It was so cold during the night that I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed to pee! brrrrrrrrr
It's okay, I didn't pee in the bed!
Maccas for breakfast this morning! Free WiFi and good McCafe coffee ... not that I would EVER recommend Maccas for ANY meal of the day!
However, it's a morning ritual that I have come to enjoy when visiting BGWLBH because she has a serious Maccas breakfast addiction!
Did some shopping early in the day and found my favourite lingerie shop where I seriously controlled my spending.
Ran into an old friend who worked at one of the shops there and caught up with some of her news.
We later visited BGWLBH's Mum and stole some vegetables out of her garden. We have some serious cooking planned, but tonight we ate out.
I bumped into a few old work colleagues and a couple of friends, an acquaintance or two who seemed to be much more friendly than I remember!
After six years away from here, I am only back twenty four hours and I feel like I never left. It still feels like home!
People say that once you leave a place, you can never go back because it will never feel the same. I come back every year expecting people to either have forgotten me or not want to know me anymore, but I am always welcomed back with open arms and I am always surprised by that.
Tomorrow I plan on taking my camera out and about. While BGWLBH is at church, I will be roaming the village and hopefully getting some nice shots in the early morning light.
It's day one, I'm having a very nice time and life is good!
Nite for now!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Safe n Sound
Just a quick post before I climb into bed.
I set the buzzers off through the security gate twice (!) before I even left the Bay this morning THEN the drug/bomb man with the scanner stopped me to scan ME and my belongings! Did I look suspicious??
Had two seats to myself on the flight to Sydney and I planned on writing in the DDD, but discovered that both the pens that I had put in my handbag had mysteriously disappeared! Bugger! So I had to settle with reading the inflight magazine instead.
I hadn't eaten breakfast OR lunch so I was feeling a bit peckish and wanted to buy something on the plane. Then I found that Virgin menus had changed. The selection to choose from had reduced considerably and the prices had increased markedly.
Instead of paying $10 for a sandwich, I chose a $4 packet of potato chips which disappointingly turned out to be a 30 gram packet which is equivalent to about five crisps.
I decided to wait til I arrived at Sydney airport and buy something more substantial for lunch.
The people sitting behind me had a baby, about four or five months old, who seemed to dislike flying and screamed uncontrollably for the first twenty minutes of the flight. She cheered up because while we waiting to disembark, she was beaming and smiling at everyone who looked at her!
One of the people sitting in front of me was 'passing smelly wind' for the first twenty minutes of the flight.
So you could say that the first twenty minutes of my journey was most unpleasant!
It did improve though. The flight was very smooth until we hit the thick, dark clouds hanging over Sydney. That created a very bumpy descent to the tarmac.
So we landed in Sydney and I found my way to the check-in counter for Rex Airlines where the very smiley attendant commented how 'nice and early' I was. She didn't charge me for my luggage which was six kilograms over the allowable limit. (Thank you :o) lovely attendant).
I had to stand on the end of a very long queue and wait for over twenty minutes to get through the security gates back into the terminal, so I spent the time singing happy songs to myself and smiling at strangers. They appeared to be suspicious of my friendly behaviour!
Then I had four hours to kill.
I tried to get into the Rex Guest Lounge, but you have to be a paid member and they don't have day passes into the area (which Virgin Blue DO - by the way).
So I sat in the waiting area scribbling frantically in my DDD (after first stopping at the airport newsagent to purchase 2 pens - just in case)
After about two hours, a young girl in her early twenties sat beside me and found an appointment card for a brain surgeon on the seat.
She waved it in my direction and said "Oh look! Somebody had an appt this morning with a brain surgeon!"
I replied "Yes! I did see that!"
She then came back with "This would look great on a piece of artwork titled "Flotsam and Jetsom" with lots of other things"
I responded with "It's interesting that your brain works that way ... perhaps you could visit this brain surgeon and have that looked at!"
She giggled loudly and five minutes later disappeared around the corner.
When I finally got to board the next flight, I was sitting beside a young man, also in his early twenties. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, he tapped my arm to get my attention and handed me two pieces of stone with gold strips in them.
He looked at me and said "That's real gold there". I replied "Kewl! Where'dya get it?" He said "I pulled it out of the tyre treads on a big truck at the gold mine!" I answered "Wow! And they let you keep it?" He said "No, not really!" I said "Don't tell me any more!"
