The Joy of friends....

Joy and the kids arrived Friday night and called in for a quick g'day (read HUGS) and then they left to visit the rest of their family and friends the next day. I liked her thinking - call in on EVERYONE (Did you all note I was FIRST!)in the first twenty four hours so she didnt have to tell anyone she arrived in town four days ago... and make them feel like they missed out.

Saturday night they arrived back - and the fun began. I ran into A another child who shared our lives - and told him they were in town and that he was welcome to come over. He did - and it was fun to watch Joy and the kids spin out at how tall he had grown. Actually my choice of word as child - seems a bit odd seeing hes a foot taller than me.

The plan was for us to get out to Awoonga dam early... so as to get the best picnic spot. Yep - we stayed up drinking talking and LAUGHING until almost dawn...and at 8 am my friend Meg rang and said:-

"Where the heck are you?"

To which I replied... "I will be there in a minute" and promptly dropped the phone in the bed and stayed asleep for another hour and a half.

We did go out. We barely cooked. We played on the water for a little while. The ski tube BURST... (Of course it wasnt ours it was another friends - blah!) But all the children had a swim.... Joy and I had some more laughs.... And the exhaustion of excitement ....

Late Sunday night (or it felt late because of the fatigue) - Joy and the kids lament that they wish they were staying for two weeks and not one. After all it has been 3 and a half years - but it feels like yesterday we were laughing, singing, dancing, viewing silly jokes,drinking and eating together. Except now we have a million stories each to tell.

The plan was for them to return this weekend intime for the Pink concert - a gift for Micaela. Suddenly - Joy says to Micci.. "What do you want to do more - the concert or stay here an extra week." Micci decides without any hesitation TO STAY HERE! I get all teary that she choses us...But it is just so lovely to have their smiles - and stories and laughter....

Within a few minutes.. they decide to give their tickets to my daughter Anna. Anna rings her friend Madison - whose parents instantly say - sure we will drive you girls the 6-7 hours to the concert on the weekend! How lucky is Anna?

Laughing can hurt. So can smiling. So can my head trying to drink and talk and remember to make sure everyone is well fed and happy - until the birdies start cheeping. But it's all worth it. A few hours ago my friend Robyn said she was up for a visit too.

I guess there is no joy without sorrow. But sorrow sucks. My girlfriend Hope rang me this morning whilst I was lazing in bed and Joy and the kids were making slow but at least movement this morning. She had received a phone call from a job she really wanted - to get the rejection and then FIVE MINUTES later she got called into the office of a relatively new job she absolutely hates... to be fired. So we went and picked her up. And we all did NOTHING.. all day. We ate, I tried to nap...(my heads not being my friend) the kids amused themselves...

I am defensive about Hope's misfortune. I know her compassion and dedication. The job she was fired from this morning was as a sales person at Harvey Norman. There is no way I would ever work there! A flat base pay...you have to work weekends and Thursday nights and your expected to bump up your wages with commission. As a matter of fact I dont think I ever want to shop there again. I will because I am lazy. And let's face it she hated the job. The young girls were nasty to her about her age. They called her in on Saturday (her rostered day off) - and in she went even though she had plans. And still fired her Monday.

My beloved dog got beaten up in a fight he picked on the weekend. He's sore and.. should be sorry. Sadly I know he will do it again. He sat close next to Hope today so they could be sad together. She was so brave. And Joy was wonderful at ... picking up the pieces.

Winning by default

I am no sales person. I couldn't sell anything. I find salespeople pushy and awful - and always feel I get railroaded a bit. I secretly admire people who can sell. I have no courage to talk to strangers and have to force myself to do it. I hate being in a room full of strangers. Although I do have certain product preferences - If I am buying something I like to research it myself and choose that way. (Ok - so usually I just ask Bernie or Joy because I know they research things better than I do)

I get "guilted" into buying things I don't want.

During the year there are fundraisers that I feel compelled to support. The school ones, the community services ones, some disease type ones and the hospitals that supported me and William all those years ago. I get given tickets to either sell or buy. I usually just buy them all myself and put them in my friends names out of guilt that I didnt try harder. I have bought William gifts myself rather than having to help him sell tickets to earn the present.

