Friday is the Busiest Day

Have you ever had a week where you thought it was going to be really horribly busy, but it turned out to be something else entirely?  Yep, me too.  On Monday, this week looked like a social and travelling mess.  However by yesterday afternoon, it was little more than a few tiny trips here and there before a nice relaxed Friday out at the CRS for a look for a job.

However, even Friday turned out to be something of a weird and busy day for me by the end of today.  Strange how that came about.  I found that the few things I was hoping to happen, didn't, and the other things that I didn't want to happen, did.  Bummer how that goes, eh?  

I needed to be out at the Imaging Centre at Rochedale today; however my 'monthly visitor' (which isn't all that monthly anymore) showed up after 34 days of being AWOL on me.  I was thinking I wasn't going to get them again for a longer period of time.  But, once I began to make plans to see a doctor, they showed... ironic isn't it?  So, next week it is for both the Imaging place and the doctors to see what I'll be doing next.  One thing at a time.

Otherwise, tomorrow, I'll be catching an early bus to Garden City and picking up Stephen King's new book from QBD.  I have a gift voucher that will pay for about half of it; so I won't be paying full price anyway.  From there, I'll catch a bus to Springwood to my appointment at CRS and spend a few hours with them talking to them about work.  I'm not sure exactly what this appointment will be about; but I'll take it as it comes.  I think it's going to be about what I'm good at and then find a direction for me and work on that.

Otherwise, today, I got a few good things done.  One was the washing.  It was all done - including the annual hand-washing of my teddy bear Amos.  I wash him usually at this time of the year because it's when the weather becomes hot enough that he'll dry on the clothes line and he'll smell nice and fresh too.  I'd love to wash him twice a year; but I can't due to our weather changing so quickly.  

I put out all the newspapers in the recycling bin at the back of the complex after snipping out what I wanted from last week's paper.  Then, I put out rubbish from the kitchen before washing up tonight.  All my handbags that I weren't using were brought upstairs along with all the laundry at around 2pm and then I went over to Greenslopes to visit Ruth and find out about the clothes dryer.  But Dad said it wasn't as new as he had hoped; and we decided not to buy it from Ruth (which means she's going to try selling it on e-bay).  When I returned home, I had to put everything that was originally around the laundry (and I had moved for the dryers to be changed over) back into the laundry.  By this time it was around 4pm... and it was time I planned dinner; and seeing how hot it had been, I didn't want to eat anything too hot.  So I made myself an egg salad roll; and it was delicious!  

So, that was my day.  Tomorrow is Remembrance Day; and also my cousin's birthday.  It's also the day we put down our family dog, Jessie.  She was a dear, sweet woofy who couldn't see or hear us in the end, but her mind was fully intact.  Poor girl.  It was a hard choice, but she was in pain and couldn't walk.  So, it was the most humane thing we could do for her; and I'm glad we did it.  Jessie was almost 14 when we let her got.  She had lived a full and happy life with us; and she had enjoyed a few Freddo Frogs from me (a secret I didn't tell anyone until recently; much to my family's amazement that they didn't kill her as chocolate is one thing that can kill a dog; as well as a budgie) and plenty of marathon walks.  She had a boyfriend - Laddie - who lived one street over in Thornhill Street and he was moved when his owner passed away.  I still miss my little woofy every now and again; but I do have a great little album full of photos of her... and it's great to have those memories.  Well, until my next post, take care keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.

Busier Than Ever!

I have noticed that around this time each year, I become very busy socially.  Now, it's not because I go to the doctors or visit friends; it's because so much more is going on at this time of the year than any other time.

After Halloween, there's Melbourne Cup Day; which is always exciting here in Australia.  However, before all of this, the Christmas decorations have been up in the shopping centres at the beginning of September.  Now, in my mind that's just too early to be advertising Christmas.  In the UK, they wait until after Guy Fawkes Night which is on November 5th to do anything about Christmas; it's just tradition.  If we brought in this tradition here, we'd be able to work out a better system of traditional holidays (and then we'd enjoy the build-up to Christmas more I think).  However, I find it very tacky to see the decorations up in stores at a time when it's nowhere near Summer and nobody else is thinking about it either; and they begin advertising Christmas on the television in October - before Halloween.  

