Last Days

It's the last day for the Christmas Rush and I hope everyone has survived it this year without too much hassle. 

I'm going okay I guess.

The car is wash, waxed, polished, cleaned and the stuff under the bonnet looks good too. Then, I took it for a drive and nearly got cleaned up on Springwood Road because a driver backed out of their driveway and didn't look where they were going. On such a wide road - where there's a huge emergency stopping lane - you'd think they'd pull into the curb before joining the traffic. But they stuck the butt of their car right out into my lane and I couldn't stop, so I had no choice but to swerve and blow the horn. It was scary and yet I wondered what would have happened if the road was more crowded... it wouldn't have gone as well as it did.

Anyway, today, I took the time to do what I needed to get done. The presents are all packed up and ready to go to my cousin's house tomorrow night. I have the makings of a pasta salad all ready in the fridge; just to throw together and take with me in my Corningware dish (I just hope nobody scratches the crap out of it) or drops it. 

And tonight, I almost got all the first bit of the Lake Como tapestry completed! I'm so pleased! It looks so great! Well, I hope you have all finished up working on what needs to be done. Until my next post, take care, stay safe this holiday season and remember, I'm always here. Merry Christmas!

Last Minute Craziness!

Okay, who hasn't finished their Christmas Shopping? Put your hands up... I knew it, there's some of you out there who leave it until the last minute.

I don't.

I started looking around at present ideas for Christmas during the mid-year sales. Then, in September, I start buying presents for Christmas... or making them... then, it gives me time to save up for the big ticket items people really want or need. And I always buy my presents last; that's so if I miss out on my presents, I can buy them at the after-Christmas sales.

But then, at this time of year - two or three days before the big guy shows up, I'm usually at home painting, reading, writing or watching movies. It's the best time to stay home and not go to the shops. This year, I've been going out to friends houses and cooking with them. Otherwise, I'm working on paintings and a huge tapestry of Lake Como. It's nice to just chill out and not do anything stressful for the next few days, unless I'm going out to see the Christmas Lights at night or checking the mail (and trust me, that's nothing too interesting). 

I'm hoping to just enjoy my time with my family over Christmas as one of the neighbours in the complex isn't here for this week - our week has been very quiet, when normally it's noisy. I'm looking forward to having a day or so to myself where I don't spend too much money on my groceries and put quite a bit of money away next week into my ANZ account before the New Year (as I've missed a few weeks lately). 

Otherwise, I am looking forward to working on a novel, editing some Flash Fiction and reading a couple of books over the few days I'll be at the coast for a bit. It's always nice to be able to get away for a while... I do look forward to coming home to my own bed though. Isn't it funny that when you head off to the holiday at the beach or the country, the one thing you really miss is your bed? Yeah, I find that interesting too. 

At least I don't have the last-minute craziness most people do. I've been a very organised person at this time of year because of how I've had to live on a such a tight budget. I sent off my Christmas Cards around mid-November. By then, I have got around 80% of my Christmas Shopping done and hidden in a part of the house, the wrapping paper has been bought the year before and there's plenty of sticky tape and labels. All I have to do in the month of December is send off an ornament to my Ornament Exchange Buddy (from Bookcrossing) and then buy a new decoration for the house from the Christmas Shack. It's a thing I'm doing each year... I'm hoping to do the whole house up to be totally Christmas-y in about five years - seeing I've found this place!

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I'll still be posting here before the New Year is upon us. I just thought to get those wishes in before I forgot to say them. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Only A Week Away!

Christmas is only a week away and I'm finished.

I'm finished with my Christmas shopping, card sending, and decorating for the month. I'm not going anywhere for anyone at all for the next week. I have presents for everyone in the immediate family; and if I have found a present for one of my cousins or Aunts well, they're lucky!

For the next week, I'm going to be here at my place reading, writing, tidying up and putting things away... it's going to be a stinker of a week and I don't wish to move anywhere (unless I have to) and it's going to be a good week of me not moving unless I need to.

I'll be doing a modeling gig, but that's to get me out of my comfort zone and get me into modeling again... and that's a good thing for the coming New Year.

Otherwise, the one rule I always stand by with every Christmas is: never go near a shopping centre the week before Christmas. Those places are just too damned crowded for me; and I hate crowds to the point where I either can't breath or you'll find me outside sitting on a seat staring into space because it bothers me that much.

I have had this problem with crowds so much I avoid art openings, the city and night clubs (the latter has other problems that have to do with my health; but that's another blog post). So, crowds aren't really a good thing for me... I only just made it through last New Year's Eve as the crowds at a street party wasn't too bad - except the clowns (yep, hate clowns - stop laughing, it's a real fear) who I really didn't wish to run into there. 