Anyway - last week before a meeting I was frantically trying to find a book of tickets I was meant to sell. I had.. months to sell them. Finally - I find the book of tickets.. that I had been using under the phone to write down numbers I so hope I don't need... and fill the tickets out in my girlfriends names. Then I rush to the meeting not wanting to be the last one (which is normal and somehow even this time I arrived last anyway!) and find the family had robbed my last cash. (This is normal and ok - they do it all the time) and I have to whisper to my friend... spot me the raffle money PLEASE... (I hate it when I have to do that!)

Now I particularly liked one of the prizes. But I figured it would be inappropriate for me to win. And that was a little of the reason I put the tickets in my friends name. And let's face it I can't win an argument lately.

The tickets are drawn and the winner of the first prize is my friend Meg. I ring her and tell her to come to my house because I have a surprise... and she comes... and declares the painting by local artist Jean Kane... horrid and I can have it!

I LOVE IT!

I owe Meg a lunch. And the painting is mine. She preferred the other prizes.

I love my painting!

Joy's coming!

My friend Joy and her two charming children arrive tonight! How exciting!

Last night when she told me I had good intentions of cleaning the house etc. But - a little miserable last night.. I consumed more wine than I should of.. and had a HANGOVER this morning. I rarely get those bastards. So I decided I had a choice - cook or clean. I chose cook. It is way more fun.

I am sitting here with hair dye in my hair.. excited! The last time I saw Joy was at a party at Bianca's and afterwards we went to a winery..... where I ordered crumbed lambs brains.. to the horror of everyone else.

I also made a stupid comment about "Not having had brains for years!" - to the great amusement of our party!

A Monday when your not having a Monday.

It felt to me like a Monday today. The house was an incredible mess. It usually is - I am a tidier - not a brilliant cleaner - and although I would love to have an immaculately clean house.. it simply is probably not going to happen until the dogs die and the children move out. Neither of those inevitables appeal to me in any way. I usually don't mind cleaning someone Else's house though? Odd huh?



So if you visit me.. leave your shoes ON - (why do people do that?) Don't take your shoes off to come inside my house! It's not safe or healthy even. Off your feet those shoes are also likely to become the latest chew toy for the dogs.



The dogs had tried .. somewhat successfully I might add.. to bury their bones underneath our dining table. I guess its nice they have learnt burying them in my gardens makes me upset. Under the dining table... well. There are times to fuss. They both watched me intently as I gathered up the remnants of the bones and vacuumed. Both of them were telling me I was mad.



I had dirty dishes all over every bench top. The laundry basket was attempting to walk out the back door again. Life jackets and sporting apparatus spread all over the front yard.



My friend Hope got dropped off at my place to get ready for work this morning - and she needed to iron her work uniform. I guess normal people know where their iron is. When I stopped working as a legal secretary I swore never to iron clothes again. I despise doing laundry but ironing can really upset me. We do own one.. but only Anna uses it. And so of course this morning the rotten thing couldnt be found. At 8.15am the rotten thing is found (I should of just ran around the corner and borrowed a friends - but no mornings can mess with my head - I am gunna find the damn thing) and then the kids somehow conned me into buying them MacDonalds for breakfast.



I did dress to take Hope to work because one thing I have learnt in 38 years is - if your going to break down, or be breathalyzed or whatever it WILL happen when your in your pjs and slippers. It just will. And you will have forgotten your smokes too. You wont have any water with you. Basically just dress and pack - and bad stuff wont happen.



But - I am not tidy enough to shop or anything. I am just dressed. And on the way home from the drop offs and the drive thru - I guess I relaxed too much. Coming back into the house the dogs greet me enthusiastically at the gate. And I dropped my cigarettes. So the dogs jumped on the packet.



And there is no coffee left. But I had made three cups and not drank any of them. I have to go to the supermarket... and NOW. Great. At the supermarket - dishevelled and somewhat out of sorts - I manage to run into every social/work/volunteer/school/soccer person I know. (Ok maybe I exaggerate a little). That is another fact of life. When you look bad - everyone will see you. When you make a mistake or let your temper get away from you - everyone will see that too. When you do something nice or work hard for someone or thing... no one will see that. You will probably see the same actions that were unseen go to someone elses credit.



