checkout chick counselling

Just returned from Woolies. Check out chick somewhat heavy, long dark hair and an equally long expression on her face She moved as though she needed to be on Thyroid pills. I asked how her day was going. She said she was wondering whether to break up with her boyfriend, whether she should do the breaking up or wait for him to do it! He'd asked her to marry him, says she doesn't want to.

Anyone who knows me will know what my reaction was. 'Don't wait for him, dump him, you're young, got your whole life in front of you although she was moving as though her life was slowly ebbing away.

Been writing heaps again this morning. Also called dad. He sounds chipper although still worried about his dead finger. If that's all that's dead at the age of 96 he aint doing too bad.
Talking of dead I'm watching yet another re-run of Waking the Dead, a skull getting its teeth drilled...nice!!! Foxtel doesn't exactly spend a bundle on new shows.

shaking hips, yum cha and toilet rolls

Busy week writing as I wander down the lane of memories, it's all pouring out. Have had to drag myself away to to to aqua aerobics but I have to do the exercise. Health maintenance takes longer these days but the older you get the more necessary it is. Today's class was a lot of fun. The isntructor played some Shakira and was shaking her booty, with a lot of encouragement from the water babes.

Long yum cha lunch with Kit afterwards talking our heads off.

The big magpie has not returned to the Norfolk Pine, probably found better real estate somewhere else.

Cricket (3rd. test) is rained off tonight with a forecast of rain for the whole 5 days; sometimes I wonder why they bother playing cricket in the UK.

I bought new toilet rolls at the weekend, a pack of 16 which I know will be around when K & K get here. I love that. It makes their visit seem closer. They arrive on Aug 23, 4 weeks on Sunday.

Hitchhiking and magpies

Have been writing again at last. Memories of hitchhiking adventures my friend Val and I got up to when we were penniless nursing students, mainly throughout UK.

The last hitchhiking we did was through Europe after we took our final exams. We travelled for three weeks in November culminating in Germany where we found jobs as housemaids. There I put on 20 pounds mainly because of boredom, huge slabs of Cadbury's chocolate purchased at the British Army stores and the German cakes 'mit sahne' absolutely delicious.

I returned home five months later, started work at Lincoln County hospital and dropped my weight in 2 weeks.

Details of our adventures are to be found in my memoir. When that will be finished who knows. I'm finding plenty to write about.

One of the hugest magpies I have ever seen has been hanging around the Norfolk Pine outside my window for the past 2 days. I think he might be looking for a nesting place. The maggies will start to get vicious in September when they are nesting. Having felt their sharp beaks on the back of my head a couple of times I'm scared of them. If this big geezer nests outside my window I'll have to wear protective head gear every time I walk out the front of the building. Going to collect mail could become hazardous.

Ice Age 3 3D a tent and cupcakes

Annie wanted to see the latest Harry Potter movie. I checked the rating, it's M so no go. To compensate for the disappontment I suggested Ice Age 3. Tears at missing HP dissolved instantly. Then dad came up with free tickets. Thanks Ed, saved me a bundle. With home made popcorn hidden in my bag off we went.

On Friday, I discovered the Everyday Rewards scheme was offering double QANTAS frequent flyer points. A quick visit to Big W, dropped $100.00 on kiddie DVDs, stocked up on wine and made a few points towards my goal of flying premium economy to LA next year. I need about 25,000 more points. A bit of a challenge but heigh ho, I love a challenge.

On my shopping foray I noticed the fish at the fish market looked particularly fresh. Moreover they had Whitebait. Haven't cooked that in years. It was delicious, although I gave Annie some of the red-fish. I didn't think she was ready for fish heads and eyes no matter how small.

Annika made a tent, complete with living room, bedroom and outhouse (the old easy chair). What is it with kids and tents? I used to love doing that too although we were confined to the back garden an old blanket and the coal bunker. We made cupcakes yesterday, pink of course.

