Preprations for the Weekend.

Today, I was hoping to take it easy and not be too fussed about what I had to do.  So, I slept in until 8:15am this morning and took the morning so slow that I didn't check the mail until almost 10am.  Then, I did half the washing up and came up here on the computer for a few hours and put some cream on my chin to get rid of any annoying hair that may be there tomorrow night (it's annoying hair that I've had since my mid-20's; and every Parker woman grows the damn stuff.  We all have our ways of getting rid of it.  Mine's creaming it while my other cousins wax it off).  

Before long, I had to leave the house to go to the Chiropractor's and so I caught the bus and headed over there in the overcast afternoon.  It was a nice day, but I really wondered if I should have taken one of my faulty and leaky umbrellas with me to lose while I was out.  Well, it wasn't needed after all, as the clouds cleared up and the sun came out once I was at Springwood.  

Anyway, once I was over there, I headed straight to Mum and Dad's place where I took photos of their front verandah.  You see, tomorrow, my cousin, Clayton, is coming over to build it in for them to help cut down on the traffic noise.  Mum and Dad have had an open front verandah for as far back as I can remember.  The earliest memory of it is when Dad put the railings on and there were only the posts there and they were painted all white; and Gabe and I used to play cars on the the un-railed verandah as kids.  These days, it would be dangerous to let children do that.  It looks so naked without those white railings there, doesn't it?  Over the years, though, it has had it fair share of them being replace and repainted  - as well as the stairs being redone too.  So, having this area of the house fixed up and built in is going to make it look better and give Mum and Dad an extra room to use; as well as more storage space, and another place to decorate.  It'll also bring the house up in value I think.  So, the next time I see their house, it'll be built in completely and Dad'll be painting it; as Clayton will be doing it over two weekends.

While Mum and I were photographing the pulling apart of the verandah, we spotted a Stretch Limo across the road.  Well!  We couldn't resist that, and were out on the footpath like a shot with out cameras.  I crossed busy Cinderella Drive and took more close-up shots and talked to the driver while I had the chance.  He was pretty young and not older than around 20 - 25 years of age.  I told him about how Dad used to drive Limos and he drove a 1984 model Limo; and he was amazed there was still one around, saying that they were a lot smaller then, but more classic and lovely on the inside.  I agreed; then I told him about the time Dad took me to high school - early one Monday morning - on his way to returning the Limo to the depot at around 7:30am and the reaction of the cleaners.  Then, I told them what Dad did on the weekends; and he laughed saying it must have been fun to have a Dad who did that kind of work.  I said it was, but there were weekends where we sometimes didn't see him at all because of weddings and formals, but it was good that he got all dressed up for it all.  And now, the man who owns the limos, still owns them and older cars too; and we've seen them recently and they're all still going over at Virginia.

Well, that was my day.  It didn't rain, and it stayed rather humid.  I got home just on sunset after Mum took me to buy a Bunnings umbrella - in the hope to also buy a Bunnings Poncho (however they are no longer made for some unknown reason).  Anyway, I better be going.  I would like to get a good night's sleep.  Until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.

Busy, Stormy, Weird, Old Thursday

Yesterday didn't seem to end.  I went out at midday and the afternoon seemed to just keep on going and going and... well, going.  Mum and I went to Centrelink to have me job assessed and it wasn't as stressful as I thought it was going to be.  The man asked me what I was doing now, where I had been working as in the past and what field I'd like to work in the future.  Mum filled in the gaps (as she normally does because I don't have the best memory with my medical past) and then we were out of there within about half an hour.  

Then, it looked like rain, so we dropped by my place to close the front window just in case it came in on Little Miss Stevie; then we decided to go out to lunch.  But the decision of where to go was a real stumper.  We didn't have a clue until I remembered that Limelight was a great place to eat; and I had gone there to look for my wandering umbrella a few weeks back.  

Once there, we ordered our meals and I had brought along the Care Package that I had planned on Bookcrossing with my friends on there for Mum to open.  We ate, drank some water and ordered ourselves a coffee.  Then, once our coffees had arrived (and we had fun spilling some on the saucers and table and laughing at ourselves), she got in and opened the parcels while I photographed her.  It was a great afternoon of cheering her up with gifts and parcels, postcards and chocolates from overseas.  She was so happy that I had organised this little care package for her. 

