Saturday, 25 October 2008

The gods were kind on Friday ...

I wasn't feeling very happy with the world but went to work anyway only to find out that my current arch nemesis (my direct boss - aka "the micromanaging cow") wasn't going to be in all day! I split my lip from smiling so much (the split lip had absolutely nothing to do with having a blocked nose and breathing through my mouth all night OK? It just didn't!)

After finishing my happy dance, I had quite a good day except for the sour-faced killjoy who once again tried to wreck the Christmas party. There are currently only two members on the social club committee and we were informed by aforementioned sour-faced killjoy, quite snarkily about a month ago, that we were supposed to be having monthly meetings complete with minutes, have at least five committee members and that we had to get unanimous approval for the Christmas party that we had planned. If there was no meeting and approval, we couldn't have a party. After wondering who died and made her God, we dutifully tried to arrange some more members and a meeting, but finally gave up when everyone else refused to 'volunteer' for the committee. So the two of us organised a party anyway and if anyone has their nose put out of joint by it they can kiss my shiny white backside!

The thing that annoys me the most about the whole thing is that sour-faced killjoy has never attended, and has stated she will never attend, any of the functions organised by the social club but is the first to complain if something isn't to her liking. How can you criticise something almost everyone else is happy to have someone else organise and that you have no intention of participating in? Her logic, or lack thereof, boggles my mind. What's that saying .. put up or shut up? Fits like a glove here!

The boys were all invited to a sleepover on Friday night .. more evidence of the gods' benevolence .. and we didn't have to pick them up 'til 10am this morning. Can anyone guess what happened this morning with no kids around? Get your minds out of the gutter .. can anyone say sleep-in? It was glorious to not have an alarm go off in my ear at 6am or to be woken up by the sound of fighting and because Peter is home I didn't even have to get dressed and go and get them .. he went and got them for me!

On another note, the boys are going well back at school. I haven't had any phone calls reporting bad behaviour so either it's not happening or the teachers haven't noticed. I'm leaning toward the first one myself .. much more positive! Alex is getting some support from the special education centre this term which he has welcomed with open arms .. so far! I think he's managed very well without a special needs teacher's aide for the last couple of years, but am glad he is accepting help now when it is obviously needed that bit more.

Andrew got caught out trying to search for porn on the internet on Thursday .. don't think the teacher wanted you to research that for homework son! After a few questions as to why he did it, what was he looking for, etc, he finally broke into tears and wailed "I just want to know what's going to happen to me when I get to puberty". Well honey, you won't look like that during puberty 'cos I'm pretty sure 12/13 year old boys don't get back, sack and crack waxes; not to mention that the girls wouldn't look like that during puberty either. Due to the Net Nanny, he didn't get very far in his quest for knowledge via the internet and we soon had a 'come to Jesus' talk about trying it again. (Just in case you're wondering, yes I have had 'the talk' with him before now but this has now prompted Peter to have a little chat, as well as giving him some appropriate reading material).

Brad is just being his usual self so I'm thinking about getting him hypnotised to see if that will help with all the tummy troubles and 'accidents'. I've tried just about everything else and it's still not much better so I suppose it's worth a shot.

I'm starting to think seriously about Christmas presents .. and by 'think seriously', I mean 'seriously panic"! Not long now and I haven't even worked out what everyone's getting this year. The main problem is that most of the people in our families can afford to buy what they want, when they want it, so working out what to get them is difficult. Add in the fact that I"m one of those people who doesn't like giving gift cards and we have a bit of a dilemma. Any ideas for what to get for those sort of people?

Oh, and if you've finished your shopping and wrapping and are twiddling your thumbs while you're waiting to put up your Christmas tree so you can put the wrapped presents under it, please be quiet while the rest of us do our best headless chook impersonations! (Or for those who aren't into beheaded animal impersonations, try doing a blue-arsed fly impersonation instead!)

On that happy note, I'm off to spend some quality time with my husband .. when he gets home from the pub!

Wednesday, 22 October 2008

Meh ...

Nothing much happening so far this week. Same old, same old with work, except for trying to organise the work Christmas Party and dealing with all the 'politics' and backstabbing that goes along with that.

cat
more animals

The kids are being their usual selves .. mostly good with a bit of attitude.

cat
more animals

Overall this pretty much sums up my mood:

cat
more animals

Hope everyone else's week is going well!

Saturday, 18 October 2008

I got my fix!!

I finally got to meet Mackenzie today!! Oh that new baby smell .. inhale deeply .. mmmmmmm!

