Time Flies

Wow. Can you believe that tomorrow is the last day of May? I can't. Gosh the time is flying. I know that everybody says that sort of thing all the time but seriously at the rate that I feel time is passing at the moment I think I will celebrate my 79th birthday next week!

Well this week has been a massive week here in my world. Just so much has happened. Some stuff good and some really bad. I will start off with the worst part and hopefully finish this post on a high note.

My Darling Mother was this week diagnosed with breast cancer. That really sucks. However, she is being really positive about it and just sees it and something to deal with and move on. Next Tuesday she is going in for a lumpectomy to remove the lump and then find out what the state of the cancer is. Whether it has spread to lymph nodes etc. This information will determine what course of treatment she will have. At the moment, at the very least she will be having radiation treatment 5 days per week for six weeks. That is something she is not thrilled about. If it has spread to lymph nodes then she will probably need chemotherapy. Anyway, fingers crossed next Tuesday will go really well and radiation will be all she needs. I am not too worried about it for the simple fact that she isn't. If she becomes worried then I fully expect that I will have a meltdown! Mum gave up smoking at the age of 60 (she is 66 now) after having smoked since she was 14. She said to me the other day on the phone when she was telling me about the cancer that she "could really go a smoke right now". I said to her "Once you are diagnosed as having a terminal condition you can have a smoke and NOT before then". She laughed her head off! She told me later that she put that quote in an email that she sent to some friends. She's a character my Mum.

Work has been absolutely flat out this week. I think I attended more meetings this week than I have ever attended in any other week in my working life. I hate meetings so much. Especially the meetings that I have to attend not because I will get something out of it (or think I can contribute something) but because someone else thinks I should be there. It is always those meetings that seem to go longest and there is always somebody that seems to always want to talk talk talk when you can sense that everyone in the room just wants to get out of there! I had to deal with someone this week whom I find very very intimidating. I had to tell this person that they had to do something that they did not want to do. As predicted they did not take it well but thankfully I had the person's boss there to keep them in line. If he wasn't there then it might have been very ugly. Generally speaking I love my job but there are some people that I have to deal with that give it a sometimes unpleasant dimension.

Ninky and Roo are doing well. They seem really happy at the moment. They seem to be coping well with their beloved Daddy's absence. They had their first private swimming lesson with Scott this week. That man is with out a doubt the best swimming teacher I have ever come across. He dishes out praise left right and centre and shows infinite patience with the children. I watched him not just with Ninky and Roo but also with the class of kids before my children's lesson. Anyway, I was so proud of Ninky and Roo. They really listened to Scott and gave a big effort. The lesson is only half and hour and the improvement from the start of the lesson to the end was staggering. They came away from that lesson all pumped up and full of confidence. In the car on the way home they kept talking about how they want to be Olympic swimmers. I told them if they want to get into swimming seriously then I will support them 100%. I am glad they are enjoying it. They need an interest. I don't think either of them are particularly interested in team sports. So it looks like swimming will be "their thing".

All the animals are well. Driving me nuts - but other than that they are OK. Barry and Ginge (Mumma's two little boy kittens) went of to be neutered, microchipped and vaccinated this week. Ginge whinged all the way to the vet and climbed around the cage but Barry just sat there looking pretty. When we arrived at the vet Ginge cotinued whinging and climbing but Barry was shaking like a leaf. I felt so sad looking at him! Poor little boy. Anyway, they both went well with their little operation and although they were a bit drowsy in the car on the way home, once they were home they raced around like nothing was wrong with them. Mumma and Tink are going off in about two weeks to be desexed but I think it is a bigger operation for females so I don't think that they will come home racing around.

My indoor cat fence finally arrived yesterday. It is a simple set up with nodes that I put where I don't want the cats to go and the cats that I want to keep out wear a collar. When they go near a node they get a mild tingle from the collar to deter them. I am only putting it on Mumma and the kittens so that I can keep them out of the bedrooms. They have a nasty habit of peeing on the carpet and I am sick of it. Purr, Dory and Tinker don't do it so they are fine to go in to the bedrooms. Also, it will enable those three to get away from the kittens. They aren't too keen on the kittens at the moment. I don't blame them. Barry and Ginge can be very annoying!

