A Break In The Clouds

Slightly To The Left - Part Three...

2008-05-08T12:07:00.005+10:00

Fandom - Hot Fuzz
Warnings - Some Violence

Danny held to steering wheel in a white knuckle grip as he eased his car out of the castle gates. Inwardly he grimaced each time the vehicle dipped and bucked over the uneven terrain, but he summoned the strength to nod to each member of the NWA as he passed.

Grim deeds accomplished, the Alliance were returning to their homes and posts throughout Sandford. Within minutes there wouldn't be a single square foot of village that wasn't under surveillance once again.

Hot tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as Danny turned out onto the main road. It was almost 9 miles to the edge of Sandford; 9 miles to escape from prying eyes. Images of the carboot slamming and the blossoming stain on Nicholas' shirt flashed into Danny's mind and he stifled a sob.

9 miles too far.

TBC...

Slightly To The Left - Part Two...

2008-02-13T20:35:00.003+11:00

Fandom: Hot Fuzz
Warnings: Some Violence

A faint murmuring swirled in the night air, but Nicholas couldn’t make out individual voices. As he lay on his side, his face pressed painfully into the gravel, Nicholas could think of nothing but Danny – his faithful Danny – and he almost sobbed with relief as familiar hands gathered him up.

Danny’s arms were trembling as his staggered over to his car, carrying the dead weight of his best friend.

Dead weight.

Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as Danny placed Nicholas into the carboot as carefully as he dared. Nicholas hadn’t so much as twitched since he fell in the courtyard.

‘Cause he’s pretending to be dead, stupid. See, there’s the ketchup on his shirt.

Danny’s eyes widened as he took in the size of the stain on Nicholas’ chest, too big for the empty sachet in his pocket. He was on the verge of reaching forward when a large, cold hand clamped down on his shoulder.

“Good job, Danny m’boy.”

Frank Butterman spoke with true affection for his son. Finally Danny had stepped up in the community, to take his place as a member of the NWA. Frank had pondered the idea that he would have to take action against his only boy, what with the attachment he had formed with the new sargeant. And that would have broken his heart, but he would have seen it through, for the ‘greater good.’

Danny sniffled and Frank beamed with pride.

“There, there boy. Your dear Mum would have been so proud of you today.”

Danny sniffed louder and Frank pulled him into a brief, brisk hug before thumping him soundly on the back and pushing him in the direction of the driver’s door.

“Make sure you go straight to the West Field and dump the body in the long grass, out of sight of the road. Mr Thatcher will be ploughing there by dawn and all this mess will be behind us.”

Danny mindlessly nodded as he opened the door and sat down. He grimaced slightly as his dad slammed the boot shut.

“What have I done?” he whispered to himself as he turned the key and drove away.

TBC…

Slightly To The Left...

2008-02-06T11:08:00.000+11:00

Fandom - Hot Fuzz
Warnings - Some violence

The strong aroma of tomato sauce wafted up to the nose of a thoroughly dumbstruck Sargeant Nicholas Angel. It was so out of place, so incongruous here in the middle of these ancient columns. Surrounded by hooded figures in the dead of night was no place for a barbeque.

Nicholas tried to reach up and swipe the scent away but strangely nothing happened. He looked down at the offending limb and watched as the flashlight fell from his nerveless fingers. As the glass shattered and the light went out, Nicholas began to feel an all-too-familiar burning sensation in his chest.

A string of terrible thoughts ran through his head like a crowd of marathon runners, all jostling for the lead. Betrayed. Danny. How could he? No. Not Danny, not jovial, naive Danny. How could he be a party to such a horrible conspiracy? The burning grew worse as he imagined so many happy moments becoming tainted with lies, and his eyes filled with unshed tears.

Staring at his traitorous arm, Nicholas couldn't help but notice the knife handle; it was sticking out of his chest after all. But he barely saw it. All he could see was Sargeant Danny Butterman's face. Danny's face as he thrust the knife forward; so serious, so unlike Danny. Danny - a killer? How?