We walked over to the Entertainment Centre and ordered our tickets for the Melbourne Cup Day Luncheon.  But once we got outside, we found it was beginning to rain; and we were going to have a look at the gallery.  So, instead of walking up there, we drove.  By the time we got there and found place to park, it was absolutely bucketing down!  So we waited until it settled bit, grabbed ourselves some umbrellas and rushed inside.  Well!  That's when the thunder rolled and clapped overhead and the wind pushed the rain sideways and Mother Nature really took a tantrum on us.  Water got in around some of the windows (as it always does when we get a really bad storm at the Gallery); and we had to turn off the automatic doors at the front so they didn't short out.

Before it became really horrible outside, Liz Horrigan walked in looking for Lesley.  I hadn't seen her in years and hardly recognised her; so I asked if she taught art and she said yes at Park Ridge High School.  I smiled and said she taught me at Rochedale; and she said she remembered teaching there a long time ago.  Liz was a tough teacher at the time; and also very good.  She remembered the teachers at Rochedale were Mr Brown, Miss Scully and Miss Eastwood.  I said that Mr Brown was very cool and Miss Eastwood and herself were my teachers.  Mum said that Gabe's still artistic and she didn't remember him until we showed an old photo of him and she did then; then she asked if I remember Arthur Henry.  I did and she said that he now works high up in the administrative schools arts area and she saw him last week; and she now works for him.  She couldn't believe it that he works in that area now.  I told her that I worked with a number of people I used to go to school with.  After a bit, Lesley came out and greeted Liz and she had to go.  Then, so did we, but the weather didn't look like it was going to let up; but it did just enough for Mum and I to run out to the car with our shoes in our hands and umbrellas over our heads.

She dropped me off home and drove home; but was back before I knew it (after a phone call asking if it was okay to come back; of course I said okay) to see how my place suffers through the rain.  Mum was amazed at how much work is involved in getting the water to leave my place alone.  I had opened my gate, the drain had to be cleared and I had doorknocked to see who's car was parked on that drain (unsuccessfully) and then it was a matter of sweeping the invading water out.  Both of us got wet and cold and she reported back to Dad how bad it was and that she had also gotten wet and had to dry off with towels and be loaned some clothes by me until she warmed up again.  She agreed that the drain by my house needs to be replaced with the older-style street grate and it'd work better.

After Mum left, it was getting onto 4:30pm and so, I closed up the house, plugged everything back in and re-loaded the HD box again.  It had been a busy, long and weird old day.  Before Mum left, I had gotten Little Miss Stevie out of her cage and gave her a nice little cuddle to let her know she hadn't been forgotten in amongst all the rain, thunder and phone calls to and from Dad.  She's such a sweet little bird.

Today, even though the sun's out now, we're in for another storm.  I just hope it doesn't happen again tomorrow during my 20 year class reunion.  If so, I'll have to have Mum come over and help with the place while I'm out; and I'd hate her to have to work this place on her own.

Well, I have a few things to do around the place.  Until my next post, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Late Night Postings

It seems that I have been posting late a night before I go to bed.  It's about the only time I have to myself right now; and it's also always so quiet at this time of the night.  Some of my neighbours are still up watching late, late shows while others are going out to their shift work until the wee hours of the morning.  Me?  I'm preparing to go to bed.  All the lights are out, the doors are locked, Little Miss Stevie is fluffed up on her swing with her sweet little head in her feathers and I'm on here picking the sleep out of my eyes to write this.

Today, I got out there and did my fortnightly shop.  It started out as a coolish Spring day; typical of October; but it turned into a really hot one.  Fortunately, I stuck with the shorts I had dressed in first off - otherwise I would have regretted it.  I bought and exchanged a handbag at Life Line for $10, bought some material for a project to do with the sewing machine from 'Go Fabrics' and then it was on to Woolworths where I found the mushrooms had come down $3.00 in price... thank God!  I was beginning to think that the place was thinking we all had a money tree growing in our backyards!  I bought a cold bottle of water at the checkouts, packed my trolley, patted one of the local dogs I normally see around the place and helped out a couple of brothers with some money (only 20c that's all) and then was on my way to K-Mart Plaza).  

