Tuesday, February 28, 2006

blogism

I thought I'd try something which Agent 713 had in her blog. The age is came up with was 32. Just 2 days shy. Not bad.

You Are 32 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

In review

Yesterday was a fairly ordinary day. Nath and I went shopping after dropping the kids at school and picking up TJ a school swim cap. We tried to buy Nath shoes, but couldn't find anything decent that I could afford. We did the banking and had morning tea in the food court. Came home, had a little rest. DH woke up from night shift and looked after Nath and got BMW from the bus while I took TJ to dance solo lesson and then swimming training. We came home had dinner, bathed and bed.

Oh and we had cake. Yummy blackforest cake. Why? Cause it was my birthday yesterday. That was the only bit of the day that wasn't ordinary. It was real nice to be remembered by a few. DH got 3 gifts, 1 for each of the kids to give to me. Undies - a pack of 3 boring mummy undies, a weird green t shirt with this dude on the front, and Desperate Housewives season 1 box set. I am totally blown away that he actually spent money on that!

My Mum had dinner with us. Gregs folks sent a card and gift voucher. I got a card from my dad 1 e-card (thanks V!) and 1 email from a SIL in Melbourne who sent it in the middle of the night because she forgot, and 1 email from an old boyfriend.

Why am I telling you this? Well not to make you feel bad that you forgot or didn't know, but because we make such an effort to recognise the outlaws birthdays and I keep saying to DH, particularly in reference to one SIL is: what is the point? They aren't going to remember mine anyway. And true enough, they didn't. Not even my own sibling. Lousy brother.

One lady as the school swimming carnival today said "Ay! Was it your birthday yesterday?" Well yeah it was. Its the same time every year, and you only just figured it out because TJ must've just said something.

So from one ordinary day to the next. Thats life being Mum I guess.

Today was TJ's first school swimming carnival. Since I am Mum I'm going to bore you with her results.

Age race, 50m Freestyle - 2nd
50m Breaststroke, - 3rd
50m Backstroke - 2nd
100m Freestyle - 4th
50m Butterfly - 3rd

I'm very proud of my girl and the fact that she went in all those races and tried her best. Even kicked her feet and streched her arms ( we've been working on that)

What will an ordinary tomorrow bring? Oh yeah, coordinator coaching.

Later!

Sunday, February 26, 2006

By jo, I think shes got it! My WHY

One of the things raised at Showcase (our Creative Memories convention) was WHY.

Why do I do what I do? Why do I keep doing what I do? What is my WHY?

Well I initially thought it was monetary. I really want to do this to make some money, help my lovely DH support our family and make life a little bit easier.

Then I saw that glint (if you're a consultant, I'm sure you know the one I mean) in one of my customers eyes and I thought, well maybe I like making that happen too - the glint that is.

Then this week I had a new customer stop in. She'd been to a few classes. She was struggling and definately not confident. I assured her, this week sit next to where I stand and I'll help you as much as I can.

At the class yesterday I hardly needed to help. A short while into the class She Got IT. It clicked. And away she zoomed. It was amazing. Just watching her growth and instant change was beautiful. She also came to my workshop last night. It was head down and pages done. They're not over the top, highly stylish or glamourous, but she is using the tools, getting everything stuck in and completing her pages.

I'm thinking while I still need the money, this is a nice bit of WHY to have as well.

Saturday, February 25, 2006

A positive Saturday

This is off the cmc network, but I've posted it here because we all need some positive vibes now and then.

A thought from 'Barb and the FDMs'...

Think positive thoughts, they become your words.
Speak positive words, they become your actions.
Do positive actions, they become your habit.
Practise positive habits, they become your character.
Have a positive character, it becomes your destiny!


