Friday, January 30, 2015

Colleen McCollough's Obituary Sums Her Up Badly

Colleen McCollough has passed away.  What a brilliant writer, a great asset to what it means to be Australian, here in her home country as well as across the world.

However, how her obit was written, you'd think whoever wrote it wasn't thinking of her as a person, as a writer, as one of the world's best literary people of this generation - as well as the past generation - has ever seen.  No, I read her obituary and thought it was disgusting to find she was judged in the first paragraph to be a man-hunter, to be worrying about her figure to be ... shallow... and that she 'had not problems attracting men'.

This is not how you write an obituary.  

Please find in the link below the article which has started me writing this post:

Colleen McCollough's Obituary Written Badly

Thursday, January 29, 2015

A Busy Morning

This morning, I was up nice and early and out the door after a good breakfast to get in and do some things before I dropped into Mum and Dad's place for an hour or so.

First off, I went up to Officeworks, where I had spied a chair for my new workbench online; and I wanted to see it for myself and try it out.  
It was beautiful and comfortable.  So, I looked for a black one, but there were only white and red chairs left in stock.  Oh well, the red one was pretty, and so I picked that one up and bought it.  At $88.00 it wasn't too bad in the hip pocket.  The one problem I encountered was that the box didn't fit in the boot of my car; but in the back seat, another thing I didn't worry about too much. 

The next place I went off to was Target.  I had gotten fitted for a bra there yesterday, and found one of them I had purchased was heavily padded - something I definitely don't need.  So, I took it back for a refund to get something else.  I ended up buying another bra, a pair of knickers (to replace another pair which were really old) and a new night shirt with the Batman symbol on it.  I ended up spending the original $35 I had gotten refunded for one bra... how ironic is that?

Well, I was off to Mum and Dad's house and had a chat with Mum while drinking an ice coffee and trying on my dress for tomorrow night's art opening at the Gallery.  And my dressed fitted me; which I'm pleased about, and it's a lovely dress too.  Mum's really happy I didn't give it away; and that I still love the dress.

I stayed for a few hours and thought to leave, after my second ice coffee (these weren't big drinks), and I really did need to come home to prepare for tomorrow.  You see, I have to start really packing up my gear in the craft area and get in and clean it up... so my work bench can fit right in that spot with the smallest amount of fuss.  I'm really looking forward to this happening.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Let's Get Organised - 2015!

Okay, this has been a bit late in coming, but I'm right into it this week; along with other things as well.  So far, I've been onto Peter Walsh's Facebook page and watched all his Youtube videos and have listed down the ones I really need to get done - and not worried about the ones that I have still got working from last year.

So far, I got three of the things on my list done and dusted!  Yay!  How cool is that?  Okay, there's more things to get done, but I mean, I'm not going to rush this and I'm damned proud of how far I've come in the last two weeks.  I'll tell you how far I've come so far:

I've created a Donation Box - which I've filled up once and taken to the Life Line Super Store; and it's now on its second filling, ready to be taken there again.  I'm noting down how many times I fill up that box as well, so I keep track of how much stuff leaves the house.

So far, I've thrown out three big bags of paper rubbish into the wheelie bin; that was just in the last two days.  This is something I'm very proud of myself about... the bin is half full and I'm hoping to get it filled up completely before Tuesday night - which is bin night.

Then, I've organised my work station area so I can pack up everything nice and quick in readiness for the upcoming work bench.  Dad is as excited about building this thing as I am.  He asked me how much leg room we have with my budget and when heard it was a little over $100, well, he was thrilled - and surprised - that I have that much money saved up.  We are looking forward to getting it in the back area so I can have my shelves up, all my craft and art thing in one space and my living room can be cleaned up properly.  

I've gone through my table linen, and I've found a place to put them for when I need them.  It's good to have them in a spot where I can grab them when I need to put them out.  I also have a few other things - like aprons, hot pot holders and covers for salads - hanging up on hooks near the pantry instead of in the drawers where I can't find them.  

So, there you have it, my first two weeks of my Let's Get Organised for 2015.  It's been great and busy and I'm feeling good about this year too.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Friday, January 23, 2015

A Week of Being Busy

This week has been such a busy one, I haven't had time to sit down and just write here.  And for this I must apologise. 

Today, it's pouring - and I mean absolutely teeming - rain.  So, it's time to get my butt into the seat and start writing this here post!

