Thursday, February 28, 2013

Busy, Weird, Wet Month!

We most certainly had an usual end to Summer here in Australia.  Instead of it being boiling hot and dry, it's been hot, sweaty and raining.  Not the best time for us to have our last month of Summer... and then to make it more interesting, we then copped a plague of fruit flies!  Yuk!

I've had a month of surprises when within the first week, my computer's hard drive bit the dust.  It unceremoniously stopped working and HP replaced it free of charge.  And seriously, I wonder how long this one is going to last... if I have to keep replace it every 6 months, I'm not going to bother, I'm just going to buy another computer.
Then, one of my dear friends passed away from Adrenal Gland Cancer and I went to her service.  Mum came with me and we had a lovely time; but I miss my friend, Cate Black, as I used to call her every few nights at around 7pm.  Now, it's strange that I can't call her anymore.  There's a kind of emptiness in my nights where she used to be.

I finished up a few sets of my painted pegs, varnished them and then renamed them 'Crafty Pegs' and wrapped them up in celophane and took a photo of them.  Once on the net, I had quite a bit of interest in them.  One lady asked for 3 dozen and I organised getting them sent off as soon as I could.  Before that I took them off to the Queen Bees Craft Group and the Logan Art Gallery to see if there was any interest there.  However, the ladies at the craft group thought they were far too pretty to be on a clothes line; and the lady who usually looks at the arty stuff for the store there wasn't in.  So, I'd have to wait until I had more in stock.  But I've made my first sale of a little over $50; and I'm very happy!  That money will be going towards something I'm saving for at the end of the year.

Also this month, I bought up big in the book department.  Yep, I fell off the saving wagon and spent some serious money on Valentine's Day and yesterday.  But then, yesterday's efforts were mainly paid with a QBD Gift Certificate, so what I bought only cost me $6.99.  I also downloaded 'Anna Karenina' by Leo Tolstoy onto my iPod to get my nose into it... I'm up to chapter 8 of part 1 and it's only been 2 weeks.  Not bad if you ask me; seeing I'm not too fast in the reading arena. 

Yes, this month has been wet, a little on the boring side, as well sad and upsetting.  I buried a close friend, buried my Little Miss Stevie as well, fixed my computer, worked on some art and have been working on getting my house better than it was.  It looks like it's going to rain again soon... so I better go.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm/cool and remember, I'm always here.     

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Busyness of My Week

This week has started out rainy and is going to stay that way unfortunately.  This means, I'm going to have to get around with my groceries damp and everything else damp too.  It's going to be a week of trying to keep everything I can dry... not an easy task.  However, I do manage to do it.

Yesterday, I was off to my Queen Beez Craft Group at Springwood where I tried to sell my Crafty Pegs at $10 a dozen.  The ladies there loved how pretty they were but couldn't even think of putting them outside to hold their clothes; because of their beauty.  So, I didn't sell any.
Today, I posted off 3 dozen in the mail across town to a lady who bought some off me.  I'm so happy they're selling.  Those 3 dozen are going to a house warming this Saturday; and so, I hope they work out and the people like them, and word gets around about my pegs.

Tomorrow, I've got my grocery shopping to do.  It'll be a quick shop for me as I'm only going to be getting half the things I normally get and paying off twice as much as I normally would at Woodys' Music.  I was going to buy myself new pillows for the bed, but thought it would be best if I left that for next month or so when the weather clears up and it's not raining.
Anyway, that leads me to Thursday where I'll be at Garden City in the morning, then traveling to the Logan Art Gallery to see if I can get my Crafty Pegs in the store there.  If not, well, that's okay, I'll sell them online or at the Butter Factory, where there's a craft store there; but I'd like them where I can get to the store easily.

Friday will be my only free day this week where I can get in and do my washing, vacuuming and cleaning up on that day.  Then, it'll be a matter of packing away things to tidy for the weekend of painting - seeing the weather is going to stick around for a while.

So, how is your week looking?  Is the weather where you are wet and flooding, like here in Brisbane?  Or have you got other weather which is just as bad?  Until my next post, take care, keep warm/cool and remember, I'm always here.      

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Craziness in the World

It's been a strange old world lately; I mean, really strange.  Over the last decade, a lot has happened to our planet that makes me think that we're either out to destroy ourselves or we're all acting like children.  Either way, some of the things that have happened aren't our fault.
Like the meteor that landed in Russia.  That was amazing and freaky at the same time.  It scared all of us and totally gobsmacked scientists because it was something they've been wanting to see happen.  I thought it was very cool; but that's me.  I'm always amazed about stuff that happens from space, about space or has something to do with space.  It's vast, has stars that don't exist anymore and is something we're still learning about.  Like I said, very cool.

I was recently told about the weather phenomenon in Arizona by one of my Canadian friends.  He told me that it snowed.  Yeah, well, I've heard it does that sometimes, but he said it didn't just sprinkle, it snowed around 2 inches!  Wow... if it's snowing there, how cold is it further north?  And is it snowing in Vegas?  With all those lights, it'd be brilliant and fun and interesting at the same time.