Have a positive Saturday
Cheers
Wendy

Friday, February 24, 2006

The highs the lows

This week has been one of highs and lows. From the low of trying to get to Showcase, to the high of the band at the gala dinner, the coming down when trying to get home, and lower once at home. To finally getting some energy back about Wednesday, to doing too much work yesterday, not sleeping last night because so many ideas were swimming around my head, and then BMW painting on the walls this afternoon - and no this was not a planned thing, and I was not impressed. Amazingly I managed to get it off the walls, tiles, benchtop, and the inside of the lenses of my goggle. Why you would paint in there I have no idea. A great achievement was that I actually got him to admit to doing it after everyone claimed it wasn't them. So since I'm about to scoot off to ballet (with the boys - yuk) and then we have swim club tonight. I am going to leave you with my story of how I got to showcase. I wrote this when I finally got on the train to get to Sydney. Its full of emotion, but its my story and this is my blog.

Cheers

Off to Showcase

Its been a giant rush this morning. I got my bag packed. I got TJ’s dancing clothes ready. 3 sets for the next 3 days. I got Nathan to preschool. And then all hell broke loose.

I got the kids to check on my laptop what time the train was going while I collected my last couple of things. Like money. The small stuff I keep for change for when someone pops in to buy something. I figured there’d be at least $20 worth of coins, and $40 in notes. Enough to catch the country train to Sydney.

So while in the midst of getting the money out the phone rang. It ended up being my UL to see how I was going. In a hurry I said. A quick look at the train timetable confirmed if I got the kids school bus, I would make the 9:25am train to Sydney. It would get me there at 11am. Plenty of time to walk to Museum and then make it to Darling Harbour for lunch.

So I hang up the phone. Write a lunch order for the kids, get their morning tea. Stuff the last couple of things in my bags. Go to go out the door and go... Oh no where is my handbag?

I do the mad search. Look all the regular places. Where could I have put it when I came in from dropping Nath at preschool? I go look in the car. Its not there. The bus is due. I send the kids to the corner so they don’t miss the bus. Like good children they wait at the corner and don’t cross the road.

I’m still searching like mad. All the same places all over again. I was getting in a mad flurry and all worked up. I check the kids. They are still waiting at the corner. TJ was saying come on Mum, you’re going to miss the bus whats wrong? Then the bus comes. I run to the corner, hold their hands and cross the street with them. I tell them I’ll see them on Sunday. No big goodbyes. They’re on the bus and gone. My neighbour who was waiting at the bus stop said, oh I wasn’t sure if I should take them across the road or not. Yeah thanks.

So I go back to searching. Try to clear the mind a little. I paid preschool fees at the counter when I dropped of Nath. I must’ve brought it home with me. I’ll have to ring UL and tell her I’m going to be late. Can’t the phones in my handbag and that’s where her number is. Oh IDEA! Ring my mobile. If its here the bag will ring and then I can find it.

Well why did I not think of that sooner???? My handbag was sitting on the ironing board where I had put it when I went to get my money out. Because the phone had rung I got distracted. And walked away from it. And then in my mad flurry of checking all the usual places I didn’t go that far into the loungeroom.

OK so now I had everything. Out the front door. Lock the door and off to the bus stop. Check that the car is locked as I’m walking out the driveway. Not its not. Since I’d been in and out so many times looking for my handbag I’d forgotten to lock it. Quickly back inside, grab the car keys. Lock the car. Relock house. Walk quickly down to the main road and the bus stop which will take me to the station.

You know how you get that feeling that the bus is just around the corner and you are about to miss it? I ran. Towing suitcase, loaded with CM album bag on top, backpack on my back and handbag looped over arms.

I missed the bus by 20 feet. I was running and waving my arms. The people on the bus were looking at me. Not one of them told the driver. He did not stop. The tears start.

There’s a taxi. It goes the other way. I live in the country. A taxi is a rare thing. And it goes the other way. More tears.

So I start to walk. I figure my only chance is getting to the highway and getting a bus from there to the station. It would be an hour before another bus came through where I was.