This makes this time of year much more busier than it normally is.  And this year, I don't have as much money as I did last year.  This means I may have to dip in to my savings.  I hope not.  I'd like to buy my family something lovely for Christmas, but I'm not sure what to get them.  I think gift vouchers will have to do; seeing I bought Riley a big present this year for her 12th birthday, and it was very recent. 

However, it's been in the last few weeks that I haven't really had much time to myself.  Last week, I was out almost every day - and this included an impromptued trip to the hospital at 2:45am on Friday morning where I was supposed to be out at a job centre.  So, when I finally did feel better, the weekend was gone and I had gotten two early nights and I didn't get anything done around the place... thus it was a mess.

This week is no different... it's been busy as hell; and yesterday was no different.  I felt as though I only had yesterday afternoon off and that was it.  I got to read 30 pages of 'Lady of the Rivers' by Philippa Gregory and then squeezed in 1 1/2 hours of painting and then I had to rush around and changed the light bulb in the living room before it did something weird; as it was flickering madly.  So, I turned it off and grabbed the bulb from my bedroom, found a spare bulb for the bathroom and replaced my bedroom bulb with that and did the old switch-a-roonies with the bulb in the living room.  Once I had the cover back up, the ladder put away, and the light switched on, I unwrapped the hot bulb from the cloth on the kitchen table and found it had big crack in on the of the cylindars!  I wonder how long it would have taken for that to shatter and leak out anything fatal?  Or had it been doing it all along?  Because I've had this nagging cough for a while and by the end of last night, it was gone!  And today?... well, it's not around as badly as it has been, all I'm doing is clearing my throat once every now and again and there's no follow-up cough or anything.  No wonder people don't like these bloody things!

Also, this week, I've got a dryer to pick up at Greenslopes from a friend's house (Dad has to pick it up with me as he's got the car).  However, it'll be later this afternoon; and hopefully he'll be able to put the thing in when we get it here... and get rid of the old one at the same time.

Tomorrow, is shopping day.  I think it'll be a good day for a top-up shop...not too expensive and I'll be able to get home early for an afternoon to myself, thankfully.  Then, Thursday will be a morning of me being out to get a scan done of my pelvis which was ordered by the doctor at the Mater Hospital last Friday; and it will be looked at by my GP next Wednesday so we can see what needs to be done about this ovarian cyst.

Then, Friday will be a busy one for me.  In the morning, I'll be at CRS to look at jobs and what kind of work is suitable for me.  Then, I think I have an appointment at my Chiropractors in the afternoon.  So, I'll be out all day and getting an early night that night.  This weekend is the first weekend in a long time where I'll have the whole two days to myself... yay!  I'll have to get in and do some serious housework... and that includes the laundry, washing the floors and cleaning the bathroom and toilets as I haven't had any time to do anything like that lately.

So, how has your week turned out?  Busy as hell, or quieter than mine?  Until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.

Sunday - Feeling Better

Since Friday mornings very rude wake-up call from my body, I have been catching up with sleep and taking it easy; so much so that I bought a pizza on Friday night and at the leftovers last night.  So, I haven't really been cooking anything this weekend more than a cup of tea or opening a bottle of Jones' Root Beer.  And do you blame me?

I did get a very early night of 10pm on Friday night as I was so very tired and nodding off in front of the television.  And just as I turned out the light, the phone rang and my brother, Gabe, was on the other end asking how I was doing.  He said that Mum had told him and Kat about what had occurred that morning and they had been really concerned about me.  Well, we chatted about what happened and laughed about the funny bits of the morning - where the nurse thought Dad was my husband - and then talked about what might have to be done to stop this from happening again.  I said that I will talk to my doctor about getting my ovary taken out so as to remove the problem alltogether; and Gabe reckons it's a good idea seeing it's been around for a few years.  I told him that the pain from the ruptures has been getting gradually worse over time and that this one was just dreadful.  He said it needs to be done; and it's not as though I'm going to have any children (due to my Epilepsy, I've been advised that if I try to have children they may have something similar - or more debilitating - than me) and then he laughed saying 'its not like you're getting your tits done...' and that's true.  This is something where my health is coming first; where I'll be in pain again if I don't get it looked at.