Then he took his rocks back and proceeded to listen to music in his ipod.
It was a nice quick flight. We must have had a strong tail wind because we arrived fifteen minutes early, despite leaving Sydney ten minutes late.
So here I am safe n sound and already enjoying BGWLBH's warm hospitality.
I've watched some tennis but it's been a long day, and my back has been good all day but is just starting to niggle a bit, so I'd best go rest my weary bones.
Nite all
I set the buzzers off through the security gate twice (!) before I even left the Bay this morning THEN the drug/bomb man with the scanner stopped me to scan ME and my belongings! Did I look suspicious??
Had two seats to myself on the flight to Sydney and I planned on writing in the DDD, but discovered that both the pens that I had put in my handbag had mysteriously disappeared! Bugger! So I had to settle with reading the inflight magazine instead.
I hadn't eaten breakfast OR lunch so I was feeling a bit peckish and wanted to buy something on the plane. Then I found that Virgin menus had changed. The selection to choose from had reduced considerably and the prices had increased markedly.
Instead of paying $10 for a sandwich, I chose a $4 packet of potato chips which disappointingly turned out to be a 30 gram packet which is equivalent to about five crisps.
I decided to wait til I arrived at Sydney airport and buy something more substantial for lunch.
The people sitting behind me had a baby, about four or five months old, who seemed to dislike flying and screamed uncontrollably for the first twenty minutes of the flight. She cheered up because while we waiting to disembark, she was beaming and smiling at everyone who looked at her!
One of the people sitting in front of me was 'passing smelly wind' for the first twenty minutes of the flight.
So you could say that the first twenty minutes of my journey was most unpleasant!
It did improve though. The flight was very smooth until we hit the thick, dark clouds hanging over Sydney. That created a very bumpy descent to the tarmac.
So we landed in Sydney and I found my way to the check-in counter for Rex Airlines where the very smiley attendant commented how 'nice and early' I was. She didn't charge me for my luggage which was six kilograms over the allowable limit. (Thank you :o) lovely attendant).
I had to stand on the end of a very long queue and wait for over twenty minutes to get through the security gates back into the terminal, so I spent the time singing happy songs to myself and smiling at strangers. They appeared to be suspicious of my friendly behaviour!
Then I had four hours to kill.
I tried to get into the Rex Guest Lounge, but you have to be a paid member and they don't have day passes into the area (which Virgin Blue DO - by the way).
So I sat in the waiting area scribbling frantically in my DDD (after first stopping at the airport newsagent to purchase 2 pens - just in case)
After about two hours, a young girl in her early twenties sat beside me and found an appointment card for a brain surgeon on the seat.
She waved it in my direction and said "Oh look! Somebody had an appt this morning with a brain surgeon!"
I replied "Yes! I did see that!"
She then came back with "This would look great on a piece of artwork titled "Flotsam and Jetsom" with lots of other things"
I responded with "It's interesting that your brain works that way ... perhaps you could visit this brain surgeon and have that looked at!"
She giggled loudly and five minutes later disappeared around the corner.
When I finally got to board the next flight, I was sitting beside a young man, also in his early twenties. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, he tapped my arm to get my attention and handed me two pieces of stone with gold strips in them.
He looked at me and said "That's real gold there". I replied "Kewl! Where'dya get it?" He said "I pulled it out of the tyre treads on a big truck at the gold mine!" I answered "Wow! And they let you keep it?" He said "No, not really!" I said "Don't tell me any more!"
Then he took his rocks back and proceeded to listen to music in his ipod.
It was a nice quick flight. We must have had a strong tail wind because we arrived fifteen minutes early, despite leaving Sydney ten minutes late.
So here I am safe n sound and already enjoying BGWLBH's warm hospitality.
I've watched some tennis but it's been a long day, and my back has been good all day but is just starting to niggle a bit, so I'd best go rest my weary bones.
Nite all
Thursday, June 30, 2011
This time tomorrow ...
This time tomorrow, I will be elsewhere, after spending eight hours in transit!
Bags are packed (except for what I need tomorrow morning to get ready).
Checklist marked off.
