Something I noticed today..

I went for a walk to the local shops today. The sun was shining, the ground smelt lovely and wet, crickets,cicadas and geckos singing, butterflies fluttering... and something was odd.

Very odd indeed.

Every yard and roof top had empty cans of beer or udl's (soft drink and alcohol mixers) in it.

Every single one. In the whole street.

Good thing Jane is not having a 16th party.

Tomorrow I think I will buy myself a new wider brimmed hat and darker sunglasses.

All good things must come to an end

I have always liked these hours of the night when my family are all asleep and I am alone. Ok - so my dogs are snoring at my feet. I am not so alone.

I want to share a few more photos of the party. This is William and Billy and what mothers do when there is left over strawberry whipped cream in a can.


Just SHUSH I said!

This is Anna's photo of some of her presents. Some are omitted - a lovely pillow from M - because someone spilt something on it and it was being rescued in the laundry. The jewellery was on a hanger she stole from me... and not added to her photo.

This is Jane, Jay, William and Sara's boyfriend playing at the pool. Before the party. Before Jane's little "mishap".
This is one of Jack and Anna and THAT bottle of tequila... that never seemed to get emptied. Me in the background pondering what button I have pressed wrong on the camera again. The little kids hanging around and making themselves... hmm I dunno... just being wonderful.


I asked Anna Sunday at brunch if the party was any good. She told me she would not know until Monday at school. I was FURIOUS! How could she not know until Monday. But.. she wanted confirmation from her peers before she could tell me it was OK. I suspect I have done something wrong there. She should be confident enough to know herself.

But... 24 hours later she reports it was an OK party. We didn't shame her with our somewhat humble.. abode etc.I am so GLAD!

Sara flys home to Sydney tomorrow. Jay will be so pleased.. he has missed school and is just bored without it. He didn't let me read to him. And I feel like I can't push the issue.. I see him so little - it isn't the same? Sara and her boyfriend wanted to rest.. so I let them sleep in etc.. and Jay was bored to death with me - especially on days I had committed to other things. When I would tell Jay he had to come with me while his Mum slept.. he would do it.. but he was visibly anxious and I felt it easier to just let him.. be at home with his sleeping parents. The satellite tv kept him amused.

I loved the pictures in my mind - the ones I should of taken and knew I should of taken. Of my kids sitting with me and laughing at silly things. Of how naughty my girls are - and delightfully FUNNY. But - it is all over. Tomorrow a drive to Rockhampton and Sara goes home.

I didn't have to "bite my tongue" over any of my daughters actions. Whilst I love the way Sara's paramour seems to make Sara happy - and has some good actions and intentions towards my grandson... I worry about little things. I try to tell myself it is hard to amuse yourself in a new town when you don't have a drivers license but I also know that is utter bullshit. I am also confident she can handle whatever she wants to handle. Sara wont buy any kid $50 bottles of Baileys. (Sara wouldn't be so stupid as to buy kids alcohol)

My dream of Sara and Jay moving here is simply never going to happen. And .. I guess I have dealt with that. Whilst she is one of us for sure... she is also part of another life.

She is an intelligent, loyal (not to me! and that is also ok) and beautiful girl. I wish she had of decided she needed this break when I was working and wasnt so financially challenged. She insisted on washing up almost every night. And I relate it to something private she wrote that I read and lost my temper over... wherein she felt I treated them as slaves with washing up and I carelessly made a comment about her thinking her nails more important. She bossed me around back this time and made sure she did it. And I felt terrible. I am going to stop my bullshit and buy a dishwasher now.

I still feel I dont want or need a dishwasher.

It is only two years away Anna will most likely move away to create her own life. It is time I started getting ready for this.

It is simply scarey. So long looking after them. The good the bad and the absolutely terrible and revolting. It is simply late at night and finally quiet... and I hate the fact I wont see Sara or her son for .. a long time.

Happy Sweet 16th Anna

Ok - the party is over. All in all the teenagers behaved well. Excepting one incident which - luckily for me - involved one of my own. So - it isn't as bad... somehow. I would of felt much worse had said such teenage twit been someone elses.
The dogs had a great time and behaved beautifully. Except they attacked each other a couple of times in the jealousy - this is my pizza, chicken or beef kebab and your in my space type thing. Startled a few of the teenagers.
Actually - the teenagers were well behaved, nicely mannered and quite lovely. There was a couple of teens I didn't know that behaved .. somewhat .. dodgy? Trying to hide from the adults and ... preferred to hang around the front road... but I figured the kids I know.. were behaving so well and they were most likely the parents I would have to answer to later... so we only kept an eye on what was happening in the house and out the back.

