Monday, November 24, 2008

Christmas Already!?

It has come to my attention that Christmas is almost upon us. I have been alerted to this fact by the aisles and aisles full of gaudy and loud decorations, that seem so essential to the Christmas experience in our consumer driven culture.

All things shiny, tasteless and tacky are passed off as delightful Christmas decorations. I mostly roll my eyes and make some kind of derisive comment under my breath as I walk past such items. However, recently in my local supermarket, my attention was drawn to the particularly inane, but simultaneously rage inducing 'singing santa'. You know the ones. The ones that kinda dance and have a hideous sound emanating from somewhere within their mechanical centres. Within about .5 seconds of exposure to such 'toys' I am usually looking for something to smash the offending object with, just to make it stop.

But on this particular shopping expedition, Mr D decided that the lovely staff working at our local needed to be exposed to this sound more thoroughly, just to test their proffesionalism. So he dutifully set about pressing every button on the santa's, setting off an aisle full of dancing singing santa's much to everyone's delight.

He was of course very amused by his antics and proceeded to carry out the rest of our shop with a grin on his face. I wonder how many others do the same thing? Anyhow, I really want to know, who the hell buy's these products???? Seriously. Why I ask you? Why? If you didn't buy them, the shops wouldn't stock them and Christmas would be a more enjoyable experience for alot of people.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Newlyweds & New Friends

German Backpacker X left today for Tassie tonight - but he'll be back in a week. Who is backpacker X you ask? Well it's a long story.

The lovely Mr S and the delightful Mrs B - who shall henceforth be referred to as the newlyweds - arrived back from their almost three month long honeymoon last week. And due to circumstances beyond their control, have been prevented from abiding in their intended place of residence. But this inconvenience is only a minor problem, and is easily and readily solved by moving in with your brother and his wife (read me) who are only too happy to accommodate you.

On the day that the moving occurred, Mr S received a phone call from the aforementioned backpacker, whom he and his missus had befriended while traveling. He was arriving in Melbourne tonight and could he stay with him. That's where I come in. I obligingly acquiesced to the request and made up a room for our German friend. He arrived an hour later.

The standard meet and greet ensued, and then progressed to dinner and drinks around our dining table. All of a sudden my house and it's bedrooms were full of people. It's nice. I like having people around, and our backpacker friend was very easy to get along with.

So he will be back in a week to stay for a few more days, and then he will leave to travel around the rest of this great country of ours. I will keep you posted.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Five months on

Well it's been a long time. According to my last post it has been five months. And during that time, my significant other has begun a blog and really I have to say, out blogged me. He is wittier, funnier and in my opinion far more entertaining to read than me. What's a girl to do? Can I really complain that he is so talented and effortlessly writes clever, insightful and funny blogs? I think not.

However, I will soldier on. I cannot let his raw talent stop me. No, I will continue to write and not be daunted by his genius! It is hard to live in the shadow of greatness.....but I will continue on....I am woman hear me roar!

Now after all that grandstanding I think I have nothing much to write about....

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Busy Busy Busy

So let me tell you all about what the next 6 weeks hold for me. In 3 weeks Lovey is having her first baby - that's a pretty big deal. I have two major assignments due in around the same time she is due to give birth, and we'll also be packing ready to move house.

We move house at the end of next month, which at this point I am really looking forward to. Our new house has more room, carpet (oh joy), and wait for it....an inground spa yippee! I will miss our little house and the seriously great location, but really am looking forward to more space.

About a week after we move into our new place Mr S my brother-in-law, will marry the fabulous Miss B (who will soon be Mrs B!!!). With all of these things about to take place I'm excited, nervous, apprehensive and hanging out all at the same time!

And, there is a J shaped whole in my heart. GG just was not the same without Judd and her espangol ways. At least she's coming back and we're not losing her forever to the USA, but still I miss her.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Saturday Morning Ritual

Saturday morning sleep in's are the best. My saturday morning's are mostly a leisurely affair and go something like this:

  1. Wake up at around 9 to 9.30am, begin slowly waking up
  2. Breakfast in bed
  3. Venture outside briefly to retrieve the Saturday Age.
  4. Read paper for an hour or so (which counts as homework - oh joy!)
  5. Call a friend - usually lovey - and giggle.

