Bad news and perspective

Had some pretty crappy news at work today - can't say exactly what, but it impacts us in a way that we really question why we run our own small business.  I was having a rare (and not always welcome) visit to the hairdressers, and was about to have the only bit of the ordeal I like - a treatment and scalp massage - when my phone beeps a message with the bad news.  Nothing I could do but lay back and pretend to be relaxed and enjoying the pampering when my insides were churning and I was hyperventilating!

Took me a few hours, some lamenting and fuming, some heated discussions,  tears - to then see a newspaper of the terrible floods in QLD - again.

Those poor, poor people.  Seeing one couple's story slapped me about with a get -over-the-self-pity crap and made me want to reach out for these fellow small business people.  For the THIRD time their little shop had been flooded.  There they were in mud and water up over their shelves and counter and still with a feint smile on their face and a determined stiff upper lip.  They lost stock, had to clean up the mess, and try and start again.  I know they will lose lots of money, not just for now, but it will take them months and years to catch up.  They were not rich people, just ordinary battlers trying to run their business.

I so admired them.  I so felt for them.  Sure put my news and day into perspective.

Today, I vowed that the next years budget we set aside for donations and charities (usually to PMH or children's sport or make a wish) was going to the flood victims.  

Bright Life - Really? (Warning - Old Age Material)

I am sure you have all seen the brochures.  They sneak into magazines - not Cleo or Style - but Gardening Australia or Patchwork Weekly.  You normally just chuck them out as junk and get on with reading the good stuff like Costa's road verge garden, or how to propagate with Jane.

I was in the loo (sorry, but it had to be done) and one of these brochures must have dropped out of the latest mag.  I had read the mag cover to cover, even all the little adverts in the back, and was in desperate need of reading material.  Here it was - the latest BrightLife catalogue.

I am guessing this is directed at the, ahh, elderly, as every second page had some product to do with incontinence.   Now I know this is not funny, I have had children too, but really ... trying to make it look sexy with these boxer shorts is just, well... you be the judge...

These boxer shorts are designed to look & feel like normal underwear but with a discreet absorbent pad. Features waterproof backing to prevent leakage & staining of clothing. 

Machine washable. (so glad they are, would hate to be dropping these off to the dry cleaners!)

Other clues as to the age demographics of this catalog are :


Pill Organiser Timer

Nothing like planning your day around drugs

Toilet Safety Rail

Not just for the frail, I could see when this would come in handy after a night out!

Ready Relief Bottle

....... or take it discreetly with you for any journey.  (Maybe if it wasn't bright RED, it would be a little more discrete)

If this is what old age is like - being obsessed with liquid expulsion, then I am scared.

So, when I came across this item, I was a little perplexed (or do I just have a really dirty mind?)

Personal Massager

Massage away stress and tension. Deep penetrating massage soothes aching muscles and helps stimulate circulation. For use on neck, shoulders, back – anywhere on your body.  Use at home, work, travelling.

I think I might get one of these and take it into my next work meeting and tell them I have a stiff neck.


Moving on.  

The item that made me laugh so hard (and remember I was in the LOO! so Mr K had every right to ask what the hell I was doing in there) was this one.  The description reads ...

Video Pen

It is so small and unobtrusive that it is perfect for conversations with your ex, vendor meetings, negotiations with salespeople and any situation where a big camera just won't do.

WTF?  Words fail me.

Mary, Mary ... how does your garden grow?

Not sure why Mary was so contrary, but here is how my garden grows.  My little suburban, vege garden, mostly in pots as we have so little space.  We have a lot of self-sets this year - all from me putting worm castings in the soil.  I also grow limes, olives, pomegranates, bay, oranges, rhubarb - but they are not fruiting at the moment.

Seedless Sultana Grapes - HUGE crop this year.  The vine grows along the fence  on the railway line. (Of course all the best bunches are on the OTHER side of the fence!)

The Triffid like Grape vines - one variety is a cutting from the Evans and Tate Winery.

Self-set cherry tomatoes

I grow my strawberries in half hanging baskets on the fence

Strawberry flower - this is a runner from last year

Self-set Chili

More Chili - did I mention we love chili?

Baby basil - another self-set.

The Nagami Cumquat with her new leaves - she is feeling so much better

Mint!

