Wednesday 31 October 2012

It's the final countdown....

The countdown is well and truly on.

We leave for New York on Saturday morning....if Qantas doesn't cancel the flight....and that means it's action stations to get everyone and everything ready.

Hubby doesn't want to take any chances with traffic, or accidents or other unforeseeable events so he has booked a hotel room near the airport for Friday night.

It has to be said that Hubby is a bit of a control freak....he doesn't like to leave anything to chance.. and our entire holiday has been condensed into a colour coded spreadsheet. We know when, where and what, we are doing at any given time for the next 3 weeks....so watch out if any of us want to take an unscheduled toilet break.....it could throw out the entire itinerary!

I'm pretty sure God organised Hurricane Sandy as an up yours to Hubby.....just to prove he's not the one in charge....despite what he may think.

We are only going for 3 weeks, but there seems to be so much to organise.

The mail has been stopped, the bank accounts have been organised, the cash has been exchanged and the international sim cards have been activated.  The lawns have been mowed, the fridges cleared and the washing has been laundered...including all the bedding and towels.

So that left me to start my packing....I have been dreading this....like a trip to the dentist.  I find myself physically and mentally unable to pack light.  Hubby's instructions are to take the bare minimum....I tried my best....


.....he told me I have to cut it by 50%!!

I think I feel a stress induced migraine coming on.......




Tuesday 30 October 2012

To blog or not to blog.....

It was probably a couple of years ago that my sister first suggested that I start writing a blog.

I figured that I didn't have anything to blog about....my life wasn't interesting, I wasn't a celebrity.  I didn't travel, or make up fancy recipes and I was a point and click photographer.  I didn't take part in extreme or even unextreme sports.  I didn't have a new baby, or any plans to have one.  I wasn't a writer, though I had always enjoyed writing.

What could I possibly have to say that would be worth reading?

So I thought about it briefly and then did nothing.

Then, back in August, she sent me a link to a blog.  I clicked, and I was inspired, just like that.  Suddenly I realised that you don't need to be leading an extraordinary life in order to blog about it. I read the current post, then clicked older post, again and again and again.  I was laughing, I was nodding, I was being entertained, I laughed some more and I loved it.

I experienced a little epiphany, I don't have to be saving the world (though you can if you like), I don't need to be educating anybody (though that's a great idea too), I don't have to be reaching seemingly unattainable goals...I can just write what I want to...and that's okay.

So that very day I started writing my little blog...little doesn't really describe it...it's minuscule.  It's the place where I can record what I've done...or what I haven't done.  I can have a little rant, release a bit of stress, tell a story or share my feelings....and it's my blog so it's all okay.

My page views may be small and my followers even smaller....but that's okay too.

Though please, please feel free to follow me......you will be most welcome  :)

P.S.  The source of my inspiration was the fantastically funny, irrepressible, irreverent and totally fabulous Mrs Woog @ WOOGSWORLD........love it!









Monday 29 October 2012

Hold on tight....

Of all the days , of all the weeks, of all the months, of all the years...why does New York City have to host it's "Super Frankenstorm" this week.....the week I'm going there.....for the very first time?

The less than cheery predictions for New York over the next few days include wind speeds of 120 kms per hour, heavy rainfall and storm surges which could reach 11 feet in New York Harbour.  There is also talk of snowstorms.  Public transport services have been discontinued and 370,000 people from low lying areas have been evacuated. They expect wide spread power outages which could last for up to 10 days.

This doesn't sound like ideal holiday conditions...and that's if we can even manage to get there.

I was watching the Today Show this morning...the news stories were all grim reports from New York...predicting all kinds of dire scenarios.  Then they crossed to Stevie for the weather...who coincidentally happened to be spending the morning with the Airport's Fire Crews...cue vision of blazing fuselages...and the fire truck zooming in to use it's super technology to put out the flames.

So comforting...when you are about to travel on a plane for over 20 hours...to a place which is about to experience a super hurricane!

Yep....just what I needed to calm my already jangling nerves!!

Do you think someone is trying to send me a message??


Sunday 28 October 2012

You know I'm right...so give up.....

Hubby doggedly persists in his return to cricket and remains determined to see the season out to the bitter end.

I have blogged before about the difficulties he has been facing here and here.