There's other great phenomenon that has happened around our great planet that is hard to explain.  Sink holes, coral blooms, red tides and I've also heard of dangerous trees (believe me, there's 10 of the most dangerous trees and most of them are in South America.  The Sandbox Tree is amazing and very poisonous; and that's just one I remember well because of its fruit and how its been used in the Amazon and other parts of the country).

So, what great wonders - or craziness - have you noticed in this world?  Are the things you've noticed the same as mine, or are there ones I've missed.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm/cool and remember, I'm always here.   

Friday, February 22, 2013

TGIF

I'm so thankful it's the end of the week, and now I have the weekend to contend with and then the beginning of next week to work on.  But today has been a busy one; and I've had to keep one eye on the weather and one on the clock too.
Well, not really the clock, but I don't want today slipping away too fast.  I have a lot do get done before tomorrow comes (that's a song title right?  Yeah, thought so).  

Today, I've been so busy getting chores done, getting a good lot of my painted pegs varnished, checking the mail and washing up that I have wanted to just get everything straight for the weekend before I'm off again next week on whatever I have to do with my shopping... and believe me, it's going to be a very busy shopping day next Wednesday.

This morning, I'm glad I got the things done that I did because otherwise I'd be well behind in it all.  Tonight, I'll be organising some of the pegs in cellophane parcels and putting ties around them and attaching prices onto them.  So, my night will be filled with that kind of work tonight.  Not that I don't like doing that, but it's just fiddly that's all.
Tomorrow, I'm off to the gallery to do my volunteer work.  Hopefully it will be a good day out and the pegs will be something good to add to the gallery store.  If they add them, great.  If not, well, I'll try somewhere else.  

I'm also working on a painting I started last year, but have only gotten the finishing idea for it this year.  Strange how that happens; but it's working outSo far it's looking good.  If you'd like to see, go to my other blog called A Natural Background, and I've posted about it there with a photo of it.  

So, what have you got in mind for your weekendBusy or slow?  Full of fun activities or sleeping in?  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm/cool and remember, I'm always here. 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Neighbours Moving

My next door neighbours are moving soon, so they're a little noisy at the moment as they pack.  But packing isn't a quiet thing, no matter where you're going.  What bothers me to no end is that without fail, whenever I have had neighbours move, they either go quietly and I don't know they're gone, or they are up at all hours of the night partying because they're going to be gone and done with this place, never to return.
When they are the latter, it bugs me to no end because it means I don't sleep and I'm crabby the next day and wish to hell they'd just act normal for this last week of their time here.  And the strange thing is that on their moving day, they are the ones to complain they're tired and wish they had more energy to move.  Well, maybe they shouldn't have had all those late nights beforehand as they boozed up and partied like it was 1999, keeping me and every other person around them awake.
And this is what is happening right now with my next door neighbours.  They are moving out this Saturday and for the last two nights, I've been kept awake with their boozing up and partying.  On Monday night, they were up until 1:30am with loud music and singing at the top of their lungs until I went over there and bashed on their door.  They didn't answer, but did quiet down.  Then, last night, they were thundering around the place, screaming and yelling until around midnight when one of them fell down swearing their heads off about their handBy this time it was around 12:30am.  I went over there in my dressing gown and told them that two nights in a row for their partying was too much.  Their friends told me that one of them was sick from drinking too much; but I said I didn't want to hear her yelling about it at the top of her lungs, and neither does anyone else.  Their friends apologised and promised to keep it down.  I heard them thundering around until 2:45am when a loud crash was heard and then silence.  I'm tellin' ya, 4 hours sleep doesn't agree with me at all.

Now, I know they're moving out.  I've moved around from place to place in my life.  But I have never caused so much noise on the days coming up to my moving day that I was told to keep quiet by my neighbours.  So, what gives people the right to annoy the crud out of others just before they move out?
And who says they're not going to come back here?  I've seen it happen before when somebody moves out of this unit complex and they wanted to come back, but nobody trusts them to be quiet people, so they're not allowed to come back or wanted back by any of us here.  So, what happens if my neighbours do come back again and are noisy again?  It's not my job to keep them in line, I'm not their parents or landlord.  

I hate it when this kind of thing happens in a place like this.  I can't get away from my neighbours and yet when I have tried to talk to them, they don't seem to want to take advice.  So, how this is going to work out is beyond me.  I just hope the hangover they have today keeps them quiet tonight; quiet enough for them to have an early night.  If it doesn't, I won't be backwards in coming forwards about how noisy they are being.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm/cool and remember, I'm always here.    

