My life

Lurching from one disaster to another...just a suburban princess trying to get by!



Monday 30 May 2011

Love at first sight…

…I never really believed in the concept. 
Until I first saw the house which would later become our home.
Mr Q found the ad in the paper, dragged me along to a viewing with me telling him to keep right on driving when I saw the street.  When he pulled up outside I was transfixed, out of the car in a flash I was half-way up the path before his door was closed!
It was mid-winter of 2004, and I was in love!

Just walking in the door that first time it felt like coming home, like the house was giving us a great big hug.
Perfect for the three of us, the right price and right when our old house sold, it was meant to be.
Our house is great in winter, with lamps lit and the fire roaring, something cooking away in the kitchen, as it was on that first inspection day.
Mind you, she’s pretty good in summer too, with verandas, a huge back deck and shady trees all around.  At Xmas with the lights twinkling she is just beautiful.

Built in 1905, she’s changed a bit over the years but still retains her lovely looks.   She is quite small, more your cottage than full blown house, and with a teenager and a hoarding habit (mine) we seem to be bursting at the seams. 
The old girl needs some work, a few stumps to replace, the odd wonky floorboard, some paint, maybe a new bathroom…and we are trying to decide what to do next.  Do we sell?  Not what I want to do… Do we renovate? Not what Mr Q wants to do…both of us fiercely determined to get our way. 
But it looks like soon it will just be the two of us, with the teenager making some big decisions as we speak, and then she will be the perfect size again…

And for the record, the street is fine!!!

Saturday 21 May 2011

I'm busy...

...making preparations for the Zombie Apocalypse.


If you're    ready for a zombie apocalypse, then you're ready for any emergency.    emergency.cdc.gov




This week saw me somewhat out of action due to a dislocated shoulder.  The character with the injury is often the first to get their brains eaten in the movie after the stupid bitch who always falls over, oh wait that's me too  so as you can imagine the emerging instructions from the CDC as to how to survive a Zombie infestation were welcome news!


So I am packing emergency kits and preparing meeting points and escape routes this weekend...


...what are you up to?

UPDATE: It has been almost a week and I am still largely out of action, managed to dislocate my right shoulder, rendering my typing and mouse using skills almost non-existant with my left hand!  Still the world didn't end yet and no sign of Zombies.......


FYBF


Friday 20 May 2011

Nothing to see here....

Today I don't have anything for you...nothing!

Due to my inability to stay on my own two feet I fell yesterday and hurt my shoulder - I am hoping I didn't break anything! Before you ask, no, I was stone cold sober!

As I didn't wish to sit in an ER all night I elected to ride it out and go back to the doctors this morning...I can't tell you how much I regretted that at 2.30am, lying awake in bed and in pain!

A combination of a sleepless night and pain-killers have rendered me useless today....


So I am off for a day of x-rays and doctors and hopefully a some good news...

Thursday 19 May 2011

Muzak? No thanks...

...far to quiet and mellow for me!
I used to listen to music ALL the time; at the very least the radio was always going in the background...
...there was live music in pubs and clubs, music in nightclubs, live concerts...loud enough to feel, the louder the better, so loud it hurt! Smash Hits on a Saturday morning, Rage at night...
These days I generally only listen to music in the car, and now I work from home I don’t get out nearly as much as I used to.  I do still listen to it LOUD though.
I will listen to anything from rock and roll to pop, hard rock and country. Some Eminem brings a smile to my face, Black-eyed peas, Nickelback, Dixie Chicks, The Corrs...
I generally don’t mind the odd bit of classical, but I won’t go out of my way to listen.  Show tunes don’t do much for me either.  Lady Gaga doesn’t make the list, but Katie Perry does...
So what do I love?  My tastes are stuck in an era that corresponds to my childhood and teens...ACDC, Cold Chisel, The Angels, Choirboys, Jimmy Barnes, Meatloaf,ABBA and a lot of the power ballads of the 80’s & 90’s...pretty much anything that I can get a really good howl going to in the car!  I love to sing; yes I am awful, but alone in my car with the music turned way up I am truly happy bellowing away...
MrQ enjoys much the same, with the addition of The Doors, The Beatles and Crowded House.
My son hates “popular music”, he is into alternative, it just so happens some of what he likes has become mainstream thanks to movie soundtracks, which disgusts him!  He is a complete music snob about manufactured “crap” as he calls it...but with the advent of the iPod we tend not to be subjected to it.  I’m sure the same applied when I was young; I just wouldn’t have voiced it quite so forcefully to my parents!
What is your favourite type of music, artists or musical era?

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Planked

According to Wikepedia,  Planking is the action of lying face down with arms to the sides of the body, in unusual public spaces and photographing it.
Planking began as early as 1997 in South Korea, Europe and Japan. The term "planking" was coined in Australia and became a fad in 2011....”

...hmmm -14 years after it started.  Says either we as a nation were too smart to embrace the fad, or more likely are just that far behind the times!