This is what happens when you are playing a sport you haven't played in 15 years...though Hubby seems determined to forget or at least attempt to ignore the fact that he is 15 years older....and it doesn't help that you happen to be playing against opponents around half your age.

It is now a matter of pride.....he knows that I call him all kinds of crazy fool for thinking he can keep it up all season......and he remains determined to prove me wrong.  

So as each week passes, he grows more decrepit, he walks like an old man, he hobbles and limps and it takes him longer and longer to recover after each game.  His whinging and whining are doing my head in.....but he won't give up.....oh no.....after all then he would have to admit that I'm right!!

So in addition to his internal injuries...tricky knee, pulled muscles, aches and pains...which are all a bit difficult to photograph.....I am able to add these...and I think they prove I have a very strong case....






So Hubby, accept your limitations and bow out gracefully...well as gracefully as you can with your bad back.....and do it soon before the overpowering stench of Dencorub kills off my last remaining brain cells!

Saturday 27 October 2012

Challenge accepted.....

Today, as I do everyday...I was reading the blogs I most enjoy....and came across a little challenge.

Life In A Pink Fibro was discussing whether school photos are photo shopped these days...apparently there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that our kids spots, bumps and bruises are being removed from history.

This seems a shame to me....as each little blemish is a rite of passage and an integral part of our childhood.  Besides any imperfections we may have suffered back then are nothing to the crows feet and lines we enjoy today.

Now the challenge was to find our own Grade 3 photo and post it for all the world to see and enjoy (??!?!!).....which I have....so here it is ready or not!!!!


I must say the biggest challenge was getting it out of the old style sticky photo album...they seemed like such a good idea at the time!

Friday 26 October 2012

Charlestown, Coincidences, Commotions and Close Encounters.....

Today was the first day of holidays for Hubby.

We decided to get out and about early in the hopes of accomplishing lots of the jobs on our "To Do" List.

Firstly we travelled about an hour up the Pacific Highway to Charlestown, a suburb of Newcastle.  Our destination was Charlestown Square, the largest shopping centre in Newcastle and the Hunter Region.  Believe me...it's pretty mega...they boast on their website that it covers 88000sqm. Given that I have no sense of direction...and it has lots of twists and turns and intersecting paths...it didn't take me long to feel entirely lost and disorientated.

This shopping centre may have over 270 stores...but the one we were most interested in was the Apple Store.....where we picked up this useful little gadget....


It lets you upload photos from either your camera or your photo memory card directly onto your iPad.  Which will be very useful for our trip away to the US...especially if I want to keep this little blog updated.

We decided to have a bit of a wander while we were there...just in case we saw anything else we really, really should buy...and then despite the fact that we we an hour from home, with many shopping centres between there and Charlestown...we managed to bump into our next door neighbours.  I am often surprised by just how small this big world is.

Hubby decided he really had to have a  juice from Boost Juice....so we scouted the entire 88000sqm looking for one.  Then I decided I really needed to have a cinnamon donut from Donut King...so we did it all over again.  By then we had walked the equivalent of a marathon and decided we should go home.

No sooner were we home and putting our feet up after our tiring exertions, when we heard a huge commotion coming from outside.

We found Buster...the source of the noise....engaged in a head to head, face to face confrontation with a  Blue Tongue Lizard.  They both had their backs up, both determined to hold their ground and out intimidate each other.....

I'll take you on..

The lizard advances....

...and that's why it's called a Blue Tongue.....

There was a lot of barking...a lot of hissing...but as far as I can tell absolutely no physical contact made....

Who won?  It's hard to tell...but Buster ended up back inside on the lounge and the lizard continued to enjoy the sun...



Poor Buster......you're all bluster....

Thursday 25 October 2012

Pigging out on Wednesday night....

After my big day out yesterday...it was decided...by me....that cooking at home wasn't going to happen so dinner at our local pub was the order of the day!

We made our way there.....it is within walking distance....which is handy for a pub...but we were too lazy and drove instead.

We couldn't decide between the cheesy bread or the damper, so we did the only sensible thing....and had both...



they didn't last long...


Mains were......as always......delicious.....

Master 15's Chicken Schnitzel

Master 12's Chicken Tenders

Hubby's Lamb Cutlets with Mash AND Chips!!!