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Wet Week Ahead

We have a wet week ahead here in Brisbane, but it doesn't mean we all laze about indoors.  Here at my place, I'll be getting into my weekly chores I've begun setting myself to keep my house tidy.
Just last night, I washed up absolutely everything in sight!  And this morning, I put it all away.  While I was, Triple M's breakfast show was on talking about invasions around the house.  They chatted about fruit flies, maggots, Water Dragons and birds which have all thought to show up in our lives in plague proportions in and around our houses.  I'm just thankful I'm not the only one who has been suffering with the fruit fly situation when there's nothing rotting in my fruit bowl.  And one lady called in and suggested getting a glass of water or Apple Cider Vinegar, putting some cling wrap over it and making a little funnel at the centre of it and then, poke a pin hole in the bottom for the fruit flies to get in.  Once they get in, they can't get out; and it works!  So, I set that up next to the fruit bowl and fish tank this morning after breakfast.
After putting away the wiping up, I decided to get in and do the laundry of bath towels and hand washing.  I'm thankful I bought the large clothes horse when I did last year.  It's been a wonderful addition to my house as it takes everything I need to hang out normally on the clothes line; and only a day or two to dry, no matter what the weather is outside.  
Once that was done, I looked outside and thought to give the post office a miss as it was going to be a really windy, wet day and I didn't want to get wet today.  So, I made my drink for the morning and brought it upstairs to the office and turned on the computer.  And I've been on here since around 9am or a bit after.

This week is going to be a less busy one than last week, with only a few days where I'll be out and about - including Saturday where I'll be working at the Gallery.  Anyway, I hope to get in this week and work on a few other things to prepare for next week's craft meeting next Monday.  I need to paint up more pegs and get them varnished - but with the weather the way it is, I doubt they'll dry as they need the sun to dry out properly.  I'll do what I can. 
Otherwise, there'll be housework to get done around here.  I have to get the bags that are destined for the charity store there and start on filling more bags to go there again soon.  So far, I have 4 medium-sized rubbish bags full of things, clothes, items from around the house and bits that I hope to give away to charity stores.  It's just something I like to do.  And this year, I'm hoping to get in and give more than ever.  I'm hoping to finish cleaning out my house completely and make sure I have the house exactly the way I want it before 2013 is out.

Well, that's me for today.  It rained all day yesterday, all night last night and it's still raining - but windy - today.  I do hope it stops soon as I'd like to get some of my pegs varnished and done up to sell soon.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm/cool and remember, I'm always here.       

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Weekends

It's been a busy old weekend, but also a strange one as I'm without my mobile for the next day or so.  You see, my older brother upgraded to a new smart phone and generously gave me his old smart phone so I could get used to having one before buying one for myself later this yearWell, he didn't delete all his e-mails and internet downloads off it and now the memory is full... so I've given it to Mum and Dad to take to his place at Brighton so he can do that and I can use it again.  This has caused me to learn more about my iPod; that it's got an alarm clock in it! How cool is that?

Well, yesterday I was off to the Logan North Library to the Logan Writers' Forum - the first for this year - to see the future of this group.  After my dear friend passed away, I promised myself to get more active with my writing and creative life; and I am.  At this meeting, there was a guest speaker who told us about how the publishing world is changing around us very quickly.  It was fascinating and I wanted to know more.  So, I got talking to Anthony Puttee who worked for BookCover Cafe and he gave me his business card.  He was impressed I already had a book out, but not surprised it wasn't doing well and liked it that it was of what people were reading and will want to read in the future.  I said I was writing vampire and horror when it wasn't the thing to read; and people were laughing at me about it.  I had a few people tell me that I was ahead of my time when I was young then.
After the meeting finished, Wendy Johnson (who picked me up from home) dropped me at Mum and Dad's house.  It was good to see them.  I needed to look for something there, but I didn't find it.  So, I hung about on the net and looked at the news reports about the meteorite that landed in Russia.  It was amazing!  I found one on youtube and there were over 60 sonic booms after the initial one that I could count... amazing
Aunty Helen arrived and she started going through a few things with Mum and DadMeanwhile I looked on my iPod for another book to read.  Now, when I download books off iTunes, I have promised to get books that are over 800 pages long so I can carry them with me without them being phyically too heavy.  So, this is why I read off my iPod now... so, I downloaded Leo Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina', which has been turned into a film and is now showing at all the cinemas.  However, seeing I'm not one to go to the cinemas anymore, I'd much rather read the book.

Last night, it rained for a good part of the night.  I caught one of the cats from over the back in my yard and had to chase it out.  It was curiously looking through my back door... guess it wanted to know who I was.  Jumpy little thing.  Anyway, I was in bed early but couldn't sleep until around midnight.  
Today, I made pancakes from scratch, mowed the lawn, clipped the edges, pulled out some weeds and then did two loads of laundry and hung it out on the clothes horse.  The washing up needs doing, but that will be done this afternoon.  Otherwise, I'm going okay with everything.  The computer is working well and I have been able to download skype without it destroying anything (touch wood!) and now, I've got to get the Word program working to see if it'll do something for me.
This afternoon, I'll be taking it easyThen, tomorrow, I'll be out and about again to a craft group at Springwood to learn how to crochet... and seeing I'm a lefty, it could be a real challenge. Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm/cool and remember, I'm always here.