I know some people think that all babies are beautiful but there are an equal number that say all babies look like Winston Churchill. I have a one foot firmly each side of the fence in that I believe that all babies are beautiful to their mother but there are some who just aren't 'pretty' or 'cute'. You know the ones .. where you're searching for something 'nice' to say .. "Oh he looks just like his father" .. bald, fat and red in the face! No such problems here .. Mackenzie is one of the cute-to-everyone babies. Beautiful dark blue eyes, long eyelashes, a little rosebud mouth, a full head of beautiful hair and calm into the bargain .. what's not to love??

I got to cuddle her for nearly two hours and the boys all had a turn too. I even changed a poopy nappy .. while Lachlan (5.5yo older brother of Mackenzie) laughed at me trying to put the tiny little nappy on an even tinier behind. "You can't do it Aunty Donna. I do it for you. Do you know how to 'cos I can show you." Bec replied "It's OK Lachlan. Aunty Donna hasn't done this for a loooong time. She'll work it out!" With his 'help' (!) I managed OK with the nappy then had some more cuddles.

I really can't remember my boys ever being that small and all three of them were smaller than her. I left them all laughing at me because I stated I was going to have to have words with Peter about why he doesn't make girls!

And as I expected, it took Bradley all of twenty seconds once we were in the car to put in his request for a baby sister. Look out Peter .. I told him to ask you for one!!

Friday, 17 October 2008

What shape are you?

Spotted this quiz on Lee's blog and thought I'd take it just for fun. As usual, comments in italics are mine!

You are a Square (hey .. watch it!!)
  • Squares don't always choose the square as their symbol, but that won't stop you from recognizing them (they're the geeks in the corner snickering at everyone else's perceived lack of knowledge!)
  • Squares are organized, logical, conservative, loyal, analytical, task-oriented, and knowledgeable(even if their knowledge is random, useless facts that have nothing to do with the topic at hand!)
  • Squares will not tolerate sloppy work and need structured settings. (can we say autistic tendencies anyone?)
  • Squares believe in following the manual. They live by the 3 P's: policies, practices, and procedures. (should be 4 P's - add in pissing people off by being pedantic!)
  • They are data collectors and will not make decisions without a thorough analysis of the data. If your boss is a square (as opposed to just being a dork!), be specific. They need things in writing, preferably with numbers (all on an organised flow chart with pretty colours and lots of arrows!).
  • They have calendars and lists everywhere. They have a plan for everyday (get up, survive, go back to bed). They plan A, B, C, D (and panic when Q or V shows up unannounced!). Why, because they are the most linear thinkers (and have no life!)
  • However they are not the strongest team players because a square tends to be a loner. Meetings just mess up their day. (oh how true .. especially when I'm stuck with the two biggest wafflers of all time!)
  • On the positive side- squares are loyal. They are the person to call if you need bail money (unless of course, they're in there with you!)
  • Squares are totally committed to friends and spouses (as opposed to committed by friends and spouses!)
  • The motto squares live by is if you want a job done right, then do it yourself. (unless you have majorly annoyed them in which case, stuff you, you're on your own!)
  • A square is a very left brained and tactical thinker. Squares take notes; they like to write everything down (and then promptly lose it amongst all the other "important" things they have written down and filed away safely for further use!).
  • Squares are the most likely shape to work late at the office because they are the hardest workers in the group (all together now .. SUCKER!!)
  • But, despite all their work, squares are slowest to make decisions because they always need more information. (can never have too much information .. snort!!)
  • Homer was a square.(Homer the poet, not Simpson) (glad you clarified that .. even though the physical resemblance is amazing!)

So what do think? Is this a fairly accurate description of me? What shape are you?

(Oh and as a true detail oriented square, please disregard all the spelling mistakes in the test!)

Wednesday, 15 October 2008

Tuesday, 14 October 2008

And the waiting starts ..

The boys went back to school for Term 4 this morning .. all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed .. so why am I filled with a sense of dread?

Could it be because I know:

  • that the lunchboxes that started out full of healthy food in the morning will still be full of healthy food at the end of the day?
  • the children will not be full of healthy food but some concoction of other people's giveaways and leftovers and, as a result, be hyped up on sugar?
  • I will have to iron uniforms again? (I hate ironing!)
  • I'm going to have to turn into the Homework Police?
  • I will have to have another meeting with the Deputy Principals about Alex's behaviour? (hopefully a major improvement on last term's behaviour!)
  • Alex requires new uniform shirts again? (Stop growing already child!!)
  • I will be falling over school bags, shoes and homework folders every afternoon for the next week until they get back into the routine of putting them where they belong? (Stop laughing .. it could happen! A girl has to have dreams you know!)