Back home today for Annika. It's been a lot of fun even though she can be so stubborn sometimes, a family trait...on BOTH sides!

Splash kids and all that water

Wow!! Homebush aquatic centre turned into a big success. It now has a play area for kids full of water slides of all sizes not to mention the wild river ride which I love. After several goes hanging onto me, Annie got confident enough to ride it on her own. Just as well, my knees were about to give out! The best feature of the play area is the big bucket that tips over every 10 minutes. All the kids gather to be underneath it when it tips, and scream.

We were there all day. I even manged to get some writing done and the coffee wasn't bad either. Boy did the kid sleep well last night.

Temperature reached a record high yesterday well... for 19 years on this date. The sun is still shining but cooler. Looks as though Ice Age3 is on the agenda today after an attempt at embroidery which has already called forth comments of 'boring'. Guess the kid isn't into it. Ah well there's always Sesame Street.

Baby elephant

Still recovering from a day at the zoo with Annika and Kit. It was a beautiful sparkling Sydney day, not too hot but sunshine all day. After a ferry ride across the harbour we took the sky safari up, up and up over the whole zoo to the top. En route we spotted the new, yet to be named baby elephant so we headed for that enclosure before he went back inside. Like all babies he naps a lot so we didn't want to miss him. I got plenty of video to play with and edit. I will try and post it on this blog one day.

I'm going to take Annika to the Aquatic centre at Homebush today, introduce her to the delights of the swirling water pool. It is great fun, and not too far from home.

Australians are in mourning over the Ashes cricket test going on at the moment. Things do not look good. Three more matches to go. Can they turn it around? Watch this space but don't hold your breath, each game is five days long spread over a period of weeks. don't want you turning blue.
Annie is loving 'The Aristocats' at the moment. I'm loving the fact that my VCR still works, giving me some free time to do this.

Sunshine and memories

What to say about the last two days? The weather is absloutley gorgeous but I haven't been out in it. It makes me feel guilty, a throw back from childhood days when we were always made to play outside when the sun shone. It was regarded as 'wasteful' to say inside on sunny days. Of course, in Australia there are heaps of sunny days so the notion of wasting them doesn't arise.

But I am enjoying NOT GOING ANYWHERE knowing that I will be out every day next week, Annie and Aqua, a trip to the zoo to see the new baby elephant hopefully, the Aquatic Centre at Homebush Olympic site and another thing I've promised Annie but can't remember. I know she will remind me of what it is.

Big news is that I've re-started the memoir on a different tack (2500 words today); Id'd a website of life writing which runs a correspondence course; filed all my memoir notes with cross references, and feel as though the creative juices are flowing again.

The Great Escape

Phew, I've just got over a brain explosion. There was one place left on a life-writing trip for 12 to Paris in Oct/Nov and I was soooo tempted! Having read the state of play, I saw lots of free time, most of it to write, but some for sightseeing. Asked myself what if I don't like my new companions. The thought of mooching around Paris on my own did not appeal. I checked my Frequent Flyer points - not enough, even in cattle class. I can put them to better use in Premium economy to LA next year. I can also put the money to good use on the trip next year to celebrate my 70th birthday, touring the southern states of the USA and catching up with friends and family in the UK.

Now for the more mundane. Just got back from getting a new lens in my computer glasses, can see much better to write now. Did a tour of the local Asian cheapo stores in Campsie while waiting for the new lens to be fitted. Picked up another kiddie chair, a plastic basket for Annie to put her many little stationery experiments in, some cookie cutters and a pack of padded coat hangers (love padded coat hangers.) Got a free coffee from GJ's and came home.

Minstrone soup for lunch. Thanks Cristina.

aqua aerobics and lunch

I was busy re-reading my memoir material when an alert sounded on my computer. The aqua class starts in 15 minutes. I'm still in my pyjamas, thinking it is Monday and the class starts an hour later. I'd just made coffee and had crackers and cheese.

Got to the class almost 10 minutes late. Only five other women there this cold day. The water was not too hot either. Class okay though.

