fell back on our basic art skills from high school.  She was surprised to learn that not a lot of the teachers in the art department were into teaching a person of limited artistic skills how to mix colours, draw or get better at art; whereas Mr. Brown (the head of the Art Dept. was the only art teacher who saw it hiding in me yet to be discovered).  Mum was surprised about that.  
I ran across the road to the toilets and to pick up a drink and
saw a 1960 Thunderbird!  And what a car!  It was on the back of a car trailer heading from Byron Bay to Rockhampton.  I loved its colour and its style.  The whole thing was in original condition, right down to the leather on the seats... the owners were like new parents with a child.  And I asked if they could stick around for a little bit while I got my camera from across the road to take a few photos of it for 365project.  They said yes, and I was off to the Pajero to drop off my drink and get my camera.  And soon, I was

back snapping away; and even got a great photo of the inside of it too!  It's a left-hand drive, from California, Cherry Red, automatic, two-door piece of history that's going to be a part of somebody's life as soon as they get it tidied up the way they want it.  
Dad dropped by with lunch and he stayed to eat pies and pasties with us.  It was nice to stop and rest for a while in the shade and get a better look at the TSB.  Dad suggested painting the parts that needed a new colour on them white before we mixed colours for them so the blue background didn't show so much; and we did and found it was a lot easier to work with.
Before he left, we watched helplessly as a tow-truck's brakes locked up and it came into the lights too fast down Kingston Road.  It looked like it was going to hit the back of a white sedan really hard; until the driver of that sedan took off through the intersection and through the red light!  A smart move, but also a gutsy one!  We all felt horrible that at how it could have worked out; and happy that the driver took that risk, fortunate that nobody had driven through or anything else had happened.
During the afternoon, we did notice that a lot of car horns were beeping at each other.  Mum said it was because the drivers were looking at what we were doing and forgetting the lights had changed.  I hadn't noticed it so much; but
found the road incredibly busy for a Saturday.  I guess I'm so used to living in the relative silence of my unit complex that I don't get to the riotous noise that is Kingston Road very often.
Well, we were packed up by 4pm and ready to go to sleep early.  Mum had washed out my brushes and we had taken photos of the TSB's progress... it's looking pretty good, eh?  I had a relatively early night - well early for me - of 10:30pm where I promptly crashed the moment the light went out.

Today, I hammered some palings back up onto the rotting fence, bought the paper and read some of it, talked to Little Miss Stevie, ate breakfast and hung out three loads of washing.  Then, I've spent a good lot of my day on here.  It's been a lovely day outside... but I'm not interested in being out there at all; not after spending a good long day out in it yesterday.
Tonight, I'll be having something and hot to eat for dinner and then another early night.  Tomorrow, I have some cleaning up to do and other things to get done before Tuesday - our last session at the TSB... I can't wait.  Until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever your case may be.

Friday, August 13, 2010

It's Friday!

Another week has traveled by and a lot of things were done, a lot of things were left until next time and I found that I needed more hours in a day.  But don't we all?

Today, I hung about on here and uploaded a lovely photo of a Blue-faced Honeyeater.  And what a pretty bird it is!  It's on 365project.  My photo from yesterday made it onto the Popular page!  Sometimes my photos do that... other times they don't.  But I'm not into this for the competition, I just enjoy sharing great photos with people across the globe.
Then, I had a nice hot shower and washed my hair.  It was needing a wash and I was freezing.  So, I killed two birds with one stone and am feeling great.  I also sat outside in the lovely warm Winter sunlight to dry my hair as I read 'Cloud Atlas' and I've read up to page 157; at last count I was up to page 120.  So, I'm getting somewhere with it at long last!  So long I read in the afternoons for about an hour or so and before I go to bed for around the same time, I'll knock over this book quickly.  Then I'll be able to read another one soon.
My Mt. TBR is really getting out of hand; and it's all my fault for wanting to read so many great books all in the one year... even with Clifford following my progress, I'm finding it hard to keep myself to a tight schedule of reading in the afternoons or before bed.  I end up turning out the light after midnight and then wondering if I could finish just one more chapter of that new book I just bought... silly really.