My very precious French Tarragon

Garlic Chives ready to burst into flower

Good ole Italian Parsley

Marjoram - flowering but still good

How my garden grows - on the vertical.  

The keeper of the garden - well he is actually the reason all my plants have to be higher than his hind leg!

Excitement in a box - fresh soil and rotten sheep poo all ready for some lettuce seedlings

Well ... I pressed 'enrol'

A BIG thank-you to Jacana for her kind words and the last bit of encouragement she gave me.  It gave me a big boost and propelled me into giving this a red hot go!  I enrolled right after I read your comment.  Thank you xxx

I feel pretty daunted now, a whole host of things running through my (very foggy) mind.  Yesterday I pressed the enrol button on Unit 1 of a 24 unit Bachelor of Arts (my Son#1 said ... "oooh Mum an 'arts' student" - never thought of that, I always see writing as far more serious!  But then, when I think of art I think of this Art Review)  

Some rambling thoughts, to try and clear my mind, which is still full of whatever sinus infection/allergy/nasal thing I have:

• The first unit is, surprisingly, called An Introduction to Writing.  
• I start on the 25th February, which works out well as the week before, I should complete my current online course.
• It's all very exciting, and thrilling and I have a million stories and themes running through my head already.  
• It all feels very jumbled for the moment, but the excitement is there.  
• Wish I felt this excited for other things in my life.  
•  I have bought 3 brand new pads of Executive Lined Paper - it makes me feel very grown up.
• I have filled the jelly bean jar on my desk.
• The enrollment details say this unit should take 10 hours a week - I suspect it will be more.
• Did I mention how excited I was?

Canasta - a card game of life

I had this favorite game of cards come back into my life this last week.  I used to play it a lot as a kid and teenager.  Then boys, husbands, kids and Foxtel happened and the game was relegated to camping trips and blackouts.

It's a great game.  Strawb and I are the champions at it.

My son #2 has just taught his girlfriend to play it, and last week we introduced her to the giddy heights of a doubles game.

It got me thinking however, how this game resembles life at times.

Here is my version of life according to the rules of Canasta.

1. Canasta may be played with 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 players but is best fun played with four persons as a partnership game.  
• Yep, just like life.  2 players is the most stable game, 3 can be fun, 4 as partners comes with a lot more rules, and 5 & 6 players just gets messy.  
2. Canasta is played with two decks of 54 cards or a total of 108 cards including 4 jokers
• We all have to play life with the same deck of cards, but sometimes its fun to play with the jokers
3. The dealer shuffles, cuts and deals the cards face down, clockwise beginning with the player to the dealer's left
• Like life, we get dealt the cards in a set order.  We can't change the cards we get dealt - this isn't poker - and so we must be clever with what we have.
4. Each player gets 11 cards in a game with 4 or more players, 15 for 2 players or 13 for 3.
• The lesson here is that you get more with when you only play with 2 people, but a threesome could be a good compromise.
5. The goal of Canasta is to obtain the most points by melding, or creating sets out of one’s cards. 
• Isn't this what life is?  Gathering the most you can before you die!
6. When it is your turn, you may draw the top card from the stock and put it into your hand without showing anyone.
• Pays to keep some things to yourself - the element of surprise is always good.
7. Also, remember that in Canasta, both jokers and deuces (twos) are wild cards. A set consisting entirely of wild cards is not valid.
• Lesson here is not to play with just the wild boys.  They are OK for a bit of fun, but you can't settle down with them.
8. The hand ends as soon as a player goes out. You can only go out if your side has melded at least one Canasta.
• Going out is the whole purpose of the game.  Just ask any teenager!
9. In a partnership situation, you may ask the other partner "May I go out?". If the partner answers "no" then this is binding and you may not go out and if the partner answers "yes" then you may. However, it is important to note that consulting your partner is not compulsory and you may go out without asking your partner.
• Enough said ;-)
10. The game also ends if the stock pile runs out of cards.
• Sad but true - when life has run out of cards for you, the game is over.
11. You can freeze the pack to slow the game down
• Cold shoulders, freezing out players - all has a similar effect.
12. Good strategy involves knowing what to keep and what to discard.
• So glad I found the good cards early on in the game, its a hard game knowing what to keep and what to discard.  Ask any dating agency.
13. You score extra points if you can go out with a concealed canasta
• Probably only score the points with fellow players, not your partner.
14. A player who has accidentally drawn an extra card must discard it in a future turn without drawing a new one.
• Especially if you are playing a partnership game.