I assure you the dogs just LOVED the party.
I let the little kids decorate the mud cakes. I think they did a brilliant job.
Big smiles, lots of "bling" and fashion and many forays to the bathroom by groups of girls.
Anna has some really lovely friends. See that huge bottle of tequila Jack is holding? He amused my girlfriends and I by carrying that same bottle around ALL night.. and we swear he never actually drank any. He would swagger past with his big smile and we would say... "Give us a look" .... and it never seemed to be drunk. We also noted you don't see that size bottle often in our bottle shops and that his parents are regular overseas travelers.. and suspect he nicked it from their bar. I reckon he put it back too. Ha Ha.

Anyway - moving onto the uglier story. One of our friends arrived somewhat distraught with her own problems, and encouraged me to allow my youngest daughter Jane a West Coast Cooler. A sweet wine fizzy drink with a small alcohol content. I agreed - even though these really had been purchased for a girlfriend of mine. When I walked past again - Jane had yet another... and I frowned because this wasn't the deal. I made a quiet voice of discontent.. told Jane to stick to the punch I had provided (that had an even lower alcohol content) and ... should of been firmer.

My friend then made a very stupid mistake. She was visibly disturbed by events in her life -and the bubbles (cheap champagne) we shared with her didn't help her judgement. Unbeknown to me - she went and purchased a bottle of Baileys for Jane with the money Jane's father had given her for two weeks allowance while she is at school. Jane is also so dopey she seemed completely unaware that $50 for one bottle of booze with no change was not a ... wise financial decision. I considered giving Jane money this afternoon before she left - they need money at school for personal items - but then decided that that wouldn't assist this lesson at all. My poor baby.

And.. Jane drank the contents of the bottle with great gusto and the teenage bravado of "bullet proof and six feet tall".
I was unaware of the proceedings until she ran to mummy to...... vomit. And vomit. And vomit some more. I bathed her... she tried to tell me I couldn't see her naked in this.. state.. to which I simply made her look into my eyes. She shut up and let me bath her.and afterwards she vomited some more.

Here she is trying to go to sleep in her vomit catcher bowl. Like the chunks on her cheek? I didn't let her go to sleep until she had drank a heap of water and I was happy she was not going to continue vomiting. And I only let her sleep in till 10 am and when she had been fed bacon and eggs for breakfast - I made sure she contributed to the party clean up. At one stage I said "Well - you have just blown your chance at a sixteenth birthday party" and she replied with "I don't want one anyway!"

No shit. Ha ha.



So - this afternoon we put Jane on the train back to boarding school. Sara, Anna and I amused ourselves on the train platform imitating vomiting motions and waving! (I never remember to think someone could see us acting like lunatics and this could be why I tend to make myself a little bit of an "outsider" all the time!)

My friend that supplied this booze to Jane? I am not at all angry anymore. I said my piece when it happened. My Christian and my oldest daughters boyfriend Chris are not quite so... lenient? Both of them are furious with her antics (that included a heap I have left out here). When her parents arrived for brunch this morning I wasn't aware how angry my family males are...and gather I will have to... be mediator for some time.

The odd? thing? Anna and I have argued over this party for months. I mean it we have had rip roaring yelling fights over it. Anna tells me too much sometimes. I hear from her the antics of her peers at parties... and often don't allow her to attend them if I feel .. too many excesses could be indulged. Why? Because I love her and I want her to be safe. She is sure the reasons are "Because you want to ruin my entire life" and "Because you don't trust me". I trust her fine. I don't trust everyone else. And I don't trust that she has learnt who is safe and what the influences of alcohol or worse drugs could do for her. I certainly don't want her to feel "uncool". My beautiful princess frets over ridiculous things. People say mean things to her about her hair colour. She is a beautiful red head. She worries more than I do about if anyone can see that we live week to week and dont live in a beautiful house and don't drive lovely cars.

But REALLY.. the only major... stuff up was my Jane. And I guess I should of kept a better eye on her.


Only one more day of Sara and Jay being here really. Time just flies and never seems to let me catch up.

The good girlfriends that I do have... wow I should so be a better friend. Because their support was just wonderful.

Just one more waffle - when the kids were very little..and they got sick I HATED how they always ran to me to vomit on me. It took me so long to teach them to vomit in another place than on top of Mummy. But scarily - it was... nice? (shoot me) that Jane ran straight to Mummy to vomit last night. ALL over me. The sofas. The carpet. The bath. Etc etc.