At around 3pm, I jumped on the piano and practiced for around 40 minutes.  I really gotta get back into some serious practice and re-learn some older stuff as well as some new techniques on the keyboard.  In the next few months, I'll be looking at getting some info off the net about the theory of piano and how to do improv; as I was never really taught how to do that.

Now, I'm back on here to update a few things before jumping off, watching the 4:30pm news and preparing dinner (whatever it might be, I'm not sure... I'm never sure until I look in the fridge).  But I'll have a snack to keep away the cravings of junkfood tonight.  
This weekend, I'm hoping to work on the TSB again; and finish it this time.  It will be a lot easier once the drawings are up there and we get the painting of the flowers done.  Then, I'll sit down and do the stalks and leaves.  They won't take long either.  Let's just hope and pray that it hasn't been tagged... I don't want to have to repaint the background again.
Well, during this weekend, I'll be getting the house tidied up, dusting done, laundry put away and washing put outside.  I'll also need to get into some serious reading.  This does mean time away from the computer and my nose in a book for a good part of the afternoons.  I've only read 10 books this year; nowhere near enough my usual quota.  Well, until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever your case may be.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Cold Day Thursday

This morning, I really didn't want to budge from under the covers of my warm duvet;  but I had to go out and do a few things, and so getting up was a start.  After a hot shower, I fed Little Miss Stevie and made breakfast.  Then, I was off for the day.
I checked the mail to find I had won a double pass to see 'Salt' on 18th August; so I'm going to take Mum.  It ought to be great!  But it's in the city, so we have to get in there early to catch the show.  Anyway, I reckon it should be good.  I'll let you all know if it's a good movie or not; just like I did with 'The A-Team' and 'Inception'.  Well, I made it to the bus stop on time and froze there.  It was so windy and cold!  I really wanted to go home.  But still I had just a few things to get done.
Once at Garden City, I went to Heritage and got some money out; then was off to QBD to pick up a gift voucher.  I decided on which book to purchase straight away; and what a book!  I had to pay some extra cash to get it, but I don't mind.  It's 'The Brain That Changes Itself' by Norman Doidge, MD.  The main premise is about people who have either below average intelligence or brain damage in some way being able to work on themselves to increase their intelligence to the point their family and friends can see a marked difference.  It's called neuroplasticity and it's been know to work on stroke victims and people who have had major brain surgery as well as people with Autism and Epilepsy.  So, I bought the book and I'm hoping to read it soon.
Then, once I bought it, the lady who sold it to me commented on my hair and I said it was from my Mum's side of the family.  Then, I told her that I've always wanted to read this book because I've been able to change the way my brain works through reading; also that my teachers at high school told me that there was more to life than just school and uni.  she said that I had some great teachers looking out for me.  I agreed adding that I have learnt most of what I know through books and the internet.  And that the internet itself it a learning tool for me as well.  She was surprised.  Well, I said that I blogged and figured out how to get things onto the net and off my blogs and other ways of working things on computers through just reading the screen.
After I left QBD, I went to the bus stop and waited for the 555 to the Hyperdome.  It was running on time; but the wind was still freezing.  I got off at Springwood and headed off to the Springwood Wellness Centre to
pay my chiropractor bill.  After that, I found the most amazing bird; but I have had a look in my Field Book of Australian Bird and can't find him, her ... it.  This bird was in the tree next door!  Isn't it a lovely specimen?