Anyway - Meg and her daughter are at the supermarket straight after daughters appointment to have her braces fitted. Not braces - umm.. something that goes on teeth to help (poor darling I hope shes not in too much pain). And they are on their way to my house to have lunch! And had planned to surprise me with sushi! How nice!



I could of overdone it playing in the canoe yesterday. I am so sore. Reaching for the seat belt in the car is difficult.



Most pleasing was that Meg and Kelly and all the kids (I knew the kids responses) loved yesterday and we can do it again as a large group. Its fun just us. But its definately more fun with all of us. I loved being able to abandon the cooking to Hope - abandon the conversation keeping to Meg and Kelly and abandon.... well yep.. I just loved being able to run off with the canoe and Jackie... and do what I want!



When Meg and Hannah leave - I am pleasantly tired and my dogs are welcoming a nap. Rocky TELLS me its nap time and poor Dotti just follows and asks if she can have one too. I am just at that stage of sleep.. that pleasant drift... the dogs and I are comfortable.. and the phone rings.



Hope wants information off me I have told her a million (yeah the exaggeration thing again) times that I don't have and wouldn't give if I did have. The information she wants I am keen to know ,.. just because anyway. But there is nothing there.



I have amazing girlfriends. Each with very wonderful qualities.



But I was really pissed off to find someone I thought was a friend had an issue with me over confidentiality. I lost patience with waiting due to the other friends... obvious excitement and asked... well what happened and was fobbed off. Ok - that can be ok - but I bloody volunteer for that committee and should of had a right to know. So - friend assumed I would breach confidentiality. Which REALLY pisses me off. I will be over it tomorrow - but I guess its a lesson. Of course I am disappointed that the result I would of preferred wasnt made... but to assume I am that much of a fuckwit .... anyway....



It was incredibly insulting. A confidentiality issue. My brilliance at shutting my mouth for anything and everything - absolutely shot down. I am not angry that the situation didn't end as I would of liked it to end. That's fine - due process etc. They wear their choice - not me. But two sentences.... left me cold and unhappy. I took it as worse than just dismissed as insignificant - but an insult. Ignore me and tell me nothing.. fine... but .... dont question my ability to know my place. Nepotism replaced by rediculous anti-nepotism.



Now of course - nice things happen too!



Years ago - when my life was ... somewhat difficult. I had Robyn and Paulene who... kept my head afloat somewhat. We all had children the same age. And have a gander at Paulene's baby.



Those three little girls sure have grown up. When they were little they were gorgeous. I get all teary looking at them grown up.





I am surprised that I feel so sad at .. being mistaken ,,, but I shouldnt I guess. I should be good at it by now.

Anzac day 2007

"Lest we forget". Friends participated in the Anzac dawn service and parade.

Our family - opted to play. A day off work and school in the middle of the week was just too good an opportunity.

And - one of my aunts showed me once that my grandmother only didnt produce a baby every second year when my grandfather was away for four years. That was the second world war though....

We had a slow start to the day - because Will's best mate Damien was advised that a day playing on the dam isnt a clever idea before a big soccer game that they had this afternoon for the school. When Damien said he wasnt coming - I was considering cancelling.

But my girlfriend who had at wine and nibblies last night said they wouldnt attend - decided not only to come but to bring another friend and kids. I had arranged to simply borrow one of her kids and the ski tube sometime in the morning. But much better - now we had all the brood! (Minus two who were at other things)

Hope rang to say "Where are you?" (she too didnt give me a positive YES.. so I was unsure if she was coming) and I said.. Just find us the best picnic site you can - and get the BBQ started! So - about 2 hours behind schedule... the days fun begins.
Anna proceeds to take photographs of HERSELF. She could probably remember in the future that at Awoonga there are plenty of better backgrounds than the garbage bin!
And Anna and Jackie check out the playground equipment while the BBQ heats up.
MOTH and Meg assemble the hammock.
Bob and Billy head off for the first canoe ride. Jackie and I went second.
We watched the launch of the canoe and the arrival of our boat from our picnic spot. Those little people down there are Bob, Billy, Will and Jacob I think?
And no sooner had we paddled the canoe to the pontoon - shipped all the kids over to the pontoon in the boat - assembled the ski tube and the ropes... given only two kids a ride - and it was 1 pm and we all had kids sporting things to attend this afternoon.