Well, Swine Flu panic has well and truly set in this week in this quiet little part of the world. I drove past the health centre at work yesterday and the scene was just surreal. They have set up a flu triage area in the garage at the end of the centre. I could see the medics in white sperm suits (head to toes white paper suits) and masks, gloves and goggles tending to the line of people. Honestly, it sent a shiver down my spine. It looked like a scene out of one of those doomsday movies like "Ebola" or "Out Break". Poor Ninky and Roo came home from school the other day scared to death that they are going to die of Swine Flu. Between the "good hygiene" talk they were given at assembly and all the playground whispers, they had come to the conclusion that they would contract Swine Flu any tick of the clock and die. It took me nearly an hour to explain to them what the real story is. They seem to have got a handle on it now. It is scary though. I have been to a number of different health authority websites and the disease appears to be spreading fairly quickly despite the Governments attempts at containment. I told my staff yesterday that if they feel that they have flu like symptoms they are to go straight to the triage centre and not come to work. That is the thing that will help this disease spread most quickly. All the "martyrs" who will "drag" themselves into work and infect others.

Well, it is dark and rainy day here today. It rained most of yesterday and bucketed down overnight too. We are going to have a very quiet day at home today. Ninky and Roo have put in some very specific request for some lunch box treats for next week (choc cupcakes, choc chip biscuits and coconut biscuits) so I will probably make those today. I also need to spend some time standing over Roo to get him to do something about the state of his room. I know that I said that I am not worrying about them anymore but I can't get in there to even put clothes away now because the floor is absolutely hidden under a pile of stuff!

Hoo Roo

Happy Birthday My Love

Happy Birthday to my darling husband Peter. I hope that you get to see some of the beautiful country that you are visiting today, so that you will always remember this birthday as something special. We are thinking of you here and hope that you have a lovely day.

I took Ninky and Roo to see Night At The Museum II this morning. It was absolutely fabulous! The three of us cackled out way through the movie. The Roxy Theatre (the cinema we went to in Nowra) has to be seen to be believed. It is so old world with statues, noisey floors and rich red velvet drapes on the walls. I guarantee we will be seeing many movies there in future.

This afternoon I took Ninky and Roo to the Bay and Basin Leisure Centre for a swim. The big tube slide was open and they each had 10 rides on it. They had a blast.

Well, this isn't much but it will have to do as an entry today. It is Sunday night and there is organising and ironing to be done.

Bring on the week. I am ready (almost) for it.

Hoo Roo

Blustery Weather

Friday night is Lazy Dinner night. Here we see Ninky and Roo dining on self chosen frozen pizza subs. They loved them!

It is horrible, cold, wet and blustery weather here today. I have piles of washing to do and according to the weather man I am not likely to get it dry on the line this weekend. Oh well, it could have been worse if I hadn't done any washing all week. Thankfully I did get some done so things aren't as bad as they could hav been.

This morning was another crap installment of work. I am very grateful that it was half day Friday today, so the pain only lasted a few hours rather than all day. I got quite a bit done but not as much as I could have if things were different. Soooo very frustrating. I came home at lunch time and got a bit of bill paying and housework done. Then I picked the children up half and hour early and we went and got the groceries. Apart from quite a few "pantry staples" the cupboards here were pretty bare, so I bought quite a lot. It will probably last me about three weeks though. Gawd I hate shopping. Once upon a time I used to love dawdling around the supermarket but now I can't wait to get out. The children were a big help though thanks to a bit of bribery with some treats!

We got home and I spent the next couple of hours putting away groceries, feeding dogs and cats, cleaning out kitty litter trays and feeding children. During that time I was delighted to get a phone call from My Love. He was calling me on a VOIP phone from the ship from XXXXXXX - I can't really say where I suppose for security reasons but I will come back later and put in the name of the place. They were underway though - not in port. I still find it amazing that he can call me from sea. I remember the days when I was first at sea years ago and we had only just got word processing computers onboard. We didn't even have mobile phones then! Technology is a wonderful thing. I miss Peter terribly but nowhere near as much as I would have were it not for these suprise phone calls every now and then.

Tomorrow I am taking the children swimming at the centre where they have their swimming lessons. They are pretty excited about that. In the afternoon I may also take them to the movies depending what is on.

Yesterday I booked Barry and Ginge (the kittens) in to be desexed. They will be four months old in three weeks time and according to all the websites I have looked at that is old enough for them to be able to get their mother Mumma or their sister Tinker pregnant. Gawd, the last thing I want around here is any more cats. I can't believe how expensive it is. $98 each boy just for the desexing. Vaccinations and microchipping will be extra. What's worse is that Mumma and Tink will be $150 each for desexing. Gosh it costs a lot to be a responsible pet owner!