List Mania Monday Linkup

Today I’m joining in with Deb at Home Life Simplified for a new link up called Listmania.

I liked the idea of getting to know some new bloggers and joining in their little link up parties.  Not usually such a social person, I thought this might be fun and good for me!  Oh, plus, I love to make lists.

Let’s get to know each other with a snapshot of life right now wherever you are.

List 1:

Currently I am:

Reading: Hippy, Hippy Shake by Richard Neville

Listening to: Tame Impala - Lonerism

Laughing at: Re-runs of Mr Bean and QI

Swooning over: Chris Hemsworth - ooohhh  yeah  baby.  I saw him first girls, on Home and Away, and I swooned then too. (even if he is only 3 years older than my eldest son!)

Planning: to get into a routine for the coming year - if only it would damn well cool down long enough for me to think straight

Eating lots of: Fruit salads and lentils (not together!)

Feeling: Hot, bothered and totally over summer - and there are still 2 months to go!

Discovering: About the mysteries and science behind weight loss/gain

Looking at: Moving to Tasmania - sneaky little looks on the net at real estate there.  Dreaming about a farm. Just have to drug Mr K so I can move him there.

Wearing: Not a lot.  It's too bloody hot to wear clothes.  Even putting bathers on is too much.

Cooking: As little as possible - cooking involves heat.  Making lots of salads however, trying out new things like lentils and quinoa

Wondering: If my lotto numbers will come up this week.  Surely its about my turn?

Trying out: being a serious writer by disciplining myself to write for a solid hour at the same time every day.  Day 3 and so far so good.

New Online Writing Course starts today

Writeriffic: Creativity Training for Writers

Is the new course.  Six weeks, 12 lessons and a portfolio to submit at the end.  I loved the last course I did, so enrolled for this one too.  

So far, I have completed lesson 1 - terrible assignment however - I am meant to read a book!!  How simply awful   So to punish myself further, I chose two books - I am nothing but an over-achiever.

Book #1 - Writers on Writing.  Have read this before, so know how it ends, but I will do my homework like a good girl.  This is the Australian edition, and as I am the only Aussie in the (online) class, I guess I will have to talk to myself about the book.  Wonder if I will agree with myself?

Book # 2 - The Writers Guide - spot the theme here?  The subtitle is -
a companion to writing for pleasure or publication - I guess if you are going to pursue the solitary occupation of writing, then you are going to need a companion - hope he's good looking - I can't fake pleasure if he's not!

The other part of the first assignment is to go out and buy a writers journal!  Boy, talk about throwing us into the deep end.  Reading and buying journals - what next - I expect it will be making us write.

Whilst all this is going on, I also have my finger hovering over the submit button for the first unit at Curtin Uni in a Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing and Editing).  I have been researching all the Uni's for their writing courses and Curtin seems to come up trumps.  Plus I am able to start it, and do a lot of it, online.  

I have to commit to at least 10 hours per week per unit.   24 Units, at four units per year, will take me six years!  I am pretty sure I can do this, just have to stop doing extra things, like washing, cooking, cleaning - you know the little things.  Think I can manage that.  Enrollments end on 10th February, until then I am going to mull it over for a week or so - I don't want to start something I am not going to finish.

It's very exciting however.

My kind of day

It's overcast and wintry and cool today.  It looks like rain.  There is a mild breeze.   It feels like a winters day. A little wintry holiday in the middle of a hell summer.  All the plants in my garden are smiling, the birds are more chirpy, the dog and cat are curled up on the carpet and not sprawled out panting on the tiles.  I can look outside and feel content, just for this small day of reprisal.  

Yes.  Today I am happy.

Joy - The Word

Funny old fashioned word isn't it?  Joy?  Makes me think of Christmas cards on Victorian mantle pieces.  But it also makes me think of a very poignant quote from one of my favorite movies - American Beauty. 


Lester: Christ, Carolyn. When did you become so... joyless?
Carolyn: Joyless? I am not joyless. There happens to be a lot about me that you don't know, Mr. Smarty man. There's plenty of joy in my life.

