Sunday, September 30, 2012

First Day At Brighton

Well, all my organising has been well worth the running around.  I've had a good first day and night here at my brother's house and today I'm here on my own as he and his partner, Kat, are away for a while on an errand where I don't think I'd fit in.
Anyway, I've learned to feed the chickens, the dog and the cat next door - whose name is Watson and he's very affectionate - and I've only just washed up from eating Gabe's new invention of Electric Corn Cakes, which we had for breakfast.  
Yesterday, we took a walk around the streets so I could find my way to the local IGA and they showed me that there was a St Vinnies here too.  So, in the next week, I'll be going there as well to take a look around that place to see what kinds of thing people donate in this area.  Should be interesting.
We ended up down at the water just as the sun was setting and the tide was coming in.  So, we saw the lights of Sandgate and the Port of Brisbane glittering over the water.  How pretty is that?  I have some photos of it all and will upload it all onto my photobucket album at the end of the week for you all to see once I'm home again.  We found some sea snails in the shallows as well - and I took some photos of them too! They really are amazing creatures.  

I'm looking forward to seeing this week out with the animals and Little Miss Stevie here at my brother's house.  But worry not, I do have a good neighbour of mine watching over my place while I'm away.  He's a good person and has agreed to put out my bin on bin night too.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Tomorrow, tomorrow...

Well, I've been busy this arvo and tonight getting the rest of my things together for my week away.  My sheets have been washed, the bed remade, the vacuum cleaner put away, other stuff sorted out and put by the door in what I call 'charity bags'.  Then, I organised Little Miss Stevie's food and her snacks as well.  I also grabbed my toiletries pack and organised what was going into that.  Now, all I need to do is pack my shampoo and conditioner and the last minute stuff and put all of that in my Hawks Traveller Bag and get that downstairs, and I'll be ready.

Tonight, I washed up everything, sorted out the rubbish, threw out last week's newspaper and a couple of bags of other rubbish too.  Then, I cleaned up the coffee table, paid the last two bills for this week (a gas bill and a phone bill; the latter only came in today) and then I wiped down the kitchen counter and emptied out the sink water and found a spot for the teapot I'm currently using and then collected together my little slippers Mum gave me and my flip-flops and brought them upstairs to add to the bag of shoes I've chosen to take with me (sandels, block heels, flip-flops, slippers and sneakers).  

Today's jobs were just about finishing up and tidying up the place.  Some of it took along time, while other things were small and just about folding laundry and putting it away - which took about half an hour.  But once I got it all put away, it was good.  I even made time to throw some clothes into the charity bag by my bedroom door.  When I get back, I'll be going through my whole wardrobe again and seeing what I really need and making sure I really do need the clothes I have... but mainly it's the shirts in my drawers that are bothering me.
There isn't much else to do except sleep tonight, make the bed tomorrow and get everything ready to go in the morning when I wake up.  All of that shouldn't take long and once I'm up at 7am or so, and I've had breakfast, washed up, put everything away, put the feeder block in the fish tank, all that needs to be done is for Dad to come and pick Little Miss Stevie and me up.  I'm excited about this trip to Brighton as it'll be a fun one to a different place where I'll hang out on my own for a while.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

It's Friday... I'm In Love...

It's Friday.  The day I've planned to stay home and get the rest of the house in order.  The day I've made sure is the day I'll have the house clean and tidy enough to leave for a week.  
Yesterday, it was a mess!  This morning, I did some major tidying up and am pleased to say that it looks better than it has in a while.  I have organised all my medications, food, the fish's food, Little Miss Stevie's food and her covers are washed, the post office knows I'm on holidays next week too.  All my laundry is done and I've packed all the clothes I want to take with me, my birthday presents are packed; as are some things I want to take with me for Riley and a few books for me to read as well.  
I've put away the clothes horse and taken all the laundry off that - which is just the underwear and pajamas that I want to take with me.  I've organised my phone charger and shoes as well.  I've got the last load of washing on the line drying - which is the sheets from my bed I thought to wash; seeing I'm away for a week.  I've also gone through a few things in the house I never thought I would.  I went through the bag of macrame that has been sitting next to the piano for a year and have sorted through the beads, rings and pins in it and have thought it was time to take it to a place where they might take off my hands - and art store or a fabric place, I'm not sure. But not a charity place.  Might sell it all on e-bay yet.  Then, I went through my plastic bags and threw a lot of them out.  I'm putting away plenty of things and tidying up.
This afternoon, I've got to finish up packing, organising my list of things to do around the place and make sure I call Dad and ask him about borrowing an esky with ice packs so the cold things I want to take with me won't go sour tomorrow.  Or if the little blue ice pack thing I have is enough, well, that's good I'll take that with me instead.  

I've been working hard this week - over the last three days - to make sure I have the right things for myself.  Now, not having a car was hard, but it's been worth it in the planning out.  One of my friends thought I was planning a little too much, but when you've been without a car as long as I have, you learn to plan well ahead for holidays and make sure everything is done up to two days in advance.
And so, by tonight, I'll have everything ready to go.  Tomorrow morning, I'll get up, pack my last minute things of pajamas, pillows, make-up and other little essentials as I get ready to go while everything else will be already packed.  Well, I better be going.  There's still things to tidy up, two bills to pay and other stuff to fix up around the place before I'll be happy with the house this afternoon.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.
 

