Bumps in the road

Well I thought about this week and what I could be grateful for.

Why don't I write this stuff down when it happens, or take photos? Bloody hopeless.

There was one thing though. When hot chocolate gets accidently spilt on the laptop keyboard and you see a 'something went wrong' blue screen, things don't seem very rosy. Luckily it was my old lap top, unluckily I hadn't (after having it on my mental to do list for the last month) saved the photos from it onto a hard drive.

I cried a little bit, got a little down about not having time to do this and that. I managed to stay reasonably calm.

I took the battery cover off and turned it on its side. Drip, drip drip. Damn.

Hubby took it in the shed and blew compressed air into it, shit come out everywhere he reckons (he's been known to exaggerate).

I searched the house for a suitable tub, put the lap top inside slightly ajar, and poured a packet and a half of rice on the keyboard. If this was a recipe I would say, 'let sit on the kitchen table for two days'. I taped the lid of the tub shut and waited.

Long story short, it turned on after two days, but the keyboard doesn't work. Plus it smelt kinda funky.

So it's still working and I can be grateful that I could get the photos off it.

It's still good to have a second lap top, because we know what technology hogs kids can be. One of the usb ports doesn't work, the keyboard is cactus, so we're using an external keyboard. Oh well, just a bump in the road.

It wouldn't be real life if there wasn't one.

I am just looking forward for the end of this week and I'll have two weeks off work. I need to sleep in and have some lazy days.

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Age is just a number, plus a few new wrinkles

I turned 46 on the weekend. I don't feel 46. Well, now that I think about it,  there may be some days...like when I look in the mirror. A few extra lines, that grey streak in my hair (which I recently fixed with a trip to the hairdresser), not to mention the saggy skin starting to form around my jaw and neck region! What does one do about that?!

I actually had a really good day, some shopping by myself in the morning, a bit of gardening, a visit from a friend who arrived with a bag of lemons (yes!) and then out to dinner with Boggy and the kids. Getting a decent photo of the kids altogether proved a little hard. I don't what is so hard about "smile, look at the camera".

The clincher for my birthday was when I walked into the servo to pay for fuel. A nice (charming local) bloke I've known for years turned around to leave and he said to me "You look younger every time I see you!", which was about the best thing you could say to a 46 year old on her birthday. I put my hand on his arm and said, " Do you know what Bert? It's my birthday today and that's a wonderful thing to for you to say". I got a kiss on the cheek as well.

When I was at the supermarket earlier in the day, it took me twice as long with the conversations it created when I saw people, who without good old Facebook wouldn't have known it was my birthday. I bumped into a mate who I share a birthday with and it was hugs all around. He actually saw my car out the front and came in looking for me. How wonderful!

Looking back on my week, there has been some good things, I am always reminding myself to be grateful (most of the time I fail miserably).

Spur of the moment the girls and I hit Target for cheap white t-shirts to paint for footy colours day. Thank goodness they were happy with them. I was happy with them! It felt good to be creative in this way. I hadn't printed a t shirt since high school in art class ( a midnight oil t-shirt). I made a stencil from clear contact and went to work with fabric paint. I'll be doing some more tshirt printing for one of my tiny tots classes to wear for the gymnastics annual concert.

There's a tree flowering at the entrance gate at work and it smells divine! It's a great time of year, and that smell reminds me of sunny warm days.

The term is nearly over, two weeks left. I am so proud of myself getting through my first term coaching school groups, it's been a learning curve and I guess some experience up my sleeve.

Super happy too today, as when I get home from work (I have Kindergym and Tiny Tots), my September Bella Box should be waiting for me at the back door. Woop woop! 

Crows and Port shirts. Not to shabby.

Beautiful free lemons! 

Birthday lunch, roasted veg with lentils, spinach and feta. Yum, yum!

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The travelling chook

So I applied for my first passport this week, along with the kids.

We are getting organised, as a cruise to the Pacific islands is on the horizon in the near future. We just need to find the right cruise at the right time. Sounds like heaven.

My attitude to travelling is a bit like a scouts motto; be prepared. I don't like surprises and I like to have everything we need, when we need it.

I guess it depends what sort of travel you are doing. I've never been overseas, so I wouldn't know where to start giving advice about that, besides getting yourself a passport. Can I just say passport photos are not flattering AT ALL! If you ever wanted a photo of yourself looking like you've just had a mugshot in the cop shop for smoking crack in a public place - get a passport. It's the closest thing to a mortuary shot with your eyes open you will ever have. 