The pain started to radiate outward, and Nicholas started to shake as another image sprang to mind. Danny's face in the bar, covered in sauce and grinning madly. Oh God! Nicholas looked up, straight into Danny's eyes. Yes, his face was stern but his eyes, his eyes held something else. And as soon as Danny glanced towards his father, Nicholas knew with absolute certainty that he hadn't been betrayed. Not for a second. In fact Danny'd done just about the bravest thing that Nicholas could imagine - defied his father to save him. To save Nicholas.

He would like to have thought that he fell to his knees in relief, but that would have been a lie. And Nicholas didn't lie. As he hit the cold stones, he couldn't stop himself from falling limply to his side. He wanted to shout. He wanted to fight. He wanted to cry. But he couldn't - if the Alliance members discovered Danny's true heart, they would turn against him and Nicholas couldn't let that happen. Not even if it meant his death. And it is with a barely stifled sob that he realises it probably will be. Danny! he screamed silently. I left my notebook in the car!

TBC...

I saw the most beautiful thing today...

2007-11-08T14:21:00.000+11:00

... and I've got no idea what it was.

Well, it was a cloud - I know that much. But while all the clouds are it were white or grey, this cloud shone with all the colours of the rainbow. It was a technicolour cloud. So perfect, so vivid. And so very out of place.

I have never seen anything like it. Normal clouds passed in front of it, but for a good ten minutes it didn't change, just hung there like spilt paint. I could hardly tear my eyes away.

And eventually more normal clouds came and it started to dissolve until I couldn't see it any more. I was unexpectedly sad at that moment.

Possibly the scariest moment...

2007-11-02T09:27:00.000+11:00

...in my entire life.

Last night, at about midnight D got up to go to the bathroom. Nothing weird about that, he pees on his own all the time. But when I heard a big crash instead of a flush, I have to admit I was terrified. I ran into the bathroom, and there was D. just lying on the floor with a confused look on his face. He looked up at me and said "How did I get here?" He couldn't remember getting out of bed or anything.

It was the scariest moment of my entire life.

I got him to stand up and get back into bed. I checked to see if he'd cracked his head on the basin, bath or tiles and there was nothing so I just got him back to bed and lay down beside him. He was a bit out of it, he said he felt like shit and to be honest I wasn't exactly feeling 100% myself. But I told him that I loved him and watched him fall asleep.

Of course, I lay there for the next hour and a half, and watched him breathe.

...

Today he's fine. We went to the doctor who found his blood pressure is quite low, which isn't dangerous in itself. But if circumstances are right, like - skipping a meal, working too hard, getting up suddenly - then it can lead to passing out and disorientation. The doctor has ordered some blood tests just to be sure, but he didn't seem fazed in the least.

I feel a bit better now, but I can't believe how helpless I felt last night.

2007-09-20T13:26:00.000+10:00

Last Saturday we went to Luna Park, in Melbourne. Despite the less than sparkling weather, we rode down on the bike. 2 hours and 2 sore butts later we were parking in front of the big clown face. We met up with the Patriots MC but there were less people there than I thought there would be. Still, we made quite a merry party as we proceeded to run riot through the amusement park.

I've never been to Luna Park before - it was much smaller than I imagined. But we still had an absolute ball. I'm not one for gut-wrenching rides, so I only went on the Ferris Wheel, the Dodgem Cars and the Mad Mouse. I thought I was going to have a stroke after that last one, but it was fantastic all the same.

The ride was a bit long and cold for my taste but D. was thrilled by the whole day, so that made it all worth it.

2007-09-11T21:57:00.000+10:00

Torchwood starts in about an hour and a half. I'm a bit tired. I've had far too many cups of tea and not enough real food today. I'm feeling warm and loved, but I'm just a little bit sad. Don't know why. It's just a hint of sad, not a flood.

I've got to go to work tomorrow. 9am till 2pm. Just a short shift. Nice enough. I guess. But boring. POS is boring. I feel no particular joy in going to work. As I once did. It's just a place to spend time. To earn money. To be amongst people, instead of being alone.

I feel that I exist. Just exist. Nothing more.

Tomorrow will be a new day.

2007-09-03T12:10:00.000+10:00

I walked to the Post Office today. The sky was overcast and it drizzled a little; and it was a perfectly wonderful way to spend an hour.

