Winter shopping

The cold has set in. Our nights fall to around 12-15C and the days are only 21-25C.

In case I have that wrong - here is the link to our daily temperatures.

I don't actually read it. I decide it is cold when I need a cardigan and socks.

Yesterday we did the essential winter shopping for new cardigans, shoes, socks and sleepwear. Anna came happily and William was dragged under protest. Actually - he managed to complain in complete silence so we left him at the video game shop for a few hours alone.

Lunch was nice - baby octopus, prawns, garlic pizza, fetta, olives, sausage and chicken kebabs. We gave William a ham sandwich and he was none the wiser.



Today - Will rushed off to friends and Anna attended work and then cheerleading at basketball. I taxied. MOTH left at sparrowfart to navigate The Narrows and seek crabs and fish. Jane rang twice to tell me what she planned to do with her.. different holiday arrangements. I did laundry and half cleaned the house, cooked lasagna, roast beef and some stuff for the dogs to save time next week. When MOTH got home he started eating the food I was cooking for the dogs. FOR GOODNESS SAKE ASK! Mind you, of course the food was all originally intended for human consumption it is just not the point. I count the dogs proportions so they don't fight. Actually - I do the same for the humans too.

Oldest daughter Sara sent me two bottles of scotch on Friday night. That was a lovely gesture on her behalf. I don't know quite what motivated her. Probably me bitching I hadn't been paid - but shortly afterwards my pay did come threw. Or the fact Jane wont elaborate what makes her do... what she does to give us the simplest form of ability to understand her motivation...frustrates both Sara and myself. And maybe better - the fact her siblings... misadventures completely highlight the fact I over reacted 7 years ago to Sara's behaviour as a teenager. The oldest probably does always cop the worst.

All my girls are beautiful. Sara has to work too hard and has more responsibilities than I want her to have - nothing can change that. (Well no, she could move here and have a few of them shared with her family but she would rather hell freeze over than do that and I understand) ..Anna is spoilt rotten and cant see past the ME ME ME... but can be compassionate and caring if the event is dramatic enough.... and Jane just treads a path she cant possibly want to tread but will anyway. It is going to be very difficult for Jane and her father to suddenly become a day girl after 3 + years of boarding. He isn't there early in the mornings, and Jane is not the easiest person to motivate to school even if you are there wide awake and holding something designed to threaten. Catching a bus for almost two hours a day isn't going to be enjoyable. Assignments and tests where a drama in the past with the best support... She has bit off heaps this time.

MOTH and I drank one bottle of Sara's scotch last night. We watched the movie "Eight Below" but the combination of the scotch, my weak... whatever it is and the terrible story meant that I started my ridiculous shaking and had to get MOTH to take me to bed before the ending. I was so upset I wasn't sure I could navigate my way down the hallway to bed.

I watched the ending tonight with Anna and we both cried. What where they thinking? That is so not a Disney movie. I love Disney. That was just demented and ridiculously sad and horrid! I noticed other reviewers said it was wonderful and great for children. But I cried and cried!

I put the bubble machine on for Dotti today for ages and watched her play. (Rocky is scared of the bubble machine - Dotti thinks its a million balls and tries to catch them all... always looking a little confused that they taste of washing up liquid and cant be caught)Watching her be an idiot made me happier.

We were going to go and buy new dirt for the new garden MOTH built me - but decided the day had gone too quickly and that we could wait till next week. And after all I had cleaned the floors.

Everything is going to be ok. When Jane was little I used to say.. she will either be a Nobel prize winner or the next uni-bomber. Sara is doing fine.. she just forgets how incredibly gorgeous she is. And impatient with me because she hardly knows me really. Anna - is capable of being a complete bitch but she is just so darn beautiful doing it!? And I forget - this was the deal for Anna - just do your OP (Higher school certificate) and do it as well as you can and you can play all you like. I just forget that when it's very late and I am waiting for her to come home. And Anna knows me probably better than anyone. William is just happy so long as he isn't being dragged clothes shopping and can play. He doesn't want to discuss his health problems and is only unhappy if he thinks we are.