So, This week, I'm off to see the doctor and have a scan done and see what my options are.  I need to do this and need to get into working on what seriously needs to get worked on.  I wanted this ovary out last year; but Mum talked me out of it.  This time I'm getting some professional opinions and looking into working on what will need to be done about this.  I don't wish to have this plague me throughout my later years and through Menopause when I could have had the ovary removed.  Why suffer the pain when there is a very simple solution to what needs to be done?

3am Wake-Up Call!

This morning, I was rudely awoken by my body at around 3am.  Thinking I had to go to the loo, I stumbled around in the dark and found my way to the bathroom and returned back in the same fashion and found the bed, curled up and was almost back to sleep when I felt what I thought was some really serious gas in my guts; but it wasn't in my guts!  So, as this pain became worse, I tried to turn over into a better sleeping position; only making the cramp worse!  

Sitting up, I turned on my lamp and the pain began to feel like it was tearing through my bladder!  OMG!  I wondered what the hell was happening.  So, I found my way downstairs, grabbed the cordless phone and called my folks.  I didn't want to, but had to.  They weren't too impressed I woke them at 2:45am; but quickly got dressed when they heard me in agony.  On the way over, they called an ambulance and we had to wait another 25 minutes for those guys to show up (mainly because they had the drugs to make the pain go away quickly).  

Well!  I was zipped off to the Mater Hill Hospital here in Brissie with some Morphine in me and got some tests done while Dad sat with me in one of their cubicals.  Before he joined me there, the nurse came in and said that my husband was out in the waiting room asking after me.  I wondered who she meant; and then asked if he had white hair and a beard and she nodded.  I had to tell her that he was my Dad; we had a laugh as she went and got him and then I told him about what had happened.  He couldn't wait to tell Mum when she phoned Dad!  She thought it was hilarious!  

Well, after a urine and blood tests, everything came back normal.  The doctor poked at my pelvic region and confirmed that it was an ovarian cyst that had ruptured and caused me so much pain; and this was good news at it could have been anything from Kidney Stones to Appendicitis; but it wasn't - thank the Gods!

Well, I was let out at around 7am and driven home by a very tense and worried Dad.  But I couldn't sleep; seeing it was time for me to have breakfast.  So, I continued with my normal routine until I began to feel really tired at around 10:30am today when I went and had 2 hours' sleep... but even that didn't work out the way I wanted it to either... but that's another story for another time. 

Busy Hot Day Off

With this week being so socially chock-a-block, today was the only day I had to myself where I was home all day.  I woke to my alarm after a weird dream about shoes that were nice, but once I had them on my feet, I realised they were not only mens' shoes, but they were also the wrong size!  So, they made me walk funny and fell off my feet when I ran.  In my dreams, this really ticked off my Mum and she was yelling at me to walk correctly and get my shoes tied on properly.  It was a strange dream where I tried to explain myself but that didn't happen all that easily as when I opened my mouth the wrong words came out.  Weird.  This got me thinking - as I looked out the window to the sunny day - of exactly what I ate for dinner the night before?

My laundry - the first after the tree is gone... rather bare isn't it?

Well, once I was up and dressed, I stripped the bed and took the laundry basket downstairs where I opened up the curtains and put on my first load of laundry of sheets, fed Little Miss Stevie and opened up the house - as it was turning out to be a really hot day.  By 10:30am, I had gotten three loads of laundry done, eaten breakfast, paid the phone bill, checked the mail and photographed the books Mum bought me on Sunday and uploaded them onto the computer ready for My Reading List. I had also made my drink for the morning and turned on the air-conditioner to cool the room down for the computer was warming up faster than it usually did.  Yep, the day had turned out very hot!