Botanical Gardens

This lot of photos we are at the Botanical Gardens in Gladstone to feed the ducks, turtles and hopefully an eel. I think all kids love it - and my grandson Jay always has.
I have always loved to feed and look at critters. Any and all critters. I also like to share the feeding of critters with my loved ones.
And of course the sharing of the feeling of moss under your feet.
Admiring the beauty of something as simple as a water lily.
The thrill of the friendly eel. (Click on him to see him bigger)
And to be watched by a turtle.....

I still have things I promised to attend to.. and am.. but maybe only with a 3/4 effort because it is so lovely to have my oldest baby home. I tend to be always telling myself to hurry because I would like to be with her. Bugga them all - they can just wait.

She and her boyfriend are definitely relaxing. They are enjoying the computers, Sara watches the cable tv? Well she watches.. her males I guess.. and Jay loves to play the video game thingos. They are not demanding - but I still fret I should be entertaining them. Sara reminds me that all they want to do is relax. I feel guilty when they sleep in and I have to attend another commitment so cant cook their breakfast.

We are overcrowded. It is hard to remember to wear clothes at 3 am on the way to raid the refrigerator. Well - Ok - for me it is hard to remember.

The party is only three days away. One toilet and eight people can be.. chaotic? This party is going to be interesting.

Anna's actual birthday was yesterday. My Mama sent her TWO parcels... one with a gorgeous signature bear and the other with a beautiful bag Anna just loved. In it was jewellery, perfume samples and trinkets...Anna stole some of my things just so she could display the jewellery Mama sent her. But sadly (for me) yesterday she had school, soccer sign on and training, and all we could fit in was her favourite dinner (chicken parmigana) and a Woolworths bought chocolate mud cake. Her sister Sara bought her new speakers and her other sister rang her. Sperm donor rang too.. but sadly expressed his regret that we RUDELY didnt invite him - when months ago when we told him we were having a party - he told us no one celebrates 16th birthdays. Anna and her boyfriend Robert reunited recently and he came to dinner and gifted her with a hair straightener and a Robbie Williams cd that makes me yell when the girls sing the words. Although - mind you if anyone kicked my dogs I probably would use worse words than "dickhead".

I did fret that maybe I should do something about a heap of teenagers, kids and indeed adults and my two dogs.........

But my girls assure me it doesnt matter if Dotti and Rocky do steal food from peoples hands etc. I was proud of my girls when they said if anyone doesnt like the dogs "fuck 'em" even though I immediately threatened to wasabi their tongues. I would feed the dogs heaps beforehand if I wasnt worried about the consequences in the back yard where the party will mostly be held.

Sara goes home on Tuesday. It's just too fast. Time just flies.

Heaps for me to remember. Sometimes... I envy people who have had careers and MONEY and travel and excitement.... OK - often. But - sometimes I am so grateful that I chose this path.

I SO hope I wont be regretting saying this come Sunday.

The Weekend playing

Sunday was spent out at the dam playing in the water. We tied rope to old thongs (so it would float) and waxed the old surfboard up.
Our friends Hope and Christian joined us. This made a total of three adult males - all called Chris. The Chris' soon mastered the surfboard.
Jay amused himself in the water with his lifejacket.
William loved it.
A pontoon became our water base.
When you drop the rope - you have to paddle back towards it. For William with small arms this was not an easy task. But he seemed to love it just the same.
We had a secret "watcher" who let us get very close.
Back at the picnic area I enthralled Hope with my fishing stories. (I have no idea why cameras keep making me look old and fat)We all ate BBQ and Hope and I drank wine and admired our surroundings. Hope was funny as on the surfboard! Eventually she threw the surfboard INTO the boat and told us to just drag her on the rope. She and the surfboard... just didnt get along.
At home the wine, sun, water and cooking... could of had the best of me. Here I am annoying Sara and her trying to get some help from her sister.
Wonderful fun times!

Breakfast with the family...

I just need Jane home and breakfast time will be perfect. That is next weekend.

Ok - so Sara's boyfriend is popping anti histamines cause of the dogs... and has red welts all over his skin - but he will live. A little itching never really kills anyone.

Everyone has gone out tonight and I am babysitting Jay (my grandson) and packing for tomorrow and trying to clean the house a bit. I am not doing either job very well. Firstly - Dotti kept getting in Jays bed and trying to make him play. I have installed a lamp and a chair near the door in case he wakes up.. because I had to lock her out. Secondly - I need the girls to help me find things for tomorrow. And - the cleaning.. well. Eight people in a house the size of a postage stamp.. just makes things hard. Eight people and two dogs who .... well Dotti thinks small children are just wonderful and Rocky thinks I am betraying him associating with anyone other than him.

