Monday 30 March 2009

Woof

So after the excitement of Saturday (see previous blog) we decided to have a slack day Sunday.

With Jr Her at her sleepover, and the thought of a long day ahead of us, we decided to take it easy. Him has been forced to reduce his smoking, so given that he sits out at the back table and smokes all day, he did very well to sit there and not smoke all day. He limited his smokes to one per sitting, meaning he would have his smoke then sit and chat to me, get up and do something, and then go get a cold drink. He didn't just sit and smoke.

I had plans to do some house work. Didn't happen. We just pottered around. We did move the caravan off the front lawn back to the back yard. Him moves it with the work ute and I give directions (to make sure he doesn't it anything). Not that I need to. Him is very adept at moving the van.

We also decided to wash the car. That's about the extent of our day. At the appointed hour we popped into the clean car for the drive down to Noarlunga Centre to collect Jr Her from her ice skating birthday party she attended.

We did have one stop to make. After our visit to the puppy pounds Saturday afternoon, we decided to look on the web for dogs for sale. There was one lovely fellow at Old Reynella, not far actually from the birthday girl's house. It was a bichon frise cross and the owner said she had to sell him because they were working too long hours to take care if him.

So, as a surprise to Jr Her we stopped in on the way home. Unfortunately, when we go there, she mentioned that the neighbours kids had teased the dog and he now hated kids. Sure did. he bit Jr Her.

So, guess who didn't come home with us? That website also had two other little dogs but no phone number so we had to leave emails. However, neither has gotten back to us yet.

Guess next weekend we will be off to the pount to look for our new family member. Jr Her is very excited...

Saturday 28 March 2009

Holy S**t!

So I went to the doctor today. No biggie - I just had to get a skin cancer removed.

While I was there, I asked the doctor if he had done hormone tests when he did all my blood work recently. He asked why I wanted to know. I told him because I was still tired and irritable and wondered if I wasn't beginning to go through menopause. He asked if I had any more issues since my last visit and I told him about some post coital bleeding I had experienced a couple of weeks ago.

He was not at all impressed by this and told me I needed to see the female doctor at the surgery for a full internal exam. He told me that was a very concerning symptom which should not be ignored. He asked if I had submitted the poo sample for testing (I hadn't) and if I had my mammogram yet. I haven't. He told me I need to do both and I had to make that appointment with the female doctor for an internal. Pronto.

Well, as if that wasn't enough. Him was waiting in the waiting room, and I asked the receptionist about the medical report for Him that Time For Kids was wanting. She said she had the note there for the doctor still and this morning had in fact reminded him.

So, after I came out, I asked her for some swabs to clean the area around my wound which was a very unappealing shade of olive from the betadine. She gave them to me and directed me to the empty room with a sink.

When I came back Him was not in the waiting room. I thought he had gone outside for a smoke. Eventually, without my notice, he emerged from the doctor's office (right in front of me but I was reading at the time apparently).

The doctor had called him in to discuss his medical report. Luckily it was all "no" for the list of complaints Time For Kids wanted.

BUT. And there's always a BUT. One of Him's previous blood test results came back as a high reading, which the other surgery doctor had discussed at his last appointment. He said Him needed to take Folate supplements and eat spinach (he hates spinach, but then, who doesn't?) What he didn't tell Him was that he was in trouble.

This doctor asked Him if he has been under any stress recently. Him replied no, not wanting to jeopardise the report for Time For Kids, but in actual fact, he has been going through a terrible time (but that is another blog I will write next week when I have more to add to it). He also asked if he was still smoking.

When Him said he was not under stress (his nose grew about six inches!) the doctor said Good. Why? Because given this high particular reading in his blood, combined with the fact he smoked, he has a 50% chance of having a heart attack. If he were under stress, it would immediately shoot to 80%. No warning, no ifs or buts, he would have a heart attack.

