"Night at The Museum 2"

Well it was over the top. Usually happens with a second
film. So many things wrong with it where to begin?

Firstly when 'Larry' goes to visit, he is left alone at
night, in the New York Museum, with the front door unlocked.
He no longer works there and has no keys to lock it up.
Also there is no replacement night guard for him!!!

New ground, the tablet is taken to Washington DC. The
exhibits in the archive come to life! We see lots of
guards as 'Larry' sneeks down to help out 'his friends',
but not a one, when there are singing cupids and a ranting
Egytian Pharaoh! Who though he live thousand of years before
Napoleon and Al Capone, seems, to know all about them, but
nothing about Oscar the grouch and Darth Varder!! It's
either all or nothing!!

As for the damage done to the museums, not a word about
it or stolen exhibits in the papers the next day?

As for there being working batteries and fuel in the
rockets and planes, well COME ON!!

Suspending disbelieve is one thing, but this is really
asking too much.

Movies NOT to see at the Cinema.

"My Sister's Keeper" and "The Time Traveller's Wife" are
best seen in the privacy of your own home. The first is
a two box of tissues movie and the second a one box.

Each has a totally unexpected ending which really bring
on the tears!

I have read both books and just hope the movies live up
to the standard that the books set.

"Pet Sematary"

It only hit me today, when working in the shop, that
the title of this book is WRONG!!!

My dictionary defines 'cemetery' as a public burial
ground.

A 'seminary' is a traing college for priests, but
nowhere in the dictionary is the word 'sematary', so
the question becomes did Stephen King make up this
word, or this this just some strange U.S. spelling?

Clean Out.

Did a 'small' clean out of the books on the 'spare'
bedside table and took 15 of them to the shop.

I was pretty pleased about this, but both Meg and
Cliff seem to think it is no big deal.

Of course there are about 50 still there. (The
pile is about a meter deep!)

I will start on the shelves this week. If I can
get rid of enough on the shelves then I will put
some of the bedside books on the shelves!

After all I have enough reading there for about
six months (two books a week.) so I will try not
to bring any more home. Till after Xmas at least!

Wedenesday At Last!

Well we were on the road by 10 a.m. and thankfully the
weather was a pleasant 25 degrees.

At Sea Lake I took over the driving as Cliff got a cramp
in his leg.

We were stuck behind a large truck all the way to the
main highway. As we all said there was a hay truck that
had passed by some time that morning as the truck was
kicking up all this hay onto the windscreen.

When we got to calder Cliff took over again and we filled
up. On the way back from the toilet I did a double take
the front of the grill was almost completely covered in
straw. Thankfully I had noticed it otherwise it might
have caused the engine to overheat.

A clear run through the city and we were at Kath's by just
after 6 p.m.

They had my car there and I transfered my things from
Cliff's car to it and drove home. I never thought about
it but I could have driven keith home and saved Cliff
all tired, and not up to thinking too much at that stage.

Melbourne Cup 2009

The day was barely 27 degrees. A relief from the last
three days, but Kirsten was wrapped in her big coat
and she even had goose bumps. She said she 'was cold!'

Terry and Grant were leaving and we all drove out to
Wentworth where we were going to take photoes of the
Darling and Murray merging.

Ciff was the lead car. Audrey was in the front. We
were just out of Wentworth when Cliff's mobile phone
rang. It was Terry to tell us that they had a flat.
Rather than go on we went back, which turned out to
be a good thing as when Grant was changing his tyre
he saw that his undercarriage holding the tyre was
badly cracked.

Turned out he hit a roo on the way down and he thinks
the damage was done then. He said the carriage would
not have lasted the 1,000 kms back home so it was a
good thing the tyre blew then as it prevented a more
serious accident further out.

They headed back to Audrey's VERY SLOWLY. While we
went on and showed Kirsten the Murray-Darling
Junction and took lots of Photos.

Then we went back to Audrey's.

I was tired and took Kirsten back to the unit as she
wanted to swim, but she was only in the pool for about
15 minutes when she came back and said no it was too
cold. So the both of us had an afternoon nap!

Kirsten Steers "The Melbourne"

Well between Kirsten and myself we talked Cliff into
staying till Wednesday.

Not too hard when it was still 40 degrees outside and
hotter in the car and to drive in that heat for nearly
nine hours with the air conditioner broken was not
something anyone was looking forward too.

Kirsten said that she loved the pool but hated the heat.
I pointed out it was not possible to have one without
the other.

Cliff drove us down the the Mildura wharf, which is where
Kirsten and I caught the steamer from.

It travelled at 4 kms per hour, which was its' max. speed
on the river. So we went as far as the Apex Park and back.

Which required being lowered and then raised on the river.

The Captain said it is a five minute drive from the wharf
to Apex park! At our rate of spped he said that if we
continued down the river we would reach Wentworth in 8
hours! (It is a 35 minute drive from Mildura!).

Kirsten was not the only child on the boat and the Captain
allowed the kids to take turns steering the boat. Kirsten
received a certificate for her effort.

We went shopping and had a quiet afternoon at Audrey's.

Cliff and I went to the Spainish Bar and Grill (we made
resevations, but it turned out athat on Monday night the
side of the restaurant that won the National Steak Award
is not opened on Monday nights!!! But we ate there anyway.

The steak I had was a Mallee steak which was quite tasty.
Cliff had the Porterhouse which we both thought was rather
bland.

A Quiet Sunday

On Sunday Audrey wanted us to go the market at Merbin,
but by the time we all had breakfest she said that
as it was now nearly 10:30 a.m. it was too late for
that. So we went to Lock 11 (that is eleven NOT two)
and it turns out it is nota hit and miss thing waiting
for boats to be loweredor raised in the lock. On the
hour boats going 'down'stream towards S.A. pass though
on the hour and boatsgoing up stream pass through on
the half hour.

"The Melbourne" is the last steam paddle boat on the
Murray. There are other paddle boats but they run on
diesel.

We caught it being lowered on the river at 11 a.m.
It runs every day at 10.50 a.m. and 1.50 p.m.

It is the first time I had seen it being lowered.
Last time it was a house boat and they waited for
two to be in and a couple of speed boats, but the
steamer was on its' own.

I took note of the details and said if we didn't
drive back on Monday I would take Kirsten on the
trip on Monday.

I kept mentioning about the steak at The Spanish
Bar and Grill and wanted to book a table but Brian
said there would be no problem getting in.

We had lunch back at the Club again and once more
Kirsten spent the day in the pool. I went in with
her fo awhile, but was tired and went for an
afternoon nap.

Audrey and terry said they would look afetr Kirsten
if Cliff and I wanted to go to the Grill. So we
did, BUT IT WAS BOOKED SOLID TILL 9 p.m. and I was
not going to wait till then to eat tea, so we went
back and had another Bar Be Que at the Club.

Get Real!

Why is there a preception that if a person is over 50, they
need help with how to use computers, mobile phones and
programming their VCR's.

I TAUGHT my grandchildren how to use a computer and a mobile
phone. I don't text a lot as I feel it is quicker to actually
talk to the person you are trying to communicate with!

On top of which I am ANTI anything that usues misspelling to
convey a message! And that is exactly what text messaging
does!

And as for programming a VCR I DO THAT EVERY NIGHT! and there
are a lot of younger people who CAN'T program their VCR's!!!

Saturday 31st October.

The day was hot! It ended up hitting 41. I had hoped
to go to the gym some time in the morning but Audrey
had arranged that we would go to the Mall in the morning
so I did not get to the gym. I had thought she had said
NOT to come till after 10 a.m., but it turns out she
said come BEFORE 10 a.m.

Kirsten and I had breakfest at the club, but I decided
we would not be doing that again as a bowl of cereal
with fruit juice cost $8.50 each!

My feet were hot and so were Kirsten's so we looked at
some of the shoe stores that had tables out and found
some sandles but it was going to cost me $60, but then
my card would not go through! I had to ring up. It seems
that they are claiming I put nearly $6,000 on the card
last month which I know is impossible it was about $4,000.

The young man said that the statements were send out
Friday, so I was expecting it to be at home when I got
back but it is still not here. (9th November)

We ended up having a bar-be-que lunch at the Golf Club
were we were staying. Then Kirsten and I spend the
afternoon in the pool.

We had the celebration for Audrey's birthday at her
friend's Kath's place. Of course Kirsten was the only
person under 50 there.

She watched Toy Story 1 and 2. I sat with her during
2 so she was not alone all night. Afetr all I don't
know these people and I have no memories to talk to
them about as most of the evening was:-
Do you remember when...?"

The Trip to Mildura.

Well it seemed easy except that late Thursday night Cliff
decided to leave at 10.a.m. to avoid the Melbourne traffic.
Kath told me he had been speaking about it in the shop but
he never mentioned it to me.