 

A pivotal scene in the movie, I love it for its contrasts.  This is a movie full of very clever scenes and raw human emotions - AND - it doesn't have a sickly, sweet happy ending like most American movies - Joy!

What made me think of all this?  I was laying in bed this morning, it was 7am, I was awake but as it was Sunday, I was trying to make myself stay there.  My little old dog, Minty, was also awake and wanting to play.  We have this game where she jumps all over me, biting me (she has no teeth so technically she gums me) as I pretend to scream and say 'no'.  The more I do this and try and pull the sheet over me, the more playful she gets.  Its very funny seeing a 14 year old, blind, toothless little dog play like this.  She certainly is full of Joy!  In human years she is 69!

It got me thinking about if my life has become 'joyless' - am I just in a holding pattern until I can retire and escape? Is realising yourself as 'joyless' the tipping point for a midlife crisis? In the movie it is.  I sometimes remind myself of the end part of this scene, the part where she cares more about the Italian silk sofa than the rekindling of their passion - what matters more in the end?

This, to me, is how you lose joy and therefore how you can re-discover it.  Let go of the material things and embrace spontenaity.  Be a little reckless and wild sometimes - spill beer on the couch!!

Just something to ponder.

Potting Bench - Part 1

This was my Christmas present from my Dad!  Even at the age of 48, you can get excited about a present!  Isn't it the best thing ever?  It's so beautiful that I don't want to hide it away in the potting area, I want to have it on my front porch so everyone can be jealous of it!

He is very clever my Dad, and he takes a hint really well.  The fact I sent him a picture of a potting bench and said I would like something like this, had nothing to do with him thinking I would like one just like it!

I never expected it to look so pretty though, I was expecting a functional bench. I got both.

I must have been a very good girl last year <wink>

Thank you my darling Dad (and Mum as I know you had a lot to do with it being so pretty!)

My old potting bench!  Mr K will be pleased to get his saw horses back.

I know this is petty, in the scheme of things, but ...

How can you possibly have a bad day shopping?  What's that saying?  A bad day shopping is better than a good day at work!  Well, this particular day, I think I would have rather been at work.  In a coal mine.  Aged 6.

The beginning was great.  It was a 40 degree day, but I was in an air conditioned car and about to go into a air conditioned shop.  No problems there.  Even got a parking bay undercover - should have known there was going to be a price to pay for this stroke of luck later on.

I met with Son#1 girlfriend, Ms A.  We always have fun at IKEA!  Passing the long line of mums and fidgety kids lined up for the play room, we both commented that we are glad that wasn't us!  (I had a little secret wish it was, her as Mum and me as Grandma, but only for a nano second, broken by a high pitched whining).  Despite school holidays and the office area being overrun by Mums day dreaming about kids going back to school with perfectly Swedish organised desks and bedrooms, it was not too crowded or chaotic.

Ms A and I did a few more shops, had a food hall lunch that was passable and went our separate ways, both a little weary but satisfied we had done a good days gathering - our inner cave lady would have been proud.

On my way home, I had one last errand to run. We had bought a new kettle with some Christmas vouchers we were given.  It was a lovely Sunbeam Cafe Series, to match all my other appliances.  Except it didn't.  Match that is.  When I got it home, it was red not silver like all my others!!  Dang.  So here I was, in Myers to exchange it.  Simple.  Except it wasn't.  Simple that is.  I had lost the receipt.  Upending my handbag, my purse, my pride - it was nowhere to be found.  I think the sales guy was so embarrassed for my lack of dignity as I almost wept, that he said no worries, he would exchange it without a receipt as the box had been unopened.  (it had been, that's how I discovered the RED kettle - but I was not about to spill the coffee beans). 

Feeling a little lightheaded, and on a roll with my new silver kettle, I decided that while the sales were on I would buy a new pillow (my feather one really did need replacing) and on the way out I saw my favourite dinner setting, the Royal Doulton 1815 range, on 60% off!!!  There was this lovely serving platter - cream, little handles, 60% OFF!!  Three seconds later, I was watching the chap wrap it in tissue paper while I held my Visa card enthusiastically waiting to swipe. 