No .. that's not it. Keep thinking ...

thinking ...

thinking ...

Aha! I know what it is that has filled me with such a sense of doom ....

It's only 71 days 'til Christmas!!!

Are you ready???

Sunday, 12 October 2008

As you may have gathered ..

... I like taking photos of sunsets.

This one was taken at Glenelg Beach in South Australia on the 20th of August, 2007. It was week three of our "Big Trip" across the country and back again, and we were lucky enough to get this beautiful sunset on our last day in SA.


One word ..

Seeing as I have no voice, the 'net is going to be subjected to more rambling than usual!

Found this on Leanne's blog (from back in July .. I'm so up-to-date .. not!!) It's harder than it sounds .. only one word answers permitted.

1. Where is your cell phone? lost
2. Significant other? Peter
3. Your hair? messy
4. Your mother? working
5. Your father? deceased
6. Your favorite thing? quiet
7. Your dream last night? weird!
8. Your favorite drink? milk
9. Your dream/goal? survival
10. The room you're in? study
11. Your hobby? reading
12. Your fear? heights
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
14. Where were you last night? bed
15. What you're not? skinny
16. Muffins? apple
17. One of your wish list items? carpet
18. Where you grew up? everywhere
19. The last thing you did? ate
20. What are you wearing? clothes
21. Your TV? off
22. Your pets? none
23. Your computer? annoying
24. Your life? busy
25. Your mood? flat
26. Missing someone? no
27. Your car? silver
28. Something you're not wearing? pyjamas
29. Favorite store? any
30. Your summer? personal
31. Like someone? yes
32. Your favorite color? green
33. When is the last time you laughed? today
34. Last time you cried? today

A lot of these probably don't make sense to you but they do to me in my drug-addled state!

Saturday, 11 October 2008

Quote time ..

Found this quote this morning while surfing the 'net and it really struck a chord with me.

"I am aware that I am less than some people prefer me to be. But most people are unaware that I am so much more than what they see - Douglas Pagels"


What quotes/sayings strike a chord with you? I desperately need inspiration/validation at the moment so help me out here people!! Pretty please?????

Friday, 10 October 2008

Pity party for one ...

I'm sick .. whinge, whine, stamping feet in childish tantrum .. and now I can't go see my beautiful new niece .. 'Not Happy, Jan!'

I actually took a day off work today due to my illness (sore throat and no voice), not the kids' for a change, and have spent most of the day using gestures and facial expressions to make myself understood. After getting Brad's attention I mimed what I wanted him to do, to which he replied "Life is just one never-ending game of charades for you, isn't it?" and then, when he realised he'd actually said it out loud, just stood there with a shocked expression on his face. I think he thought he was going to get in trouble for back-chatting so when I smiled at him, the look of relief on his face was priceless!

Yesterday should have been cancelled due to total lack of interest as well as the heaps of bad things just waiting to happen. Let's see:
  1. Woke up late (8am) after falling asleep at about 2am.
  2. Had hardly any voice when I woke up and had the beginnings of a very sore throat.
  3. Decided to go to work anyway (figured I could always come home early .. what a joke!)
  4. On my way to work I realised I had almost no petrol so was praying I would make it there.
  5. Looked up from checking the fuel gauge and realised I was speeding so took my foot off the accelerator .. 5 seconds too late.
  6. Got picked up for speeding and copped a $75 fine.
  7. Finally arrived at work .. 20 minutes late .. and got 'spoken to' for being late.
  8. Got into my office to find some thieving lowlife had pinched all my pens and my stapler.
  9. Was 'spoken to' again for something else that wasn't even anything to do with me.
  10. Realised I'd lost my mobile phone.

All that between 8 and 9am and it stayed that way pretty much all day.

Today, at least I was at home, even though I felt lousy and should have tried to catch up on some sleep instead of all the things I did instead. I managed to hem the curtains I've been meaning to get to for ages, played games with the boys, watched them draw all over the carport with chalk, listened to their versions of funny jokes, got them to help me with some cleaning up outside, did washing, played endless games of charades trying to get them to do other stuff for me, cooked them pancakes and brownies and watched Iron Man with them.