Sara wont be happy with me posting that picture of her. She is of course much more gorgeous than this picture. I just like how Dotti immediately took my partners place as hers. Dotti is such a flake - she is just desperately trying to prove her love to the newcombers. And see if one is an idiot and will share with her. So far, Dotti isnt doing too badly.

The new "almost son-in-law"

Sara seems mighty fond of this young man. And I quite like him.

However he proclaimed he is allergic to dogs. And Dotti well - she may be deaf but she sure is my favourite person. DO NOT drink with the in laws when the dog wants to make you "hers".

Hahahahahahahahahahaha. Never ever get drunk enough to sleep when my dogs are around. You will regret it.

Oh.. I just adore my dogs. They are just so very funny! Did I tell you Dotti has an incontinence problem too. Hahahahaha. I am off to bed. Hahahahaha.

Sometimes life is just too wonderful.

Family Reunions

My oldest daughter Sara and her son Jay arrive tomorrow at Rockhampton airport. This photo was taken a few weeks ago at Jay's first day of school.

Are we excited? You bet.

Plans - water and boat play at Awoonga Sunday, beach play any other day, feeding of ducks and seagulls, walking and talking. Her presence at her sisters 16th birthday.

Eight people in a three bedroom house! Not so squishy huh? And Jane comes home from boarding school for the party.

Too sexy for my boots.Or the shoe fetish?

Ok - so they are Anna's boots. That aren't called boots. They are called reef shoes. Anna is doing Marine Biology this year and Monday she starts her scuba lessons. School was not that cool when I went. (It isn't that cool really - the scuba lessons are at the town pool - tis a way off before her reef adventures take place - and under "No circumstances" am I allowed to turn up to watch.)

And... wow aren't they the most unflattering things you ever saw? (they are my legs - sadly she refused to pose for me in them) Haha - and when she was sad because I was stressing about finances and she told me she needed them for Monday - and I thought - Well we don't REALLY have to eat... We headed for the scuba shop. They don't call flippers - flippers; nope they call them fins. The reef shoes have to fit in the fins.

I think I sound pretty cool saying that. "My reef shoes fit in my fins."

My girls and I all have the same size feet. This a good thing when you need a pair of shoes. This is also a bad thing when you try to rush out of the house and your girls have stolen your favourite shoes.

Except for some odd reason ever since Jane gained weight she wears shoes that are two sizes too big for her. When we point out to her that her shoes are flapping about and that she still fits ours - it makes NO DIFFERENCE. Weird huh?

Anna was quite disgusted we paid $45 for boots that look ghastly. She made me try three stores to see if nice ones existed. They don't. If you want to scuba dive you have to wear ugly boots.

I bet it will be worth it.

Defrosting the freezer

I wonder what people do when they have no kids to enlist to climb into the freezer on defrosting day?

Bravo to William who volunteered to do it for me today. Ok - so its been a hot day. But I certainly didnt want to get in there.

Strange things found at the bottom - a dead fly, bread tags and money.

Unidentified food stuff that surprised me - purple stuff and I wondered why on earth I would of froze beetroot. Was mulberries! Very good.. dessert anyone? I so have to remember to label stuff. The dogs had a wonderful feed of pea and ham soup, left over chicken stew and a pumpkin concoction that I am sure must of been ghastly. Wonder why I kept it? But if I couldnt identify what it was the dogs got it.

Just slightly better organised for my visitors this week! Slightly.

Invitations - check!

Ok - I probably should of made these last week? But one thing is ready for the party.

Now I need table decorations, to borrow chairs, some more lighting for the yard and of course the food. Anna keeps reminding me I have to make sure the house is clean and I finish the painting. I am getting there.

Wonder what will distract me tomorrow?

The Day at the races (continued)

Will completely enthralled and excited at the races with his biological father. (AKA - the sperm donor)

Having a brilliant time don't you think? Snort. Haha!


Yep - you guessed it. Number 7. Snort again.



I just really like this horse? Wonder why?



Ok - stopping my possibly nasty giggles. Yesterday I opened a letter I received from Centrelink a week (or month whateva) ago - and it tells me that due to the child support I receive I am no longer entitled to Family Assistance Part A or any rent assistance. Good thing I bloody did read it. Usually they just send out the same letter five times and they aren't worth reading. The fortnightly money I receive from the government is now gone. I ring them up ask them what happened - she says we took into account the money Tom pays you and now you are over the threshold - and cannot have the money.

