Thursday, May 31, 2012

May Is Something Different!

This month was a month of many things, of many changes, of giving and taking and the beginning of the grieving process of the loss of my dear Uncle Allan.  We will miss him and his exuberance greatly; however life must go on and he would want us to do just that.  It's May and I have found that since the beginning of the year, a lot of things have happened to set my life into a massive spiral of change; bringing it to this particular time in my life.
May was the month where I knew I'd have my life right on schedule to be doing some big things.  And thankfully, I have saved up some money, got my garden into some kind of order and have cleaned out over 50% of my house and life well before June/July.  So, really I'm ahead of schedule.  
I took my Mum out to a lovely early Mother's Day a few days prior to the day at Garden City and bought her practical things for her at Robin's Kitchen that would replace some worn out things in her kitchen.  Seeing I was replacing items in my house, I thought it was only fit that her place began to have a new life of its own as well.  After all, they are retired and life should become easier for them; and what's easier than new things all over the house, especially in the kitchen? 
Mum and Dad took off to New Zealand soon after Mother's Day and I collected their mail and have been shipping it back to their place and sorting it.  While I'm there, I take in the paper, throw the rubbish I find on the footpath and driveway in the bin and make sure everything it okay.  Otherwise, I don't stay too long and make sure I don't lock myself out.
The weather has been becoming cooler and a bit wet.  I'm so thankful I bought the new clothes horse when I did last month!  It's been invaluable for when I needed to hang out clothes from the clothes line when they're not quite dry, or hand-washing which has been washed at night and need a place to hang them and it's going to rain for the next few days.
This month has been busy, wet, cool and getting colder and interestingly quiet.  I'm missing my Uncle Allan and wanted to talk to him the other night and almost called him; and forgot he wasn't around to chat to.  It was the saddest thing of all of when a person passes away... you miss them the most when you want to tell them something really juicy or just want to call them up to hear their voice, but you can't.  Well, it's raining outside now and very quiet and only just going onto 10pm... a really early night around here.  I must be going.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Stood Up!

Yesterday wasn't the best day to do my laundry; however it seems that today is!  Oh well, can't win 'em all.  I just thought to pop in and let you guy know how it went yesterday afternoon after all that cleaning, tidying up and running around I did for my afternoon appointment of wine-tasting.  Actually, what wine tasting?  The guy stood me up!
The kitchen table was cleaned up, washing up was done, rubbish was put out, the floors were swept, the laundry was brought in (finally) and put onto the clothes horse at long last, the lounge room tidied up and Little Miss Stevie's feathers were vacuumed up with the dust-buster.  I sat down at 3:25pm and picked up my knitting and began eating my afternoon tea.  I was starving!  By 4pm, they hadn't arrived and I hadn't received a phone call letting me know they were going to be late.  Then, 4:30pm rolled around and I decided to get dinner ready and I began cutting up the vegetables for Ratatouille and put the oven on.  Another hour and a half past.  It was dark outside, I had pulled the curtains, put Little Miss Stevie's covers most of the way over her cage and closed up the back of the house and still there hadn't been a call or anything from this wine-tasting guy.  So, I had a clean house and no wine-taster coming around.  Damn.  This company was a good one that normally gave out gifts; even if you didn't buy any vino off them.  
Well, at least I have a clean house.  What bugged me was that he didn't call me about being late or unable to make it.  However, I'm betting that he's got his days mixed up and wrote me down for today and not yesterday; and he'll show up today.  Oh well, better late than never.  Have you ever had this kind of thing happen?  I know mine is just a mix-up, but if I wasn't going to be home today - which I am - he would have a few problems.  
And I should have done my laundry today as the sun's out, there's barely a cloud in the sky and there's a great breeze out there - nice and strong and cool enough to dry anything on a clothes line.  Darn!  I should have waited for today.  Well, today, I have the day to myself until tomorrow when I'm off to Garden City to look for something for a friend's birthday and then to the Chiropractor's and Mum and Dad's place to drop off the mail.  It'll be a long day, but not too long, and I'll be traveling light enough to be able to catch the bus home.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Weird Laundry Day

Today has been a strange old day to do any laundry.  At first, I got out the three loads I had planned to have out on the line and the skies looked good.  After I turned off the washing machine, I thought I was in the all clear.  The mail was checked, and the skies still looked great as I walked home.  Then, they clouded over and there was a shower.  So, out came the clothes horse and I pulled in the essentials and hung them up on it.  
Seeing I had both my flannel sheets on the line, I thought to bring them in and put them in the dreaded fire trap of a dryer (the timer doesn't work on the stupid thing so I refuse to use it).  Once they were in there, I found out it wasn't warming up.  So! There ya had it, the dryer isn't a dryer, it's useless piece of machinery that has no use for anything in my house.  It was going for 10 minutes and the sheets came out wetter than they went in - not to mention colder.  So, back out on the line they went!
Over this time, the sun was playing hide and seek between, around and behind the clouds, completely frustrating me to no end.  I didn't know whether the weather was going to stablise or turn cold and pour rain.  So, I began cleaning up the house and putting away things for this afternoon (I've got some wine sellers coming around for a tasting; I did it last year and had fun and thought to do it this year too!).  Once the house was tidy enough, the clothes horse was moved into a corner where I wasn't running into it and Little Miss Stevie was warm, I looked at the time and found it was almost 11am.  
It's been around half an hour since I last went outside and still large Cumulus Nimbus are drifting by threatening to wet my laundry; and yet they don't.  The sun warms the house, then it hides and the place it freezing again.  This weather is driving me around the twist.  I just wish the sun would stay out or go away.  I've ended up putting the sheets back outside; along with the pair of jeans and my new pajamas.  I need them to be dry to use tonight.  I just hope it happens; as I don't like using the dryer.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Busy Week....end