By midday, I had turned off the computer after uploading my photo onto 365 Project, checked my e-mails, been on Facebook and Bookcrossing and checked out a few blogs I normally read.  Then, it was time to get myself into some housework.  I needed to clean the window sills and vacuum the house as I have had some big problems getting to sleep at night.  So, I grabbed two of my grottier dish clothes and a bucket of Handy-Andy and got to work.  By the time I had been around the house, the water in the bucket was black!!!  I couldn't believe how bad it was!  And this was after I went around all the skirting boards on the floors, light switches, window sills, my bedside, the bedhead and around the computer... it was disgusting how much dirt and crap that gathers around the place; especially on bookcases!  YUK!  So, now that was all cleaned, I pulled out the vacuum and gave the lounge a once over and the bedroom too!  And now, I'm hoping to be able to sleep once I go to bed tonight.  If not, well, I'm going to see what I can do about getting myself a bagless vacuum cleaner for the house - by trading in the one I have; seeing it's not doing the job it's supposed to be doing.  

An Agapanthus I was given when the trees were lopped.

During the afternoon, I found the washing was done and dry.  I left it on until later in the afternoon - hoping it would cool off - but it didn't.  Then, I sprayed Little Miss Stevie with a little bit of water!  And did she love that!  After that, I changed into some painting clothes and spent about an hour and a half by the draft by the back door painting... it was the most relaxing part of my day.

Well, tonight, there wasn't much on television; except 'Beauty and the Geek' where one of the beauties got her feelings hurt because her geek got some other bimbo's name tattooed to his butt... I don't think she realises he can get it taken off there after the whole thing is over; so I don't know why she was fussing and sooking.  Anyway, I didn't really like a lot of the girls as when it came to the education part of it, I wondered how they really get through life because none of them can spell and didn't know the basics of the English language... it was really creepy.  And the geeks were more than a bit shocked at how bad their beauties were during their schooling lives; and that these chicks didn't try to improve themselves, they just went on their ways thinking it was okay to not understand the language they spoke and used all the time.  Weird.

Well, that was my busy hot and - at times - a little frustrating day.  It's still hot but I've made the time to make up the bed and Little Miss Stevie has gone to bed without her covers on... and really she wouldn't want them on as it's too hot tonight; and it will be a right stinker tomorrow too.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.

Mega-Tired!

I'm so very tired; and it's because I've been on the go since Tuesday morning.  I was up at around 7am to turn on my hot rollers in the bathroom; then went back to bed until my 7:30am alarm went off so I could put them in and get myself ready for the Melbourne Cup Day luncheon at Lime Light Restaurant at the Logan Entertainment Centre.  And what a day that was!  I had picked out my dress, shoes, handbag and what I horses I was betting on last week and all I had to do was just get dressed that morning, put on my make-up and go as soon as I had eaten my breakfast.  Little Miss Stevie was non-too-impressed to find I was off on my own adventures on Tuesday that didn't include her.  But it was Cup Day; and that meant going out, eating a great lunch and hanging out with family.

Mum, Dad, Uncle Allan and I had a gorgeous lunch, bought into the Sweepstakes and watched the race-that-stops-a-nation and Mum and I won a bit of money from a bet we made at the TAB on the way there!  I've never lost a bet on this flutter at this time of the year; and it's always been a fun time to do it.  Otherwise, I don't gamble in any way, shape or form.

When I arrived home later that afternoon, I didn't feel like anything to eat.  So, I boiled up two eggs, made some toast and cut them into soldiers for dinner and that was what I had... basic but delicious.  Don't you love it when the most basic things from your childhood can the best things for you?  I settled in for a night of average television viewing; until I thought to get into the washing up and watching a new television series that aired on channel 11; and let me tell you:  'The American Horror Story' leaves 'Supernatural' in its wake!  I actually had problems getting to sleep last night after turning out that light... seriously!  I had to remind myself about the special effects and all the garb in it to get myself to relax enough to sleep.  It felt as though I had read one of Stephen King's books... like 'It' or 'Night Shift' before going to bed (and how dumb is that?  When I usually read his books during the day).  

Well, the alarm went off proving that I did actually get some sleep and I was up by 6:30am, showered, dressed and eating breakfast by 6:45am and getting myself ready to walk out the door to meet Mum and Dad out the front at the footpath by 7:50am... this was so Mum and I could catch the 8am (or so) bus at the Springwood Bus Station into the city.  It didn't take all that long to get into Melbourne Street Bus Station and only about 10 minutes to walk to the Conservatorium of Music (after we took some photos along the way of an awakening Brisbane City and Southbank).  We signed in, picked up our brochures and arm bands and grabbed a drink and then headed inside the auditorium.