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Busy Thursday Afternoon

My day actually started pretty early.  I walked to the fruit market down at the Argonaut Centre and bought up enough fruit and veggies to last me next week - but I forgot the capsicums.  Oh well, I'll get them while I'm out checking the mail tomorrow.
When I arrived home, with 1kg tub of Greek Yoghurt with mango puree through it, I packed away the veggies ready to be transported, then started on breakfast.  This was going to be a late day for my breakfast for me... at around 8:30am when I'm normally eating at 7:45am.  Anyway, I had just poured the milk onto my muesli when I hear an almighty CRASH in my stairwell and the sounds of something tumbling down the stairs!  I put down everything immediately and raced to the front door to find the large picture frame at the bottom of the stairs, but nothing else.  I was expecting massive shards of glass, wrecked photos, torn paper and cardboard too... but all there was was a brown broken frame.  I had no idea where the rest of it was; and this puzzled me!  So, I called Dad.  He said he'd come over after laughing at me.  By the time he had arrived, I had found the pictures and glass.  It was all slotted unceremoniously behind the other pieces of artwork leaning against the wall behind the front door.  The glass was broken and so the whole frame wasn't salvageable and I had to throw it out.  What we did find out was that the Command Hook I had used was useless for long-term use; something they don't tell you on the box.  Dad could see I was really peeved at what happened but he could also see what I was trying to achieve with the photos and the frame and offered to put a proper hook up on that wall that will hold that bigger frame for me.  After I get another big, multi-photo frame, we'll get together and do that.  By this time, it was around 9:15am... boy, and I thought 8:15am was late in eating breakfast!
Before long, I had been on the net, uploaded a few things and checked my mail everywhere and I had to catch a bus to Springwood.  Unfortunately, I was running a few minutes late, but fortunately for me, the bus was running a few minutes later than I was.  So, I got to do all the things I needed to before bussing it home.
I had to find a black bra at Target - and ended up scoring 3 for $25!  Then, I found a Reader's Digest music set at Rockaway Music for $10 in great condition.  Then, I had to get some deodourant at Woolworths too and I was off to the chiropractors.  When I went for my walk, I went to Arndale and bought some wrapping paper for both my and Riley's birthday presents before walking to the Springwood Bus Station and waiting for the bus there.
While waiting for the 20 minutes for the bus (which the board tells you how long the wait is in minutes and hours), I was sitting around listening to 'The Doors' on my iPod and some little kids were running amok around the bus station while their Mum tried to call them back.  They saw the orange emergency button and the eldest one went to press it.  When I saw her reaching up, I called out to her not to; that it was only for emergencies and to leave it alone.  She did and went running back to her Mum.  Her youngest sister - who was around 2 years old, however - was another story.  She climbed up on the seat, looked at the red button and pressed it.  Above my music (which wasn't that loud), I heard a voice talk over the speaker.  I rushed up as I pulled my speakers from my ears and listened and I heard the voice again, 'Yes, what is your emergency?' the little girl looked at me smiling as I turned back to the speaker and said, 'Don't worry about it, just some little kids pressed the button, that's all.  No emergency, sorry.' he replied, 'That's good to hear.  Thank you.' I picked the little girl off the seat and asked her where Mummy was and she went running off to her at the other end of the bus station.  I waited until she got there before walking back to my stuff (the bus station was nearly empty so I didn't worry about leaving my bag and things alone for a few seconds).  But when we got on the bus, I did the right thing and told their Mum what the girls got up to down my end of the platform; and she wasn't pleased, saying 'It's always the girls who are getting into doing bad things, isn't it?' I said I did because my folks didn't let me do anything; whereas my brother was allowed to go anywhere and do everything.  All I wanted to do was what he did. 
Well, once I was off the bus and on my way home, my mobile rang and I found Aunty Helen on the other end asking where I was.  Fortunately, I wasn't 5 minutes away.  she had finished stitching up a ribbon around a blanket for me for my friend's baby shower that I had knitted.  She said it kept on slipping, but the blanket wouldn't look complete without it.... and yet it's so well-made too.  I said that the blankets are just for when they need to change the baby's nappy in the park or at the beach and they don't want to get dirt anywhere. And so if their bubby pees on it, it goes straight through, and doesn't really stain.  She said it's a good idea; and that they are quite warm so they can be used in the bottom of the pram too. 
That was my day.  Today was my last day of being out and about for the day.  Tomorrow is my day of cleaning up, putting laundry away, packing last-minute things and making sure I have everything for Saturday morning.  This has been one heck of a week... but it's been good to have the last few days to prepare to go away for a week - seeing I don't have a car, it's been harder for me to do what I normally wouldn't have done in a day or so.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.   

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Busiest Shopping Day Ever!

Wow!  This must have been the busiest day ever!  And all I was doing was a half-shop; and yet, it turned into something else.
The first stop was K & B Petstore where I picked up seed for Little Miss Stevie and a vacation block for the fishies for next week.  Then, I was off to Life Line to find a few tops to match my cute black skirts I own.  And I found some lovely ones which only cost me $8 - which was $10 off because I used my Life Line discount card.
My next stop was Woolworths where I grabbed some grapes and 3 blocks of dark chocolate; and then I was on my way to Logan Central Plaza where I was going to be very busy.  I paid off my layby at Woodys' then was on my way to K-Mart where I sat at the computers there and ordered 11 photos to be printed.  The touch screens really take a bit of poking at because they're not as sensitive as I first thought they'd be.  But I got the shots all sorted out and printed up in an hour instead of waiting overnight for them - sure they cost a little more, but then it saved me a bus trip to get them.  Then, I was off to the chemist to pick up some medications and vitamens and then to Coles to do the shopping.  I got only what was on the list!  And all the shopping was done and finished in under 45 minutes!  This is a new record for grocery shopping during school holidays for me!

Once I paid for my groceries, I was back to K-Mart to pick up my photos and pay for some ornaments then I trekked back down the mall to where the cab ranks were, phoned the cab company and ordered a cab and waited for around 20 minutes for it to arrive.  It didn't and so I took a cab which just showed up.

By the time I got home, I was exhausted and had yet to pick up the mail or get the fruit and veggies from The Big Apple fruitstore down the road.  However, I did go to the post office and pick up the mail; which had the gas bill with it.  Oh well... I guess I can't have a good week for the whole week, eh?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tuesday's The Day of Rest

Yesterday, I had a massive, full-on day!  It was so full-on, I thought to give today a bit of a rest, once I got a few things done around the place.

After I got offline yesterday, I didn't seem to stop.  First I pulled out my Hawks Traveling Bag, which I take everywhere on holidays with me (and is an Official Hawthorn Hawks Travel Bag from the AFL in Melbourne), took it out in the backyard and shook it out.  Seeing it's been in the bottom of my wardrobe, you never know what could have been hiding in it since last December.  Usually I'm expecting a Huntsman Spider, but none ever runs out - for this I'm forever thankful.
Once I established that nothing was living in my bag, I took it back up to my bedroom and left the double-zip open and began packing my good skirts, favourite shirts and jeans; and began organising which books I was going to take with me (this includes any journals and notebooks).  I also have to put in prescriptions and battery chargers for my camera.  I then wrapped my birthday present and put it into the bag and looked outside.  It had begun to look really dark out there.  So, I stopped packing and began unplugging appliances.  The computer was first - seeing I was upstairs - and then I opened the bathroom window and got myself downstairs and unplugged the tv, stereo system, dvd player and vcr as well as the antenna and then grabbed the torch from its spot and the battery-run radio and turned it on too.  
The storm hit just as I sat down to finishing off a scarf for Mum.  I had pulled out a crochet hook - the biggest one I could find - and the tassels I had cut for the scarf and began pulling them through.  With the torch near at hand, I was ready for the lights to go out; but fortunately, they didn't and the storm was gone within the next hour or so.

The good thing about yesterday was that all the laundry I had on the line had dried - well, except one item which I put on the clothes horse.  And seeing the storm had come and gone by 6pm, I thought to get in and do the towels and other t-shirts I had missed.  It all fitted on the clothes horse - well, only just.  And this morning, I put Little Miss Stevie's covers in the wash and hung them out on the line to dry in the windy weather that greeted us today.  And the laundry is just about all I've gotten done today - except checking the mail at the post office - otherwise, I got to meet Mum out the front in the car park and she gave me my jeans and a baby blanket she promised to get a border put around.  The other one I've knitted is being done by Aunty Helen tomorrow.  I gave Mum a HGG of the scarf I was doing up with tassels and she loved it!  She's loved that scarf since I began knitting it last year and I thought to give it to her now.  And I also gave her 'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury to read while she's in hospital over the next week or so; as she'll be there for a while, and this is a good book to read.

Well, tomorrow is my half-shop day.  But for a day where I only get half the things, I'll be doing an awful lot.  There's my birthday present to pick up from 'Woodys', photos to order in at K-Mart (and then pick them up on Friday), medication to get from the chemist, a milk crate to buy from Dollars and Sense and then I'll have the few things I'll need at Coles and Woolworths.  Otherwise, it's going to be a complex day out where I get to run around and hope to get everything.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Busy Week Ahead!

This week is going to be one very busy week.  I have so much to do and so little time to get it all done.  And over the weekend, I got so much done I was hoping to get more done, but I didn't.
On Saturday, I had new neighbours move in next door.  But they didn't move any furniture in; instead they began renovating the place.  My old neighbour didn't care for the place in the right way and so they've been taking it apart and putting it back together the right way.  This is wonderful.  For the last 48 hours I haven't heard any pipes groan or mutter or thump... how brilliant is that?  And they've spent the last three days pulling up vinyl in the kitchen, taking out things that they don't need and getting it ready for their kids to move in in a few weeks' time.