Bloody hell! One doesn't go into the doctor's office to collect a piece of paper to be told he is going to have a heart attack! Frightened the bejeezes out of me, let me tell you. Him didn't say much but I suspect it shook him up too. He was told to immediately halve his smoking, and in two weeks to go back and the doctor will give him medication which will make him quit smoking. Apparently it has a very high success rate, but he doesn't prescribe it unless it is vital he do so. Scary.

So, after the shock of that, him managed to go 5 hours without a smoke (I was very proud). Since then he has only had about 4. I am hoping he will be strong and get through the next week at work without relapsing and with no heart attack!

To help relax and diffuse the situation we spent the rest of the day looking at the two dog pounds in Adelaide (at opposite ends of the city), which was quite relaxing. We also bought him his Folate pills...without which he could die. Hey, I wonder if I can switch them for Sugarine? lol. (He just called me a bitch...)

As for his smoking progress, I'll keep you posted....

Monday 23 March 2009

It's Monday already?

So I had a busy weekend, really. At least I think I did. It flew by too quickly to be sure.

Friday night I had a cocktail Tupperware party. It was actually a lot of fun. Only 4 ladies turned up but any more and it would have been too noisy and busy. We made Sangria's, very tasty, and I spent way too much money (nothing unusual there). It was a very lovely social evening.

After the party Jr Her went to our friend Tee's place for sleepover. I love sleepovers. She did too, and as always, Tee spoiled her with chocolate, pringles, and a DVD for her birthday (which is next month), not to mention getting her nails done!

Saturday Him and I had a short course to do. It was quite sobering but very informative. It addressed the growing issue of child abuse, what signs to look for and what to do if you find any of those signs. The group was quite a good group too, and they fed us silly which is always a bonus in my book.

After that, Him and I lounged about the house for a bit, and I was complaining that I had gotten a headache from the course. So he offered me a full body massage. Who am I to refuse? It was extremely relaxing. After showers we thought we would wander down to the Bay for dinner.

I suggested Hogs Breath, as we hadn't been there for many years. The place was fully booked but we could go on a waiting list. We did. While we were waiting we wandered down to the foreshore and watched the street performer, and the crowds. Just wasted time.

Dinner was lovely and we were home by quarter past ten. Sunday we picked Jr Her up from her sleepover, and had coffee there. I had ironing to do, and washing, so I was busy for most of the morning.

We did sit down to watch the race, but I think we all ended up having Nana naps. I am not sure if Jr Her did, but she was horribly quiet for awhile. Then it was washing to bring in, dinner to prepare (I made a yummy meat loaf with baked potatoes). Then watched City Homicide and went to bed.

Only to be woken up at five this morning...

Thursday 19 March 2009

What kids do when you're not looking...

So the other night Jr Her was sitting in the office watching a DVD on my computer. So I thought. She had been quiet for awhile when I sent her for her bath.

When she finally did go (after much arguing, which is perfectly normal), I wandered into the office. Imagine my fright when I saw the desk totally covered in white paper, scraps of white paper, scissors, sticky tape, and Bratz dolls.

It would appear I have a young fashionista on my hands...



Tuesday 17 March 2009

A bit of excitememt

So I was sitting on the bed, minding my own business with a bowl of Spag Bol in my lap, chatting to Him, when all of a sudden I hear BANG! Scrabble scrabble scrabble! What the!

Jr Her gets up to investigate and makes noises along the lines of Wally, are you all right boy? In his haste to escape something he had banged against the door. The sound of the screen door banging alerted me to the cat in distress, so I go to investigate. I can hear Jr Her making other surprised noises as well. This is not just a stray cat at the back door...

When I went into the kitchen I found poor Wally a huge bundle of fluff, tail fluffed up and back hair standing on end, poor lad. Jr Her is by the back door and what do I see? Two large dogs bounding around my back patio! No wonder Wally nearly s**t himself! I did too!

So, I called in to Him to come help with this one. It's not that I felt threatened. Well, maybe I did. I didn't know these dogs and I had no idea of they would attack me or not. They were huskies, very big and very strong looking.