Orrin Devinsky from NYU on the satellite conducting our first lecture.

The hilarious debate on how to treat Epilepsy - or not - that had us all laughing.

The first four speakers were great.  The first speaker was Orrin Devinsky from New York University who joined us via a satellite link and he gave a very informative lecture about treating Epilepsy over history and into now; with the medications of today as well as herbal treatments.  He compared them with what worked and what didn't; what was tested and what we shouldn't be doing with our health - basically, we shouldn't be (any of us whether we've got Epilepsy or not) using herbal remedies as though they are fully tested and true forms of medication.  It's the scientists who have done the tests who will help us the most.  

Then, there was a very humourous debate about how to treat Epilepsy; and whether is should be treated at all.  There were three for and against treating it; which had funnier results as the debate went on... and one of the people who had talked earlier, played MC and he gave out his mobile number for the people of the audience to text him with questions and comments; and what was sent to him was hilarious!  There were some serious comments that he read out and others were about the fashions the debaters wore... funny as hell.

We had lunch where a lot of acted as though they've never seen food before and just stood around the trays outside and hoarded them; not letting anyone by until the organisers picked the trays up and took them inside and served us up.  It was so weird.  By the end of lunch, I was still hungry and looking for something to eat, and people were going inside again for the last speaker.  However, this was what we were all there for:  'The Private Life of the Brain' by Susan Greenfield; a Professor from the UK.

This presentation wasn't what we thought it was going to be; in fact it wasn't what any of us thought it was going to be.  She told us that she wasn't going to get technical, but within 10 minutes she was talking about things we didn't know anything about; except the other visiting Neurologists and Neurosurgeons and scientists who all sat in the front row.  For the next hour, we felt as though we had stumbled into an advanced course at university by accident - or I woke up in the wrong auditorium, take your pick! - and a lot of us were far too polite to say anything during the talk that we didn't know what she was talking about.  We did have response sheets and so I wrote my response down very clearly that this one wasn't suitable for a return performance.  And when Mum and I were finally able to go outside to hand in our sheets, I mentioned Norman Doidge as a better choice for next time as he would be able to explain things better; and he was working on Epilepsy and Neurofeedback right now.  The two ladies there sounded interested in him.

The Temple that was given to Brisbane during Expo 88 by Nepal

A gutsy & tiny Water Dragon who kept still for me as I photographed him!

Brisbane City... what can I say... I love this city!

Mum and I wandered around Southbank for a little while to take in some fresh air and enjoy the lovely hot afternoon and take some photos of the place, then we walked to the bus stop on Melbourne Street - outside the Museum - and waited for a little while for our bus; which took about 10 - 15 minutes to take us home after we recharged our Go Cards.  About an hour after we arrived at Mum and Dad's, Mum drove me home at around 4pm.  What a big and exhausting two days I have had!  Tomorrow will be my first day off where I can sleep in and do nothing but the laundry, catch up on housework and enjoy some reading... yep, nothing like catching up on just being around the house for once and having no need to go out.  Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here. 

Favourite Photos Time - October!

This month, I took some great photos... and I can't wait to share them with you all!  There are some that have been seen on Facebook and 365 Project.  For those who are not on either of those, I thought it's only fair to put them here.

October's Something Different!

Well!  This month was certainly full of wonderful and interesting surprises.  The first was the engagement of my brother to his girlfriend of around four years, Katrina.  He popped the Big Question over in Cambodia while the floods were on and Riley was with them!  But Kat phoned me on my 38th birthday and told me!  I was totally stoked about it; a little more excited about their news than what I received for my birthday... which was an Elna 1000 sewing machine.  Now, years ago - when I was in high school - I learned to sew on one of the older models and learned to follow a pattern.  However that was yonks ago and I never thought I'd get in front of one again... so Mum and Dad thought it was a good present to get me on my birthday just before I turned 40.  I kinda turned my nose up at the machine on the day (and was more than a little upset at it that night) but then I thought about what I could do with it... and it turned to be an arty-farty thing; then it all came back to me, the learnings and teachings from Seven Hills College.