All in all, not too bad a day, even though I resorted to using pen and paper to get my requests across after they claimed they couldn't understand my 'charades'. Trouble with that was that they then claimed they couldn't read my writing. All very convenient I tell you! There will be consequences ...

probably next week when I get my voice back!

Thursday, 9 October 2008

Overheard today ...

Girl 1: I can't do that.

Girl 2: Do what?

Girl 1: What you're doing.

Girl 2: What? Drinking and walking at the same time?

Girl 1: Yeah. How do you do that?

Girl 2: I don't know .. I just suck on the straw and walk.

Girl 1: Can you show me how?

At this point, I just shook my head and walked away.

(It probably wouldn't have seemed as weird if it was two little girls, but these two were about 16 years old .. and no, they weren't blonde!)

SS blog challenge #32

Haven't done one of these for a while so I thought it was about time to try again. (Comments in italics are added by me...who else?)

This blog challenge is easy (for some maybe!) .. Enjoy.

Countdown List

10 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
  • See my children grown and happy
  • Watch my grandchildren grow up
  • Get back to a healthy weight
  • Travel overseas by myself
  • Scrap all my important photos
  • Learn sign language
  • Get over my fear of heights
  • Make a positive difference in a child's life (as well as in my own children's lives)
  • Visit the houses I grew up in (in England, Fiji, Singapore & Hawaii)
  • Learn to play a musical instrument .. properly!
9 Places I Last Spent Money:
  • Amazon.com
  • Big W
  • Woolworths
  • Southern River Pharmacy
  • Laker's Tavern
  • Caltex
  • Creative Memories
  • Just Scrapbooks
  • McDonald's

8 Sounds I Routinely Hear Around My House:
  • "Muuuum" from any and all of the boys
  • Wii/PS2/Playstation/computer game sounds
  • Laughing
  • Arguing
  • The washing machine
  • Music
  • Doors slamming (no-one seems capable of closing one quietly around here!)
  • Kettle boiling

7 Real Restaurants Where I Last Ate Out:

(Not sure what is meant by a 'real' restaurant but I'm assuming a place with table service, real tablecloths, metal cutlery and alcohol. In which case, I haven't eaten out since last year's work Christmas party!)

  • Atrium @ Burswood (aforementioned Christmas party)
  • The Pasta Bowl in Margaret River
  • Nicholson's Bar & Grill
  • and that's about it! Sad huh?
  • .
  • .
  • .
6 Things I've Recently Scratched Off My To-Do List:
  • Pay bills
  • Order Becky Fleck Sketch book
  • Tidy scrap area
  • Bake some snacks for the boys
  • Check boys' summer school uniform for sizing
  • Make doctor's appointment for Alex
5 People I Don't Know (or haven't met in person) But Would Like to Hang Out With:

4 Songs That Make Me Happy (or feel more upbeat):

  • Annie's song - John Denver
  • I'm yours - Jason Mraz
  • Can't touch this - Ricki-Lee Coulter
  • These are a few of my favourite things - Julie Andrews
3 Things I Hate To Do:
  • Clean toilets
  • Look foolish
  • Deal with arrogant people
2 Things I'm Really Good At:
  • Being positive (for other people!)
  • Retaining (useless) information

1 Bad Habit:

  • Procrastination .. "Procrastinators of the world, unite .. tomorrow."

Wednesday, 8 October 2008

Pitter patter

The little feet are here ... along with the rest of her. I'm an aunty again!!

Welcome to Mackenzie Hope born this morning (8/10/08) at 8:18 weighing in at 8lb 10oz. That's a lot of eights and ones .. wonder what that means in numerology?

I haven't seen her yet .. stupid work .. but will hopefully be able to get there on the weekend. It's a cut lunch and waterbag job just to get to the hospital but I will go and see them before they get home!

Poor Mark missed her delivery .. she wasn't prepared to wait .. but luckily was due home today anyway, so now he has a couple of weeks to spend at home with them. The twins have taken to her really well and are always wanting 'cuddles with my baby', to the point of telling their grandparents to give her back for more cuddles.

I can't wait to have cuddles of my own. Just love, love, love that new baby smell!!

Tuesday, 7 October 2008

Excuses, excuses

The reason I've haven't been posting much this week is I've been ... reading. Yeah I know, what a surprise, yada yada yada, but this time I was so engrossed I forgot to get dinner ready, do washing or even acknowledge the boys' existence. Pass the 'neglectful mother' award this way .. it will look great next to the 'uninterested wife' award!