As I was getting close to home I looked up - straight through the empty branches of a tree. Not long ago it was hung heavy with the dry husks of its summer adornments now it was only bare bones. I could feel the spring warmth coming up from the earth but the wind still held a chill of winter. Such a beautiful day.

2007-08-29T17:05:00.000+10:00

It's been a year now, but I've finally started putting together a scrapbook of our trip to Vanuatu. Yeah, I know it's a bit late, but I've been a bit daunted by the whole thing. I've never really done any scrapping before and to be honest I didn't know where to start. But I've started sorting things out and I've got a vague idea of what I want to do. I just need some plain paper backgrounds to pull the whole thing together. I'll keep you posted.

2007-08-28T10:25:00.000+10:00

Last night, the moon had a halo - a nimbus of light surrounding it. Truly a sight to behold. There'll be a full eclipse tonight at about 8pm which will be kinda cool to see. I don't know whether it will photograph well, but if it does, I'll take a couple.

We were driving home from Robinvale yesterday, having spent the weekend there for Mum's birthday party, and saw 4 eagles. Yup, 4! Not all in the same spot of course, but I've never seen so many in one trip before. Two were hovering several metres above the verge, waiting to swoop down on some unsuspecting prey; one was sitting on a fence and one was racing through the sky with a magpie in hot pursuit.

2007-08-07T10:18:00.000+10:00

We have new wheels. Yup. And spanky they are.

We've been looking for a new vehicle since our ancient Magna decided to bite the dirt. The gearbox fell to pieces giving up a $1000 repair bill on a $1500 car. The maths indicated that a new car was most definitely in order. After all, we're both working, and neither of us has had the joy of a (virtually) new car. So we bought a 2006 PT cruiser. It's so pretty. I look at it sitting in the driveway and to be honest it doesn't seem real yet. I keep thinking that it's a rental or we've borrowed some rich friend's car. I haven't yet come to grips with the whole 'Mine!' thing.

Give us time. *grins*

2007-08-06T09:27:00.000+10:00

What a lovely day it is! Just fabulous. The sun is peeking through the clouds, of which there are many, I must admit. The ground is wet 'cause it's only just stopped raining. And it will probably start again very shortly. I'm just loving the weather this winter - it's gorgeous.

Oh, and on a completely different tangent - D. got his best ever back-squat the other day in training. 140kg! He couldn't manage that much when he was 23 and Oceanic Champion Powerlifter. He's 39 and in the best shape of his life. And of course, he's super hotness - but that goes without saying. *grins*

2007-07-24T20:18:00.000+10:00

My heart is doing a tap dance - a real tap dance not an emotional one. My heart monitor showed some extraneous beats, but nothing that excited the doctor too much. He said give it a few months. A few months - and what exactly will that do? I wonder.

Sometimes when I lie in bed, waiting for sleep to come, my heart is twittering away so violently that I'm scared. I'm afraid that it's just going to stop. During daylight hours I can shake this morbid feeling, but when I lie still in the darkness, it becomes an all consuming fear.

2007-07-19T15:23:00.000+10:00

I seem to have developed a new obsession. Torchwood.

I'd like to be suave, play it cool and call it a passion or an interest, but nah, there's definite obsession to be had here. Anyone who knows me will have lived through many of these phases and can rest assured that this will pass, just as the others did. 'What were the others?' I (don't) hear you ask.

But right now, I'm having these random trains of thought come sweeping through my mind, with absolutely no regard for the tasks at hand. I was serving at the Printworks counter when the slogan "Captain Jack Hotness" suddenly popped into my mind. I was simultaneously struck by a fit of the giggles and the unbearable hotness of a man in a shirt and braces. *grins* Nice.

2007-07-09T13:40:00.000+10:00

Perth - the sunniest capital city in Australia. And it rained every day that we were there. *grins* But it was still a lovely holiday.

D. got bronze in the Australian Masters Championships, which is the main reason for the trip. His thumb is still giving him grief, he didn't get his best lifts but he still enjoyed himself. And the dinner that evening would have been quite nice if his dad hadn't got drunk and insulted everyone within earshot. Sometimes I really hate that man.

