happy new year

wishing you all a wonderful 2013 full of good health, happiness, peace, prosperity and love

windows 8 and holidays

i don't know what made me do it but i installed windows 8 the other night and have had major problems with it since.  it's all going along swimmingly now but it's been a headache.  firstly, my dvd wasn't recognised and when i fixed that the touchpad wasn't in my device manager but was active.  the mouse was going all over the place.  all fixed now but i really wouldn't recommend it.  it came with a special price with my laptop in june.  i thought i'd better take advantage of it before the time period ran out.
i booked my holiday last night and am going to cairns with my dil.  no bali for me atm at least .  my dil's mum and sister live up there and my friend Di.  we are staying in her sister's apartment block which sounds nice.  we plan to go out on the reef and up in the skyrail.  i missed out on both when i was there a few years ago.
my grandson is staying over with me for a few days.  we have just gotten back from shopping.  lots of shopping.  i'm pooped.  :)  daughter is picking him up today and we are having lunch.  some reposted photos from my blog

my week and a few days off have gone so quickly.  i don't think i'm ready to go back to work yet.  :)

presents and fish

i hope your Christmases were happy and safe.  i received a herb garden from my son and dil and various other pressies.  the g/kids were happy with their loot and lunch went without a hitch.  they all begged asked for dessert this year.  usually i have to persuade and coax them to have some.  i think we all had a good time.  the weather was certainly kind to us, 39 the day before and only 26 on the 24th (when we have our Christmas lunch) .  i'm off work for a week and am busy doing up my spare room coz i got a new bed.  there's so much stuff in there.  mostly books that i'll probably never read again, and sewing and painting stuff.  there's a mountain of it.  i don't know where it all comes from.  :)  my last fishy died the other day so i cleaned out the bowl and got some more.  i wasn't paying attention and the girl gave me five of the biggest fish.  hmmm.  i have a very small bowl.  they are a bit crowded and unfortunately my favourite, pinky, died the very next day. i haven't told the kids yet.  they are dirty little things too.  the water was like pea soup yesterday, i had to run the filter thingy all day, and that agitates the water like a washing machine.  i think their days are numbered.  sorry fishies

my herb garden, i hope i don't kill them.  i am growing some coriander from seed and it's doing well atm

                                     

jourdy and ants

michael and shar

                                                         

                                                             

have a wonderful Christmas season everyone

and i hope that 2013 is the best year ever bringing love, joy, happiness and good health to everyone

great news

i went for my 3 month procedure today and guess what?  i am cancer free atm.  i'm very happy and relieved of course.  my son took me in as usual and we had a celebration drink at the pub afterwards.  he's just left to go home and i'm wrapping presents.  such good news.  i am very thankful for my health.  we tend to take it for granted don't we?

absolutely nothing going on here

i haven't posted for yonks so thought i'd better do one.  not a whole lot to report really.  work is the same.  i've had the g/kids last weekend which was lots of fun.  i went on a bike ride with ants and had an enjoyable time.  i expected to be sore in the legs and toosh but my shoulders were quite sore afterwards.  better now.

i washed the car and vacuumed it today which was long overdue. i took it to one of those do it yourself carwashes.  i didn't know what i was doing but managed to finish the job without too much drama.  i wanted the g/kids to go with me to help but will take them next time.  i did some washing and a little bit of shopping.  i've sort of finished my xmas shopping.  maybe one or two more.  the family is coming over for lunch on the 24th and we are having turkey, chicken and salads.  i've purchased the pudding already.  i hope the weather is kind to us.  :)

i contacted the council about the tree they cut down and low and behold they are not replacing it atm.  they'll look into it next year.  not happy jan.  :(  must purchase an outside awning for the bedroom window.

RIP John

that's weird

i get comments via my email now coz in the past i didn't know i'd received a comment unless i went to that blog and i missed them.  i have now turned on the thingy so that it lets me know if someone comments. very convenient.  however, this arvo i received an email telling me i had a comment on my crush blog, but, when i looked on the blog there was no comment there.  it was obviously spam with a link that i didn't click on of course.  weird that it didn't show on the blog.  i've googled it but can't find an answer.

