Friday, November 28, 2014

Storm Season Starts With A Bang!

Over the last few days, it's been very hot here in Brisbane.  So, while I was out yesterday visiting my folks, we weren't surprised to see a few clouds gathering in the west.  I spotted some on the way there and kept and eye on them. 

However, just before I left, we heard thunder and knew we were in for a storm.  I didn't know how bad the storm might be, so I decided to leave before I couldn't get home at all.

I got home just in time for it to start and ended up putting the blankets in the back of the car over the front windscreen and back window of the car just as the hail began to sweep over Logan City.  I'm thankful I did as it didn't just fall from the sky, it was on the wind and it came in under my car port and some of it hit my covered windscreen.  I found pieces of hail sitting on the blanket after a good part of the storm had passed.

Boy that was lucky!

But there were people out there not so lucky as I jumped online later last night and found that Fortitude Valley Train Station had flooded so badly they had to suspend services.  There were other areas of Brisbane where trees were uprooted, hail smashed windows of buildings and cars and car parks went under in a matter of minutes.  

However, I heard on the news today that this storm was compared to the Gap storm.  There has been an even worse storm than that before it which people seem to have forgotten about.  Here in Logan City, we had a mini-cyclone pass over us in the 1980's which left a path of destruction from around Browns Plains right out to the Bay... it was awful.  It was around the time of when Haley's Comet came to visit and I remember this storm well.  This storm was compared to Cyclone Tracy (which some storms around the world are still compared to and that one hit in 1974).

This storm yesterday was bad.  But I have seen worse.  I have seen a storm rip the roof off a house and miss the one next to it.  I have heard the roof of my own house bashing hard like drums, threatening to take off (but it stayed put)... and when I looked outside, I couldn't see the street because of the howling winds.  And when the eye of the storm passed overhead, I knew at the young age of 12, that the next half was going to be worse and dreaded going through it.  And you know?  It was... if I couldn't see the street the first time around, I couldn't see beyond the French Doors of my living room the second half of it.  The roof made a louder bashing sound and the house shook harder.  And really, all I could do was get on my knees and pray that we weren't left homeless - because when it was over... we were practically the only house left with almost no damage.

The roof?  Well, Dad came home - rush home from a business trip - and climbed onto the roof to find all the roof nails had been ripped out and the roof had indeed been slamming up and down during the storm.  He spent about a fortnight replacing them all.

Yes, that storm was horrible... so when there's a storm here, I wonder how bad it's going to be.  I wonder how big it's going to be.  And if it's huge, I wonder if the news people will stop comparing it to the Gap storm and remember the earlier Logan City storm we lived through.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Friday, November 21, 2014

It's Been A While

I know it's been a little while since my last post, and I'm usually very regular here.

It's because I've been busily writing and trying to keep myself cool from the heat.  Otherwise, I'm looking at a few weekends where I'm busy as hell.  

Like this weekend for example.  On Saturday, I have my volunteer work and then, there's Sunday where it's a full day of going out with the Logan Art Gallery for our Christmas Party.  Very cool!

Next weekend, 29th and 30th, are days where I'll be out too.  I'll be at the Murrarie Markets on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday, I'm going to a meet-up at a friend's house... it's going to be great.

The weekend after that, there's the volunteer morning tea where our 5, 10 and 15 year badges are handed out and we have a lovely morning tea with everyone, then we all go home.  It's a big morning.

But this week has been an amazing week. I went out shopping on Wednesday to fill my house with food.  Yesterday, I went out to a friend's house - Mark Davey - at Eden's Landing.  What a place!  It's filled with art from top to bottom!  This guy lives and breathes art and paintings.  He's also an avid gardener who's made his garden into something which is reminiscent of Monet's garden.  All he's missing is that famous bridge; but you never know, he might build one yet.  Anyway, we sat and chatted all day and enjoyed each other's company and listened to music all day... he doesn't have a television; so ti radio was on the whole time.  He has two gorgeous dogs - Frida and Rembrandt - and his place is so peaceful and filled with shade and birds... and mozzies!  But we fixed them... it was a great day, and I ended up getting home around 9pm or so after staying for dinner.  

What a day!  We clicked in the most amazing way too; agreeing that we are going to be great friends.  He gave me a lovely painting as well, which I hung up in my bedroom.  He said to me: 'A bunch of flowers, these ones won't die.' they're just gorgeous.  I can see us being close friends; but we'll see how it all goes.

Today, I'm going to take it easy and do a few things around the house, then I have to check on the mail and post off something overseas and be back here for the rest of the day.  Until next time, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here. 

Saturday, November 15, 2014

It's A Heatwave!!!