But that was really the only blemish on the trip. Even the poor weather wasn't a deterrent. We drove around and saw all the things that we wanted to see; Fremantle, New Norcia, Guildford. We even saw a show at the Playhouse Theatre - Max Gillies in 'Messiah'. Hilarious!

Funniest Damn Thing...

2007-06-22T09:03:00.000+10:00

2007-06-14T15:40:00.000+10:00

I finally went to the doctor today. About my heart, remember. He doesn't seem too concerned. My blood pressure is good and my heart sounded OK, but that didn't really tell him much about why my heart would be trying to punch out of my chest every 15 minutes or so.

So, he's signed me up for a Holter Monitor. Or something to that effect. It's a portable heart monitor that you wear for 24 hours that records every beat of your heart and flags the odd ones so the doctor can check it out later. I'll be hooked up on Monday the 25th. Guess we'll find out the nature of my weirdness sometime after that.

Wish me luck.

2007-06-06T16:21:00.000+10:00

This morning was such a wonderful morning. The air was crisp & cool. There was a light dusting of frost over everything. And the day was full of promise.

Then it all turned to rubbish.

Sometimes I wish I could just give up on work. But we need the money, so I'll put up with it. Especially as our car has decided to up and crap itself. Yes, the car that we bought for $1000 will cost almost $2000 to fix.

Bugger that! It's off to the sale yard for you, my scrap metal friend. We'll now see just how far we can get without having to buy a new car. D. can borrow thr work ute when we need to pick stuff up for the extension, but it will be interesting to have to do without for a while. Certainly won't hurt us. *grins*

I'm concerned...

2007-05-31T19:36:00.000+10:00

... about my heart.

I can't really describe what's wrong with it. Just that it's wrong. I know that I should make an appointment with the doctor, but I'm afraid. Guess that's pretty stupid logic, but there you have it.

There are some perks...

2007-05-21T16:24:00.000+10:00

...to being a manager. As D. found out last week.

When his Boss came up to him and asked, 'So what are you doing Sunday?' D. thought he was in for more overtime (of which he has been doing bucketloads lately). But the Boss handed him 2 tickets to an AFL footy game - Collingwood v Bulldogs. Not our chosen teams but when he mentioned they were in the Medallion Club section, we had to give them a shot.

And they were fantabulous!

It took us a while to find the assigned carpark, (which had security guards - they called D. 'Sir'), and as we went through the gate they were handing out free copies of The Age. Nice. But the view as we stepped out onto our level - Magnificent. Our seats were at the very front of the second level it was brilliant. Having never been to an AFL game before, I was kinda expecting to be in the dodgy stalls way up the back, but it was nothing like that. I tell you, it's the Medallion Club all the way!

Oh, and Bulldogs thrashed Collingwood.

It's been a long time...

2007-04-19T08:15:00.000+10:00

... between not much at all really.

My life goes on, much as it always has. Terribly dull, but that is not such a bad thing. I hear about the 'excitement' in my friends lives and to be honest, I can do without it.

2007-02-17T12:17:00.000+11:00

Today's turning out nicely. Quite nicely. So far.

D. was supposed to be going to his uncle's place to help him clad his house, but that fell through so we've got the day together. We started out with a half hour of just snuggling, then a quick breakfast and some music videos on TV. They had some really cool stuff on today.

Then we went to the library, to pick out some choice reading material. They D. got a haircut. It wasn't the greatest haircut but then, what do you expect for $7. He also took the time to point out the American Chopper boxed set that he would love to get for his birthday which is in about 2 weeks. He was so subtle it's adorable.

And because the temperature is rapidly approaching the mid 30's, I think the rest of the day is going to be devoted to lounging and loafing. Excellent.

2007-02-16T10:09:00.000+11:00

Valentine's Day came and went without a sound. Absolutely silent. D. doesn't believe in it; he says that it's a commercial construct in order to raise revenue for the greeting card industry - and he's right. I certainly don't disagree. He says that gifts and affection should not be restricted to a single appointed day, and again I agree.

But where are the random acts of flowers and surprises? I got them quite often a few years back, but not lately. Granted, he often brings home takeaway food and McFlurries but as I have begged him to help me win my struggle with weight issues, I'm not seeing that as a particularly thoughtful gift.

Where have all the flowers gone?