Kit & I tried lunch at Jamaica Blue in the shopping centre. I had a very tough steak sandwich. Won't order that again. Kit incensed that her peppermint tea (teabag) cost $4.00. Don't think we'll patronise that establisment again.
Back home watched a re-run of Prime Suspect. It is such a good show, and there was nothing else. Looking forward to the second Ashes test tonight. Flintoff has announced his retirement.

The Tsunami didn't happen (after the NZ earthquake) but swine flu cases rising.

Red sun , Hannah Montana and a shortlist

The sun is red this morning. A sign of rain they say. It has been forecast, even hail and storms. Hope they hold off before I drive Annie back home this afternoon. She and Mathew have a swimming lesson tonight.

Annika is on full Michael Jackson alert. She sees pictures of him and hears his songs everywhere we go, even songs that are NOT his! She is full into the grieving even though she never heard of him a month ago! What a strange little emtional bunny she is.

Saw Hannah Montana yesterday, the theatre full of girls Annie's age, many with Grandmas. Not a bad movie for its type, plenty of singing and dancing. For the most part Annie sat solemn and focused. I wondered if she was enjoying it. Then late on in the film when she started to swop seats I thought she must be bored. But at the end of the film she said she wanted to see it a thousand times. You can never tell.

After the movie we went to see my friend Betty who set Annie up with beads and thread. She is now sporting a long red and green necklace. It is quite heavy, could be a weapon in Mathew's hands! We'll have to watch out.

I learned yesterday I'd made the shortlist for this month's writing competition in the Writing Magazine. The closest I've come yet. A tiny, tiny bit of encouragement to carry on.

Second day of the school hols. I'm messing about with blogs etc while sesame street plays on. Annika asked me where the street was. I had to explain about TV studios etc. She was not impressed.

Note the dog picture for today. That is as close as I wll come to having a dog. When I looked after M's dog lodgers for a few days I realised that having a dog (no matter how small) in my apartment is not fair to the dog. Besides I don't like the doggy smell.

Trying to get Annie out of the sofa bed (her choice of place to sleep last night) to get ready for the movies. She is obviously feeling lazy. Why not? It is holiday time.

Just saw a youtube interview with my friend David. Don't know how old it is but it was sure good to see and hear him. Have bookmarked for more concentrated viewing later.

Sesame Street is featuring families today. Annie reckons she is the 'goodest' one in her family, her brother and sister are annoying. It was ever thus.

first day of school holidays with Annika

Thanks to my two commentators.
Leisurely morning with Playschool and Trotro as background noise while Grandma filled in her latest obsession, Hanji puzzles especially the sumo size. They take hours. Some would say such a waste of time, cause eye strain etc. But like any good drug I am hooked.
In the afternoon went to Canterbury pool, the indoor one, heated to tropical proportions, lovely. I was in turn a dolphin, a motorbike and a boat to Annika's mermaid. The back is feeling it a bit tonight. We mostly had the pool to ourselves, such luxury and no maintenance costs. I have a season ticket so the only charge was $4. 20 for Annie.
Annie has been playing computer games on the Get smart website, a great site for kids produced by a school on the central coast (if memory serves me right). Kept her occupied for hours. Fast food style dinner and I'm going to heat up some left over jam sponge. Soon she'll be in bed and I'll be parked in front of TV with... you guessed it a hanji puzzle, unles the eyes fail me.
Hannah Montana movie tomorrow

jam sponge and crcket

July 13 (OUR TIME)

The hamburger recipe turned out ok. One of the little children liked it, the other didn't touch it. I probably won't make it again. Wasn't spectacular. The jam sponge turned out very well although the consensus was the treacle sponge was better. Check link to that site

Australia almost won the first test. woke up in the night to hear the last hour, knife dedge stuff. Now the poms will be crowing as if they scored a great victory, forgetting the fact that they were supposed to win this one, and almost lost it completely. Go Aussies