I went to my 20 Year Class Reunion on 15th, and found that I didn't know a single person for about an hour or so... but they all knew me!  I really didn't need a name tag as lots of people came up to me smiling asking how the hell I was and that I looked great!  I really didn't recognise any of them as they had changed so much.  I found out that one of guys from my Care Group had died around a year and half ago when he went deep sea fishing by himself; and only the boat came back without him.  It made the news and seeing his last name was such a common name, I didn't think it was him; but it was.  I arrived home around 11:30pm... such a great night; and it took me a few days to recover.

In recent weeks, I began adding some of my tried and true vegetarian recipes onto my blog for you all to try out.  I thought it would be a good thing for you all have go at.  Thus far, I've put up two; with more to come.

In the last few weeks, we've had birthdays upon birthdays.  First was mine - I turned 38 - then two weeks later, Gabe turned 40 (along with his best mate, Mitchell born on the same day).  And only days after Gabe's birthday, Riley - my niece - turned 12!  We had a great day with her class coming to Gabe's and Kat's house for the day to celebrate.  What a great afternoon that was.  And despite the overcast day, the kids had an absolute ball enjoying themselves with everything going well.  Us adults also enjoyed ourselves too.

Not long after Riley's birthday, I got sick.  I had sinus on that day; but then it turned really nasty and I suddenly acquired a cough and ended up at the doctors before the following Wednesday.

While I was recovering from my sinus infection, some loppers came by, knocked on my door and asked if they could remove my back fence to pull the trees through while they lopped the back neighbour's trees.  I said yeah... then realised what they were doing and tried to talk my neighbour out of getting rid of the trees completely - so did the loppers.  But we didn't get far and the trees were cut down and the stumps were ground out too.  What a waste... well, they'll figure out how hot their place will get this Summer.

Then, last Friday, Dad had his farewell from Powerlink.  He had a massive morning tea with the people he worked with and family and lots of his friends showed up.  He had worked there for 42 years and he was amazed at how much things had changed over that time.  I took a lot of photos and will post them up on Facebook soon.

This brings me to tonight.  It was Halloween tonight; and talk about quiet!  I had carved a perfectly good pumpkin, did up the house, put a scary skull on the front door and dressed up just for this occasion and nobody showed up - and I had some kick-arse lolly bags ready for kids; and some other stuff in case I had more kids than the bags I had readied.  However, none arrived and I closed up the front door before 'Supernatural' started... oh well, there's always next year I guess.  

I'm hoping it'll be totally different by that time; different kids, different area that I'm hoping to be living in and I hope to have a job by that time as well.  Anyway, I hope you had an eventful month - one worth remembering.  Until my next post 

Big Storm!

Late last night, Brisbane, Logan City and the Gold Coast were struck by a line of storms.  At first, I found I had missed out my beloved television series 'No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' so I thought to tape it; as I had been talking to some friends on the phone who had just arrived home from the UK (and they were stuck from the Qantas grounding too so had run a few hours late).  I'm just relieved they made it home through one of the other carriers. 

Anyway, I unplugged the computer from the wall as well as the modem, then turned off the television, VCR and HD box at the wall and unplugged those too - as well as unplugging the antenna.  I found that once the drain outside looked like it was handling things well, there wasn't anything else for me to do but to go to bed.

However, with the storm worsening, I found that I was searching for my reading lamp and waterproof torch just in case the lights went out.  There was so much lightning it was amazing!  I wrote a little long-hand about a story idea I had, but some arthritis that had been playing up in my left hand didn't allow for me to write for long.  So, I set up my reading lamp on my book and I spent the next hour or so reading about 1 1/2 chapters of 'The Lady of the Rivers' which I received for my birthday from my Birthday Buddy on Bookcrossing.  I was really getting into it by around 10:30pm when the landline phone rang and Dad was on the other end asking me if the drain was working well.  I mean, why call me in the middle of a violent thunderstorm with all the lightning around - when it was the most dangerous to be on the phone - and ask me that?  I know he wanted to know, but I could have told him this morning about it and not have the danger of having the phone lines struck my lightning from either end.  After all the years my parents had taught me to keep off the phone lines during thunderstorms, that it's the most dangerous time of all to be on the phone - or on a computer or online - Dad breaks that rule just to ask me a question about the drain.  It would have been safer to SMS me.

