While I remember

For those with Loved ones not at home

This week I found out that some of my kid's friends are at home with only one parent.

To be sure, maybe I should have been more informed, but these days, I an pretty busy in my own way. Selfish I suppose, but.

"A" has her mum recovering from really bad problems in a 'old peoples' place.

"D"'s mum is also recovering, from brain surgery, there for a about a year now at the same place as "A's" mum.

I did not know.

Now I do. Tonight. Xmas Eve aboot. To boot!

So I am not alone, in my town, raising tweens and teens.

Worst thing, I only know now-  communications are fuzzy.

As I thought about it just now, is it in my what-would-you-say? to visit them, and reach out to my friends dads and mix?

Not many in twelve years in this town offered to get to know me and mine or help out about my loss.

I have not reached out too- to me, looks like these kids dads have not so much either.

Is our community that selfish or withdrawn or so full of it self?

Now- I want to visit these ladies and gents but not sure how?

Rush in saying I remember you from back then or not, or what ever?

As usual, Nah? is not right.

With my baggage already?

Mu immediate feelings were shock, and wow, I did not know, and now guilt. My kid's friends families need something, what can I do?
But I do 'want to do', but I want some direction, I am asking for some positive feedback on how to help these dads and mums.

Help me out or not, flowers are on the way.

Changes

Eras ending- Achanges come to town

This week, two significant changes in the DaggyDad household

I have just pulled apart a swing set that has been in the family since the mid seventies- a handme-down set from my folk's friends- the Lawlers in Mornington. And then handed down to me for my kids in the Nineties

Summer starts in the Portable Vineyard

Summer preparations in the Portable Vineyard

Two Fruitful Shiraz rows to left [east] and Pinot at right, barren Shiraz center.

This week, the portable Vineyard has been rearranged, expanded even.

Last years cuttings, and older ones too, have been re-potted.

Pinot

The nine Pinot potted vines are fruitful, mostly, but I think there will only be a liter or two of wine to be made- added as usual to the Shiraz. The four three-year-old cuttings are to be re-potted as soon as new mix is found, at a cheaper price! There surviving year old cuttings have been re-potted into small nursery size plastic containers, and arranged under a potted vine [13].

The Shiraz.

It seems that the Shiraz, in the pots anyway, have not all produced fruit!

In fact, 18 are barren this year! A three year old cutting was found to bear a bunch, so that was re-potted this week, so there are now 16 fruiting, as well as the original 6 planted vines.

The pruning and re-arranging of the growth patterns of the potted vines- trellis wise- may have not been such a good idea now. By not leaving two older canes in place, there is instead a profusion of canes, and not all with fruit.

At least the orphans from Harry are going okay, some with bunches too.

The Shiraz vines have been sorted into fruiting and non-fruiting.

Garage Foxey Grapes

These are bountiful again, growing over the pathway, many bunches!

Portable Vines Pictured

Pinot and a profusion of growth

A Portable Vineyard!

3-yr old and 1-year old cuttings

Young Pinot

maybe...

Ideas of planting in the yard are stirring- not sure #2Son will like the idea of not being able to ride his quarter-pipe down the yard- but he does not use it that much anymore anyway.

So there are about forty six Shiraz now plus the new new ones [21], and thirteen Pinots [and13]

top hole job

A Top Hole Job Nearby

It may not be so interesting, but to me, getting back into a field job as a geologist is just great.

I have been feeling up and down recently, daily, so I do not think I am depressed as such. Just not coping, and then coping. Marvined.

It is just the inadequacy of life's special daily presentations to oneself- from Bills to Pensions to Stupid People Pissing Me Off [Elected Figure Heads For Example or the Wannabees-or VIPs anyway- ie Abbot and Romney) rant rant rant, not blah blah de bloody blah.

But enuff grumbling and whinging to ones self!