So I’m walking, dragging my bags. Backpack on back. At first there’s a footpath. Then theres no footpath but smooth road where they are building the rest of the estate. Then theres the old potholed country road. Uneven and gravelly. Its 3km to the bus stop. Its 31 degrees celcius and very muggy. I am sweating so much its not funny. I’m trying really hard not to be upset.

I finally make it the highway. I cross it and walk half looking backwards to the bus stop. You know how you do that walk. Walking forwards and constantly checking over your shoulder in case that bus comes and you miss it again because you are not at the stop?

I make it to the bus stop and my mobile goes. It my UL again. Checking if I’m ok. No not really. Here comes the bus I gotta go. This is the point where gravity decides to take over and my bags hit the dirt. Not happy. My laptop is in there. I quickly grab them up and wave madly at the bus. The blinker is not going on. I wave even more and the hands were moving into that praying position PLEASE!

So the bus stops. It’s a red bus. Its going to The Entrance. It has to go thru Wyong where the train is. The bus driver says I’m sorry I’m not allowed to pick you up. Major tears on my behalf. I am red in the face, covered in sweat. I finally make it to a bus stop with a bus and you’re not going to take me???

I blabble out that I’ve already missed two buses. The tears are streaming down my face. OK OK he says, gets out of his seat and takes my bags on board. He explains that it’s a Busways bus stop (another company) and that he’s not allowed to pick up anyone from it. So I tell him that busways has already not picked me up because I missed the stop from 20m. He tries to tell me that buses have timetables and if I was late it was my own fault. So I tell him I’ve just walked 3km to get to this bus stop dragging all my stuff. That shuts him up. Plus the tears are still coming down my face.

So he takes me to the station. There was an elderly lady on the bus. She’s really nice and says its ok dear. We tend to get very worked up when we’re hurrying. She waits for me to buy a ticket and we take the elevator together up to the overpass so we can get on the right platform. It turns out that she didn’t know how to work an elevator. Didn’t know what buttons to press. So I explained it to her. Also turns out that she can’t see very well and couldn’t tell what the buttons said.

So finally I’m on the train. I will be arriving 40 minutes later than intended. Not too bad I guess given the circumstances. My UL is going to meet me at the train station. Thank heavens for that because I left the address at home of where I’m now staying at. I was really worried they were going to go off to meet everyone else without me and I would be big time stuck, dragging my bags all around the city. We’re having lunch with all these other consultants I don’t know. I’ll have to eat light, unless I can find a bank and get some money out. So typical that I’m going somewhere and have no money. Well only a little.

I’m going to be real hungry by then. I haven’t had any breakfast yet. Although I’m thinking that the nuts and sultanas that spilt in my album bag when I was searching for my handbag. If I was to get them out now I could eat the spilt ones for morning tea.

Good idea 99. I’m off to eat spilt food. Yah. I’ve got plenty of time since this is an all stops train.

I keep thinking to myself. Not all bad. Still alive. Should’ve stayed with my family and looked after them. It will be ok. I will have a good time. It will be worth it Still alive. All will be ok. And then a man on the train when he heard my story said yes, its ok to be still alive, but we need quality of life too.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

A romance???

My little Nath was worried last week that he didn't know who he was going to marry. Today he came home from Preschool happy and announced he was going to marry Jessica. He said he had even already kissed her AND she kissed him back. Oh so cute!
So I blogged yesterday before DH took BMW to tennis (remember Nell, thats Darling Husband, not the other DH lol!). So anyway when he came home he brought me flowers and 2 boxes of chocies. We even had a lovely bath together after dinner with a glass of wine. So its either that ad we saw that made him guilty or me getting cross with him, unless he had it planned all along, doubtful but you can never tell. It all ended up good in the end.

Another thing I'm hoping will end up good is Showcase. Tomorrow I leave for Showcase. Today I got a phone call from one of the people sharing our room to say that her parents own an apartment at Museum and we could have it for free. So while this seems like a very generous offer there's a couple of 'flaws' shall we say.