However such luxuriating cannot go on all day, and by around 11am it's time to tackle the things that the rest of my Saturdays usually consist of: The two H's - Homework and Housework!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Waiting

I don't like waiting. Not that anybody really does, but those close to me can verify that I am a particularly impatient person. Patience really isn't one of my (otherwise many) virtues. I have inherited my mothers punctuality, which has been marginally relaxed by being married to a man whose family is barely even aware of time in a traditional sense. It is more of an abstract idea that is loosely relevant to his family.
It's like I have an inbuilt clock or something, and I don't have to think about how long somewhere will take to get and when we'll need to leave I just know and am painfully, seriously uncooly punctual.
My sister (who I am in fact waiting for now, and therefore brought on these thoughts) did not inherit this punctual quality. When we were teenagers going somewhere together, if she wasn't ready when I told her I would be, I would leave without her. We roar laughing about it now, and we both concede that we both could have been more considerate of the other (me a bit more patient, her more organised), but gosh it used to piss me off! Haha
In fact while we're on the subject of getting ready to go out, it is a regular occurence in our house that my husband takes more time to get ready than I do! How funny, but lately I've been getting more flexible, and even scheduling to arrive places late *gasp*.
Anyhow this has been a pleasant way to pass the time while I wait for my sister........

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Internet Fix

Ahhhhhhh. It's been three long days since I could access the internet from the comfort of my own home, and now voila I'm connected with the world again. Thanks to the lovely, unobtrusive, quiet and generally proffessional builders (are you catching my sarcastic tone here?) that are employed to renovate the house we live in, our phone line was cut last week, and I was cut off from the outside world with no warning. Horror!
My hero (AKA the telstra man) came today and fixed it. Hurrah! What I want to know, now that I experienced a few days without the net, is how the hell did anyone get anything done before the internet?
And despite the fact that my phone line is working again, those pesky builders are still here. Hammering, sawing, drilling and even using a jack hammer as I type. Lovely. So you know I think it's time I scooted off to uni, where I can relax and escape. Yay!

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Vice Presidential Duties

So I know what the name of the student club I am VP of is now. That's always good isn't it? I have an inkling I am going to be quite good at this too. Especially if tonights "meeting" was anything to go by. We decided earlier in the week it would be a good idea to get together 'off campus', to discuss what we want to do with the club, and to start organising our first social event.

Our meeting went like this; meet at uber cool bar in the city, drink alcohol outside under an outdoor heater, briefly discuss official business (so as to give the appearance at least that this was a serious meeting, not an excuse to get pissed). Adjourn official business, order more drinks - and let the drinking games begin. Like I said, I think I can get used to this.

It also helps that our President - the all round nice guy/jock/good at freaking everything but you can't dislike him coz he's so bloody nice - was shocked, yes you read correctly SHOCKED I tell you, to learn that *gasp* I am nearly 30. In fact the entire group looked genuinely confused. I love them all! And I might add that this was before the drinking had begun. Apparently he thought I was 22 max. Awesome.

It's not all drinking and compliments though. There are serious and important things to attend to. Like for example, tomorrow I have to check my email to see if President has sent through graphics for flyers we're making. I know what you're thinking. How do I cope with the stress and the pressure? To tell you the truth I don't know, I just find a way and hope for the best.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Gross

* Warning - This blog contains some disturbing anecdotes. Blog suitable for mature readers only.

I swallowed a fly today. As I was getting into my car I felt it go in and hit the back of my throat. Eeeeeewwwwwww. But it gets worse. Normally when it's happened to me before I cough and it comes out. Not this time.

Because I was breathing in it got sucked right to the back of my throat and I could feel it wriggling around in my throat. I mean this is almost traumatising. I start having a coughing fit while I'm driving - I pull over and manage to tell Mr D to buy me a drink in the middle of coughing. While he's in the shop the fly is still wriggling in my throat but it won't budge and it's making me dry retch. Then I hear a car beeping me and I look in the rear mirror and see not car but bus. Had pulled into bus stop, and so had to pull out and find another spot to put car. I do that and the coughing is getting worse and is now progressing to vomitting. I am standing in the gutter making revolting noises with shoppers walking past looking a little perplexed, in a 'I am not really looking becasue that wouldn't be polite' way. Note to self - breathing in fly not fun.

I look up and see Mr D and he sees me bent over in the gutter and comes running. Finally a drink! It helps, but it still doesn't feel pleasant. After gulping the drink down it feels better, but it's still catching when I breathe in and Mr D has to pull over a few times on the way home coz I think I'm gonna vomit again. Didn't though so that was good.