Crowds of any kind exhaust the crap out of me. I went out to lunch with friends and I was good at the beginning of it when there weren't that many people around. However, when the place was full to the brim with people at surrounding tables, I started to get tired. It started feeling as though I was being crushed slowly from the outside. We decided to leave at the right time; as when I arrived home, all I wanted to do was sleep. 

So, all the Christmas shopping bothers me because people rush, push and become rude. It's just how it works out. It's strange though: when I do a market, as a retailer, it's a different thing for me. My table keeps the crowds from bother me. I'm behind my table - where it's nice, neat and tidy - and crowds are on their own side where they can annoy each other. So, attending a market as a retailer is a totally different thing... it's exhausting, but it's a physical exhaustion, not a mental exhaustion. 

Anyway, I digress.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I'll still be here for a bit until the New Year when I may not be doing as many posts for the first week or so. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

A Very Smelly Week

Phew! And Gack! 

That's what I can say about this week as my folks are home a day early for doctor's appointments and to clean up after the power company - in their infinite wisdom - disconnected the electricity to rework the wires on the street for the new building across the road. Then, the day they were working on it, they didn't reconnect their power... well, we didn't get the letter until yesterday; and so missed out on being told completely.

Due to the heat wave and the storms - which kept me at my place - I didn't get to their place until yesterday afternoon... and it was then I noticed an overpowering stench. I thought it was a dead possum... or some poor dead rodent... which had become stuck under the house. I never thought the power hadn't been reconnected; let alone disconnected!

So, I madly made phone calls to my folks, they raced up the coast, while they organised for the power to be restored to their now-smelly house. And today? Well, my Mum and Dad were still working on getting rid of the rancid food from all three fridges and the chest freezer. And seeing they were up until 2am last night, they're just running on adrenaline.

However, Energex won't own up to their problems in how this has affected them. This would affect anyone - and it does! My Dad thinks it's not right to expect people to just be around for the electricity company to drop by and disconnect the power, then come back for them to reconnect it. It's not something people do, and it's not something we would expect of others.
But Energex expected us to do this; and it's unfair to expect us to be home all the time just because this was going on. I mean, if my folks had been on a 4 month overseas holiday and I didn't live close to them, what would have gone on then? In 4 months they would have come home to a house infested with ants, cockroaches and spiders and would have had to replace all their appliances because they wouldn't work.

This is a problem which isn't going to go away. We, the public must do something about it. We have to make sure the electricity industry work for us because they provide electricity to us - and we pay a lot of money for it; and yet still get told how it's going to work from them. Instead of them working to our timetables and working us - the people who keep them in a job - the big companies are treating the public as though we don't have a say.

My folks had food in that large freezer that they were going to use for Christmas Day. Now, they have no food at all! Their insurance company won't help them, and now Energex won't help them - nor will Origin. This is beyond a joke. We must do something to make these industries look at what they are doing. Instead of expecting us to be around when they are doing work, they have to figure out if somebody is home, ask if they're going to be there, make phone calls, email people (this is the age of the internet, after all!) and get on the side of the public who they're going inconvenience. 

Because if they don't, what else are we going to allow them to get away with?  

Christmas Craziness

It's crazy at this time of year, isn't it?

Sure it is! Everyone is out in the heat or the freezing cold trying to buy that unique gift for that unique person in the family - and you can't quite find it.

Well, I've finished the Christmas shopping over the weekend just gone and am happy with everything I've managed to purchase... okay, I fib, I haven't bought  everything this year - I haven't bought myself my major gift; that's waiting for next week when I get paid.

However, isn't every Christmas crazy? It seems that every year that goes by, it become harder and harder to just simply go out and buy that simple thing you want to buy. No matter how early you leave the house, there are people out there who are doing exactly what you are just to 'beat the rush'. It's become a total nightmare to just do your grocery shopping because school holidays have started and kids 'are bored' within a week or two. 

And is it me, or have P Plater drivers become the biggest idiots on the roads and in car parks lately? They have the brand new, up-to-date cars and yet they'll park them just about anywhere (and block off half a lane of traffic - yes I'm talking about something that happened at Garden City on Saturday where a red P Plater parked on a yellow striped area and blocked off half a lane in a brand new Barina... when people told her it was illegal, she laughed at us. Little did she know that her insurance doesn't cover it when you're illegally parked; especially when you knowingly park illegally - oh well, her loss). I've seen so many P Platers zig-zag in the traffic and act as though the vehicles they're cutting off aren't as heavy as they think - especially trucks. A lot of P Platers can't make up their minds of where they're going... left... right... oh, wait! I'll go strai- left!... without indicating and all the while, they're playing with their hair or talking to their friends in the car. We know it's great you have this independence, but it'd be better if you actually paid attention to the road and got yourself and your friends - not to mention your car - to your destination in one piece, not stuff around wondering where you're going or trying to cause accidents.