The one on the left I exchanged - the one on the right is the new bag.

After paying $10 off my layby at Woodys', I walked through to Coles and helped an old lady put her little brown trolley into her shopping trolley - as she couldn't get it over the edge - and then picked up my shopping trolley.  I ended up leaving my blue trolley with the greeter for my shop because it was far too heavy to drag around; and collecting it just before I was finished.  And this year, I decided to give the Jack-O-lantern Pumpkins a miss as, not only are they bigger, but they're $30.00 each!  I just can't afford that; not even one!

I got the same flipping cab driver I did last fortnight who helped pack the boot of the car at the shops, but sat around in the car at my house and did nothing until I asked for her help.  She just sighed as though it was a big deal and pulled out two bags while I grabbed the rest - and the trolley too - and she didn't park as close to my place as she did before; making it harder for me to get my bags to the carport door.  How annoying is that!  

Well, this afternoon, after put away all the groceries, after I was online checking my mail and after I washed up a bit, I pulled out some of the fabric and measured up the turntable for a new cover.  Seeing I had already done a prototype of one in calicoe, I just had to unpin it and put it out on the fabric I chose, cut it out and lay it over the turntable and pin it back up again, pin the hem and then it's ready to be sewn.  And it's a nice purple colour with a music design of vinyls, rock'n'roll symbols on it from the past and cool treble clefs all over it.  I also picked up some fabric for some book-baggies to make something for froggirlwendy and some for Christmas too.  I can't wait to get into them.

Well, I better go as it's really getting on and the complex has gotten really quiet.  I think I'm the only one awake... a sure sign for me to head off to bed!  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

My Last Day to Myself

This is it!  Yep, this is the last day I can call my own for the week!  Today is the last day of the week where I can sit down and do contemplate the fluff in my navel until next Monday... and believe me it seems like a long way away!  Really it does; when you consider my day-planner by the phone downstairs chock full of appointments and days out all week until around Friday afternoon.

Okay, Let's start with tomorrow.  I have a day out shopping.  This isn't just a day for me to spend money, this is my fortnightly shop for groceries.  I have to fill the house with toilet paper, food and detergent for the clothes as well as pay for any bills that happen to show up in the mail like bad pennies (don't they always do that just when you don't wish them to?).  Then, that night, there's 'The Sons of Anachy' that's on channel 1... my all-time favourite show about motorcycle gangs and Harley Davidson's!  Very cool.  I love it.

Thursday sees Mum and me to Centrelink at midday.  We'll be at the Woodridge office to have me job assessed.  This is always stressful; and I hate it, but if I want to find a job, they need to do this.  So, we're going and I just know it's going to be a royal pain the butt just because they can make it that way.  It'll take about an hour and be annoying as hell just to be there.

On Friday, I was hoping to go to Mum and Dad's place to give Mum her Care Package.  But I need a day to myself before the weekend... really I do.  So, I'm thinking of moving that to Monday if I can.  If not, I'll see if I can do it on Sunday.  Either way, I have to get this Package to Mum soon. She'll love it.

Then, there's Saturday night.  I have my 20 year Class Reunion for Rochedale State High School.  I have barely been in touch with anyone from there since I left in year 11; and just last night, I chatted online with one of them and now I can't wait until I go.  Kelly (my old care group friend) has given me the confidence to go and we can't wait to see each other again and catch up in person.  

Yep, this week is going to be very busy.  I just hope I can get time to write it all down somewhere - if not here - and tell you guys all about it.  And, don't worry, I will take photos of it all on Saturday night.  It's something I don't want to forget.  Until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.

Busy Weekend

What a weekend it has been so far!  Mine started at the wee hours of the Saturday morning when the first grumblings woke me at 6am of a storm approaching Brisbane.  I raced into the home-office and unplugged the computer and phone line to the modem and went back to bed; relaxing, hoping it was only going to be a few grumbly showers and that was it.

Boy was I wrong!