Heatwave

Well, yes... there's a heatwave hitting Queensland right now and it's not going to give up on us.  Today I went out; and regretted it when I got home... really shouldn't have done that.

However, I've drunk some milk (woah!  Why did I do that?) and then made myself a cranberry and mineral water and have been keeping close to the air conditioner in my home office.  It's just too darned hot to go and do anything outside... or downstairs.

So, there's my excuse for hanging out on the net today.

What's yours?

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Rain!

I woke this morning to an overcast day and cool breezes... what a wonderful change to the humid, hot days we've been experiencing over the last few weeks!

I went outside after my shower and found it had been raining for a few hours before I woke up... how wonderfully refreshing is that?

Okay, I can't do the laundry, but I'm not complaining in the least because the garden really needs it.  And it's saving me doing the watering by hand today... and even now, looking outside, it's raining yet again after stopping only 20 minutes ago.  And I do love the rain.

It's lovely thing to keep us all hibernated indoors watching movies, reading books or listening to music... or just simply catching up on lost sleep.  Like this morning, I just didn't want to get out of bed; and when I found it was raining, it made me want to stay in bed all the more.  And do you blame me?  I mean, Summer is just around the corner, and we get to have a nice cool day in the middle of a week of boiling hot ones... yep, it would have been ideal to just hide under the sheets and snooze for another hour or so.  But I got out of bed instead and went outside and photographed the garden inbetween showers of rain and eating breakfast... hahaha...

Anyway, I'm not sure what I'll be doing today.  I am hoping to get in and clean out a set of drawers in one of my wardrobes for my art/craft bench next year.  Then, I'll be also looking for a few things around my bedroom that I've been searching for the last week (and can't find).  And then, I might re-read my last chapter of 'Angel Love' to get my head around what is going to happen next... which is?  Well, I don't know because I don't plan my books.

Well, there's my day.  I'll also get my head back into 'The Watcher' too... it's been a while since I plugged into it and read a bit of it.  And being a wet day, it's a good day for it.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Saturday Night Movie: Drive

Driver is a stunt-driver in Hollywood by day, a mechanic on the weekends and a very quiet neighbour to a hot blond-haired single Mum.  He's quiet and unusual; keeping to himself until he finds he's attracted to her, can't keep his eyes off her, because she's alone.
But he doesn't talk to her, not until he's out shopping one day and finds his car's been broken into and her at her car with its bonnet up.  Driver takes her home and organises to have her car looked at by his work.  He starts to get involved with her, feeling protective of her and her son when she reveals to him that her husband is in prison - as he knows all about it from a life so far ago, it's almost alien to him...

...almost.

But then, one day, her husband comes home.  A party is going in their neighbouring apartment, and all seems well; until her husband is introduced to Driver.  This is when Driver notices that there's more to this guy's story - that he's hunted inside as well as on the outside.
One evening, Driver comes home to find his neighbour's husband beaten up, his son hiding around the corner crying and he asks what happened.  The husband tells him and he considers getting in one more heist to protect the woman he loves and to make sure her husband is never hunted again - as well as to protect their son.  When he talks to her son, he hands him a bullet, telling him that he was told not to lose it.

Well, the whole thing is arranged.  All Driver does is drive the getaway car.  He doesn't do anything else.  The guy organising the whole thing won't pay him - driver doesn't give two tosses - and all that needs to happen is to get it over and done with.

However, Driver trusted the wrong people.
The man organising this thing was working for the Mob, who employs his boss at the garage, who in turns employs Driver. 
So, they all know he's driving the car ... and they know his moves.
What they don't know is that he's a great driver because he's done this before... and knows how to get away from people like them....

...but does he?

'Driver' was a movie on SBS which I happen to flick over to while channel surfing.  When I saw Ron Perlmann's name flick on the screen, I sat down and watched it.  There were only three commercial breaks and I found it a great film, based on a book of the same name by James Sallis.  The reviews of the book are mixed with most people saying it had a great protagonist, however, the film was much better because the plot of the book was paper thin.  The movie was fantastic... I loved it and at the same time was horrified at how far Driver would go to keep only the few steps he needed to keep from being killed.  Totally worth watching... I didn't miss a beat, and didn't want to.

Friday, November 7, 2014

A Day Out Driving

It started out with me going to Stone's Corner to get my watch battery replaced, and I ended up at Mum and Dad's place excitedly talking about being at Tarragindi... 