My busy week didn't stop at Friday, it just kept flowing right into my weekend; and finished today.  It'll start up again tomorrow when I have to go out again and return something to Dick Smiths at Logan Central.
However, yesterday, I was out all day right up until the late afternoon, but I didn't plan it that way.  I was out the door just after 9am and catching the bus before the chill was out of the air.  I had my new Beatles 'Abbey Road' bag with me to take to the Logan Art Gallery for my volunteer work and something to eat while I was there.  And the bus was early, so this made me 10 minutes early as well!  How good is that?  But my partner in crime at the desk didn't show.  She was down with a stomach bug; so I was monitoring the desk on my own.
The morning flew by filled with families coming in to see the exhibitions for the schools done up by the students for the competitions for Environment Week.  And there were other works of art there as well.  I took phone calls and tried to knit, but kept losing count and had to unravel my work about four times before I gave up.  I found an advert about collectors.  So, I'm going to look into that; seeing I'm a collector of quite a few things and have worked on an artworks of one of them.
Then, before I knew it, another volunteer showed up.  He was an hour early and so we chatted until another one showed and I found I still had another 40 minutes to kill before I had a bus to catch.  It was then, I thought it was a lovely day to go and walk down to Logan Central.  It took around 10 minutes or so and I took some photos while I was looking around.  And just before I came to the large shopping complex, I heard some music coming from a community centre across the street.  So, not having much to do for the next few hours, I crossed over and thought to see what was playing.  Switch 119.7 was there with a few live acts to raise some money for the community centre.  They had a sausage sizzle going and face painting and hair colouring all kinds of raffles too.  And I sat in on a solo guitarist who had the crowd dancing:  Richard Turner.  He was giving away his cd to everyone and I scored a copy from him as well as one on one conversation.  It was cool.  He writes all his own material and lives down at Victoria Point.  Once we finished chatting and he gave me his cd, we parted ways and I needed to go to Dick Smiths to get a booster for my tv.  
I spent around $60 at Dick Smith's Electronics.  And once home, I disconnected the tv, antenna and opened the packages and then followed all the instructions to the letter... and... nothing.  The tv had everything in the guide, but no signal.  I re-read the instructions - all 3 sentences - and it made no sense.  So, I undid everything and put it all back the way it was and the tv worked!  Boy, was I peeved!  Now, it's all gotta go back to the place and I have to get my money back.  All this to get better reception.
Anyway, by the time I did all this, it was around 4pm.  Little Miss Stevie was a little chilly and I pulled the curtains and closed up the house.  It was time to get myself ready for a cold night; as the temperature had plummeted quite a bit since I had gotten home.  I had also smsed Dad and told him that the booster hadn't worked.  It took him some time to reply; and now we have to work out another way to get the reception to work better.  
Last night, there wasn't anything worthwhile on any of the stations.  So, I made up some sweet popcorn and watched a John Hughes double of 'Sixteen Candles' and 'The Breakfast Club'... haven't seen those in ages.  Great movies and funny for their time.  I washed up late and put out the rubbish then was off to bed by around 11pm or so; after I checked my e-mail.  
Today, I've got most of my washing out, cooked up a nice hot, big breakfast and read some of the paper.  The sun is out, but it's still a bit chilly.  Yep, Winter is most definitely here and I love it because of the comfort food and the warm sunshine.  And today, it's the first time I've been able to slow down and relax in about five days.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm, and remember I'm always here.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Towel Day, Wet Day, Cold Day

It's Friday and it's wet, cold and miserable; a great day to stay indoors and watch dvds all day.  And I may yet do that.  However, I haven't yet.  First this morning, I was off to the post office where I picked up the mail.  On the way there, I ran into Judy - the lady who lives across the road and I'm becoming fast friends with.  She and I chatted about everything.  Her daughter has moved out and she's not happy about it because she moved so far away.  And then her neighbour, Sam, walked up with his little dog, Tiger.  This little dog is such a cutie.  He came running up to us with his tail wagging sniffing us and letting us pat him... and he was so happy to get a scratch and a pat out of us.  And Sam asked how I was and I told him about Uncle Allan; and he passed on his condolences, saying that Prostate Cancer is a horrible thing to die from and should have more publicity.  It's a shame my Uncle's gone; and we're still sorting through all his things, but at least he's out of pain.  Sam went on his way and Judy and I stuck around and still chatted until he came back and little Tiger came running up to me and demanded another pat and scratch from me.  What a great little dog he is.  Sam said his dog loves his pats.  
The traffic sped along Kingston Road and there were some really bad drivers who nearly spun out on the wet, greasy roads.  One guy did a u-turn outside the complex and nearly lost control as he planted the foot and the back of his large landcruiser  kicked out into the next lane.  Idiot... he just kept his foot on the accelerator harder thinking it was going to help when it only got him into more trouble. 
Once I checked the mail, I found there was a postcard from New Zealand in amongst the mail for Mum and Dad and the few things for Uncle Allan.  I thought to brighten up Judy's day and show her the postcard.  She loved it and said the it was gorgeous and she hoped my folks were enjoying themselves.  I said they were but it's very cold there. 
When I arrived home, I got in and finished up baking a fruit cake I had begun the preparations for last night.  It only just finished baking an hour ago and is cooling off on the bench downstairs; and does it smell delicious!  I can't wait until I get to taste it!  This time, I made it with sweet potato.
This afternoon, I'll be listening to some music while I tidy up the house a little more.  I plan to have a weekend where I can laze around the house a bit and enjoy being home after volunteer work tomorrow morning.  I don't want to be working all the time over my weekend, I want to be able to enjoy some hours to myself to read.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here. 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Sultry Thursday