I made arrangemnets for the delivery of my books to be at
10 a.m. as we were leaving at 11 a.m. and I couln't change
it but I did turn up five minutes early and thank GOD they
were there. I was half way home when the phone rang, Cliff
wanted me to pick up Keith!

I ranted and raved about if he had rung me fifteen minutes
earlier then I could have picked him up when I was down at
McDonalds.

I continued on home grabbed my stuffed and went to Keiths.'
His father had NOT TOLD him about the change of plans and
he still thought we were leaving at 12 p.m.!!

By the time he was ready. He had not showered or packed!
and we got to the shop it was nearly 11 a.m. but Kirsten
was ready and eager to go and it did not take too much
time to say goodbye.

We left at exactly 11 a.m. The trip was not as bad as I
thought it would be. Instead of 12 hours with all the
freeways it is only 9 hours! but that was with three, 15
minute pit stops.

Of course the roadworks held us up going into the city
we were reduced to about 50 kms for half an hour and
then the sings were terribe! We were looking for the
airport sign and did not know we had to take the Todd
Rd exit, huge signs for the airport and little sign for
the Todd Rd exit and nothing about the airport on it,
so we missed it and ended up having to go across the
West Gate Bridge which was also slow!

Ended up on the Western Ring Rd which was pretty good
and got back on track that way. Cliff reckons it
addedd at least half an hour to the trip.

He drove till we reached Caldar and then we swapped over
I thought I was going to drive but Keith did. Cliff was
bad but not as terrible as when we went to Melton. He
keep telling Keith to shut up and repeated it so many
times that HE was more annoying that the rubbish Keith
was talking.

They swapped back at Sea Lake and Cliff drove the rest
of the way to Mildura. We went straight to Audrey's
place and arrived at 8 p.m. exactly.

Grant and terry were already there.

The carport had banners proclaiming Happy Birthday. It
seems that Audrey celebrated with some friends on her
actual birthday which was Thursday.

We're Off!

We are going to Mildura for Audrey's 80th Birthday!
That is Cliff, Keith, Kirsten and myself.

Cliff has decided that we can now leave on Friday at
about 11 a.m. We are driving.

Kath will be doing the shop.

Cliff and I will be doing the driving in turns. He
does not want Keith to drive.

We will be driving back on Monday. So we will be back
in time for Melbourne Cup so I have told people that
though we are not having a bar-be-que this year we
will welcome people for drinks during the race.

It was a Bust!

Curves held a Girls night in like last year. But I never
got a look in at the auction as the only thing I thought
about bidding on was two bottles of scotch for Cliff. But
I had in mind about $20 for the Grant's, it sold for $27,
and $25 for the Johnny Walker, which sold for $31.

I did buy another G bag this time in brown, but it was
$10 dearer than last year.

I noticed again that the bag lady did not look at any
other stall.

Most of the other ladies did look at the various goods
on offer, but I don't think from what I heard that many
sold any thing. It seemed most of the ladies were
saving their money for the auction, which raised over
$800.

A Polite Male Driver!

Today I parked outside Curves in Morwell and a delivery
driver pulled in beside me. He was in a large van which
of course was impossible to see around, as I was backing
out.

He jumped out of his seat and smiled at me, then went
around to the back of the van and checked the traffic
He gave me the all clear signal that I could back out!

He was driving a white van licence plate UMM264. What
is even more amazing this that he was a young man! His
mother should be proud of the way she has brouight up
his young man!

The Big Rip Off!

Running a Sucessful Small Businesss.

I went to a Victorian conference with Sue, in Melbourne.
As expected it was a lot of rah, rah, but I did pick up
a page and a half of useful tips and that spurred me on
to think of more and I ended up with three pages of notes!

Lunch wasn't too bad, I had a club sandwich. I have heard
about them in American shows but have never had one before.
See even I do new things occassionally.

The best part was being able to sit and eat at a table.

The last one of these we went to, we had to stand or sit
on the floor to eat. But I have to admit I like the
Bayview Eden, better than the Bayview On The Park. Nicer
and plusher conference room and nicer and better setting.
It seemed to have fancier furniture too!

Hello! CSI Makes a Mistake!

One of my favourite shows ( despite what Cliff thinks,
'that all shows are my favourite show') is CSI Miami.

I know I nit pick about books and shows but I seem to
see the faults!

Well last Sunday for the first time ever I noticed a HUGH
mistake on the show. The episode was about a murder of a
young female contestent, Grace, on a reality show called
The Marrying Kind.

We are shown two cars one behind the other, parked, waiting
to go to the house. In the second car, Grace is giving her
interview. We can clearly see out the back window at all
times. There are yachts docked at a marina. We hear
someone at a door, Grace turns to the door on her left,
and says "Is it time?,( as the door opens), does my hair
look alright" Then the picture is lost on the camera!

When the murderer confesses, they show the scene from her
point of view. She walks behind the car, and just before
she opens the door, she throws a jamming device (to
interfere with the video recording) under the rear wheel.

Yet in the video of Grace talking NO-ONE WALKS BEHIND THE
CAR WHILE SHE IS TALKING!!!

That was a major boo boo. The minor one was the placing
of the jamming device. It was done BEFORE the woman
opened the door. Yet on the video we hear the door opening
and Grace talking! (impossible if the jamming device was
actually working!)

Bad Drivers

On Thursday I was heading south along Maryvale Crescent,
and indicated that I was turning left into Ann St (in
Morwell, Vic, Australia). It was about 10.30 a.m.

I had the right of way at the intersection as the trafic
on Ann St has a GIVE WAY sign. There was a silvery Ford SUV
travelling east along Ann St, licence plate number FOP 768,
which had to give way to me, but thefemale male driver
ploughed straight through the sign. Icould see she wasn't
even looking so I hit the brakes and she still didn't look
or notice me.

Then at about 11.10 a.m. Friday I was driving along the
Service road in Morwell, and turned at the McDonald's
traffic lights, to head south and go to McDonald's where I
was meeting someone, at 11 a.m.

I usally hit the gas when the light change, as if all the
devils in hell were after me. But today I was day dreaming
at the traffic lights, (THANK GOD) and it took me a second or
two to realise the lights had changed to green.

I was about ten feet across the highway when a blue sedan
speed through the red light (he was MOVING!) towards Morwell.

If I had of been as quick of the mark as I usually am I
would not be sitting here typing this but in a hospital bed!

I would have gone after him, to get his licence details, only
I was late for my appointment!

When I finished at McDonalds I headed down town. After the
traffic lights on the highway near the post office I indicated
that I wanted to turn right into a 15 minute car space in
front of the NAB, but I did not want to cut across the part
of the oncoming traffic so I waited for the six of so cars
to pass and the fourth car, a white V6 Holden, licence VX 231,
took my spot! Of course it was a rude male driver!

So in two days and being on the road for less than half an
hour I was almost killed twice and had my parking spce stolen!

"Twlight"

Kudos to Stephenie Meyer who has taken a fourth rate Mills
and Boon romance and mixed it with a third rate vampire
story and added a dash of werewoles to come up with a
'best seller.'

As I said yesterday who don't have to be a good writer to
actually have a best seller!

I don't even think there was any editing done at all. When
I went to school I was taught that a group of words with a
Capital letter for the first word and a full stop at the end
HAD to have a verb(an action or doing word) in the group of
words to actually be a sentance. Otherwise it was just a
phase and as such could not stand alone and to try to do
so was bad grammar.

From reading all four books I would recommend them to be
used in high school to illustrate bad grammar, weak
character development, errors in plot and generally 'bad'
english usage.

"Angels and Demons"

Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" was written in the 1990's. It
was the second book he wrote and the first one to feature the
character Robert Langdon.

The "Da Vinci Code" was his third book and the second to feature
Robert Langdon. Yet in the movie "Angels and Demons", there is
mentioned by a priest, Langdon's 'adventures in Paris, as being
anti Catholic Church'!!!

The first two Dan Brown books sold less than 10,000 copies! But
the "Da Vinci Code" really took off! After it's sucess naturally
a movie was made.

Obviously what happened then, was as the movie was also sucessful,
they (being the movie people), went back and took up "Angels and
Demons." (Remember it did not do that well as a book, till after
the "Da Vinci Code"!)

So to cover that fact, they have set it as being AFTER the "Da
Vinci Code"!

Other aspects of the novel they have changed are:-
1. The scientist who was killed was NOT a priest.
2. His body was branded with the Illuminati. It was not on a
piece of paper!
3. It is the scientist's daughter who helps solve the mystery!

In Sept, 2009, Dan Brown's third book in the series was released.
"The Lost Symbol," unlike the first two books, deals with the
symbols related to the Freemasons.

Once more a jolly good read. Even if some people slag off about
it not being 'good writing.'

