Cleveland Bound

It's almost that time.

Now that we are officially into October I think I can now stop counting down to little brother's wedding in weeks and starting counting in days. It is 24 days until my baby bro is a married man.

And now that it has finally sunk in that the wedding really IS right around the corner I've realised that it also means that in just a few weeks I'm heading back to my old stomping ground. My brother and the soon to be Mrs are getting married in the Redlands - where we both grew up and lived well into our twenties. Cleveland, Wellington Point, Alexandra Hills, Capalaba - all areas where my formative years were spent. Where I got my first job. Where I bought my first house. We are staying in Cleveland for the wedding and it's going to be a bit surreal I think. That and the amount of traffic will probably scare the beejesus out of me. I'm used to a traffic jam that involves 5 cars now. Not 50.

It's hard to believe that when we fly up for the wedding it will have been close to 4 months since moving to Tasmania. And it feels like a lifetime away. I no longer refer to it as home - it's now the mainland. I'm dreading the wedding in part because it's going to be so hot compared to Tassie. I am loving living in a colder climate.

Speaking of colder climates (and getting way off topic) spring has started to arrive here now. And it is glorious. The farms are full of baby lambs (I so want to nab a couple and bring them home) and baby ponies and baby calves. The hedges and lanes are starting to come alive with the trees and bushes starting to sprout leaves and flowers and blossums. It is the most magnificient sight to see.

I just wish that it didn't mean the end of snow and cold weather for the year.

Any Body in the Road Gets Knocked Over

It's become common knowledge within my family that I am, essentially, the black sheep of the family, so to speak.

And that doesn't mean what you think it means. Most of my family still talk to me (when they are in good moods that is - some members of my family and I have a love-hate relationship. We love to hate each other and hate to love each other quite often - I wish this wasn't the case and have tried to remedy on more occasions than I can count but, sadly, have slowed down in my efforts. Not very christian but something I will continue to work on until the day I die) and, now that I'm "all growed up" I get along better with alot more of my cousins than I did when we were younger. It probably has alot to do with the fact that aside from maybe a half dozen of my cousins, the remainder of my cousins are all at least 10 years older than me. Quite a large age gap but I am very lucky to be able to say that at least one of them is like my older sister now. She's great for advice, always listens when I want to have a whinge and, above all else, has a deep love of all things romantic, BBC and such. Love ya K!

Anyway, I digress. I'm not a traditional black sheep. I'm a literal black sheep. That is, I am totally, utterly and completely accident prone and usually covered in bruises. If there is anything to run into, trip over, cut yourself on I am the first one there.

The tales of my misfortunes have become legend in our household especially. A week doesn't go by when you hear the echo of an "OW" drift from some corner of the house. Nobody bothers to ask who it was and what happened unless it was a particularly loud ow, a swear word was uttered or I enter the room holding a body part and looking for sympathy.

So, for those counting along at home, here is the current approximately tally of the most accident prone person you will ever (and do I mean EVER) encounter in your entire life.

10 - The number of toes broken
2 - The number of times each toe has been broken
1 - Foot broken on my last overseas holiday
1 - Knee that landed upon a letter opener and went straight through (excellent for grossing out the ungrossable mother!!!)
10 - Fingers and thumbs that have been broken or fractured
2 - The number of times each finger and thumb been broken or fractured
1 - The number of times I have fallen off the top of the back stairs and landed on the ground below (off the first story and over the balcony no less)
2 - The number of times I have stepped on either broken glass or oyster shells at the beach and ripped the bottom of my foot open
1 - The number of times I fell into the pool and landed on the edge on my back
1 - The number of times I slipped and fell down the internal stairs landing on my back
6 - The number of times I have smacked my elbows so hard against something that I ripped them open (and no, it really isn't funny when you do that to your funny bone)
2 - The number of times I have split my head open

More times than I can count - bruises on smacked heads, legs, thighs, toes, knee caps, arms, hands, elbows, hips and ankles against any surface I can find.


And if you think that is bad, I have serious trouble walking a straight line. God help me if the police asked me to walk a straight line for a sobriety test. No officer, I'm not drunk just really unbalanced!!!!!

Thanks to the girls at work for figuring out why I cannot walk straight - apparently it has something to do with depth perception. Yes - insert obvious joke here!!! Explains why I needed glasses so badly though (the fact that wearing glasses hasn't helped doesn't).