I'm so thankful I'm home now.  I took off at around 9:30am to Mum and Dad's place by bus to drop off their mail and check on the house - as they're on holidays - and now I'm home.  Looking outside, it's looking just like it did yesterday afternoon around this time:  it's looking like rain.
But, I didn't just go and check on their house, I also had a few things to do before I did anything else.  I walked around Woolworths to pick up a few things I missed out on during yesterday's shopping trip.  I forgot eggplants and delicates laundry detergent... simple stuff really, but I needed it.  Then, I walked out of Woolworths and past Baker's Delight and found it was closed.  All the bread and everything was gone, lights were off and it was empty with signs up apologising for any inconvenience this might cause the public.  
I walked through Centro and to the newsagency where I ordered in next month's 'Good Reading' Magazine.  I'll be around there next week, so I'll pick i up then.  And then, I walked to Rockaway where they were having a 30% off everything sale on all stock - which ends tomorrow! - and bought up big!  I found two vinyls I've been looking for and bought a bag of 'Abbey Road' The Beatles.  Very cool.  It was then I went to Mum and Dad's house and found that their footpath was beginning to look like a rubbish dump - even though their bin is chained up out the front.  I found a 3/4 empty soft drink bottle right next to the wheelie bin and wondered how people can't just open the lid and put it in... it's no great effort!  This really peeves me to no end.  If you have rubbish and there's a bin nearby, use the damned thing!  Don't just throw the crap on the ground, you grot (mind you, if you're not one who does that, I'm not aiming that comment at you personally).  
I dropped off the mail inside, made myself a drink with some Almond Milk - regretted that move immediately as it tasted horrible - and ended up tipping it down the sink.  I didn't stay long there, but I did have get a cab home seeing I brought home more things that I left my place with...  and I couldn't carry it all to a bus stop with me.  Bummer.  Oh well, next time I'll have to travel a little lighter. 
It's beginning to cool down.  So, I've just been downstairs to pull the curtain for Little Miss Stevie and close the back door for when the rain comes.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow; for when it rains and I'm home all day, as it'll be my only free day to myself.  How good is that?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Just In Time!

It's pouring rain outside right now.  But an hour ago, it wasn't.  The sun was out, the birds were singing and it was lovely and hot with a slight Autumn breeze cooling the day.  Yeah, an hour ago, it was nice and dry around Logan City.  And an hour ago, I had just arrived home from shopping... however I did notice the clouds were gathering for this rain.  So, it wasn't a big surprise.  
I started out my day in the bright morning sun, with very little cloud dulling the gorgeous blue skies.  But as the day wore on, more and more clouds moved in to remind us that the rain that was predicted by the weather bureau was indeed coming.  We were expecting it a lot sooner in the week... I just hope it's not raining too much tomorrow.  Friday?  I don't care, I'll be home.
Well, today's shopping was good.  I found some good yarn to knit with at Life Line - lovely and colourful - and a cool shot glass that was from Nevada in the USA; a CSI one. Yep!  One from the show!  I'm going to give it to Mum as she was a bigger fan of the show than I was.  Anyway, I also found a cute little sock purse.  This is where a coin purse is made from two baby's socks; very tiny and cute!  I love it with its smiley faces.
At Woolworths, I forgot my Eggplants and so thought to wait until Coles.  Boy!  Was that a mistake!  It looks like I'll be getting Eggplant tomorrow while I'm out at Mum and Dad's place.  And tonight it'll be nachoes for dinner.  Yummo!  I do love making them.  
But I got in and bought my Mega B Anti-stress vitamens and then filled a prescription and bought all I needed for the house; which wasn't much seeing Mum and Dad left me a fair bit of their food before going on holidays.  I ended up buying a lot of the things I've wanted to buy for a sometime and haven't been able to afford.  This is good as I can go back to my normal spending when my next pay comes around.
Otherwise, today, I managed to buy Little Miss Stevie's food and saw the Happy Plants that the fish need at the pet store; and I'll buy them that one day soon.  Then, I saw Jane Poole at the cab rank and we didn't get to talk much as a few cab showed up at the same time and we quickly said our farewells.  Yes, it's been a good day; and the best part of it is that I beat the rain home.  Until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here. 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Busy, Busy, Busy Day

At this time of the week - Tuesday - I'm usually lazying around the house doing not much.  But today, it's going to be a very busy day.  Actually it's been a busy day already; and noon hasn't even hit yet. 
This morning, I fed the fishies and Little Miss Stevie, ate breakfast, then began writing out the shopping list.  After I ran out of things to list, I mowed the back lawn and pulled out some weeds and put the mower away and put the wheelie bin back where it was before.  It was then time to go and check the mail.  So, I thought to take my daily walk.  Up the road (which is my usual route), there's some roadworks going on, so I walked down toward the Argonaut Centre and Noal Street, past the new Pet Country and The Big Apple Fruit stores - which will be opening in the next few weeks - and then to the Thrift Store and I bought an old MacQuarie Dictionary from 1982 for 20c; and I got a Fijian coin in my change.
Now, I'm home, I have opened up the house, and have been on this computer for about 2 hours now.  I've written up the list of things I need to get done between 12 noon and 3pm.  There's a few things that will take time and others that won't.  So, I'm hoping I'll get them done today; as I have my grocery shopping to do tomorrow.
Tonight is rubbish night so, I'll be also throwing out everything from the rubbish bins today while I'm doing the rest of the housework.  Otherwise, it's going to be a busy afternoon.  So, until sometime later this week, and until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Working Week