The thunder kept coming and the rain poured from the sky and it got darker as it became later in the day.  I had gone to get some milk and by the time I arrived back and used it on my breakfast, it was beginning to bucket down.  I opened the side door and the carport was beginning to fill up - as it normally does - and so I walked out there and checked the storm water drain and it was blocked and there was a car parked on it.  Damn!  So, I did my best to unblock it with a shovel without success.  

By the time I turned around, there was more water in the carport than there was before!  I raced back to my place and called Dad and unfortunately he got the bad end my anger because I was not dealing with what was happening right now.  By the time I hung up from him and opened the door, the water was lapping at the edge of the tiles!  Oh my God!  I raced out there barefoot with the key to the back gate and unlocked it, wedge an old fence paling against it (to keep it open) and began sweeping the water through; but none of the water moved!  I took the opportunity and photographed the scene a few times and filmed it too; then put the camera back on the kitchen table and kept sweeping out the water.  It took 20 minutes for it to move anywhere!  I was absolutely freaking out that I'd need to make an insurance claim on a weekend because my house got flooded for the first time in 9 years!  

By the time the water receded and I ate my breakfast, I was exhausted, cold and the clothes I had worn were wet right through!  And to make things worse, they were the only clothes I had for the day to wear... until the next time I had done some laundry (which was today).  I pulled a pair of tracki-dacks on and an old painting t-shirt out of the laundry basket and wore those (as there wasn't anything else to wear that was warm enough) for the day and then I spent the day on the net; thankful I didn't have to go out that day for anything.

At around 2pm, I had a nice hot shower and got dressed up for our night out at the German Club on Vulture Street.  This place is brilliant.  I have been here once before for a celebration of Vivienne's and totally enjoyed myself.  It has great food, amazing German beers and the atmosphere is fantastic!  I love it.  So, I had invited Mum, Dad, my brother, Gabe and his new fiance, Katrina and Aunty Helen (Mum invited her and her family along; but only Aunty Helen could come).

Outside the German Club at the Wooloongabba

Our drinks... all big glasses of everything! :D

My dinner of Atlantic Salmon - well worth the wait!

My brother's meal...

The German Beer Hall at the other end of the Club in full swing!

A Greek Dance during Oktoberfest!  How weird!

Well, we arrived and Gabe and Kat were at the table perusing the menu and they were amazed at how nice the place was.  While we lined up to order our meals, Gabe said he didn't know the German Club was like this; it was this nice, and I said to wait 'til he tasted the food.  It was large servings and very European and it'd remind Mum and Dad of being there.  And when our meals came out half an hour or so later, they were in agreement in how deliciously hot and beautiful they were!  And Mum said it was good decent, solid food, just like they served them in Germany.  I'm happy they loved the place.  

The best thing about last night was that we were there for Oktoberfest!  Now, this year, I've been trying to get myself out there in Brisbane's festivals and fun things.  And this was one of them to have a go at.  I have always remembered the German Faust-house at World Expo '88 fondly and how hugely popular it was - along with the famous Chicken Dance it brought with it - and so when I walked into the hall at the other end of the place, there were lines and lines of tables of people drinking German beer singing and dancing to German songs and loving every drunken minute of it!  How much fun is that?  So, I took in the camera and photographed it a few times and took a film of a hilariously funny clip of a Greek song being played in the German Club... now how weird's that?  Even so, everyone had a brilliant time dancing to it!

Before we left, we heard a well-known German rock song that was big in the 1980's and I wanted to dance to it.  So, I asked Mum to dance with me but she hesitated and I begged her to come and dance.  She wouldn't; and it wasn't until the end of the song that she finally did.  Mum used to be so spontaneous when it came to things like this; and I thought it would be fun to dance in Faust-House during Oktoberfest just once... oh well, next time.

Today, I was up nice and early, went and put on the laundry then went and got the paper.  It's been a relatively quiet morning.  I got 4 loads of laundry done and it's all weighing down the line out there in the sun drying in the lovely breeze while I'm here on the computer.  I'm tired but know it's been a good, busy weekend.  I'm just looking forward to the week I've got organised; where there's barely a day to myself... bummer.  Oh well, at least it's a busy week this week.