My giant pork chop
So if you ever find yourself on the northern end of the NSW Central Coast and you're feeling a little peckish...I fully recommend the Dam Hotel.

In a momentous decision Master 12 decided to try a soft drink for the very first time....he wasn't too impressed....and believes he will stick to milk in future...


Wednesday 24 October 2012

A day in the country....

Buster and I went on a little day trip today.

We travelled from our house on the NSW Central Coast to my Sister's place at Kurrajong.

It's only a week and three days......not that I'm counting...... until we leave for the US.

While we are away Buster is going to have a little vacation at her place, so we thought it might be a good idea to get him accustomed to this idea in stages.  After all he doesn't always cope well when we go away.....click here to read about it.

Being an only dog child at our house, he will have to adapt to living with 2 other pooches during his little sojourn away.  Buster is not known for his manners when it comes to being sociable with other hairy critters...so we weren't too sure how this would go.  Thankfully he surprised us by behaving somewhat acceptably.....ie he didn't take a chunk out of any of the other dogs...so my mind has been set to rest a little.

I think he will rather enjoy himself on his little holiday in the country...there's room to run, rabbits to chase...and who wouldn't rather look at this....than a fence?


 All that space and fresh air obviously took it's toll...as soon as we hit the road back home...he was snoring....


 Zzzzzzz







Tuesday 23 October 2012

Simple things that make me happy.....

Sometimes it's not the big, expensive life changing things that make you happy....it can be the little things that give you that contented feeling and make you smile!

Here's just a few that make me happy.....they might not be your cup of tea......but they give me a little warm glow......

  • Things that work....the way they should....on the first go......especially technology...
  • Getting into the car and finding this.....

  • A drink fridge full of Pepsi Max....

  • My dishwasher.....


  • An empty ironing basket......

  • Finding a packet of your favourite chips at the back of the cupboard...when nobody else did...
  • A new book to read...
  • Jasmine in flower.....
  • Finding your kid's homework done...without you even asking......
  • My bed....


And there's just a handful of the things I love.



What floats your boat?

Monday 22 October 2012

Today's little dilemma....

Master 15 came home from school the other day and muttered something about being invited to a camp.    
I asked...as you do..."What camp?"
He replied, "Doesn't matter, I don't want to go."
Which of course meant I wanted to know everything about it.

Turns out he has been invited to attend a Leadership camp next February.
It is being run by a well known club that does a lot for the community and whose ethos is to
"provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world"
The school has chosen him to attend, he is allowed to invite a friend to accompany him...and they will pay the cost for both of them....$320 each.  He is the only child from his school to be chosen.

To me it seems like a fantastic opportunity, an involvement with this club can lead to things like scholarships and other opportunities and it looks good on any resume.

To him it looks like a weekend spent with "nerds" where he will have to whittle wood, sleep rough, build emergency beacons from toothpicks and old milk cartons and eat baked beans.

How do you get a teenager to see the big picture, and to let them know that stepping out of their "comfort zone" may actually turn out to be something really good?  That you need to take the opportunities life offers with both hands because who knows when another one will come along...if ever!

Do you make them go.....for their own good.....or do you let them stay home....because deep down you know you probably wouldn't have wanted to go either??


Sunday 21 October 2012

The terrifying thought of tipping.....

This time in a fortnight we will be landing in the US of A.  We are all very excited about this once in a lifetime trip...though I am actually hoping that it won't be only once....in my lifetime!

Anyway, there's lots to be excited about...seeing the many sights....in real life....that you've seen so many times in movies and TV.  Eating the food...everything seems to be bigger and better over there....must remember to pack my elastic waisted pants.  The shopping.....sigh....the shopping....everyone says "You're going to the States....well you'll love the shopping"....and I'm pretty darn sure I will!

Amongst all the anticipation, I must admit there is also a measure of trepidation.  I'm a homebody...I'll admit it....I like my surroundings to be familiar and safe....I'm trying hard to just live in the moment and not worry about anything else.  But there are a few anxieties...those little things that niggle at the back of your mind and can sometimes keep you awake at night.