Mommy, I Have An Owie

It's days like the last few days that make me wish I was a guy.

Isn't it bad enough we have to deal with "monthly issues", childbirth and menopause.

Without making everyone feel as sick as I do right now (though maybe that would make ME feel better if everyone else was sick as well) I have another cyst that, joy of joys, burst while I was at work on Wednesday.

It hurts. It hurts bad.

I would really rather be at work right now rather than hugging a hot water bottle and wishing I wasn't a woman this week.

I might be nearly 30 but I still want my mommy!!!! Nothing makes you feel better than a hug and sympathy from your momma!

It's Never Too Early

I have officially started getting in a halloween mood.

Starting with today's brownie baking (and using my halloween tupperware for the first time - YAY!)

All Hail to the Snail

A weird sort of day. And certainly not one I was expecting.

The weather channel predicted high winds, showers/rain and storms for us today, snow on the mountains and a graziers warning........ it didn't prepare me for what we received:

8.00am: Bright, sunny and warm with no wind
10.30am: Cloudy, slighty windy and a bit chilly - but bearable
11.40am: Gale force wind, freezing cold, pelting rain and....... hail, 2 claps of thunder and one lightening strike
11.45am: Strong wind, blue sky and birds singing
12.30pm: Slight wind, blue sky and... rain??? No idea where that is coming from!
12.50pm: Windy, blue sky and just gorgeous
1.25pm: Sudden gale force wind that came from nowhere, followed immediately by.... you guessed it, hail, 2 claps of thunder and one lightening strike
1.35pm: Windy (with a tree down across the road), blue sky but with a chill

I thought today we were living in Melbourne or England. We sure do get 4 seasons in a day down here.

My favourite part of the day................... On our way back from lunch (at my favourite bakery, eating the most yummy steak sandwiches you could ever eat in your life - all enjoyed fireside) mum was trying to explain how she thought it was more than likely that it would be sleeting instead of hailing in our town:

Me: OMG - look at the hail. It's like it's raining little pebbles. How cute!
Dad: What hail, isn't it just heavy rain?
Me: No dad - look at the hail bits stuck to your window
Dad: Oh, yeah, I see it now - how amazing is that?
Mum: I bet it's snailing at home!!!
Me: ?????
Dad: ?????
Mum: Do you think?
Me (straining skywards looking for falling snails): I don't think there are any snails mum
Mum: Not snails, sleet and hail!
Me: Oh, you mean SNAILS!!!!

DOH!!!! I think the mountain air has gone to our heads!

References Galore..........Sort-of

To my soon-to-be new softball team-mates......

See, I told you I came with prior playing credentials!

........... It's just that I was only 11 at the time!!!!!

The Final Countdown

I have been slack. I haven't posted a proper post for over a week now.

Things have been busy. I have gotten into the groove of things at work. It seems like I've been there for 3 months, not 3 weeks. I'm still waiting for the outcome of the application screening process but will hopefully have had an interview and have an answer if I get a more permanent job in the next 5 weeks.

I can't believe that 5 weeks on Friday my baby brother will be getting married. It seems like only yesterday he and I were little kids zooming around our house in the cardboard boxes (do you remember those little brother?? You used to scream your head off, you loved it so much. Probably explains the fascination with air force jet planes).

So, in honour (though 5 weeks early) of my little brother's "coming of age" I have decided to dedicate this blog post to him.

FOR MY BABY BROTHER!

• Who loves a good game of golf...
• Who found way too much pleasure in flushing his lego and baby toys down the toilet......
• Who always was the bright spark in the family (generally obtained by sticking fingers in electrical sockets).......
• Who was always my best friend from the day he was born.....
• And who will always be my baby brother, no matter how old he is, and no matter if he is married.....

Congratulations C and G!!! I hope you both have a wonderful life together.
Now hurry up with those nieces and nephews - I'm not getting any younger you know!!!!

Well Blow Me Down and Call Me Winded

It's blowing a 100 kilometre breeze outside.

I literally got nearly knocked off my feet this afternoon whilst walking up the road from work to deliver some documents. I couldn't believe it. You could just about jump in the air and land in the same spot you jumped off.

Driving home this afternoon my car actually rocked (and not in the good way). It was so windy that my car kept skidding slightly off the road.