Eggplant Spaghetti Sauce

I just can't put this off any longer.  I want to share with you guys the nicest, most delicious vegetarian sauce I've created.  Now, I cook for myself - and others - and have found that it's best to always cook from scratch so I know what goes into the meal.  I don't like opening bottles of stuff from the store; so you won't find anything more than Tomato Paste in my recipes.  This recipe is the most wonderful one and I've cooked myself it many times before.

Ingredients:

Eggplant - two large disks cut into cubes

2 Roma Tomatoes - cut into cubes

1 Tblspn sugar

2 Tblspn Tomato Paste

1/2 Capiscum - diced

Mushrooms - 5 button, stalks cut off, sliced thickly

Garlic - optional - sliced and diced finely

Paprika, Tarragon, Parsley, Pepper

1/4 glass water

Spaghetti - enough for two servings.

Method:

Start cooking the spaghetti.  This sauce takes around 20 minutes to cook; with 10 minutes of prep work before hand.  So, by the time the water is boiling, it'll be ready for the spaghetti.

Cook off the eggplant until it's got a crust on it and it's almost ready to serve and place in a heatproof dish and put to one side.  Put more oil into the pan/pot and add the tomatoes, sugar and tomato paste and stir the pot with a wooden spoon until it starts to mix.  Add in capsicum and garlic and cook for a few minutes, then the herbs - Paprika, Tarragon, Pepper - and then the mushrooms and let it cook for a while after you add the water (you won't need much water; just enough to make the sauce smooth) and then add in the pre-cooked eggplant and mix in. 

Turn off the spaghetti when the timer goes off - or when the spaghetti breaks easily against the wall of the pot with the light pressure from a fork or spoon - and leave the lid on until you the sauce has reduced slightly.  Then put the lid on the sauce and turn it off.  

Serves two with sour cream on the side.  Very nice with garlic bread.

Class Reunion

Next week, I'm going to my 20 year class reunion.  I was invited this week by an old school friend who was helping with the organising of it.  At first I didn't know if I wanted to go, but then, he told me who was going and I looked at the people who said yes and the maybe list; and changed my mind.  Right now - to date - there's over a hundred people going and I'm excited about it all.  

Now, my brother doesn't like class reunions and refuses to go.  However, I didn't have that many friends in school, so it's always good to catch up with people from my Care Group from Rochdale State High.  Now, before you start laughing at 'Care Group'; it's the same as what you'd call a Home or Form Group where your roll call and newsletters were done for the morning.  And it was called a Care Group because we were supposed to care about each other; which by the end, we kinda did.  I mean, we were all misfits in the beginning and still misfits in the end.

I went to my 10 year reunion; and it was held at the high school.  I had a great car, a great job and had travel a few times in that decade.  I wasn't married or had kids; and didn't even have a boyfriend and felt I didn't need one.  My life was good.  I did have Epilepsy and it was stablised at the time and I was glad for that.

However, in the last decade, thing changed drastically.  I lost the job, am unable to drive the car, my Epilepsy caused my health to take a bad turn and I had to work on it more (which meant I had to ignore getting another job or study as my seizures were that dreadful that stress were the main trigger).  We concentrated on my health for a good amount of time; and it worked out.  I've been stablised since 2004 and this year has been a big year of me getting back in touch with just being me; and back the way I used to be.

For the first time in ages, I've begun to feel like I'm a part of the human race again without feeling tired, rundown or sick.  I'm starting to know my limits, know what I want to do and know where I want to be.  I have goals and want to fulfill them.  And I used to be terrified of being invited to one of these reunions because I didn't think I had anything to show for the last decade... but now I do.

The main fear I had was that people would think - because I never married or had children - I would be missing out on something they've got.  But then, I've lived a life so different I'm glad to look back over my last few years (especially this last year) and say that I've advanced markedly.

So, next Saturday night is the reunion; and I'm looking forward to it... to catching up with old friends, old enemies, old frenemies and all the rest.  Who knows, it might be not just me who turned over a new leaf or two; they all might have too.

My Birthday!

