Red Flower

Tarn's aunt- Dorothy- left a little flower cutting from Swan Hill in our front yard one year on one of her many visits. I think it is a GERANIUM*. When the house had a spare bed she was welcome to stay- a fellow smoker and fine red wine drinker, course she was!

For the life of me I cannot remember when she up and planted it, but it may have been after we lost Tarn.

So ten years later, there is this little cutting has grown to six feet high, with these intense red flowers. Only two or three blooms this year so far. It is crowded in with some other plants, but faithfully grows skyward year after year.

The story of it goes back to Nana's (her mother) garden in Swan Hill, where Dot originally had gotten a cutting. When Dot had bought her own flat, then a house, this plant followed.

And now we have it too.

*My Mum and her Sister Corrected me straight away....

DIY complete

Finished at last.
Satisfaction not 100 percent, but looks great and works.
Three trips and a half out there.
Including two more trips back to the hardware store. Bolts. Hammer Drill.....

How long does drilling a hole in a brick take?

Well, six holes as I did do two in the wrong place...

Answer- bloody too long!

so--
DIY tools need to be better than present belongings!
Have to RTFM with spectacles on too.
Give up when approached when really a more proficient and sue-able person should do the jobby.
Well, nah, will do practically anything worthwhile nearly anytime, lookem whaten Oim' doum!

got it wrong, again. Twins. The Fun of it.

Had to guess which twin (niece) was in a picture the other day....
I got it Wrong- They are different and I know I can tell one from the other! Usually.
Took along while mind you, like by the time they were in preschool or sumpin, but that particular pic got me! Do'ing.

T'ankgott, it was not one of my cousin's twin boys, but they are not on the net yet. And one is taller- just have to get the mnemonics right... Again.

We have three sets [2004, 2008] of Identical twins in my paternal grandparents descendent's line.
[I was swayed to say Nyah Nyah Nyah HOWZAT BABY!! but I won't.][ I did- same again- Ny...]
Go back and read again.
Got it? [Got to check my maternal ancestors side too one day- but I think there are none so far.]
So what are the connections if any?

Paternal great-grandparents?
My dad's mother had twin sisters, of which only one survived, [identical or fraternal- dunno]- and she had a child, my 2nd cousin Michael- a black sheep to all intents and purposes- will have to investigate that one day, no twins there.

Back to a point may be. My folks have two sets of twin grand daughters out of sixteen grandkids.
I have twin daughters, my brother has twin daughters and my cousin has twin sons.
I warned my younger brother's wife. Three years ago. Lucky- just Ashlea. My sister has no twins. My youngest sister has to know the [D]anger? Another brother has avoided the lottery, so far.
In fun.

Because- I did not cause identical twin progeny as far as I know,
Unless at conception at that Particular time:

• I had provided some energy to promote Identicalness Spermozoa into my wife's womb , 
• Conception by Moon Phases Just For Girls or 
• too much     energy???

( Dee- I have an extra girl at "times", pick one please?)

As a certified geologist (- or is that certifiable?), I know that fraternal twins are the result of two eggs and Identicals are due to----- hmmmm Cosmic Rays? Bad Luck.. or what?
Whoops- I have too many acquaintances (with twins also) that will say that Double Trouble is also Double Fun! Or would they?
Okay then, "You Tidy Their Damn Room"- I just see twice the mess!
My dear inlaws and cousin would [SHOULD!?] agree that 'doublemess' not that much fun, people...

Just to mention- before the girls were born, Tarn had the ultra-sound scan- out of town- a special 150km trip. The lady doctor was pleased as punch to say "Looks like twins people, congratulations!"

None taken- Tarn burst into tears, confusing the hell out of me, and I never remember her explaining why. I was happy. And then confused. But eventually it was okay- just regretting the motorbike I had bought, because now we actually needed a larger passenger vehicle instead of a boys toy.

After that we had the amniocentesis just to ensure that as older parents there were no developmental in-utero problems. There were none. And we found out gender too. I could not wait to spread the great news- Tarn was getting her girls! I did tell a few people, and then I Was Told To Not Let Anyone Know We Knew. Whoops. Quick re-call around and a cover up. Tarn did tell my dying grandfather on his deathbed, so was I squared away? I hope Poppy died happier for that little secret.