While they were busily doing that, I've been cleaning my place for the time I'm going to be on holidays myself.  I've mowed my lawn, pulled out weeds, water plants and moved them so they don't get too burnt by the sun.  Then, I pruned the Moch Orange at the back fence this morning.  It looks good.  
Yesterday, I washed up everything in the kitchen, cleaned down the countertop and the doors, looked for my Hawks gear - as they're in the Finals this Saturday - and then, I hung the big retro picture frame and organised the photos on the usb stick that are going to go in it and put that and the list of the photos in my handbag in a zip-lockbag.  Then, I began writing up a shopping list for this Wednesday.  It's going to be a half-shop seeing I won't be here to eat the food, I won't be wasting the money on it.  
Then, I came upstairs with the corded mouse and some computer gear that has been sitting on the coffee table for about a week or so and put it away in the wardrobe of the spare room.  Grabbing the vacuum cleaner and the extension cord from my bedroom, I plugged it in and took the chair and bin from the bathroom and vacuumed the bathroom floor, cleaned up the toilet - wiping it down - and cleaned up the basin with one of those cleansing wipes.  Then, I wiped down the mirror with a towel and put everything back.  I've yet to do the shower.  
After that, I put everything back to where it was supposed to be, packed up the vacuum cleaner and put away the extension cord (I don't like leaving stuff sitting around) and then started looking through the things by the front door to see what needs to be taken on an Endo's Run - taken to a charity - and I found that quite a few things needed to be gotten rid of.  So, I organised those things quickly and now have a small - and growing - pile next to the front door.  

This morning, I have done three loads of laundry - including hand-washing - organised the washing up, posted off a parcel off to the Northern Territory in a book swap with a Bookcrosser there, collected the mail (which was all presents and my birthday present I ordered last week) and then chatted to the new neighbours next door for a bit.  They're nice people and I think I'll get along well with them as we're on the same page with a lot of things.
I still have a whole list of things to get done before the week is out.  However, most of that list is to be done away from the house... bummer, eh?  Well, at least I have to get things done around the place while I can.  I've still yet to pack my bag, which is still in the wardrobe.  It's my Hawks travel bag I take with me everytime I travel places as it fits all my clothes, shoes and medications in it.  I can't wait to go to my brother's house as it's in a completely different area than here in Logan City.  I've been there before and it's such a lovely place and I have enjoyed staying there too.  

I have another three days to work - not including Thursday as I have to go to the chiropractor - and get myself ready to go.  I'll be cleaning and tidying up the house, putting away laundry, doing laundry, vacuuming the house, sweeping out my car port, putting out the rubbish, sorting out all kinds of lists - from shopping lists to what to take lists - and then, I'll be ready by Friday afternoon... ready to take off.  By Saturday morning, all I'll need to do is pack my vitamens and I'll be packed.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Other Passions

Have you got passions that others know little about?  Or that family members know of yet friends don't.  I have a passion for classical music that family members know of and yet my friends know so little about that when it comes into a conversation, I surprise them with how much I know.

In particular Mozart.

I have had a passion for W.A Mozart since I was very young and so has my Grandpa.  He collected together a scroll of photocopied information which I was given when he passed away.
But well before he did pass on, I was beginning to collect Mozart vinyl and cds.  There was something about his music that was brilliant and showed that he had a type of genius about him.  I enjoy listening to his music and can usually pick it out in stores and - annoyingly - movies that use it as background music.

However, I surprised myself at just how much of Mozart's works I have on vinyl and how much of it is hard to find now compared to around 6 or 7 years ago.  I've been looking around at Rockaway and The Record Market in the city and it's becoming harder and harder to find good quality Mozart vinyls that don't have that many scratches on them - let alone ones that just have play scratches on them.  
Play scratches are those that you don't make yourself; the stylus does it due to you playing the vinyl over and over.  This is something you see on a vinyl from a radio station and these are harmless scratches which spiral from the centre of the record outward; and you can only see them in very good light.  You don't hear them during the playing of the record and it's just through use that these scratches occur.  However, I have seen some pretty bad damage to vinyls; and wondered why the people who had them didn't take better care of them.

Along with Mozart records and cds I have also collected a couple of books on the man.  There was one titled 'Mozart: His Character, His Work' by Alfred Einstein.  It's been translated by Arthur Mendel and Nathan Broder and it's a first edition; printed in 1946.  This book is not only rare but out of print.  I found is little beauty in The Book Barn in MullumBimby along with another book - which was sitting underneath it - titled 'Mozart: A Cultural Biography' by Robert W Gutman.  This one was published in 2000 and covers ever other aspect of Mozart's life.  
The funny thing is, whenever I'm listening to a show on the radio or watching a research show on Mozart, people come back time and again to Alfred Einstein's book.  This has caused me to want to read it; not because I own it, but because of their references to his notes of this great composer.

But there are other types of music I do love besides classical.  For example, I remember my first 3 vinyls and who they were by... and I still have them in near-new condition and have had one of them signed! 
My first vinyl was 'Be Yourself Tonight' by The Eurythmics.  I got it when I was on holidays with my family at Caloundra on my 12th birthday.  I still play it and love it as it still plays just the same as it did when I first got it - and the stylus still skips in 'Adrian' because of a manufacturing fault on the vinyl. Funny how that kind of thing happens in vinyls and yet we never worried about it.
Then, my next vinyl was Madonna's 'True Blue'.  I bought that out of my own money and I loved it!  At that point in her career, Madonna was very popular and all the songs on her vinyl were being played on the radio... very cool.  I sometimes play this vinyl, but it's more or less a museum piece now.
My third vinyl was one where I was looking for a classical mentor for my own needs.  I had picked up the flute and needed somebody to look up to; somebody to emulate, and that somebody was James Galway (I didn't put 'Sir' on his name as he hadn't been Knighted when I first found out about him).  I bought 'The James Galway Collection' and in the same year - after driving my family nuts with his music - Mum took me to see him in concert in 1986.  I met the man and he was inspirational!  Twenty-four years later, in 2010, he came back to Brisbane for a one-night-only performance.  And this time, I took along my 'James Galway Collection' for him to sign and a book as well as a photo which I had with me where Mum took of us when I was 13 years old in 1986.  When he saw it, he was so please I had come back to see him and delighted that I had also kept my original flute after all these years!  He was also very happy to see somebody with a vinyl - and told me he made cds.  I said I knew but music always sounds better on vinyl; at which he agreed and he pulled out his pen and signed not only my vinyl but the book he had written titled 'Flute'. 

I have other vinyls in my music collection - which keeps growing all the time.  I love to play Santana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, INXS, U2, AC/DC and other great bands... and I also have comedians on vinyl too like Wes Harrison and Bill Cosby.
 So, what are your other passions that not many people know about?  Do you keep yours secret?  Or have you let people know your passions and astounded your family and friends?  Do they like your passions?  Or are you the kind of person who likes to surprise people?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Tests and Remedies

As you guys know, I was off to the doctors on Tuesday.  Well, yesterday, I got my results from the Whooping Cough tests - and it's negative! Yay!  Instead, I have the ordinary, run-of-the-mill cold - better known as the Rhino Virus.  The nurse was happy - and so was I.  I even joked about it with: 'Oh so, a Rhinoceros sneezed on me, then?' she couldn't help but laugh at that one and said it looked like it.  No matter what kind of day she had had up until my phone call, I guess a silly joke like that would brighten anyone's day.  And believe me, they were really busy at the surgery that day (or I was told). 