Big news

My recruitment agency (My!?), this week, has found a third job in the nearby coal country up valley from home- an hours drive at the most, daily, five days a week only so far, for about two to four weeks doing: top hole monitoring, collecting samples, monitoring progress for the Big Smoke operations office.

So that is good news, and it may go on after Nu Ye-yah as well, so kudos to the recruitment agency- they do know more than so-called word of mouth in my little co-called network of colleagues  or once again, maybe it's just me not getting up their noses about jobs anywhere?

Anyway, I had a quick interview with an OpsMan yesterday, up the valley, and today I emailed off a an acceptance of contract, via the agency, for an 'assignment', YAY me.

Other news

Now back to the household drudgery for a week, and then work AND household drudgery; who says women have it all? Or is it men? Looks like I do, cos in addition-my lil gels are 'growing out' this month, if you know what I mean, and that means getting them 'fitted', "Aunty? HELP!!", oh boy, then there will be the monthly tantrums starting too I guess...

[what do you give the guy that has everything? Penicillin...]

Lone Post

A Lonely post I mean

[A cut down rant...]

I know I have chosen to live out east of the Big Smoke.

I know it means many dollars and time and travelling miles and miles to visit people.

I may as well be in Maui.

I may as well forget keeping a phone. Lose the email even and abandon face book.

As soon as the kids are out on their own, I may well be over there, Maui.

An/ Or do I have to Ask People here? Maybe I need to push that idea, cos I do think/like/expect visitors  unannounced- I do like that- but preparation, too, is a key...

I am up and down, and locking myself away from the kids- not that they are unsupervised or what ever, but, it's just weird man. Maybe I am just another a'hole after all, probably unlucky to have/keep a partner as well.

And a better job aint going to improve things or make me feel better- Only being able to Get Things, or send the kids onto more Exciting Things- ie a holiday, a better school.

Nuh.

AN aside-
Been ten years since Tarn's mum Bev passed on, and Bev's sister, and my dad's mother Glad too. What  strange hardships our family  has been through, and we still carry on. All three women were special to my Tarn, and she was to them too. I miss the four of them. Tarn is still alive in my head*- as all partners ever are, and I like to imagine them all around a table talking with the kids, cos the kids are not Littlies Anymore. Ask Fras!

Anyway, rant over, hope Chrissy time is better for all.

Bring on global warming!
Nothing like feeling the tide come in through your toes while waiting for a breeze.
I mean all of that. I did it.
Waited.


*a la Kylie M's song....

Huh did not hurrt

Huh it Did Hurt later

A week into the new self shot medicine that does not hurt to do.

But it does man, a few days there is still an Ow to feel where the shot went in!

Bugger drugs! Man, a sore spot like that will take a while to get used to.

The left eye is still recovering, I can read the key board much better than a few weeks ago anyway.

White cars are still not White though.

What a bugger.

UP AND DOWN

What can you do?

Looks like I am over blogging or the lack of motivation for doing it. A fair comment would help, like as in, "yep". But the stats say otherwise, so I have to rack my brain... But for this blog, really?

Well, I had put together a new PC, and add W8 to it, and not unhappy or happy- it is working but I am not using it as the office workhorse, the old W7pro machine is struggling, and with Office10 too, and so be it, it loves to freeze up, thus the new machine. But dislike the keyboard- until right then -when I noticed I had changed it out today... [it's dusty. Why?] Conventional Home-End etc at last- boy that previous KB annoyed me. I wondered tonight why it was bloddy dusty- remembered I actually swapped 2nd son's unused KB over, "so there- be happy Tone". Marvined meself...

I told some one the other day I was "slow", the usual reply- then thought, No, actually, I  am not!

I swap from okay to upset and back- and that is not because of the hardware here. Slow means even-ness to me. I am not.

One is the government wants to cut the carer's [my] pension, so it looks like I really will have to leave the kids alone with their big sib and their aunt for days or weeks at a time, so to make ends meet, by flying off to find oilpatch jobbies for a few grand a week rather than a few hundred a week.

