Thursday 28 August 2008

Tuesday 26 August 2008

BWO ...

Found this through Lita's blog today and it struck really struck a chord with me.

blogging without obligation

So, without further ado, that is all for today!

Wednesday 20 August 2008

Why oh why?

Why ...

  • .. do children wait until the last possible minute to tell you they need a costume for a school event? Five minutes before they have to be on the school bus doesn't even give me enough time to yell at them, let alone find them a King David costume. "No, we don't have any white sheets, towels, tablecloths or even clothes. We live in a house full of boys; of course we don't have anything white!" (He ended up wearing a dress provided by one of the girls! Nobody tell Pete .. sssshhh!)
  • .. do the stupidest people seem to get promoted the quickest? I realise that working in retail saps a lot of a person's common sense and logical thought processes, but when even the customers ask if he's been employed as part of an 'Equal Employment Program for the Intellectually Challenged', surely the big bosses should realise the truth!
  • .. is it, that when you find an item of clothing you actually like, going out cheap, they don't have it in your size? Admittedly, "side-of-a-house" isn't really a size I want to buy, but I didn't think it would be that hard to find something that fits without making me look like the aforementioned side-of-a-house on some mind-altering drug trip.
  • .. when you feel like eating a particular food, that you thought you had stashed very well in your pantry for just such a moment, it has mysteriously disappeared? All I wanted was a handful of peanuts .. not the ones I get paid; the kind you eat .. but they have vanished into thin air. Is the Universe trying to tell me something?
  • .. is it so cold when the sun is out and shining happily? Maybe because I'm sitting in here looking at it through the window instead of being out in it. Nah, that can't be it. I was out in it before and I was still cold. Come back hot flashes! All is forgiven .. for now!!
  • .. can I say something twenty times and it doesn't sink in, but when someone else says it, it's all of a sudden a good idea? And not just at home either. I kind of expect it here .. that lovely parent-child/mother-son thing .. but when it happens at work as well, I just want to scream! But that would just give me a headache, so it's probably not worth it, right?
  • .. are there never enough hours in the day to complete everything you feel you need to do? I suppose it's just all a matter of priorities. I mean, I could be hanging out washing, mopping the floor, cleaning bathrooms or weeding. Then again, I could be reading, scrapping, playing/talking with the boys or having some quality me time. Priorities people!
  • .. is it that no matter how many things I find to whinge about, I can always laugh about them in the end? It may take time, but I'll usually get there. Cosmic balance I suppose. (And the fact that some things really are only funny ten years later).

Monday 18 August 2008

Attack of the evil twins ...

First of all ... get your minds out of the gutter! This is a clean story about my "innocent" little boys who have obviously been watching waaaayy too much TV.

I was sitting in the lounge room last night while the boys were watching some incredibly boring, oops I mean wonderfully entertaining, cartoon show. Andrew came down to give me a hug and sit with me for a while but soon got sick of being tickled, so after a few not-so-half-hearted attempts at knocking my glasses up my nose and into my brain, he went back to the TV room.

Once I had recovered some of my sight, I called Bradley down for a cuddle. He answered me and when I spotted a Bradley size blur coming down the hallway, I just assumed it was him, until Andrew landed in my lap again. The following conversation ensued:

Me: "You're not Bradley."

Andrew: "I know. I'm Yeldarb, his evil twin, come to get the Mummy monster! Bwahahahaha! (insert more evil genius laughing here)"

Playing along, I made the appropriate scared girlie noises at which point Bradley comes running from the other room. (Bear in mind, he didn't have a clue what Andrew had just said because he was totally focused on whatever was happening on the TV).

Bradley: "Yeldarb! How did you escape from maniac prison?"

Andrew: "I'm an evil genius, remember? Why would I tell you anyway?"

Bradley: "Because I'm Werdna; Andrew's evil twin. Can't you recognise me?"

Andrew: "Of course I can't! You look just like him! That's why you're twins silly .. you look like each other."

Then they both started talking about the other evil geniuses in the house, Xela and Annod.

Andrew: "So, have you seen Xela around lately?"

Bradley: "Yeah but I stay out of his way. He's really a maniac!"

Andrew: "Annod is too! She's the worst one of all of us!!"

Me: "No she's not! She's the coolest one!!"

Andrew and Bradley together: "In your dreams Mummy monster!!"

Silence while I glare at both of them.

Andrew: "Hey I've got a great idea. We should form our own evil genius union. Then we'd get paid better and wouldn't get caught so much."

Bradley: "But if we form a union, we might actually have to do some evil genius things and I really can't be bothered right now."

Andrew: "Same time next week then?"

Bradley: "Sure. See you later Yeldarb. I'm off to turn back into Bradley. He gets nicer things than Werdna does. Priorities you know!"

Sometimes I wonder just what goes on inside their heads. Then I realise I really don't want to know .. it's safer that way!!

Sunday 17 August 2008

A good day

All in all, today was a good day.
  1. I got to sleep in until 9:45am (but only because Mum had the boys overnight last night so I could go out for drinks with some people from work).
  2. I got to catch up with Debbie for a cuppa and a chat (which it feels like I haven't done in ages).
  3. I got to play with the boys instead of just being Grumpy Mum (amazing what a bit of sleep can do!)
  4. I actually managed to do some housework without feeling resentful that I was the only one doing it (because I wasn't .. the boys helped and it was almost voluntary!)
  5. It was a beautiful day and the boys went outside to play without me threatening to lock them out there for their vitamin D dose.
  6. I didn't need to use the dryer for the washing because of the aforementioned beautiful day. Freshly washed towels that smell of sunshine .. mmmm!
  7. I enjoyed the boys' sillyness (is that even a word?) and I even joined in!
  8. I treated the boys to McDonald's for dinner ... just because. And they behaved at the restaurant .. bonus!
  9. I got to really see how much my boys are changing but also how much they are staying the same.
  10. Today, I liked my life.

