*ahem*

It appears that rather a large amount of time has disappeared since I decided to lay low.

It's not that I didn't mean to update. I just couldn't get my act or brain together.

In fact, I nearly deleted the whole thing with the intention of walking away from blogging for ever.

But I didn't.

So here I am.

The photo is taken on the beach which is at the end of the path which runs behind the new house. Pretty awesome for a city beach, no?

The house continues to be built and if all goes to plan we should be able to move in by the end of August. Which means only a couple of weeks of being homeless. And catless. They are NOT going to be happy. Firstly they will have to go into a cattery. Which will mean a visit to a vet for shots and stuff. Yes, I am a slack owner. Then when they get to move in they will have to learn about stairs (I am looking forward to watching THAT) and learn that they can no longer wander about the neighbourhood. They will be contained with an electric fence (designed for cats - I'm not cruel). This is imperative as I don't want them killing the birdlife (ducks, pelicans and the like ... although I'd like to see them try to bring a pelican home) but there are also snakes around and a cat recently dug its way out of its new backyard and headed for its old home. It was found several weeks later in the vicinity of the old home, emaciated and near to death. It was taken to the RSPCA and was found to have been bitten twice by snakes and had to be put down.

So the cats will be contained.

Work is good. I am taking 5 weeks of annual leave at the end of my contract which is only 7.5 weeks away. This coincides with when we have to move out of this place so I really should get packing.

Unfortunately I have discovered ebay and bought rather a lot of glass bits and pieces. Too much really but I tell Himself that I have got Christmas presents sorted!! I had plans to sell a lot of stuff but haven't worked out how to manage the posting side of things. Working full time makes getting to the post office well nigh impossible.

Still not sure what will happen once my contract is up but I have definitely decided NOT to return to my old position and have told that boss. No dramas there ... I think it was expected. If I decide to return to that area I will look for work closer to home. My current manager has tried really hard to create extra hours but even though the powers that be agree that more man power is needed there isn't the money for it. So it looks as if I might be able to work a day a week for a while. That would be bloody marvelous!! I was asked if I would be interested in working for a private health care facility in a similar role and have submitted my resume. I will go for interview if I'm asked but it's still pretty much full time and the travel would be huge. So I'll probably say thanks but no thanks and bide my time working very part time where I am. Then I can review the situation next year. This all has to be approved so I'm still in limbo a bit but I'm not too stressed about it all.

The exercise went waaaaaay out the window and I have regained quite a bit of weight. Fireman Sam is studying for promotion and dealing with other issues so I have lost that incentive.

I guess with everything that has happened in the past 6 months it's not too surprising but I am slowly getting back into things. I am very unhappy with myself but that is something I need to learn to deal with. Along with being an all or nothing person. But more on this another day.

Himself has pretty well quit drinking which is amazing. He is looking much better for it but is still struggling with painful joints so can't exercise as much as he would like. I think he might need a knee replacement. He has had some ups and downs with work which meant he felt very unwanted but as of yesterday he is back on a project which he enjoys. It will mean a little bit of travel but not the stupid stuff he was doing last year.

One has moved out with Fireman Sam. They found a quirky apartment not far from here and although I have heard on the grapevine (Three) that One was a bit lonely at first he seems to be happy. He comes around to use our internet, washing machine and dryer and to eat our food but that's cool. When we move he will get said washing machine and dryer. And our fridge. (We bought all new everything. The new owners are taking nearly all the furniture and I have homes for what they're not taking.)

Two and GGF are happy. He is currently working on a documentary and a feature film. Both independent (read "poorly paid"!) but every bit of experience helps. He was meant to have his jaw surgery in May but it was postponed the day before he was booked in because noone thought to tell the fucking ANAESTHETIST that he has sarcoidosis in his epligottis which just MIGHT pose an anaesthetic risk. And by noone I mean not the surgeon, the ENT specialist, the dentist, the rheumatologist .... even though they all knew and communicated with each other. Sheesh. As you can imagine Two was really pissed off. The reason it was postponed was because the anaesthetist wanted him in a hospital with an intensive care facility and the hospital he was booked into didn't have one. And the surgeon doesn't have admitting rights to a hospital with an ICU so we had to find another surgeon (well the surgeon found us another surgeon). And now Two is booked into have his jaw broken on July 28th. I am so proud of that kid. He has really struggled with the side effects of the medications he's been on but has quit smoking and taken up running in an effort to deal with them.

Three is still working a long way from home and an even longer away from where we will be living but he is addressing this. He is also looking forward to moving. He has a new female in his life. We shall call her Andy because that is not her name! She is refreshingly normal. Through her he has discovered Wu Shu and just loves it. (He used to learn karate). His fitness levels are just amazing and the transformation in his physique is just as amazing. And above all he is happy and soooo grown up.

The mermaid is struggling a bit. Brothers are good. Mrs Other had a bit of a heart scare recently but they are currently in Italy on holiday (never had kids!!) and all seems well. Parents are well and happy. Really happy, actually, which is just fantastic.

I'm sure there is lots more to tell you but I think I've covered enough for now.


And this is the mouth of the river just next to the awesome beach. *sigh* Can't wait.