Another is the MS medical treatment regime- self administered shots- "Choose a different place for each day of the week"- really? Really. The spots still hurt a little a few days later- I thought it would be a little like a blood test prick on the thumb- Oh No....

The list goes on- But I am happy to say I am still waking up and walking and talking- probably too much shite tho. Health wise: At least my left eye has a bit more going right- nearly back to what it was- I cannot look sunwards anymore- I was thinking "only need one sun-glass lens", that was how bad it was!

The kids are growing up, and the gels like to see how fast I am shrinking... The 2nSon wants to best me at drinking games- "Oh No we don't!". The eldest child lives a shadowy life beyond my reach [and control?] but touches base now and then- I am told not to worry- he is fine- I wish he had gelfren to bring home to show off to us [hint, wink?]

That's the other thing- Fails. I failed to tighten a wheel on a trailer the other month after getting the tyre repaired. The owner was a bit pissed off to see the wheel going past them down the highway. No one hurt. Me- Still alive, but now doubting meself. I tried to adjust the their pool lighting too, and managed to turn AUTO on and not able to put MANUAL back on- bludee heck, gotta leave those poor people alone!

After losing the second pair of reading glasses in two months, the worry may be increasing- I definitely had them today in a safe place so I could do the garden... The kids can't find them either.

The car is pissing me off- had the front wheel bearings replaced the other week, thinking- "Bearings- twenty bucks each and time a bit extra?"
 NO.
NEARLY "FOUR HUNDRED BUCKAROONIES MATEY". THANKS! Sticker shock, glad I did not try to do it myself after all as: Bugger me!Two times a new spindle-hub-bearing [and removal of old hub by a machine] and then and then- STOP, I am complaining- it's a safety thing, and it's only money... Sounds quiter as there was an exhaust tie missing- but today I though it sounded like a HOLEY MUFFER- by gott I am gettin' wound up now.. shshhsshsssshhsh...

I think I am getting ahead, and then it's BILL time again. AND BLUDIE Chrissy too! Power and gas and water and shire[county] taxes are not going up normally with inflation, I reckon anyway. But MORE. Maybe the sickening spiral of costs begetting costs has occurred!

Nevah feken endz!

Waiting to get on an oil;patch wellsite job after two applications put in by a recruitment company.
Nothing- unless some one else wants Chrissy off and then I might get a look see in.  I bbought a new laptop just for the new career- it's getting dusty.

The kids are doing well with minimal parental supervision or bitching or what ever, the withdrawal room should be padded up by this time next year though.

Three teeners... Oh, now they want to play any old vinyl records I may have- Oh boy. "You got any PinK Floyd we can take away and play" and then what? Actually, only Dark side of The Moon, on CD t'ank fek.

The Portable backyard Potted Vineyard is looking okay, but Not especially fruitful this year- about 40 shiraz pots now, so I should be happy. I think I've mentioned the lawn mower needed a new motor... Plus the new window glass... Plus Shite goes on forever. A nice bottle-brush native shrub had decided to grow over and then start falling on my orange tree in the back corner of the block- well- it went through the mulcher today [where I may have lost my reading glasses] after i cut it down last week. Tarn would have been mortified at the Extreme Pruning, but dear- you can't help.

I went with the kids on a Long Weekend for the point of being on a beach, nearly, with them. The hired holiday house was just a dune away from the ocean. Shared with my little bro and his family  and two or three other couples. Nice weekend. And it was near my favourite flat water sailing place too, a perk I thought. they had a boogie board and two surfboards, I had three wind-surfers- a beginners for the kids on quiet days, and two slalom/wave boards for me on the --wind---? on the win---, THERE was NO wind for three bloody days, and the boards were too small according to the resident expert... The new family tent for 6 from Aldi fitted Three Comfortably, apart from the HARD GROUND.

See. Don't like it.

Up and Down.