Orroight- the co-incidence (this week) really is that I had to negotiate(?) was that another celebrity had twins- and I wished Tarn was here to give me a pointer as to whether I should Scoff at it all, or commiserate with them... if you don't know- my Tarn was an avid Hello reader (and here), so much so I made sure of her happiness by subscribing to it, bugger the expense.


Of course if it was a male celeb, phwa! So what! Dunno of any- suggestions anyone?

But really, when a fav Female star has twins- I reckon I am ['WE are' She would say!] in the 6° of Separation Type Club, don't you? Check it out. Ms Roberts for one.

good kids or what

Tonight my boys were doing grown up fings.

Fraxlerdaxler is a vice captain at his campus of years 7-9.
His SLC have been organising a social for - a long time, lets say.
He had a busy day, being on stage at a school gathering, then "decking the hall" for a do tonight.
They had scrounged old LP covers from the opportunity shops around the town and plastered those up around the hired dance hall in town. Some balloons too. Organised teachers and a security outfit to help out. And one of the guys was the usual DJ we have around here when the boy has friends over for a Sesh with their bikes on the quarter pipe and ramp. NO- the yard is not big and the neighbors too close, but when 15 year olds are singing out loud to songs that I did too,  twenty plus years ago, I just wonder...
Anyway.
According to a little rehash of the night between us- it was okay. He done good.

#1 Son was BUSY after school- being the LAST DAY EVER, apart from tomorrow...
Muck Up Day.
Tonight- he did his job, then I was dragooned into driving him around town- moving (the junk collected surreptitiously when hard rubbish is left on the street ) stuff around town and picking up more stuff before dropping it off for a Fort on the Quad at school- heavens knows what the plan is- but vuvoozulas(?) and silly string and air horns are involved. Tomorrow. Pity the teachers. I could not get to what they do!
Then a special Get Wasted at a friends place WAY out of town after dinner In Town.
See? Busy.
Then a click of the door at 1:30am..??? He was / got bored after apparently copious amounts of J.Beam and cola? A not so great night out.

So two debriefs on an auspicious night out for the YAs.

Felicitations to all, I feel good for my nearly complete caterpillars.
Pictures may be added. Later.

ABC- peoples stories- aka "Australian Story"

After reading a blog today, I was ever set up for a TV show.
Tonight I watched another heart touching story.

Another struggle over/with life's inequities.

A medal winning father lost to a young child, hopes achieved, and almost dashed.

It is not that I do not want to know about her life.
But that this battler had a hard life to a degree, losing her father when young, and getting through her latest battle- loss of a sibling just when she was at a peak of her career- while competing at the Athens Olympics. Her sibling lost in an accident as a young married father of two. Like my wife. Single automobile accident.

Like show business- the competition was still on- but how did she really get through that?

Coaches persuade you to.
Well, to give it great thought in a now or never situation, as it were.

The grieving can be used to motivate, or use you.

And then went on with the help of her family and friends to be a medal winner at the latest Commonwealth games. Watch out London!

Just another tear jerking experience for me maybe, but the kids let me alone enough tonight that after it finished, I was okay to bid them goodnight without a "loss of face"(?)... They have to catch me first- but I am thinking it will be easier as time goes on to show that side of me to them.

I have had that coaches' persuasion- from my wife's family and my family after losing my life partner-

that no matter what- 

life still has to/will /does go on, with or without you.

One of those in my large family circle gets through the loss of three immediate family members like -  hmm. 

Another inspiration. She can/does/has, like me. Let her show you

Almost, not every day, there is a reminder somewhere/somehow, and a catch in the throat or the wiping of the eye, of losses experienced.

For me, it is for what her kids cannot have, that we had for a little while our special person.

And what I have. Had.

A box of birthday or Valentine Day cards appear from a shelf. 

Someone says "She is so like Tarnia".

Our eldest finishing high school.

My in-ability to consider a new partner, maybe never again, haunts me. I am so selfish.

The girls at the edge- precipice- of menarche.

The shoe box (yes a box of ) photos gets dragged from it's hidey hole (not!).