My watch stopped yesterday around midday.  So, I asked Mum where I'd get it fixed.  She told me at Stone's Corner at Rolma Industries; where they specialised in Adina Watches.  This is where we got my watch - all my watches for my life.  I'm onto my second watch ever... they are a great brand.
Well I punched into the GPS the address and I was on my way to the place.  It took me there and I was happy.  The man charged me the princely sum of $15 to get a new battery installed and a seal replaced; very cool.  Then, there was the task of getting myself back home.
Well, okay, I though to follow the road around and take the first right and see what happened next.  Usually the roads either went in a circle, or they'd take you to the next suburb and you'd find a main road at some point.  This was an old suburb, it was bound to happen.  And you know?  It did!  I found myself at Stone's Corner again and back through the way I had come.  
But instead of going back onto the highway, I drove through the back way and onto Cracknell Road, through to Ekabin Road and to Toohey Road very close to my Grandma's House.  When I sat at the lights, I thought it'd be nice to drive by the place... but instead, I parked near the house and got out to see what had happened to it over the years.  You see, I haven't been to the place since the first owners bought it and painted it hideous colours.
When I saw it I had to check the number on the front - number 9 - to make sure it was the right number, because it was absolutely gorgeous!  It didn't look anything like it did before!  I grabbed my stuff out of my car and locked it, meaning to go to Zeni's - next door - but instead, I stood there just staring at the house.  A young lady asked me if she could help me and I told her my Grandparents originally owned the house over 70 years ago.  
Then she asked me the most unexpected thing:  'Would you like to come in and have a look around?'  Oh, wow!  Are you serious? Yes!  She said she'd introduce me to her Dad and we could chat about the place.  Her family has lived there for 3 years and their landlord was a builder and had only fixed the place up really nice just before they moved in.  How cool is that?  Well, I was astounded at how the place looked!
Grandma and Grandpa's bedroom was the only room that wasn't moved too much... except the door.  The rest of the place was unrecognisible.  Where the lounge and front room used to be was the office and two bedrooms.  There was a long hall down the middle - as there is with many Queenslander homes - and the place was better set out.  The bathroom was moved next to the master bedroom and the other bedroom - which had been at the back of the house was split into two and had been moved behind the office.  The kitchen has been turned around (again) and was behind the bathroom and the wall was taken down and the dining and living area was kept open-plan.  And the add-on dunny was removed for a stairwell to go downstairs where a granny-flat has been built.  Out the back was a wonderfully wide deck and stairs going down!  The backyard has hardly been touched.
Downstairs, where the laundry was is a bedroom and the lounge is where Grandpa's workshop used to be... otherwise, it's amazing what the place looks like now.  And the granny-flat has a private entrance around the side so the kids - who are uni students - don't have to go through the front door upstairs to come home, and neither do their friends.  It's completely self-contained.
While I was there, I also visited Zeni, next door.  She's the original next door neighbour to my Grandparents.  She didn't recognise me to start with, but after I jogged her memory, she gave me huge hug and we got chatting after I thanked Anna (the young lady who lives in Grandma's house with her family) for showing me around.  

Soon, I was off to Garden City in Little Green Machine!  I parked the car and had a walk around to look for new sunnies.  My old ones were really had it.  The tint was coming off and the arms on them were wobbly... so yep, it was time to toss them out.  I found a great pair at Bright Eyes.  Then, I thought to have a walk around - seeing I didn't have much else to do.
I found a store dedicated just to skateboarding.  Very cool place to look around in.  The owner thought it was wicked I used to skate, but was bummed the I couldn't anymore.  He knew what it was like when I said I knew how to but my body didn't... we had a laugh over that and then I went on my way.  
I ended up over at Riot Art to buy a few art supplies and then was off home.  But I lost the car by getting out of the lift at the wrong car park level... darn, new it was going to happen at some point!  I found the car and drove to Mum and Dad's place and told Mum what happened at Grandma's old house!  She was so happy... and she loved it that I dropped in on Zeni and had a chat with her. 

What a day!  Well, it's midnight... on the dot!  Wow!  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

A Really Strange Week

There's strange weeks, and there's strange weeks.  I've had weeks where I have missed whole days and had to try and figure out what's been going on... and then, there's weeks where stuff goes on that I just don't want to figure out.

This week was one of the latter.

My weekend was one where I sat and wrote some really strange stuff.  None of it has been edited and I don't think it'll see the light of day; but I wrote it nonetheless.  It was interestingly weird and funny weird at the same time... stuff that just goes around and around in my head and eventually gets written but I don't let anyone read.