2007-02-13T18:42:00.000+11:00

I bought a new phone today. I've been thinking about it for ages, but I finally bit the bullet. It's a Nokia 6101. It was cheap and kinda pretty so I took advantage of our 5% discount and bought it from work. I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep in touch with people more reliably now. Maybe I'll get people's phone numbers at the reunion. And maybe they'll want to be called. Maybe.

It's just that I'm feeling lonely lately. David feels no need to have friends but I do. I want people to go out for coffee with. To see a movie with. David is my beloved and always will be, but I'm dying for a little conversational variety. Is that such a bad thing?

2007-02-04T14:58:00.000+11:00

The Back to School Sale is finally over. Hallelujah! I've quite enjoyed being so busy that we didn't have time to scratch ourselves; on the other hand, it's been a bit stressful too. But all that is over now. Kinda. C. has taken on the new FEC role, so there has been a huge roster change which begins as of tomorrow. I can't say that I'm terribly pleased about the whole thing, but I've got to give it a fair go. I won't complain until we've run through 2 full rotations (4 weeks). Then I'll evaluate. Of course, I don't have a lot of options (apart from resigning), but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

In totally unrelated events, it's Valentine's Day soon. D. doesn't believe in it as a gift giving occasion, so my hopes aren't particularly high. But I enjoy the idea of it, so I've got a couple of ideas. In the latest Aldi catalogue, they've got heart shaped pasta and a couple of decent wines. I'll treat him to a nice dinner. I'll keep you posted.

2007-01-16T14:15:00.000+11:00

No one is happy at work. No one. Everyone is bitching and whining and in the whole 'not caring' mode. It's very draining to keep smiling and being nice to everyone. My head hurts and I only had a 5 hour shift.

But in better news, JP has got a job. Yup, he's going to be a chicken farmer. Yeah, I know, definitely not my cup of tea, but he seems enthusiastic about it all. I'm very glad for him. It's been a bit stressful for D. and I, so the relief is palpable. I won't be able to completely relax until he's settled in and the first paycheck is in the bank, but he's definitely on the way.

So all in all, I'm tired. I slept for about 8 hours last night and I'm still bone tired. I'm trying to resist the urge to nap, so that I'll sleep better tonight. But my eyes are heavy. I might just snooze until Dave gets home. He's due back in 20 minutes. That qualifies as a power nap - instead of a nanna nap.

Nice.

2007-01-12T11:08:00.000+11:00

The last four days have been pretty tough. Straight nine hour shifts. I'm not cut out for full time, my knees are killing me. I slept straight through until 10am this morning and could barely get out of bed. I don't really mind because I know that they need the help during the sale, but it would have been nice to have been asked.

JP is out of money. Again. What the fuck does he do with it?

Dahlsen's is impressed with him and his resume, but he's got to wait for a position to become available. So he put in for the dole and they faxed off a few job applications for him. He hadn't even got out of the door, when a guy called him up for an interview. Work on a chicken farm with free accomodation in a 3 bedroom house thrown in. The only problem is, it's in Cranbourne, and he's already signed a 12 month lease on his flat in Newborough. But that's not too drastic, they'll let him out when they find someone else to rent the place, I'm sure.

I just want things to work out for him. Be independent. Have a job and a life and new friends, and stuff like that. I pray that he gets this chance.

2007-01-07T16:39:00.000+11:00

JP came around to pick up his resume today. He doesn't have a computer or anything, so of course, I said I'd run one up for him. I don't mind, 'cause he's my little brother. He's going to drop into Dahlsen's tomorrow morning (their first day back) and have a chat to the Manager.

I hope to God that he can get a job because he's flat out of cash. I loaned him $300. It was probably more than I should have, but he's my brother and I promised Mum that I would look after him.

But what if he doesn't get a job and that $300 is joined by another - and another - and another. I love him, but I'm not here to pay his rent. Please let things go well tomorrow.

2007-01-05T14:56:00.000+11:00

We were outside yesterday afternoon, taking down all the Christmas lights. It was about 33 degrees - urgh. Then it started to rain. Glorious rain. In big, fat, cold drops. D. and I just stood there and let them fall. It was truly a magical moment. Considering that we're in the middle of the worst drought in living memory, words really can't describe how great it was.