Frazzlerdazzler getting good grades to impress the young teachers in the math and science classes - !?! And wanting an electric shaver at 15.

Catching up with long lost college friends. To tell the story again.

Sad Australian Stories.

Being somewhat geeky and a loner, I can get so Marvined I can gloss over/bumble through the day with a to-do-list longer than the Australian National Anthem- something I don't understand but will stumble through the best I can.

diy and marvined

As posted back awhile, I was engaged for a job that I could not finish at the time..
A few days ago, I returned to finish it orf wif a new tool or two.

Unfortunately, I installed the mounting device wrongly, I.E. did not RTFM.
This meant that it had to be removed and remounted in the correct place.

Marvined by thinking that the installation was so easy, did not have to RTFM,
Just went ahead, measured by sight and and and...

Unfortunately, (again!) the mounting device has to be destroyed as it is Stuck.
This means a pic to prove!

Anyway this also means more time away and another few tools.
The van will soon be a toolbox on wheels.

I must fix the "DIY" soon, to be trusted for future jobs, but...
I don't think the time/motion/distance/satisfaction equation is going to be positive.

Two skun knuckles- hurt. Wasted diesel. Got some new tools!

marvined

Hi, my other name is Marvin

Me. Always thinking, not Einstein's type of thinking of course.

Easily distracted. Does that or this deserve a quick witty remark or put down? Do I have to smile? Can I smile? Don't! Well, that is a new life lesson for another day, but oh yeah, marvined.

I think about all sorts of things. Unless I am engrossed in an activity that requires actual supervision of the extremities or the concentration of achieving the immediate goal like avoiding the cretins that the government lets loose on the public roads, I.E. everyone but me.

Just like Marvin*, with a "brain the size of a planet" and his problems and chores that are of minutiae compared to what he could do, I think too much if left to it, unless I can quickly doze off. Or do this- it seems a way to let off a lot of steam, I tell ya.

I categorise these under pondering, shower ponderants and uncategorised/able.

How marvined am I usually when relaxing at home:

Well, when I am in My Area (Children kept away) I check out crap like this or Facebook or in-boxes and or my weather monitor whileI  watch my TV shows [I will ween myself as soon as they get rid of attractive actresses, funny series's and/or good enough drama shows]. And /or listen to the local radio station as well for news or comment. But not for music anymore- weird. I can categorise TV shows into a few types of attention grabbing levels.

• Solitaire (Spider)
• Web Surfing or playing Railroad Tycoon Deluxe (from 90's about)
• Email check ad break
• snail mail check in an ad break
• kid check in an ad break- "BED TIME!"

Now this can be explained thusly-

Solitaire means I can follow the show using a sorting side of my total brain capacity while concentrating on the story, unless the scenery is interesting, like some great photography of the Sphinx or some blue green turtles doing nothing, near a surf beach where volleyball might be on...

Web surfing means that the show is not that interesting  or does not need to be analysed in great depth, because the web surfing or PC use in general is the main activity instead. Like now, the radio world news is on.

Hang on- I appear to be doing a womanly thing here, two or more things at once!! Wow! Coz I am probably supervising the fighting (and fit) children too.

Marvined with hoose werk.

Och, better do the vaccuming. Bugger, the bloody kids left this out... was that the mail man? Better check the mail and emails... surfing, and then, bugger- the vacuuming job, the kids will home soon- dang, forgot to hang out the washing... Or need a hammer and nail for a picture. Out to the garage. Oh oh- the wine needs racking off, won't take a min... Then tipity tip tip tap- bloody hell, is that rain? The clothes!!! And the bills or mail to go to the post office. Oh well, next time I go out? Look at date due- JBC! GDI! Rip orf doon the street anyway...Oh the time, I gotta be at work, bludy heck!

The list placed on the fridge under a magnet (I recommend cleaning magnets for glass fish-tanks: BIG) is getting old, frayed, wrinkly, smelly and nearly completed, ready for a new one. It takes years but then it is done. Being Marvined all the time, there is no real priority given to items on a list. Cos a few a pretty expensive! A new roof. The large branch over the veranda. A new double garage. Gardening. Vegetation under the power line. The noise under the car. The car climate display. The bloody yard. Lawns. Mosquito spraying.