Well!  Today is my birthday and I had an interesting day.  It started out cool, but sunny; and after a nice hot shower, I ate breakfast and listened to the radio and jumped online to see who had been on my Facebook page.  A few of my friends had wished me a happy birthday and that was really cool... and there wasn't anything in the mail for me.  Never mind, there were plenty of parcels yesterday.

Mum and Dad had called earlier in the day to wish me a happy birthday and Mum was still very sick and said she felt horrible.  But told me to still come over and have lunch; and she'd sit away from me so I didn't get what she has.  I readied myself, closed up the house and made sure Little Miss Stevie was protected enough from the window with the curtain before leaving for the day.

Once at their house, I was given two gifts - a big, heavy one and a small light one - and I opened them out on the front verandah.  The big one was an Elna Sewing Machine; and the smaller one was a work box.  Mum had gone to a lot of trouble to get together a lot of cotton and bobbins and material for me as well as a cover and all kinds of things to get me started off with my own machine.  Really, I wondered what the heck I was going to do with a sewing machine in my place; and where was I going to put it?  I don't really have a space to put it permanently and I'm not really a sewing person; even though I do appreciate the present and the thought that went into it; I think I'll warm to the present though (as sometimes it does take time for me to like some things that are new; but this isn't a new thing).

The one thing I did want for my birthday was an iTouch.  I had been talking about getting one for ages; and wanting one for a long time... and trying to save for one unsuccessfully and thought Mum had gotten me one, but she didn't.  Oh well, might get one for Christmas; you never know!

We ate lunch and had coffee and cake and enjoyed the coolish weather that Brisbane had to offer.  The day turned overcast and I was thankful I brought a jacket with me today.  Then, I pulled the machine out of the box and got it working.  I pulled together a bobbin, inserted it into the machine and threaded it and then tried out the stitches.  It worked well; even though some of the things are in different places than I'm normally used to on Mum's machine.  I just have to figure out what I'll be sewing with this one.  I guess I'll find a use for it at some point.

Tonight, while I was relaxing, watching the Idiot Box and knitting, the phone rang and Kat and Gabe were on the other end.  They've been sick since they returned from Thailand and haven't been to work.  Kat asked how my birthday was and I told her about the sewing machine and she said it was an interesting gift and said that Gabe and her have some great news:  they're engaged to be married!  How wonderful and brilliant is that?  I'm so happy for them!  And what great news to receive on my birthday too!  

Well, it's late and I've got volunteer work tomorrow morning.  Until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.

The Day Before....

Tomorrow's my 38th Birthday and I'm excited.  I do love birthday's but it's the day before I find very exciting as it's usually the day you do things for the last time being your old age (I know this sounds very out in left field, but really, just hang in there with me).  

I have, over the last few years, looked over my journals and made sure I've moved forward in the past year.  If I haven't, then I promise myself that I will in the next one of my year coming up to my next birthday.  This is something I do to make sure I don't sit still in life; I don't stagnate, and I think everyone should do it - have a look back over the year they've spent of being their age before their birthday and find out what they've done differently to make this particular year completely different from the previous one.

This year, I have done a lot.  After my 37th birthday last year, I met Sir James Galway and his lovely wife after a one-night-only performance at the Performing Arts Complex here in Brisbane.  It had been 24 years since he had been here last in 1986 and I had just turned 13 at the time.  This time, I brought along with me my first vinyl of his, the book 'Flute' he wrote and the photo of us when he was last here in Brisbane (which his wife was thrilled at seeing!).  He was amazed that I had brought along a vinyl that he remembered cutting/recording and he told me that he absolutely loved doing it because they were really his favourites.  It was the best night of my life that year!  I - along with Mum and about two hundred other people who love Sir James Galway - got to meet him.  However, I was the only one who had a vinyl with me; and one of the few who had met him previously and had a photo with me of us.  

After the wet and cold Christmas and New Year and the Brisbane Floods, I began 2011 with a new look at my paintings.  I hadn't painted for about six months.  So, I pulled out a piece of Masonite, sanded it down and painted the background orange and tried out a self-portrait.  However, it took a second attempt on a green background and playing 'Mother's Milk' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on vinyl to get my creative juices going.  Four months later, the portrait was finished and I was chafing at the bit to get into another painting... before I knew it, my artistic mojo had come back and I've been spending nearly every afternoon in front of the easel working on one painting or another.  Now, I have five paintings ready to go for the beginnings of an exhibition in a few years' time hopefully.