On Sunday, it was a stinker of a day.  I didn't do much except hang around the computer, the internet and the air conditioner - and do you really blame me?  Nah, me neither.  But that's all I really did... and oh, drink gallons of ice coffee and cranberry juice.

On Monday, I was off to Gabe and Kat's place to visit Riley.  My older brother and his partner were both back to work and Riley, my niece, was on her own.  So, we hung out for the day.  I arrived a little early, but I thought it being a Monday, the traffic was going to be bad - well, it wasn't.  Oh well.  Anyway, the day went well.  We talked about school, art, funny stuff we've done, funny stuff her Dad's done and patted Jay the wonderful woofy (who is getting on in years now).  Before we knew it, it was around lunch and we took off to The Fishmongers at Sandgate and had a fish burger - yummo! - and talked about 'Supernatural', our favourite show.  It was very cool!  I found a tomato plant growing wild by the side of the road and picked the most ripe-looking ones (around 8 or so) and popped them into my bag while Riley watched on laughing... when we got back home, I left some on the counter for Gabe and Kat to eat.  I said that I'd done that before - picked them off the side of the road - and there's nothing wrong with it.  Well, we started looking through art magazines and the net and then my Mum called up and said there was a storm coming, so I decided to make tracks home.  Before I did, I left some lovely, large folders of art magazines that I had been given by Kevin and Shirley Austin.  Riley loved it that I thought of her... but I did say that once she was finished with them, that I'd like them back.  I let her keep some magazines that I didn't want and we packed my car, I patted Jay and was on my way home.
I arrived home and put my share of the tomatoes in the fruit bowl to ripen, unpacked and then, I looked around for my hat... where it was it?  Um... it was still at Gabe and Kat's house.  Yeah, I had left a brightly-knitted hat at my brother's house.  How typical of me to leave at least one thing behind by accident.  Oh well, never mind.  

On Tuesday, I got money put across from one bank to another, some shopping done and then I looked at my groaning collection of biographies and autobiographies and remembered my promise to myself this year: to read some of these book this year.  So, I pulled one out and sat down and started reading it.  It was 'You'll Be Sorry When I'm Dead' by Marieke Hardy.  I know that sounds like a really drastic title, but really, it's a tongue-in-cheek read.  I sat on my lounge and started laughing the minute I began to read it... it's good funny read about her life.  I can't wait to get right into another reading session this afternoon.

On Wednesday, I did some morning shopping, got some money out, went out and bought a new RAM for the computer and then my neighbour put Windows8 on to it as well.  It was cool.  But it's complex and different too.  I'm still learning a lot about it.  All my Word7 documents come up as Wingdings in WordPad... hahahaa... no, I kid you not!  So, we've had to find another way to get them edited.  Anyway, I'm hoping my friends who I'm communicating with and they're editing my work, don't have problems with my writing.  If they do, well, I'll be up shit creek - literally. 

Thursday was a day out at the doctors figuring out why my white and red cells were wonky... it turns out my allergies have played up more than usual this year.  And it's also because I've been hanging out with my neighbour's and their cat more than usual; so my body has been working overtime thinking the cats are threats... great... oh well.  That's how it all goes.  Mum thinks my house is sick, but then I do live on a busy road, and my house is always dusty.  I dust and vacuum and three days later, it's back - so really I've given up.  
Then, we had lunch at Zambrero's at Springwood... a cool little Mexican place.  Mum loved it.  It wasn't too expensive and the food was very fresh.  In the end, we shared the rest of my corn chips from my nachos... delicious!
I hung out at their place after we did some shopping and it began to rain.  Then the next thing we knew, it was 5pm!  Wow!  How did that happen?  So, I headed off home and made myself a quick snack of a cheese platter - as that's all I wanted to eat - and sat down just in time for 'Family Feud'... funny show that.

Today, I've been working on backing up my computer a bit, doing my laundry, have put out the rubbish, sorted through some junk to put in the Donation Box to give away and am hoping to finish tidying up the living room a bit more and have the art area ready to go in the way of being fixed up for the new bench.  Seeing there's not going to be any drawers actually in it, and it's a standing bench, Dad and I should be able to make it this weekend whether it rains or not. So, how was your week?  Until my next post, take care, stay safe, and remember I'm always here.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Creatively Wonderful Things ...

The internet is a wonderful thing, isn't it? 

