tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47041653057698497782024-03-13T18:00:00.062+10:00My Book-Crazy Life...and other exciting things!Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.comBlogger1361125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-91227949517841525622022-01-31T11:49:00.009+10:002022-01-31T11:59:16.705+10:00A Lot Has Happened<p> <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Well, let's see...</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It's been quite a while since I last posted here, but that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about this place.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I've been very sick. Don't worry, my Epilepsy had been fine, very stable in fact. I had my appendix out actually... okay let's start where it all did. October, when I was going to begin really talking about what I was going to get up to over Christmas.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I got my Phizer jab - the first one - and within the week of my birthday, I got my appendix out. Then, I had my second one and I got really sick with this awful bacterial infection called c.diff. It's painful, gross and just plain disgusting; and takes a long time for some people to recover from it, while for others, you take a few courses of antibiotics and - bang - you're on your way to your life again.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Me? Well, It seems that my guts don't like what antibiotics do. I don't take them anyway, unless I really and absolutely have to. And it's just that these really strong ones don't work on me. The minute I tried to ween myself off them, the symptoms of c.diff came back... and I was back in the ER at Greenslopes Private Hospital.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Jeez... not a great place to end up just before NYE. </span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Anyway, I've been out of hospital just over a month, and I'm cleaning out the house. So far, the coffee table has been donated, and replaced by 3 little tables. And the white drawer has been donated too... and not replaced by anything. I'm also cleaning out my book collection. So far, I've got over 40 books I'm either getting rid of or offering up to bookcrossing friends... this is a good thing for me. I'll have more room in my office, and more floor space, less stress.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I've already gone through my wardrobe twice and it's looking good. The kitchen is cleared up and and the living room is tidy too. So, I'm good with those places. </span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Volunteer work has closed for a little while, as everyone there has covid... well, except me. It was weird. I went in last Monday, worked for a few hours, came home, showered and washed my clothes (as I have been doing since covid struck), then the next day, I got my eyes looked at by an eye surgeon. Australia Day was the next day. Then, on the Thursday, I showed up for my volunteer work, and found out from my manager that everyone at that store had been diagnosed with covid on the Tuesday. How strange is that?</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Well, I haven't had any symptoms. And I'm well, have been since the virus broke out. Seeing I've been staying at home isolating, I've decided to get right into the home office and really begin to clear it out. And I'm thankful I'm doing that. It's a good thing to do it while I can, and while I'm well enough to.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Anyway, I'm off to the doctors this Thursday to get myself looked as my hair isn't growing and it's thinning. I've been eating well, and sleeping as much as I can. But nothing I do is working as it should. So, we'll see what goes on after this. As for the eye surgeon? Well, I had been sent to him because my optometrist was worried I had pale optic nerves...and the eye surgeon was happy to tell me that I have the biggest optic nerves he's seen. They're twice the size of normal people... how weird is that? Until my next post, take care, stay safe and well. </span></p>Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-15386351779613452912021-07-05T10:59:00.005+10:002021-07-05T10:59:49.522+10:00New Things Happening<p><span style="color: #800180;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's been a while since I last wrote here. But that's because not much has been going on really. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I've been cleaning out the house, painting more at home - then just when I began going back to my social art group, we had a lockdown. I've been reading again and then I'm looking at clearing out the office and starting again. It's a good thing I'm in no real hurry to clear out my place.</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">But then, I'm in a hurry to get out of where I'm living, mainly because I'm looking at moving. Yes, I want to move from my townhouse. I hate it here. There's so much noise and I want quiet to be able to sleep, to be able to read, to be able to paint, and to be able to spread out in my garden more... you know how goes, I need more room.</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I want to move to bigger place out west - as the city has become too expensive to live in. I have told my folks that I'd like to live out west, but they're not sure about living so far from a city, but I wish to because it's out at a place where you see the stars, breath the fresh air and enjoy a small town kind of life.</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">But that's me.</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anyway, I've begun working at Lifeline in my local area and I'm loving it. It's a good way to get myself out into the world again, seeing I've been away from volunteer work for so long - since early last year. And the irony is that the Logan Art Gallery has offered me to come back to work for them again next month. However, I've been with them for 20 years, and I promised myself only 20 years with the place, then I'd move onto another volunteer organisation and work with them for another lot of time. I thought it would be a good way to live my life, instead of spreading myself too thin in too many places, I'd do one place at a time.</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's turned out to be a good thing for me, as I can work out at Mum and Dad's place (as they have a home gym) and I'm cleaning out the house, then working on my garden, and I'm catching up with my Netflix a few nights a week, and catching up on my reading before I head off to bed each night - well, that's the plan. Most nights, I barely get to bed to read before I'm asleep before my head hits the pillow. This is a good thing. </span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">All these new things which are happening, are good for me. But I'm looking forward to doing more for myself as I head towards the next six months of this year to see where it goes. Hopefully, I'm going to build a greenhouse in my backyard - that is if FlyBuys lets me in to converts my points to cash to use them to do this. I've been on the phone for 20 minutes on hold only to be told I've got a 20 minute hold to be sent to another person to talk to in 20 minutes... makes no sense, right? No I didn't think so either.</span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I hope you're all working on yourself in a positive way this year; as it's not been very easy for any of us. I have read that the second year of a pandemic is one of the most difficult; let's see if we can make it easier for each of us. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember I'm always here.</span></p>Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-33821696200395429152021-03-06T15:39:00.001+10:002021-03-06T15:39:10.338+10:00Not Much Going On<p><span style="color: #741b47;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Well, I haven't really done much around the place lately, thus the no need to really post anything here lately. And the last time I posted was around early January this year. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I wish I had more to tell you.</span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I have a new next door neighbour, who not many people like - yeah, I don't like him either - because he's still figuring out you can't be noisy in a unit complex.</span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I'm just getting back to my social painting days at the local art school, when I'm off to get myself tested by doctors for skin allergies. Oh, yay, great fun! Not. I've been getting severe itching and hive-like reactions from bamboo over the past 5 years and yet it's just now I'm getting it done. It's mainly because I'm sick and tired of my neighbour (who grows the stuff) telling me she wants to clip it and I have to not be home in the two hours she gets somebody in to do that... well, I don't want to leave my house anymore because she decides to clip her garden. It's my house and my life - not hers. I hate being told what to do. and the body corporate is wanting her to get rid of the plants... So, getting tested now is a good idea.</span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My garden is looking beautiful, and I'm acquiring large pots from friends and family without paying any money... which is great! I just have to wait until Winter and I can repot some of my plants! Yay! Great stuff.</span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I'm getting back into writing - slowly but surely - and it's feeling good to sit for 3 hours and just write 2,000 words in four chapters on a book I've been <i>thinking</i> about! So, when I get the ideas onto the computer screen, it's a good thing. </span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And my cleaning out is going really well. The home office has had 3 rubbish bags of crap - gone! I'm working on the desk next! As soon as I post this post? Yep, it'll be all cleared out and worked on. Well, how's your cleaning out doing? As good as mine is I hope. Until my next post, stay safe, and remember I'm always here.