During the year, I posed for a nude for an artist friend.  It was something I've wanted to do for a long time; but never had the confidence in myself until now.  Then, I was invited to the art opening at Barsoma's in Fortitude Valley in July.  The other nudes my friend had painted were impressive as well.  It was a great opening too.

Also during July, I went to a Mexican Costume Party for my brother's partner's birthday.  Even though it poured rain for most of the night and it was freezing cold, we all had a lot of fun eating Mexican food and guessing who everyone was.  I went as a Gringo... and one of my brother's friends asked if I really was from the country as my costume didn't look like a costume.  I did spot one lady dressed up with feathers and skirts and thought she looked like Frida.

Not long after the party - by about a week or so - I won a tour of the Triple M studios at North Quay here in Brisbane.  So, I thought to take Mum with me - as I do whenever I win a prize from them.  Not only did we win a tour, we also got to meet three of the daytime hosts - Bangers, Jo and Johnno - and we scored a copy of 'The Living End's new record before it hit the stores.  It was a great night as all of the winners got to be in The Cage's studio and do a promo for the station; which is a lot harder than it looks/sounds.  

In August, I sold my dear Little Vrooom.  This is my Toyota Celica Liftback; my first car.  I remember when I bought it, I had dreams about it days before picking it up.  It was my car and ran like a dream when I kept the engine going well... and like a tractor when it wasn't driven at least three times a week.  So, I took plenty of photos and made a photo album on Facebook and all my family and friends said that my car suited me and told me that it was a pity it had to go.  A sad day in my life; but really a great relief too.  The wrecker who picked it up saw Mum in tears, but he understood that first car love can often do that to people.

Video Hits closed down the day before I got my car out to get rid of it.  I had been watching this show since I was young... since 1985 actually.  It was the best show to watch for music; and they closed it one year shy of it turning 25 years old.  Why couldn't they wait until it turned that nice round number is beyond me.

In September, I attended a knitting workshop, volunteered more times than I normally do and saw Gabe, Kat and Riley off to Thailand; all in about a week or so of the beginning of the month.  This month was extremely busy; and so I didn't get much time to read.  I did read two books - and thankfully they were thin ones.  Brisbane Festival started and I went into the city to see some of it - for once - and celebrate my cousin Kate's birthday with a freezing cold dinner at the Fox Hotel on Melbourne Street (never go there, it's a dreadful place to dine; and if it's not the meals that suck, it's the service).

On 29th, September, I has my best umbrella stolen from right under my nose at the gallery and I arrived at the bus stop just in time to watch a procession of the Logan City Police Department march by with dogs, vehicles and everything for the Queensland Police Remembrance Day.  I took some photos while the opportunity presented itself.

The next day, I was off the Garden City with a friend of mine in the unit complex - who had just gotten back from the UK with her twin boys - and she needed some food.  Her car's battery had gone flat because nobody had started her car and so she caught the bus with me.  We walked around the place for an hour while I got my money out and she fed the boys.  Then, I had to go to my hairdressers and have a much-needed haircut.  I get my hair cut twice a year as my hair gets a little out of control and I often do it to get it looking good.  This year, I tried a new style and while it's different to what I usually get, I'm warming to it. I actually think it's a little shorter than I'd like, but give it a month or so, and it'll grow into the length I like.

This brings us to now.  On Sunday, my brother and his family came home from the very wet and damp Thailand.  Last night, I watched the return episode of 'Supernatural' and loved it... then, I was off to bed.  Now, I'm looking forward to what I might achieve during the next year of my life.  Exactly what that will be I can't say; as I don't like to plan out my life like most.  The last time I did that, nothing turned out the way I hoped it did... so now, I take my life one year at a time and whatever happens is whatever happens.  

This is what I love about the day before my birthday.  I can look back on all of this and say:  "Yep, I did this... who knows what may come next?"  Not me that's for sure!