Well, okay, it depends on how you look at it.

I've found some great things to do with left over milk bottles and drinking bottles you can easily make without too much - well, a bit of glue, a little paint and a drill and string and it's all done.  I'm thinking of looking into working on something tomorrow. 

Here's the link I was looking at:

Recycling Your Unwanted Bottles

Thursday, January 15, 2015

A Busy, Hot, Sticky Day

Today, I had a few things to do, but today was also very hot and sticky very early on in the day.  So, I made sure I had a bottle of water with me and I dressed accordingly to the heat. 

I did get a lot done today.  This included going back to Coles and exchanging some vegetable oil for Crisco Vegetable oil.  The Coles brand one was cheaper, but I couldn't for the life of me get the lid off.  I tried everything!  And when I got it to the service counter, the lady next to me took the bottle and she said, 'It's easy.' and then she struggled with it for a few moments before she managed to get it open.  I said I'm not going to wear the oil every time I need to open it.  Shrugging she put the lid back on and gave it back to me... and I got to exchange the oil for a more expensive oil where the lid was a flip-lid not a screw-on one.  

I went off to Life Line Super Store to find some pewter/tin cups to use when I get the new bench built.  I found 5 of them at $2.00 each!  How cool is that?  While I was there, I found a very nice, retro piece to put in my bedroom... it matches everything and looks lovely.  I just have to clean it up and replace the string with wire, and it'll be ready to go.

Before long, I was off to the Logan Art Gallery. They're in preparations to celebrate their 20 Year Anniversary here in Logan City.  And well, they asked the artists of Logan - who have had an exhibition there - to paint something for them on a 20cmx20cm size board or canvas.  So, I jumped right in and did just that.  I handed my piece in last week, and the exhibition opens on 30th, January.  I can't wait!  Well, I went there to loan them a piece of memorabilia I received on the 10th Anniversary.  Chelsea was so pleased I found it, and was willing to loan it to the gallery; as nobody had brought theirs in to show.

I was out into the heat again and driving to Springwood to pick up some conditioner and then to the junk store in search of the over-sized pegs I love to paint.  But they didn't have any, so I looked for some Valentine's Day things to dress up my stall; and found a lot of it hanging around.  So, I spent a bit of money on it and found I could dress up my stall in a few weeks easily.  Wow... so much is going to happen in such a short length of time!

Once I got all I needed, I jumped back in the car and drove home.  It was good to get home where it was cooler and surf the net with the air-conditioner on... I just don't want to be outside right now, it's too darned hot.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here. 

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Negative Positives

Society has made it so that women have to search for compliments from everyone; and be grateful when they get them.  It's horrible when this happens and it's not as though it's a new thing either, it just hasn't been approached publicly.

On Facebook, I saw a BuzzFeed report about how an 18 year old performed an experiment with young men her age.  When the men complimented her on her looks, she agreed with them and she waited to see what they did.  The responses she received were dreadful, simply because the men didn't expect her to be confident enough to own her own beauty, her own awesomeness and not have to search out somebody else's opinion to tell her she was beautiful.

Her responses showed that men are uncomfortable with women being comfortable within their skin enough to know themselves.

Why is it that men of today seem to think we women are still wanting their opinion of them?  And when we do have our own lives, our own opinions, thoughts and feelings, we are ordered by men that it's wrong? It's disgusting that in this day and age of computers, internet, the so-called free-thinking world and equal opportunities, that women are still being held back in a lot of ways.  

What happens when a woman accepts a compliment - Buzzfeed

So, what do you think about this issue?  I'd like to know.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Lazy, Rainy Sunday

I've been home a week, and last night I slept a full night without any breaks... it felt great to be able to be comfortable and just sleep.

But yesterday,I got a lot of work done. 

The Christmas Tree and the decorations was put away.  I pulled out the 3-stack set of drawers I'm going to use for my art area and I got some laundry done, dried and pulled in too.  And the lawn was fixed up around the edges as well.  Also, the donation box for this week is almost full.  

I'm so proud of my work from yesterday.  

Today, though, I woke up to my alarm at 7am (yeah, I was awake before my 6am one), and just snoozed until 7:30am before getting up and readying myself to go out and get the paper and some milk.  