days off are good

i'm getting used to having monday and tuesday off.  yesterday, i had lunch with Mazzy who's not long out of hospital.  she had an operation but is doing well.  we went to a thai place near her and it was really lovely.  beautiful food and gorgeous restaurant.  and, of course, lovely company.  we went back to hers for greek coffee and i tried to help her put her old bed together in the spare room.  well, that didn't work.  what a mess.  none of the bolts matched and it was so difficult.  we gave up in the end.  my son will go over this morning and do it for her.  we gave it our best shot but failed.  :(  she's got a brand new kitchen which is just gorgeous.  it opens up her kitchen and dining room beautifully.  new whiz bang appliances   you should see her fridge and stove.  fantastic.  her little doggie Bo has been to the parlour and looked very swish and dapper.  bless him.  he's a gorgeous little boy.  her other dog, Snoopy, hated me.  he used to nip at my ankles and break the skin.  horrible little boy.  although, he had a lot of medical issues so, i like to think it was the pain.  dogs usually love me.  lol.  very hot in adelaide today which is not good.  i've just come back from brekky with son and dil.  have you noticed that daytime tv is dismal?  nothing to watch.  i'll have to so some housework.  :(

i had an accident

oh, don't worry it wasn't very big or serious or anything.  i went out the back to get a pot to put some avocado seeds in (i hope they grow).  i went through the gate and bent down to pick up a pot when, a gust of wind blew the gate shut behind me and knocked me in the butt.  it was enough to make me lose my balance and topple forward and then sideways into the wheelbarrow.  you know how when you trip and lose your balance and it's like it's in slow motion but it's really only a few seconds?  and once you start to fall you can't stop?  injuries?  yes, a few.  though not serious.  i have hurt my ring finger and taken the skin off my thumb. my foot and shoulder hurts, i think i twisted it.  i've also hurt my chest/back.  nothing much really. by a happy coincidence i have a physio appointment in the morning. :)  thank goodness no-one saw me coz i'd be embarrassed as well as a bit sore.  i also have a headache.  :)  i think i'll live.  a few vw pics to cheer me up.  and a kitty.

busy day today

i've had quite a productive day.  amongst other things i've:

• drilled some holes for more cuphooks to, wait for it, hang up some cups/mugs
• charged the drill
• cleaned out my linen cupboard
• vacuumed (very rare, hardly ever happens)
• listened to billie holiday cds
• glued together a plate rack (wooden)
• mowed the lawn (it's postage stamp sized but i still mowed it)
• swept up some more leaf litter out the back
• fixed my venitian blind in the spare room
• went to my neighbour's aid when the builders next door dumped an old vine that was on the shed they are dismantleling on her car this morning.  she was cutting it up and it would have taken her all day. they removed it when i explained what had happened.
• moved a pile of christmas presents into the cupboard under the stairs. finally
• took the suitcase i bought recently upstairs
• bought something on ebay
• vowed to give up buying stuff on ebay
• found an old (really old) password for webshots.  they are closing down and i have to d/load my photos.  took forever
• went shopping and bought, among other things, two mangoes.  hmmmm.  and had to eat it the old fashioned way (over the sink) when the new mango gadget didn't work.  mango too ripe maybe.  still yum
• withdrew some money and wondered where the last withdrawal went
• checked my lotto ticket numbers and guess what?  back to work tomorrow for me
• bought some seeds, coriander and parsley. i hope they grow.
• made a few important decisions
• bought a pack of wooden spoons to replace the existing ones which are looking so grotty
• wasted time on facebook and reading blogs (it's my hobby)
• didn't have to drive my friend to hospital coz she went in later than we thought and her sister took her
• went through my kitchen drawers and my clothes closet upstairs and took 3 bags of clothes and 1 box of kitchen things to the second hand shop.  i feel just a bit lighter :)
• and a few other things i've probably forgotten

i'm going to bed early tonight.  i'm quite tired

my weekend

started friday night with a night time bug run.  it wasn't a long run but we ended it with a nice dinner and i met some nice new people.  saturday i procrastinated around the house.  i had a stuck drawer on wednesday in the dining room and after i emptied the cupboard (it contained lots of heavy dishes, appliances etc that i hardly use) i had an epiphany   yes i did.  i took out the other drawer and was able to reach through and release the tray that was preventing the drawer from opening. brilliant.  however, i'd emptied it and moved the cupboard into the centre of the room so, of course, i had to clean behind it and put everything back.  took ages and i'm still not finished properly.  in the middle of all this i broke a beautiful wooden goddess statue when i moved the cupboard.  bummer.  i glued it back together but, you know, it's broken now and i know it.  :(  so i did a little bit of gardening and tried to clean the upstairs windows without much success.  my bedroom one is really grotty.  today, sunday, i went up to take the g/kids to lunch and we, naturally, did a little bit of shopping.  tonight i went around to see a friend whom i haven't seen for yonks and had a little visit with her.  i'm watching a movie but may go up to bed soon.  it's quite hot up there so i've opened all the (dirty) windows to air it out.  it's supposed to be cooler tomorrow and for the next few days.  i hope you enjoyed your w/end.