Then it developed into a thunderstorm. News headlines this morning - Lightning Strikes Start New Bushfires In Gippsland Region.

Doh!

2007-01-04T16:23:00.000+11:00

Now that the holiday season is winding down, it's time for the Back to School Sale to start ramping up. And boy is it pumping! We've been flat out at work for the last 3 days, which is nice because the time goes by so quickly. I'm not really looking forward to my 5 nine hour shifts which begin on Saturday, but hopefully my knees will hold up for the duration.

Oh, and I know I didn't post much during Christmas and all that, but we had a really nice time. Mum and Dad kicked around and enjoyed doing nothing, and JP came around a fair bit. My gingerbread house was a roaring success and I'm thinking about designing a chocolate castle turret for Easter. Thinking about it, not promising. *grins*

For New Year's Eve we went to Tim & Meri's house. A BBQ and a few drinks; it was all good. Except one of Meri's workmates (Jennifer?) and her husband were there. I don't like this chick. She smokes and swears and can be quite nasty. I don't like her attitude at all. It would have been a better night without them, but it was still fun.

2006-12-20T15:19:00.000+11:00

I baked my gingerbread today. Not too much of a debacle but I did balls up one of the walls. The dough was too thick, so it came out a bit soft and under-done. It sort of broke in half and is definitely not a structurally sound, load-bearing wall. *grins*

I'm not sure how to resolve the problem. I don't have any dough left over, and there's no way I'm going to make any more. I'm going to make the Royal icing, which sets quite hard, and try sealing the back of that slice. It might work. Besides, it's only got to last until people start eating it on Christmas Eve. Once it starts getting pulled apart, it's going to crumble anyway.

I'll post photos, just so you can share my triumph/embarrassment.

2006-12-07T16:55:00.000+11:00

I've got almost all of my Christmas shopping done. Well, a fair chunk of it anyway. It seems that every time I buy a gift, it brings to mind another two people that I should be thinking of. But as I simply love giving presents, it's not a problem. Especially this year as we've got such a comfortable income.

The most pressing item on my to-do list is writing out my Christmas cards. I haven't started and I had such big plans for them. I like to decorate them - make them more personal. But I don't think I'm going to have time to do that this year. Maybe. We'll see how we go tonight. D. is in Melbourne and won't be back 'til midnight so I've got no excuse to slack off.

2006-12-02T09:23:00.000+11:00

*heaves a big sigh* I don't know whether this weekend will end well.

It started well. My brother J. who is moving to this area, called me on my birthday. I was amazed, not to mention very pleased. However he did have a small ulterior motive. He wanted D. to be a character reference for his real estate rental application. That's fine, 'cause D. was quite happy to do that.

Today he popped over. To ask if we could babysit his pet cat for a day or two. Well our cat's not to happy about the whole deal, seeing as how she's been relegated to the great outdoors for the duration. I hope that he is sincere. I hope that it will only be for a few days. I really do. Please God, let my faith in him be realised.

2006-11-29T21:01:00.000+11:00

It's my birthday tomorrow. *insert quiet little yay here* I'm feeling a bit melancholy about the whole thing really. I'm not upset about the whole "another year older" thing. I mean, every single day that we wake up, is another step towards the end. I think I just want to be fussed over a little bit. You know; emails, birthday cards, hugs - that sort of thing. Is that terribly selfish of me?

2006-11-20T12:50:00.000+11:00

I feel a bit guilty. I've been home all day and have acomplished absolutely nothing. Oh, I hung a load of washing out to dry. That's it. Dreadful. Even as I watch the hours slip past, I can't be bothered really doing anything. I was all set to go to the shops today, but I didn't.

2006-11-12T17:53:00.000+11:00

I've been feeling a bit lightheaded lately. Even when I'm sitting still. I don't know why this is happening and to be honest, I'm a little disconcerted. Of course, knowing that I've been such a hypercondriac in the past, I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill. I'll keep you posted.

Oh, and cupcakes are evil!

2006-11-03T09:38:00.000+11:00

Today is the first day of my 5 day weekend! I didn't realise it until one of the girls at work reminded me that Tuesday is Melbourne Cup Day. The store is still going to be open but I didn't put my name down for the special roster. Coolness!