It's the beginning of another working week; and not just for people who have a paying job either.  I also have some jobs around the house that need doing in a big way that have been ignored for far too long.  It's a long-believed myth that people who are on pensions and stay-at-home Mum's don't do anything around the house but sit in front of the television and watch their daily soap operas.  This is far from true.  I'll take you through what I'm going to do this week.
Today, I have some work around the house to do.  After sorting through the newspapers on the kitchen table last night, I have found I've gotta throw out last week's Sunday Mail and some other things around the place.  There's also the recycling I gotta throw out in the big bin up the back of the place and the lounge room to tidy up and dust.  Then, I have to clean the toilets and bathroom and then, I'll be working on the planning of the backyard (how many pots I need, how much potting mix and plants too - yep, I'll be getting more new plants to fill out the empty spots that will be around the yard).  Tonight, I'll be writing out my shopping list for Wednesday. It won't be much seeing how much food is still hanging around my place and that I am hoping to take another walk soon and see when that new fruit'n'veggie market will open down the road.  Then, I may not have to go to Woolworths to buy my fruit and veggies from there; and just my chocolate and soap.  I'd be saving even more money because I can walk there for everything I need.
Tomorrow, it's supposed to rain.  So, I'll see how the laundry went today and if it needs to be hung out on the clothes horse.  However, there's still a bit to do around here.  I have to put away the clean laundry, wash the floors, Glen-20 everything from my being crook last week (the sinus I've had is going away) and see what else I need for the shopping list as last minute items before heading off to bed.
Wednesday is a pre-booked day of shopping.  I leave the house as early as possible - between 8am and 9:30am and come home whenever I want.  I usually arrive home between 11am and noon; there's no set time for me so there's no pattern I run to.  Tomorrow, I'll be catching a different bus to my usual 550 so I can get to the pet store near Aldi.  Then, I walk from there to Woolworths pick up my fruit'n'veggies and then I walk to Logan Central Plaza and do the rest of my shopping.  Sure it's a long way to walk, but I do get a taxi home with all I need for a fortnight.
Thursday and Friday are days where I either go out or stay home.  I'll be taking mail to Mum and Dad's house to check up on it and take in the papers.  I'll be making sure there's no parcels on the front verandah and anything else that might be waiting for them.  I'll also be going over there to run Mum's car and sweep up the leaves from the Liquid Amber from next door... jeez that's a messy tree.  It'll be a day out where I'll be there for only about an hour but it'll be a good day out too.  
Saturday is a day out for me too.  I'm volunteering at the Logan Art Gallery for the morning.  So, I'll be there until just after lunch; then catch a bus home.  This makes it a full day out for me.  Oh well, that's how it all works for a person catching public transport.  Anyway, that's my working week.  Sometimes it's not as busy, other times it's just as busy - even worse - but then, I guess each of us have weeks like this.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Lazy Sunday

Today was my lazy day... after Friday and yesterday being so busy and with me traveling halfway across the city on Friday, I wanted to just kick back today and to almost nothing.  And almost nothing was exactly what I did!
This morning I went out and bought the paper and the milk, ate breakfast and listened to the radio before jumping online and stuffing around on the net for a few hours.  Then it was time to wash my hair and get myself outside into the fresh air to clear up my sinus.  However, as I was about to sit down, I noticed a paper wasp about to go hiding in a hole that's just around my door stoop.  So, out came the surface spray and I closed up the front window and door (to protect Little Miss Stevie from the fumes) and I sprayed right into the hole it was working on.  Well, it came back, took a sniff around the hole and flew away.  I also sprayed around the hole in the wall where my front light goes into... just in case it got ideas about using that instead.  After that, I sat in the nice warm sun and read about 30 pages of a 'Death, Taxes and a French Manicure' by Diane Kelly.  I'm 3/4 way through this book and it's a funny, light romance novel that I won; which is also signed.  I don't mind it seeing it's got a wicked sense of humour all the way through it; otherwise I wouldn't go near it.  
After about an hour, I headed back inside to see what needed doing around the house.  I looked around, sorted out last weekend's paper and tossed it on the floor by the side door (to throw out).  Then, I went outside and watered my Basil and a few other plants.  Then, I tidied up the kitchen from last night; seeing I didn't wash up from then and made myself an ice coffee and decided to play some of my 45s to see how they sounded with the new stylus.  
You know?  They didn't sound too bad!  The casing of the stylus came close to touching the vinyl but didn't touch it.  However, when I put on a larger record,  found it did drag on the outside edge; and this was something I found unexceptible.  So, I grabbed a dining room chair, a nail file and my torch and found out which edge dragged on the vinyl.  Then, I removed the stylus, carefully filed down the edge by about 2mm on either side of the stylus and clipped it back on.  Once I turned the whole stereo back on at the wall again and put on another vinyl, I found it worked perfectly.  I'll have to tell Woodys' about this... and see what can be done about it.  If nothing, I'll just have to make a note about filing it down when I get the next one (whenever that will be!).  
By this time, it was around 3:15pm and time to get my afternoon tea of cheese, crackers and grapes.  I di that, turned on the television - expecting 'The King of Queens' to be finishing - to be bombarded with a rerun of last night's episode of 'Masterchef' (Yuk!  I hate that show!).  Anyway, I found a great movie on 72 called 'The King of the Sun' with Yul Brynner in it.  I love this actor; and have only ever seen him in 'The King and I'... it was great to see him in another role; but he does play royalty so well, no matter which kind of royalty it happens to be.  This movie finished at 4:30pm when all the other usual sitcoms came on channel 11... which I changed over the tv to.  I had dinner by around 6pm or so of pasta and garlic bread and then I taped the sci-fi show on SBS and watched 'Touch' on channel 10.  After 9:30pm now, there's not much on, so, I turn the tv off and lock up.  But before 'Touch', I washed up and put out the rubbish so the kitchen was tidy for tomorrow.  
Little Miss Stevie got her first Winter snuggle and cuddle tonight and fell asleep in my hands as I watched television - such a cute little budgie - and not too long ago now, I covered her over and turned out the lights.  Well, that was my Sunday.  Not taxing, not stressful, not horrible and the only thing that bothered me was the darn stylus needed filing down... otherwise it was a good day.  Tomorrow it's supposed to rain; let's hope it doesn't.  Until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe, and remember, I'm always here.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Time Out