1. you need to give 48 hours notice on the accomodation booking we already have, which is linked to my credit card and this is 24 hours notice.
2. Museum is a fair walk to darling harbour, maybe 20 minutes? Not something to be done in high heels, and definately not something to be done with a sore foot like mine, and all up hill on the way home
3. I was really looking forward to staying at Darling Harbour and meeting some of the other consultants and being able to eat out. Last year we stayed at World Tower which was a 10 minute or so walk back into the city (of Sydney) and we didn't get to eat out once, or meet anyone, it was all rush rush rush.

So I rang the accomodation people. They will charge me a one night cancellation fee, thats $409, so I said well if you are going to charge me for a night I will stay for a night. So I changed the booking to Saturday night which they agreed to.

I'm now wondering since thats more than 48 hours away, technically could I cancel the booking and not have to pay anything?

It is a shame because I was really looking forward to a little bit of luxury, enjoyment, and being in the midst of everything. Now I'll have to sleep on the floor on some old mattress to which I have to supply my own sheets and clean the bathroom and vacuum the floor before I leave. Oh joy, just what I wanted to do - NOT! Particularly since I don't even do that here. DH does most of it.

Here's hoping I have a good time.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Valentines Day

Today is Valentines Day. Nothing happening here. We went and did the food shopping together. Oh so exciting. Well a little exciting because there was a fight between some people in Coles (the food supermarket). I learnt some new words and expressions. Security had to be called to remove them.

At home while we were watching a bit of tv there was an ad going hey its valentines day have you forgotten something? Oh yeah, heh babe happy valentines day.

There's two more sleeps 'til showcase, thats getting exciting. I've already got the champagne chilled in the refrigerator. I won't forget to take it this year!

Otherwise all quiet on the home front. Chow for now.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

I wanna do it all update

I worked last night on my Wanna Do it All list. So whle there is a ton of stuff I would like to do before I do, like ringing giant church bells, visit a stack of countries, live a season in the snow, learning to surf, properly. At the time and place I am now, and being far more realistic of having goals I can look toward and achieve...so some are distant goals and some are closer goals...I'm looking more at what would make it on my dream board. So out of that list of 101 things I've got it down to 33. I should make it 34 and put climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge on there. I'll think about it.

So here's my list so far...

I Wanna Do It All

1 Get a Professional massage and/or full spa day

2 Go wine tasting at Hunter Valley Vineyards

3 Go to a day on the green

4 See a Drive in movie with my husband

5 Eat a wonderful meal out

6 See a musical

7 Go away for my birthday

8 Send birthday cards to all siblings, their spouses/children and friends (ie anyone on Christmas card list)
9 Create my family tree

10 Draft a will
11 Spend one weekend totally unplugged. No TV, No Computer

12 Take a cooking class

13 Do some crossword puzzles

14 Try pilates or yoga

15 Take a cake decorating class

16 Go snow skiing

17 Play a round of Golf
18 Buy myself flowers
19 Stay at a bed and breakfast
20 Cruise the Murray River on a house boat
21 Go up Centrepoint Tower

22 start on my list of places to see in Australia.

23 Go to New York

24 Go to Canada

25 Visit the San Diego Zoo
26 See a live horse race, preferrably the Melbourne Cup, but could start locally

27 Watch a sunrise from the light house at Byron Bay, most eastern point of Australia

28 Watch a Sunset over Western Australia
29 Go to Midnight Mass at Christmas
30 Really try to loose weight/get in better shape

31 Visit Norfold Island

32 Tour New Zealand

33 Take my children to Disneyland/world

34 BridgeClimb

When I get my dream board put together, I will upload a pic of it for you.
Cheers

Friday, February 10, 2006

Dream board/101 things to do

So I was reading Agent's blog, and she had a list of things to do before I die. I haven't thought about this in ages, since I'm kept so busy running around after everyone, but I do want to make a dream board, so I thought this might be a good place to start and to come up with some things that mean the most to me.