Anyway, I have been reading the Twilight series. I know it's supposed to be aimed at the teen girl demographic, just as Harry Potter was supposed to be aimed at the tween/teen market, but it's actually surprisingly good. Well, maybe not 'surprisingly' as it obviously wouldn't be such a success if it wasn't good; more that I wasn't expecting to be as drawn into the story as I was.

I usually have little or no trouble putting a book down and doing things I know need to be done but this time I was delegating jobs left, right and centre to be able to keep reading. If Peter hadn't been home, I probably would have stayed up all night (and home from work) just to finish them. It nearly killed me to have to go to work yesterday halfway through Breaking Dawn .. not literally of course, but I was thinking about it all day. I won't say anything about how it ends and what happens in the lead up to the end so I don't spoil it for those yet to read it, but I really enjoyed all four books.

I've also been reading some more of the Stephanie Plum books as well as the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. The Maximum Ride series is another set aimed at the tween/teen market but I'm kind of at the stage where I don't want to have to think too hard about what I'm reading .. just want to go along for the ride. Ha ha, I crack myself up .. Maximum Ride, go along for the ride .. get it?


(crickets chirping in the silence)


Maybe you had to be there....

Quirks

I've been tagged by Lita!

Here are the rules:
Link the person who tagged you.
Tell about 6 quirks of yours.
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.
Leave a comment to let them know.
  1. All the washing has to be folded a certain way. If anyone else folds it, I have to do it again my way. (I usually wait until they've gone home before I do it though!)
  2. As soon as I get home from being out anywhere, I take off all my jewellery except for my necklace. I can't stand wearing rings while I'm doing household stuff and will even take them off to scrap.
  3. I have to wash something new before I can use/wear it. Except scrapbook stuff of course!
  4. When I eat things like jellybeans or M&Ms, I eat all the odd ones first leaving pairs of the same colours to eat last.
  5. I have to lie on my left side to be able to fall asleep in bed.
  6. When I make coffee, I have to put the milk in before the water. It tastes different if it's done the other way round.

I can't think of six people to tag so I'm only going to tag Debbie.

Monday, 29 September 2008

Random stuff ...

  • I managed to achieve some of the things from the list in the previous post. Numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 12 and 13 all got done or are almost finished. I know, I know .. don't count your chickens before they hatch .. but they are this close (insert finger and thumb placed about 1/2 cm apart) to being done.
  • I really enjoyed number 12 (which for those who haven't read the previous post .. tsk, tsk .. was Debbie's visit). We both tried to do something creative, me with my albums and she with her cards, but we just weren't channelling very much mojo so we gave up and had cuppas and brownies (number 5 completed!) instead.
  • Bradley was explaining some very in depth specifications on his Mechquest warrior and at the end, after understanding absolutely none of what he had just said, I said "whatever floats your boat darling." His instant reply was "not concrete; that just makes it sink."
  • Andrew and I were having a (pretend) war of words when he said something rather cheeky. So I told him he was a cheeky little boy to which he replied "I can't help it. You made me with four cheeks. That's what makes me cheeky!"
  • I'm trying to decide whether to look for another job as I'm really unhappy where I am. I like the job and most of the people but the change in management has really affected morale and everyone is just miserable all the time. I realise there's politics in every workplace and that some people will just never get along with others, but surely not every workplace is this bad. Then again, maybe it's just another stage .. a "this too will pass" situation. Here's hoping!
  • I managed to start a layout about Brad losing his first tooth (four years ago!) so hopefully I will be sufficiently motivated to finish it tonight.
  • Andrew and Brad both love reading the "i can has cheezburger" site. The study has been ringing with the sound of their laughter for the last 20 minutes. Such a glorious noise!
  • All in all, a pretty good day. Oh and the brownies were really yummy! They'll be even better heated up with some ice cream for dessert. They were supposed to be for snacks during the week but they're nearly all gone already. Oh well, I can always make another batch when the kids have gone to bed .. and tomorrow morning .. and tomorrow afternoon ..

Things to do ..

..hopefully today. The joys of a long weekend!!
  1. Get rid of headache
  2. Find material and zips for Alex to make himself a new pencil case
  3. Get Alex started on making pencil case (so he'll leave his brothers alone!)
  4. Washing, washing and more washing
  5. Bake some goodies to tide the kids over during the first week of the holidays
  6. Help the kids start (and hopefully finish) the mini album for Pete
  7. Hang new curtains in my room
  8. Help Andrew finish sorting out his room (I'm sure a paper bomb exploded in there!)
  9. Pay bills
  10. Vacuum games room .. again. (I hate dark carpet .. it shows every speck of dust!)
  11. Water potted plants
  12. Enjoy visit from Debbie
  13. Scrap .. if I have time!