It is not a hard life- I am coping with more work which is a good thing- as long as I am not distracted with thoughts- last week there was a a mistake, not bad, as I was thinking of how I was going to do the job, and not thinking of the job at hand right then! Ah well.

*From Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

When DIY wont, a comic tragedy of errors.

Asked a few days ago to help out a friend out with some DIY around their Bran Noo Hoose oota toon. That is, the next town.
Confidence misplaced I am thinking and saying, but no! Okay then.

After lunch today, did some homey stuff- laundry, garden, PV* stuff, then sorted out the job tools- this? or that? power cable- nah.
She called, late, to organise a pick up. Okay.

Waited for a pick up. Late. Drive to hardware store, checked the list, RTFM etc.
Shopped for the screws and bolts, okay. Noo mailbox at next stop.
Go home first? No. Drive on.

Oh oh.
Forgot cell phone- need it?
No. Drive on driver.

Ten minutes uncomfortable small talk.
Outskirts of town, before the bridge.
Oh oh.

No tools!

That was the point of going home first, you idiot-self!
To driver, Sorry, but I forgot the tool box, but I will drive my car back out? Sorry. It's okay?
Right.
Get back, say see ya later, and sort out the tool box, stuffed in the back, and eldest cadges a lift into town. Forgot to grab cell.

Drive on out again. 3pm now. Door locked- waiting again.

So. Mount a mail box? Here? Okay.
Yeah. Off to a power point. Drill 4 holes.
Back to mounting point.
Screw in but holes too small...
Back to power point and drill.
Back to fixing point.
Three screws in.
DA DAH! How's that? Yay me!
Last screw- a gap. Bloody hell.
Bugger it. Leave it- its fine- just have to bring a power cable or cordless drill next  time I visit for One Last Thing...

All righty then.

Laundry line- Yeah I can do it. Back brick wall. Easy Install!
Nah. Wrong drill, and drill bit.
One hole. 30 minutes.
Next hole- NAH, won't penetrate. Brick too hard?
Is it worth 150 bucks for a new drill and bit to do it properly? For 'free'?
Forget it! For now.
Maybe I do need some new tools?

Next job.

Mount the dryer in here up here over the washing machine. Okay, easy.
Knock knock knock - here! A noggin or stud. Good.
Drill pilot hole.
Nah.
No wood to mount the hanging plate. J.B.C.!!!
Proof- GAP behind the plaster board where it needs to go.
Another two drill holes later... Finally found the wood.
No good, the plate needs to be Here, Not There. Have to put a plank in.
Back to the drawing board Magoo. Cannot mount on plaster board!
Show the problem and talk about it. Drawing board.

Oh well, next jobbie?

The new HUGE flat-screen TV to be mounted on the wall?
I am saying NAH, I think I have done enough damage and dodgey shit work today, besides, it's knock off time.

"That's okay-  come back again when you can."

"Really? Well, okay then, see ya", weakly. Oh dear.

Get home, and #2 son says to me- "I called you".

Multiple Failures on my part- as do not want something to happen where injury will result, or utter humiliation at the dodgey job. Thank god I was not asked to do the painting out there. Well I was- but avoided the issue. Some how. 

I am sure I would have stuffed that up, even if it is so easy these days.

Gunna have to buck up there, boyo, and really do things properly.

Marvined again

*Portable Vineyard

opposites attract?

If Tarn was alive today I think I would be able to say to her that some idiot internet dweeb had her pinned down to a T!
Apart from me being nerd too.

My attention was distracted the other day by a time-wasting* fun spreadsheet. 


Putting three DOBs in, I got the following lists below for people I knew.

I was Tarn's partner for her adult years and I can see her characterised below.

I read one and said- Yeah- I can see that!

It described my Tarn.

So I put another date in. And another.

Which after doing it, made me think, that pretty well anyone can put a list together of characteristics.
If you think of some one you k now well, on that list will be all/some of their characteristics anyway.
Especially something that reminds you of the times that makes you think of them, but reading a random collection, something will definitly tickle a memory, and voila- That Is That Person!


So I was sucked in, but- In a beautiful way too. 