This is the original list 101 things to do in the next 1001 days written by another blogger

So like Agent...here are my comments:
1. Go to bar, hang out, drink alcohol by myself and enjoy it – It’s the enjoying bit I have trouble with. I don’t enjoy having to do this by myself, I always feel like a reject.

2. Play laser tag – we have paint ball out in the country, but I can’t ever see myself getting there
3. Get a Professional massage and/or full spa day – done the massage. Would love the day spa

4. Jump on a trampoline – have one in the backyard. It really doesn’t feel the same once you grown up. All your muscles go ‘what the…?’
5. Host dinner party for at least 8 –Does Christmas lunch count? If so done this one
6. Visit a museum and/or art gallery – my Dad used to work at the art gallery of nsw, so I’ve done this, and been to the maritime museum and other museums in Sydney
7. Go to Rein Faire in Full Costume – have no idea what this may be

8. Sleep in a water bed – slept in one for many many years. Finally ditched it because its so hard to breastfeed in one
9. Make note of where I am when my car turns 100,000 miles well 100,000kilometres. I think I was driving to work. Theres now 250,000km on my little car.

10. Visit a planetarium don’t have them here


11. Participate in a wine tasting and/or winery tour done them both at Hunter Valley Vineyards

12. Do a High Tea somewhere – as in scones and jam and tea? Done it but with orange juice as I’m not a tree drinker
13. Play chess – yes but not very good at winning
14. See a Drive in movie – The first movie I ever saw was with Kermit the Frog at the drive in at Caringbah. I think I might’ve seen grease there too. We saw lots of movies at the drive in. Now there’s a supa centre and hardware store there.

15.

16. Play blackjack at a casino I have no idea how to play blackjack. I am not a betting person. I prefer my money in my pocket

17. Make homemade ice cream done this one lots of times. We used to have a home ice cream machine

18. Try 10 new food (like seafood/etc) – I’ve tried lots of stuff, and love a lot of it. I think I would really need to travel to accomplish this one

19. See a musical – I love seeing musicals, I’ve seen quite a few prior to children and cash flow restrictions.
20. Ride in a taxi – done this one lots of times

21. Have my fortune read – won’t ever be doing this one
22. Go away for my birthday –While I was away for some of my birthday last year, it would be nice to be away on holiday, not at a conference

23. Throw my sister a 40th birthday party – Well I don’t have a sister, but my DH just turned 40 this week and I threw him a surprise party last weekend

24. Vist my fathers grave site –My dad is still live and kicking. I do need to change it to read, visit father. But that also includes an interstate holiday and themeparks
25. Send birthday cards to all siblings, their spouses/children and friends (ie
anyone on Christmas card list) – this is my dream. DH’s Aunt who died last year always did this. I wish I was that organized.

26. Attend my 20 high school reunion (Am I showing my age?) – so that’s in a few years. We haven’t had any reunions yet.

27. Go Christmas caroling – we go to Carol by Candelight. No one roams the streets singing here
28. Get wisdom teeth pulled – done.
29. Get AIDS test –done
30. Ask for a raise – did this, didn’t work!

31. Work on an election campaign – no politics for me thanks
32. Watch or rewatch all moves on AFI top 100 list – err no thanks
33. Create my family tree – working on this one. Much easier said than done
34. Draft a will really need to do this since I have children and all. I have tried. Its really hard to do

35. Collect all 50 US State Quarters (last one might be hard to get in Sept 2008) – Have 26/50…will have to rework this one. I do have some aussie coins.

36
37. Go a week without watching television – done, need to do it more often :P
38. Spend one weekend totally unplugged. No TV, No Computer, No Phone – no phone…that’s hard, I’ve done the other two…wait, just a weekend? Oh yeah, been there done that.
39. Fast for 24 hours – only when I’ve been sick

40. Be in audience of a game show or talk show and/or try out for a game show or reality show been in the audience of Autralias Funniest Home Video’s with Graham Kenedy. Also tried out for a game show late last year. I didn’t get on, wasn’t knowledgable enough!