Often good writing pays very little but a good on the edge of
your seat thriller will become a NUMBER ONE BEST SELLER!

I'm Back

Like Arnie I'm back. So to all my millions of fans out there,
there was no calamity to either myself or my family that stopped
me doing my posts, just a change of providers.

I had been with Iprimus for at least two years with no problem,
except at times often weeks at a time not having ANY internet
connection.

When my contract was up (two years) a young man rang me and
asked did I want to bundle my phone and internet with Iprimus.
If I did so I would receive $10 off my internet cost of $24.95
for 400MB. The cost of my phone would remain the same about
$30 to $35 depending on the number of calls I made. I agreed
to do this.

The first bill came in and they had charged me for the $24.95.
I rang and was credited with the $10 back, but each month they
continued to charge me $24.95 for my internet. When it reached
$70, I wrote and explained to them that they were overcharging
based on my conversation with the young man.

About two weeks later I recevived another bill again $10 over
charged and a letter stating that MY CONTRACT has always been
$24.95, and it would remain so, but to add insult to injury
I was told that I had exceeded my monthly allowance by some
700MB and there would be an excess charge of over $50.

This was to punish me for my complaint as it was impossible to
go over my limit, when for two weeks in that month I did not
have internet access!

On top of which when I first started on the internet I was on
it about three hours a day doing research for my writing, down
loading pictures and heaps of text. Not once did I exceed my
limit and now all I do is this blog, my e-mails and some
surveys and I hardly look at any web sites or down load any
material, I barely am on the net foe an hour a day and they
say I have used nearly three times my limit.

I DON'T THINK SO!!!

Scrapbooking Binge

Wednesday the 19th August Kath and I went down to Moe and
bought heaps of paper at the K Mart Sale. It was really
weird as we had gone down the week before to spy it out
and nothing was on sale but we saw some great pads of paper
and the very next week they were on special. We spend $126
all up but Kath actually spent more than I did as she wants
to start her 'baby' books.

We had also looked at the specialised shop where we each
spent about $10 but it was really too dear for us.

Because of the shopping I ran late getting Kath to Morwell
where Meg was fuming as she had a hair appointment before
the Pink concert and wnated to go as she said "I'm now half
an hour LATE.!!"

Meg is Gone.

Well Meg was driven to the airport by Donald. Catherine
flew down from Sydney and met her at the airport. They
had time for tea before they left.

Unfortunately the plane was late leaving and instead of a
2 hour break at Dubai they arrived at 7.15 a.m. and had
to leave at 7.45 a.m. so did not get to climb the Dubai
tower and see the sun rise over the desert!

They arrived safely at Heathrow but Meg said that her feet
were swollen and not very sexy!

I send her a SMS but don't know if she got it. Cliff does
not have international dialing on his home phone so could
not call her.

She has 6 days free in England before heading off on the
Con-Tiki tour.

Winter Blues Concert

Luckily the weather though cold ( being a winter night!) was
fine. The sky was clear and there was a wonderful of the stars.

I took a ground cover sheet a blanket, and two pillows. We put
it down about thirty feet from the fire.


We went to the Rossmore first and wished Meg a happy trip. Had
a drink and then went on our way.

So we arrived about an hour after the concert started, but we
stayed outside I enjoyed the music without being deafened!

We had tea there which was included in the cost of the ticket.

It was easy listening music.

When we came back from tea which had taked half an hour we had
to move in about ten feet to the fire but we moved in a toatally
different direction wher I felt the fire was warmer.

About 10 p.m. we had to move inanother ten feet!

The last band came on about then and we were cold by 11 p.m. and
came home.

The only thing was they never built up the fire and I reckon as
the concert started at 7 p.m. and was going to midnight they
should have put more wood at about 9 p.m.

But everyone was friendly and all up it was a very pleasant evening.

Meg's Bon Voyage Party

Meg invited family and friends to go to the Rossmore to
farewell her before she goes on her six week England-
Europe Holiday, but as luck would have it Cliff has
tickets for a Winter Blues Concert night to be held in
Trafgalar.

Turns out Ross got the tickets MONTHS ago for him and
dad to use (he never thinks to include ME!!!) but then
there is this big concert in Melbourne and he bought
tickets for that and then realised he had the Blues
tickets so now I get to go, but miss out on farwelling
Meg, but as we live together I'm sure I'll see her
sometime in the next week!

Women Drivers are Best!

Encountered a lovely woman driver today! In Morwell
car rego number TPT 707. In a dual lane road she
moved over into the inner lane so that I could merge
with the traffic! I have never seen a male driver
be that curtsy.

Seven Days Baby Sitting (Day Seven)

Seven Days Baby Sitting (Day Six)

Dropped the other kids off at school and picked up the
work for Sam.

We were ready to start at 9 a.m. sharp. By 10.30a.m. I felt
we both deserved a break and I told Sam to walk the dogs
around the block. Ross didn't want him to go on his own
as he felt it was too much responsibility for Sam. But
I felt Sam needed to know I trusted him.

He walked them around twice. Poor old puppy was worn out!

I had made myself a cup of coffee and was enjoying that.
Sam had already eaten his morning snack while we were
working.

We were back at work by 10.50 a.m. We broke for lunch at
12.10 p.m.

While eating lunch we watched "Dirty Jobs" on Pay T.V. We
saw how wine barrels were made and how loggers cut down a
tree. We learned that logging is the second most dangerous
job in the work. The first being deep sea fishing.

The next program was called ASPCA based in New York. We saw
a man who had over 72 live cats in his two stoary house and
162 dead cats in a freezer. He was a hoarder and it is
classified as a mental disease.

We also learned that a wolf's howl does not echo.

We then went back to Sam's 'proper' school work.

I drove up and picked the other two up from school. I showed
Sam's teacher the work he had done and she was very pleased.
She said that was more work rhan he usually did in three weeks
at school. But she did not give me any more work. She said s
he would be 'thrilled' if he did finish all she had given me.

Connor's teacher said that he too has been playing up during
the week and she was very close to sendiing him home too!!!

Dropped them off and showed Donald what Sam had done. Told
him what Connor's teacher said and Donald was not pleased
and told Connor that if he wanted to play soccer on Saturday
he better not be sent home. To behave just one more day!

Glad to get home. But I was too tired and did not get to
sleep before 12 a.m.

Seven Days Baby Sitting (Day Five)

Seven Days of Baby Sititng (Day Four)

I went to bed early (Midnight) but wike up at 4.30 a.m. so
I got to Donald's at 4.50 a.m. He had not even got up so
he left early, but I did nto get back to sleep.

The kids were laughting and calling out at 7 a.m. so I got
them up.

We left so early that not only were we able to go down Hoven
Drive and see the house with the tower and Monfort Manor's
lap lane pool that we arrived at Cliff's at 8.20 a.m.

Seven Days Baby Sitting (Day Three)

Well everything went as it should on Monday. I had come home
from Cliff's on Sunday night so I'd be early at Donald's.

I had a good night sleep and arrived at Donald's and actually
wentb back to sleep till the alarm went off.

Got the kids to school at 8.45 a.m.

Picked them up and took them to Donald's and he was home nice
and early. All up no hassles.

Seven Days Baby Sitting (Day Two)

Up in time and at Donald's. Because I was nice and warm I
did go back to sleep and slept till the alarm went off at
7.45 a.m.

Got the kids to school by 8.40 a.m. ten minutes earlier than
yesterday.

Went to gym right away and then went to bed. Picked the kids
up and as it was Connor's ninth birthday I made them some
pancakes. Maddy wanted to help and even Sam remembered that
the last time I minded them I had made them pancakes.

Stopped in at my place on the way home and picked up Connor's
card and present.

His mum and Aunty had given him a party before she went away.
Stayed for a few minutes while he loked at his card.

Seven Days Baby Sitting (Day One)

Karen went to play darts in Queensland on Wednesday the 22nd
of July so Donald had his kids till she came home on Sunday
the 2nd August.

On the weekdays I had to go to Donald's house at 5.30 a.m.
for him to go off to work. Then get the kids up for school at
7.45 a.m.

Donald had made their lunches and I had to make sure they ate
breakfest and got their lunches and drinks as well as home work
for school.

I had sat at the computer and played games till 5.40 a.m. and was
just going into my bedroom to go to bed when I heard the phone
ringing and thought "Goodness, whos's ringing at this hour?"

It was Donald with "where are you?" "At home" was my reply
"Arn't you suppose to be here?" "Yesw, but I totally forgot, will
be there soon"

He was late leaving for work and I was so cold that I did not
sleep a wink, even my knee caps were cold. That was the first
time I had ever felt cold in my knee caps!

After I dropped the kids off I went to Cliff's and slept right
through till just before 3 p.m. then I went to Curves and then
picked up the kids and took them to Donald's.

He was a bit late because of starting late!