Him goes straight out to close the shed doors, to prevent them escaping. What??? Oh, of course, that way we can keep them until they quiet down, and make sure the street says safe. After all, we didn't know these dogs, or whether they were to be trusted. I told him to watch them while I grabbed my phone. Why? he asked? So I can find out if they have a number to call. The smaller female did. I phoned the number and a fellow answered.

I asked him if he owned two Samoyed type dogs. Yes, I do, and I am on my way home now. Where do you live? I gave him directions and he thanked me, telling me he would be here in one minute.

Him went and unlocked the shed doors but kept them closed, and I went out the front. Almost to the second, one minute later a white car pulled into the drive. He was even going to offer Him a beer (hang on, it was my idea to find a number and call!!! And it was me who called!). Anyway, after chatting a few minutes, Him opened the door and out bounded these two happy puppies. Turns out they had both only been desexed that week, and one, the huge male, was only a year old. Lovely dogs though.

So, we chatted for a few minutes then Him sadly watched the two dogs drive away. After all, if we were allowed to have a dog, that is exactly what we would have... so close....

Oh, and a further note to my previous blog, unfortunately I am stuck being late for work. I can't start earlier because I would then have to book Jr Her into Before School Care, and I just don't have the money. So I plod along, with the other thousands of frustrated commuters. Luckily it's only another week...

Monday 16 March 2009

March already

So it's that time of the year again. The traffic is backed up, tempers are flaring and horns are honking. Yep, Clipsal is here again!

So far, I have been lucky. Year before last I worked down Portrush Road do missed the gridlock (no pun intended). Last year we were in New Zealand for Clipsal. But this year! This year, I am working the next street over!

As far as I can see there may be some advantage to that. One, I will hear the racing, and the jets flying over. Free of charge. Two, the boss lives practically overlooking the track. If I play my cards right he may invite us over for a wine tasting? Not likely but wishful thinking.

Three, well, if I walk down the end of the street behind work I will come out behind the grandstands. If I am lucky I may get to hear the cars roaring past at the right moment. I would have liked to send Him to the racing this year. But sadly, finances are so tight we just can't. Sad but true.

I love the atmosphere though. Even the drivers rate it as one of the best races on the circuit. Well done Adelaide. Just another reason we love it here. This year, too, it's actually cold. It will be warm for the racing though, and dry. Yes, we have had a few drops of rain lately! The weekend will see the return of hot weather, but not the same as last year's temperatures though. And this year they put covers on all the grandstands.

Well, I will have to find an alternate route to work for the rest of the week. Sigh. Closing one of the main thoroughfares is not really smart... the build up is horrid. Lets see what tomorrow brings...

Monday 9 March 2009

I think I missed something...

So we took the van away for the long weekend. Him managed to find us a lovely quiet caravan park at the last minute. Finding a site one week out from a long weekend is extremely difficult in Adelaide, let me tell you. Anyway, we found one with an ensuite of all things at Murray Bridge.

I have to say, it wasn't a fancy park at all. Very, very basic and the ensuite could have used a good clean. Not that it was people dirty, but dirty dirty. There is no grass to speak of due to water restrictions, so dirt was on everything, and I don't think it had been given a wipe over in a long time.

Anyway, we finally had a quiet weekend. Not without hassles, like the 4 cabins behind us being booked out by groups of people who talk and laugh a lot. But the good thing was they were all but silent through the night. There were kids, but they were up in the general population away from the ensuite sites. And of course, there was the domestic...

On the Saturday night I had heard voices, raised and loud, on and off, and one batch in particular woke me at approximately 12.40am. I did manage to get back to sleep but I wasn't happy. Next morning our neighbour 2 sites over wandered over. Did we hear the commotion last night? Turns out the tent family behind him had a domestic. The woman was yelling, screaming and swearing. There were cops, ambulance, cars slamming... When the husband woke up the fellow chatted to him. His version was that the woman was drunk and woke him up abusing him and hitting into him. He retaliated and she phoned the cops and they came and took him away. They woke the kids up and carted mum off in the ambulance (not that she needed one, from the account of the neighbour). Next morning then tent was gone and only hubby and his son were left. The cops brought him back and packed up the other tent and took her and it away. Strange all round...