41. Get ear training lessons to be able to hear pitch – no thanks

42. Learn to cook 10 new dishes- I’ve done this how many times?
43. Play with a handbell choir – a what?
44. Do 25 different crossword puzzles can we start? I can’t ever finish them. See above about not being knowledgable enough…
45. Take a Self Defense Class – did that in high school

46. Fire a gun – no thanks
47. Take Ballroom Dancing Lessons – did this in high school too

48. Take real swimming lessons (learn proper backstoke, kick turn) – used to do squad at 5am prior to children

49. Leave to drive a stick shift I can do this. I can also drive a column shift which was my friends parents car when we were 17. They couldn’t drive it or hill start it so I used to drive when we went out

50. Try yoga – done this when pregnant and after baby. Not a good thing when your bits have been stretched everywhere.

51. Take a cake decorating class – I would love to learn how to make those little roses
52. Learn to use chopsticks – Actually I’m pretty darn good with them already
53. Learn to shuffle – I played shuffleboard on a cruise liner when I was young
54. Take a refresher First Aid course – done this one many times
55. Learn how to play pinochle – huh?

56. Try to Ski – water ski and snow ski accomplished
57. Take a spinning class – as in with a spinning wheel? My grandmother used to spin and showed me how when I was little
58. Try Golf – have my own golf clubs, just need the time to use them
59. Buy a new car – 3times already

60. Get hair colored professionally (or highlighted or perm) done
61. Bikini wax – err no thanks
62. Buy a new condo (or house) – done

63. Have Professional Shopper help me pick clothes (maybe 5 outfits?) I would have to go stateside for this to happen, lol

64. Get 5 outfits custom tailored but they can’t ever make them longer can they?
65. Use Peapod for grocery delivery (Once as a treat) err had Woolies shop at home, does that count?
66. Buy myself flowers - done
67. Stay at a bed and breakfast – this would be great!
68. Go to Las Vegas – It’s on the list
69. Go to Austin Texas in the Spring - well I would like to go to Texas, is that the same thing?
70. {Need To Come Up With Something - What was originally here was a duplicate with 82}

71. Shop at the Mall of America – well I would need to find out where this is…
72. Make list of 25 places must visit in CT and do them all – change to 25 places in Australia. Though could probably make it 50 places there’s so much I want to see

73. Stay overnight in NYC – just one night? Not nearly enough
74. Go to Bostonoh yeah!

75. Stay overnight at the Casino – if it was Vegas where else would u stay?

76. Visit the San Diego Zoo missed doing this last time
77. See a live horse race – yes might work on this one this year, even if its local
78. Perform in dance recital or contest – done
79. Watch a sunrise – done, but I need to do it again
80. Watch a Sunset – all the time. Love sunsets

81. Attend a Bonfire – done
82. Take a trip by train done
83. Take a trip by bus – Done
84. Go to Midnight Mass – that would be cool, Christmas Eve might be a fun time
85. Attend Sunrise Easter Service – Sure, why not

86. Give Blood – must do this
87. Volunteer XX hours or events done lots of this

88. Tithe to charities of my choice for a year tithe?
89. Collect and then bring to bank’s free Coinstar machine $1000 in change err need to change this one

90. Participate (not as a volunteer) in a 5K – is this a run? Me thinks not!


91. Go a week without using a computer – I’ve done it. Gone without SS that long too!
92. Get Married – done
93. Participate in a team sport for a season –done
94. Send myself a postcard home whenever I leave town. Make them into a nice scrapbook at the end of this – would need to leave town to do this one

95. Really try to loose weight/get in better shape –e rrr yeah…

96. Tell a boy I love him done!
97. Walk through a corm maize would have to find where they grow corn!
98. Buy GPS system for car. If portable, use to go geocaching – no that’s ok

99. Visit Grand Canyon – wouldn’t that be nice
100. Visit Niagara Falls – again would be nice
101. Attend Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – would need to find where this is

So I'm going to review my list. Get some ideas for my dream board and go from there. I'll get back to you as I progress.