Off down the escalators, past the perfume counters ... and it happened.  One minute I am feeling rather pleased with myself and my shopping prowess, the next, a kind man was helping me up from the floor and asking if I was OK?  All I could say was, 'my shoe ... my shoe broke!'  He looked at me with a mixture of concern and fear, saw I was OK and took off. 

My shoe had completely broken, so I had no choice but to take it off, which meant the other one had to come off too as they were a little high to walk with only one.  Barefoot, and shattered, I was in no mood to go shoe shopping now, so I shamefully walked out the shinny, bright Myers and to the carpark.  I could hear something odd, so stopped and examined my bags.  The creamy white platter, was in a millions pieces, still wrapped in its tissue paper!

I think  they call this 'pride comes before a fall'?  Or maybe its more like 'middle aged women should not wear wedge high heels when shopping'?

Either way, I now have lost my favorite shoes and did not even have a chance to kindle a love affair with the platter.

They are sitting on my new potting bench, I don't have the heart to throw them in the bin!

Happy Birthday Son #1

He turned 26 today.  My little boy!  We are taking him and his beautiful, gorgeous girlfriend to dinner tonight, but this was his gift from his mum. 

He is growing a beard as he is on campaign for the next few months (election) and they work long, hard hours - no time for shaving and grooming. 

So very proud of my boy/s (both of them) - he is such a fine, upstanding, young man with a generous spirit and amazing sense of community.  He even shared his apple pie!

Happy Birthday Darling.

My little Christmas visitor

It was such a hot day, a hot day following many other hot days.  I had watered the garden early, filling the two big bird baths that sit on my fence outside the dining room window.

Later that morning our neighbours on the other side of this fence, were having a scrap - loud enough to bring my mother-in-law (MIL) from her flat, Mr K from his office and me from my office - to see who was being murdered.  (This incident is a whole new blog post, but I needed to set the scene!)

As we all stood near the fence, eavesdropping, my MIL pointed out with sign language, that in the bird bath was this frog.  We were both thrilled as we have been trying to get frogs in the garden for years.  I don't use any nasty chemicals on my garden and we try and have water for them -  although, we do have to be careful of leaving water around due to mozzies. 

But here he/she was (not sure how to sex a frog!) having a lovely cool down in the water and shade.  He/she stayed there all day, and all night.  By the next day it had gone, not sure where, but I hope its OK and onto larger ponds.

Telstra as a Dating Agency

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but I can only add pictures from my phone or blog due to Blogger STILL not fixing their known problem about picture icons. 

My lovely Samsung Galaxy 3 died right before Christmas.  Actually, it was the day the world was meant to end, which, clearly it did for my phone.  Off it went to the Telstra shop for a mother board transplant and, so far, it has not rejected its new organ.

When they messaged me, on the phone I got loaned while mine was in the phone hospital, I was very keen to rush in and pick her up.  She had been through a lot and I loved my little phone.

I get to the official Telstra shop in Morley ... and there is a queue of people right out the door!  Oh the injustice!  Mr K assumes that the queue is not meant for people like him so goes and sits at the Tech Desk (this is Telstra, not an i shop so places have names of what they are, it's not a genius corner).  I join the end of the line, out near the chemist and alluringly, the liquor store.  At least I can have drugs and booze while I wait.

As I sigh and roll my eyes and try and glare at the 3 teenage girls behind the counter (who carefully avoid any eye contact with the ever growing line of frustrated people) a man behind me says 'Isn't this just pathetic?'

I am about to agree in a monotone, until I turn around and see the man responsible for the comment.  He is very handsome, with a nice smile, so I make my response much more animated.  I make a funny comment about how 12 year old's are running the world now, and we are all screwed. He laughed. 

For the next 25 minutes, we stood in line, chatting away, inching forward, making mutual observations.  I got to know just about everything I needed to know, stuff that I probably didn't need to know, and passed the time very pleasantly.  Had I not been ..
a) married,
b) had said husband sitting not 10 feet away and
c) not got my phone back yet,
I would have exchanged phone numbers and got him to call me sometime.

So all you single girls, forget the night clubs and rave parties and head off to your local Telstra store and get in line!  You never know what you might find!

PS: As Blogger STILL have not fixed their problem with the picture icon, I can not add the photo of this very handsome man ... sorry!