I've been home only hours from my brother's house at Brighton where I spent the night minding my niece while he and his fiance went see Prince in concert.  However, I spent half the day traveling by bus and train to get to his place; a very tiring way of getting from A to B. 
Once at their place, Gabe made a pizza and we ate and they were out the door to the concert.  I ground up a cinnamon stick to make cinnamon sugar to create Sweet Popcorn (something one of my English friends gave me the recipe for) and Riley practiced her French Horn for her concert that was on today.  We picked out a movie and - after washing up the mess from the popcorn-making - took the popcorn into the lounge to watch 'The Artist' online.  It was a cool, silent movie; all in black'n'white and well produced.  I loved it and will be getting it on dvd so I can watch it again.  
Soon after it finished, I tried to edit a book on the computer, but it didn't have Word for Windows on it, so I decided to get ready for bed and read a while.  I put some milk to warm on the stove and offered some to Riley - to help her sleep - and soon enough it was a little past 10pm.  Riley turned out her light and I finished up in the kitchen and read for a little while before turning out the light.  
At around 11pm or so, Gabe and Kat came home with her sister (who had gone to the concert with them) and they were surprised we were both in bed; and that Riley was out like a light.  They were off to bed soon after.
Today, we were up at 6:30am to go to an Open Day at Riley's high school; where she was playing in the school band.  Gabe and I went, but Kat stayed at home.  We took off at around 8am and arrived just on 8:30am... on time.  Her band was great!  It's been a long time since I heard a school band play great music.  And I'm proud to see my niece take such an interest in music like she is.  The French Horn may not be a leading instrument, but it's one of the harder ones to play in the orchestra and I'm impressed she keeps at it.
We stuck around the school for a while after the recital and Riley wanted to go to the Art Department to see what was on offer next year there and talk to the teachers there.  I looked around the place and found some brilliant work lining the walls and exhibited on the tables.  Unfortunately, I couldn't take any photos due to intellectual copywright of the students and the school - to protect the work and the rights of the students - but I did get talking to one of the teachers about the Logan Art Gallery and where it was (I think she may be thinking about a field trip there... let's hope so). 
We left the school, and Gabe drove me home straight from there.  Riley came inside and saw the fishies while I opened the house up and talked to Little Miss Stevie.  She was amazed at how much the fish have grown!  And that they were still around and she loves the castle I bought for them too.  Stevie didn't talk to anyone, just sit in the sun and warm her feathers... well, that's my budgie.  She was snotty at me for leaving her for so long in the dark.  
Well, that's all from me for the moment; and it's only Saturday afternoon!  A lot has happened in the last 24 hours or so.  What else my weekend entails isn't known right now... but it ought to be good.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Legends


I was going on my daily walk this morning and listening to Queen when their famous - and brilliant - song 'Who Wants To Live Forever' playing and it got me thinking about all those people in the world who have made a mark in our world and have passed away.  Then, the thought passed through my mind of whether I'd want the same thing; of making a big enough mark in this world so that nobody of the public forgot me - I don't just mean my family and friends - I mean people of the greater community.
Would it take a good part of my life to be famous?  Or would be too much for me to do this?  Is it the small things or the bigger things that people would remember me for?  Is this the kind of thing you'd like to be remembered for?
During my walk, I thought about all the great legends that have come into my life and have lived their great lives.  Some of them have stayed a long time with us, while others have had their flames flicker out too soon sadly.  However, they have all left a mark on our lives and in this world that none of us will forget.  It was just something I was thinking about; and thought to share with you all.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember I'm always here. 

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Busy Morning

For the last few days, I have had a stuffy nose.  So, I've been taking antihistamines to keep it from ruining my life during the day and night-time ones to let me sleep through the night.  In the mornings, I've been taking very hot showers to clean out my sinus' and make sure I have a clear head for the day... thus I'm avoiding having a rotten cold/flu at this time of year.  And I'm also keeping up my walking every morning.  But I can't avoid the sneezing I've had to put up with... damn!  Oh well, can't win 'em all!
Today, I was out for the morning, catching the bus to go to Woodridge to pick up a stylus for my turntable that I had ordered in at Woodys'.  It cost me $55 and I was thrilled to find it was the right one that came in!  While I was down there at Logan Central Plaza, I also dropped into Coles where I bought some Zucchinis, potatoes and a small cube of Parmesan Cheese for what I'm going to make for dinner tonight: Ratatouille.  I had bought a French recipe book last week and thought to try this one out as something that wasn't too hard to do, and yet a recipe I've been wanting to learn to cook for some time.  And the only ingredient I was missing was the zucchinis.  
I was home by around 11:30am and so, put on the stylus with some problems... but remembered that with my turntable most of the instructions were printed up where I had to do things completely opposite.  So, when it said pull, I had to push.  Really strange stuff, really strange.  Anyway, I did that, and the stylus was changed over (and I had to call Dad back and let him know I was fine; as I had called him and asked for his help to start with and now didn't need it).  I tested out the new stylus and it plays brilliantly!  I love it!
So, here I am now stuffing around online and listening to my little bird chatting and throwing kisses to the stereo... the sun is out and it's really beginning to feel like Winter as the temperatures feel a little bit cooler during the day; and a lot cooler during the night.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.   

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Mother's Day

Today, was Mother's Day.  I didn't do much, except have a nice hot shower and read the paper; taking my time with the nice cool, Autumn morning.  The wind had a brisk feel to it and I had a few things I wanted to do with my time before anything else.  I took out the rubbish and fed the pets before I did too much else.  And seeing I couldn't play any of my vinyls until my new stylus comes into the store at Woodridge, I put on some cds and turned up the volume (as the radio station I listen to has sports shows on in the mornings on the weekends; how boring can ya get???).
The first thing I did when I came into the office - before I turned on the computer - was unplug and pull down the old Epson Printer.  This thing had turned off its programming due to me not using it on a regular basis two years ago.  Since then, it's been sitting above my computer monitor gathering dust in a major way.  So, today, it was tossed into the recycle bin!  It's a huge weight off my mind; and I immediately began to sneeze!  
After cleaning down the area with a damp cloth, I moved my modem over, re-arranged my things to make it look good up there, and then got the computer going.  It was a good few hours of me stuffing around on the net before I thought to call my folks to have them around for afternoon tea.  Mum said they'd think about it; but then about an hour later, Dad called me from his car and asked if I'd like to come over to their place instead.  I said yes, and he picked me up about 20 minutes later.  We did a little shopping and showed up at their place much to the surprise of Mum; who I snuck up on!  She was thrilled I was over for the afternoon and that I had bought some snacks - very sweet ones - for us to munch on while we had coffee.
The day was windy and sunny; and yet we all had runny noses.  I think Autumn has really bothered everyone; not only us.  We were all sneezing and I felt a little as though I was coming down with a cold; but then, I always feel this way at this time of the year.  So, I'll have to find myself some antihistamines to keep my nose under control.
I showed Dad how to open a hotmail/live address on ninemsn and we had to try out about 8 or 9 addresses before it let him use one that wasn't taken. Then, we fed the birds and he worked on using that new e-mail address to its full extent.  
Once home - at around 4pm or so - I closed up the house and made sure we were nice and warm.  The television was switched on and I made myself pizza for dinner and at it all then settled in to watch 'Touch' and taped a sci-fi prophecy program on SBS (this time getting the channel on the VCR right!).  I'll watch it tomorrow; as it's on Isaac Asimov.  
So, how did you spend Mother's Day?  Did you take out your Mum and have a BBQ?  Or did you surprise your Mum with an at-home lunch with family?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