UFO update

11 pages done, 18 to go. I have to stop as my eyes and back are hurting and the kids are about to come home from school. I have to do the dishes, afternoon and get ready for dancing and swimming tonight. Not a bad effort for today.

UFO's

After V mentioned about her UFO's (unfinished objects) its prompted me to work some more on my album. My current project is the 2005 album, july-december. I had this morning 29 pages to do titles for and journal on. All the pictures are stuck in.

I have just completed 6 pages! This is a good feeling, if not a little slow because I've been helping Nath blow up balloons - they're great to watch fly around the room when you let them go, and helping him get started on some educational computer games, sadly on my laptop, but what can a mum do? He's sitting next to me, learning and I'm scrapping.

I will update later.

The haircut

OK, I'm caving, as much as I hate looking at my own photo, I am showing you the results of the haircut. Plus I actually 'did' my hair this morning. I should've done the whole makeup thing, but you will get the idea.
















I have been busy scrapping, I've got about 20 pages to title and journal, so when I've done a few I will share some of them too.
Lata!

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

A sad night

Watched the 6th Sense tonight on tv. It made me so sad. I was already pretty sad because I yelled at my children lots tonight. Well the elder two anyway. TJ was in tears. Nath exited to bed. And BMW just stood and took it. And I was right in his face. They can just make me so mad. Which makes me so sad that I get so mad. I definately am not having good coping skills today.

The boys haven't stopped fighting. I know restling is a boy thing to do, but they just won't stop. Not even in public. BMW keeps lying to me. They keep watching these rubbish cartoons in the morning and then I have to rush rush rush to try and get them to the bus on time. And then they are forgetting stuff that they could have easily packed during the hour or two that they were watching tv. Sigh.

In the few days they've been back to school their bedrooms have slipped back to messy. I had to get up in the middle of the night last night when the southerly wind came up. It was howling so I had to shut the windows. I was tripping over stuff and treading on things. Things that I keep asking to have put away. TJ has had 6 weeks to clean her desk, and now with getting homework there's no where to do it because there's too much stuff on her desk.

So anyway, rooms are mostly tidy. Nath went to sleep in the midst of me yelling. The tv will not be on in the mornings before school. There will no watching of the Simpsons. Chores will be divided up tomorrow when DH is home for support. I laid it all out for him on the phone tonight when he was at work.

And as I said to TJ. Lets make tomorrow a better day.

Monday, February 06, 2006

New swim coach


TJ and BMW have a new swim coach. This is him. His name is Zane King. This photo is from the Australian Swimming site swimmer profile.

TJ's coach didn't turn up this morning. Rather annoying since I got up a 6am and we left at 6:15am for 6:30 training. And today is DH's birthday. And then some fat old woman decided to abuse me because TJ got in HER lane to swim. Um, honey, public pool. We'll swim where ever we please. Oh no, she thinks it belongs to her.

The young girl on the desk wasn't even interested. TJ was like, Mum whats going on. I was so pissed its not funny, especially since the coach didn't arrive and then this. And being exhausted from the weekend didn't help.

When the pool manager arrived I told her and she said the lady was wrong to have a go at me. She really was a cow (the fat old lady that is). And TJ could swim faster than her. I'm still cranky with it. Pool ettiquete is to swim up the left side and then back also on the left side. You can fit a fair amount of swimmers in a lane doing this.

Oh no, the fat cow and bob swim together. One up and down each side. They weren't budging for anyone. And this was before she had a go at me. Man some people are rude. OK vent over. Still cranky though. Tomorrow I will go back and get my money back for TJ's lessons since there's no point paying for something when the coach doesn't even bother to turn up.