When it comes to going away on holiday, in a hotel or a camping trip, I stress about the small stuff and loathe the trip to get there, once I am at the destination though, that's when I relax and actually enjoy myself.

I loathe the packing, the organising. Lists, and then the list after the first list, so that nothing is forgotten. It's a miracle when nothing is left at home. In the case of camping, the kitchen sink, usually a plastic tub.

Hubby is a lover of the camp shower. A tent with a shower head, water pumped from an old beer keg, converted into a hot water service with a big gas hob under it. Handy for hand washing clothes in also. Lord knows, he would NEVER forget that.

His tasks to get ready for a camping trip are pretty basic compared to all the shit that needs to be prepared for the kids, catering(copious amounts of non perishables, and fresh food kept in a humungous esky with recycled UHT milk cartons filled with water and frozen. My biggest struggle is convincing hubby not to take the lid or milk carton covering off the ice blocks. Food floating in water, tainted with meat juices is NOT desirable) and clothes, hats, sunscreen. Dish washing shit, clothes washing shit, sleeping stuff, playing stuff, cutlery and crockery. I'm getting a headache thinking about (reaches for headspace app). God I hope we don't go camping anytime soon. You see why I hate the preparing and like the arriving stage.

Cabins and hotel rooms are so much easier. A stove/cooktop, a microwave, linen, hot water on tap, a fridge! Yes please! Don't get me wrong, I like camping, I just don't like the preparing bit. Give me a self contained cabin anyday!

 Whatever and however you travel, stay, it all comes down to being prepared.

• toothbrush and toothpaste
• swimmers
• pyjamas
• snacks/food
• water, for god sake don't forget wine
• enough undies, plus an extra pair
• clothing for any occasion, and then some
• reading material
• phone, for god sake don't forget your charger
• camera, for god sake don't forget extra batteries or the charger
• passports
• money
• more money
• ID
• kids Panadol
• hangover Panadol
• simple first aid kit
• your favourite coffee or tea
• chocolate
• shoes
• makeup
• jewellery
• more clothes, because you just might need that one piece, that you inevitably bring home unworn
• easy breakfast if staying in hotel that doesn't cater for it
• someone to check the mail
• someone to feed the animals

Is there something I have missed? I am sure there is, and if there is, don't let it keep you up all night before your day of travel like I do!

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I bought a letter box for myself on Fathers Day

How do you like my new letter box?

I've always wanted one of these stone letter receptacles and finally I have one. Bit of an impulse buy for myself on Fathers Day. Why should Dad have all the presents?

It was probably time. The old one was on the other side of the driveway, being engulfed by a daisy bush. I am sure it used to give the postie the shits, having to fight with a daisy bush, let alone our dog who is obsessed with barking at things with wheels. Or maybe it's just the postie. That aside when I tried to bend the metal pole to remove the old letter box, the rust had eaten it and it broke off straight away. Totally justified the 99 dollars I dropped on the new one.

There was some words thrown about concerning where the number eight should go, with me stating  it would go wherever I bloody well wanted it to. I've Tarzan gripped it there so it doesn't "move". 

Last night was spent at my sister's having dinner with Dad. Roast pork with all the trimmings. 

I love listening to Dad tell stories. He talked about the wolves in the mountains in Spain. How they would attack at night, that they wouldn't attack alone. If they came across you alone, they would howl to call for help with the kill. Scary shit. 

He said his first job out of the army was as a goat herder. They would leave at 8am and take the goats up the mountains, when the sun was high in the sky (noon), they'd start bringing them back down and lock them under the house for the night, so the wolves wouldn't get them. He'd seen lambs torn in half, like the wolves had used a knife.

In the army (which was mandatory) he became a chauffeur because he couldn't shoot for shit. They sent him to school for two weeks so he could pass his licence exam, and he drove generals and military big wigs around, mainly to pubs apparently. Well not mainly, but it did come up in conversation.

We remembered the time he made soup for us and stirred it with a plastic spoon, which melted and disappeared into the soup.  The time he made my nephews pancakes and used garlic powder instead of flour. They didn't get eaten. "These pancakes don't smell right Pop".

I'm glad I've written it here actually, because I am forever telling myself to write this sort of stuff down otherwise it's one ear and out the other, and one day he won't be around to talk about it. 

My Dad's mum had dementia, I hope he doesn't go down that path. But it's starting to seem like he is, according to Mum anyway, and she spends the most time with him. It saddens me to think he will not be my strong, invincible Dad forever, just a shell. I want to hear more stories.

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