Ready squint...Oh

Set up a Injection Seminar

I saw the local GP's nurse today as far as the instructions for using [haha] Copaxone wants me to do, especially for the first use anyway.

"Like diabetes patients have to", said Lauren, who was quite supportive.

So I did my first self injection with: a squint and a n d  o  k,   p u s h   i  n  . ...

OH?

Never felt a thing!

Shultz like- "Ah feeled Nudink!"

Afterwards, there is the stinging as was fore warned about, but there you go.

BTW, the eye trouble did not wink away...

Tomorrow a new start

Prescription for a New  Start

A prescription arrived today. For Capoxene medicine.

paper attached recommends to start with some help-like a partner or doctor or nurse.

Well, a] cannot do, b] why? and so c] is at 10:45am...

It will not be traumatic... just the start of a new treatment to alleviate the next effects of my MS.

Hmm, a new Start for sure.

Decision made

Why did I have to decide?

Ernie my neuro wanted me to choose which MS medication.

Does he not know which is best? Out of six?

Hate that sort of  thing.

After reading some booklets all about the various drugs[?], the tablets looked good but the capoxone looks like the readiest and maybe works well, as my aunt thinks it is pretty good for her. A day of monitoring the tablet effects in a hospital bed put me off even if it is 50% effective.

A text message was sent to the nurse to pass on the decision to Ernie, hope that means it is in the mail?

And the greyness and macular degeneration LIKE effects in the left eye are slowly easing back thank goodness.

lil old visit

Visit to the neuro today

Another 3 hour trip to this side of The Big Smoke to see what I can do with the last episode still dimming my sight... and only two and a bit back, Not Speeding, and was a lil dampish road-wise.

Hooray- Ernie said I can go on MS meds- capaxone looks good at 30% reducing the effect of an episode, but there is a new one that can be said to be 50% effective- Gelany

Just the side effects... could be fun trying it all out I spose, this dim sight could be frightening next time.

back in the saddle or what

back in a saddle anyway

Just spent six and a bit days working as the wellsite geologist on a coring job in west Gippsland.

After ten years, to turn up and smell that diesel exhaust wafting past me... takes me back to my first jobs, many years ago now of course.

I think the job went well, apart from it being the weirdest shortest job and EWR ever, and then did not fill out one page on a meter by meter description of---- SAND, CLAYS, and LIGNITE, cos I did not think to ask what else is needed. But next time... I will have to get a BETTER job description [RTFM]. But they paid up quick and expenses too, so an outlay for a large screen lappy is good for the next job I can get at least. But will charge going rate rather than beginners rate- lost out heaps, can see why they let me do it this time. Live and learn.
If you ever get a delivery van---- excellent choice I think for an onsite office..
And only one and a half bottle of red for four nights, reckoned I dried out!

Setting it up

The Rig

Drilling and Geology Office

View from Office

Lil ol bit

Lignite

I haf sum nuus

Good and bad news on last status-

Thanks to my aunt, I have gotten onto my neurologist's clinic, and got a booking earlier than January  this week in fact.

de bat nuus- still not 60% in the left eye- the orange street lights are now just grey glows in the dark.

It was not good to be on the first geology job with a bung colour filter I tell you. I had to ask one of the fellas if some clay was brownish or reddish, that's what I'm losing out on- colour judgment.

If it is just "optical neuritis", there is still the chance that it will come back to normal. I can nearly read this screen properly now, with funny after images chasing the words across the page, distracting me in shades of blue and yellow, through a greyish filter.

Crossing my fingers that it will all be okay in a few more weeks, it's been three weeks so far... Maybe I can go onto capaxone[?] sooner than later, as joan wants me too.

Eyes are dim

Eyes are dim I really can see tho...

Documented today

"Hi Joan
My visual acuity is still the same in the left eye-  but can read the screen with it, not like yesterday, maybe getting better. There is a slight ache behind and up the left ryr, and it sort of hurts to rub it too. My other concern is, is it a tumor etc growing near the optic nerve?