But seeing it's just a cold, or the remnants of one where the cough is just driving me nuts, I've been kept awake for one night with this darned dry, fog horn cough.  So, when my folks found out, Dad went out and bought this hideous cough mixture for me.  It smells like liquorish and tastes disgusting!  But my cough is becoming under control faster than if I just left it to gargling warm salt water and taking antihistamines.  And last night, I took a dose of this stuff and slept the whole night through!  What great stuff!  Unfortunately, the downside of the mixture is that it makes you drowsy... so I've got a few days of being a bit dopey to deal with.  

When I woke this morning, I was so happy to know that I had slept through the whole night and felt so much better than I did yesterday.  And my cough is beginning to go away too.  It's not as intense as it was yesterday and last night - after taking a dose of the horrible liquid - it settled down within half an hour.  How good is that?

So, what remedies have you come across that have worked for you to be rid of coughs and colds faster than anything that a doctor can prescribe?  I've heard of rubbing Vicks Vapor Rub on your feet and then putting on socks just before going to bed and that gets rid of a sore throat.  But I hesitate to do that seeing that the Vapor Rub didn't agree with me when I was a child; making me very sick.  Even the smell of the stuff makes me feel sick. 
As you've seen, in other posts, I've put in an onion cough syrup for phlegmy and chesty coughs; which you make every couple of days.  There's inhalants you can buy and hot, hot showers you can have to clear out your sinus'.  But the best thing for any cold or flu is rest and plenty of fluids.  I've found fresh air is another thing; getting outside - even to read a book or to do some gardening - is good to work up a sweat.  Well, let us all know of your home remedies you have learned over time for your colds and flu by leaving a comment... which ones work and which ones don't.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.  

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Back to the Doctors

I haven't been well lately - as some of you know.  However, since the last time I wrote, I've gotten rid of the Sinus Infection and it's been replaced by a horrible cough.  At first the cough was just dry and irritable.  However, since last Saturday, this cough has worsened to resembling a fog horn.  
So, yesterday, I took off to the doctors again to see what I could do about it; as I have big plans for this weekend.  I have been invited to a 'P is for Pregnancy' party for some friends of mine who are expecting their first little one in December.  However, when the doctor heard me cough, she was concerned about me.  I said that I thought I might have Strep Throat again - as I lose my voice at night and cough a lot and yet it's dry.  But when she checked my throat, she said I didn't have Strep; instead it sounded more like the early stages of Whooping Cough and she wanted me to get tested for it.
Seeing QML (Queensland Medical Laboratories) was next door to doctors' surgery, I went straight away and got the test done.  However, it wasn't as straight forward as a blood test.  This test is gross and very uncomfortable.  It's a swap up your nose... seems simple enough, right?  Wrong.  You have you head tipped right back and the nurse puts a long swab up one of your nostrils and to the back of your sinus' to wipe a bit of your skin cells from the back of your throat to see if you you've got Whooping Cough.  The results take about 2 - 3 days to come back.  But I'm telling ya, that's the most uncomfortable and disgusting feeling when somebody puts something like that up your nose!  And everyone seems to make a 'naggh' noise when it's happening... well, do you really blame me?
Anyway, today, Mum and I chatted about how her birthday went yesterday and she said I sounded terrible.  I told her about the test and she agreed it's not the most desirable test to have done; but then there's worse tests to get done than that one.  However it's best to get all tests done no matter what they are.  And seeing I have this darned cough, it's best to get on top of it now than later; the last thing I need is another problem with my health.  I don't mind getting tests done - after all, I've spent half my life getting them done - but really, I just wish I didn't get sick at this time of year as it really depresses me.  Well, I hope they find out what I have and can help me out with this darned cough.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here. 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Happy Birthday Mum!

Today is my Mum's birthday.  It's always lovely when somebody like my Mum celebrates her birthday.  My Mum is a wonderful person and I thought to do up a blog post to tell her how much I appreciate her.
You see, I did post off a big birthday card to her yesterday, via express post, but it didn't show up this morning.  And so, I thought to cover all my bases and write up a post.

Mum's been here for me all the times my brother and I have needed her.  She's been a great cook, she's sewn and mended our clothes and managed to get stains out of things we thought would never leave them.  Mum's got a great sense of humour and knows how to see the glass half full, the lighter side of a dark situation and make me laugh when I really need it.
When I've been sick (and believe me, that's been quite a bit in my life) she's always been there; with Dad as back-up to help her.  She's got this great brain with so much information about everyone in the family in it.  She knows so much about us all.  She knows who's allergic to what, who doesn't like which foods and how much food each of eats, who's vegetarian who isn't, what each of us loves, hates, finds funny and remembers the most interesting things about us all.  It's all filed away there in her memory there... how she does this is beyond me.  But then, I'm still young and I'm not sure I get through my day without writing stuff down most times without forgetting half of what I need to get done.

So, I'd like to wish my Mum a Happy Birthday today.  She's a wonderful, special and brilliant person in my life who I wouldn't know what to do without if she wasn't around.  She's the glue in our family and means so much to everyone in it.  Over the years of being her daughter, I've gotten so much advice that I've had to write it down in a book to remember it all; also so I can pass it all down to my niece so she can remember the advice too.  Mum, you're the best person in our family and in my life.  Happy Birthday!  I hope your day has been fun, wonderful and everything you've wanted it to be.  I love you and hope all your dreams and wishes come true over the next year.  

Monday, September 17, 2012

Busy Monday Morning

I'm so grateful to be home.  Today, I caught the bus to Garden City and spent around the most expensive 3 hours there to do only a few things and get my butt home.  However, it's what I did that made this morning such a lucrative morning.  I got so much done!  And when this kind of morning is upon you, it's great!  
I was up early, eaten breakfast and ready to leave by around 9:15am and off to the bus stop.  I had a plan of what I needed to do and the time I needed to do it in.  I gave myself until around 1pm to get home; and usually I stick to that kind of timetable.  The bus was on time and it was good to be able to relax once on board and listen to some Ella Fitzgerald all the way there on my ipod.
Then, once there, I walked straight to the bank, pulled out the money I needed and went to the post office and made out a postal cheque to Macleans Booksellers in Hamilton in New South Wales for my order of 'Crossing Paths' by Debbie Robson; and I wrote a little note for them to remind them about what the cheque was for too and where to send the book.  This is my birthday present to myself.  Seeing I don't have a boyfriend or a spouse, I often buy myself a birthday present - or two - for myself and celebrate the day by either going out or cooking myself a special meal and enjoying it with a great movie.  I do something I don't normally do on my birthday; and that's a good thing.  I also do this at Christmas and buy a few gifts for myself, wrap them and put them under the tree to make it look festive; and make it look like Santa's visited my house. 
Anyway, I also had bought Mum her birthday card and sent it express post today - so she'll get it tomorrow - and that all cost me quite a bit of money.  I paid for it all and was on my way to my next port of call in Westfield Garden City:  Riot Art.
At this place, I found myself a stretch canvas of the right size to use for an art project I've thought of lately.  I've got plenty of necklaces and I want to see them so I can wear them with anything I'm wearing; instead of rummaging around my jewellery boxes knowing I have a necklace 'somewhere hiding in here that will match this outfit' only to find it a week later in another jewellery box.  So, that doesn't happen, I'll be creating a beautifully painted canvas with a chain draped and pinned to it.  And where the chain droops and drips, I'll have alligator clips hanging, waiting to take hold of my necklaces.  But they won't be damaged as when I clip them on, the teeth won't be holding the chains, I'll make sure they loop through where they are hanging.  So, it'll look nice and pretty.  Well, I'm hoping this works as I worked it out in my head at the art store; and usually I try this kind of thing out on a smaller scale first.  
Well, I dropped into Gloria Jeans on the way back to the bus stop, after getting my Topamax and as I sat down, there was this elderly gentleman who had caught the bus to Garden City, but didn't know which bus to catch back to his retirement village.  The number he mentioned wasn't the one he needed, but the one we told him was the right one.  I wrote down the bus number for him and we told him to ask the bus driver if he went to Bethany (the retirement village near RACQ) and fortunately, the bus he caught did.  I'm glad we could held (two other people and me).  
Before he left, he said he had found a bag of children's clothes next to him and didn't quite know what to do with them.  Giving them to me, I looked at them and found they were brand new and from K-Mart.  I noticed they were paid for in cash on the docket - which meant I couldn't find out through the store who bought them if they had been paid for on a credit card.  So, I said I'd hang onto them in case the people came back... however, nobody did.  So, I've still got them.  
I got home at around 1pm; just as I had planned.  It's been a strange old day of sun and the clouds coming in all overcast.  But it's going to rain at some point in the week; and personally, I welcome it as our gardens really need it badly.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here. 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Cool Weekend