There's still some chores to do today... not too major ones, but ones that I need to do before Wednesday.  I have to get the shopping list done up today, put out the rubbish, clean up the living room and go through a few piles of paper and throw away and file what I need.  Then, I can relax and see what I'll be doing for the rest of the week.  I am looking forward to getting myself sorted out for my new workbench... and I have looked at my finances and found I do have the funds for it (yay!).  This is going to be a fun thing to get done with Dad.  I can't wait to have it installed in my home; it'll look great!

Anyway, what are you plans for the coming week; and year?  For me, you've seen my plans for the week.  As for the year?  Well, I'll not plan too far ahead, enjoy my life in the moment and hope and plan my home to make it as nice as possible.  Yeah, that means to keep on cleaning it out more in my spare time.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Bright'n'Early!

I was up nice, bright and early at 7am this morning to get in and do some chores around the place before the heat of the day set in.  

First thing to do was some laundry - okay it wasn't much, but I thought to get it all dry before the showers this afternoon.  But as it was all going in the washing machine, I thought to get out into the garden and water the lawn and plants, as the cicadas started to sing through the air.  I love it when that happens as then you know it's going to be a stinking hot day... they tell us through their pitch.

Once the garden had nice drink, I heard the machine stop, and the washing had to be hung out.  Then, I got breakfast under way, with the radio going and the cordless phone off its charger and within reach.  I had a few things to get done today - and one of those things was to pull down and put away the Christmas Tree and decorations.  I have to do this before 12th because it's tradition for me to get the tree down before 2 weeks into January... otherwise I'm completely out of whack for the rest of the year.

As I got down the plastic boxes and added the new decorations to them, I pulled out the 3-set of drawers from wardrobe in the home office to remind me to get it cleaned out, cleaned up and ready for the next few weeks - ready for the work station at my back door.  I have already started pulling apart my work station in readiness for its tranformation; and I'm already saving money to buy the lumber for it too.  I can't wait to get it pulled together with Dad helping me at their house (where he has all the equipment).  I've wanted this work station for almost a year now, and now it's going to happen, I'm so excited!  And I have people who want the bookcase too - my next door neighbours, they'll be putting their blu-ray collection into it!  They're excited they don't have to go looking for another bookcase; that it's coming to them for nothing.

Well, I got all that done before 9am.  I made myself a drink and headed upstairs for my time on the computer and found Chuck Wendig had put out our first Flash Fiction for year.  Unfortunately I have to mull it over for a few hours because when I got the computer fixed up, Word for Windows wasn't installed onto it.  So, I have to wait for the neighbour's girlfriend to return home to find the disk to put it on (as I can't find my copy of it - I think Mum and Dad have it and forgot to give it back to me).  Well, that's all I got done today. There's going to be more done tomorrow around the place.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Let's Get Organised - 2015!

Okay!  It's been a year, and I've been cleaning out my place on a regular basis.  Last year I joined up with Peter Walsh's Facebook Page and it's done me good to clean out parts of my house, sending what I don't need or want off to get donated.

Otherwise, if it can't be fixed up or used by another, it's tossed in the bin.

This year, I have a box for donation stuff.  It's labeled as such, and I have been putting donation stuff in it.  I'm doing well too!  I'm very proud of myself!  So far, I've put in some metal filing things a neighbour gave me - and I thought I'd use them but didn't - and they have gone in there.  There's been some glasses cases, sprays I don't use and other little things I don't need.  There will be more to fill the box before the weekend it out; as I need to empty out my set of drawers in my wardrobe and clean them up for the new art area I'm creating this year with my Dad.

Then, there's my living room.  It's still a mess and I'm hoping to get through it and it will look better than it has done over the last year... I hate to say this about it, but it has never looked tidy - ever.  So, I hope I can clean it up completely this year.  My office the same way too I'm afraid.  It just doesn't seem to get tidy enough... oh well... I guess this is why Peter Walsh has so many fans. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Early Morning Chores

I woke to my alarm at 6am and snoozed to my 7am alarm.  Soon after I was up and about stripping the bed and putting on the laundry while I was outside mowing the lawn and clipping the edges. 

This was my second time out in the garden to work on the lawn this week; as we had had some pretty heavy rain and it had grown again.  But I didn't want it growing so much my mower couldn't get through it.  This time around, it was easier to mow and I got out my hedge clippers and clipped the thick grass which had grown around the edges of my lawn.