I could see her in the list. 
It was a great reminder of my partner, who she was, what drove her, what attracted me to her.


(*Marvined)
===============================================================

If I disagree- ttt, and really agree with ttt. The most easily recognisable to me have a ! or ??!!


DoB (shes a LADY!) born on a Tuesday
* Stubborn and hard-hearted
* Strong-willed and highly motivated
* Sharp thoughts
* Easily angered
* Attracts others and loves attention
* Deep feelings
* Beautiful physically and mentally
* Firm standpoint
* Easily influenced
* Needs no motivation
* Easily consoled
* Systematic (left brain)
* Loves to dream
* Strong clairvoyance
* Understanding
* Sickness usually in the ear and neck
* Good imagination
* Good debating skills
* Good physical
* Weak breathing
* Loves literature and the arts
* ! Loves traveling
* High spirited
* Spendthrift 

Compared to me.... born Sunday Night- 8pm

* Thinks far with vision
* Easily influenced by kindness
* Polite and soft-spoken
* Having lots of ideas
* Sensitive
* Active mind
* Hesitating
* Tends to delay
* Choosy and always wants the best !
* Temperamental ?
* Funny and humorous
* Loves to joke
* Good debating skills
* Talkative
* Daydreamer
* Friendly
* Knows how to make friends
* Abiding
* Able to show character
* Easily hurt ?
* Prone to getting colds ?
* Loves to dress up
* Takes time to recover when hurt ?
* Brand conscious
* Executive 
* Stubborn
* Those who loves me are enemies?

And where it is really weird, is this characterisation of another friend, which was amazing! Not necessarily true tho.
* Fun to be with

* Secretive
* Difficult to fathom and to be understood
* Quiet unless excited or tensed
* Takes pride in oneself
* Has reputation
* Easily consoled
* Honest
* Concern about people's feelings
* Tactful
* Friendly
* Approachable
* Very emotional
* Temperamental and unpredictable
* Moody and easily hurt
* Witty and sarky
* Sentimental
* Not revengeful
* Forgiving but never forgets
* Dislike nonsensical and unnecessary things
* Guides others physically and mentally
* Sensitive and forms impressions carefully
* Wary and sharp
* Judge people through observations
* Hardworking
* No difficulties i ???

Eldest movin an groovin on

Well the #1 is orf agin to a Salefest music thing.
 "Can I have a 4 block lift?", and some blah blah blah, then,
 "Ta. See ya tomorrow!" at 3pm...???

We kicked some tyres together yesterday. First time. Will have to do it some more now that the sac school stuff is over, maybe let him give the van a whirl too.

Cat in the cradle thing? He will be gone as soon as.

OMG I will so miss him so much. Reckon Frazzlerdazzler definitely will. And the girls too.

Cars. I saw one that looks like a good deal for #1. Rang around, and did the net thing. Advice was get it checked for crash repairs, and make sure the waranty keeps going for new owner. Try to start from a lower price if its such a bargain, compared to what a dealer will give them. Good stuff. Only a 2 liter, 4 door white sedan. 'parently a lil goer!!

Maybe wait a week, then go back and make an offer for cash there and there...
Can always put it back in the bank!

I don't like saying 'no' to #1 anymore, or yellin' at 'im to do stuff around the house- he can vote g.d.i.! But still, he ain't payin' rent yet... After school ends, maybe I will loan him some old home spares: vaccy, microwave, coffee maker/kettle. And he can do his own washin'!
It's jus gunna be a pain in the rear, sorting things out til we know what he wants to do by Feb.

And then, I may even get the original Alcoholery back! Or will #2 claim it?

Bugger. 

And then there were three.

[BTW- maybe a repeat:
Room and board.
The board was a board
 to eat off in your room,
and then to sleep on.
How's that!?]

Weather II

Today has been extreme outside.

I love my weather toy.  Another perfect day in paradise... voila:

29° at the aerodrome, and 28°C IMBY, and quiet until a cold front arrived.

It was presaged with some gusty winds and thunder from about 4pm, and at 10pm, Bang, the Westerly blew in at 35-50kmh!

   

ramble tamble

CCR


from the age of 14 I always thought it was bells in the instrumental passage.


wrong bong

I think its is piano or electronic keyboard- but always Loved this song to Bits

liked the prediction of the actor in the white house after 1980's.