Packing - I hate packing...even for a weekend away....so imagine my consternation at packing for three weeks.  Hubby has given me strict instructions that I can't take too much.  But what's too much? His idea of too much and my idea of too much are sure to be much, much different.  I don't want to leave out the one thing that I really need...whatever that may be.  I don't want to take everything....just in case....only to find myself hopelessly overweight at the airport check-in and then be told I have to discard things....and whatever I take out is bound to end up being that thing I really need.  Yep.....the thought of packing makes me anxious.



Flying - For a start that great big heavy thing should not be up in the sky...it's only logical.  The threat that the littlest malfunction could send us careening to earth and our certain deaths...is also not a particularly comforting thought.  I'm not a good flyer...I've never done enough of it to become comfortable with it.  So I tend to sit on the edge of my seat...listening to every noise and feeling every jolt...and asking anyone who will listen...and after the first 30 minutes I'm pretty sure nobody will be...."What was that?  Is that normal?  Is it meant to do that? Can you smell smoke?"
All of these feelings will escalate during take-off and landing....I'm thinking a large glass of wine and a couple of sleeping tablets might just do everyone on board a favour.



Going where I shouldn't - I've watched enough American TV to know there are certain areas and places,  you don't want to go too.  Problem is, I'm not too sure which ones they are...so I may inadvertently go there.  I really don't want to find myself on the next episode of Cops..as the goofy tourist that stumbled upon something they shouldn't...yep....another anxiety.

This might help


Tipping - And finally, my biggest terror of all.....tipping.  Now in Australia, you really don't have to tip...so my entire tipping experience is limited to "Keep the change"....and that only happens rarely.  I struggle with....when do you tip and when don't you tip? I'm guessing if someone carries your bag or performs a service like driving you in a taxi...you tip.  If someone waits on you in a restaurant...you tip. But do you tip when you buy a Big Mac at McDonald's?  Do you tip if you pick up a coke at the Petrol Station...oops Gas Station?  And very importantly...do you tip the salesgirl when you buy shoes or handbags?



Even if I can sort out when to tip...I'm still only halfway through this minefield.  Because I am then faced with the dilemma of how much??  How do I know what each sale or service is worth?  Is there a rule?  I don't want to be seen as that "Stingy Aussie cow".....but I also don't want to spend my entire budget unnecessarily...I've put that aside for my "I love NY" t-shirt, my Grand Canyon snow globe and my Mickey Mouse ears!  I wonder if it's okay to wear "L" plates?



So if there are any lovely Americans reading this post....could you please leave me your comments and advise how I go about handling this very confusing state of affairs!!

Saturday 20 October 2012

The way we were....

I was scrolling through some old photos...like you do when you really should be doing something else more useful.....and I came across this one......


It was taken the day we moved into our house 8 years ago.  It inspired me to duck outside and take another one today....


...and that's what you call progress!

Friday 19 October 2012

Spring has sprung and summer's on the way.....

You know it's officially spring and the weather is definitely warming up when the jasmine starts to flower and once you step outside your nose is filled with it's overpoweringly delicious scent.

I love the scent of jasmine...in a perfume, a candle, even an air freshener....but nothing beats the real thing in the garden on a warm evening....like today!



I wish you could get a good whiff of it too....I'm sure Apple will come up with the  iSmell before long....but until then you'll have to take my word for it and make do with this.....


Thursday 18 October 2012

Watch your step......

Yesterday the Prime Minister fell over......so it made the news....as all the really big international issues do...


Poor Julia seems to be a little clumsy...only last Australia Day she did this......


Seems to me she needs to invest in a pair of sensible flats......and that sure isn't her lucky outfit!!

Don't you hate the public fall down.....at least when it happens to you.....there can be something a little amusing when it happens to other people.

I fell over in the shower earlier in the year...luckily for my pride (and my marriage) I was on my own at the time.

I also went for a very unladylike tumble in the middle of Woolworths a few years ago. The kids were mortified with embarrassment.....they didn't give a hoot about whether I was ok..."GET. UP. MUM!".  I didn't need any second urging, I was up in a flash....looking around hoping no one saw me....which of course they did because I chose the busy checkout area as the perfect place to stage my little acrobatic performance.

My sister had a doozy of a fall recently, managed to do a real proper job and break her leg...read about her adventure here.........but luckily the world's press weren't there to witness and record the event.

But for those of us nasty enough to enjoy a chuckle at the public downfalls of others.........







Have a nice day and......