Now, I don't mind driving on the roads - in fact I love driving - but since I have gotten a dash cam, it's been something I've noticed about other drivers. They will blame everything on you, right up until you point out that you have a dash cam; then they're gone! And at this time of year, when people are extra-crazy, it's harder to be a nice person on the road. 

Well, I really do hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. I wish you all the best of health and in the hopes you are safe and on the roads while you're out Christmas Shopping - as I try to be. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Haven't Stopped This Week

This week, I haven't had a day to myself.

It's been a familiar tune, hasn't it? Well, okay, not familiar, but happening more often. The closer we get to Christmas, the busier we all become.

This week, I had craft group on Monday, with a very sore tooth. I had no idea at the time that I had damaged my gums a few weeks ago. But eating had become almost impossible. Anyway, I just didn't eat anything much for about three days... mainly I drank milk, water and cold tea and yoghurt because they didn't hurt my mouth. 
Tuesday had me out and about at the NaNoWriMo meeting at the Logan Central Library, where I wrote about 2,000 words with another writer. We really got chugging along there. Emily finished her book, whereas I got my characters caught in a storm - not a bad writing session.
Wednesday was the longest shopping day on record. I went to the dentist, found out I had damaged the gum above my sore tooth with a toothbrush bristle (who would have thought I could do that!). Then the dentist asked me if I had used a harder brush, and I said I may have once a few weeks ago, and he said that's what did it. Well... okay. I was relieved to know I didn't need to have the tooth out.
Grocery shopping was done, and then I did some Christmas shopping and I arrived home. By that time, it was around 2pm! Woah! What a day!
Thursday had me up at 6am to put a few things away and do a couple of loads of laundry as the day started. In the afternoon, my folks and I took off to see my niece, Riley, off to her formal/prom and she looked wonderful! She and her date were driven in a 1962 Impala! What a car! Afterwards, my brother and his girlfriend, Mum, Dad and I were off to the Nundah Hotel to have dinner. We arrived home at around 8:30pm. 
Yesterday, I had an appointment at the Chiropractors. I did more laundry and started tidying up the house for Christmas. I bought some cheap streamers for outside the house (five streamers for $5.00 - what a deal!). When I arrived home, I was so tired!
Today, I slept in. After such a long and busy week, I didn't really want to get out of bed. But I needed to. I put all the craft gear where the tree was going to be set up upstairs wardrobe in my bedroom. Then, I moved a few things around, put the rubbish out, organised the coffee and washed up a few things before I made more easy-yo yoghurt and then made breakfast... yep, I've been busily working away at housework before breakfast. Now, it's afterwards, I just want to chill out this weekend and enjoy myself. 

What a week! Was your week as busy as mine? I hope so - or if you're busy enough as it is, I hope you found time to chill out. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

It's Been A Week

I've been meaning to write something for over a week now, and then something up came up; and I couldn't write for another reason... then the next thing I knew I had a whole weekend flit by and now, it's Wednesday (a hot and horrible one, where we are now waiting for a storm to cool us off) and still I haven't written a damned thing.

I guess John Lennon had it right: 'Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.' 

Boy did he hit the nail on the head! 

But really, I haven't had a day to myself in almost 3 weeks. Two weeks ago, I finished fixing up my Great-Grandmother's wash table and brought it home... so it's all done and dusted (except for the back and the arms). Then, Dad came around to look at my kitchen tap and the side car port door - which needed fixing in a big way. The tap took only a few hours, but the door took a longer time. 
Then, in between all that, I had volunteer work at the gallery, shopping bills to pay and other things to work on around the house - like my grocery shopping to do, laundry and washing up as well as putting away laundry when I could. 

It's been getting hotter as well... man the weather has been weird. First freezing cold, then boiling hot... and it's only Spring! 

The Melbourne Cup was amazing! One of my horses came in 3rd and so I didn't win much money. Oh well, next time. At least I won something.

Then, Dad finished up with the door and I started watering the lawn twice a day as the weather turned really hot... and if it's going to be this hot now, it makes me wonder just how much hotter is it going to get? Not too much hotter I hope... it's going to hit almost 40 degrees Celsius this week; and that's our Summer normally.

Well, I'm doing NaNoWriMo this month and I'm clocking along with that really well this time around. My book this year is a time travel one - kind of like Jack Finney's way of writing - and so I hope it works out well enough to be looked into by somebody. I have been going to NaNoWriMo meetings this year, as there's some going on around Logan this time - as most years, they're around Brisbane city and not on the outskirts. I hope to work it out better and work on some serious writing at my next meeting. Well, that's what I've been up to lately. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Over Forty and Letting Go

I'm beginning my third year of my 40's and have found the longer I'm around, the less things surprise me... actually a lot about the world disgusts me.