This Year's Progress

This year has been an interesting one.  They say it's a year of a lot of changes, a lot of spiritual weirdness and interesting turn-arounds.  For me, this year has been a year of renewal.  I have been witnessing a lot of new things in my life; and a lot of changes in it too.
I decided that it would be this year that I'd begin on my back garden.  I thought to wait for the fences to be fixed up in the past, but found it was a lost cause to wait any longer; and just get in and do the work I've wanted to do for the last three years.  Thus far, I've gone and finished Phase One and I've saved up for half of Phase Two - which is going to be more expensive than the first phase.  I'm looking forward to working on it again. 
Then, I wanted to get a new vacuum cleaner.  So, I looked around on the net and found one, but when I took in my old one, Godfrey's said there wasn't anything wrong with it.  So, they sold me something to make it work better and the bags be used up less.  Now my carpets are not only cleaner, but there's less dust in the air when I do vacuum the house.  And it only cost me $50; what a deal!
In recent weeks, I've found that the cooler weather and unpredictable rain we get sometimes has been putting off my laundry drying on time.  So, each time I've needed to bring in damp laundry, my house has turned into a teenager's bedroom... not a good look!  A couple of weeks ago, I invested in a new clothes horse.  It's on wheels, can hold up to one load of laundry and folds up to one fifth its original size; as well as the shelves being able to be folded up so I can hang towels and jeans to dry.  how cool is that?  This cost me $109.00 (add on deliver of $15.00) and I ended up throwing out my old one the next day. 
The weekend I was cleaning out my kitchen - and doing a great job of it - I pushed myself to get into the routine of washing up before going to bed and putting the rubbish out every night; and if I can't, at least tie it up to be put out the next morning.  Well, I've kept to that routine for the last two months and I haven't had a cockroach in the house; but two Huntsman Spiders have tried to make my kitchen home... so really, I can't win can I?  I'm not worried about it though, at least my kitchen it clean enough for me to use everything in it when I need to.
I'm also slowly getting through the rest of my house when it comes to cleaning out.  I recently donated everything I had by the front door to Endoes with Mum helping me out.  She was impressed at how many bags went out my door; and that I don't regret a single thing about it all.  I'm just happy somebody else can use it all and I've got more space to enjoy around my home.  
I'm not saying I've finished cleaning out my place - by any means - but I've cleaned out a good lot of it.  My wardrobe has had its yearly clean-up, the kitchen is getting updated constantly (and I don't feel bad about tossing out what's worn out anymore) and my office is being started on again.  I worked through one bag in front of Bookcase #2 and now I have two more bags to work through.  I can't wait until this room is a good working, easy-to-use office that I enjoy looking at working with.  Of course this tidying up and cleaning out will take time.  I need another shredder and my old printer needs to be tossed out as it's no longer working (hasn't worked in over 2 years), so I'll have more room on this desk to move the modem and work with.  and a place to put a box of tissues if I need them...when I need them.  
Well, that's all from me about the progress of this year.  Have you noticed anything in your life where big things have changed a lot this year... and only this year?  If so, let us know about it.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Mid-Week Mother's Day

Yesterday was a big day for Mum and me.  I had a doctor's appointment at the Wesley Hospital to see about what to do about an ovarian cyst.  And the wonderful gynie there put me onto the Pill... yay.  This is something I have successfully avoided for a good part of my life because I didn't think I needed it and I found it hard to find one that would agree with my meds.  So, there I was sitting in the office of the gynie talking about taking the Pill; but then realising he has probably got a lot of Epileptics on his records who are in the same boat as me.  The amazing thing about the Pill is that it won't affect my meds so much as my meds will affect how the Pill works.  Weird stuff don't you think?

After that, I asked Mum to take me around to the two places I used to live with Jason - my abusive ex-boyfriend.  This was something I needed to do as a boundary buster; something a psychologist had advised me to do during my new life without him so I can go about a normal life without remembering bad memories about the old places.  We found our ways to these two units and I took photos of them and spent time there knowing that after all this time, the area had moved on - just like I had - and even though the building looked the same, the surrounding area didn't.  Mum was as pleased as I was with how I dealt with revisiting these old places; and I'm hoping to get myself to Park Road and the last few places - like St Lucia - before too long.
Soon enough though, we were both hungry and were heading off to Mt Gravatt to have lunch.  I took Mum to Sushi Deli for a lovely lunch of sushi and some octopus fritters, green tea and I ate a delicious dessert as well.  It didn't cost as much as I thought it was going to; and so I had enough money to buy Mum her Mother's Day gift and so I did while she went off to the chemist and she loved the bell whisk and new wooden spoon I bought to replace the old ones in her kitchen (as I had noticed her old ones were in need of updating).  Earlier yesterday morning, I gave her a card with a pen attached to it and she loved the pen (as she's always looking for one in her bag) and so she added these new gifts to the ones I gave that morning.
We walked around Garden City to David Jones, where she returned something there; but I asked if it was okay for me to head off to QBD and meet her there.  She agreed and I ended up buy two books - 'Other People's Diaries' by Kathy Webb and 'The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook' by Mireille Guilliano.  These were on the special's table... not too bad for just under $20 if you ask me.
After she came from David Jones, we were rushing off to her hair appointment where I took in one of my books and began reading it.  I got into it a little, then became bored because a headache was bothering me.  The day had been very long and I was beginning to tire out as well.  So, my concentration levels were faltering.
By the time Mum dropped me home, it was around 4:30pm... what massive day we had had together!  It was a great day, a fun one too.  We had a lot of laughs together as well as some good chatting together about everything and anything.  I love getting together with my Mum.  And today being my day out with Mum for Mother's Day is great.  Now, my brother, Gabe, can do his thing with her on Sunday.  It's not that we don't like celebrating the day, it's just most times, we can't decide what to do together... so over the last few years, I've taken a day - a couple of days before - and he's taken her out on the day of Mother's Day.  It's worked for us over the last few years; and besides, she loves getting two special days out with her kids.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here. 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Mid-Week

