EUREKA!!

After much faffing about I have managed to get photos from phone to computer to here!!  Now I just need to fine tune a few things.



 Above are Angus and Bonnie. They are bigger now but you get the idea.

 A blurry photo of the three boys and two girlfriends.

 The third girlfriend with the Ninja (this one is the future daughter in law, One's girlfriend)

The Stig and The Ninja.  Not a good one of either but it's a start!!

And when Mary comes back from her jaunt to Portugal she will get a surprise.  It's only taken .... um, years!!



Happy Easter

I am not a religious person.  I repsect those who are, and in some ways envy them that blind faith.  I've been down that path a few times in my life but question too much, methinks!   The Aunt is very churchy.  She prays every day and reads her bible and goes to church every Sunday.  Good on her BUT ... don't tell me when something goes right for me that it's because she's praying for me!!!  It just might have been down to me!  And don't get started on God making it possible for me to do it in the first place COS I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!

Hmmm.  Where did that little rant come from?

Himself is very down in the dumps with the lack of employment.  So hard to see.

One and Ebs are coming for dinner tonight.  That will buck him up a bit.

The internet is a wonderful machine.  An old friend posted on facebook that she was looking to buy a treadmill.  A few messages back and forth and lo and behold, she has bought mine. (Himself has been very good not to mention that he knew it would never get used when we bought it.  I would have used it if I could get into the damned garage!).  So Lisa has a tready and I get to see her again after way too many years.

Himself and I went to the gym yesterday (hence no longer needing the tready) and I jogged for over half an hour.  I was stoked.  Especially as I still have the lurgy which is making breathing a bit of a challenge.

Time for a quick squiz around the blogosphere and then off to continue spot cleaning the carpet - a strangely satisfying task.

If one gets a yummy ginger cake recipe from a fellow blogger is it calorie free?

Still coughing!

Another glorious autumn day, here.  Himself has gone to the gym but I cancelled my PT session.  I didn't want to be sneezing all over the place.  Just as well cos I woke up this morning with a very nasty productive cough.  Ick.

I really hope that Himself gets a job soon.  It's doing his head in and I hate seeing him so distressed.

Plus it will mean that we both have some structure back in our lives. Each day is a wait and see sort of day.  If a phone call or email gets answered he's a bit happier but if no contact is made he's miserable. 

Today I plan to destain the stairs.  SOMEONE isn't careful when they take stuff down to the rubbish bin and there are drip marks all down them.

And I hope to get out in the lovely sunshine at some point, too.

I have Man flu!

Anyone who lives with a male knows that they never get a cold and suffer in silence.  Well, I woke up yesterday morning with a cold and am NOT suffering in silence.  I am a disgrace to the female gender but sure as eggs is eggs Himself will get this so I am getting my whingeing in first.

I hope he doesn't get it before Thursday as he has a job interview.  Fingers crossed.

The Stig is making it impossible to type so I'm off to sit on the balcony and read a book in the late autumn sunshine.                  

Life trundles along

I know it's been a long time between drinks!

After the pain of losing Tom, we gave in and bought another kitten.  He's called The Stig!  A beautiful tabby who is very affectionate - well, to me anyway!!

Not long after Himself and I came home one evening to find that the back door hadn't locked properly when we went out and the dogs had got in and killed Sheba.  We were devastated.  They hadn't savaged her, the vet said it was just boisterous play.  She would have died instantly and there wasn't a tooth mark on her.  We now have a little black cat called Ninja.  They have some enormous shoes to fill but seem to be up to the task.

Mother is doing her best to settle in at the aged care facility.  She has her moments but that is to be expected.  Dad is slowly going down hill.  His speech and mobility are deteriorating but he's happy.

Himself is still without work which is placing a huge strain on him.  Fingers crossed something will come up soon.

One, Two and Three are well.  One has ordered THE ring so celebrations will be happening very soon.  Their house is coming along well, too.  Should be finished around August.  Two is working for a camera store and seems happy.  He's going back to finish his degree so he can apply to teach English in Japan.  He and his girlfriend are a good couple.  Who knows, this could be the one although it's early days.  Three is in yet another job.  Still customer service but with cars so he is a very happy little vegemite. 