</span></p>Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-9331605142441672832021-01-08T12:31:00.000+10:002021-01-08T12:31:01.355+10:00And It's Getting Worse<p> <span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Well, it's the New Year, and gotta say: things are going from bad to worse. I'm in Brisbane, Australia, and today, we're going into lockdown for 3 days, starting from today at 6pm. This means no going out, unless it's absolutely necessary - and we must wear a mask.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I had to go out today to buy a part for my computer and I wore a mask for the small trip to OfficeWorks. However, there were so many people who didn't wear a mask... and yet there were plenty who did. I was pleased and disgusted at the same time. So, what can I say? This isn't the first time we've been told to stay home, and to wear a mask, but it won't be the last either; and yet people are not taking it seriously.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anyway, there's new strains of the Covid virus and we can't seem to get it to stop spreading. This is not a good thing... and I'm making sure I'm staying away from people. Today, I was supposed to go out and have coffee with a friend, but she got a cold, and we called it off. I was going to call it off due to the lockdown anyway; and when I called her up, she sounded so stuffy and croaky, I thought it was best if she stayed home. But there's going to be so many people out and about panic buying things and acting weird, that I'm glad to be home right now.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anyway, it's just begun to rain again - and it's nice and cool outside, which is strange for January - but I'm glad to see it's the weather is getting better for us. I'm just lucky to have not had to be tested for Covid yet, nor catch it. I've been very careful in where I've been and how I've be participating in public... so when I know there's been problems with everything outside, I'll get my masks going and wear them. And I've got plenty of anti-bacterial gel and wipes as well, which does play well in my life.</span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I just do hope this gets worked out. The UK strain has hit Brisbane, and it took one person to take it around Brisbane... and that's all it takes - just one person. So, please be careful with where you go. And remember to stay well, keep safe too, and wear your masks. Well, I'm off now, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here. </span></p>Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-13602683021912405742020-11-15T12:10:00.005+10:002020-11-15T12:10:32.708+10:00Pandemic Things<p> <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Wow! It's been this long since my last post?</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I'm sorry it's taken me so long to say anything to you all. But I've been very busy over the past months with my isolation here in Brisbane. And really, staying away from people and staying home has had its good times and bad times.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The good times have had me doing up my garden, making it into a lovely little place for me to escape to. I've added a gorgeous archway, with two climbers attaching themselves to it. Then, moving a few things around, and making a new path to the back of the garden - so there's two paths now. And the best thing happened! I asked my Dad (who's also my landlord) if we could put an awning on the back of the townhouse. This was to keep out the rain and bring in the Summer breezes... well, he said yes, and 3 months later, it happened! So, now, there's a lovely 4 metre awning across the back of my place. I've added solar lights and gorgeous little brass wind chimes and there's a new park bench - with a cushion on it - and I've added new cushions to the chairs of the bistro setting... it's all just looking so... so... lovely.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Inside the house, I've decluttered so much of my house throughout this year. I gave away my late-Uncle's entertainment unit. It was big and took up a lot of room; and at the time, he gave it to me, I did need it. However, it's been a time where we need more room in our houses to live in them - instead of existing in them - and I thought it was time to shift it out and move the credenza across from the window and put my tv, stereo and other things on it. It all looks great too. And under the window? Well, my great-Grandmother's chaise lounge! My brother had it at his place, at Sandgate, and he wanted to toss it out. But I have saved it; and from the day it came home with me on my birthday last month, it has looked like it has always been a part of my house.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">How weird is that? I mean, when you get a piece of furniture into your place and it just looks like it's always meant to be there? Or you get something new attached to your house and - well, it looks like it's meant to be a part of you place; like it was fated! </span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Once the op-shops reopened, I loaded up the car with all the boxes of goodies I had piled up against the front door (yeah, I went into major decluttering mode during shut-down) and did a huge donation at them. It was interesting to find that a lot of places had huge baskets outside their stores to donate your goods. They sat them in the sun and didn't collect them until the end of they. It didn't bother me, I just hoped they kept taking things - and we didn't have anymore cases.</span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Over the past few months, the garden has really come into itself, as Summer has blasted us with some boiling hot air, and the first massive storms of the season, which gave us a huge lot of good rain for our gardens; even though they were destructive and left a lot of people without homes and power. </span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">So, I hope you're all working out your remaining time here of the dreaded 2020. It hasn't been the best year for us, has it? But, like a lot of us, I'm making my own style of lemonade from the lemons we've all been handed. Take care, safe and well, and remember, I'm always here.</span></p>Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-50970558551955832832020-07-03T13:07:00.000+10:002020-07-03T13:07:18.737+10:00It's Been A While<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know, it's been a good while since my last post; and truthfully, I didn't want to bore you all to death with my everyday boring bits and pieces of the same old thing.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I thought to wait until something worthwhile came up and write about it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's early July and I've been working hard on things around the house, and in my life, and it's been all worth it too. And this week, I had one day where I went out and did three things to get them all done in that day. And I didn't realise how much energy I really needed to get so much done!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've had my eyes tested and new glasses made over the past week, and picked up the new glasses this week. I also had to drop off my membership to the LAA to pay for the next year - meaning I can still be there in the new year when I want to attending their social groups again. Then, I dropped off my watch to get fixed. I had dropped it in the bathroom and the back of it fell off and I had to take it in to get it looked at. All these took a few hours; and I did stop in at Simply Beans to get my caffeine hit to keep me going for that day. I'm so glad I did that too.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, I've been staying home over the past month or so, just being here on my own, doing my own shit and painting, cleaning out and making sure the house and garden look its best. This horrible virus has scared me so much, I just don't want to go out anymore than I have to.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And so, seeing I'm not going anywhere and not doing as much as I used to, it's causing me to save money and keep myself to myself here at home. I'm not doing as much op-shopping and I'm cleaning out more of the house than I used to. I think it's because the walls are kinda closing in a bit and if I don't clean out the rooms, I'll feel the cabin fever more than ever.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, how about you? How are you all doing? Are you going okay in this day and age of staying home and sticking by your close family members more? Or is it bothering you that you can't go out? Until my next post, take care, stay safe and well, and remember, I'm always here.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-12451762379915596552020-05-23T09:40:00.003+10:002020-05-23T09:40:38.415+10:00The New Normal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We've had a real kick in the guts with this Covid-19 virus; and a reality check as well. It's caused us to take a good look at ourselves and how we live and understand that we need to talk to each other, take a look at our neighbours and talk to them - at a good and safe distance, of course.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And we have to look at what we have too. We have become a species of greed (and who said that greed was good? Oh yeah, that dude from 'Wall Street' - um... no it's not). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Keeping our distance and learning that takeaway food, having our noses in our phones all the time and not talking to our family members has shown us that we have become very rude, self-centered and it's taking its toll on us. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But why did it have to take a virus like this to show us that we had to not only take care of us, but our families, and friends from afar. Why did it have to take this pandemic to make us step back and take notice of what's going on around us? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's a lot of why's in my head - and not a lot of answers which are making any sense to me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I do understand what the government in my country did was to protect everyone. Closing schools and businesses and closing all of our borders was to protect our population here in Australia. However, not everyone understood this. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are getting back to the new normal. Schools, cafes and workplaces are reopening ever so slowly and it's going to take time - years - to get us back to anywhere what we were before. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If there is ever going to be another normal again.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I have noticed there are people out there who are acting as though it's completely over and nothing's wrong - as though nothing has been wrong - just because we're allowed to go out and socialise. It's not like that. You still have to keep your distance, you still have to sneeze into your elbow, you still... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">yeah you know what you still have to do - don't ignore it. I'm not going to lecture you all about this.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the new normal... and I guess we have to get used to it. But then, what's normal these days?</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-75577668762514895392020-04-29T13:27:00.002+10:002020-04-29T13:27:26.792+10:00Things Change<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You know, it's been only a few months since this virus spread across this little blue marble called our home planet, and it's changed our habits so quickly and suddenly - hasn't it?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I wasn't here at my home when the new rules came into play, but almost as soon as I arrived home, I pulled my home into order, cleaned up my yard, organised myself into getting things working in such a way things needed to be looked at and working properly - and I also kept my distance with people.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However, the neighbour who butchered my poor little jade in the front yard - and caught the wrong end of my temper - has been doing nothing but bugging the crud out of me. They have been breaking rules about the isolation situation we're all supposed to be in. Three times in the past month, they've been either knocking on my door or trying to get me to talk to them, when I don't want a bar of them.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They don't seem to understand that they wrecked a part of my house which will take a very long time to recover - and this person even came over to my place again today and touched the plant they butchered saying 'it needs another trim' (or something along those lines) and I snapped at them to go away and leave me alone - and that I've told them many, many times to stay away from my house and stop stuffing with my things and my yard; that I've never wanted them to do anything with my place. They said they were 'looking out' for me, and were trying to keep and eye on my place - but no, they were not. This is the last straw and it's really not the way a neighbour should act if they want to be friends.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I ended up calling my Dad and asking him to help me; and he said that this neighbour is feeling guilty, and wants to mend fences - but I'm afraid it's too late. This person has done this once too many times to me, and with this virus around, I'm just way too jumpy to have somebody like this person around being so flippant and idiotic in my life. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is what has happened to us in our lives, isn't it? We have had to pick sides, pull away from people we really don't want in our lives and absolutely, physically keep our distance in every way possible so we can keep ourselves well. And the people who don't? Well, I don't know what to say about them. If they think it's something of a joke, that it's a conspiracy, that it's something the government has cooked up... I'm afraid to say but that's your opinion and yours alone. I'm not going to risk it - and really, if you're going to come near me, I'd like to say that you please keep your distance. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life isn't what it used to be... indeed it's not... and as we all adjust to this change in our lives, I think it is time we really did take care of ourselves. You see, my Dad told me the other day that when the Spanish Flu hit after WWI, it wasn't the first wave which killed a lot of people, it was the second. So, we have to be careful of the next wave which has yet to come. Take care of yourselves in the biggest possible way in the coming months, okay? </span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-63448161537608834112020-04-24T11:31:00.001+10:002020-04-24T11:31:40.735+10:00Broken Computer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I've been away for a bit, and there's been a good reason for it. My computer broke - again. And I called Super Geek - again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But this time, they did not call me back. I called last Saturday, and they have - to date - not called me back to make another appointment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I went onto my phone and Googled around to find somebody who would fix my computer. And I found a guy in my local area, Peter, who worked from his own house, and fixing computers is all he did. He was his own boss and has been working on computers and laptops for over 15 years. And the reviews I read over my breakfast were fantastic!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I called him and chatted with him about the treatment I had from Super Geek and he was disgusted - and he bit his tongue about his own thoughts of what Super Geek were really. Then, he told me exactly what kind of company they were - and that their quality of computer company people have slid in recent years. I was convinced that he was the best person I could trust my computer with... and so, on Wednesday morning, I unplugged everything from the tower in my office and took it in to him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While I was there, he took a look at my hard drive and said there was nothing wrong with it - except it was 80% full... and was it okay to wipe it? I said yes, that when the computer was working, I got everything I could off it and onto an external hard drive. He was impressed I had thought of that. I said that it took over 4 hours and most of my sleeping time at night, so I didn't mind staying up late, so long it got done - and well, in truth, I had my suspicions that the computer wasn't going to work the next day (which turned out to be right).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I left my computer with him from around 9:45am until around 1pm Wednesday, while I visited a friend of mine - the first time in over a month - and we had a take away coffee from our favourite coffee place. We enjoyed our time, and I went to check my mail and while I was at my local post office, I found Peter had texted me about the computer - that it was ready to pick up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I dropped by and he talked to me for around 40 minutes about what he had done to it... and that it's ready to go. And you know, it's running so much better now it's got the right programs in it. He said that this old hard drive could run for another two or three years, otherwise, the rest of the computer is up-to-date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But you know, that's computers for ya. They'll be working one day, and screwing up the next. I'm so happy I could get this fixed. But I do want my money back on what Super Geek didn't do for me. And I'll be looking into that soon.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-46302915652506961852020-04-16T13:11:00.002+10:002020-04-16T13:11:54.400+10:00It's Been Weird<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've had weirdness happen here at home on a daily basis of late. First off, the computer had it's turn of being sulky - yes, computers sulk if you don't use them. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I spent 6 weeks away and my computer wasn't used, so it got a few little things wrong with it - and man did they turn out to be expensive things!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, this week, I went shopping for groceries, and then today I paid for my registration on the car - but only 6 months because things got expensive with the computer - and scored myself a credit/debit card from the post office, so I can buy things online. This will be handy for me when I want to buy something from Bunnings or Eckersleys and don't want to go in-store - instead I'll get it either send to my PO Box or delivered.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, I'm well... truly I am. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I go out, I make sure I don't go out for any longer than I need to. Today, I was out the door before 8am, to get something done for my car - and it was finished before 8:30am. They were great about it all. I got them to adjust the catch on the boot on my car too - as they had told me to bring the car in if it wasn't catching properly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After I paid for that, and was gone - hopefully for the last time - I drove to my folks' house to sign some papers and email them back to a doctor for next week's appointment. He's calling me on the phone; instead of actually seeing me - which is the going thing at the moment with doctors. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then, I was off to the post office to pay for the rego on my car, and get the credit/debit card I mentioned, and then I was checked my mail at the post office at Slacks Creek and then I headed home. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once home, I showered, stripped my bed and put my sheets in to wash. Man, am I tired! Two days in a row, I've gotten up before 7am and have been out the door just about 7:30am... and I'm home before 10am. It's a busy week too, with my gas bill to pay, laundry, washing up to get done, the rest of my Christmas lights going up, the garden to look at, and the hope of mowing my lawn this weekend. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Isolation in this day an age means not going out for coffee with a friend, not hugging your parents when you don't live with them, keeping yourself active and lifting weights at home, and making sure you do everything at right. Today, I forgot my mask - and I felt awful about it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But the computer's working again, and that's a good thing. It was a small thing which got it going, and once the people at Super Geek and I figured out what was going with it, it was all good. Now, I have the time to save up for some things around the place... but I am doing some serious work on my garden. Yeah, isolation makes you want to make your yard pretty so you have somewhere to be. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I hope you're going okay in your isolation situation wherever you may be. So, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-8149693169182696422020-04-07T13:54:00.000+10:002020-04-07T13:54:00.449+10:00Keeping Yourself Sane<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In these weird-ass times, it's important to keep yourself sane. It's difficult to sleep, hard to get something to eat which you'll want to eat, and it's even more difficult to get motivated in the mornings. Yes, you just don't want to get out of bed anymore; thinking there's no point in getting up - because there's nothing to do, nowhere to go and not much point in getting out of bed until 1pm.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I'm afraid to tell you this, if you keep doing that to yourself, you will actually put your system at risk of catching this virus and you will get sick.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you think that sounds negative, well, I don't mean to be - it's the truth about being depressed and also being mentally exhausted. We are all feeling this right now and it's a matter of doing a few things which will put you onto a more normal keel.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Get to bed and get up at your regular times.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know that sounds like a no-brainer, but there's you out there who are going to bed a midnight and getting out of bed at 2pm and then complaining you have no energy and don't want to get out of your pajamas and you're sitting around watching television all day or sitting around surfing the net all day on your phone. This is not healthy... and what's worse for you is to call up for take-away and have those 'zero-contact' delivery show up. I'm telling you right now, there's no such thing as zero-contact. They have to make your food, right? Well, they're touching it there... make it yourself.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And speaking of which: </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Get in and cook your meals yourself.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cooking is the great equaliser. You will find out what kind of cook you are when it comes down to it. Are you the gourmet where you have a herb garden outside in the greenhouse? Or are you the baked beans on toast cook? Well, after a while the baked beans on toast will get very old - and believe me, it'll get old very quickly. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Organise yourself</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Organise your day as though you're going out to work. Yes, this is a good way of getting in and working from home, or making it as though you are. We all have a lot of time on our hands now. And there's no better time to get in and take a good look at where your house is at than now. Have you got too many books? Have you got clothes that no longer fit (or you haven't worn in over a year?), are you looking at furniture which you're sick of. Now is the time to look at your finances and start to save up for the new furniture, put away anything you don't want to donate when we're allowed to donate again, and it's time to get in and start looking at how you want your house to look and feel.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This will be a great time to learn new things as well. Get in and work on your garden. Learn how to cook that meal your Grandmother used to cook for those family gatherings you've always wanted to know how to cook. Read that series of books you've had in your bookcase - now it the time because we all have the time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Get dressed, Show Up.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes... that's the ticket! You get up at 7am every morning, get your butt into some every day clothes (no not those boxer shorts you wore yesterday - real clothes from your wardrobe, and not a Halloween costume) and you show up in your kitchen and actually make yourself something to eat, a cup of coffee and look outside. You may be on complete lock down where you're not allowed outside at all, or you can go out into the garden, but you have to get your ass out of bed, out of your pajamas and into your life. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We're all feeling really ... blah... right now. And it's because we can't see each other, we can't hug our parents or our loved ones. We can't take our friends out to lunch and have a good gossip about everything. But this isn't forever; and we will get through this. And while we're putting up with the crap hand we've been dealt, we can all stand together (at the social distance of 1.5m) and get it that life will go on. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, take care of yourself. Get in and work on that great American/Australian/life-long novel/series of paintings/lot of music - whatever you've been meaning to get into - and chill out. I've always been told that my house is my castle... and you know? It's true. And for those of you who are not treating your house as your castle - as your retreat - you're seeing it all wrong. You're seeing your house as a prison, a halfway house, instead of the place you escape to get away from the world. This is how we must see our houses right now - they are our castles, not prisons. We're not trapped at home, we're safe in our castles. </span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-60744120214306209792020-04-02T14:09:00.000+10:002020-04-02T14:09:02.277+10:00Social Distancing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yesterday, I went out to do my grocery shopping; and I got up at 5:30am to do it. I decided to take advantage of the early trading hours for people on a pension and disability pension - and I mean, why not? I could get some things for myself which aren't normally there. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I arrived half an hour early and was one of the first in line with one other lady, who looked like she was stretching for a marathon. No, seriously, she did. I think she had been there another half hour before me; so her feet may have been sore. I wiped down my trolley with a disinfected wipe and gave her one and she asked if I had gloves - unfortunately I didn't. So, she went out to her car and got 2 freezer bags for me. How nice was that?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, the doors opened as the crowd gathered at 7am and we all walked in calmly showing our pension cards and the first place I went to was the toilet paper... there were 3 of them left. One guy was walking away with one 6-pack, I grabbed one and gave another lot to another lady... such a pity there wasn't any for anyone else. I felt really sad for everyone else who wanted toilet paper. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I walked around calmly getting the rest of my things on my list - and some of the things I didn't need - and found my way to the checkouts, where they told me they couldn't use my bags. Um, okay... I guess.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I haven't bagged up things to fast in my life! The girl did things so I could lay my hands on them and they weren't mixed up too much - thankfully. But my cold items were too much for one bag; so after paying, I moved out of the way of the next customer quickly and pushed myself against the closed door of Coles and pulled out another bag from my baggies to rebag my cold items. This was when a woman walked past, glaring at me: 'Hey, move out with all of that!' the man behind her snapped at her, 'Are you blind? Can't you see she's rebagging things, you stupid bitch! And hey you moved towards her!' I looked up at her, smiling and ... well, gave her a good mouthful of what not to do when you're confronting a person who hasn't had much sleep - and is a little depressed about this situation.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By the time I had organised myself, she had moved on and I lost her in the crowd. The man asked if I was okay, and he said that I was okay doing what I did; and not to let it get to me. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What a nice person he was. But woah, what an awful person she was!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, that was only part of my day out. I went to Bunnings and had to wait half an hour to get in because they have special trading hours for the tradies and medical staff between 7 - 9am. I think that's a great idea; and I didn't mind in the least in waiting at all. I bought 2 pots, 3 bags of garden soil, a cute little pot on the bargain trays and a Frangipani for $10 also on the bargain tray too... now not a bad morning looking around. When I got home, I unloaded absolutely everything, emptied out the esky and put everything away. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's difficult to clean and make sure everything is clean. You see, there's a video making the rounds about how to clean your groceries from the USA, and the man in it says to leave your groceries in your garage for up to 3 days because the virus will be on it and it'll let it die. And he says to wash your vegetables and fruit in hot washing up water and laundry liquid... something I've never ever heard of here. A friend of mine, from the USA told me that she leaves her groceries in her garage for weeks and months, as storage. I told her that it's simply not possible because of how Australian homes are built. We have such a hot country, we can't seal off everything because it'll grow mold and get too wet. We don't have attics or basements either due to that problem as well. Australian homes are designed to let the air through, to cool down in Summer and warm up in Winter... it's just how it all works. And our garages aren't completely sealed. The newer houses are probably like this, but the older houses are not. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, as you can see, there's some problems with how some of us see the virus affecting us all. I'm still wondering what's true and what's not. I'm still having problems with what is the truth. </span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-86497826778105335032020-03-28T13:23:00.002+10:002020-03-28T13:23:45.784+10:00Voting Day?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's just plain nuts to have today - of all days - to have people to go out and vote. I mean, why would you expect people to leave their homes when we have been ordered to stay at home, and not be in contact with others - then suddenly tell us that 'oh yeah, you have to vote for your mayor!' </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sure, that sounds like a brilliant plan to infect us all!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Idiots!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I voted earlier this week and the place was a madhouse. Parking was crap, I got sanitiser all over my hands and the pencil I was going to use (thank goodness for the huge container of it - and there being too much in one pump) and I was in there, and out of there as fast as I could.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But once home, I thought that it would be a good idea to stay home unless I really need to go out anywhere to do stuff. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And in all honesty, it's the best way to be. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the next week, I'm hoping to get my butt out to Bunnings to pick up 2 pots and more potting mix (as I have some more gardening to do) and maybe see if there's any other plants I can grab to make my garden look better. Then, there's petrol to get for my car I have to get too. If there's cheap petrol before pay day, I'll get it - if not, well, I'll just deal with expensive petrol. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But everyone is working in a knee-jerk way. I've heard that in the USA, trucks on their way to shopping centres are being pulled over by citizens and held up at gun point and robbed of their load. And now, it's the national guard which is delivering those goods - not truck drivers. It's getting really hairy over there, safety-wise. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However, here, people are just stripping the shelves of toilet paper, paper towels and tissues - the latter two we can't flush down the toilet (but some people don't know that). And yet, I have to think about what will happen when I run out of toilet paper as well. It's just something I'll be thinking about - and I guess you all will think about as well.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, it's gotten to a time where I think we have to all start thinking before we act, thinking before we say something. It's time we stopped acting as though this is the end of the world.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is not the apocalypse. If it was, Mother Nature would give us some certain signs. For example: the birds would be a sure sign that something was wrong. Animals would be stampeding because they'd feel and smell something was wrong. So, no, it's not the apocalypse. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So stop acting as though it is.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a glitch in our health - not just a few people, but all of us. It's a plague and yes, it will affect all of us. So, it's a good idea to start thinking about how your behaviour is going to affect people around you, and stop acting as though you're the only - and last - person on the planet. You're not. We're going to lose a lot of people in this. Rich people, poor people, old people, young people... so start looking at how you act around the rest of the Human Race before you do something stupid. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes, I said stupid - because people out there who are panicking are acting stupid, single-minded and panicky... and panic rubs off on others. It takes one person to make everyone else to change from being normal, level-headed and calm. So, when you do go out and do your shopping, be calm, stick to the limits we are told there are, and keep your distance with people. We're all in this thing together.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-79870758331271381732020-03-25T12:18:00.000+10:002020-03-25T12:18:06.563+10:00Mid-Week Work<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's Wednesday, and I was up at 7:30am - but not by my own choice. Neighbours were fighting over whether he was allowed to go out and she wouldn't move her car because they had to stay home - he flipped out and, well, the fight continued inside their home.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yep, it's going to be like this for a while, isn't it?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">More restrictions are happening around Australia as of midnight tonight. So many more things are closing which are non-essentials; and I heard there's $20,000 fine for crossing the Queensland/New South Wales border if it's not for work purposes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yesterday was my last day out for a while. I have enough food in my pantry and in my fridge and freezer; and my doctor has advised me to stay home. Because I have Epilepsy, it's not a good thing to go out; and it's even worse because I could catch this and if it goes to my lungs (which this thing does in the worse cases), there's nothing they can do to help me. I am allergic to a lot of things they normally give people; and do it's just simply dangerous to go out for me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, I stocked up on potting mix, and tried to buy some plants for the garden - which was easy for one, but non-existent for the other. There's plenty of garden soil, but no herbs or edible plants for the garden... yep they're all wiped out by people who think this is an apocalypse. I ended up with a patio lime tree - which isn't bad, but looks nice in my yard.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being in isolation was all bad for me; right up until I thought to make it better. I pulled out the Christmas lights and put them up today, then started putting away some serious things - like some of the clothes I had washed, shoes and hangers from when I was at my brother's house. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yep, things are starting to pull together; and I'm starting to get a hang of the isolation thing. I'm a natural introvert, but when I'm told to stay home, for some unknown reason, I want to go out... how ironic is that? Well, until my next post, stay safe, keep in touch and remember I'm always here.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-44910243903215500042020-03-23T11:02:00.003+10:002020-03-23T11:02:44.935+10:00Corona Virus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since January, we've all known one thing: the Corona Virus has been spreading across our home planet and killing, hurting and making a lot of us very sick. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At first, I was all 'it's just a flu, it's just a virus!'</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But now, it's begun to interfere with my life in more ways than anything else. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pub, clubs, casinos, cafes, restaurants, gyms, libraries and other indoor public places are going to be closed as of midday today. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Supermarkets and shopping centres are still open. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a scary thing for everyone to live with, but it's not going to be forever. It's temporary. And if we all calm down on the toilet paper buying (as we all need to use that stuff for our butts - not just those who are hoarding it in their garages thanks), we can get through this. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've tried to donate things to Vinnies but have been told that we can't donate anything because of the Corona virus. So, it looks like we have to hoard things at home until this is over. But I was able to buy thing from there - how weird is that?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, I've noticed that there's less traffic on the roads since places have been closing and people are self-isolating themselves at home. And that's not all. The night times are eerily silent around my area - no music, no people walking around, no cars, no parties,... nothing. It's creepy in a strange way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">At around 10pm, all the lights are out and there's a weird silence in the area, and that should make us all feel okay, but it doesn't make me feel good at all.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, how are you doing with the stay-at-home gig? I'm okay during the day, but once the sun goes down, I get nervous and weirded out at every sound. Is that just me? Or is everyone feeling like this?</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-82117897645653118212020-03-15T21:42:00.002+10:002020-03-15T21:49:36.836+10:00Six Weeks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been away for a month and a half and a lot has happened.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I went and house-sat my brother and his girlfriend's house at Brighton here in Brisbane, and pet-sat too, and it was a totally different experience from where I normally live.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For one thing, it was by the sea, and it was gorgeously quiet and pretty. I was looking after 6 chickens who all laid their eggs in relative privacy and 3 of which enjoyed a pat when I went into their pen. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then, there was Ellie the dog. First off, she didn't really want to hang out with me, but then, after my niece moved in with her boyfriend, she was cool about sleeping in the cottage in her own little bed. And she got used to sleeping at the foot of my bed in her bed... which was just the cutest thing! </span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I became accustomed to her waking me a few minutes before my alarm and she got used to going for drives with me around the shore... and to cool parks and cafes at around 8am to socialise. She was so cool with people greeting her and patting her that she looked forward to our mornings out together. Ellie even made a friend, Kevin, who totally enjoyed hanging out with us and chatting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then, the Corona Virus hit the news and people panicked. I wondered about how bad it was going to get; and it spread like you wouldn't believe... the panic I mean. The media hasn't done us any favours in this either. So, I'm hoping to look at staying at home more, instead of being around the social events. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How fortunate I'm an introvert - yes social outings make me very nervous.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, it's been 6 weeks away and I'm looking at getting a bigger greenhouse, so I can grow my own vegetables... I've been keeping a second pantry for some years now, so I'm not worried about shopping centres. But from what I've been seeing on the news on Facebook, it's been getting violent out there. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And on the way home today, I dropped into the Rochedale Fruit Market and people were being okay with each other, but I could feel a tension in the air. Nobody was talking to each other, not like it used to be. I smiled at people and said hi, but was greeted with a scowl. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This virus is freaking people out, and everyone has to remember that we're all in this together. You can't treat people like shit and not expect the same in return - all because you're terrified that it'll get you. Take a breath, and please stop hoarding things.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes, it's a virus which is highly contagious.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But so was all the other virus' they told us about... and we are all still here - right?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In this time of what is happening in the world of closing down schools, and libraries, and people getting sick (and believe me it's not everyone - it's the old and people who have immune problems), it's a good idea to look inwards and realise what you are to be thankful for. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For me, I'm healthy. I have a roof over my head and books to read (which I've been meaning to read for years), and now I will get the chance to. I have a house to clean out better, a garden to tend to. I'm writing books, painting and finishing artwork from a few months ago... if I have to stay home, well, this is what will be done. And really, it's not going to be so bad. </span></span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-69539502568753996882020-01-23T10:38:00.002+10:002020-01-23T10:38:47.688+10:00Woah, What a Month!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This month has been horrible. Truly it's been horrible for me. This is why I haven't been in to write anything. I didn't know what to say about anything.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First off, after my last post, I went out with a friend for coffee and as I took her home, I asked one of her neighbours if he could move his car and he took it all the wrong way and treated me like crap. Then, attacked the car, kicking in the boot/trunk. And when I defended my property, he turned and punched in one of the windows... well, it was on for young and old after that! I don't remember much from it as my brain has protected me from the trauma of it all, but really, it's just been awful.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got the window fixed and the boot will be fixed in a couple of months' time. I'm just taking each day as it comes - and some days are good and other days are crap. My PTSD is back with avengence; playing tricks on me and I'm aware of every single tiny noise around my place. I hate it I'm jumpy now. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, if that wasn't bad, I came down with viral laryngitis last week - and as I kicking it out of my system - it turned into viral bronchitis! This week, I got an x-ray done to see if it had affected my lungs and my doctor found something going on with my heart. So, today, I'm getting a Doppler ECG done... all of this in one week. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What a pain in the arse.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I'm just taking one thing at a time to get everything done right. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You see, I've been told to chill out and take care of myself. My doctor has given me orders to chill out and not stress, get early nights and just do whatever I want to do to enjoy life... and that's what I'm going to do. And that's how I'm going to get better. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm sorry I haven't been here, but I just didn't want to load all of this on any of you. But this has been my horrible month. But, hey! It can only get better, right? Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-73526741232408068402020-01-08T14:18:00.002+10:002020-01-08T14:18:19.381+10:00A Heck of a New Year...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay... I haven't said anything here because my New Year didn't start the way I thought it would.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Normally, I'm gardening, cleaning out, washing the car, and mainly just minding my own beez-wax - you know, doing my own thing.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But this year, well, it was different. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I took a friend out on the first days of the year and got my car beaten up by some guy three times my size. And all I did was ask him to move his car so I didn't run into it on the way out of a very tight driveway. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Easy-enough request - and I asked nicely as well. But it seems you can't ask anyone anything anymore, no matter how nice you are about it. He took it all the wrong way and acted as though I was in the wrong. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Suddenly, things turned from him being a smart-arse to him kicking and punching my car! I couldn't believe it! I ran out and shoved him hard... and well, that's all I really remember. There was a lot of yelling, screaming and him wanting to hurt me. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once his family got him under control, and safely back inside his home, they explained that he had mental problems and anger issues. Yeah? Well, that doesn't excuse him from doing what he did to my car and then turning on me, and my friends. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The fortunate thing was that he turned himself into the police and wants to pay for all the damages he did to my car. From what I have heard, he knew he was doing the wrong thing and couldn't stop himself. I do believe it was right for him to admit that I didn't mean anything wrong by asking him to move his car. I didn't want to damage his car - or mine - and just wanted to make sure I could get out of the driveway without incident. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's been less than a week, and the window he punched in has been fixed. And my insurance company has been wonderful about this whole thing. As for the massive dent in the boot (which was looked at today by Swain's), they won't be able to fix that until mid-March. Oh well, can't get everything done exactly by my timetable, right? At least she can be fixed. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The funny thing was the guy assessing my car asked 'His Four Wheel Drive had a bull bar did it?'. I side, 'There was no vehicle involved. A guy over 6ft and built like you wouldn't believe kicked that with his feet.' the guy went very quiet and wrote down what I said, mumbling, 'Oookay.' </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Well, that was my first week of the New Year. I'm just looking forward to having my Little Green Machine back to normal again. She's halfway there... I'm not worried about her too much, so long she locks and the boot doesn't come open while I'm driving - which she doesn't - that's all that matters. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always </span>here.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-37454477139092745172019-12-30T11:48:00.001+10:002019-12-30T11:48:12.339+10:0048 Hours<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's only 48 hours before the beginning of 2020.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So much has happened in this decade, so many things have gone on. So many great people who have come into our lives have been lost - in our personal lives and in the film and music world. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I mean, David Bowie, Robin Williams, Prince, Paul Walker, Leonard Nimoy, Luke Perry, Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds (one day after her daughter), Elizabeth Taylor, Bill Paxton, Tom Petty, Aretha Franklin... and there's so many more of the people who changed the music and movies in our lives. A lot of us loved them, and will always be changed by them and their voices. Many more of them will always be missed by us all, no matter how many years pass. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This year has been a difficult one for me as I lost another lot of friends who were close to my heart. One of them was my ex-boyfriend, Mark Davey. Even though we didn't date for very long, and I broke it off (because I wasn't ready for a relationship and really didn't want to hurt him - but I did), we did stay friends. However, as he became more sick with cancer, he pulled away from everyone around him. It still hurts to think and talk about him; but it's been only a couple of months. What does hurt the most is that Mark and I share a birthday, and that really will hurt a lot next year; not having him around to celebrate with me. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I do have quite a few of his paintings in my house now. There's the first one he gave me on our first date - which is in my bedroom. It's the bunch of flowers he gave me, 'because these don't die.' I love them. Then, we bartered when I gave him a book on Frida Kahlo, and I scored on of his sculptures. Then, when his family gave some of his paintings to the LAA, I picked out 'Changing Positions' and wondered if there were any other Hibiscus ones around... and found a good-sized purple hibiscus painting, which nobody wanted. So, I took that one. They are all in my house; and I love them.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've lost another few friends in my life who were close to my heart. Sue Notary passed away in June here in Brisbane, and I was going to go to visit her the following week. I couldn't make her service. She and I have been friends for some years, and I met her on a Facebook group. What a lovely lady to know. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">But this year, I've been painting and working on my next exhibition next year. It's been something which has been keeping me busy. During this past Winter, I worked on the upkeep of my garden and it's been looking good too. I moved things around, and have begun to throw things out. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">And on Christmas Night, I sat down and filled 6 rubbish bags with junk to throw out in the bin outside! On Boxing Day, I filled another 2 bags and tossed them in the bin outside. Then on 28th, December, I filled another 3 rubbish bags and threw them out in the bin too. Yes, I was on a roll! My bin is almost full, and I'm almost finished in cleaning up house - not quite done, but almost. I still have to clean out things and put things away. There's still so much to get done, and yet, it's just 2 days away from the New Year.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wonder if I'll make it to before it's the New Year. I'm hoping so. What about you? Are you madly cleaning out the house for the new decade - like me? Or are you still working on getting in and working on the leftovers in the fridge from last week? Only kidding. I don't have any leftovers in my fridge; as on 27th, December, I had to go shopping and pick up some groceries. Well, that's all from me right now, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-86260429937096456792019-12-19T10:22:00.002+10:002019-12-19T10:22:35.652+10:00It's Christmas!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm not going to blame my lack of posts on this. Nope, I'm just damned lazy.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, that's it. Also I haven't been feeling great lately, either. I've lost a few more friends in the past few months; and just withdrawn a little more - not a good thing to do. But in doing that, I've concentrated on my art, my knitting and my garden.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, when the time came to head down the coast, I was more than happy to get down there and chill out painting, walking in the early morning sunlight and get some serious photographs. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's always good to get your head straight when things aren't going well, isn't it? And the best place for me to do that is away from the city, by the ocean. It's just how I've worked. I got in and read half a good book, started reading another one, and did some painting, finished up knitting something and went out with my Mum to a few places around Brunswick Heads. </span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yep, it was a perfect time away for me. We ate mud crab, had good laughs, watched reruns of 'The X-Files' and Dad thought my night-talking was hilarious (I mumble in my sleep). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, it's coming to the end of the year, and when I came home from the coast, I walked through the door of my house and thought: 'What a completely messy place I live in!' I hadn't unpacked when I started decluttering around my place! I had to, I just can't live like this. There were bags of things I sorted out, a grabbed a box and filled it up and stuck it next to the door and found I was unpacking from the coast and packing other things for the closest charity store at the same time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm really looking at what I want in my house - and it's only days away from Christmas. The good thing is that I've got food in my fridge, the backyard is flourishing, the lawn is finally growing (from seed) and my good friends who looked after my yard for me did a great job. I gave them a lovely box of chocolate for being there when I needed them. And yesterday, I gave away 2 handbags, a set of drawers which sit on the counter, upcycled another set of counter-top drawers and filled a box with old paintings, clothes and other things I no longer need. I'm going to be doing this again this coming week, in readiness for the charity stores opening again. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And next year? Well, in the first two weeks of January, my house will be cleaned out so fast and well by that time, the place will be unrecognisable. I'm not going to let it get filled up like it has been again. I'm not sure what's happened lately, but I just can't live with the crap around me like I have done in the past two years. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, what about you? Are you suddenly cleaning up and throwing things out? Are you doing a big clean out and giving things away? Or is it just me? Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember I'm always here. Merry Christmas and I'll see you in the coming New Year. </span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-88273603769433006962019-11-30T17:04:00.000+10:002019-11-30T17:04:10.646+10:00Last Day of the Month<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I haven't been in here very much. But there's been so much going on lately in my life that I havent had time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This month, I did the National Novel Writing Month; and smashed it by a day... with 8 words to spare. Last year I had 16 words spare. I really know how to cut it fine, don't I?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, last night, I was watching 'The X-Files' on Viceland, when an 8-legged young Huntsman took a stroll across my living room floor. He was very young because he stopped under my kitchen table and waited there for me to get my shoes on and grab the bug spray... normally something like that knows to hide. But I came back, and he was still there looking at me as though we were going to be friends. Yeah, me? Friends with a spider - I think not! I don't know who was more freaked out, me or him... but he's dead now.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today, I got in and started cleaning up the house. First place was my art area next to the back door. I pulled out everything and reorganised everything, throwing out 3 big bags of crap, tossing out a box of sprung pegs I was hanging onto 'just in case' I needed them. And I also threw out picture frames I didn't want anymore as well... you see charity stores aren't going to use them, so I'm saving them the trouble of throwing them out. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, the table easels were sorted, the calendars were too, and the blank canvases got a home too... I'm proud to say that the boxes by the door were gone through and I now have 2 plastic boxes and that's it. This took 3 hours to do and I stopped for a drink or two of water and an ice coffee... now I just want to go to sleep after something to eat. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, in between all of this, I went out and bought my Christmas present to myself: a pair of Instep shoes. I've been meaning to get a second pair. They're just so darned comfy. After I got home, I was back into the cleaning out... and I got it all finished. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Before this was done, I did 3 loads of laundry, washed up some of the dishes and put out 2 other bags of rubbish. And after the clean-out, the bin outside is now full to the brim. What a great day I've had. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tomorrow, I'll be doing other things around the home office to clean up, and working on a Christmas present; so it won't be so hectic. Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-83567549804154798422019-11-13T13:05:00.000+10:002019-11-13T13:05:08.929+10:00East Coast Bush Fires<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay, by now, you've all heard about the huge bush fires which have been terrorising us up the east coast of Australia from the back of Sydney, up the North Coast of New South Wales and the Gold Coast and around the back of Noosa and around the back of Ipswich, Logan City and further north here in Queensland.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyone who knows me personally as a good friend, I'm here to let you know: I'm fine. Stressed out to nothing else, but fine. I hate natural disasters like nobody's business, and get to the point where I lose sleep and suddenly bust into what I call 'stupid tears' but it's a way of dealing with the stress. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I'm okay otherwise.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm knitting like nothing else. I made a long beanie in 3 1/2 days - and that's fast for me; as it normally takes me 2 weeks. I needed something to do to keep my mind off what was going outside. I've been decluttering day and night so I have tidy house to clunk around in during the smokey and hazy days - which are no fun because I cough during them.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We're going into our 2nd day of smoke haze; which causes Brisbane to have worse air quality than Hong Kong, Tokyo and Beijing. On Monday, I wore a mask while I drove my car. You see, I hate having my window up when I drive because I like to be able to hear the other vehicles around me; and not be locked inside my car by my window and be deaf to the world. So, I wore a mask while I drove and scored a lot of people staring at me - mind you, they were all cocooned in their cars with their windows up and in their air-conditioned comfort. Yeah, good for them, wait until they park that vehicle and have to get out and walk around without a mask on. At least I had that covered.