I walked through Centro and perused Rockaways and purchased a lot of vinyls, took them back then kept one - 'Good Times' by Jimmy Barnes and INXS - which is on a 45.  So, I got a good deal.  The bus was late, but I got home... jeez it's been cold today no thanks to the wind!  And yet people still walked around in their Summer clothes acting as though they don't feel it.  I saw a teenager at Garden City wearing a skirt above the knee with a short-sleeved shirt on.  She had no stockings on or a jacket.  She shivered there at the bus stop... another lady on Park road got on the bus in a pair of shorts and a hoodie with a t-shirt underneath.  Are these people wanting to get sick, or just plain dumb?  It's a cold day people!  Keep warm.  I did... and I still felt the wind get under my collar.
Well, that's my day today.  Until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever your case may be. 

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Public Holiday For Brisbane

Well, today is the RNA People's Day for Brisbane.  On Monday is was for Logan City and outer Brisbane areas; and today, it's for everyone.  So, this means, nothing is open... everyone stays home; and just as well, it's a dull ol' day out there and I don't want to to budge from my comfy place in front of the computer.  

So, what have you all been up to this week?  Me?  Plenty; and yesterday, it all caught up with me.
On Sunday, I got my handwashing done, only to have to bring it in because it began to rain.  So, I've still got it on the clothes horse downstairs next to the piano waiting for me to fold it and put it away.  
Then, on Monday, we had one shower of rain and Mum and I took off to the Traffic Signaling Box across the road and did the first session of it.  This was the hardest part of it.  However, Mum's made the next part just as hard... she's expecting me to make up templates to trace the flowers I've drawn up onto the box itself.  I'm not going to spend money on cardboard to only use it once!  I know how my flowers are drawn; I don't need somebody telling me how they are supposed to be.  I'll draw them onto the box and then we'll paint over them.  It's as easy as that.
Yesterday, I woke up all sore and tired but I didn't have time to be stretching out my sore muscles.  I had the movies to go to with Mum.  She took me - in the rain - to see 'Knight And Day' at Garden City.  And again, I came out of the cinemas with a pounding headache.  I don't know what's going on with them.  But it's not good when you've been to the cinemas twice and both times they've given you a horrible headache.  Mum said that maybe it's the time we spend on the computer, but I've never encountered this kind of problem with computers before; otherwise I'd do something about it.
So, I spent the day with the my head pounding, the painkillers doing nothing and us trying to do our shopping.  I didn't find the swing I wanted for Stevie until we were on the way home.  Then, at QBD, the gift voucher I thought I had wasn't a gift voucher; it was a receipt.  The lady said that I was given one (which I wasn't) on the 12th, July when I last purchased a book.  But I hadn't purchased a book then - and Mum said she was with me that day and remembered that I couldn't afford to buy anything.  So, that lady called up QBD in Melbourne and sorted it out... and now I have to pick up the gift voucher this week some time.  I can't wait as I'll be picking up a new book for once!  It's on how to retrain your brain and making new pathways more permanent through using them all the time.
Then, we got to Best and Less and I bought some new undies (something I really needed as some of mine are looking a little worse for wear) and then we headed off home after Mum went to The Athlete's Foot.  It's there she noticed I looked really tired.  

Last night, I read about 20 pages of 'Cloud Atlas' and crashed.  This morning, I woke to the rubbish being collected and rain.  Yep, this day began dull and stayed that way.  I also checked the rain gauge out the back and we've had 80mm of rain since Monday night... wow!  That's a lot!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Boring Television