As usual, such a big break is a little daunting. There's stacks of stuff that I want to do but I usually end up wasting my off, just letting the hours drip through my fingers. I don't know how to prevent this cycle, but I will endeavour. And I'll keep you posted.

Here's a little something to brighten up this blog. Cute, isn't she!

2006-10-31T18:03:00.000+11:00

My knees are hurting. It's not agony, but it's definitely uncomfortable. I'm not sure what to do. The orthopedic surgeon said that there's nothing really wrong in there, but they can operate to smooth the joint a bit. But as only 20% of patients get any relief from this proceedure, I'm not all that keen on that option.

2006-10-27T17:26:00.000+10:00

D. left for Adelaide a few hours ago. His daughter S. is turning 18 this weekend and he's headed over for the festivities. I've got to work tomorrow, so I couldn't go. I haven't seen her since January but even on the phone she sounds as though she has grown up a little. And for that I am thankful because both S. and her younger brother A. have been right little brats for as long as I've known them. Maybe they will grow into decent citizens after all.

2006-10-21T20:11:00.000+10:00

D. and I went to an engagement party today. A BBQ lunch invitation that sounded great in theory but when the weather man said it would be 15 degrees and rainy, our expectations sunk just a little. But fate was kind to the happy couple and the sun managed a weak appearance for most of the afternoon.

The food was great and the drinks were free, but there was one little downside - the only people we knew were the engaged couple. This led to a lot of standing around, trying to look casual whilst sneaking trips to the Smarties bowl. Mmmm. Smarties!

2006-10-18T17:32:00.000+10:00

It rained today, for the first time in ages. Well, the air was kind of moist. Sort of.

What I wouldn't give to have even a day or two of steady rain...

2006-10-11T15:37:00.000+10:00

Today should be considered the first real day of summer. I finished work at 12:30 and stepped out into a scorcher. You know the kind I'm talking about; the real Aussie scorcher where it's not just the sun that's hot - the very air is baking you from all sides. And it was only 30 degrees. Just wait until the mecury climbs a bit closer to 40 degrees.

*shudders* I hate summer.

2006-10-09T10:39:00.000+10:00

What a morning. It's only 10:46 and already I feel as though I've been put through a spin cycle. This morning my very new, very beautiful, very expensive and very early Christmas present decided that it wasn't going to play anymore. Yup, my iRiver packed it in and called it a day.

I was understandably distraught.

There were tears.

But before I threw the tiny brick through the nearest window, I prayed. I put my head on my desk and prayed for guidence. For patience. For inspiration. Then I went and had a cup of tea.

It was good tea.

And when I was done, I Googled, found the answer and I fixed the problem. I felt great.

Then I said a very relieved Thank You to the guy upstairs, and booked in for a haircut. I feel as though a new colour is in order. I might be pushing it here, but let's hope for two miracles in one day.

2006-10-08T10:08:00.000+10:00

I am so not a party girl. Sometimes this bothers me, and sometimes it doesn't. I'm not sure whether it bothered me last night. Last night being the Soccer Club Presentation Night.

It was just a simple affair; some balloons, finger food, cheap drinks, an excuse to get formal-ed up. Nice. D. did his usual thing - running around, taking door money, organising stuff. I thought I was going to end up doing my usual thing - sitting in the corner, trying to look casual. But I did better this time. I chatted. To people I barely knew. And they actually responded. This could be a new direction for me. *grins*

But then there were the usual examples of why I enjoy not being a party girl. Drunk guys, drunk guys leering down my top, drunk guys sitting on my lap, drunk guys spilling their drinks on my dress and of course, the obligatory drunk guys smoking in the smoke free venue.

Peachy.

So all in all, I'm kinda glad that I bloused out and was home in bed by midnight. Besides, I might have turned into a pumpkin!

2006-10-05T14:03:00.000+10:00

We all got a bit excited at work today. A bit over excited actually. The new photocopiers arrived at the Copy Centre. Yeah, I know it doesn't seem like much to get worked up about, but if you've ever stood beside a copier as it jammed time after time, after time; then you'll exactly how thrilled we were to get an upgrade.