It's been a busy ol' weekend.  I've been out all day yesterday at Mum and Dad's place where I had to drop off some things and get other things done there.  And while I was there, Gabe and Kat dropped by to have lunch and drop off Jay, the dog, overnight as they were off down the coast for a costume party.  Me?  I got my AFL Sherrin football pumped up for the Finals in two weeks.  I've had this ball for a few years now, and this is the first time I've gotten in and put some air into it. 
Then, I showed Mum the blankets I finished up and the ribbon that was needed to be sewn around the edges of them.  Otherwise, Mum thought the effort I went to was great.  She also helped me with a pair of 'Country Road' jeans that fit me really well, but are about 6 inches too long!  She's great at hemming things and has the skills, and so she said to leave them with her and she'd get them done in this week.  She knows I'd never get it done here at my place as I don't have the sewing machine up, ready to use all the time.  
Anyway, I worked on a Spanish Tutorial that's built into my iPod.  It's lots of fun and I enjoy doing it once in a while.  I'm picking it up quite easily and well too!  I do want to try out the French but I'm not sure if I can do it; or if I have enough space for the French - as I can already speak a little of the language. 
Mum and Dad showed me some photos of their trip to New Zealand on the television.  Dad plugged the usb drive into the side of it and got it going.  They were shown all over the place, but they looked good.  Then, I wanted to see what they thought of the ones I had for my Family Collage Project I'm planning for Christmas and plugged in my usb drive into the dvd player (as the tv one didn't work as well as expected).  Once we sat down with a cuppa, Dad pressed 'play' on the remote and one by one - in a slideshow - the photos showed up on the screen.  They were good photos and I'm glad I had them on there.  Some of them were funny and I heard some great laughs from Mum and Dad and them letting me know that they'd be okay to use on the wall of photos.  So, it looks like I'm heading the right direction for this collage - a good funny, light and enjoyable collage of the family.  

Today, it's cooler than it was yesterday.  I've bought the paper, made pancakes for breakfast and had my plunger coffee too.  Then, I clipped some bushes out the front in the Body Corporate garden to make them neater and more presentable.  My next door neighbour is moving out today; and doing the whole job on his own.  Even though his friends said they'd help him, none of them are.  He even called up his kids and he can't get them to come to help him either.  He feels very lonely right now; and I wish I could help him with the move, but all the stuff he's moving is big and heavy.  And he's really angry right now about how things are going.  Poor guy's done about five trips to his new place from here in his ute today; and he's stuffed.  
As I look out the window, there's clouds coming over.  The sun is hidden and I've only just pulled the curtain and closed the back door and front window for Little Miss Stevie as she was a little chilly.  Now, from the home office, I can hear her chatting and blowing kisses to the radio again.  Such a cutie.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Treasure Hunt!

Today, it was a beautifully warm day with a lovely breeze that moved the lace and kept my house nice and cool all day.  Yes, it was a typical Spring day here in Brisbane City.  And I found that it was time to get in, yet again, and do some housework and tidying up in my bedroom.
After making myself a drink, I grabbed the silver cloth, the phone and went upstairs to where I was going to work on the hap-hazard boxes that held all my jewelery.  Oh... yay.  Well, it had to be done at some point; the cleaning out of the jewellery, and it's better sooner than later.  So, I grabbed the large pink box I had hand-painted for myself some years ago and opened it.  It was full to the brim with boxes and little bags of things.  Some of the boxes were empty, so I set them off to one side and kept sorting through.  I found some jewellery I hadn't seen in years.  So, I polished it until it shone, put it back into its box and put it away. 
Then, I remembered there was a box in a drawer that had some stuff in it.  Pulling that out, I found it was mainly just empty boxes and junk.  Once it was all sorted out, I had an empty box!  How great is that?  I put that whole box into the charity bag to give away.  Yes, it's pretty, but I don't need it anymore.  
Within the hour, I found necklaces, rings and ear-rings that were locked away in their own boxes and hidden.  I polished them up, put them into their proper places and put them away.  Then, as I stood looking at the wall above my duchess, I had an idea strike me.  I could attach some plastic Command hooks on the wall and hang up my necklaces on them so they weren't on the duchess gathering dust so much.  This would make the duchess a lot easier to clean too!  What a great idea!  Or... I could buy a large stretch canvas and one command hook, paint the canvas and attach the necklaces in a different way so it looked like a work of art and very impressive and yet still useful.

After I finished tidying up the jewellery, I came back downstairs for half and hour or so.  It was 2:45pm.  I put out the recycling, moved some plants around in the back yard, washed the kitchen floor and put out the rubbish.  Then, I washed up and wiped down the counters and the sink.  By this time, it was around 3:30pm or so and I was tired.  So, I made myself something to eat, sat down and looked into my next project of knitting.  Another friend of mine has fallen pregnant in the USA - a bookcrossing friend - and I have begun making her a blanket.  It's just a matter of choosing the right needles and stitch before beginning.  I normally have a few false starts before I commit myself to a stitch.  And tonight, I think I've found the right stitch and set of needles - at last.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm still here.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

My Lucky Red Socks

I have a pair of lucky red socks.  They are of a particular weave, bright red and are wonderfully comfortable.  And if I want to have a little bit of luck in the day, I wear them on my feet in any pair of shoes.  I've had these socks for years and I'm on the hunt for a new pair of red socks... but the problem is that socks aren't made the same as they used to be.  So, it looks like I'll be looking for a darner to fix these up until I find a place that sells similar socks to these.

How do I know if these socks are lucky?  Well, each time I've worn them, good things have happened to me.  For example, today... I went out to 'Go Fabrics' and found the ribbon for both knitted blankets I've been looking for!  And it cost under $15 for both of them.  However, my grocery bill was over $150 this time.  Oh well, that's how life is.  Then, when it came to catching the cab home, it only cost me $11.00; and I had exactly that in my purse!  How's that for luck?  I also found a few things I hadn't been planning on finding too.  Like, for example, at K-Mart, I found a retro-style photo frame - you know the kind where you can have about 6 photos inside the same frame - and it was only $12.00!  Very cool.  So, I grabbed that in a nice dark brown colour... it turned out to be the last one!  Lucky Last.