Blah. I say - didn't we have this EXACT SAME ARGUMENT LAST YEAR? Ahhh yes we did! But the tax department thinks you received this money therefore you did... and therefore we cant pay you.

I did try to discuss this last year with Tom. Aside from his utter fury at even the thought of ever paying me a cent - basically his reaction was that he hadn't heard from them - therefore he didn't have to pay it. Actually he is required to let them know his change of addresses. But nevermind.

I kept the peace and did nothing. Until now. Because I lose a couple of hundred dollars a fortnight LET ALONE the imaginary money he is meant to be paying me. And that money I use as direct debits for electricity and phone etc. The money he hasn't paid me equals the price of a new small car for us. To us - it is significant.

I wouldn't be washing William's only school uniform shirt every bloody night that is for sure. And I wouldn't be making the phone calls to Anna's school to discuss a payment plan for her school fees and the upcoming scuba lessons. (They would negotiate fees but not the scuba lessons that has to be paid up front.)

In reality - all he has to do to not pay me any money is get a better accountant. His horses have been winning significant amounts of money - if he was investing back into more horses, gear etc he would be lodging tax returns saying he earned nothing - and then wouldn't have to pay me. Mind you - he has just bought a new horse float and matching four wheel drive. And house. A five bedroom house with three bathrooms and stables out the back. Blah.

Jealousy is a curse - pregnancy is worse!

So - now I have to fill in bloody papers. For the tax office (ATO) and for child support. And especially the old ones for the ATO - are such bullshit - I didn't work these years I had three small children for heavens sake.

And the very pleasant lady at the Child Support office was so OPTIMISTIC about the chances of them recovering this money - and me just shaking my head wondering if I had anything strong in the house to drink. (Just kidding I still had the school taxi to run)

Blah - 15 years ago I said I would make private arrangements for the collection of child support. This was because his tax return said he earned nothing and therefore he only had to pay me $10 a fortnight. Hardly seemed worth getting the agency to collect that. And he actually paid it for a few years too. But it was $10! Three loaves of bread and a three litre carton of milk.

I like it when things just run easy. I like the fact the kids can see their father whenever and we don't fight. I like Christmas and birthdays together. My girlfriend M was telling me about a bloke who pays a shitload of money a month to his ex and never gets to see the kid, let alone phone calls or school reports.

Boy. He is gunna be mad.

Helping Szelsofa

SzélsőFa has left a new comment on your post "A day at the races.":

I need some help, please! I am a member of a women's group and we are looking for expressions for pregnancy, being pregnant in different languages. The word itself is interesting AND the meaning of it. For example the Hungarian word 'várandós anya' means 'expectant mother', which is a neutral expression, but 'terhes anya' means 'a mother with burden' which does not sound so good. See what I mean? Can you help? Thanks!!!

Ok - how can we help with this? I don't think she means our awful terms like "up the duff" or a "bun in the oven"!

My brains not of any use to anyone today.

A day at the races.

I just uploaded all Anna's photos from her camera. The kids met with their father at the races recently. On Anna's memory card was 100 at least photos of the races. Many of them poor William looking very bored. I guess that is how she amused herself.

Years ago I loved going to the races. My kids, however, dont seem to enjoy it as much.

I do like this picture of his (slow) horse though.

My sunflowers

I planted my sunflowers along the dog fencing wire to try give us some privacy from the neighbours - especially for Anna's upcoming birthday party. Timed it a bit wrong - the wonderful things are all flowering now... two weeks too early! The passion fruit and other vines I sent up the ugly fence are doing ok... but not enough coverage. I have tied ordinary glasses and old jars to the fence with wire and put tea lights in them - and at night time it looks lovely.

I needed to use chook fencing wire to stop the dogs from also enjoying digging in the garden. The dogs especially liked the cow poo. Sigh.

Safe and sound

On part of my travels I had obviously sat in the managers chair at Women's Health while talking to her about the report we sent off... the purse had worked itself behind the chair! Only one day without it! The phone call occurred just as I was leaving to go report it missing or stolen.

BUT - when I examined its contents... the card my mother gave me with the little candle on it and "I Love you. Mum." on the back is missing! I wonder where I lost that? (Mama - if your reading this that is a hint.. I need a new card with "I love You" written on the back. Thank you)

All that stress for nothing! Yippee and hooray. I took the finder of my purse a sunflower to say thanks. She looked rather shocked as I presented her with it. Maybe that was because it was all wet due to the lovely rain!

And - of course even the $100 was there! (Spent that already!)
Cheerio!