It's the middle of the week.  Payday... rubbish collection day...Wednesday.  We're neither here nor there; and yet I really didn't want to go shopping.  But I had nothing in the house to make a proper meal - and besides, the veggies in the crisper were beginning to look pretty bad.
So, I caught the bus to Triple C at Woodridge.  The first place I looked in on was Life Line where I found a few lovely little bags.  One in particular was a lime green handbag which was quite retro.  So, I bought that with another handbag and two coin purses and went off to Woolworths where I stocked up well on veggies, fruit and chocolate before I started my 15 minute walk to Logan Central Plaza.  With the aid of my ipod and some cool music, I enjoyed my walk to that place more in the sun.
Woodys' was the first shop I paid a visit to and they ordered in my new stylus for my turntable.  Carol said it was her who took my order last week; remembering it was me who called her as they don't get orders for them too often, and when they do, the people don't pick them up.  But they trust me that I'll pick it up.  After I began paying for a delivery that came in of a television series, I received a phone call from Mum who offered to pick me up (how cool!) to save me cab fare, I was then on my way to Coles.
It didn't take me long to get through Coles, pay for my groceries and sms Mum and then wait for her out the front for around 20 minutes.  She showed up, we packed her Pajero and were on our way to Endoes to drop off some things that she wanted to donate, then off to my place to drop off my groceries.
I soon put everything away, jumped online, stuffed around on here for a while.  Then, I thought it was time to clean the green bag and think about dinner.  It was beginning to get onto 3:30pm.  So, that was my day... busy and yet I kept everything under budget.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

A Weekend of Cool

This weekend, has been somewhat sunny and cool; perfect to snuggle under the duvet more and sleep in even though it's daylight outside.  However, I was up before 8am this morning and out the door to buy the paper.  The near-Winter sunlight was perfect to photograph some birds high in a tree and pigeons perched on the pool fence preening themselves and each other.  
By around 9:30am, the laundry was out on the line and I was on here surfing the net, uploading photos and generally chatting on blogs and facebook.  It's been pretty quiet in cyberspace, but it's a long weekend and I guess people are away to enjoy it, so I better enjoy the peace and quiet while I can. 

Yesterday, I was out and about at The Coffee Club at Springwood at a writers' meet-up for a couple of hours.  It started at 10am and finished around 1pm.  I had a great time!  When I arrived, there were people there having brunch, celebrating birthdays and just generally enjoying a cup of coffee with friends - but there was barely an empty table!  I have never seen the place like this!  I was amazed at how popular it's become to eat here.  And to think that when I was in primary school, there used to be the fish'n'chip shop sitting here instead (which is now around the corner; still!) and we used to sit on the grassy hill where the verandah is now... yeah, a lot has changed around Logan and Springwood, sometimes, I think too much; but I think that's just me.
I found a seat and sat down with two or three guys gabbing about something; and they totally ignored me for a  good five minutes.  They didn't even try to pull me into the conversation; but I did try to take an interest.  And when they noticed, they began talking in a code I didn't understand - or spoke softer  so I couldn't catch all the words.  How rude can ya get!  So, I ended up getting up and grunting that I knew when I wasn't wanted and leaving them to their own little universe of words and told the organiser.  She told me that they did that all the time and yes, it was very rude of them and not to worry about them.  So, I found myself another place to sit where an old friend of mine, Pat Hill, and myself talked for a while about our current projects and then I got chatting to a few other people about editing, printing and copy writing and proof-reading... all the stuff I can't talk to anyone about.  We all got in and drank coffee, ate great food and bought books from each other and enjoyed chatting for those hours.
Too soon, though, we all parted ways.  And on the way home, I found that I was quite tired from that morning of networking with other writers; but it wasn't a depressing kind of tired, it was good kind of tired; the kind where I know I'll be going back there again in two months' time.
I headed to Mum and Dad's place and spent the afternoon with them surfing the net and reading a few things on there while they did their own thing.  Then, Mum drove me home and got to see my new clothes horse up close and loved it!  She thought it was good purchase and something I really did need.  The best thing she loved was that it folded up so neatly and fitted into such my storage facility so well... now that's what it's all about with these things, isn't it?  We hung about in my back garden for a little while before she took off home to go out to see Gabe play in his band at The Musick Cafe on Boundary Street in West End.