Brunch of sausage, eggs, bacon, tomato, onion and baby spinach leaves on the BBQ - only MOTH and myself had time on the water with the kids... The adults amused themselves back at the picnic spot. When I got back they were discussing superannuation. I suspect I had the better time of everyone! I didnt get my breath back from paddling the canoe until we drove back into town.

It is disappointing leaving fun play because you have too. The water was lovely - and it isnt madly hot. I loved the canoe and really want to buy one for me. It's on my wish list. MOTH thinks I am nuts - who would want a toy without a motor? But it is such lovely exercise - just perfect. The ski tube was so much more fun than the surfboard which was a little tricky to hang onto.

I guess there is always this Sunday! No leaving late then!

Shower Stalking

Ok - I just read this over at LittleMissy's.

And it reminded me of a story.

So let's set the scenerio. I was 27 - MOTH was 22. I had four kids, a defacto partner who lived 400kms away at that time due to (mostly) the fact I had one sick child; I had two mortgages, two businesses (racehorses and the guest house) and a hell of a lot going on in my head. MOTH's biggest worry was where the next party was on. Defacto partner (aka the sperm donor)'s biggest worry was no one was cooking his meals and cleaning his clothes.

I had started a hmmm... no.. cant find any nice ways to say it.. sexual liason with MOTH. Or he had - who cares. I am going with the fact my head was way too overloaded to really consider the consequences of what was meant to be.. just sex. (Bloody good sex I might add)

Yep - I feel it. I was an adulteress without any doubt. I used to throw MOTH out the window at 5am as soon as I heard my children waking. Out the window actually. It was actually the highlight of my days watching this gorgeous naked man flee out my window. I find things like that wonderfully amusing! And I would throw him his clothes after he jumped. Years later I found out my dear friends did see that... and just stayed quiet. I was sure my "dirty" little secret was indeed .. secret. I have always been dreadful at secrets.

Anyway... one day he found it amusing to let himself into my house when he knew the kids were at daycare and I was at home. And I was in the shower. He wore the hazards outfit from his workplace - complete with gasmask and orange overalls. He stupidly entered the bathroom... and opened the shower door quickly..... thinking this was a funny joke. My reaction was to start hitting and hitting him.... I was SO SCARED...

I had been a single mother (well kinda - so I was meant to go home - I have trouble with agenda's etc) for about a year... and this was honestly MY WORST NIGHTMARE. I beat him and beat him... and my fury and horror - I was just so scared....

Anyways... MOTH learnt lesson number one. Never ever fook with me in the shower. I guess had he been a real murder/rapist he would of hit me back and probably killed me. I was afterall about 47 kilos and 168 cms tall.

But trust me.. you don't stop to think... why isnt the attacker attacking?

And when it was over - and I realised who it was and that he had been a stupid ass.. I refused to speak to him for a few weeks.

I think my friend is about to start blogging

I have written about my friend Robyn here and a few other times I think.

She certainly has a few stories to tell. And I hope she tells them! Her life is way more interesting than mine. She has had the stamina to endure finishing her degree. She has raised two charming and beautiful children. She has the compassion and caring to foster children. She has had her share of adversity and men that only their mothers should love.

But - as far as women you would like to sit on the sand, listen to the waves...stare at the stars and talk for hours (ok so we probably had a bottle of scotch and bourbon in our hands, and MOTH probably was getting annoyed with us in the background for spilling so much!) - I can only think of another half dozen women that's fun to do with.

Stars with a friend can be so amusing though! Clouds work when its not dark either - especially on trampolines BUT NOT WHEN THE CHILDREN GET ON TOO.