My only concern right now, is my back. As I lifted some groceries onto the kitchen bench today, I felt 'something' happen in my back and it is causing me a little discomfort, and every so often, some stronger pain.
I'm hoping that a good night of sound sleep will heal what I think is only a minor injury, otherwise travelling might prove difficult!
Four hours in Sydney airport should be interesting. Last time I travelled via Sydney, I spent over seven hours there.
I love to 'people watch' and you see such a wide cross section of people from all walks of life at an airport.
Thankfully, these days, you can also get good coffee at the airport so the combination of drinking coffee and 'people watching' is very appealing!
I think I can hear my bed calling my name!
Wish me luck in the healing process and I'll tell you all about my travels and 'people watching' tomorrow!
Oh! Aussie H came for lunch today and FINALLY met Chicklet!! Wahoo!!
Nite all
Bags are packed (except for what I need tomorrow morning to get ready).
Checklist marked off.
My only concern right now, is my back. As I lifted some groceries onto the kitchen bench today, I felt 'something' happen in my back and it is causing me a little discomfort, and every so often, some stronger pain.
I'm hoping that a good night of sound sleep will heal what I think is only a minor injury, otherwise travelling might prove difficult!
Four hours in Sydney airport should be interesting. Last time I travelled via Sydney, I spent over seven hours there.
I love to 'people watch' and you see such a wide cross section of people from all walks of life at an airport.
Thankfully, these days, you can also get good coffee at the airport so the combination of drinking coffee and 'people watching' is very appealing!
I think I can hear my bed calling my name!
Wish me luck in the healing process and I'll tell you all about my travels and 'people watching' tomorrow!
Oh! Aussie H came for lunch today and FINALLY met Chicklet!! Wahoo!!
Nite all
All is right again!
Watching Tomic (the Aussie) play Djokovic in the Wimbledon Quarter Finals tonight. Not sure if I'll make it to the end of the match though because I'm feeling very weary. One set all.
I think yesterday wore me out.
I'm in the middle of making my travelling list so that I'll know what to pack for my holiday. Trying to travel light, which is difficult to do in Winter!
Aussie Aussie Aussie
Oi! Oi! Oi!
I think I need to make this short and sweet because Tomic is playing so well and I am having trouble keeping my focus here on the written word.
I even made a chicken sandwich hoping that it would keep me awake a while longer!
Goran Ivanisovic is sitting right beside Patrick Rafter in the stands! They played each other in the 2001 Wimbledon Final. Ivanisovic won on that occasion.
Federer is winning his match. Another good one will be Andy Murray's match. I'd love to see him in the final. Wouldn't all of England love to see him win a Wimbledon final!?
Ok, that's if from me. I just have to stop rambling and I have to watch this match!!
Thank you to everybody who today sent me kind thoughts and wishes after my sad post yesterday. I felt your love and I appreciate that you took the time to drop me those few lines of support.
Just as I suspected ... a new day, a better day and once again, all is right with the world!!
I think yesterday wore me out.
I'm in the middle of making my travelling list so that I'll know what to pack for my holiday. Trying to travel light, which is difficult to do in Winter!
Aussie Aussie Aussie
Oi! Oi! Oi!
I think I need to make this short and sweet because Tomic is playing so well and I am having trouble keeping my focus here on the written word.
I even made a chicken sandwich hoping that it would keep me awake a while longer!
Goran Ivanisovic is sitting right beside Patrick Rafter in the stands! They played each other in the 2001 Wimbledon Final. Ivanisovic won on that occasion.
Federer is winning his match. Another good one will be Andy Murray's match. I'd love to see him in the final. Wouldn't all of England love to see him win a Wimbledon final!?
Ok, that's if from me. I just have to stop rambling and I have to watch this match!!
Thank you to everybody who today sent me kind thoughts and wishes after my sad post yesterday. I felt your love and I appreciate that you took the time to drop me those few lines of support.
Just as I suspected ... a new day, a better day and once again, all is right with the world!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
How I feel about Mum's birthday
Had she lived, today would have been my Mum's 71st birthday. I know I've said it before, but I wish she was here to share our little Chicklet with us.
I wish she was here to share baby stories and talk about me as a baby, compared to Vegan Chickie as a baby, compared to Chicklet now.
Grandparents and great-grandparents tend to do that stuff.