I'm scared ...

Andrew is trying to go all gangsta on me!

We were listening to Flo Rida's song "Low" on the way back from McDonald's tonight and I just happened to glance over at him when we were stopped at the lights. He had the real gangsta thing happening with the facial expression, the hand movements, the fingers in the 'right' positions and so on. I almost burst out laughing but managed to restrain myself just in time. I hadn't seen anything funnier in a longtime. The ultimate white kid trying to go gangsta .. hilarious!!

(Before anyone rings Children's Services on me for corrupting my innocent child's mind, I am aware what the song is about, but he isn't. He only sings the chorus and thinks it's about a girl who just happens to be dancing at the same place this man is singing!)

Wednesday 13 August 2008

Men!

Why do they keep their thoughts, fears and feelings bottled up until they explode all over the person they're trying to hide them from? More to the point, why do they try to hide them at all? A lot of angst would be saved if they just made a single comment/request at the beginning of any perceived problem before it escalates into all out war.

I know this is rather cryptic but I just had to put this out there into the universe to relieve some of my stress!

AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

That feels better. OK, off to get ready for another day in the paradise that is Big W.

Sunday 10 August 2008

I hate windy nights!

Although it has been relatively windy around around here for at least four days, I've only gotten hayfever today. It used to be that as soon as the wind started, I'd start sneezing immediately but it would get a lot easier to breathe without sneezing after the first 24 hours.

Now it's pretty much the opposite. The wind starts and I'm fine for a couple of days then all of a sudden, I can't see, breathe or stop my eyes from watering. I have tried every over-the-counter anti-histamine and some that require a prescription, all to no avail. I get some short term relief, usually about an hour, then it's back to being full on.

I know that this too will pass, but I am just in whingeing mood! Thanks for letting me vent!

Thursday 7 August 2008

Random stuff ...

  • I've been back at work for 2 weeks and four days and it feels like I haven't had a holiday in years!
  • We have a new manager at work who is driving everyone crazy and not in a good way. He managed to last all of 3 hours on his first day at our store before he had to "go and sit down somewhere quiet with a cup of coffee" for two hours!! And he talks so much about absolutely nothing, the other office girls and I have resorted to asking him if he wants syrup to go with his waffle. I think he still doesn't get it because he just smiles and nods!
  • Had parent-teacher interviews for Alex on Tuesday night. What a surprise .. he hasn't been doing his homework (can you see the sarcasm dripping??) I resisted the urge to say that it was because I didn't have the patience to stand over him with a big stick for the entire time he wasn't actually at school to try and make him finish it. Instead I said something along the lines of "I've finished high school and I passed. I don't need to do it again. It's his turn to step up and take responsibility for his own actions or lack thereof." (Doesn't that sound soooo much better??) Now I'm just in the running for the "Neglectful Mother of the Year" award. Yay, something else to dust!!
  • Andrew is going through an 'overly emotional' stage (who needs a teenage girl for mood swings?) That usually means he's about to grow so maybe he'll finally grow out of the uniform shirts he's been wearing for the last three years. Poor kid is hanging out for the day he reaches my chin. Not quite sure why .. it's nothing spectacular to look at!
  • I have finally managed to catch up with Jackie for a coffee. It's been so long since we sat and had a counselling session .. oops, I mean chat .. but we just picked up where we left off last time. Either we both need to get new, more interesting lives or rejoice in the fact that our friendship can survive, even when we ourselves are floundering. Thanks Jack .. love ya!
  • My littlest darling is being rather forceful in expressing his opinion at the moment. I have had to remind him several times that this house is not a democracy; it's a benevolent dictatorship and that the level of benevolence can change very quickly when the dictator is pushed too far. He now understands what "going Amish" means in practical terms!
  • Last Monday was the 8th anniversary of Dad's death. Mum wanted us to all be together so we had dinner at her house, then watched a very old video (1985) of our holiday in New Zealand. Bradley was fascinated by the footage of Dad and Andrew was happy to hear his voice again. They all asked why he was speaking 'funny' though! (Dad's from Liverpool, England and had quite a broad accent at times)
  • I had some money left out of my and Peter's tax returns after paying the council rates and water rates bills ($2200!) so I splurged and bought myself a pair of new earrings. I figured I could always pawn them if I needed to. (Just kidding!!)
  • Scrapping has taken a back seat to reading at the moment. Trashy romance novels are the theme of the week so far because escapism is a wonderful thing! I'm still trying to find the rest of the Stephanie Plum series at the library so I might just have to give up and buy them instead.
  • Only have to put on one more load of washing, start the dishwasher, fold the washing on the table ready for tomorrow, clean up the kitchen, take the garbage out and turn out all the lights the kids have left on and then I can go to bed. Night all!

Saturday 2 August 2008

Moving update

The building next door has sold at auction for 'only' 1.4 million and the organisation that bought it want to keep it as is, so the short version of the long story is that we're not going anywhere in a hurry.

Apparently it has been bought by a Muslim group that want to use it for youth training. There is a very large Muslim population in this area and, whilst I believe in peaceful co-existence with people of other faiths and cultural backgrounds, there are a lot of people around here who think "they should go back to their own country".

I just hope we're not going to be the target of vandalism like we were when the previous daycare director was accused of 'restraining children unlawfully'. It took ages to clean up all the broken glass and rotten food that got thrown over the fence into our yard that time, so here's hoping it doesn't start again.