I am muddling along.  My laptop died so I haven't been able to get online as easily as I used to but I now have a new pink machine (the colour makes all the difference) so I'm baaaaaack.

Speaking of which, Trish, if you read this.  Any chance of being able to read your journal?  I miss it.

The volunteer reading programme has taken off.  And being the bunny I am, I offered to help the teacher who is organising it.  I was dismayed to find the whole thing is run voluntarily even down to the teacher doing everything in her own time.  So I am pairing students with volunteers and working out the rosters.  A few teething problems but it should settle down next term.  I also go in once a fortnight to play word games with small groups.  Yesterday was the first session and they played wordsearch and scrabble. 

Three and his GF are over for dinner so better go and decide what to cook.  A friend and I rejoined WW for the umpteenth gazillionth time.  Early days but so far so good.

RIP Thomas

Yesterday Tom seemed unwell. 

Today he deteriorated rapidly.

We took him to the emergency vet.  He had heart, lung and liver problems.

He was admitted and put in an oxygen cage, given antibiotics and monitored.

At 5.00pm there was little change.  At least his fever had reduced but his heart and breathing rates were way above normal.

At 9.00pm Himself went back to the vet.  I couldn't.  I had said goodbye and bawled for most of the afternoon.  I feel so guilty.

Himself took Tom out of the cage and held him.  Tom purred and wrapped his paws around Himself's fingers.  The vet gave Tom his last injection and Himself held him and apologised as Tom gently died.

Every morning I woke to Tom purring and wrapping his paws around my fingers and every night I would go to sleep with Tom purring and kneading my head.  When he was a kitten he would purr, knead and suckle my throat!

He had a good life.  He was loved.  Neighbours called him the friendliest cat in the universe. 

It's blowing a gale right now and for a fleeting moment I can pretend he's hiding in a corner in the cupboard under the stairs.  Only tomorrow when the wind dies down, he won't be here.

Miss you, Tom boy..

What WAS I thinking about?

I HATE the heat!!  It's in the high 30s  today!  Last week we struggled to get into the 20s.  Guess that's Melbourne for you.  Sydneysiders always give us grief over our weather but I reckon we can beat them hands down at the moment.

We (meaning Himself and Two) have ripped the kitchen out of the parents' unit.  In some cases back to the brickwork.  I am hoping we can get someone to help us fix it up so we don't have to keep doing the drive up there. 

On Saturday when Himself and Two went and finished the wrecking job I stayed home and attacked the kitchen.  Gave it a really good clean with bleach and polish and stuff.  And moved a lot of things off the benches and into cupboards so it looks much cleaner and spacious.  I love having the kitchen/living area altogether but it easily gets cluttered.  Yesterday was the turn of the pantry and tomorrow I'll do the fridge.  If I tackle an area at a time it will eventually get done.

I went to the gym this morning and feel great.  I am going in the morning for a run and some core work before I go to the osteo.  Fake it til you make it is my new motto!!

The local council newsletter had an ad for volunteers to help with literacy skills in year 7 students at a local high school.  Sad that they can get all the way through primary school and still struggle but at least the school is doing something about it.  I rang today and asked to speak to the person in the ad only to be told she's not back from leave until the 31st.  So why tell people to ring and ask for her from today?  Sheesh!!  Now ... should I apply for my working with children clearance straight away in case I am successful or should I wait.  I suppose it will make me appear pro-active if I already have it.  That's assuming the woman ever calls me back!  Don't worry, if I haven't heard from her by early Feb I'll be ringing the school.

We took Tom (our 12 year old tabby - the best cat in the whole world) to the vet today because he's losing his fur.  Looks quite moth eaten, poor puss.  Vet seemed a bit vague as to cause.  Ruled some things out and then gave him a shot of long acting cortisone.  Hopefully it will stop whatever is causing it.  He does seem to be overgrooming which is not uncommon in pets.  Angus had his 12 month vaccinations and heartworm shot.  Pets aren't cheap, are they?!

Cold chook and salad for dinner.  Yum.  Himself has made his potato salad.  Double Yum!!