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Am I scared about the bush fires being this close? Yes, I am. I'm as scared about them as I was when we had the Brisbane floods in 2010/11 and the news was banging on about how many roads were cut, how much water there was around the place, how much food there wasn't in shopping centres... how much fuel we should have.. how much... what we should do. Emergency kits. And speaking of, I've even had my mind playing tricks on what I should be packing if we do get told to move (which is most probably never going to happen if it rains tomorrow - which I hope it does). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, Just letting you know, I'm okay. The smoke haze is coming back today, and I'll have to close my windows here in my home office so my computer doesn't get stuffed up by it. But you know, I washed my car two weeks ago, and it's got a fine coating of soot on it... I keep washing it off, but it keeps coming back. I'm not washing it again until this is all over! Well, anyone I know out there, I hope you're all well, you're all going okay. Take care in this and keep in touch. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.</span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-58610080983598247742019-10-31T11:28:00.001+10:002019-10-31T11:28:27.703+10:00This Month of Busyness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I've been meaning to come in here and write - but well, everytime I do, life has just gotten in the way!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let's start at the beginning, okay? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My birthday was in the first week, and I drove to my brother's house with all birthday gifts for him and my niece (as they have birthdays two weeks after mine). Anyway, we had a great day and night together, with plenty of laughs and music. Their dog was just a sweetheart and sat my feet and enjoy the doggy treats I bought for her from Mount Tamborine last month. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then the following week, I scored a nice, heavy easel from the LAA. They were giving it away; and it was just perfect for the days where I'm going to sit and do detail work on a painting. So, it's a great piece to own. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">During the month, I worked on my garden, and shopped at Bunnings to get myself a good lot of cheap plants and some mix for the garden. I also moved my plants around to make more space for the Tahitian Lime tree; as it needed the room to grow. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had moved the office around a little last month, and so I began to shred a lot of paperwork from the filing cabinet and looked into what kind of new desk I'll be getting for my office - as I'm going to be doing that in the new year. However, the front garden and backyard still have a few little things which needed work on. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My artwork came along well at the Tuesday Art Group. I finished on painting, and continued with a few others. There were two I'm working on; on called 'The South Arm' while the other is called 'The View' - both oil paintings and both nearing their completion. I can't wait finish them both, and move onto new work. I've decided to not only paint landscapes of the Northern Rivers area of Brunswick Heads, but also Brisbane, Sandgate and around Thorneside and Logan City. It'll give for a wider scheme of projects and I'll be able to work on a better lot of places over the next year or so. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My beanies are finally in their exhibition at the Logan Art Gallery's Pop-Up Store. They're all for sale and I do take on commission works if you wish. Just tell me what style you're looking at, and the colour you'd like, and I'll work on it over the next few weeks. I'm a fast knitter. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This month has been a wild ride. I've had some sadness just before my niece's birthday, though. My dear friend, Mark Davey, who lived to paint and draw every day, passed away from cancer. He was suffering from another illness, but that wasn't what took him away from us. He was the best man anyone could call a friend. He encouraged me in my work, pushed me to become a financial member of the Logan Artists Association and showed me ways to paint like I've never thought possible. I will miss him dearly as a friend, a fellow artist and a Birthday Buddy as well (as we shared a birthday together). Rest well, Mark. Paint your part of Heaven in the way you did in life - with every colour on your palette; and more you never saw here. </span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-44548654860834618542019-10-19T12:12:00.002+10:002019-10-19T12:12:55.543+10:00A Busy Month<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh yes, it's been a busy month; and I've finally got time today to tell you all about it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's raining. It's Spring and it's raining - finally. The thunder is rolling overhead, which is lovely, and my garden is getting watered without me having to do it. And I've worked on it for most of the year - just little things really - but the plants are going well. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's October already and my birthday has been and gone, my brother's birthday is today, and I'm working on cleaning out my home office. I've almost got the black 2-drawer filing cabinet cleaned out, and will be shredding more things from the place today. Along with that, I'll be moving all my stationery into a better place, so it doesn't take up the space on top of Grandpa's desk. I still use this desk for what I need and I'll be cleaning it out for what I want - as it's got so many little things in it from his time (and I love so much in there but it's not of any use for anyone now). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A lot of what I've been doing lately is preparing for the Pop-Up Store at the Logan Art Gallery. I've made a few beanies and found an old suitcase which I've had in storage for ages. I cleaned it up and cleaned it out and have begun to put things inside it to take to the demonstration day there. I can't wait until that day. It's going to be a good day. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Otherwise, I've been putting things away, cleaning out and donating items to charity. The garden also got a clean up over Winter and now, just yesterday, I put out some lawn seed and watered it in. And thankfully, it's raining and I don't have to water this afternoon. It'll help with germination of the seed. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm doing National Novel Writing Month next month; and so far, I've been very prepared with everything - from the research to knowing what I want to write about. I've begun a draft of the work too. So, I'll be working on something straight away when it comes around next month; which is great! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I'm taking it easy lately, seeing I've got laryngitis. And the doctor told me to chill out and not talk unless I need to; no whispering or singing. No singing? Oh man... but then, I have a cough which sounds like a horn now. I guess it's going away. I just have to make sure to not sing or speak - kinda hard when my phone rings and people keep trying to sell me things all the time or the NBN keeps telling me to join the NBN when I've already done that. Or some body is trying to scam me saying somebody I know is in hospital.... well, how can I not speak? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh well, can't win 'em all, right? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, that's my month. It's been busy and weird. We've had a heatwave and freezing cold nights. We've had four seasons in one week - and a day too - and yet, it's still October. Halloween is coming up and I'm looking forward to that as well. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here. </span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4704165305769849778.post-44623807339912911922019-10-13T12:26:00.003+10:002019-10-13T12:26:57.062+10:00October<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's the beginning half of my birthday month; and so far it's been so busy, I've barely had time to sit still.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've spent last weekend at my brother's house for my birthday - where we all swapped gifts. And thank goodness we did that! Because this weekend, I've begun losing my voice. On Thursday last week, I was forever clearing my throat, and just couldn't loosen up the frog from my throat in the morning, and by last night, I simply couldn't raise my voice higher than a whisper. </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This morning, I was coughing and sounded horrible. So, off to the doctors I'm going to see what I've caught. I'm feeling fine, it's just my throat which isn't.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, this week, I had so much planned to do - like heading back to the gym on a more regular basis - but that will have to be put on hold until this throat clears up. Then, my art group will have to be missed until I'm better (yeah, I'm not going anywhere near there until I'm less contagious). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been decluttering my place in big ways again too. I cleared out a big space in under the stairs and it was great to get rid of things I seriously didn't need anymore and get them off to the charity stores. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But today, I reorganised my back garden too. My Tahitian Lime Tree needs a new - bigger - pot and so does my Ficus, and I'll be buying a the new pot for the Tahitian Lime first. It's trying to put out fruit, so I'll get some citrus mix for it and then a large pot for it too, and repot it by November. Then I'll do the Ficus before Christmas.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This first half of my birthday month has been great - except for my forced silence of my voice - otherwise, I'm going well. So, how are you all? Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here. </span></div>
Mozettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16267731815392625679noreply@blogger.com0