Isn't it interesting when you've had a day fiddling around the house, reading, on the computer and playing around with your pets, you finally eat dinner and want to rest up in front of the Idiot Box and find that there's absolutely nothing worthwhile to look at... you've seen all the movies before.  You can actually remember how they end and why you didn't like them; or you've got them on dvd and you've seen them fifty times... so why watch it again?
So, what do you do?  Your pet's not interested in you anymore, so you can't annoy it because it's either going to bite you or scratch you.  You can't play loud music because you'll either wake the kids, your neighbours or you'll be too hyped up to go to bed.  And just when you think you've got it all figured out, you jump on the net to find it's offline... not your modem:  your broadband.  So, you call up Tech Support, they fiddle around for a while and you end up where you started again (because you ISP people aren't trained to use your type of modem; how ridiculous!).  And to rub salt into that particular wound, you also find that when you go to call your friends, you don't have a dial tone!  This lasts for around 15 minutes until the tech Guy you spoke to actually hangs up from your call... pretty stupid, but it's happened to you before.
This is what happened to me late yesterday... not fun.  I couldn't get on the net until this morning.  And you know, it's when I begin a new blog or do something really important that I have to wait some time for and my internet falls apart or the modem blows up... I tell ya, my electronics know when I'm inspired to do something incredible and fun!  They know when to expire on me; costing me hundreds of dollars.
Last night had me sitting there on the lounge watching 4 episodes of 'Moonlight'... but I'm not complaining; it's a great show.  Pity they did only one series of it and there was a writers strike in the middle of sending it over this way when it was on television.  But now I have it, I can watch it at my own pace... and I love the hot Aussie guy in it!  He's better than Edward any day.

Well, that was my Saturday night.  By the time I went to bed, there was some dork playing really loud music somewhere out there in the dark.  People were still walking around the place in the cold; and I was hoping to get to sleep soon.
I was woken up by my shower leaking, my neighbours doing their laundry (again!  They did it yesterday morning at sparrowfart too!) and then they went out at 7am!  So, I got up and got into doing my laundry when I could actually see the sun above the horizon.  Not that I'm complaining; it'd be nice to be able to sleep in one the weekends at some point that's all.

Well, there's always tomorrow.

Until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever your case may be.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Happy Endings

I have had a horrible week... honestly I have.  Last Saturday, I was at Mum and Dad's and introduced my niece to Farmville.  I like playing it as the cartoon things on it are just cute and it's a fun thing to fill in your day.  But I turned to look at her and heard a click in my neck and thought nothing of it as it didn't make me feel sick and I didn't get pins and needles.  
The next day, I had a bad headache bother me all day.  Then, the following week of days, I was haunted by headaches that wouldn't leave me alone; which got worse as each day passed.  They made me forget things (like transferring money over on Wednesday morning to do the shopping and I also forgot to pack my mobile phone with me too).  
By Thursday, I couldn't stand looking outside and didn't want to get out of bed.  Bed was the only place my head didn't hurt... my eyes felt good (and not like they were hanging out on stalks)... and my stomach didn't do backflips on me whenever I wanted to eat something.  I had also stopped eating snacks and reading anything if I could help it.  Television - something I loved to watch during the night - was becoming unbearable to even think of turning on.  And by the time the TSB box was brought around by Mum, she could see I wasn't well; and she even said it was my neck and not my teeth (as sometimes they can cause headaches when they're sick).  
So, yesterday, I went to the chiropractor.  Dion could see straight way at my reaction to sunlight that there was something wrong.  He asked what happened and I told him.  As soon as he felt my neck, he said it was a mess and that the bone at the base of my skull was pressing right up onto it... no wonder I was feeling so ill!  I said that strangely enough, I could play the piano in the afternoons without a problem.  He said that pianists have to sit a particular way and that I must have sat that way to stop it from pressing; and once I finished practice, it went back into the old position.  He fixed up my back too and my pelvis (it's always twisted) and as I stood, I felt a lot better.  The pain was going away!
Last night, I went to bed and read 'Cloud Atlas' for the first time in three days!  It felt great to be able to get my nose into a book after I had it staring at me for so long and me wanting to read it too!  And once the light was out, I slept soundly; waking to a lovely and beautiful day of no pain, no dizziness and feeling extremely hungry!  I'm looking forward to catching up on all what I didn't do this week while I was in my fog of headache hell.
Well, until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever your case may be.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Halfway Through