Over the past week, I've decided to sell off over 40 books from my huge collection. This is mainly a set of 52 books - with their own magazines - which were sold as a newsagents' collectors thing. You know the kind of thing it is: it started way back in the early 60's and has been going on ever since. You buy the first magazine with a piece for a discounted price, then the following week, you buy the next one with another piece at the full price of $9.99 and the following week, you buy the next and the next... until you have a full collection of books, or you've built the Eiffel Tower or you've built a model Mustang... or whatever it is you've been promised by those companies to have in your hot little hands by the end of the year.
Well, that's what it was for books. I was given a collection of 52 books - with magazines - for Christmas one year and they were these types of books. I had them for a long time and now, I've noticed that I have doubled-up on some of those classic books. So, I'm selling that 52-book set. 

It just makes sense doesn't it? You get rid of and sell what you no longer need. You whittle down the possessions until you just have those things that make you happy... no matter what it may be.

I have my painting, my books, my gardening, my furniture refurbishing... I love music and have a 1970's style house, but then there's always a time when I jump in and just throw away a pile of clothes, a collection of things I just don't look at anymore (or use) and it makes me feel better. I have more room and I don't fill that space up... instead it's just there to be enjoyed. 

Yep, I'm getting to that age where I want the extra bedroom for my craft gear, and yet, I'm throwing out what I really don't need anymore. It feels great. I never thought throwing out or giving away things would feel this good... but it does. What have you done in your life that makes you feel wonderful? Cleaning out a space does it for me. I'm begun to be good at being brutal with myself when it comes to letting go of things a now; but I never used to be. It all takes practice. If it wasn't for Peter Walsh, I wouldn't be as strict about my cleaning out as I am now. But really, I have to be in the right mood and zone to do it. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Busy Weeks

It's always good when life gets busy, isn't it?

I've been trying to work on my decluttering more again and it's working out for the best. I've gotten rid of 5 drinking mugs and replaced them with a set of 7 Mexican Glass wine glasses. I fell in love with them at Vinnies; and knew they'd look great in my kitchen... and I'd use them as well.

Then, I've wrapped up and gotten rid of some smaller glasses which I don't have a place for anymore. I just simply don't use them for anything; and so I have given them to Mum to give them to the right people. Anyway, I didn't know until it was almost too late that the set of 5 glasses with apples on them have a large jug that goes with them; so I'll have to get that to Mum as well (and thus freeing up more of my cupboard too). 

Otherwise, I'm painting, creating and getting into my gardening again. With Summer on the way, everything is growing faster in the hotter weather. And the best thing is that there's been some rain hanging around too; which means the gardens are getting fed too. I'm still watering, but with the rain coming at the right times, this means I don't have to water so much.

My brother's birthday was yesterday and my niece's birthday is on Saturday. So, we went out last night for a seafood feast at Sandgate. It was great! My brother loved the rough-cut serving platter I gave him made from Camphor Laurel and the pressies I gave Riley were perfect for her - she just loves them all! 

Yep, it's been busy, but a good busy for this fortnight. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

What's Life Without A Little Craziness?

There's been a few sleepless nights around here since my birthday last week - actually before that - but then, I'm not too worried about this. 

Every so often people around here - one person in particular - does some stupid things. And yet, he goes and blames everyone around him instead of sitting down and realising it's his life that is a mess. 

You see, I've had these dramas before when I first moved in here; and I've lived here long enough to not let things bug me, to let go of the wrong people and let the right people stick around in my life... this particular neighbour has still yet to learn this.

And this surprises me.

In a place like this, very little surprises me.

Anyway, after having apples thrown at my house because I asked him to turn down his music or close the door, then snapping at his visitor (because he's stalking my next door neighbour and stressing her out), I told the right people and tried not to worry.

Two nights later, on my birthday, I had settled in late - really late - when this particular, dramatic neighbour had a visit from his ex-girlfriend. She picked a fight, and it was on for young and old with those two. They had a screaming match in his house - throwing things and calling each other names - and she left. But instead of him staying indoors and sulking (like any normal person does), he followed her out to her car and really started in on her.

Jeez... 

Well... I won't go into detail too much; as you can well imagine what happened then. Of course it went from bad to worse and their domestic went and woke up most of the neighbourhood... the police showed up and took him away (after the fight was over). 

Exactly why people do this is beyond me. But really, it get a little old when you get past 40 and you've seen this a few times in your life; and don't really want to be around it anymore.

But then, what is life without a little craziness? It's boring, solitary and very sheep-like (you know, very same and grey-looking). I don't mind a little craziness, but there's a time for it and a time to leave things be. Then, there's a time to do something about that person who is always turning life into a drama. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.