Apart from that, it was a very quiet weekend. We went shopping Saturday morning as Jr Her had forgotten to pack long pants (or more like I didn't tell her specifically what to pack). Target has some for $15, so I grabbed them and another pair for school. She also got knickers, and Him got a pair of shorts that were reduced. Then, across from Target is a sports store. Jr Her always wanted Converse shoes, and they were on special. She now has a pink pair. Then, we went to the Reject Shop and bought a mat for the van, some knick knacks, and they suggested strongly I buy myself that pair of pink flanny pjs with green frogs. I did. Happy me. They are a perfect fit too.

We decided we had better go home after that as we were broke...

We all had a Nana nap in the afternoon, and lovely lamb chop cacciatore for dinner. Sunday we didn't move from the park. We sat around, bludged, ate and generally grew fat and lazy. After another Nana nap, Jr Her and I grew restless so we went for another walk to the river. You may remember recently a portion of the Murray River bank collapsed, taking some cars with it. Well, that was right where we stayed. We didn't venture passed the roped off area but found out this morning a family had gone under the rope and were fishing right were it says "Danger". Some people...

The power went off last night, so I didn't sleep too well worrying about the fridges and stuff. Needn't have bothered about one - the soft drinks were still frozen late this afternoon! All in all, a very relaxing holiday was had. Now, I need time off to get over it....

Monday 2 March 2009

Excellent weekend

Nothing particular to blog about this time, but just thought I would share my weekend.

Saturday I went to a lovely little fellow's 1st birthday. His mum and dad have just spent a small fortune and renovated half their house. It looks fantastic! Very modern, spacious, and airy. Lucky ducks. The party was fun. We were there 4 hours! It was great to catch up again. We only knew a couple of other people there but it was still very relaxing. We sat outside the open french doors, on the balcony, with the breeze blowing, eating heaps of stuff.

Anyway, on Sunday we treated Him to a day at the Caravan and Camping show. I really didn't mind that. We got there early because we weren't sure what time it opened. Turns out they have farmers markets every Sunday morning, didn't know that. We didn't go through them, but we will another time. It only cost us $3 for parking too.

It was interesting to go through all the different caravans. We came very close to upgrading our van to a similar Jayco. It was only going to cost us $9000. But we would have to try to get finance, and all that, and we just wouldn't be able to make payments. not yet. Maybe next year. But the new van was slightly bigger than ours, similar layout with double bed up one end and two bunks up the other, table and dinette next to the bunk. Kitchen sink in the same place, but fridge across the way. Heaps more cupboards than ours. And the cupboard that would be Jr Her's had shelves in it - her current one doesn't.

We were quite surprised then the bloke said we could get $20,000 for ours, given that when we bought it they retailed for $21000. That means in 7 years it has depreciated a total of $1000. Amazing! But it hasn't been used all that much and is in great condition.

Anyway, I did see another van I liked. It was an Island Star, and it would set us back $18,000 after trade in though. But the colour scheme throughout was cream and black, and the bedspread was pale gold. Very classy compared to the Jayco we were looking at. It has an L shaped dinette, and Jr Her could use that as a bed. Pretty soon she will want to sleep in the tent all the time anyway, and in a few years she will stop wanting to come.

We also bought a new hat for Jr Her and I, hers being a turquoise blue cowboy hat. Looks lovely on her too! Mine is a white granny hat but they assure me it looked good. We also bought a dish drainer for the van, and a pair of new strap on mirrors. Long day. We got there at about 9.40 and didn't get home until almost 3.00. But the aim was for Him to have a day doing something he wanted to do, and he did. He was happy and we enjoyed ourselves too.

Can't wait till next year. Hopefully we will be in a position to upgrade! Certainly something to look at!