Before long, the large Queen-sized blanket was washed, but it didn't fit in my washing machine.  So, I asked my next door neighbours if I could put it into their machine to spin it... and they said yes.  Soon enough, all the sheets and blanket was out on the line; and the sun dried them off nice and quick.

Just now, though, it began to look like rain.  So, I thought to go and check the laundry.  As I stepped outside, the first few drops began to fall!  As quickly as I could, I pulled everything in; and it really began to come down!  How fortunate was that?  Now, it's just settling in and I've got all my laundry dry - including the blanket.

I've also started out cleaning out the house again.  Yes, this month I'm getting into Clean-Out mode in the house.  So far, I've cleaned out the corner next to the pantry and it's staying the way it is permanently.  Then, I found a good sturdy cardboard box and wrote 'Donation Box' on the sides of it, where all the donated things are going into it. When it's full, I'll cart it off to the charity store, empty it and then bring it home to do it again.  I got this idea off the Peter Walsh Facebook Page... what a great man he is.
I also have clean up the set of drawers in the spare room wardrobe in preparation for the new Crafty Pegs/Art Area Work Bench.  It'll be one of the things that are added on to the bench while it's being built.  I can't wait to get it worked on and produced after Dad gets home soon.  But if I get the drawers looked after beforehand, it'll work out better and easier than if I never did it before. 

This weekend, I'm hoping to get my house looking normal again; you know, put away the Christmas decorations and make the house look like it normally does all year around.  While I'm doing that, I'll get in and clean out some of the places around the house and donate and throw out what isn't needed.  Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Back Home... And So Is My Computer

It's only been a few days, and I feel as though I've never been to the coast.  I was really busy with my computer, shopping, cleaning up the yard, organising the house and now I'm cleaning out parts of the place to make it look better and run better.

Now, that's something new.

Last year, I worked the whole month to get my house organised.  However this time around, I'm going to work on parts of the house to get it organised; seeing I did this before already.  On Facebook, Peter Walsh has us grabbing a Donation Box and putting anything for donation into it.  Once it's full, take it away and donate it... easy-peasy!  Now, for me, that's not too bad.  I'm looking forward to doing that very thing.  I've got a box somewhere around here to do just that, and I'll do that tomorrow.

But also tomorrow, I'm looking at getting some boxes to pack up my craft stuff to organise myself for the next few months.  You see, Dad and I are going to work on the new work bench for my craft area when he arrives back home from Brunswick Heads.  I'm not touching my Crafty Pegs account and going to put some money away personally for this, and while he's away, I'm also hoping to fix up a set of drawers to use in the craft area too.  This ought to work out great!
And once the bench is all fixed up and I have the boxes up on the shelves and sorted out, I can use them still to put stock into.  Not too bad if you ask me.

Anyway, I still have Christmas decorations to put away this week.  I've already done the Jades outside, now it's time to put my house back to normal.  Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Back Home In Wet Ol' Brisbane

I arrived home yesterday morning at around 11am; however, I didn't post anything because my computer is still out of action - so I'm on my neighbour's computer right now to post this while it's absolutely pouring outside.

Anyway, it was fortunate I did come home yesterday in the horrible heat and sun.  Besides being a little sunburnt, I'm glad I did drive home then because I got so much done yesterday than I would have today.
The first thing I did was get outside and mow my lawn... it was so long, my mower could barely cut it.  I had to clear out the cutters every few minutes it was so heavily long.  And then, I checked on my green house and found it was going well.  The plants in it were still alive and the water inside the soda bottle was still mostly there.  This is something I'll have to look into more and see if I can make it better.

After that, I washed the double bed sheet cover I bought at Whatever in Brunswick Heads and hung it out to dry.  It took only an hour or so to dry because it was so hot and humid and the sun was turned around to the afternoon.  And once I pulled it in, I put it on my bed (as I was planning to do), and found it was for a Queen-sized bed and it looks amazing!  I have photos, but don't have my cable to my camera with me (I'll upload them onto 365Project and link them back to here).  
Then, seeing I had a few things done at home, I looked in the fridge and pantry and found that they were looking quite bare.  So, out to the shops I drove to get some food in the house.  I spent around $100 and came home to fill the house with enough food for the next week.

Once all that was done, I did the unpacking and putting away of things and bags I took to the coast.  By this time it was around 4pm and I wanted to just sit down and veg out in front of the television; so I did.  I ended up having just salad for dinner and making myself a nice pot of green tea and watching a few dvds of 'That 70's Show'... season 4.  