Well!  During that storm, we received a huge downpour and so much lightning, it was very exciting to watch it from my bed.  I almost put my book down just to go to the window to watch the whole storm.  But once the whole storm cell moved out to sea, taking the noise and lightning with it, I found it cooled off enough to go straight to sleep; and it was almost midnight.  Just as I drifted off, I heard sirens echoing off into the distance; and I hoped and prayed nobody was seriously hurt too badly out there during the storm.

However, this morning, when I heard the news, there was a car accident at Marsden (not far from me) where a carload of people ran into a phone pole.  The driver died from his injuries, however his passengers don't have life-threatening injuries.  The accident occurred during the height of the storm.  This makes me wonder why they were out in that kind of weather.

Brisbane's weather is becoming more volatile as the years pass.  I remember when I was young, we had some pretty hairy storms that would be the type that would hit and miss places; and I wondered if - when they disappeared - they'd return.  And now, they've returned, I have the memories of the old storms returning; like the one that hit us when I was around 12 years old.  Dad was out west and had to brought home quickly.  I remember how horrible that was; when I looked out the French Doors of the living room to the front verandah, I couldn't see the front steps; it was just a horrible white vacuum of wind.  And the noise was unbelievable!  I haven't heard anything like it since.  And even though that storm only went for around 40 minutes or so, it seem to last forever.  There was so much noise and so much to do while it was going on that I don't remember it leaving.  I do remember finding myself in my parent's bedroom praying for it to spare our house; and you know, our roof wasn't taken.  But the pins that held the tin roof on were very loose and had to be replaced.  Well, until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.

Busy Times Ahead

This week is going to be such a busy one I'm not going to have much time on here.  Seriously.  Today may be the only day I'll be here - or Thursday - and that'll be it until Saturday or Friday morning before I go running off to a job centre.

Today, I'm sitting here and my hands a still smelling of the pumpkin I carved an hour or so ago and I'm tired as hell.  It must be the overcast weather that's making me feel very tired; but I'm okay otherwise.  I've had this pumpkin sitting on top of the fridge since Wednesday waiting for me to carve it; and today, I got in and carved it.  I do love carving these pumpkins as they are so soft-skinned to carve; and they are so much fun to play with.  The smell of the gunk inside isn't all that exciting, but once you get through that and toss that out, you're okay.  

Last night, I prepared the lolly-bags; and only did up six, seeing I only get six kids that show up.  Fortunately, that's all the bags I had.  Just in case I more show, I'll have other lollies for other kids in a separate container and give them a handful of wrapped lollies and some noise-makers (it's better than nothing and me saying I don't have anything).  

This week is going to busy after All Hallow's Eve; a not because of the three day festival of the dead.  But, there's Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday where Mum, Dad, Uncle Allan and I are off to the Entertainment Centre at Logan City for a luncheon and to see the race.  I usually make a bet or two at the TAB before going to these things; and win big!  

Then, on Wednesday, Mum and I are off to the Epilepsy Symposium in the city (one of two that are on next month) where we learn more about the brain.  This time, we'll be learning about the private life of the human brain... very interesting stuff.  Lunch is included and we'll be there for the whole day; home by dusk.  

Thursday is my day of rest; where - if it's not raining, I'll get in and do my laundry and do a few things around the house and not get too frustrated about things.  But I know I'll be getting another early night; especially seeing there's nothing on that night on the television.  Then, on Friday afternoon, I have a job hunting day at CRS at Springwood.  It ought to be good and interesting at the same time.  

By Saturday, I'm sure I won't want to know anything about what's going on outside as I'll be too stuffed to do anything but sleep.  And if it's pouring rain, that'll be even better!  So, that's the plan for the week:  get a lot of sleep, early nights and try to eat well enough to keep the cold I caught last week away from me for good.  Sounds good?  Thought so.  Until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remembered I'm always here.