Made sure I was in bed by 2 a.m.

"The Malice Box"

by
Martin Langfield


I must say I really enjoyed reading this. Sort of like an
American Di Vinci Code.

But what really got to me was the referneces in it that I
associated with other books I have read this year.

More On My Credit Card

Well I had to cancel my card. The company virtual demanded it.
They said that it would be 10 to 14 working days before the
replacement arrived.

Today Wednesday 22/07/09 is 13 working days and it still has
not come but at least I have received a letter saying that
the 'travel tickets' purchased by someone and charged to my
account else has been withdrawn.

I am out of fuel, food and am beginning to get calls from all
my direct payments to say that the latest payment could not
come out due to the fact that the card is no longer valid.
Can't do anything about it till the new card arrives!

The Elders Are IT

Well last Wednesday (15th July)I saw the elders walking
up my street and I pulled over and spoke to elder McLean
(it seems so odd to me that I have to adress a twenty
year old young man as an elder!)

It turns out that they were looking for my house.

I pointed it out to them and they walked up while I drove.

But they could not come in as there was no a man present
so I sent them in on their own to have a look while I
waited outside!

I then showed them my yard and elder McLean said that they
would come back on Thursday and cut my lawn!

They did, they not only cut my lawn but they also wipper
snipped and took all the weeds out of my 'herb' garden.

The bin is overflowing with green waste. The place is now
looking half decent!

Ross and Kirsten

Sunday the 19th July was Ross's 30th birthday and Kirsten's
11th birthday. I had spend all Saturday running to the
toilet and was really washed out on Sunday and feeling
hot and cold. During the early hours of Monday morning
I developed a blinding headache. Then at 6 a.m. I barely
made it to the toilet to spew up everything I had eaten
on Saturday night and Sunday (that hadn't come out the
other end!)

I rang Kath and told her I was not well and thus not going
up to Yallourn Nth to see Kirsten and she cracked the shits
well and truly (Again) saying that I could take all my
scrapbooking things away and I was not welcome there any
more!

I lost my temper with her and said that she wanted her kids
treated 'better' than Donald's as with them it can be up to
6 WEEKS before I see them and give them their birthday
presents!

She hung up on me and I have not heard from herv since

I had wanted Cliff to come home with me on Saturday night
so that we could get a good night's sleep as Ross was having
his party on Saturday night. Most of his married friends
came between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and then went home to their
families. Cliff said "See I told you it would be a bust as
he does not organise anything." I said "All his single mates
will turn up about 11 p.m. and stay till 6 a.m." He said
"No, it's a fizza."

By 11 p.m. there were 30 people there! Cliff had had so much
to drink he was sleeping like a baby. A fight broke out about
5 a.m. and the party was over by 6 a.m. and I finally got to
sleep at 6.30 a.m.!

So once again I was coreect, but it did not make me feel any
better! I think not being able to sleep only made me feel sicker!

My Sixtieth Birthday

Well I invited every one for a barbeque at Cliff's and of
course it was a beautiful sunny day on Friday and Sunday
but saturday being my birthday it pissed down with rain
all day. Lucily Cliff has a portable cooking pot that
does heaps of meat (like a barbeque, but without the
burning! so it really is better!)

I am still waiting for an R.S.V.P. from Debbie Gallaghar.
All my other friends said they could not come except for
Karen Campbell. She bought her new man Don along!

Of course I received nothing from Sarah ( but then I did
not expect too), but I was disapponted in Jess, after
all she is 16 now and working part time at Hungrey Jacks.
How hard is it for her to buy a $1 card and a liitle gift
wrapped bar of soap for a couple of $$$. So I told her
that it was pretty bad form. So we will see what happens
at Xmas.

Don Jr bought me flowers, which considering my hayfever is
not really a good gift. I had to leave them at Cliff's
for the week so I really did not get any benifit from them.

Meg gave me $50 towards a new digital camera. Anj gave m
$20 towards scapbooking stuff, which was good as K-Mart was
having a 20% off sale.

Kathleen cried poor (after all she is spending over $200 on
Kirsten's 11th birthday on 19th July, so how could she
afford to give Meg $50 towards a camera for me,) as it was
she and the girls made all the cards they gave me, with MY
scrapbooking papers.

Cliff had a cake made for me, caramel YUM!! he gave me the
receipt for my scrapbooking. I think he really wanted me to
know just how much he spent but the funny thing is I enjoyed
the cake more when I did not know how much it cost. I knew
it was dear but that was good enough, as soon as I found out
it cost $48, it took all the fun out of it.

Is that weird or what?

Off The Air!

I have not had internet access since 1st July! Seems that it
does not like to be connected when the fax machine machine is
connected!

Fussy is what I call it. I have to crawl under a table and
keep unplugging the fax if I want the internet and I am not a
small lady and the sapce is cramped even if I was a small lady!

Ryley's First Birthday

Abandoned!

Thrown out like yesterday's garbage! Yes Wade Walker has dumped me
after two years!

Of course he said nice things, but the fact remains, I'm now all
along in the big bad world.

Now there is nothing between CenterLink and me. I will have to dance
to their merry tune without Wade's protection!

I can't believe that it has been two years. Our time was up on Friday
the 18th of June. What an end of the financial year!

He said that he will drop by the shop occassionally and he would let
me know so that I could bring in my scrapbooking for him to see.

We will see.

Another fact came out. Lena has been put on a disability pension.
My God the woman's only 38 and fitter than a Malleee bull yet I am
knocked back as only 15% physically disabled. Maybe if I had a melt
down I'd get on the pension too. After all she has brought her
illness on herself by her behaviour. Those of us who know how to
behaviour are then PUNISHED!

400!

Thursday 25th June, 2009, today was my 400th workout at Curves
and I hit 107kgs!

Will have to go on the 'diet' plan AGAIN!

B.C. and R.M. at Yarram.

Brain Cadd and Russel Morris at Yarram. AWESOME.

Enjoyed every minute of the 1 and 1/2 hour concert.

Russel is going bald so shaves his head and does what a
lot of balding men do he wears a hat indoors (and out).

Brain has a lovely silver head of shoulder length hair
and a beautiful silver white beard. He needs only a bit
more padding and a red suit and he would make a perfect
Santa!

Ross had a great time he actually held back Brian's beard
while Brian signed autographs. Ross had videoed the whole
show and asked if Brian wanted a copy so is burning him a
copy.

It was not well advertised. I can't belive that it was $38
a ticket and in Sept they having Shannon Noll (who to me is
a nobody in comparsion) and the tickets for that are $48!!!

While waiting for the venue to open. It was held in the
Regent Theatre. We went to the pub up the street and had
wedges with sweet chilli sauce and sour cream. Great on a
cold night!

Catching UP!

Went and had morning tea with Ericka on Tuesday morning
and she showed me the slide show that Jane has done of
her wedding. It was lovely. We went through it twice.

Because of Jane's divorce they were married by celebrant
Ms. Wilson, out at Raes... on April, 18th 2009.
Her new name is Manzo.

She looked absolutely radiant. I can't believe how
beautiful she is looking and not just because bride's
look beautiful.

Bad Men Day

At Hazel's party Karen told me all about Ted. Turns out he
ran off with Diane. No wonder I have not heard from her!

Apparently they are living around Gormondale way.

Anyway Don, Diane's husband had been 'crying' on Karen's
shoulder and vice versa and now they have ended up together!

This lead other ladies to tell stories about 'the man' in
their life who had most hurt them.

I did not know that Judy had been married TWICE before.
Just like me!

I remember first meeting her when I was doing AVON when she
was a Cunningham. She said that her ex mother in law still
lives opposite my house in Yallourn Nth.

60 Things I Have Done Before My Sixty Birthday

I thought about the book on a list of things to achieve in
your life and then when I was scapbooking with Kath a woman
did 40 Things I have Done Before My 40 Birthday so I thought
WHY NOT? So here are the 60 things (and they wewren't men!)
I have done before my 60 birthday of couse some are more
unique than others but here goes.