Today, I was up a bit before 8am and bought the paper.  After breakfast, I hung out the towels and did the hand-washing and hung that out too.  Now, it's after midday and I really need to get into some more cleaning up; mainly the vacuuming and washing of floors - yep I try to get them done together.  And the office needs a once over with tidying up too.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Bargain Buys This Week

I've been having a good week.  On Monday, I bought a new clothes horse from Howard's Storage - and it's a brilliant one that holds a lot of clothes! - which I've had my eye on for around 2 years.  The best thing is that the price hasn't changed in all that time; so it must really sell well for them to keep it at that price.
Then, the antenna guy came around from Mr Antenna on the same day to look at my television reception and he found that when he was in my roof, it had been all wired up wrong from when the last guy was up there.  So, that's why my reception was screwing up.  
Yesterday, I was out all afternoon at the Chiropractor's.  Before that, I paid my Dentist's bill from a few months back (I had forgotten about it until after Uncle Allan's service).  Anyway, after the chiropractor's, I went for my usual walk to Rockaway to have a look around there.  After I searched the 45's I found one of 'Yakety Yak' and 'Along Came Jones' by Ray Stevens.  Then, I looked through the $4.00 lots and found AC-DC's 'Back In Black' without a cover (with a cover, it would have cost $34.00 - so I opted to have this one).  Then, I looked around more and found 'James Taylor's Greatest Hits' from 1976.  What a find!  I saw the songs on the front cover and realised I loved about 4 of them!  Once I played these vinyls, I knew I wanted them all.  Then, I spotted a Pink Floyd pen at the front counter!  Very cool, seeing I missed out seeing 'The Wall' Concert... oh well.  It's a nice one for $5.99. 
I walked back to Mum and Dad's house and showed them my vinyls and Mum was pleased that I didn't pay a lot for them - even better I decided against getting the more expensive AC-DC vinyl just because of the cover.  At least this one is in a sleeve of some type; I'll just have to remember why it doesn't have it and why I passed it up - shouldn't be too hard.
But it was a lovely day yesterday.  The sun was out, the breeze was nice and cool and I had Jamiroquai playing on my iPod... lots of fun and very enjoyable; and isn't it just wonderful when there's days like that?  You can enjoy the day and not worry about rain or the cold too much?  Our days here are becoming shorter with our nights cooler as well.  I'm glad our Winter is almost upon us as it means the end to the long Hot Summer our country is famous for.  And I just heard a day or so ago that my cousin New York has had a baby boy named Anderson; very cool.  Good on you, Nat and Stu... a lovely new addition to your family.
Well, it's Friday and the day has become a little cloudy, even though the sun is out.  However, I still don't trust our weather right now after the rain we've been having.  So, the clothes horse came out for its first use; only to find I didn't have enough plastic pegs to use on it.  Oh well, doesn't matter, that's why I go for my mail run in the mornings so early; to get what I need from the service station on the way home.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Many Changes

I have noticed lately that I have seen a lot of changes around my life and around my little townhouse.  To some of you who don't really know me all that well, it doesn't seem too interesting to you; but for me, this year has seen a massive turnaround in what has been going on in my life in previous years.
Since I received an iTouch for Christmas, a chain of reactions has been occurring to cause old things to be replaced by new in my house.  I've only begun noticing this because compared to a year ago, my house is beginning to look nothing like it did around this time last April or May.  Last year around this time, I was struggling to make ends meet and my lounge room was looking very messy; along with a lounge cover that was torn, mended and re-torn.  After Mum bought me a new one - and I began cleaning up the place in a serious way - I found my life made a big turn-around.
I don't know if it was because the lounge looked good for the first time - well, ever! - or if it was because I was happily finding things I hadn't seen in a long time.  However, I thought that once I began cleaning up and throwing out things, I was seriously making good decisions about my place.  
By Christmas - and my present from my parents - I promised myself that this year (the year of change) would be the year I'd make things change on a permanent basis.  I'd be very brutal with what I wanted, didn't want and knew was rubbish and make sure it was ready to go out the door at the right times.  I'd buy myself the things I needed when I needed them without hesitating or shopping around for a cheaper model simply because my parents wanted me to.  If I wanted something, and I've been wanting this something, I went out, shopped around and made sure I bought it at the place I wanted to get it from.
This is something we all should be doing for our homes.  Look around you now.  If there's something you know you have in your home that has come to the end of its life and you know you must replace it... but you've been hoping for a better time to, well, I'm tellin' ya now that the time is now.  Not next week, next month or in three month's time.  It's today or tomorrow.  
I'll give you an example.  There's a clothes horse/airer I have wanted for the last 2 - 3 years at Howard's Storage at Garden City.  It costs $109.00.  It's on wheels, can take one load of laundry, coathangers, and folds up to 1/5 its size.  Pretty impressive, eh?  I thought so as I gazed at it in 2010... and Mum said that we could find one just as good at K-Mart.  Well, we went there and didn't find one anywhere as good; and so didn't end up buying one.  Since then, I haven't bought one.  But each time it rained and my laundry got wet, I thought about that larger, portable, gorgeous clothes horse I could have had from Howard's Storage; the one that I could have been using all this time instead of the flunky fold-up one that fell apart each and every time I touched it.  So, yesterday, I went out to Garden City and bought the large, on-wheels clothes horse that I had seen at Howard's Storage.  And you know what?  After two years, it was still $109.00 to buy!  What a steal!  I loved it that it folded up; and it was even better that it fits into my storage facility under my stairs in front of my ironing board!  How very cool is that?  The problem is that I didn't get it before because Mum didn't want me to.  This time, I did because I had to hang my laundry around the house on all my furniture; making it look like a teenager's bedroom... and this is embarrassing.  I have laundry to do tomorrow; and it's supposed to rain.  How cool is it that I may do my next bit of laundry and hang it up inside with my new clothes horse?

This is what I mean by new things happening and changes. 

I've also changed my garden around by buying new plants, pots and potting mix.  Now, I'm saving up for the next round of plants; and it may take another month for me to get into it, but it'll be good when I do.  Then, I've been cleaning out the kitchen - as you all know - and the home office too.  And just today, I grew tired of waiting for my Dad to help me to move my two sheds from their current position in the carport to against the back wall of my carport.  So, I did it myself; first moving one, then the other.  It took me all of twenty minutes and it was very noisy, but I got that job done.  Now, I feel as though I have more space in the car port and they are easier to get to and use; also, if somebody wishes to park underneath my carport, there's not worry about hitting them.  That's if they can actually get into my car port!

So, what's new in your life this year?  Is it a major lot of changes you've noticed?  Or are they small and fleeting and you've only just noticed because I've mentioned mine?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.