Feeling better tonight except for the occasional gross thought of having eaten a fly. The moral of the story people is breathe through your nose!

Monday, March 24, 2008

Hot Keys Dance Party

There was an informal sort of get together at my place last night, that consisted of the requisite drinks, good friends and yummy food. It's pretty much a garanteed recipe for a great night. And I always find that the word spreads fairly effortlessly that there is to be a social gathering of some kind.

I am always pleasantly surprised to see people turn up who I had no idea were coming. Take for example the lovely Basil and her man, they were hours away on the Victorian coast as far as I was aware, so when I saw them walking up my driveway I was delighted. Basil and SnakeBalls know how to work a room!

After several hours of the aforementioned drinking, it became apparent that the night would not be complete without a little Hot Keys action. For those of you not in the know, Hot Keys is an awesome 80's keyboard that hangs around the players neck - usually my husbands.

After some Electro Hot Keys, there was a void that needed to be filled, and it could only be filled with Pictionary. We teamed up into two groups of three and so began the competition, schemes and friendly yelling matches. I have to confess that my team were a little cheeky and probably got more slack than we deserved. Anyhow, we lost so I don't really feel guilty.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Accidental Vice-President

Today I went to Uni and found myself in an AGM for a newly formed Media and Journalism Students Society. My friend and I thought it would be a bit of fun to get involved and then somehow I was nominated to 'run' (and I use that term loosely as nobody else contested the title). So by default I am now the Vice President of said club.

There was a definite lack of ceremony for the occasion but I think I can over look that. The fact that I only became aware of it's existence a few weeks ago, and until today was not a member is inconsequential.

My friend found herself with the official role of Secretary and we walked out of the room a little dazed with me saying, and I quote, "So I'm the Vice President of a club I know nothing about." Hmmmm.

Stay tuned for further developments......

Saturday, March 15, 2008

25 Year Anniversary

Today our Church celebrated 25 years of J&B being at Christchurch. Wow. What an emotional day! It was a chance to reflect and express our gratitude to the people who have served and loved us so faithfully for so long, and to remeber all of the ways in which they have been a blessing to me personally. But also, it was an opportunity to catch up with people I haven't seen in a long time, a decade in some instances! Talk about a blast from the past! Man I feel OLD!
Cordelia and her siblings as well as Basil and various others did a FABULOUS job organising, plotting and generally being sneaky to make it a surprise for J&B.
What a fun day, if only we could have ordered the weather to be at least 15 degrees cooler. The kids enjoyed it - any excuse for a water fight hey?!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Autumn Heat Wave

Today I went to Uni even though my body was urging me to stay in bed. I willed my mind to ignore the cold that has invaded my body, and I braved the 37 degree heat.

Melbourne weather is like a fickle boyfriend, hot and cold and impossible to predict. Walking across campus was almost unbearable today in the full glare of the Australian Sun, it felt suffocating and I just wanted some relief from the heat. Then in the evening in a matter of minutes a cool change comes , bringing relief from the stifling heat.

Now the cool change is here and the only evidence remaining of the oppressive heat that zapped me today, is the uncomfortable temperature in my house. The floor boards are still warm and it feels as though my house is radiating heat.

My very hairy dog pants and heaves as his body tries to regulate his temperature in a climate that he was not designed to live in. It seems like a lot of work all that panting, and makes me feel like he's getting hotter. But apparently dogs release heat through their tongue or something like that. Still, it doesn't seem very relaxing. He can't get comfortable, and keeps moving when he gets too hot.

Slowly the house is starting to cool down and the dog is not so restless. Today I am very grateful for the fickle nature of Melbourne weather.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Wedding Season

Weddings weddings weddings. They are delightful. Particularly when one is a guest I feel. It's so much fun to get drunk and enjoy the (hopefully) great food and general celabratory atmosphere. But more than that, weddings are a huge event in a persons life, and those close to them can't help but be caught up in the joy and love too.

This year Mr D's bro is getting married to the delightful Miss B - hurrah! And a few weeks after this momentus event, a cousin is getting married. While it's not quite as exciting (to me anyway), as seeing Miss B walk down the ailse with my brother in law waiting for her, it should still be alot of fun. And, to cap it all off Emerald announced she is getting married to Stewy in January. Good for them I say.

Everybody is growing up and getting married. Does this mean we're officially grown ups?