1. Have ridden on a Sydeny Harbour ferry, a hydrofoil, a
monorail, a double decker and single decker bus, a double
decker and single decker train, a Sydney and Melbourne tram.
2. I have flown in planes.
3. I have eaten, a lobster, quail, caviare, shrimp, prawns,
oysters, octopus and crabs.
4. I have played golf, tennis, squash, table tennis and ten
pin bowling.
5. I have ridden both a push bike and a motor bike.
6. I have been caned.
7. I have been to the zoo both enclosed and open plain.
8. Been to both the royal Melbourne Show and the Royal Easter
Show.
9. Have gone fishing and caught a lobster.
10. Walked on a beach at midnight.
11. Smoked a joint (often) and took L.S.D (once) in my wild
youth.
12. Been to an International EXPO.
13. Been to an International Psychology Conference.
14. Been married and divorced twice.
15. Had three children.
16. Been in a 5 km race and won a first place prize.
17. Bought a new car.
18. Bought a block of land.
19. Bought two houses.
20. Been engaged four times.
21. Sent an e mail.
22. Started a BLOG.
23. Owned numerous mobile phones though only one at a time.
24. Made cakes and decorated them.
25. Attended weddings, a naming ceremony, christenings and a
funerals.
26. Written poems, a novel and short stories, and won two
Honourable mentions for two short stories, read my poems
on radion and performed them in publicand had one of my short
stories published in a national magazine.
27. Owned a laptop.
28. Have an MP3 palyer.
29. Joined a Gym.
30. Partaken in a midnight feast.
31. Had a pillow fight.
32. Learned to paint with acrylics, watercolours, and oils.
33. Learned many craft activities.
34. Started scrapbooking.
35. Been in a graveyard at midnight on Halloween.
36. Been to the most eastly and sotherly points of main land
Australia.
37. Found an opal at Lightning Ridge.
38. Collected stamps.
39. Hand knitted a scraf and machine knitted dresses for ny
daughters.
40. Made dressses for my girls.
41. Sold and bought books on E-Bay.
42. Broken bones in my body.
43. Gone to the drive in theatre.
44. Been involved in a car accident.
45. Gone camping.
46. Seen a total eclipse of the sun and moon.
47. Seen Hally's Comet.
48. Saw Neil Armstrong walk on the mooon.
49. Been to both Sydney and Melbourne Luna Parks.
50.Won 3rd prize in the Annuakl School Swimming Competition
at Marist Sisters' College, Woolwich, in 1967.
51. Went skinng dipping when on holiday at Linderman Island.
52. Seen three dead bodies.
53. Had a glamour photo session.
54. Sailed a catamaran and rowed a row boat.
55. Watched a sunrise.
56. Climbed a mountain and drank champagne while watching
the sunset.
57. Won the "Big" knowledge competition at the local library
and was given a trival pursuit game.
58. Been in the cockpit of a plane.
59. Am a grandmother a step-grandmother a step great grandmother.
60. I have been a working mother.

On the Subject of My Credit Card

While checking the credit card statements after the shock on
Friday I came across the bed that I purchased from Wenatex.

On checking the payments I find that the deposit I had to
make when the bed was delivered to me has simply disappeared
into the ether. I have rung Wenatex and they referred me to
Certegy and when I rang them they have referred me back to
Wenatex I have left messages at both places and of course have
not heard back from either at this point in time (5.13 p.m.
Tuesday 9th June, 2009.)

OMG!

Received my credit card statement on Friday and found a
payment for $1,526.28 that I did not put on the card.
Of course I rang straight away and am disputing the charge,
but really it is for tickets from a travel agent overseas
bought on the intrenet! I live in Australia why would I
buy tickets from an overseas travel agent? Why didn't the
alarm bells go off?

MG when I bought three pairs of shoes (Less than $200) the
company was ringing me within 5 minutes and when I bought
$250 worth of baby goods (I am in my 50's) I had not
completed the ten steps required to take me from the register
to the door of the shop before they were ringing me to check
that I had made the purchase yet they see nothing
wrong with this transaction????

A Busy, Busy Day.

Saturday 6th June, 2009. What a day! Awake at 6 a.m. and
of course with Cliff tossing and turning I could not get
back to sleep.

I read till 8 a.m. then we got up and dresssed. Went and
did the three Traralgon garage sales. The first and third
one were busts but we spent over $60 on the second one!

Then down to subway for breakfest and rushed to Morwell.
One garage sale was actually on tomorrow and we did only one
other. Where Cliff got this great train and fire engine!
I found some nice photo albums. Like little brag books!

Dropped him at the shop and went to find where Hazel lives
to give her the paperwork for her party. I knew she lived
off Vary st and was driving down that street thinking it was
on the right hand side and I saw a notice for a garage sale
not in the paper. I went and checked it out and they had some
nice blue glass.

Told the man I would bring back the other half as he was into
that.

Looked up the map and found Hazel's was the street that had been
blocked off from Vary St and you only get to it from Hourigan Rd.
To top it of it was one of those houses with a hundred stairs up
to it!

As soon as I walked into the house I saw that she was INTO DUCKS!
They were everywhere!

Of course I mentioned that and she said that she had seen the ducks
in the catologue and that was what she wanted.

I said that there were two types of elephants and that many people
collected them as well. She said that she had this friend that
collected cows. I said "It wouldn't be Karen Campbell" and she
said "Yes, it is!" Yet Karen had not invited Hazel to her party!
Hazel told me that Karen and Ted have split up!

From there I raced home to do the dishes and the clothes only to
find that Meg had bolted the front door and I did not have the back
door key. I rang her, but she was playing netball in Heyfield and
was not coming home till Sunday!

Had a phone call from Barbara and she wanted a book. But by then
it was twelve and I went back to the shop and Cliff closed up as
it had been slow for the last half an hour.

I drove him to the 'glass' garage sale and he did buy them (but as
he was taking them out of the car when he was at home he found that
the best one had broken! (Isn't that the way?) He also bought a
nice looking sideboard. It was for the Rosedale shop.

We then went and dropped the book off at Barbara's and then back to
his house! I then started packing up all the display items from the
lounge room.

"The Next Thing on My List"

I read this book by Jill Smolinski this week. It was called
"The Next thing on my List" The list was entitled
'20 Things to Do by My 25th Birthday' and was as follows:-
1. Lose 100 pounds.
2. Kiss a stranger.
3. Change someone's life.
4. Wear sexy shoes.
5. Run a 5K.
6. Dare to go braless.
7. Make Buddy Fitch pay.
8. Be the hottest girl in Oasis.
9. Get on T.V.
10. Ride in a helicopter.
11. Pitch an idea at work.
12. Try boogie boarding.
13. Eat ice cream in public.
14. Go on a blind date.
15. Take Mom and Grandma to see Wayne Newton.
16. Get a massage.
17. Throw away my bathroom scale.
18. Watch a sunrise.
19. Show my brother how grateful I am for him.
20. Make a big donation to charity.

The main character June goes to Weight Watchers and on her
first night offers to drive another girl home. The second
girl is Marrisa and has just received her pin for maintaining
her weight loss of 100 lbs.

A set of drawers falls off a truck and June swerves to avoid it.
At that very moment the two women had been talking about Marissa's
weight loss and she had unbuckled her seat belt to reach into
the back seat where her purse was. As a result she is thrown
threw the front windscreen and then the car turns over and lands
on her. Naturally she dies.

Personally I don't know any woman who does not keep her purse
right next to her even in the tiny space of a car front seat.
Also if the driver swerves then the force of that would throw
a person sideways and NOT forwards. Even if somehow the
passanger DID go frontwards when the car is going sideways how
could the car then run over that passanger? as they are going in
two different directions. I can't believe that all these faults
were not picked up and corrected before publication. Or maybe I
am too critical, but there are 'correct' ways of killing off a
character.

Then for some unknown reason June goes through Marissa's purse
and finds the LIST. Who would do such a thing?

Feeling guilty she decides that SHE WILL COMPLETE Marissa's list.

Despite the glaring faults that it started with the story ended
up being an enjoyable read.

13 Years

Finally used the Valentine's voucher I won for my poem at
Curves. It was $100 at Gaztronomy. I booked a table for
7 p.m. and Cliff and I were the only ones there till 7.40 pm.
when another couple came in.

Cill had three glasses of red wine and I had the soup to begin.
It was veal and vegies, but a little too spicy for my palate.

We then had the prawn entree, which once again I thought was
too spicy, but Cliff said it seemed OK to him.

I had the veal main meal and he had beef, and as before I
thought it too spicy. The total cost for the night was $135.

I asked the wairess to take a photo of us and will scape
book it later.

I think it is the first time in months that we have really
talked, but that is what happens when you see so much of
someone, you get caught up in the mundane events of the day
and forget the big picture.

I had a really nice night and just hope that we will have
many more such nights.

Meg Turns 32!

Mark took Meg to Melbourne for the week end and they had
a spa bath in their room which she says was WONDERFUL, but
she has been very tight lipped about the week end so I have
no idea if they went out to dinner or a show or as cliff
said christened the bed over and over again!

On the Sunday which was her actual birthday they came home
and she bribed Don, Kath and family to come over and have
a drink with her and Mark, by buying them 8 (that's right,
EIGHT) different types of pizza!

Cliff and I rang and wished her Happy Birthday, but did did
not go over. We are getting too old to go out at night just
to have one drink with someone and after all we are the
oldies and they get on better with each other with all the
young ones together. (we often feel out of place as the only
'old' ones there!)

A Big Morning Tea.