I feel a bit cheated that we didn't get to share this fun time.
I feel a bit alone.
I feel like there's nobody who has been in my life long enough to understand 'me' and 'this' and how it all fits together.
I feel like there is nobody who appreciates all that I've been through in my life and how I got 'here' now.
I feel a bit isolated in the world.
I feel like only a Mum can understand all these things ... even if it's never talked about ... it's a shared history and having that one person who has been there for it all, kind of wraps you in an invisible security blanket.
It's a difficult thing to understand until you haven't got it anymore.
There are moments in your life when you feel the massive empty chasm that their passing creates.
This is a difficult time of year for many reasons. May/June has all the important events that Mum was passionate about, like State of Origin Football and Wimbledon Tennis Grand Slam, as well as Mother's Day in May and her birthday in June.
Even though I don't necessarily dwell on them, these things sit quietly in the back of my mind and little things trigger the memories.
I often wonder how different our lives might have been if she was still with us.
I apologise for being a bit of a sad sack in this post. I do try to be up-beat and positive in my blog posts, but once in a while, the melancholy visits briefly and it's nice to have this place to share my feelings.
These things pass. Tomorrow will be a new day. Tomorrow will be a better day.
Wherever you are Mum, I'm thinking of you with love ... Happy Birthday.
 |
| One of the many faces of Chicklet |
 |
| Play time. |
Grandparents and great-grandparents tend to do that stuff.
I feel a bit cheated that we didn't get to share this fun time.
I feel a bit alone.
I feel like there's nobody who has been in my life long enough to understand 'me' and 'this' and how it all fits together.
I feel like there is nobody who appreciates all that I've been through in my life and how I got 'here' now.
I feel a bit isolated in the world.
I feel like only a Mum can understand all these things ... even if it's never talked about ... it's a shared history and having that one person who has been there for it all, kind of wraps you in an invisible security blanket.
It's a difficult thing to understand until you haven't got it anymore.
There are moments in your life when you feel the massive empty chasm that their passing creates.
This is a difficult time of year for many reasons. May/June has all the important events that Mum was passionate about, like State of Origin Football and Wimbledon Tennis Grand Slam, as well as Mother's Day in May and her birthday in June.
Even though I don't necessarily dwell on them, these things sit quietly in the back of my mind and little things trigger the memories.
I often wonder how different our lives might have been if she was still with us.
I apologise for being a bit of a sad sack in this post. I do try to be up-beat and positive in my blog posts, but once in a while, the melancholy visits briefly and it's nice to have this place to share my feelings.
These things pass. Tomorrow will be a new day. Tomorrow will be a better day.
Wherever you are Mum, I'm thinking of you with love ... Happy Birthday.
Tired Old Pumpkin
These were taken ten days ago when little Chicklet was four months old ...
She's my little Sweetie Possum :o)
I have to say hello ***waves frantically*** to my friend in Tasmania, who I shall call 'The Sex Therapist', who is now linked to this blog and will receive my posts daily.
She has been gone from here for a year now and is very much missed by everybody. I wonder if she remembers why she is called The Sex Therapist???
One of these days, Adoring Husband and I will find our way down to Tassie for a visit ... but not during Winter!
Although, the following photo shows that it's not always sunshine and roses here in Winter either!
Another short post today. It's after midnight and I've watched the Aussie, Bernard Tomic win his tennis match to make it into the quarter finals of Wimbledon.
I can feel myself turning into a pumpkin again so I'm outta here!
Nite all
 |
| She's a regular little chatterbox and talks and sings all day long! |
 |
| I love the sound of her happy chatter :o) |
She's my little Sweetie Possum :o)
I have to say hello ***waves frantically*** to my friend in Tasmania, who I shall call 'The Sex Therapist', who is now linked to this blog and will receive my posts daily.
She has been gone from here for a year now and is very much missed by everybody. I wonder if she remembers why she is called The Sex Therapist???
 |
| The Sex Therapist and I at last years State of Origin pub night |
Although, the following photo shows that it's not always sunshine and roses here in Winter either!
 |
| It wasn't as cold as it looks ... just very foggy |
I can feel myself turning into a pumpkin again so I'm outta here!
Nite all
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Under Pressure
Anybody who knows me, also knows that I do my best work under pressure!