I have been lucky with these socks lots of times before and they have never let me down.  Like in May when I stayed overnight at my brother's house at Brighton to look after Riley for the night.  The next morning, we went to her high school's open day and wore my lucky red socks to it.  Well!  What a great day it was - and lucky too - as I found myself talking to the head of the art department about Art Waves at the Logan Art Gallery.  He wanted to know where gallery was and if he could book in tours and workshops with anyone there.  I did a good job of advertising the place and gave him the phone number and when he could call it for whatever he needed.  What luck was that?  Running into a teacher who was interested in that kind a art scheme for his high school - as well as other schools in his area.

So, do you have anything you carry with you like my lucky red socks?  Besides the usual rabbit's foot or four-leafed clover, what things have you found works for you over the years; and you've found have been wonderful in bringing you luck if/when you wear them?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Back Into It!

Over the last couple of years, I've been methodically cleaning out my house.  So far, I've been very successful with my kitchen, the bathroom, my office (well, okay, that still needs a bit of work as my book collection is constantly growing and needs room to move), the living room and now I'm onto my bedroom - at long last!
This afternoon, I had an hour to myself.  So, I made myself a nice ice coffee, grabbed the cordless phone and a couple of rubbish bags and headed to my bedroom where I opened up the wardrobes to put away my laundry.  But instead of putting it away, I began sorting out my bath towels and folding them, then I pulled out my skirts, shirts, jeans, short and then opened up a drawer in my duchess and tipped out all my Summer shirts from last year onto the floor.  
Spontaneously, I began quickly sorting through what I'd wear this year, what was going into the charity bag and what I'd keep as painting attire.  Seeing I find this easy to do now, this didn't take long.  However, when it came to putting the shirts back, I found the drawer didn't have any liners.  So, I hunted down the liners I'd been using and cut them to size and neatly organised my drawers so that the everyday shirts were on the left, and the evening wear was on the right; easy-peasy.  
Then, I happened to look in where my sheets were and found a set of sheets I was given, but have never liked or used.  so, I pulled them out and put them into the charity bag too.  If I don't like them why have them?  Anyway, I pulled out the hanger with the skirt attachment on it and hung up all the skirts that would fit on it, folded up the rest and put them away, put away all my other bigger shirts, then sorted through my jeans and shorts.  And I found a pair that I bought last year which I love but have been able to wear because they are too long.  So, I kept them separate to do the hems up on them and pulled out the Sherryn Football so I can get it pumped up at my parents' house someday (I've had that for years too and it's been at the back of my wardrobe doing nothing). 
By the time I had done all this, an hour had passed.  So, I put away the folded up bath towels, the pajamas I found and had folded, any socks I happen to find that were clean and scarves that were on the floor and needed to be put away as well.  then, I put everything back onto the chair and in the basket; ready to be sorted out tomorrow afternoon - or on Thursday.  
So far, I'm pleased with myself.  I have sorted out one drawer, put away most of my skirts, found a pair of jeans I want to wear and also my football I've been looking for.  And this means that one charity bag is half-full for Endos... there's another one to go before I put it next to the front door to be taken away.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Monday Monday

Today, I woke to a lovely, sunny, warm morning; but I didn't want to get out of bed until later.  Actually, I didn't have a good night last night as I was feeling really sick in the stomach and had to take something for it before bed.  But once the pain went away, I was asleep before I knew it; and slept straight through to this morning.
But once up, I fed the pets and readied myself to go out for a walk to the Big Apple Fruit Store to get myself some yoghurt and to enjoy the early morning.  There's nothing like a nice morning which isn't too cold or hot and yet, you don't have to do much around the house for the day.  
Once home, I opened up the house, prepared breakfast, put on the laundry of woolens and took my time eating while the radio played.  I enjoy breakfast.  It's a nice time of the day.  Unrushed.  Quiet.  Nothing can wreck it.  And once the laundry was hung out, I prepared to go out again to check the mail and planned to be home by around 9:45am.  However, one of my neighbours is home with his foot up from injuring himself on his work site and so I thought to drop in on him on the way home.  Ray and I chatted about the weekend and what plans we have for the next few weeks and other such things.  Otherwise, we watched a bit of news and had a laugh before I was on my way about an hour later.  I returned home at around 10:30am... so much for best-laid plans; oh well, I don't plan my days too much anymore as it's something good to enjoy times that aren't too structured.  Life gets boring that way.
When I opened the door of my place, I noticed that none of the windows downstairs were open; so I did that straight away, opened the back door and went outside to check on the plants.  However, I rushed  back in, grabbed the camera and slowly went back out to the back yard as I had spotted a lovely Kookaburra sitting on my fence scoping my back neighbour's yard for food.  She wasn't home, but her yard is a little overgrown and so is a rich source of food right now.  Well, this lovely Kingfisher saw me as I slowly stepped toward him and took some photos and he ended up flying away.  I do love those birds, they are just so lovely.
Well, it was getting onto 11am and I still hadn't done much around my place except some laundry, fed the pets, checked the mail and ate breakfast and visited a friend.  There was the washing up to do, some cleaning around the house and a pile of laundry to put away... a big pile.  So, there's still work to get done around here.  I kind of look forward to getting it done as I do need this place to begin looking like it's tidy in the next few weeks because it's my birthday coming up and I'd like to have my family to come and see this place for what it can be; and not what it currently is.
So... how was your weekend?  Mine was long.  It felt long to me.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember I'm always here.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Ten Years Ago Today....

Today is a special day; very special.  On this day, I did something really big, massive!  Ten years ago today - on this date - I moved out of my parents' house and into my town house I live in today.
The first time we inspected the place, it was was shown empty.  The carpets were white and clean and it felt very welcoming; much more welcoming than other places we'd been to.
I remember staying here - hanging out here - for about an hour to listen to the surroundings, on how noisy the place really was.  After all it's right next door to the Woodridge Fire Station - how noisy could that place get?  Well, we put in our application and waited... and I got the place.
Within weeks, I moved in.  Mum and Dad helped me and it only took 3 trips with their car and the trailer attached.  Not much when I think about it; but then, I didn't have much.  After all, I did live out of a spare room for two years; and I did have some things in storage facility to get too.  And by the end of the weekend, all my stuff was unpacked, the phone was connected and - by the end of the week - my address was redirected.  Yes, I was settled.

But over the next decade, I learned a lot of things about living alone.  I found people thought I was a bit of a doormat if I didn't stand up for myself.  Even if I stood on some toes, it got the message across that I wasn't to be stood on.  Strangely enough, I had people want to be friends with me.  And in a unit complex, it's good to have friends who will help you with things, but yet they're not so close they'll bug you.
I've seen my place go from a wreck to my own little castle.  The backyard was once full of weeds, yellow paper daisies, prickles and Scotch Thistles and now, it's not.  However, the yard underwent a lot of transformations before it came to the one it is now.  First, I just wanted a new lawn; and the caretaker we had then - Greg - helped me with that.  He took me out to Bunnings and even helped me out with transporting a bird bath home from a second-hand place in his truck.  Once the lawn was grown and looking good, I wanted to grow herbs and veggies; and I did!  Potatoes, carrots, zucchinis, tomatoes, capsicums, lettuce... all the good stuff!  I also grew herbs.  All kinds of herbs from Basil, oregano, sage, thyme and chilis too.  However, one by one, they all died because we had water restrictions and we weren't allowed to use our hoses.  So, there went my herb garden, and my dear green lawn until the rains came back; but it was too late.  My plants were all dead.  So, I decided to stick with plants that wouldn't die on me:  succulents.  And they were a big hit!  Since then, I've grown all kinds of them and in all kinds of pots around the yard.  However, due to some neighbours' kids being not so grown-up (as they were adults and acting their shoe size), I cleaned out my front garden completely and moved it to the safety of my back yard on a permanent basis.  My front garden is now due for a clean up, update and prune and I can't wait.