Today, I'm getting my computer back and it's poured rain for a good part of the day.  I got the laundry done (well two loads of it) and hung it up on the large clothes horse in the house, paid two bills, received a Christmas card that sings and have a few other things planned for the day - seeing it's raining.  Well, until my next post - which will be from my computer at my place - take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Hot Saturday Markets

This morning, I woke to my 7am alarm and made myself get out of bed and get ready to go to the markets at Memorial Park here in Brunswick Heads.

This market is usually on the first Saturday of the month, each month and I'm normally not here for it.  But this time, I am able to stay for it because I've got a car to go home whenever I want to.

Well, I was off from the van before my folks even got out of bed to score myself a few bargain things I've wanted to look at.  People were still setting up when I arrived and so I found the place wasn't really humming yet.

The first thing I bought was a new cutting board.  The guy who makes these has a strong European accent, but he makes the best cutting boards in all shapes and sizes from all kinds of woods; and they are well worth the money.  I found a discounted rack he had them all sitting in and laid my hands on one I totally wanted the moment I picked it up... it was gorgeous, just the right size and had no knots in it.  And I asked how much it was - he said half price: $25!  How cool is that?  I forked over my money and was happy with my purchase.
There were so many book stalls there, I didn't know which one to look at first.  But the Book Bus wasn't there unfortunately.  I wish it was, I would be able to talk about it on My Reading List... as it's such an amazing stall that it's meant to be experienced to be believed.   However, this time around, it wasn't anywhere to be found.  So, I found two books I liked.  One was some collective works by Dorothy Parker and the other was a biography of Iggy Pop; both very great books to own.  I also bought a book on how to grow bromiliades; it's from the 1970's and I'm hoping it will keep mine from either dying on me or multiplying too much.  
Well, I ran into a writer friend of mine - Dawn Alice - from the Logan Writers and we had a chat after I got a reading done from a friend of hers.  It's great to run into friends like this here; when you least expect to... anyway, I went in search of coffee.  It was around 9am, and I really needed to sit down and have a rest and a cup of coffee and something to eat.  So, I found this place called 'Coffee Oasis' where the man made the most delicious Chai I've ever had.  It was the kind of Chai my brother, Gabe, would have had in India when he traveled around there.  I sat at a table and chatted with some people while we listened to the stylings of a young man across the way from us on his guitar.  He was selling his EP for $10... it has only 5 songs on it, but this is the kinda place people start out at.  I bought the EP and played it back at the van.  He's great!
Well, I went on my way in the search for a hat... something nice and bright.  I looked around the hat stall, but they were to far too expensive.  I didn't want to spend $30 on a hat... it's just not worth it.  So, I found another stall where I found a very colourful, rainbow one for $16.  Perfect!  I love it as it's got 2 brims on it and it keeps its shape.  

Anyway, Mum called and I waited around for her to arrive.  When she did, we walked to the Soap Lady where Mum bought a huge amount of soap; and I found some soap for my feet (my feet are really rough, honestly, they are!  I wear a lot of sandals and don't care for my feet as well as I should).  And then we looked at some jewellery, leather goods, plants, bead thingys that are substitutes for water, and then at a jumble stall... and then?  We were off back to the van.  Mum didn't want to look at anything else.  I had found what I was looking for - and even picked up a nice basket made from recycled materials in Burma (or somewhere near there) by a man who uses old packing tape.  He doesn't speak English, lives in the middle of the jungle and just makes baskets all the time... when this lady who sells the baskets takes them off his hands, and she returns with his money, she gives it to him in cash as he doesn't have a bank account or a phone or is anywhere near a town to do anything modern.  So, people have been buying these baskets like hot cakes.  I bought a small one for when I go to my writer's groups or volunteer work and I want to take stuff with me; and I don't want to lug a bag with me.  
Well, I better get packing soon... time is going to get on and I'm going to end up leaving things behind otherwise.  But I've had a great week here in Brunswick Heads.  

I've been to Mullumbimby and bought some Lemon Butter (which amazingly my Dad loves... this from a man who doesn't normally like it) and it's the nicest Lemon Butter around!  On the same day, I bought a towel set in its original packaging by Supertex, a lovely mug and a bowl from Re Sould; a cool little retro store here in Brunswick Heads (yes, you can find it on Facebook... go and have a gander).