A Matter of Class

Last night, I was watching a show on the ABC about the separation of classes; and I found it quite interesting.  Even though it was a UK show, and only went for 20 minutes, I found there was a lot in it that showed me which class I'm in.  

From the way we speak, to the way we dress, our education, our food, where we sit at the dining room table, how we furnish our homes to what we call things in our homes, how we approach asking where things are in public to where our father's worked, everything about us and our family life speaks volumes about what class we are in, from and going to.  It's amazing how people can come from a Working Class background, grow up in a Middle Class family and our children can move further up the social ladder and become Upper Class in their lives.  And it all boils down to what our father's did for a living - or even our Grandfather's.

I noticed last night that by what I called things I was Upper Middle Class.  They showed pictures of living rooms and asked if we - the viewers - called them living rooms, drawing rooms or sitting rooms, or lounge rooms.  Personally, I call mine a living room; mainly because I do my living in it from playing the piano to watching dvds on the television and playing music on the stereo to reading books and knitting or doing other crafty things or having visitors stay and have cups of coffee/tea.  It's a living area.

Then they showed pictures of bathrooms with toilets.  Well, there was a big fuss of what that was called.  Was it W/C, a toilet, bog, lavatory, loo, smallest room in the house, little boy's room... well, the list went on!  I call mine, the loo, toilet or smallest room in the house (because the latter is!).

And the way our houses are presented - along with what kind of furniture we collect - inside our homes is important too.  Is it functional or is it ornamental?  Does it match your curtains/drapes, floor coverings/carpet/tiles/rugs (and that's another thing, what you put on your floors and windows is a class thing too!).  Then, there's the idea of if you have a musical instrument sitting in your living room - a piano or an organ, or a guitar waiting to be played - or do you have something tacky like a 1970's Wurlitzer Jukebox?  Unless it really does match the rest of your house - and you've gone and taken your house back to that era on purpose, it'll look horrible and people will judge you for having it.  Do you have an entertainment unit which houses your stereo system, dvd player and television?  Or is it all just plonked on a stack of shelves against the wall?  Do you play vinyls on a turntable or cds - or both?  It's all a matter of what you have in your house, how you keep it all and how it looks to your visitors.... and it all puts you in a certain class; which one, it all depends.

They went on about the Royal Family and how everyone knew they were 'naff'; and this brought on how language and how we use it is an indication of which class we're a part of.  However, with the right tools, we can slide up and down the social ladder no matter which Class we're from.  This is something I haven't really noticed until now; and I think it's because of how I was brought up.  For example, the show talked about people using the word 'Common' to describe people who were below the Middle Class intelligence.  Now, my Grandma told me once I sounded Common when I cursed (mind I did it by accident in front of her; and after she told me that, I never did it again in front of her; and it was hard to do).  I didn't know what it meant at the time, not until my Mum told me.  However, I haven't really thought about the use of the word until the program mentioned it.

Names were also covered in this time as well.  It was said that the classier the name, the more Upper Class your family was (Arabella, Annabell, Cameron, Natalie).  Middle Class names were names where you could turn them into cute nicknames (Heather, Samuel, Augustus, Thomas) and Working Class names ended in a 'thud' (Jade, Gabe).  Yep, you can't escape where you're from with anything; no matter what, not even what your name is.  

However, as the times have changed, so have the way people dressed.  The way we dress speaks volumes about us as well - apparently.  I haven't seen much of a difference in the way I dress, but I do make sure I'm dressed in clean clothes - even if they're not the most fashionable ones - when I go out, as I never know who I'm going to meet.  Mum's the same way; she worries constantly about what she looks like.  It's amazing how it all comes back to how we're brought up... to make sure we look good just in case.

I found this program very interesting and unusual at the same time.  It touched on Debutant Balls, people's dress, the Royal Family (and how people loved to hate them and yet still loved them) and how we all somehow get along just fine no matter which class we're from.  So, which class did your family come from, which one were you brought up in and which one are you currently a part of now?  Has your Class status changed, or has it stayed pretty much the same?  Mine?  It's gone from Working Class to Middle Class through two generations.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.