Well, Sunday was my lazy day where I just rested my arm and did nothing much.  Okay, I washed up, looked outside and photographed my garden... but it ended up with me vegging out in front of the television.
One of the neighbours, not far from me, put on some really loud music.  I don't mean, 'Oh that's annoying.' I mean, 'Crap I can hear the lyrics over my damned television!' loud... yeah... that kind of annoying.  So, I thought I was within my rights to ask them politely to turn it down a smidge.  By all means, play the music, but don't interrupt my afternoon with it... instead, they invited me to hang out.  I thought why not?  There wasn't anything much on television and I was vegging out anyway.
Within about 20 minutes another neighbour from the other side of the complex - who I don't get along with - rode past on his motorcycle, without a shirt, helmet or shoes on.  No, he's not good-looking.  He's overweight, a drunk and makes out we're friends - we're not.  He drove his bike right into the middle of the party - yeah, dangerous - and attempted to flirt with me.  I went home.  When I heard him go away, I thought that I had been invited and went back... at which point he returned - inviting himself to the gathering - and made the whole get together dreadful.  It was meant to be a chill-out, but he was rude and horrible.  I ended up going home for dinner and when I came back an hour later, he hadn't left.  About an hour after that (and after everyone watched him drink himself into a stupor and then get stoned, at which point I went home permanently), he totally wrecked the night...
He was reported to the right people about this.  However, there's too many people like this in the world, who think they can do this and it's okay to do this.  It annoyed and aggravated everyone that I found him a threat; and that - even when they stopped talking to him - he didn't leave.  However, the stranger thing still was that it wasn't until after he started smoking the pot, did he get paranoid and then sent himself home.  I wasn't there to see that, but was told the next day.

Yesterday was Melbourne Cup Day and for the first time in a long time, my family didn't have anywhere to go for lunch.  So, Mum, Dad and I had nibblies at their place and watched it on the big screen.
However, Dad and I noticed one of the horses wasn't looking well... it was sweating and its eyes were really big.  We commented on it and yet it was still raced.  After it was taken back to its stall, it laid down and never got back up.  So, even though my horse came second, I still felt we all lost in a big way yesterday because of that first horse... then not long after a second horse had to be put down because it kicked and broke its leg in a way it couldn't be fixed.

Today, I put the money I won into the bank.  Usually - in the past - I would have spent it.  But I've gotten into the habit of putting money I've made or won into the bank; which is a good habit to get into.  Also today, I spent far less money than I got out of the bank... just as well, because when I returned home, I looked at my watch and found it had stopped.  So, tomorrow, I'm off to Stones Corner to get the battery replaced.  I'm going there because where the watch was made and bought by Mum; and I don't want to take it anywhere else.  I also have to donate some clothes and items to Life Line Super Store at Logan Central and post off something overseas too.  

So, this week has been really strange - not all that busy - but just really strange, and sad too.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

October Was Something Different!

This month was totally different, but I got a lot done; and so much changed around the place while it meandered by and the weather changed so drastically.

In the beginning of the month, it was my birthday.  I spent my day at Gabe & Kat's place.  Riley was there and we had a great lunch - where I brought along the cake.  But what a hot day!  Jay spent a good part of the day under the kitchen table in the cool.

Then, during this month, I chatted about how great it is to be an Aunty... and not a Mum.  Okay, I don't have children, but it doesn't mean my life is empty, but it also doesn't mean I'm selfish either.  There are people out there like me as well - but with a medical condition like mine, I just never thought, or even wished this kind of thing on my own children.  It would never had been fair on them.

And then, my Apple iPod got screwed over by the very company itself.  I asked for iTunes to download something without updating and it updated my iPod anyway... what new crapping hell was that???  And you know?  I wasn't the only one burnt this way by Apple... Rotten Apple if you ask me.  And since Steve Jobs died, that company has really bitten it in a big way.  He was such a perfectionist... and now?  The company is just shit.

Then, from around the middle of the month, I had one busy weekend after another, right up until 18th, October where I had a full-day market at Murarrie State School, where I have started to really make a bit of money there.  So, great to be able to make a mark and get known by people... and it's only taken a year for Crafty Pegs to really start to be known around the traps and markets.  I can't wait until the next few years where I can really work on my designs and have a better work station.

But then, something just had to go wrong.  I was having a great month of work.  I was flying through the Magna-Pegs.  The Beautiful Coat Hangers were really happening, and my left arm began to ache... it felt like Tennis Elbow, but it wasn't centralised enough.  And then the last two fingers on my left hand went numb when I worked.  Then, on Wednesday night, I was in agony.  I was kept awake by my arm... no matter how I slept, it was painful!  So, off to the doctors I went.  And I had pinched my Ulna Nerve (aka:  Funny Bone Nerve) and inflamed it.  Soooo, what I have to do is stop working on my Crafty Pegs and stay off the computer.  Well, I'm doing one of those things - hehee.  Hey, I'm a writer, I'm not giving away my writing that easily; not while I'm working on a book.

So, that was October.  It was fun, it's become hot and sticky... there wasn't a speck of rain in it.  But at the end of it, I've been told to sit down and relax.  How has your month been?  Busy like mine, then having to follow the doctor's orders?  Or just the same as before?  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.