However, the interior of my house has improved markedly too.  I have seen huge changes here too.  It's a great thing to see so many things come and go in the decade I've been here.  I'm on my second fridge, third television, second stereo system, first turntable and third computer tower.  Wow!  That's a lot for ten years.  Over that time, my book collection has gone from around 100 books to over 1,000.  I moved it from the living room to my spare room - where I wasn't getting as many visitors as I thought I was going to get - and I transformed this room into a home office.  I went from owning just one bookcase to owning four.  My computer set-up is a permanent one and I no longer own a printer; as they shut down after a while.
My lounge room went from having a lawn chair and a plastic box in the middle of it to having a very comfortable lounge, coffee table and a large television to watch.  There's quite a few big pieces of furniture in the living room and each one is preloved.  I know the back-story to each piece, who owned it and where it came from; and one of them is a musical instrument.  I have Grandma's kitchen table too and my kitchen is well-established with all the things I'd ever need to cook - from a slow-cooker, rice cooker, a wok, pots and pans, 8 casserole dishes (of all shapes and sizes) to knives, equipment, spoons, wooden spoons, measuring cups and other things as well.  I have everything I need to be able to cook a good, decent meal from my very own kitchen.  So, who really needs to buy takeaway food?
But really, it's not the stuff inside the house that make my house my home. It's the history I have made with this place.  It's the art on the walls, it's the people I'm friends with around the complex, the yard I've cared for, my plants, my little budgie - who joined me in living here 7 years ago - and it's the times I've had in the walls of this place with family and friends.  My home is now my castle; and I'm proud to say it is because I've put so much effort into making my mark on it.  And as each year passes, I'll put another mark on this house's historical wall to show I once lived here.  But until that time comes, this place is my home.  So, celebrate with me this day of my 10th year of living at my townhouse; with all its ups and downs, problems and resolutions, joys and sadness... it's my home I come to when the day comes to an end.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember I'm always here.

Ten Years On  

Friday, September 7, 2012

Feelin' A Bit Like Summer

Last night, I went to sleep with the moon rising late and a cool breeze moving the curtains.  I dreamt I went back to high school; that I had to graduate and better myself.  But everyone there didn't like me  and if one person wasn't stealing from me, another was breaking all my favourite things.  At first, I didn't react to them - acting all nice and sweet and polite.  Then, one of them screamed at me as they broke the handles off a favourite handbag of mine (a new one I had bought only a few weeks back too), throwing it across the dorm.  I snapped, I shoved, I screamed and ... I terrified her!  I demanded she stayed out of my face and she fix my handbag (after all we were in high school, and she could learn to fix such things in a class, right?).  She stammered an apology - as everyone else did as they returned my things - and they all left me alone.  
My alarm went off and I awoke to a lovely, sunny warm day.  I wondered about the dream.  It was as though I was back in year 8 again and people thought they could push me around; well, until they copped the blunt end of my temper.  But today, I snoozed for another half hour until 8am, simply because I felt like it - and because with a cold going away, I have make sure I don't push myself too hard either.  
It's been a good day so far.  The mail's been checked, I washed up, I remembered to feed the fish (unlike last night when I forgot!) and Little Miss Stevie is in a great mood.  She jumped onto my hand and flew around the room, snuggling up to me after she landed on her cage.  She's now enjoying the day, the sun, the breeze that comes through the window.  Yes, it's a hot day today, but it's also a special day too.  Besides it being a Friday (and who doesn't love Fridays? Seriously... it's a great introduction to the weekend) and it's a lovely day to be outside or in the shade reading a book, I have been preparing for something important - well for me anyway.  But I'll tell you about it tomorrow, when the time is right.

But it is feeling very much like Summer right now and I'm lazing the day away here in my office while it's bright, hot and sunny outside.  However, I'm not just sitting here writing to you guys.  I've been searching my office high and low for photos of my past.  
For those who know me well, I have a foul memory and take photos and write in an offline journal so I can remember what has been happening in my life.  Some of it sounds boring and trite while other entries are pretty good and fun. It's hard to have a bad memory and to rely on photos and diary entries for a good part of the time; while other times, I'm pretty sharp.  There are times when I don't have those memories coming to me so well; and I wish I did.  But being told them by family members is like being told a great story and learning something new about myself... even if it turns out bad.  Have you ever had that happen?  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Kick Back and Relax

Over the last few days, I've been working hard to have my house a little tidier so I can recover better.  Truthfully, I burned myself out a bit; but it was well worth the effort.  I got my laundry done, changed the sheets over and vacuumed my room and dusted too as well as aired the house out.  But I was very tired from it all last night and crashed the moment I went to bed.

Today, I ate breakfast and have been hanging around on here, the net, for a good part of the day.  I'm not doing anything too hard and I think it's about time I slowed down as I felt stuffed last night just after I turned out the light.   And once I was asleep I didn't wake up until the alarm woke me at 6am.
But all I've done today, is eat breakfast, check the mail and visit a neighbour, who is off his feet with his left leg in plaster and bandage.  He did in his Achilles Tendon; snapping it as he jumped off the end of ute.  He's been stuck at home for about three weeks now, but he's getting a boot for his foot tomorrow, but he still won't be able to work until around October.  We chatted about things and caught up as we sat in his living room with the tv going.
Soon, though, I took off and he said to not be a stranger and to drop by whenever I'm around (might do tomorrow if he's home).  We've been friends for years.

This is the first day where I've done nothing around the house.  Okay, the washing up was done last night, the laundry is now finished, the vacuuming got done upstairs and Little Miss Stevie has been moved from her Winter Position to her Summer Position - simply because the days are nice and warm and a lovely breeze to bask in - but I haven't done anything that will exhaust me today, and it feels good right now because I'm feeling better in myself.  I still need to sleep more and I'm eating well but sleep is the most important thing that I need to do at night.  If that isn't good, the virus won't leave me alone as soon as I want it to.

Well, it's a lovely warm, sunny day outside.  I might get in and finish tidying up the lounge room... I did start on it the other day but was far too ill to finish it.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Resistance Is Useless...

Over the weekend, I came down with a cold; and it's made me feel very old, tired and not like myself in any way.  
Usually, at this time in the week, I've gotten all my laundry done over two days, the kitchen is tidied up, the lounge has been found - twice - and the wheelie bin is out (we have to put it out on a Tuesday night for an early Wednesday morning pick-up).  However, today, I slept in until 8:10am, showered, put on the laundry and had breakfast.  And by the time I had done all that it was around 10am.  Then, I had to go and check the mail at the post office - as it hadn't been looked at in two or three days - and by the time I returned it was going onto 11am.  
None of the washing up was done, the lounge was a mess, the recycling had to the put out and I had only just opened the house about 20 minutes before leaving the house to check the mail... talk about slack! But in between all the jobs, I was also blowing my nose, washing my hands in anti-bacterial gel and coughing continuously every time I sneezed.  This slowed me down the whole time.