Well despite the fact that Dorothy left my inheritance
of $150,000 to Cancer Research and I am struggling on
a government benifit. I decided to hold a big morning
tea fund raiser. I send 30 invites by mail and hand
delivered another 30 with an R.S.V.P. and guess how many
replies I got? ZIP, that's right none, a big fat zero.
Where are people's manners these days? I really believe
that people are forgetting the niceities of life.

TAFE 2009

I received a communication from TAFE inviting me to
participate in this year's writing course, but as it
was poetry with Violeta I decided that I would not
waste my money.

I am still waiting on the feed back from my final
'short story' submission from last year. Beryl said
that she received hers back last week but thought it
was because she is doing the poetry class this year.
So how long do I have to wait?

Jess Turns 16!

Jess's birthday was Wednesday 20th May. We celebrated
by going to...Kath and Nathan had to borrow $50 to go
but feed the kids before hand so it did not cost too
much. I was disappointed that Donald did not tkae his
kids, as I'm sure that Karen would have done the same
thing for him.

Jason came for Angela but not Brad. Meg also went solo,
though Mark had coome over just before we left wanting
to know did she want to watch a video with him. She said
that she had other arrangements and that it was his fault
that he was missing out on seeing 'the other side of the
family.'

The restrauant ask us to leave at 9 p.m. but they had
forgotten to bring out the birthday cake! All up the
service was very slow! It cost Cliff $33 for our tea
and $55 for drinks, but he was the only one who shouted
anyone else a drink!

Much to Jess's disappontment Melissa did not come nor
did she allow any of the biys to come even though Jared
wanted to come!

Grandparents Day, Stockdale Rd 2009

Meeting Pam Again

On Saturday I went to Kim's with Cliff and met Pam
again. The last time I met her was at Gosford
nearly 20 years ago. She is certainly not looking
well and not keepinp her age. She looks closer to
75 than 70. But I have to laugh as she claims she
is only 67 and Don Snr said she was two years younger
than he was so that makes her 69 this year.

She is still a lovely lady to talk to and most lady
like in her mannerisms it's hard to see her having
an affair behind her husband's back but that is what
she did. So manners doesn't make the person.

She was saying that she and Kim are leaving on Friday
morning and they hope to be 'home' by Monday. She
is not enjoying the cold.

Angela was saying that she came down about 8 years ago
when she and Jason were to marry and though the wedding
was cancelled, it was too late for Pam to get a refund
so she came down. That is the only other time she has
come. But I did not caught up with her then.

Wind

...and I am not talking flatulence, is a terrible
thing. Bad enough when a day is cold and wet but
when you add wind it makes the day a 100% more
miserable.

"He's Not That into You"

Loved reading this, but like all relationship books
it really is aimed at women.

Perhaps that is because men don't do relationships.
Yet truth be told THEY are the ones in need of help!

I guess it's because they just don't care! I'd love
to see a book "She's not that into You" and what men
have to do to improve their relationship with the
woman they are dating!

Mother's Day 10th May 2009

This must have been one of the best Mother's Days EVER!
Meg came around about 2 p.m. and I was reading "He's Just
Not That Into You." So we talked about the book for about
half and hour as she is reading it too.

Then she went and made me pancakes with maple syrup and
banana pieces YUM!

After we ate we talked about our relationships. (Brought
on by reading the book of course!)

I spent 19 hours in bed on Mother's Day! It was lovely just
a pity I could not get more sleep but as usual Ross had his
music on TOO loud.

Meg left at 3.30 p.m to go and move her stuff out of Simon's.
Donald was helping her. He had rung in the morning to wish
me Happy Mother's Day and Meg said he was coming over after
they moved her stuff but he never turned up which was a
disappontnment.

I had barely got to sleep when Kath, Nathan and the MOB turned
up just before 4.30 p.m. Both girls gave me lovely cards.
I understand that no one has a lot of money at the moment.

After they left at 5.30 p.m. Cliff came to bed and as usual
was asleep and snoring within two minutes, but I was really
tired and went off to sleep too. Waking up at 7 p.m.

As I wanted to watch "Bones" and he didn't he went back to
bed. I think it is terrible for a healthy man to be sleeping
so much. He sleeps abot 12 hours a day!

I also said that it was about time Cliff stopped 'taking' the
boys to visit their mother's grave on Mother's Day. After all
she was not his mother and the 'boys' are 28 and 29 and Keith
does drive so they are quite capabale of going themselves and
Cliff said if he didn't take them they would not remember and
I said well that was their problem not his after all they are
not children but MEN!

Reading Bonanza

Spent the week end reading!

Proof Positive!

I heard on the T.V. last night that the Moe Abattoirs
has lost two of its backers and may have to close.

I immediately rang Cliff and he said that he had told
Donald, Meg and I at lunch on Tuesday and that proves
that I do not listen to a word he says. I said that
the story did not seem familiar to me in any way.
Not one word.

So at lunch time today (Friday 17th) Don Jr turned up
and I asked him and Meg do they remember him telling
us that story Tuesday and they BOTH said NO. Donald
said he was told by Cliff on Wednesday and Meg had
not heard about it at all!

So it is I that has the proof that he does NOT tell
me things!

Easter 2009

Well Cliff and I had a lazy Easter. I had already given
Kath's children their Easter eggs and Donald's lot were
at Robinvale visiting Karen's father.

So Meg and Donald said they would go to Yallourn Nth to
visit Kath and the kids for Easter Sunday.

I ended up giving Don'd kids their eggs on Tuesday 14th
April. (Donald still has the basket of eggs that I bought
for his kids from last year. I reckon they would be past
their use by date by now!)

Janette and Fred Get Married!

Well she did it! Janette married Fred at last. They were
first boyfriend and girlfriend but after a silly quarrel
broke up and went their seperate ways and married other
people.

WhenJ anette's marriage to Nigel broke up she went home
to visit her relations in England and reconnected to Fred.
His wife was dieing of cancer.

Two years later she went back for another visit and Fred's
wife had died. They got together and realized they still
liked each other. She came home and he kept ring and
sending flowers so she moved over there for about two years.

Then they decided to move here to Australia. They have been
here about 18 months and live in a lovely new house they
built in Newbrough.

They finally got all their relatives togehter and married on
Easter Saturday 11th April 2009, at Emerald Gardens, at Moe
South.

Cliff and I were invited and then Cliff invited Kirsten who
stayed the night, at his house. I had intended to drop her
off at home on the way to the wedding.

I had only wanted to go to the wedding, not the recption.
It turned out that Janette and Fred had booked us for a meal
at the recption so then I felt really bad for taking along
Kirsten as it would cost them more money for her, so I said
no we would not go to the reception, which I had never
expected to be invited to anyway!

Donald and Meg said that she would be furious with me as they
would have had to pay for the meal even if Cliff and I didn't
go, but the truth was that we both felt really buggered and
as we only really knew Janette we decided that it would be
better not to go. We talked about it at the wedding, at
Kath's place and again when we got back to Cliff's and it was
just too much. Neither of us have been feeling that great
lately, just a bit run down. So I hope Janette is not too cut
about us not going to the reception.

Talhia/Kirsten Swap

When I rang Sue Hill it was to discover that she had
made no effort to throw me a party tonight! In fact
she isn't sure she'll have one this month!

So instead of rushing over to Traralgon to 'her party'
Idecided to stay home and sleep! So i rang Cliff and
told him I'd bee over tomorrow!

I was sleeping and the phone rang and it was Kath
wanting to know if I'd have Talhia overnight. As I
have only had her once before I agreeded before I
remembered that I had not stocked up on groceries as
I was orginially going to Cliff's I have no bread,
eggs, or milk.

They turned up close to 6.30 p.m. I had heard Meg
having a shower just before they came but she had
left already, though they did see Mark outside.
Meg went to Donald's award night for cricket he got
a pennant for winning the grand final three trophies
and one continuning plaque.

Talhia was disappointed that Aunty Meg was not here.
I think she only wanted to stay to see Aunty Meg.
As soon as she woke up on Friday morning she was
in waking her up which gave Meg about four hours
sleep!

I ended up going and getting us breakfest from
McDonald's. I got two double bacon burgers for
Talhia and I, but when I got them home it was to
find that was all they had on them NO EGG at all!

Just after twelve Nathan came and picked up Talhia
and dropped off Kirsten whom Cliff and I will take
home tomorrow when we go to Fred and Janette's
wedding.

Party Plan Blues

I have worked for a number of companies over the years
and it seems to me that party plans always seem to
fall down in at least one area.

For some it is an overpriced product.

Others it is not enough product so that half your guests
don't get what they ordered and you are running around
for weeks trying to catch up with 'old' parties while at
the same time trying to organize new parties.

For others it is a poor quality product.

For others is is inefficiency in training and follow up.