Whenever I am going to be away from home for any length of time, it doesn't matter how much notice I have, I never pack until the night before.
I spend the couple of days leading up to my departure, making a list of all the things that I will need, so that when the time comes, I just check off the list as I pack.
Following this routine, it usually takes me about thirty minutes to pack for a long trip, unless I have to iron clothes (which I only do if I'm not going to have access to an iron where I am going).
Today, I spent an hour in the bedroom trying on outfits that I could potentially take with me on my trip to see BGWLBH.
I was pleased to discover that my big Italian wool coat still fits me and is in good condition.
I was displeased to discover that I can only do up my jeans by lying on my bed and breathing in tight!
So, I figure that I need to lose about four kilos before Friday (that's four days away!) so that my jeans will fit me comfortably while I'm away.
Vegan Chickie offered to be my personal trainer to motivate me to use my gym equipment to remove unwanted weight over the coming days.
Between the cross-trainer, the mini trampoline, my trike and maybe even a little walking, I might be able to lose a couple of kilos.
Thank goodness my feet don't change size with my weight loss/gain! I have plenty of shoes!
So I partly packed my suitcase with the clothes that I selected today. The majority of my clothes are made of materials that travel well and require little ironing anyway, so that's a bonus.
I fear that by partly packing, this will take me out of my usual routine and mess up my system. I do NOT do my best work when I am organised!
I think, tomorrow, I will empty said suitcase and wait until Thursday night because everybody knows ...
I ALWAYS do my best work under pressure!
Whenever I am going to be away from home for any length of time, it doesn't matter how much notice I have, I never pack until the night before.
I spend the couple of days leading up to my departure, making a list of all the things that I will need, so that when the time comes, I just check off the list as I pack.
Following this routine, it usually takes me about thirty minutes to pack for a long trip, unless I have to iron clothes (which I only do if I'm not going to have access to an iron where I am going).
Today, I spent an hour in the bedroom trying on outfits that I could potentially take with me on my trip to see BGWLBH.
I was pleased to discover that my big Italian wool coat still fits me and is in good condition.
I was displeased to discover that I can only do up my jeans by lying on my bed and breathing in tight!
So, I figure that I need to lose about four kilos before Friday (that's four days away!) so that my jeans will fit me comfortably while I'm away.
Vegan Chickie offered to be my personal trainer to motivate me to use my gym equipment to remove unwanted weight over the coming days.
Between the cross-trainer, the mini trampoline, my trike and maybe even a little walking, I might be able to lose a couple of kilos.
Thank goodness my feet don't change size with my weight loss/gain! I have plenty of shoes!
So I partly packed my suitcase with the clothes that I selected today. The majority of my clothes are made of materials that travel well and require little ironing anyway, so that's a bonus.
I fear that by partly packing, this will take me out of my usual routine and mess up my system. I do NOT do my best work when I am organised!
I think, tomorrow, I will empty said suitcase and wait until Thursday night because everybody knows ...
I ALWAYS do my best work under pressure!
Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are [Debut Single]
... and last but not least
Day 30 - My favourite song this time last year
Fabulous Federer
It's almost midnight, and here I am, still awake to watch Wimbledon ... again!
I have spent a lazy day watching the sixth season of 'Friends', whilst sitting on the couch with Adoring Husband, who slept during two episodes!
The day started with rain and the forecast showed that we should have rain until Tuesday, but it's a very starry night, so I find it difficult to believe that it will rain tomorrow.
I have less than a week til I fly to my friend, BGWLBH, for two weeks.
 |
| This was taken just before my 'hen's night'. Vegan Chickie, BGWLBH and I attempting to pose like Charlie's Angels. |
It's going to be cold.
I'm stressing a little over the weather down that way, because I sent most of my warm clothes to the Salvation Army and the rest of my warm clothes don't fit me any more because I've gained weight!
My lovely little Chicklet has been giggling her little heart out today. She also popped her first tooth yesterday! She didn't seem to have too much discomfort with it at all!
I tried to upload the sounds of her giggling for you, but I keep getting an error message!
How disappointing!
I will figure something out eventually ... but not tonight. I am off to watch the Fabulous Federer play his tennis match against Nalbandian.
Nite all
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