Well, it's Wednesday, a pay day, better known as the hump of the week, halfway through and on the way to the end of the week... one more day then it's Friday and then... the weekend.  For me, today was horrible.  I was going well until I decided to get out of bed; then I became little miss forgetful and absent-minded!
I went on Farmville to check on a few things and buy a cottage (at last the place is looking like a proper farm!).  My next plan on there is to get a barn and a dairy farm going.  But I have to have eight neighbours or 20 Farmville Dollars.  So, I think I'll ask one more person to be my neighbour and have it done with, then save up big to get my barn.  Then, I'll be happy.  I don't wish to extend my farm or anything drastic as I like to play the game, but you gotta remember it's just a game.
Anyway, I lost track of time... as you do when you play something like this.  And well, I raced around and got myself to the bus stop with minutes to spare.  But when I arrived at the shops, I found I didn't have my mobile phone or any money in the account I was supposed to.  No worries, I used a public phone... which can be dangerous (unless you call somebody straight afterwards and then the phone loses the buffer of who you called before which was in my case the bank).  However, whenever it came to transferring the funds the automated service screwed up every time... I asked for $250.00 and it thought I typed in $2,500.00.  It did this three times before I hung up on it and lost my dollar coin!  Then, I realised I could have just dialed for an operator and to help me they could have walked me through it.  Silly me... but I didn't want my banking details sent out into the public forum of a shopping complex while I was on the footpath on my pay day.  So, in all seriousness, I think I did the right thing.  Before leaving that phone, I called my Mum and reminded her that the box of TSB stuff was arriving and that we'd need to get onto a time and date of painting soon.
I ended up going to Woolworths and buying my chocolate - and that was it! - and then finding nothing in Life Line (thankfully) that I was interested in.  Then, I walked up to K-Mart Plaza, to the bank and transferred the money manually, and put in my complaint to the people there about how lousy Phonebanking was today.  The lady at the bank sympathised and said that sometimes it does that; but we can't do anything about it, even if the customer does the right things.
After the bank, I paid off a layby at Woodys', bought some bird seed for Stevie (but couldn't find a swing for her in her size), then went to the chemist and got my Tegritol and some Iron/Folate pills.  Then, did my grocery shopping; which included my fruit'n'veggies too.  I even bought myself a new magazine about birds and how to keep them healthy.  I'm hoping to learn more about how to make sure Stevie stays well as she gets older so I don't lose her suddenly because of something stupid I've done that could have been prevented.
Anyway, I got home in one piece and the cab driver knew my unit complex too (which is always a relief).  I unpacked my goods, put them away and went and checked the mail at the post office to find a small parcel had arrived of an envelope.  It was a coin purse from my friend on Bookcrossing and 365project, Chania!  She lives in Finland and had been holidaying in Crete and she bought it for me as a souvenir... how lovely and thoughtful of her!  So, I unwrapped it and used it straight away by putting my milk money into it on the way to the shop.  I bought my milk and slotted my change into the purse and found it was just the right size for any amount.  Not too big and not too small... just right.  I will most definitely use it again soon!

Well, that was my day.  I'd like to play the piano, but I'll see how this headache is.  I've had it since early this morning and it seems to just niggle.  Truthfully, I think it's eye strain from knitting with black wool... well, until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever your case may be.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Mondayitis Strikes Again!

Well, the week starts again, I found it hard to get out of bed because of the cold weather.  And it was past 8am before was dressed and looking anything like a human being... now, that's not good.  I need to get back into my yoga again for Summer so I look good again and feel good too.

It's been a windy day here but that meant clear skies.  I had finished breakfast by 9:20am and was off to the post office where I found I only had a bank statement waiting for me in the mail.  At least it's not a bill.
But this week is going to be a very busy one; with today most probably the only one where I can scratch.  Tomorrow, I'll be off to the Logan Art Gallery for my volunteer work in the afternoon, Wednesday is going to be uber-busy with the fortnightly grocery shopping and the paint arriving for my project on the Traffic Signalling Box.  Then, for the rest of the week, I'll probably be off to the chiropractor again.  