That's it for now. I am going to go and snuggle under a blanket in the lounge room with the children and read a book for a while until bedtime.

Hoo Roo

Dedicated to the Love of My Life

Well, it has been a while since I updated this blog - two weeks actually. Time flies.

I don't think there are many people who read this blog but on the off chance that anyone checks in, this post is dedicated to my darling husband Peter. It is mostly going to be for him although others may find it remotely interesting.

Work is going alright. Pretty much like you My Love, I am waking up with less and less desire to go to work each day. My job is very full on, with lots of responsibility and a lot of people have high expectations of me. I know I am doing the job well but my heart isn't in it. This Navy is not the Navy I know. It is strange and constantly changing and not always (or often) for the better either. I don't even feel like there is a place for me in it anymore. You aren't alone My Love, I am in that place too. I am hoping that it will change because there is so much to love about the Navy but the old girl (the Navy) ain't what she used to be.

On Thursday and Friday it blew a gale here. I have experienced some pretty terrible winds in my time but nothing like this. I was woken up at 2am Saturday by a phone call from work ( usual drunken dramas) and I thought the roof was going to blow off. I could hear next door neighbours shade sail flapping loose in the wind and banging their windows and the hardie plank. They are away for a few day and I was worried that the clip on the sail would smash the window. In the morning the children and I went to get out hair cuts done and when we walked back into the house I could here the sail banging in the wind and decided to go next door and do something about it. No sooner had I made my mind up and headed for the front door than "SMASH" the sound of breaking glass. I raced out just in time to hear more smashing as the clip finished off the job on the window. I wasn't sure what to do so I got Al from two doors up and together we cleaned up all the glass. Al did a great job of taking down the sail and taping up the window to keep the weather out. I have tried to call the neighbours but their mobile phone is switched off. I suppose they will get a bit of a shock when they get home. Poor buggers.

I pruned back the hedge out the front of the house today. Mum thinks it is a great hedge and will come back well after a good prune, water and feed. I am not convinced but I am humouring her. She will probably turn out to be right - she usually is. I want roses but once again she is right in suggesting that we really don't have time to look after them at the moment. Perhaps in the future...the hedge will do for now. I swept (and hosed) off the front verandah and tidied up the shoes and all the pots. Lots of the pot plants are going to get repotted soon. Oooooh - I also discovered today that the kittens had been using the madonna lilly in the big green pot beside your side of the bed My Love, as a toilet. Dirty little sods.

David the Handy Man came and did the lawn on Friday. We agreed that it has stopped growing for now and he is going to change from two weekly to three weekly mows. I have finally got the dog poo bin set up and make an effort to pick up the land mines on a regular basis. The lawn looks better for it. The pool is starting to look a little bit sad. I back washed it today and cleaned out the filter. There is a ring of reddish colour scum around the edge and one day when I get time I will try and scrub it off.

Anyway, it is getting late and I have a pile of photos that I want to post here so I will finish up now. Hang in there My Love. I am sure that you will see and experience things that will make the shit times worth while. We all love you and miss you heaps. We are doing fine. I am not losing my temper. The house is spotless except for the children's rooms and the garage. I will get the garage sorted out but I have realised that it is not worth stressing about the kids rooms. I put clothes away and change sheets once a week but apart from that I leave it up to them. If they can live like that then more power to them.

Fair winds and following seas My Love xxx

Bugger - the photos went in at the top - I don't know how to fix it either. If you double click on the photos you can look at big versions.

xxxx

Sunny Saturday

What a beautiful day it is here today. It is very cool but the sun is shining and there is no wind. Roo is up and playing with lego whilst watching cartoons and I am just waiting for Ninky to wake up. We had a very late night last night (11:30pm to bed) so she will probably sleep in very late.

The kittens are racing around madly. The tablecloth is lying on the kitchen floor because I have put it back on 4 times already this morning but the kittens keep pulling it off.

Once Ninky is awake and they have both had breakfast, we are going to head down to the beach and have a walk and build some sand castles. Then it is off to the pet barn to get some more cat and dog food, kitty litter, guinea pig bedding and a covered poo box for the kittens. We will stop at Oporto on the way home and get Ninky and Roo something for lunch - they looooove Oporto.

Tomorrow we are going to go for a bike ride. I am very uncomfortable on the bike but it has been a very long time since I really rode one. I imagine that I will get better with time. Either that or I am going to have lots of scabs, bruises and broken bones!!!!

Hoo Roo