Feeding Finches

I have decided to have two bird feeders now. What I think was happening was the parrots and larger birds were KILLING the littler birds - finches (my particular favourite) and the sparrows. We kept finding dead birds in the backyard. So MOTH put one in the front yard for me.


Right outside the window - I can see them as I play on the pc.

Just common little finches who live in the palm tree out the front...

That amuse me more than they should!

Local girl wins Miss Australia contest

A local girl, Kimberley Busteed (18) won the Miss Australia contest last night. My daughters' cheerleading squad went to the airport tonight to welcome the charming young lady home. Kimberley really is a lovely girl. Her family are quite a prominent local family.

I Googled (amen to Google huh?) and found some interesting articles. This article declares it was quite a SHOCK that she won. (I especially like the bit where it says she is single - HELLO!)

Funny - here in Gladstone no one was shocked. Here is our local newspaper before she left.

And I couldn't help but be amused by this article.. wherein the contestant who had nudie pictures got the top billing?

Heresay is a dreadful thing - however I heard from a reliable source - that Kimberley's maternal grandfather died on Friday. This lovely, hardworking (and successful) local family sure has had their share of loss and grief. She has also lost TWO brothers. (I only knew about one - and would get choked up when I saw Kimberley raising money for that brother's illness)

Ya gotta take your hat off to strong women. I suspect young Kimberley is made of the strong stuff her mother is.

How exciting for her though - from Gladstone to MEXICO?

Don't try tell me she isnt the most beautiful contestant!

Update - 24th April.

My daughters gymnastic/cheerleading team who felt affiliated with Kimberley because of the school they went to and... some other associations... met Kimberley at the airport to cheer her home. My daughter is the third on the left. Ya have to hand it to girls who can be tall hey?

You can scratch your own butt too!

If you have an itch - scratch it.

Dogs don't care about dirty sofas.

Special Moments

When my oldest daughter, Sara, was almost 6 years old and came to visit her new baby sister, my Mama framed this picture Sara had made at school and they gave it to me as a present. It was one of those "special" presents. A moment you never ever forget.

Back in February Sara visited with her five year old son. I was cooking in the kitchen and Jay came in to see what I was doing. I pointed to the picture and told him "Your mother made that for me when she was a little older than you are now."

He looked at it... and slowly and wisely nodded his head.

"It is pretty good!"

So I gave him an ice cream instead of making him wait for his bacon and eggs breakfast. Because - I am the grandmother!

He could become an art critic!

Comparing the visual dna of my friend, the moth and myself

Well! We all have some similarities hey?

My Art.
Moth chose the woman bending over backwards. I will leave it to your imagination why he chose that... but really it had NOTHING to do with art. Rox and I both chose the beautiful snail shell. Nature being sometimes .. just too special. I found that one hard though because I also thought the food was art and Mona Lisa and the.. pencil drawing.....

Excites Me

Rox and I chose the image that to us related to sex and Moth chose the passport. He thought the passport resembled unlimited travel.. and I guess all of us are travelers.

I would like too..
And all three of us chose the image that resembles sex. Great friends have important things in common huh!

My freedom

I guess Rox likes the idea of holding hands for safety? Moth and I the camping/travel visual.

My treat
Rox and I both chose bubbles. I do love bubbles. The reason he chose the bloke running towards the water is because he felt the bloke is running towards his boat. Do not mistake it for some health craze.

My love

I confess for a minute I was going to chose the dog too. But I am still romantic enough to believe in love at all ages.

My landscapes..

That was a hard one. Too many pictures to choose from and too many had water.

My holiday

Rox and Moth chose same one... and I agree I love the water too. I just felt the campervan could take me to many many water views.

My vice..
Rox chose imbibing! Sheesh and added cigarettes. Moth chose the image that to him represented SEX! Why would sex be a vice? My addiction to cigarettes annoys the crap out of me. And I love them so....

My music

I listen to my music usually with headphones.. because the family doesnt like it very much. Moth mostly only hears music when he is driving from the radio. Rox chose the rock concert. I used to attend rock in the park, opera in the park etc... but I have never liked people touching me... I am not as courageous as my friend Rox.

