belated but heartfelt

I can’t start until first expressing the distress about the hurricane devastation and the horror that has followed. I’ve been out of contact with the rest of the world for the past week, so coming back to this was both upsetting and overwhelming. It’s amazing how much of that distress we must carry around with us each and every day, the pain of all of the horrible things going on in the world. I felt the tension stack back on immediately. I can’t begin to imagine what all of those people must be going through.

Sending them the very best wishes and vibes, and hoping they are able to find the strength to cope and find serenity in the future.

on hiatus

Do you remember that series of Survivor Thailand a couple of years back, where the winner was Brian the used car salesman? A few episodes from the end each of the "survivors" got a video message from home. There were all sorts of families offering support and tearily telling their loved ones how much they missed them and that they were proud of them for getting this far, etc. Most of the contestants had families to support, their kids college fees to raise, farms to save, debts to pay off, or sick family members. The videos from home showed each persons story and struggle.

Then it came to Brian's home video of his pretty little wife, who proceeded to take the camera crew on a tour of their extensive 2 story home, double garage and 3 cars. Then even took them through to show them all the lovely clothes in her wardrobe and a shoe collection to rival that of Imelda Marcos. The best part was when they asked if she wanted to pass on a message of support to Brian. Her reply was along the lines of "When you win baby, we're going to Fiji!" With the word "Fiji" in a high pitched cutesy voice. I've never forgotten it.

An-y-hoo...ahem...We're going to Fiji!

It's true! I almost feel embarrassed to say it, but it's true. Yes this mysterious holiday I've been alluding to all week is in fact a beachside escape to a Pacific paradise.

There's a story that leads to this point, but the short version involves a day of insanely late trains and me losing patience, quietly to myself, "Damn you trains, I'm going to Fiji!" (which we had previously decided not to do because we thought it was too extravagant). I still can't really believe it.

A good example of the getting lemons, making lemonade thing, which I'm now a big fan of. Because, you know, late trains = Fiji Islands, it's elementary really.

So, if it's a bit empty here next week, it'll be because I'm lying on a beach, bobbing in some water, or sleeping... or maybe eating seafood... or maybe trying kava... or maybe ambling around a marketplace. In any case I'll be here, (in this photo).

Well, there's much to do before we go; packing and preening. Wish my razor luck, on legs that I haven't seen in at least 3 long cold Winter months. May the force be with you.

jen's summer jams

After having listened to the Summer Jams 2k5 CD from Jen about 5 times already, I've come to some conclusions: I really like it, and it does achieve a very Summery feel very well. After listening to it I regretted toning my CD down though, (i thought it'd be a bit too heavy for people - pfff, what was I thinking?). Mr You will say "I told you so".

Anyhow, there are some bands I've heard of on here, some I've never really listened to, and there are also lots of newbies for me.

Of the one's I've never heard, I really like:
Holland, 1945 by Neutral Milk Hotel
Twin cinema by The New Pornographers
Monkey by Low

I've heard so many people mention Iron & Wine, mutterings about town and such, so I'm glad to own a track of theirs now. Maybe I'll seem like I'm "in the know" next time.

Oh, how the lyrics in "Leave the biker by Fountains of Wayne" did make me laugh so: "crumbs in his beard from the seafood special". It reminds me a little bit of Butterfingers, an Australian band with cheeky lyrics - "Your Mama's on the top of my things to do list" for example.

The vocals on the Moping Swans track reminds me alot of another Australian band Youth Group (touring your United States at the moment).

My very favourite song on the CD is "99 and a half won't do by The Detroit Cobras". It makes me wanna skip out on work, jump in the back of a ute with a guitar and a faithful dog (niether of which I have), and drive up the coast to a happy care-free life, with this playing magically in the air as my theme song (like an ad on tv).

But having said that my absolute even more bestest most favourite is "Oualahila ar tesninam by Tinariwen": Like a modern version of the Bollywood track on the Ghost World soundtrack. Makes me wanna spin jump and twirl all Bollywood style around the house!

Hooray for such a happy fun Summer CD! Thanks again Jen (I'm honoured to be one of the lucky 26 finalists).

(I've been without our digital camera this week, so if you want to see the very slick cover click here.)

upon reflection

My Illustration Friday entry for 'reflection'.

Upon reflection you never remember how much money you've spent on a holiday, you only remember the wonderful holiday.

This weekend I head off on a holiday. Up till now I've been a bit concerned about spending all that money, but I know that as soon as I get there every last cent will fade from my memory, leaving lots of space for wonderful, delicious, rich new memories of a fantatisc holiday.

and so the time has come

QUESTION: You are a boss. The employee of yours who has worked for you (closely by your side) for almost twice as long as anyone else in your company, tells you she is very stressed and is having a really hard day, (while she is working her butt off, and also taking on some of your work to ease your load).
Do you reply?...

A) By welling up with tears, giving her a hug, a gold watch and rewarding her an early and overly generous retirement package?