Then, we went out to trivia night - Mum and I - and we had a great time.  I drove up to the Bowls Club and we had a wonderful time, our team coming in 6th... and Mum and I shared a bowl of wedges.  Then, we were home by 9pm.  It was a good night.

NYE was great... well, until the storm hit at around 10:30pm or so.  And man!  What a storm!  It lasted around 6 hours and didn't quit until 4am.  Not many of us got much sleep that night, so we all felt very hung over - more so than normal - the next day.  When we found we didn't have another storm on New Year's Day - we all got a very early night... how well did we all sleep!

The weather has been pretty much very steamy and hot, with bouts of rain and a storm... really weird weather.  I am looking forward to being at home because I'm getting cabin fever.  Otherwise, I'm not liking the attitude I'll be returning to of my townhouse complex.  I just hope it all gets better than it has been in the last year.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember I'm always here.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year!

It's another new year, and we've all survived it... well, most of us.  Some people we have loved in Hollywood have left us high and dry - comedian Robin Williams is a man I grew up with on 'Mork & Mindy' and I don't think his presence will ever be really replaced and we'll always miss him in one way or another...

Each year, I seem to lose a few friends of mine or within my family.  This started happening a few years ago, and it's something I have hated more and more.  One of the parents who camp next to us at Brunswick Heads passed away in the last quarter of 2014 and now we're all down here again, it just doesn't seem the same without him here.

I've gotten a car over the last year, and well, it's been wonderful to have my independence back again after 20 years of missing it completely.  After losing the use of a car, you really never get over not being able to drive - you just don't.  You have a very trapped feeling all the time; and it's not a very nice feeling to be on holidays by the sea, but not able to drive anywhere unless somebody else is going.  Even then, you have to leave when they want to.  You still have the kept feeling of only being the passenger - the child - in the situation, when you want to stick around more in a place.
It's been great here at Brunswick Heads, seeing I have my Little Green Machine to take me places.  The only tiny problem is that there's no promises of my visitors parking spot being there when I return from wherever I've taken off to.
I did get my butt out to Mullumbimby where I sweated it out in the sweatbowl of a town.  For once I wasn't following my folks around the town and looking in on stores at my own pace; and it felt wonderful to do just that... I haven't been able to do that for years.

While Mum and Dad were out visiting friends at Cabberetta Beach, one day, I went and did the shopping.  They didn't realise how hard it had been for me to not have a car until this past year... and when they arrived back to the van and found all the products they wanted, it was wonderful to have all their shopping done without stressing out about it.  And Little Green Machine got a run too.  

On New Year's Eve, we had an Italian Night.  However, I made a Ratatouille... yeah, I know, it's a French dish, but nobody complained about that, not when they were scooping it into their mouths.  I was asked how I did it; and I told them about how long the preparation took and that it was a layering process, with garlic, freshly chopped parsley and patience... and they said it was well worth the wait.  Dad had insisted, though to get my dish cooking after his pizzas were done, but it cut the cooking time by about half and hour and we were rushing it... so so it wasn't fully cooked, but everyone loved it anyway.  It was hot, delicious and very yummy.

However, as the dessert came out, we felt a few sparse drops of rain, which turned into a shower... then as we looked around at the river, we spotted some lightning flickering over at Ocean Shores and out to sea, and down at Byron.  I had commented earlier that afternoon that we were in for a storm - at which everyone snorted and said it would be just a shower.
Well, the thunder and lightning really lit up the skies and the rain poured from the darkness above!  Everyone ran off to check on their own places and came back with muddy feet and umbrellas dripping with rain.  

The New Year came and went... we all hugged and kissed and sat down under a fly and chatted.  Then, I wanted to go back to our van and just read... so I did.  I dropped in on our neighbours and found the booze in one of the desserts was catching up with me... oops!  Then, once the rain settled down, I headed off home and found I was too full, had eaten way too much, but wasn't ready to go to bed yet - not that Mother Nature was going to allow us any sleep this night.

Well, the storms lasted all night from around 10:30pm until 4am... and well, I was right about them.  They had shown up and I told everyone about them... but nobody believed me.

Okay, next time, I'll just keep my mouth shut and nod the next time there's a storm around and I know it.  Besides, who's going to believe me?  Well, besides me?

Hoping your NYE parties went well.  Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.