I really do hate being sick... and keep forgetting how bad I am at being helpless when I am sick or injured.  I'm a rotten patient and hate being stuck and unable to be able to do anything for myself.  How stubborn am I, eh?

But once home and onto the net, I was okay.  I could relax a little and check my e-mail, do a few blog posts and upload a couple of photos.  And once that was done, I could stuff around and surf a little Google a few things and - by 1pm or so - jump offline.  Then, I grabbed a Cranberry Juice and went outside with a hat and a cushion and read the last chapter or two of 'The Drawing of the Three' by Stephen King.  This is the 10th book I've read this year; and now I can start on my pile of books for helping me recover from this cold.  The next book I've chosen is 'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury; a recent purchase of mine, but a work I've wanted to read of his for some time.  Then, I'll get into another SK book in the Dark Tower Series.

Well, it's getting late and I must be going to bed now.  Sleep is the best thing for a cold or flu of any kind.  What do you do when you're down with a cold and you really want to do something?  Do you submit completely and just relax?  Or are you like me and very reluctant to let go and feel you have to be doing something around you place before you can sit down do some reading or enjoy something you want to do?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Monday, September 3, 2012

I'm Sick!

I'm crook as a chook!  And I thought I was going to get through this change of season thing scott-free; but nope!  I went to the Logan Art Gallery and volunteered there on Friday and the guy I was supposed to be paired up with didn't show, instead another showed up and he wasn't all that well.  He had a runny nose and shared a large bag of chocolate-coated saltanas with everyone.  Normally, I'd say no... but they were something I've got a weakness for.  So, what did I do?  I took two handfuls of the darned things and got a cold from them because the guy who sat next to me with a sniffle.  

Well, today, after I had a weekend full of night sweats and almost no sleep, I found that this cold is viral... the doctors can't do anything for but let it run its course.  I hate it when they tell me that because it's going to get worse before it gets better. 
But what I do know is that what I've been eating is okay.  So, unlike most people who go and change their diet when they get sick, I'm going to make sure I eat everything I normally do every day I have this horrible thing.  But I've also gotten in and sanitised everything from doorknobs to remote controls to taps and my telephone with Glen-20; as I don't want it spreading around and I don't want it coming back on me.  And once I've used a tissue, I've been throwing it out.

I put my onion cough syrup onto my facebook page and a few of my friends wondered if it really works.  However, I reassured them that it does; as I've been using it for years.  One of my close friends asked me a few questions - through chat - about if it would taste like onions.  And you know, it doesn't.  It's actually very sweet; but it does have a strong onion smell to it.  So, if you don't like the smell of the vegetable, while it's raw, you might want to hold your nose as you take the remedy.  Otherwise, if you're not a Facebook friend of mine, here's the remedy:

Onion Cough Syrup

Ingredients:

1 Onion - chopped into small cubes
Sugar
Shallow bowl and cling wrap

Method:

Put the chopped up onion into the shallow bowl and liberally sprinkle the sugar over it.  It doesn't have to be any type of sugar.  You can use white, raw or brown, it will all come out the same in the end of this.  Sprinkle the onion until it looks like snow-capped mountains (about 4 tablespoons) and then cover with the cling wrap and put into the fridge overnight (6 - 8 hours).
The next day, before you do anything, unwrap it, get a dessert spoon the sip - not gulp - two of the dessert spoons of the syrup in the bottom of the bowl.  Don't eat any of the onion... it's not poisonous, it's just very strongly tasting of onions and it won't taste nice.  Keep to the sweeter syrup.

Throw out the contents of the bowl and make up another fresh batch of this every two days.  Due to the high sugar content, I've found it goes through me a little if I have it every day.  This syrup will loosen up your cough and help get rid of it sooner.

I hope you try this out soon and see if it works for you.  If it doesn't, don't worry, it's not for everyone.  And you don't have to like onions to do it (I don't eat onions because they burn my guts; and yet I eat garlic).  It's just the smell that may put some people off doing this one.  Have you got any home remedies that are tried and true that you have in your family?  If so, let us know about them.  Love to hear from you.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

No Sleep

Over this weekend, I haven't had much sleep.  This is mainly because I've had the sweats and have been coming down with bad sinus due to the change in the seasons.  However, my usual change-of-season cold has struck at it's regular time... so I'm not surprised about it.  And yeah, don't worry, I'm going to see the doctor about it.
However, having a little sinus yesterday didn't stop me from going out to Garden City.  I caught a bus from down the road - which was horribly late - and went to the bank after buying 'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury.  Then, it was time to find Dad's present.  Seeing Westfield Garden City had been changing its shops around a lot lately, I had to ask at the Concierge Desk where the bottle shop was.  And once there, I found there was a great variety to choose from.  I picked out one that was on special (and it's a two-for-one deal) and I was well on my way home.  Then, I remembered I had gotten a phone call from Mum during my day there and headed off to Coles to buy some milk.  
I caught another bus to Springwood, walked through Centro Mall to pick up my 'Good Reading' Magazine and arrived at Mum and Dad's place.  Mum was expecting me, but Dad wasn't.  He loved the pressie and suggested we play some darts over some nibblies.  Well!  What fun it was!  I had played the game before when I moved out of home and Dad didn't know I knew how to play... but when it came to playing a more formal game, it was harder for me; but I kept at it because it was something to learn.  We played a game of 500 then we played Cricket... all to do with darts... and it was a lot of fun and used up 3 hours of time before I was driven home at around 2:30pm.  Dad said he had a lot of fun and enjoyed the present.

Last night, I made myself a good lot of comfort food, scoffed into it and kicked back and watched 'Shrek'.  Then when that was over, I almost turned off the television, until I spotted 'Neverland' on there... and didn't realise it went until midnight.  Anyway, I was getting a fever and thought it would be good to break it while I was awake and not sleeping, and so watched the second movie; which went until just past midnight.  After I turned off the tv, switched it off at the wall and locked up all the doors, I headed off to bed.  But I didn't get much sleep there, tossing and turning all night as I sweated up a storm unable to get comfortable.
At around 4am, I tried to find some painkillers around the place only to find them in the little bag next to my bed that holds my medications.  So, I took three and waited for them to take effect - which was pretty quick - and turned out the light.  After that I slept very deeply.  

Today, I was out of bed by 7:30am, had a nice, long, hot shower - to clear my nose out - and then dressed warmly and headed downstairs.  Little Miss Stevie was happy to see me.  But she was clumsy in her flight around the room this morning; and wasn't all that happy until I took off the covers and showed her that the sun was out.  Then, I forgot the feed the fishies!  Right up until I began preparing my breakfast, I looked at them and wondered why they appeared so desperate... then it occurred to me that they were hungry.  Doh!  Silly me!  
Anyway, I've got the house opened up, some of the washing up done and music playing.  Today, I'm taking it easy... nothing too strenuous going on except maybe some reading in the sun.  That's about as strenuous as it's going to get.  I do need a fair bit of rest, but I'll rest when my body tells me to.  And I've been eating like a horse over the last few days too... always hungry for food that I don't need.  I guess that's how a cold goes... you feed a cold and starve a fever.  Well, I hope you're feeling better than I am.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember I'm always here.