B) Give her an understanding smile to show your appreciation, and offering a supportive “I know exactly how you feel. I’m sure it will all work out fine”?

OR
C) Tut, roll your eyes, and say loudly to the whole office “Don’t listen to her. You think your day is bad, you should try having mine then”. (Causing the long serving devoted employee to think “I’m not getting paid enough for this”)?


While initially setting up my blog, I decided to start off by keeping it secret and anonymous, just in case one day I needed to vent. I never really intended it, but deep down I knew this day would come: the day I needed to have a good hard bitch!

Reasons why today sucked really badly:
1) The answer to the above question was C. (Despite my boss normally being a good guy, unfortunately today he wasn't)
2) I live in the city so I don’t have to wake up at “sparrow fart” to get to work on time, but today I spent over an hour, all up, just waiting in the cold wind for a train to actually come (both to and from work)!
3) I didn’t have time to go outside to get lunch, and had to eat leftovers
4) Tried to offer friends at work free movie passes to a preview screening, no-one wanted them. At all! What’s up with that?
5) Big man on the train home in seat in front of me insisted on resting his arm along the back of the chair letting off the strongest, wettest smelling B.O. I have ever encountered
6) Big man sitting next to me on the same train with the loud rattly uncovered cough trying to read what I was writing
7) Letter box exploded brochures, bills and flyers all over the footpath as I was trying to collect my mail.

Reasons why tomorrow is going to be 1000 times better than today:
1) Mr You gets home after being away for almost a week
2) Train will still be late, but not as late as today
3) My boss is going to come to his senses and appreciate all my hard work and offer me that retirement package, allowing me to spend all my time blogging, doodling and sewing
4) Under all of the bills and brochures in my letterbox today, was a CD from Jen, which I will no doubt love and listen to all day tomorrow
5) And tomorrow is one day closer to my holiday which starts this very weekend! Hallay-Freekin-LOO-ya!!!


Should you drink orange juice if it feels fizzy?

in abundance

It's a little over a week away until Spring begins, but the weather has been all over the place and has caused great indecision in the gardens. The trees and flowers have been attempting to break into bloom on warm days, only to be trying desperately to suck their blooms back in the next day when it turns icy again.

Today, to my delight, I discovered a giant jasmine bush dangling over a fence into the back lane near our house. It was positively dripping with those unassuming white flowers, and smelling the best it possibly could. Just a tiny sprig of it in my bathroom has filled the whole back half of the house with a smell of impending Spring!

(We only moved to our new house in May, so all this is new. We also discovered a tall avocado tree and an orange tree in the back lane too. It’s abundant out there I tell you!)

the return of all things delicious

Earlier this year Momo hung up her blogging gloves, retiring from a 3 year run. It was around the same time that my friend Lacey-T moved to Adelaide, and felt like all my friends were leaving. But now Momo is back! It may be a new address, but it’s the same lipstick loving vixen we’ve all come to love. (If you haven’t come to love her yet, you still can, just by clicking on this tiny link.)

I was thinking of her just last week, the very day before I found out she was back. On Tuesday I got to go out to Sony Music and had a bit of a tour while I was there. It was the first time I’d ever been there and the first time I’d been to a big printing press. It was like being on a school excursion. This reminded of a post Momo wrote ages ago about missing the joy of the humble school excursion. I left a comment which was a tad long for your average comment, perfectly encompassing; “give ‘em an inch and they’ll take a mile”. (In the days before I had a blog of my own…)


An excursion to an ice cream factory in year 2 should have been a highlight of my schooling years. Yes, ice cream factory!

We clambered into little hygienic shower caps and coats, and trundled through the huge clear plastic flappy doors after the tour guide. He showed no where near as much excitement as someone who works in the motherland of ice cream should, and whisked us through the factory leaving no time to savour any of the deliciousness.

Being the lagger that I am, I lingered behind the rest of the group to marvel at one of the huge vats of vanilla flavoured creamy goodness. And that's when things went all “Willy Wonker”. Just as my tour group was about to disappear out of site I intended to sneakily sprint back to the back of the pack, cleverly unnoticed. But not so cleverly; I was stuck! Living in a hot climate I had never known about the sticking power of freezing cold surfaces. My little shoes were stuck tight to the ground. I tugged and twisted to get myself free, tried jumping and the odd high kick, but I was well and truly frozen to the floor.

Panic set in! (but being a quiet mouse-like kid I did it silently).
The tears began to well as my group disappeared from sight through another set of flappy doors, and I imagined the scarey Oompa Loompas closing in at any moment. I ended up taking my shoes off, skipping around in my socks (so I wouldn't get stuck again), and used all the strength I could muster to tear my shoes from the floor. In the process the rubber soles ripped from my shoes staying stuck tight. I popped my soleless shoes back on and dashed for the last known sighting of the group.

My little rubber soles are probably still fossilized in the icy floors of that ice cream factory. But at least I learnt the easy way to never lick the inside of the freezer.


Luckily this episode caused no lasting trauma, and I still LOVE ice cream.