Nudity.

This is what I have written in my blog planner for today.  Just one word written there.  No notes to help me.  I try and plan my blog posts and when I have an idea, I put it in a calendar. 

But nudity?  What was I thinking? I think I was going to write about how I hate the hot weather and especially hate wearing clothes. 

Bet you all are very glad that blogger have this issue going on ...

Friday, January 04, 2013

The photo upload icon is not appearing for some users on Internet Explorer. We're investigating the issue and will update this post as soon as we have more information.

 

 

 

Dang.  I had some great nude pics to share with you all. :-)

A Shaguar! Oh Behave ;-)

On Mr K's birthday, last year, well really only a week ago, but it was still last year, I asked him what he wanted to do that day.  It was the 28th December (his birthday is a unique day, not because its slap bang in the middle of the Christmas/New Year, but because he shares this day with his father, his uncle, his son#1 girlfriend AND had son#1 been born on his due date instead of running late, there would have been 3 generations of first born males born on the same day.  Some blame me for stuffing up this Guinness Book record, but I blame the child - he was WAY too comfortable in my womb to move)
 
Anyway, enough genealogy and onto the story of Mr K's birthday wish.  It was 38 degrees in the shade this day.  It had been this hot for days - my patience had run thin, I was over playing caterer and all I wanted to do was lay in the pool, or as close by to it, as I could.  Normally, on this day, Mr K would want a little mini party - just 20 or so family/friends over for an 'easy' BBQ.  I dreaded this thought, I really did just want to do nothing, especially nothing to do with food. 
 
But it was his Birthday, and in typical man-reverts-to-little-boy fashion, I had to indulge him in whatever he wanted to do.  So I was suspicious pleasantly surprised when he said he just wanted to go out shopping for the day, and did I want to go to IKEA?  Anyone who knows Mr K, will understand my hesitation - it was obviously a trap - as Mr K would rather spend a month in a Thai prison than go to IKEA. 

All was revealed with the next sentence ...

'I was thinking we could just drop into the Jaguar dealer over near IKEA and just have a little look at the new Jags'

You see, he has given himself a goal.  If our business can make a profit for 6 consecutive months, and reach the target we have set, then his reward is to buy (lease) a Jaguar.  I know, well I think anyway, that the chances of this happening are so slim that even looking at a Jag brochure is being optimistic.  But it was his birthday, and who knows, if he gets really excited about the carrot, then he may just crank up our business and reach his goal.

We did go and see this Jaguar, and got to have a test drive.  I must say, it was very, very nice. I could sure get used to driving about in one of these.  It was fun to choose leather seat colours and dashboard timbers.  To um and ah over the wheel profile, to decide that white was the best colour.  I tuned out with the rest of the sales pitch, and just day dreamed about this beautiful car.

This day must have had an impact.  For Mr K has been so motivated at work, is planning and implementing all sorts of projects to get us in the black, that I would not be surprised to see a Jag in our carport very soon. I hope so, as this is what he drives now ...


(Well I would show you but Blogger is having technical issues with uploading photo's - I will try again later)

No Resolutions - Just a Saying

Last year my mantra, or words to live by was "Do Less Better".  It was a very effective way to keep me focused on what mattered and to make me slow down enough to enjoy life.  Everytime I felt rushed or life was overwhelming I would say to myself 'do less better'.  It really worked.

I have been trying to think of one for this year that is as effective.

It's hard, as my mind has been clouded by Mr K and I working on the principals for our business - 3 or 4 key words that we can share with our staff as their words to live at work by.

The three we have so far are :

Simple
Efficient
Accurate

But when it comes to my own personal one, I am a little stumped.  I said I would make 2013 the Year of Writing, but that is not a mantra. 

But then I saw the post-it note on my monitor and it said 'Show, Don't Tell' and I knew that was it.  This is a writing term that makes you use your words to show what you want to say, not spoon feed the reader.  So more description, more visualisartion, more care with every word.

For my blog, this could also mean taking more pictures which will make my photography better.

It also can stand for my life outside writing.  Show the people I love how much I care instead of just telling them.  Show my staff how things should be done, don't tell.  In other words, lead by actions not just words.