And for others it is poor staffing in their managemnet and
office.

Many boast of the 'well paid' returns but when you build
all the time into the equation, not just the time giving
the party but the unpacking the packing up the paper work
and finally the deliveries it works out at about $12 an
hour and most people earn $15-$18 in part time or causal
work these days.

So is it really worth all the hassle even though you are
working 'your hours' rather than a company's hours?

Don Jr is 35!

I really feel sorry for Don Jr as I said at the time,
from now on his birthday will be marred because it is
the day after his father's cremation.

Every other member of the family gets together to
celebrate their birthday but this year we did not
do that for Donald.

I asked him to come to Cliff's after he dropped off
the children and he did. So I gave him his present
then. It was the little Collingwood bear, that Cliff
had thrown out of the house because it was a
COLLINGWOOD bear.

Also the red and white Jim Bean Top. I got the x
large as he is a big boy but he complained to Meg
on his birthday (on Monday) that I must not know
his size as it was HUGH. I like them to be roomy
on a bloke. He was hoping that Meg would be jealous
but I think it was Simon that was into the Jim Bean
'goodies' even though it is Meg's drink.

Meg went up and cooked him a meal, but it was not
a late night as he had to go to work early the next
day. Don't know what Kath did for him.

2nd April 2009

Well it is now one year since Don Snr died.

Kath was crying over the littlest thing while we did
scrapbooking on Wednesday.

Donald has been biting my head off all week and Meg
is just her usual snapping self. Sometimes I think
she has permanent P.M.S.

We went to the top pub for lunch where Anglea joined
us.

I told them stories of Don Snr's life as as a child.
Some of these stories my children had already heard.

I also told them of how I met Don, which they had not
heard.

Most of us had the $9.95 special lunch which was just
enough. Don Meg and Angela had the 'normal' meal as
they werestraving and it was half the size again of
the lunch time special meal.

All up it was a good lunch and a great day. We left
laughing and not crying.

I think we truly celebrated Don's life rather than
grieved over his death.

That is the way I want to be remembered not with grief
but with happiness.

I want people to be glad they knew me rather than sad
that I am no longer with them.

Monday 30 th March

Well I met Kath as planned and we went to Curves and I got
my $5 auction money. However they were very busy and Brenda
was a triffle brusque, which Kath found offensive. Also
there was a bit too much pressure to join both from Brenda
and Maria.

But I reckon I did not do too badly as I only bought along
two people and one of them joined, some people came in with
up to six friends and family and none joined!

Kath was staying in Morwell till 4 p.m. when Nathan was
picking her up on his way back from exchanging a car part
in Traralgon.

So we used the time to go up to Donald's house and help
clean it up. Kath did the bathroom and toilet and I did
the stove top, micro wave and the outside of the stove.
I got Donald to do the inside of the oven and the racks.
I did the washing up, as well as dusting the mantle and
cleaning the table in the lounge room.

The place had to look fit for Uncle Bill who was planning
on coming down to spend the 2nd April through to the 5th
with the kids, because it has been a year since Don Snr
died. But Bill rang on Wednesday to say he would not be
able to come after all as his car was playing up and the
money he was going to use for the trip would be needed
to fix the car.

What a Friday...

and it wasn't even the 13th! Firstly I was running late to
do my deliveries, but I managed to get to the shop on time,
only to find that Kath had not arrived.

I rang her and Nathan answered. He had mistakenly taken
Kath's phone ( wasted cost) so I then had to ring her on
his phone. She had completely forgotten about coming down
to go to the gym with me.

As he was out and she had Ryley it meant that I had to
cancel the gym appointment and make another one for Monday.

When I got home I found that my water botle had leaked.
In fact three quarters of it was laying in the bottom of my
bag!

I was lucky I had made the appontment with Michelle Edgell
for 12 p.m. as it was quite a mess to clean up.

I arrived at Michelle's only about two minutes late. But as
I turned off at Gunn's Gully I had realized that I had
forgotten Heather's order, Because of the Reflection Center
I had put it in a box in the laundry and that was were it was
still sitting!

But worse was to come as we were sorting out the orders I
realized I had also left most of Michelle's and Tracery's
order in a box on the dinning room table!

Heather lives in Morwell and we arranged that when she picked
her daughter up from schoo, I would drop off the two boxes.
Thankfully all went well with that!

I had prepared a package of PartyLite material for Paula only
to find that when I tried to call her my mobile phone it was
not working. It then hit me it was also in the bottom of my
bag when the water leaked!

I had no idea of her home address to drop off the material.

I had written an acceptance for Janette's wedding and dropped
that off with no problems.

When I got home I was really cross as the phone was still not
working. I tried leaving it in the sun to dry out when I
brought in the towels and hung out the second load but it
still did not work. I had wanted to ring Lena about her order.
About an hour later Lena rang and said she had all her money
for me so I took around her items but found that I had forgotten
her large candle and that the gift certificate that I thought
was mine was actually hers!

Dropped off the presents for Maddie and Sam. As Don was not home
I left them on the back verandah. Then dropped off tghe stuff
at Lena's but I forgot to ask her about coming to the gym next
week.

For the first time this year I got to Cliff's before 6.15 p.m.
only to have to wait till 6.30 p.m. before he came home!

I was really thankful that nothing further went wrong!

Scrapbooking at Kath's

Was disappointed to find that Kath had not brought any
of my gear out from the shed and as I was half an hour
late it meant that I did not get started till about 10
a.m. Kath had brought her stuff out!

Also Kirsten was at home sick and she hung around me
sulking because she could not help and she was bored!

I was lucky to get one page done and then Kirsten wrecked
it as I had an arrow pointing at the photo and decised to
put black ribbon around the photo and she saw that the arrow
was not pressed down and as I was cutting off a lenght of
ribbon she decided to 'help' by pressing down the arrow!
Of course I then had to try and get it up again to put the
ribbon around the picture and two of the stones came off and
it ended up being an arrow with NO POINT on it! Bad enough
when I wreck a layout but I was really pleased with this one
as every thing was going gerat till then.

I don't think in all the layouts I have done that there is ONE
that I have been 100% pleased with!

Spotlight V.I.P. Sale

Well Kath and I had a ball at the sale. I was very good and
only spend $19, but then I have a lot of materials already.

Kath on the other hand has almost nothing and spent $156 and
now has albums for all the kids foe school and sport plus
enough to do her wedding album.

We can't wait till next Wednesday.

Scrapbooking Wednesdays

Well I have been going to Kath's as planned for scrap
booking, but as yet we have not done one layout. We
have sorted out photos and embellisments and looked
through books for ideas and are now going shopping on
Friday 20th March to stock up at the 40% off sale at
Spotlight.

So it has taken six weeks and 4 visits to get this far
but hopefully next week we can get a few layouts done.

I want to catch up on the events of last year and Kath
wants to do her wedding album and scrap some of those
photos.

Lena's Party

It was a busy day on Wednesday 4th March. First I had gone to the shop to see Audrey, but she did not come over

Audrey Thornton

Cliff's mum had to go to Bendigo in Jan this year to have
surgery done on her left knee, but the doctor noticed she
was walking 'crookedly' and got an Xray of her right knee
which was operated on 13 years ago. The rod that was placed
in her knee had moved and it was causing problems so instead
of replacing the left knee, the doctor had to fix the right
knee.

She spend a week in hospital and then two weeks in a care
facility and then two weeks in Bedigo with friends. She was
preparing to go home when she got a phone call from the
Parkington hospital re her medication. Every year it has
to be adjusted and there was a vacancy for her right away.

So she came to Melbourne. She was only in hospital for a
week and they like the patient to say for at least ten days.
They would not let her go back to Mildura on her own so she
opted to come to Cliff's for a week.

He picked her up on Tuesday 3rd March. Naturally I had to
do the shop all day when he went to pick her up. But worse
I was expecting him back by 2 p.m. but he did not come back
till 4.30 p.m. as he decided to 'go shopping' at the cheap
export placees while he was down there. He never mentioned
this to me before he went!

I was exhausted as I had very little sleep on Monday night.

Coffee (Again)

A couple of weeks (three) ago Coles had a Nescafe special
on their sachet coffee. They now have Mocha and Latte (Slim)
(in other words less fat.) There is also a new variety
Chocolate Mudcake flavour, which is rather like hot Cocoa.

Kirsten, Brody and Lacy loved it, but Karen (Roberts) (like me)
thought it was too 'hot chocolatey.'

Have not done the scapebook project YET, but am organizing my
'paperwork' with Kath over the last couple of weeks and hope to
be able to start doing projects SOON. We may even do a couple
of weeks in a row to get going.

Slacko!

So much for the New Year's promise of doing two blogs a week (min)
and thus eight a month!

I have been so busy getting the PartyLite Business going that I
have neglected my blog, but no more.