I thought that if I wrote at least some of them down, I might have a chance of completing a few! Numbers 1, 5, 12 and 13 are taking priority right now so I'd better get started.

Sunday, 28 September 2008

Sleeping Beauty

As much as I despair of ever getting through to this child, at least he still looks like an angel when he's asleep.

It's 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon and he's asleep. Mum came over to take him to Bunnings for some rose spray (and to give me a break from the incessant boundary pushing) but he decided he was, in his words, "unusually tired" and didn't want to go. So Mum took the other two instead and Alex took himself off to bed. Must be going to grow again!

Can you hear that? Ssssshhh ... listen ... blissful silence! I'm off to get a cup of coffee and a good book while I can. Hope you're all enjoying your afternoon too.

Friday, 26 September 2008

Now I understand ..

.. why some mothers eat their young!! It's so they don't become teenagers!

I had a meeting at school this morning about Alex and some of his behaviours. The meeting itself went well and I came away feeling like we were all on the same page and would be able to work together to help Alex. I should have had Alex in the meeting too; maybe then he would be on the same page as the rest of us. The meeting finished at 9:30am and I was at work by 10am. I was back at the school at 12:30pm picking Alex up. And on the last day of term too.

He had decided he didn't want two boys talking to his friend so he told them to leave. When they didn't, he threatened them and when they still didn't leave, he thumped them both. In the ensuing scuffle, Alex fell over and hurt himself which he then had the nerve to complain about to his class teacher. The original phone call to come pick him up was that he had hurt himself and wanted to go home. The next phone call, while I was packing up at work to go get him, was that he had started a fight and "it would be in his best interests to not be on the school grounds for the rest of the day." After hurriedly explaining things to my boss I raced down to the school expecting to find an at least somewhat contrite child, but was greeted with a boy who has absolutely no appreciation of what he's putting everyone through.

I know we're supposedly not given more than we can handle, but I really wish someone had checked with me first. I'm at my wit's end as to what to do with him and don't know where else to turn. Ultimately I'm hoping this is just a stage he's going through and also that I've got enough patience to get through it and out the other side with both of us relatively intact. At the rate we're going, alive is all I dare hope for at the moment. He is on severe restriction of privileges (computer, TV, etc) and is grounded for the holidays. (Not that that makes much difference .. he doesn't have a social life outside of school!)

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

breathe in..1.2.3.4..breathe out..1.2.3.4..breathe in..1.2.3.4..breathe out..1.2.3.4......

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading and letting me vent. If not, oh well, you won't be reading this anyway!

Monday, 22 September 2008

Ch-ch-ch-changes

In case you hadn't noticed, I decided to change things just a little around here. Supposedly a change is as good as a holiday and as I'm in desperate need of a holiday, which I can't have at the moment, a change is as close as I'm going to get for the next couple of months. (Phew, how was that for a run-on sentence?)

Anyway, the new picture up the top is one I took in January in Broome. It's a sunset looking out over Cable Beach but could quite easily have been a sunrise over Roebuck Bay on the other side of the peninsula, if it hadn't been the wet season and if the clouds were soft and fluffy looking instead of being great big sheets of grey nothingness and if I could have been bothered to get out of bed that early, which I actually did all three mornings and still didn't manage to get a nice colourful sunrise photo! (note-to-self: must find those sunrise photos and stop these run-on sentences!!)


The previous header picture (the waterlilies) is one I took at Araluen Botanic Park in the Perth hills back in 2005, as was the one before that (the tulips with the waterfall).

I've decided I'm going to change the picture as often as the mood takes me so keep an eye out and let me know what you think.

I've noticed in the Feedjit thingy on the side of the page that there are a few different places starting to show up on a more regular basis. Quairading, Merredin, Kwinana and Sydney jump to mind. I know most of the people who visit regularly from Perth, Melbourne and Oswego, New York, USA (Hi Kaye!) but I don't have a clue who would be reading from these other places. Please drop in and say hi in the comments section as I'd love to get to know you too!

Enough rambling for now. I'd better go hang out the second load of laundry for tonight, set the dishwasher going, finish putting away the various assorted detritus from another day with children, iron uniforms for tomorrow, put the bins out for collection in the morning and head for bed soon as I've got another busy day unloading trucks tomorrow. (A story for another time!) Night all!