Tragically this month in Brisbane, a 20-year-old male fell to his death after "planking" on a seventh-floor balcony. This is the first known casualty of the planking movement.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard told plankers that their "focus has to be on keeping yourself safe first". The Queensland Opposition and the State's police have called for people to stop participating in the fad.

Yesterday’s news showed eternal fuckwit Sam Newman planking on the railing of a 40th storey balcony, Kerri-Ann Kennerley had a go on her show, even Karl Stefanovic joined in...now I don’t know about you, but I am not inclined to rush out and copy anything they are doing!

But I guess I am not the target audience of this behavior... drunken 20 something’s seem to be obsessed.  The media is currently fuelling the fire of this fad with pictures and stories in every bulletin, Facebook pages and societies have sprung up around the place.

While this kind of thing is not my cup of tea, I will admit, the first time you see it, it is faintly amusing:

See original pic here.

Attempting a rare bit of parenting I raised the subject with my 17 year old son, who said “Mum, you are just buying into all the political and media hype about this.  It is typical, one idiot kills himself, a few people are arrested and the whole thing is deemed dangerous...it has been going on for years.” I asked that if he does participate he be safe, his response...    “Mum, I’m 17, you are out of touch and just embarrassing yourself...”

Little bastard....

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Unexpected...

On our recent road-trip we stopped at an area marked as "Historic"...

Near Carnarvon Gorge © J Traill 2011

...much to our surprise, as it is in the middle of nowhere, it was the site of a tragic WWII plane crash.


Near Carnarvon Gorge © J Traill 2011

Such a peaceful place for such an awful thing to happen.

Near Carnarvon Gorge © J Traill 2011

May they Rest in Peace.

Sunday 15 May 2011

My feet hurt...

Even though I have lived in Queensland for over half my life I haven't really travelled outside the South-East of the state.

Last week changed that, with a trip to Carnarvon Gorge. 

Carnarvon Gorge © J Traill 2011
I had heard that it was lovely out there, but was unprepared for just how magnificent it really is.


Carnarvon Gorge © J Traill 2011


Ward's Canyon, Carnarvon Gorge © J Traill 2011

We walked for over 5 hours along the gorge, with several side trips (up bloody great sets of stairs) to see the sights.

It was gorgeous, however two nights was nowhere long enough...so we will have to go back!

I will write a review about or stay and experiences but as the sign says when you are leaving the resort:

Good for the soul, bad for the feet!

Saturday 14 May 2011

Happiness project

In early April, Seven Cherubs initiated a Happiness project where we were to record one sentence a day about something that made us happy or that we were grateful for.
I decided to participate, thinking it would be a quick and easy project. Little did I know just how tricky it would be some days to find something to write down.

Here's my list...

10/04 Had a lovely, quiet day with MrQ.

11/04 Happy to spend some quality time with my teenage son.

12/04 The weather is simply gorgeous today, gives me a real lift.

13/04 Grateful for the new business opportunities passed on.

14/04 Love simple things – a big pile of junk mail to look through.

15/04 Happy MrQ is coming home tonight after a week away.

16/04 Watching movies with my boys, bliss.

17/04 Walked to the markets with my guy, beautiful day.

18/04 Lit the first fire of the year, always makes me feel good.

19/04 An exciting time in my business.

20/04 Happy to have had a good night’s sleep.

21/04 Grateful for good friends.

22/04 Loving that we have 5 uninterrupted days together as a family.

23/04 Happy that home delivery exists for shopping, supermarket is ridiculous today.

24/04 Love the way everything looks and smells fresh after a storm.

25/04 I am eternally grateful to those who sacrificed all so that we may live the lives we choose.

26/04 Happy pottering around at home.

27/04 Glad to be busy with work.

28/04 Love picking some last flowers from my garden.

29/04 Happy for Wills and Kate!

30/04 Grateful to have such a loving son.

01/05 I love walking in Autumn.

02/05 Gotta love a long weekend with family.

03/05 Love watching the parrots at our bird feeder.

04/05 Happy to discover I have won a prize from Woogsworld!

05/05 Wow, great day – happy to also win a Tron DVD from Dosedannie.

06/05 Love snuggling with my cats when it’s cold.

07/05 Happy to sleep in today.

08/05 Grateful to my fantastic Mum for always being there.

09/05 Loving the cooler weather.

10/05 Grateful for the outlet blogging gives me!

So there it is.

I was surprised that some days I struggled to find something positive to write down. I think in the rush that is my life I don't take enough time to think of the things that make me happy, or that i am grateful for. And that's sad...

So I will be continuing the project for myself, taking the time each day to look for the positives, because they are there, I just don't pay enough attention.


What makes you happy?



Tuesday 10 May 2011

Just ‘cause you’ve got money...

.....doesn’t mean you have class!


Since the wedding Wills and Kate have dropped off the radar so the media have to find something else to go on about that is vaguely related...several recent news stories about the “royals” highlight this perfectly.