In the coming pay weeks, I'm hoping to get my garden back into shape.  I want to repot some plants before Spring and purchase some new ones to make it come back to life; as it's looking a little more than tired.  So, wish me luck in that endeavour.   I hope to have a garden full of beautiful - yet hardy - plants by next year or so.  It's been so long since I bought a plant, I hope to save some money as well as find a good plant that survives a long time.

Today, I've been learning more on the piano and enjoying the challenge of the new work.  It's fun to have to learn more and then understand it once I get used to practicing it; then learn more.  I'm getting through the book quickly and now I really want to get into the blues part.  However, I'm also learning new keys and chords; so that's a blessing too.
I'm reading a new book called 'Cloud Atlas' by David Mitchell.  It's a bookray that arrived in my mailbox last week and the blurb on the back says that it's about the interlocking lives of 6 people that have one thing in common amongst them; yet it spans across the centuries beginning at the 19th Century.  It's a nice thick book; but I've found it easy to get into.
Well, this is it for Monday.  Got a busy week ahead and I'm kinda looking forward to it.  Until my next post, keep warm - or cool - whatever  your case may be.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Saturday Night Coffee With Family

Well, it looks like my Saturday nights are turning into a time to be with my family; and that's good for me.  I was invited to hang out with at Mum and Dad's place while my brother and his girlfriend fixed up their first major luxury purchase:  a beautiful, big cappuccino machine!  And what a machine!  Gabe received it the other night and had to figure out how to get it working; so brought it down to our folks' place to work on it.  
After around 45 minutes while we waited for it to heat up to the right temperature - and the sun dipped below the horizon, turning the balmy day into a cool night - and after a little trial and error, Gabe and Kat poured their first coffees from the machine.  It was a mild kind of brew; but lovely. 
Personally, I like a touch of sugar in mine and so I found it a little bitter to taste.  But still, it was better than most coffees I've had while out and about.  
But the night didn't end there!

Gabe had to wait for the machine to cool off before packing it away.  So, we all stuck around to have dinner together; this is where he really shines.  Gabe's a fantastic cook!  He made a brilliant mushroom pasta that was to die for!  When it came up to serve, he asked how hungry I was (and believe me, it was 8pm and I hadn't eaten since around 3pm of a piece of raisin toast) and so he gave me a good large serving; which I vacuumed up.  It was the most delicious meal I've eaten in a long time.  And Gabe had used organic spaghetti to cook with; which tastes a lot different to the opaque dried varieties you see normally in the shops.  When Mum looked over at my neatly cleaned up plate, she said: 'Oh no, your sister didn't like it at all.' at which I replied: 'No, it was dreadful.'
From there we talked about how much Gabe like food when he was a baby and other topics that were hilariously funny... like my innate fear of needles that began at a young age to exactly what happened for me to run into the front screen door when I was four years old that resulted with me getting a piece of wire stuck in my forehead and four stitches once the doctors removed it.  Both Gabe and I had the same story; when Mum said told a different one.  It was a good and funny night; one where Riley learnt a lot about our childhood (and that I remembered something from that too; which is rare, but good).
Then, I introduced Riley to Farmville - a game on Facebook - and Picnik - a photography editing site online - and she loved them both!  She showed me Mini-Clip which is a site of small games that you can take part in and enjoy for nothing.  But by this time it was getting late and I had to get on home; as I needed to get to sleep.

Once home, Dad came in and found I had cleaned my house up and he checked on the computer (I had taken the side off it to clean one of the fans and couldn't get it back on; and in frustration, I gave it good hard shove and it looked like it was on, but I didn't know until he checked).  He looked at it and said it was fine and said the house looked good.  I said the only place that needed work was the kitchen; but I could catch up with that today.  He reckoned if I kept it up just tidying once a week or so, I could keep it like this.  Dad was amazed at how good it looked compared to other days he's seen it.
So, that was my Saturday... and today started out strangely as I had forgotten to set my alarm for 6am.  So, I had to take two of my meds close together.  Otherwise, I'm going well.