So, in this Year Of Writing I will Show not tell.

Hi Ho Hi Ho Its back to work we Go

Day 2 back in the saddle (oh I wish I was a jillaroo and my office was on the back of a horse) and it feels like the last 11 days never happened.  Like a big blurry nightmare dream!

Well apart from the following evidence:

• The beautiful Potting Bench (pics to follow) my darling Dad made for me that is still sitting on the front veranda with Mr K's tools on top (sorry Dad)
• Red and white table cloths, placemats and napkins washed but un-ironed all over my craft room, fighting for room with left-over wrapping paper, gift tags and ribbons.
• Half a very boozy Christmas cake in a tin on the dresser that I try hard to resist eating for breakfast (seems there is an unwritten rule that Christmas cake for breakfast is ok when you are 2-3 days past the Big Day, but after that you are just a greedy slob - kinda like the speedo's or undies debate)
• Getting to play with my very big surprise gift from Mr K - a zoom and fish eye lens
• Bowls of Quality Street still strategically placed around the house, taunting me, teasing me.
• A giant ham on the bone still taking up valuable fridge space when I need that for salads and fruit.
• 17 beach towels all scattered around the pool (well actually I am exaggerating there.  I washed them all today and folded them and put them back in the towel basket ready for the next guests to all pop over with bathers but no towels!)
• A bottle of Hendricks Gin, hidden in my secret stash, a much prized present from son #1
• Pants that I wore a month ago feeling rather snug, and more alarming, they were stretch!
• Odd things I need to find homes for - lovely gifts, but they need a home

May all my fellow Bloggers, Readers, Family and Friends have their dreams come true in 2013. 

And remember if they don't .... A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor!

So, that was it? 2012

Hello my blog.  I have missed you.  I have stayed away, not because I don't like you (I like you, I do, I really do) but because of a whole swag of excuses very valid reasons.  They don't really matter now, what matters is that I am back.  Here, with you, my sanity saver, my escape from the world, my outlet to express - in fact, I would put you up there with one of my best friends (shh don't tell Strawb)

I spent New Years Eve for 2012 in a melted state, 42.2 degrees - the 8th straight day of temperatures above 37.  If ever there was a time to move to Tasmania, this was it.  I did mange to get a few things done and a few challenges met, these I will tell you about later. 

I don't know if I am disappointed or feel content with the fact that I spent the night with the Two Grumpy Old Men.  I certainly didn't want to go out partying - have never liked that, and like it even less these days.  I was quite content to just have a relaxing evening, even in my own company, as Mr K was complaining that we had spent the last four years not going out on NYE - so I told him to go, go out and do what he wanted.  I really was more than happy with a book on my own.  But he pouted and said he wanted to go out with me.  Silly boy, he knows what an introvert I am.

So Uncle James came over, we got G&T's and got in the pool.  Now isn't that WAY better than making small talk and being with people who bore the tits of you?  The music would be loud, so you can't talk anything meaningful - 'What?  Oh yeah, we had a great Christmas thanks.  You?'  'Oh, you had a Christmas lunch.  Great'.  'Um, made any resolutions?' 'Oh, great, a weight loss program, good luck with that'  and on and on this silly talk goes. 

Nope, not for me.  The three of us had a great conversation - as we normally do. Last night, we were all cheeriness and light and talked about the latest craze of 'Prepping'.  We talked about how we would prepare for the end of civilised order in a world quickly going mad.  How we could feed ourselves when all the shops closed or ran out of food, how we would protect ourselves from looters, where we would escape to when the violence started, how we could set up a new life away from the chaos that would ensue after our society collapses.  Think Mad Max, the one with Tina Turner in it.  (If you have Foxtel, go to the National Geographic channel and watch Doomsday Preppers if you really want
a) a good laugh,
b) some sobering thoughts,
c) entertain the idea that maybe they are onto something
or d) remember your sanity and have a good laugh.

We now have a plan.  Mr K is to get the trailer camper ready with fuel and water and make sure we have a full tool kit.  Uncle James is in charge of weapons and planning the escape route.  I am in charge of feeding them (hey, what's new)  collecting and storing seeds and a way to start a vegetable garden in the desert.

Cheery way to end the year wasn't it?

Hope yours was at least a Happy start to the New Year.