My drink

Tis no secret Rox and I enjoy a tipple. When she visited us here.. she and I spilt so much red wine... I still have a white bedspread in a cupboard that hasnt got all the stains out. Moth chose coke because he drinks a bottle every day at work. I wish he wouldnt - it is causing terrible damage to his teeth.

My bedroom.
I should be mad at MOTH over his choice. He felt he was to chose the one that resembles closest. And - I guess he has a point.. but it is mostly his clothes all over the floor.. and putting the gym in our bedroom was a terrible mistake because I keep using it as a clothes horse. I like Rox's choice.

Rox's visual dna

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Moth's visual dna

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

My visual dna

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Mushroom Trippin....

My Aunt - who I have wrote about before when she messed with the minds of her neighbours by spray painting her aggies red - went for a hike in the mountains today.

She took these pictures. Gorgeous or what?

And of course - did she - Like Alice? taste one? She claims she didn't!

Happy Easter!

Dotti was most impressed with William's decorating efforts. William decorated the patty cakes. And he painted the boiled eggs with food colouring. The patty cakes were meant to look like mice - but I guess Will's artistic efforts got the better of him. Jane helped with the baking of the mud cakes - one is for a friends family I will deliver in the morning... if nothing ghastly happens to them tonight in their plastic containers I will put up very high.
A hug sometimes just is not as good as a cake. But it is a pleasant second. Thanks Jane for helping bake!
Dotti and Rocky show their appreciation and best manners to William.
Rocky and William both seem to eye off the same cake. But that is the one we are giving to our friends!
Crocodile eyes look exactly the same as this... exactly......

I hope to spend Easter Sunday on the water at Awoonga with the boat and ... bbq etc.. but if it continues to be windy it just isn't as fun. All my friends are either working or have plans... so this time I haven't invited anyone.

Moth caught a crab today - and other than baking we went window shopping, played with some irrigation hoses and sprinklers with the garden, cleaned a deep fryer gifted to us from a friend who had shoved it under her house when it delivered horrible results to her family (hmmm.. thought there huh!) and generally relaxed and just enjoyed the days. Nothing spectacular - nothing dramatic (does arguing with Anna who thinks at 16 she should be allowed to go out every single night count maybe?) but just how I like things. Calm and happy, and nothing too stressful.

A girlfriend forgot Good Friday means no alcohol to be purchased - and we were able to "rescue" her with some. I drank wine on her ocean breeze verandah admiring the ivy... while Moth and William caught yabbies in the low tide for bait.

So - if we do or don't go to the dam for water/boat play tomorrow - it wont matter. We have suitable cakes, pretty eggs and chocolate to consume. And at either Awoonga or at home - I am going to marinate and grill some vegetables to counter balance our.. excesses... mostly inspired from the always interesting Ginnie

Happy Easter... I wouldn't really change a lot with mine. Maybe it would be nicer to have family closer. Maybe it would be nicer to have lots of money. But - we seem to be having giggles and fun... just the same.

The Harbour Festival Parade

Jane came home from boarding school Saturday morning on the train. The sperm donor had donated some funds towards the kids attending the Harbour Festival - a jolly good thing as we are rather financially "challenged" at the moment.

Anna is in the cheer squad - so she participated in the Harbour Festival Parade. Parades are good fun.

Of course the marching band begins - complete with interlopers on skateboards and push bikes.
Look - here comes Anna and her mob!

The girls drop their poms to perform for us...

And hurl the smaller girls over the bitumen.....

Then don their poms again...

And march off to the Marina for the start of the Festival...

While we watch the rest of the parade and floats...

And Will and his mates try to catch the lollies and beg for balloons..

Have to admire the doggies...

And the boats...

And of course the pipe band...

And odd... characters...

Whirling belly dancers - some looked a little tired... bit of a walk that bloody hill for a main street. Note to all town planners.. DONT BUILD THE MAIN STREET UP A GREAT BIG STEEP HILL....

And hooray for our community... alround. I really love a parade.

Doesn't take much to amuse me.

Praised the dogs a bit prematurely

Maybe now I do need to roll out the chicken wire fencing huh? Bad, naughty doggies.