There were the outfits worn to the wedding by the Princess’ Beatrice & Eugenie...mind you, their mother never had any idea either!



The Spencer girls...Di’s nieces, fighting in public, general air of tartiness...nuff said.


Now someone who did look great- smart and elegant, was Camilla. She will never have class either, but at least she looked good on the day.


Then there are Kate’s brother and sister...The Bum and whatshisface...Not royal but topical. If you let people take pics of you in your undies you get what you deserve. On a side note, call me boring but I never spent time with my mates in the nick or hanging around in my knickers...seems kinda creepy to me. Does anyone really care anyway?




Sorry, no pics, blogger isn't working properly! xxx

Monday 9 May 2011

It’s wedding season...

The news is full of tales of glamorous weddings, both royal and celebrity. Every week the local paper is filled with engagement and wedding notices, pictures of happy couples dressed to the nines.


A wedding is a beautiful thing, not so much about the groom, let be honest, but a day of hope and love and a beautiful, blushing bride. A nice frock, generally average food, a pretty cake. Boring speeches and some dodgy rellies. Reality is suspended amongst a tidal wave of tulle, almonds and baby’s breath. Then the honeymoon, often somewhere in the sun with too much food and booze...


Then what? Straight back to life as it was before for most people, jobs, bills, housework...


So much time, money and effort goes into a wedding but what about afterwards?


A marriage takes work. It doesn’t matter how much you love each other, there has to be effort put in. I’m not talking about flash dinners or sexy underwear; I mean the day to day slog to keep things on track. Learning the art of compromise, to share, to trust one another, to have common goals, attitudes and ethics. You do not need to be clones, but you have to work together for the common good...your family, whether there are 2 of you or 10.


These days you don’t have to take the step to actually marry a person to commit, but it seems that so many people rush to the alter knowing that there is an easy out if things don’t go well. It is nothing for “celebrities” to jump from one marriage to another, with seemingly no break between relationships, now regular people are at it too.


We live in a country where marriage and divorce are easy, about half of our marriages end in it, but there are still members of our society who are not legally entitled to marry, despite the love and genuine sense of commitment that they have towards their partner.


The “Church” and the government will tell you that gay marriage is a threat, but surely if a couple, whoever they are, enter a marriage with a genuine love and a commitment to make it last forever then it how can it be wrong?


The lack of understanding by many as to what marriage actually means, as opposed to a wedding – which a lot of people don’t seem to look beyond - the lack of commitment when things get tough and an attitude that divorce is easy and monogamy old fashioned is far more damaging to the “sanctity of marriage”.


I think it should be harder to actually get married, some kind of counselling, personality testing, a “licensing” exam...something to slow people on their headlong rush to a “wedding”, to have a more considered approach to the marriage that comes afterwards...


But that’s just me, what do you think?

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Enough is enough...

Every week it seems there is a news report about some parents who have horribly mistreated, abused, tortured or even murdered their own children.
When these cases finally make it to court, sentences seem manifestly inadequate, the decisions of judges and juries alike questionable...
I myself see it as the easiest decision of all...a “no brainer” if you like...
For these types of crime I see no way rehabilitation can work, how can you cure pure evil after all?  There should be no question - mandatory life sentences, maximum security prison, until death, no chance of parole. EASY.
So many of these perpetrators use the excuse that they were treated the same way as children.  That is tragic, awful but does not let them off the hook.  To me it is worse, they experienced it first hand, they know the pain, and they choose to inflict it on another.  Many of those who have been abused themselves manage to be excellent, caring, protective parents who would never dream of hurting their children.
How many times do we hear of children murdered after being returned to their abusers, left in dangerous situations, under the care of the agencies tasked with their welfare?  Effectively abandoned by a society which should care for them? 
For people who prey on the most defenceless members of society, our children, there should be no compassion, no mitigation, no mercy.

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Worrying times.....

As I watch footage of people celebrating the demise of Osama Bin Laden as if it were a sporting win I can’t help but feel uncomfortable.
As I hear our Prime Minister stupidly state that she “welcomes” the death of another human being I am not happy.
This was undoubtedly one of the most evil human beings in living memory.  His actions have directly led to the deaths of thousands of innocents.  He had to be stopped, though what form that action would take probably didn’t really cross many of our minds...
...but to celebrate his death?

After the events of September 11, 2011 the world was horrified by the scenes of jubilation set against the background of the sheer horror unfolding...yet overnight we have been subjected to far more offensive scenes in my opinion.  Because these were not “foreigners”, or people with different ideologies and religions, these were westerners, and presumably largely of Christian faith, though the behaviour on display certainly did not display an attitude that I associate with that of Christians.
I think the saddest comments of the day though were those who truly believe that the war is now over and that our troops can immediately come home. 
Reality is that while this has lifted the spirits of many, it will have strengthened the resolve of others.
I just can’t help but fear for us all.......


FYBF