It's the little things in life...

2006-09-24T14:40:00.000+10:00

It's a beautiful spring day. Dark grey clouds fill the sky and it's absolutely pelting down with rain.

A perfect day, one would say, for cleaning out one's wardrobe. I can't believe how much crap I have accumulated in there. I've got a huge bag sitting by the door now, ready to be taken to the Salvos. It never ceases to amaze me at how light I feel when I've had a good throw-out. A great way to spend a rainy day.

2006-09-21T15:13:00.000+10:00

Today was a bit rough. The store was quiet but I still feel absolutely shagged - like I've run around like a headless chicken all day. Quite odd really.

But now I'm home. I'm drinking a hot cup of tea and eating M&M's. I'm watching MacGyver. I'm thinking about laying down for a little nap. Life is getting better by the minute.

God bless us all.

2006-09-14T15:35:00.000+10:00

We had the most glorious sunrise this morning. When I dashed out of bed this morning, I put the heater on and I could see the colours even through the loungeroom curtains. So I knelt on the couch and peeked outside. It was magnificent. Just awe-inspiring.

2006-09-13T17:06:00.000+10:00

I might have been a bit too happy at work today. Yeah, I sort of got caught skipping though the Receiving Bay. And that wasn't the worst of it. *blushes* I may have had my safety vest around my shoulders like a cape. I got a round of applause.

And may never live it down. *grins*

2006-09-12T18:50:00.000+10:00

I couldn't believe it when I saw that blueberries were only $3.95 a punnet at the supermarket. What a bargain! They're usually at least $5.95. So, needless to say, we bought them. And the result...

Blueberry pancakes, of course!

Our fingers were stained dark purple, but it was worth it. My goodness, was it ever!.

2006-09-11T09:42:00.000+10:00

D. and I have been together for almost 7 years now. Yes, the 7-year-itch is rapidly approaching. *grins* And I still feel as giddy with love today as I ever have. I literally bounced into work, with a stuporous smile upon my face. He makes my heart all twitchy. I feel delightful and sincerely hope that anyone reads this blog, feel just as good.

Big Word of the Day:
Stuporous - to be dazed, torpid or in a helplessly amazed state.

2006-09-09T12:54:00.000+10:00

Mmmm, Baker's Delight Double Choc Cookies are probably the greatest chocolate creation of all time. I walked to town to check out the first Craft Market of the season, but it was raining so most of the stalls were closed. I wandered through the Plaza and the "Now Baking" sign was flashing. Mmmm. Warm, fresh baked cookie-goodness.

2006-09-08T17:10:00.000+10:00

It's so nice to be able to sleep in. I left the electric blanket on and sunggled down comfortably until 9:30am. Delightful. I'm debating with myself whether to do the same tomorrow morning, or to get up at a reasonable time so that I can go to the Kay Street Market.

Decisions... Decisions...

2006-09-07T14:13:00.000+10:00

It was a crisp clear morning, as I walked to work today. It was beautiful. The real highlight was watching a raven open the lid of a wheelie bin so that his mate could get at the pizza slices near the top. Quite industrious of them.

2006-09-06T19:43:00.000+10:00

The Regional Manager is supposed to be coming to the store tomorrow. She checks in every now and again, every two or three months I guess. I've worked at OW for over a year now, and not once have I been rostered on when she's there. *grins* Not that I'm complaining of course. But I am on tomorrow morning, so I should finally get to meet (or at least see!) this mysterious person.

Everyone seems to get really wound up over these visits. I don't know why. The store is looking great; far better than some stores in other areas. It's not like she's going to fire someone because the photocopier has a paper jam.

*gulps*

I hope!

2006-09-05T19:19:00.000+10:00

Sometimes at work I feel like I've run around all day like a headless chicken and yet I've got nothing to show for it. Today wasn't like that. I started tasks and actually managed to finish them. It was cool. Unusual - but cool.

2006-09-04T18:46:00.000+10:00

I walked to work today in the drizzling rain. Yesterday this would have been the cause of great vexation and much bitchin' and moaning. But not today. Today I looked up at the sky and found wonder in the world. I thought I'd let the world know.