More effort will be put into it even if I only write a few lines,
better than no word at all.

It only matters to me as I have no-one following me.

I am certainly not the next undiscovered Shakespeare (thank god,
who can tell what he was writing about anyway..) It really requires
a dictionary to understand what he wrote.

Will that happen to all the present great literature today? In
500 hundred years will no-one be able to understand English from
the early twenty first century? Something to ponder - that is
the trouble with a living language, it grows and chnage.

Drive Way Madness

I went to the Traralgon Shell Station on Sunday to fill my
car and was pleasantly surprised to find the cost of petrol
was down to $1.18.9 cents a litre. For during thr week at
Morwell I had noticed it had shot up to $1.22.9 cents.

But the set of pumps in front of me were not working and I
noticed that it was the same for each line at the station.
So much for closing the station down for a few months to add
more pumping units, when they are now not working!!

The station was so busy I had to go to a set of pumps on the
'wrong' side of my car. I had filled up and was just starting
to clean my windows (as even with the rain we have had in the
last week there was still a considerable amount of soot on my
windows) when a car pulled in behind me and the man statrted to
fill up.

I was just going in to pay when he came out from paying. I had
to wait for the three people in front of me to pay and when I
came out the man behind me was backing up. He yelled out his
window "The driveway is not all day parking!" I felt really
embarassed for his poor wife who was sitting in the front
passanger seat. How rude of him.

But I had the last laugh. He pulled up at the lights on the
highway to turn right into Breed St and I went down the parrallel
alley. Of course I was at the intersection of Kay St well before
he was! so much for all his hurry and bluster! Fools never prosper!

Black Saturday

Well as usual I was staying at Cliff's. I went to bed
about 4.30 p.m. for my nanny nap and the next thing I
knew Cliff was waking me up. I was really disorintated
as it appeared to be so dark. I had set the alarm for
7.20 p.m. and it looked like it was neare 9 p.m.

I stumbled out into the kitchen and looked at the clock
and it said 6 p.m. I couldn't understand it and then
Cliff said to go out the back. So I went into the back
yard and the sky was blood red as far as the eye could
see. I went back inside and got my phone and took photos.

It didn't matter if you looked south towards the fires or
north, east or west. It was the same. The sky was red
and evry thing else appeared black. It was so dark that
the street lights had come on automatically. A car came
up Pollack Ave as I was taking a photo and you could see
the smoke from the fires swirl in the car's head lights.

Done

Well it nearly killed me but I got the six parties needed
to become a 'qualified' PartyLite consultant.

I asked Kerry and she said yes, but had to rush off to a job
interview at the local R.S.L.

That night the R.S.L. rang her and offered her a job! I have
been trying for a job since 1993 and now at 59 and 1/2 do not
expect to get one. Well she won't be on the permanment roster
till March so said she can't give me a party till then.

Janette Chipperfield said she would give me a party but fell
off Fred's push bike and broke her wrist. She and Fred are
getting married on Sat April 11th 2009 and she will not be able
to give me a party till after that!

Kylie Cowen was busy with the new 'boyfriend' but has booked a party
for Thursday 19th February.

Sue Hill's father in law took a turn for the worse, but she
rebooked the party for 21st or 22nd February and will confirm
the date later this week.

So I managered to get 7 parties all up for the first business month
and will meet my quota of $2,800 worth of sales.

I have 6 parties booked for the second month and only need 1 more to
be sure of reaching the $2,800 mark.

However I am worried about the third month as it will be Easter and
what with that and possibly people going on hoildays and buying 'eggs'
it means finding 7 parties for two weeks!

I started with a rush and looks like I have to finish in a rush.

Such is life.

Where Does The Time Go?

Often I wonder just where does the time go? However did I
manger to do so much and fit a full day's work in as well?

I no longer work and I have no husband or children to chase
around after (except for Meg! as sometimes I have to hang out
her clothes that she doesn't get time to do it before work or
bring them in if it looks like rain or do the dishes as it
seems she has forgotten what a sink is for).

Last year at this time I was easily reading 3 books a week
and I'm hard pressed this year to fit in one!

Of course it has been hectic trying to orgainise the six
parties needed to start up as a Part Lite Consultant but
I'm giving it my best effort!

Party Lite Party Excitment.

Well I had my second party on Saturday 17/0/09 and thanks
to Cliff spending $199 I achieved $565.15 in sales and
qualified to receive the Fresh Home Pack valued at $235.
So I was happy! Not bad since I only had three people
there, though they were people who had not seen the
products before!

Mowing At Yallourn Nth

Went to Yallourn Nth and cut half the front lawn. It took
two and half hours! I went with Kirsten the first time,
on Tuesday 6/01/09. Turned out that was green waste day
and they had already emptied my side of the street, but by
the time they did the other side of the street at 10.15 a.m.
Kirsten had run the bin, (which was almost full!) over and
after they emptied it she bought it back again!

She had to bring the bin back from their farm as Nathan had
taken both my bins down there as he said they had too much
rubbish!

The man next door said he hoped I got quiet neighbours in, as
his wife works night shift three nights a week.

A lady came from the supermarket and said there was a worker
there who was interested in renting the house so she took my
mobile phone number to give to him. He rang on Sat the 17th
Jan to say he had another place!

She had not even walked away when another lady came up and
said she lived in one of the houses behind the house and she
wanted to know if I had any intention of selling the house
in the next three years as she wants to put two goats in the
paddock.

I told her it would be about five yeras before I sold so she
said she'd put fences in and keep the goats there. GOOD, it
will save money on getting the paddock slashed!

I can't believe the mess that Kath and Nathan left the house
in. Kathleen was always so fussy at home. There is a hole
in the bathroom floor about six inches wide by four foot
long! and dog shit all over the floor! They also have holes
in the toilet wall and a broken bathroom window which is
lying in pieces on the floor. The surround around the bath
is broken as Kirsten stood on it to wash the walls and being
a thin sheet of fibro of course it broke!

I took home enough grass to fill up my bin so I did not have
to cut my lawn.

The second time I went up I cut the side from the edge of the
front of the house to the beginning of the garage. I recut
the grass on the tall upper front side and did the other half
of that front side. I did not put the catcher on as the
grass was too tall.

The toilet bowl was so dirty that when I went up the third
time I took cleaner with me. I recut the short front side
and started cutting down the far side of the house and
around to the back yard another two hours and I was buggered!
and the bin was full so I put it out in the street and came
home.

Went up today 21/01/09 to bring the bin in which was suppose
to be emptied yesterday only to find they had only HALF
emptied it, which means it will take more work to get it
under control.

Donald and I both need to cut our lawns so I did not cut
anything especially as I had Keith with me, as he wanted
to have a look with a view to renting it but he took one
look at the bathroom and said he couldn't live with that
hole and mess! I don't blame him, but I didn't appreciate
the fact that he brought Spag with him and the dog peed on
the floor in the loung/kitchen, as if there was not
enough mess to clean up and Keith didn't even clean it up.
I had to soak it up with a newspaper that was lying in one
of the bedrooms!

On the way home we dropped in to see Donald who had taken
the day off because he had a sore back and we dropped off
the mower. It is looking sad another year and I will have
to buy a new one!

Harold & Kumar etc

What can I say about this film except it was crap!
and not even funny crap at that!

To see the actor who played Doogie Howser in it was so
disappointing. What a come down for him. But then again
I thought the character he plays in "How I Met Your Mother"
was a come down as well, but this is rock bottom.

Kirsten Comes to Annoy Nan.

Kath and Nathan took the family up to Paynesville for
a couple of weeks just after Christmas.

Meg and Mark came down for the day on Sunday 4th January
and Kirsten decided to come home with them stay at nan's.

She spend the night at poppy Cliff's and was disapponinted
that she could not sleep with nan but had to stay on the
lounge.

She was to stay till Wednesday but decided she wanted to
stay till Sunday so we rang up but Nathan answered the phone
and said no.

Happy New Year to ME!!

Cliff and I spend New Year with Sue and Alan Hill. We had
a Bar-be-que at their house. It was just a us them Mr. Hill
snr and one other wowman.

Cliff fell asleep at 10.30 p.m. but I woke him at 20 seconds
to midnight. When he saw the 20 on the screen he said "Oh
another twenty minutes." and I said "no another 17 16 15
seconds"

So we went into the kitchen but the T.V. there was terrible
for the colour and it was Melbourne so we went back into the
lounge and Alan came and joined us and we watched the fire
works in Sydney.

Though I might be baised and say that the Sydney fireworks
were better, bith Cliff and Alan agreed with me and they are
Victorians! Cliff said that if 'they' put fireworks on the
Westgate bridge it would look as good as Sydney. Alan said
since the Games when they put all the 'permanant' things on
the bridge they have had the better show.

A good night and no quarrels.