BMW's lesson was so so. His teacher isn't really that interested. So changing locations will be no big deal for him. Now we won't have to get up at 6am on a Monday morning and then rush back at 8:30am for school. That has to be a good thing for everyone!

word pic


V had this on her blog, I thought it was cool. You go to snapshirts enter your blog address, and it makes a pic from all the words in your blog. I played with it a bit, and like it!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Ford

I took my car in to be fixed for the second time this week. Its still not all done. I am so not happy about it. It wastes so much of my time, limits what you can do without the car, and to have to go back again, grr!

When I finally got to collect it this afternoon, they questioned whether the bit they were meant to be fixing was actually put on by Ford, and if it was, did they use a genuine part because they weren't prepared to fix/replace it under warranty. Its my rear parking sensor btw.

It came brand new with the car, which was brand new. Fitted prior to sale.

Then he questioned whether we had informed them that we would be using the car to tow with. Like this matters. Um dude, we got a towbar fitted at the same time, do you not think we would be towing with it? And does this mean Ford doesn't bother to install something properly if you don't say up front that you may be towing with it? Silly me thought with a towbar installed too that that would be pretty obvious.

The problem to be fixed: when reversing whilst towing the rear parking sensor doesn't switch off like its supposed to. So you have this constant bip beep thing happening when your trying to concentrate and reverse. Most annoying.

So tomorrow I have to chase up from the place of purchase who installed it, with what, what model, and whether they had cornflakes for breakfast. If you kwim! Like I have nothing else better to do with my day. Only running around like a maniac trying to prepare for DH surprise party. Only cleaning my house to prepare for guests, including the bathrooms because people are sleeping over. Getting the kids rooms clean. Getting the washing done. Picking up the beer and wine (most important) and hiding it while DH is at golf ( extra important).

Sigh. So much to do. I'd better hop to it. Oh and I have to go and food shop because we have no fresh fruit or veg, no milk, no bread. Its about 37 deg celcius, 97 % humidity. yuk yuk yuk.

On a good note I got my hair cut today. Looks nice too with more foils.

Lata!

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Memories from the past

Today I had to run around and organise things and get the dog clipped. I was just a block from the LSS (the new one) and I decided to stop in just incase there was something that grabbed my interest.

I had about 2 hours to fill in while the dog was getting done so I decided to stay and create a clipboard for DH's birthday party on the weekend. MIL had given me a few photos and told me to make him an album, but really there isn't enough photos, I don't know where they are taken and I don't have enough time to do a proper job.

So this is what I made.... I used SEI rubons. What a bastard they were! They did not want to come off at all. It is a hot day, but they were just nasty to use. The store didn't even end up charging me them and they are going to send them back to the supplier they were that bad.


I also used the foam stamps again. I bought some for home. The stars are making memories.

I hope he likes it.

Aussie Lingo

Well this one is for Mel (Empress4). I have no idea which Aussie Lingo is confusing, but maybe this will help :D

bbq - barbeque
dh - darling husband
TJ - my daughter
BMW - my son and child no 2
Nath - junior son and child no 3
PB - personal best
snags - sausages, great Aussie food generally cooked on a bbq! Perfect eaten with tomato sauce (known as ketchup for you guys) and a wrapped in a slice of bread (white stuff, not that yucky sourdough)

Have I helped? Made you smile? Good mission accomplished.

Later!

Back to school

It was back to school yesterday. The kids caught the bus from the new bus stop. 3 houses from home. It was SO good!

BMW has gone into year 1, and got TJ's teacher from last year, Mrs Peacock, which I think is a great thing. She really helps to boost a childs self confidence which he needs with his school work.

TJ got Mrs Gordon. Its a 3/4 class, she's in Year 3. I think it will be a good thing.

Most importantly they both came home happy from their first day. So now its back into routine.

Oh and me? I got heaps done and my scrapping space is looking heaps better!