the garden

after the tree disaster the other week i've been trying to get the back yard into some kind of order.  i'm about half way.  leaf litter everywhere is so hard to clean up.  the weather today is humid, windy and hotish which makes working in the garden extra hard work.  i've got a green bin full of green waste if you know what i mean.  :)  i then decided to attack the front a little bit.  cleaned up the lemongrass which is not looking very healthy atm.  oh well, it's a job in progress and as i'd rather spend my free weekends with my grandkids where i should be in the garden, well, it's my own fault really.  such a mess.  i'm listing to Israel Kamakawiwo'ole who hailed from Hawaii and had a lovely relaxing voice.  i got the cd from work and discovered him on the net but can't remember where.  he may have been on the soundtrack of the descendants movie but i'm not sure.  i'm going up to have a shower and wash my hair which looks like it belongs to a wild jungle woman who has never seen a hairbrush or shampoo.  yucko.  :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I
this is a clip of Iz singing somewhere over the rainbow.  quite lovely.  RIP

busting at the seams

no, not my wardrobe, kitchen cupboards, cd collection, beading supplies or anything else around the house.  it's me.  i feel like i've put on weight.  my clothes are just a little bit tighter.  i know i must diet, and, when i say diet, i mean cut down on carbs, processed food etc etc.  eat sensibly and cut down on serving sizes.  but ... it's so hard.  why?  why can't i eat sensibly?  why is it so difficult to start?  i have joined a team at work for the walk to the moon challenge.  basically we walk as much as possible and tally our steps each day.  we start monday.  i hope it helps me start to look after myself better.  i'll give it my best try

*shock *horror *scream *scream again *swear (a lot)

omg  the other morning i got out of bed and opened the curtains, as you do. i was shocked and horrified because when i opened the curtains i could see far and wide.  the large tree that has shaded my bedroom for the past twelve years was ... GONE.  yes, there's only a stump left.   my privacy has also GONE.  the tree was in the park just outside my boundary and there's not enough room to plant a tree out there otherwise i would have done so years ago. it's the only shade i got from the afternoon western sun, esp. in the summer.  firstly, my room is super light now.  all the time.  secondly, i can feel the temp. difference even with the small amount of warmish weather we've had lately and thirdly i have to have my blind down most of the time.  the only good thing, if you can call it that, is that the tree lost a lot of it's leaves and made a mess of my back yard.  i suppose that won't be a problem now.  the tree was an australian native and had blossoms on it some of the time. it was quite old and not a really attractive tree but it was there.  i'm yet to ring the council and ask if they are going to replace the tree.  it didn't look 'sick' to me.  when i first moved in there were three large trees on this end of the park.  they've all gone now.  the trees at the front of the park are just wonderful.  deciduous and huge, they are similar to an oak but i don't think they are oaks.

goodbye tree

you can see how big it was

the market

my friend from work, Lan, and i went to the central market today for shopping and lunch.  lots of bargains to be had.  i got four packets of my indonesian coffee and a new mop.  the old one died.  we had flat noodles, chicken and vegies for lunch which was oh so delicious.  jasmine tea to finish.  gorgeous day in adelaide again.  quite warm.  the market was crowded.  we got a free park not far away.  Lan's mil was there visiting and lunching with her sister so we brought her home.  she also bought some vegies and we managed to get both of our shopping trolleys into my very messy car boot.  i've been going through my cupboards and have stuff for the second hand shop in there.  i must unload it tomorrow.  another fab day with food and friends.  life is good.  :)  facebook page for the adelaide market.  quite a landmark in adelaide.  it's been there forever.  enjoy your weekend wherever you are :)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adelaide-Central-Market/193886998381?fref=ts 

we called into the grote street library before heading home coz we couldn't help ourselves.  it's relatively new and i haven't been there before.  here are some pics

adelaide central market. 

grote street library

my coffee

lunch at the seaside

a gorgeous day weatherwise in adelaide today.  i took the new tram system for the first time to glenelg to lunch with my friend from perth.  we went to the glenelg surf life saving club,  upstairs in the bistro.  very nice view and the food was delish.  there was a large group of us and we all had a great day.  the trip there was quite smooth and relaxing.  glenelg is a popular seaside tourist destination here in adelaide and was chockers today with people taking advantage of the weather and the numerous restaurants and eating places there.

a very busy mosley square at glenelg with one of our new trams

baked beans

i could have called this post lots of different things but chose baked beans because this morning whilst lamenting :) that i didn't have any tomatoes for brekky i remembered that i had a tin of bb in the cupboard.  i love cold bb on toast.  best brekky ever.  after tomatoes on toast of course.  i have gone 'off' eggs lately.  i don't like the smell.  weird i know. meat is smelly to me too atm.  i was taken to hospital with an infection tuesday night and they gave me a type of morphine for the pain.  ever since things have tasted and smelt amazing or really yuko.  i'm allergic to codeine so can only take panadol for pain.  not at all serious and i'm fine now.