Seriously scary stuff.

This wasn't in the brochure!!!!!

CAUTION..... Slippery When Wet

To:

The farmer who was out checking his lambs - You rock!!!

Jetstar - Time to hire pilots who know landing in crosswinds is not a desirable thing to do

The Truck Driver who thought it would be a good idea to try and get me to pee my pants - Congratulations... it worked

The Two idiots (not surprisingly who looked about 10) who thought drag racing at the lights in the wet was a good idea - way to go geniuses... I'll see you both in court

The dame who thought driving through a puddle and splashing me in the process was funny..... It was so funny I'm still laughing...btw my dry cleaning bill is in the post

The scientists working on the Hadron Collider - Ok, enough already, turn the fan down to low

And finally.....

The people at Toyota - Next time, I want a tank please!

A Matter Of Opinion

Someone emailed this to me at work.

And I have to admit, I never really thought about it in these terms. I guess it all depends on what angle you are looking at it from! (ok, get your mind out of the gutter - I didn't mean it like that!)

What's The Time Mr Wolf???

Is Mummy home yet Nanna?

Why isn't she home yet??

What about now??? Is she home now? Why won't she come home nowwwwww????

Thunder and Lightning

How exciting is my life right now???

We have just been through our first official Tasmanian storm - and I'm all excited.

Life is currently a series of firsts!!!

Eye Of The Tiger

Quick post about my Rocky Balboa moment......

I'm at work and I finally made it all the way, running up the three flights of stairs without my legs giving way. I did my little Rocky dance on the third floor and I'm sure security quite enjoyed watching it on the security cameras.

I'm thinking next week when I try to make two laps of the stairs they will start setting the Rocky or Eye of the Tiger soundtracks to my routine!

Hoo-Hah!

For My Dad

• Who drives me to work when I use the puppy dog eyes
• Who let me move back home after finally moving out
• Who lets me have the remote sometimes
• Who eats whatever I cook, and always loves it
• Who helped me buy my first car
• Who built a cat run/enclosure so my cats wouldn't be able to get out and run free
• Who helped me write my job applications for nearly a week
• Who always gives me a hug when I need it

And finally, who has always give me the freedom and space I needed but was always watching out for me, even when I didn't think he needed to.

I love you Dad

Happy Father's Day from your little girl!

It's All Water Under The Bridge

I haven't died. I'm still around.

I've spent the last week writing job applications for the two positions that opened up at my temporary work. And I am hoping and praying I get one of them as I really want to stay. I realised this week that since the move and starting this new job that I am happier than I have ever been in my entire life. I'm getting fitter (and have lost some weight as a result. Running up and down 3 flights of stairs each morning also helps!) and I'm meeting new people and subsequently have started making new friends. Life is good!!!!

According to my father, he doesn't just get a day for father's day, he gets an entire weekend. Not sure how he figures that one, but I'll play along this time. It meant a day out today and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

We drove over the Batman Bridge which, for a bridge, was actually quite lovely.

We also drove through Beaconsfield. For all you aussies following along, you'll know why Beaconsfield is now famous through-out Australia because of the mine collapse that happened a couple of years ago now. It is so hard to believe that the mine is actually situated right in the middle of the town. So surreal. And sad at the same time because you also think about Larry Knight who died in the collapse, and the two survivors. I guess it hit a little closer to home for me than any other stranger because I get to see all the comings and goings for the inquest into the collapse and death of Larry each day from work. Very sad.

Tonight, however, my focus is on finding something suitable to wear to my brother's wedding. I had a dress that I bought, but have now decided against. Why oh why is it so hard to find something nice?! I might just wear a garbage bag I think!

I'm also starting to panic slightly because I bought a wedding present for them before I moved, however I haven't located it as yet. I'd better find it in the next few weeks or I'm up the creek without a paddle. Bollocks!

Update: I just found two, yes two, totally fabulous dresses on ebay. I am going to look so god-damn gorgeous at this wedding it's positively sinful (sp?).

Downsides:

1) Is it possible to look so damn cute at your brother's wedding, that it would be considered in bad taste. In my defence, I am not trying to upstage the bride and not hook up with any hottie there (not that there are going to be any hotties there - well, except me, it's all family).

2) The dresses are currently on location in England. Bollocks!