Find it and like it.

Bed time.....

I have no sympathy for Parents People with Children.

Not complaining, much.

Bed time is set. Say- 8pm.

So when the curfew is broken, because the moving image is distracting to the extreme for some people [them and self], how upset are you  am I deserved to be?

"What about some ice-cream?"
What the RGRTSYU$%^ !!
"I spose u can...". Don weally wan em taken way cos they don git fet et neet!

Indubitably, not.

How spoiling can I be?

Too much obviously, to some.

I had a curfew of 7:30pm at the age of 11!
I missed the Goodies, golly dam u reservoir.
For years!

Not until I was 17.5 years of age did I get to appreciate, repeat, appreciate the Goodies!
And only because I was at a new place, away from the perfidious insidious overwhelming condescension and inevitably do-well-ing-ton thoughts of the my parents. I thought. They were just tired of leetle peeple.

My little kin have such a choice, and when the Goodies are on, the net has them netted instead of books I used to read (until 2am... like Biggles!), or TV- with the new ABC2 or ABC3.

The twins are so good tho, I mean, they each have a friend of their own age, in their room, each night!
Wow!
The chatter goes on night after night, with me saying "You have the rest of your life for that crap!" going in and out of two pairs of really really deafened ears (to a parents voice tone)...

Anyway- the thing is that, I can jump up and down, SHRIEK "TEETH TIME", bludgeon my forehead against the door jam and still, I have no say on bed/Sleep time...

Like the Cornish tin miners of old- "Where she be, there she be", as in - Sleepy time kiddies?

mowers-in-greenland-and-global-warming-from-1992/

mowers in Greenland, and global warming, from 1992

Posted on October 3, 2010 by tone

Non Sequitur has a cartoon 16 Nov 1992, mentioning selling mowers in Greenland, and global warming. So how long have pollies been hiding under the bed from the rest of the educated world…????

Van, work

I upgraded work procedures today.

Instead of tossing the items to be spread across the landscape into the back on the floor of the great big van, the clients goods will be properly counted, sorted, and placed separately into newly purchased crates, either 52l or 75l. Eight should be enough for now.

Previously items were just chucked into cardboard fruit boxes. By the way, FYI, the styro-foam ones break apart too quick, and leave a mess as well. But the boxes were too shallow and items would roll out or off and around and contaminate other boxes, or slide around, pretending to be free... Please note that no eggs have been broken in the new vehicle.

As the van floor is nearly half an acre and flat, and the big new crates have rollers, guess what?

How boring can work get?

Other fun times with the family wagon. The former delivery vehicle.

Two boxes of carton milk (12 each) fell out the back at a turning light when I sped up to catch the green turning light after the slow coaches in front finally found out how an accelerator worked. None burst, and the boxes were slightly dented. Sorry about that, but I evidently forgot to secure the tailgate.

respect, yeah!

Today, I have gotten to a place in my kids lives that I can still get some respect. Some eggsampals... (SIC)

The eldest [#1] racked off to a party an hour away, but was polite enough to inform me of the movements a few days ago, and today too, as he was on his way and that I would be seeing him early in the morning as he has a practice exam at 9.30 am. Saturday?! One, I don't think I will be up. Two. Exam on a Satdee? Three, better not be raining or there will be a call from the station... Is he going to get car soon or what?

The Bike Maniac was slow to get up, and the GF was sent in to find him, but they did not re-appear?! Lost in the teeners bedroom from hell? No. The room for a 15 year old is quite tidy, enough that a girl and a dad may enter and exit without going PHEW CLEAN THE ROOM!!  Maybe I will leave it there. They did go shopping later on. Bak to the point. The Point---- was that he also informs me of antics/activities and that he is a good lad.

The girls were on good behaviour bonds that were BENT as their maternal pop came around to take them away from their life of serfdom to their own mess. It was a 3d movie that even pop liked. I imagine it would be a bit better than his teen years 3d movies! The study was still untidy tonight after I asked them to try to do it properly, as with their bedroom too. Ah well. They say they luv me.
The mess tho? The parents were the SAME.