i was also going to call this post 'good news' coz that's what i got on friday.  my new hours finally started on 1 october.  yay.  i'm so excited.  i'll work wednesday, thursday and friday with alternate saturday mornings. when i work saturdays i'll have a short thursday.  are you confused?  you should have seen my old roster.  absolutely hideous.

i was going to have my grandson for the weekend but he's got a nasty cold so we'll make it next weekend.  it's my daughter's b/day so i'm minding the kids.

it's my sister's 60th soon so i'll go up and visit and help her celebrate.

lastly, i may have a kitty.  because of allergies i'm going to try a devon rex.  the breeder has 3 queens who have given birth or are about to.  first litter was three girls and second litter was born on the 16th of this month.  a black and white boy was born.  i'd prefer a boy kitty.  trouble is they are in a small town on the york peninsular which is ages away.  day trip.  i'll have to go and see them first of course and they will be ready to leave mum at 12 weeks.  i'm hoping i'm not allergic to them.  i already have a name picked out.

a movie

i went to the movies with cookie and my dil on saturday to see kath and kimderella.  i love the tv show and loved the movie.  i think a lot of it went over cookie's head but she enjoyed it.  sharlene loved it too.  we went to the noodle bar for lunch before the movie.  fantastic food.  noodles and rice, satay and chips.  all delish.  cookie stayed over friday night and i took her home on saturday night coz i worked yesterday (sunday).  my hours change soon.  not fast enough for me of course.  it's my sister's 60th birthday soon and she doesn't want to do anything.  i don't think so.  i'll go up and celebrate with her.  work is super busy lately.  i'm going out to dinner tomorrow night to celebrate a workmate's engagement.  she's getting married later this month.  i'm just about to ring the woman with the devon rex kitties.

cute kitty

a mistake

you know how i love ebay?  lately i've cut down A LOT.  really i have.  but, it's nearing christmas and i have grandchildren so i've been buying a few things lately.  Lan, at work, gave me a string of broken pearls to repair so i may have purchased a few necessary supplies.  sort of.  now for the bad part.  i had an old postage bag that i was keeping bits of plastic in on the bench.  after cleaning the kitchen the other night i put the old bag on the table near the back door.  next morning i opened the blinds and wow thought i, a delivery.  that's where the courier usually leaves bigger packages.  it took me a minute or two to realize that it wasn't an ebay day for me.  oh, the disappointment.  yesterday some bracelets arrived from the uk for cookie for christmas.  she likes one direction.  i don't judge her coz i had one or two crushes in my youth for, no, not boy bands, but bobby rydell and someone else whom i can't remember right at this moment.  i saw a pic of bobby recently taken when he was young and i was amazed that i didn't find him the least bit attractive.  how tastes change as we get older.  that's probably a good thing.  right?  my friend Graham has just returned from bali and knowing how much i am into vdubs took these photos for me.  quite specky i thought.

a few things

i went back to work this week and survived.  yay.  i just realized yesterday that it's only 17 months before i retire.  yikes!  i took the g/kids out for lunch and shopping yesterday.  we had a fab day and were all a bit tired by the time we got back to their place.  my daughter made me a cappuccino in their new (father's day present) coffee machine.  very nice.  i like my coffee :)  we bought lots of stuff.  i even started on my christmas presents.  just started.  my dil returned from cairns.  her mum's op was postponed until next thursday.  let's hope it goes ahead without problems.  i haven't caught up with her yet.

i woke up this morning and turned the laptop on, as you do.  it had crashed AGAIN. what the?  it's happened twice before and i've restored it.  shouldn't happen at all as it's only a few months old if that.  so....  this time i had no choice but to take it back to factory default. i lost all my unsaved stuff, including my tax file for this year.  i printed it out. :(  ahhhh.  i put chrome back on.  i've been using firefox coz chrome kept crashing and doing weird things.  for example, it loads google.com.au in chinese and then offers to translate it.  i've checked all of my settings and they all say i'm in australia and speak and type ENGLISH.  not very well i grant you.  :)  how rude!

as i was getting ready to go shopping a while ago i looked out of the bathroom window upstairs and there was a man lying face down next to the back of the office wall in the cemetery workyard.  i've told you i have a cemetery on one boundary and a park on the other.  i look into the workyard of the cemetery from my bathroom window.  it gets very dusty some days with their machinery etc.  anyhoo.  i didn't know what to do.  next time i looked he had rolled over onto his back and was looking at his mobile.  then, the next time i looked he was gone.  omg how spooky.  no, he wasn't a ghost.  well, at least i don't think so.  :)

i'm listening to the new bob dylan cd on itunes (click here) and thinking about island holidays.