Imaging:

It is weird- concerns the after image mostly.

Like when from my bed I look out at the hall wall, and move the doona half way up, there is an after image with purple pixelating speckling spots in the shade as it moves up, and a lasting darker after image when I drop the doona, while still looking at the wall of course.

It is like there is a slow down of information, and time is needed to fill out an image properly to match the right eye.

It makes it hard to read, the central focus spot is getting smaller than a few newsprint words in diameter, and that is with spectacles.

For instance staring at a line of words and I raise to the line above, it is pixelating until I  slow the rate of ye movement and it is recognisable again.

Is this too much?

Bye, I am off to work Monday
Tony"

A reply was to SEE A DOCTOR
then referred to optic neuritis- which I checked and voila

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optic_neuritis
http://www.themcfox.com/multiple-sclerosis/ms-symptoms/optic-neuritis.htm
Hmm- exactly!

right

left and right

left like an after image sort of

The dimmness is nearly spot on, colour too brown here

Left

right

real work

Ah to be back in the field

On a dry day

This week I have started off in a new direction, parceling the kids out for a short while to get back out into the field, as in a Wellsite Geologist capacity.

Hands were shaken two weeks ago after a short email exchange two weeks before that.
Naturally, mind thinking at warp speed- what do I need etc.

Anyway- it rained yesterday at the coring site, the drillers were back in their yard surprisingly, and I wasted a day travelling there and back. The boss was not pleased at this abortive start, back on Monday nevertheless.

A Marvin day, ready to geologize, but Waiting on Weather.

a letter

Attn Ernie ****
From Tony Ford, 146 Fitzroy Sale, 11/Oct/12

Hello Ernie,
I last saw you in February 2012. I wish to have a chat maybe or a reply about MS related(?) eye sight problem if the following information is not enough.
You thought at the time that I had a pretty mild case of MS if at all.

Yesterday, Wednesday 10/10, I stared out my window at some white flowers- thinking I had slept on my arm/hand with my face, as my left eye seemed rather reduced in capability- that is, like I was wearing dark sunglasses compared to the full glarey whiteness that the right eye seemed to perceive.

Overnight. Because Tuesday I went to bed with “full capabilities” as discussed last visit. There is a reduced perception of ‘redness’ of the right eye still.

My optometrist and my GP suggested I better get in touch with you about this and think about a course of capaxone(?) soon. As my case notes state, my father’s sister has MS, and she has in the past related that the sooner I get on something the better I will be.

After the eye episode, I was in a panic mode, as I drive a lot for a living, and to tell the next thing, I started a new (Geology consulting field) job today.

I did think maybe it was an anxiety related episode.

As I type this, it is still hard to read the screen with the left eye alone- like a macular degeneration effect in patches making it hard to concentrate when reading, and with a grey filter on whiteness (flowers, a white wall)- almost like the trick of polarised lenses.

There is a slight ache around the eye orbit(?) back around behind the eye too.

The only symptoms(?) I can relate is a slight cold like infection that lasted a few weeks before hand, and a small dose of the runs Tuesday, if that makes any sense.
There was also a small tingling effect down the right side in some places about a few weeks ago when I leant my head forward, for a few minutes only, not since.

Barrie the optometrist found nothing wrong on inspection yesterday-
I said I would have you informed that I visited if you need some retina images.

I will be in the field the next two weeks, but would appreciate your time, attention and soonish response on this matter, I know you are probably run off your feet in the type of thing.

Kind regards

Tony Ford
Sale

Since this was sent, last night, I have tried to evaluate whether 48 hours after this blindness(?) has changed.
I think it is a little worse, texting takes twice as long anyway.
Typing this is not to bad with both eyes, but with only theright I really have to PECK slowly at the keyboard!!!!!!!!!
Sight is smudgier too I think.
Ernie has not replied as I type this out.
I love reading, and if this gets worse, how can I drive at night, or even through the city.
thinking that I should have pushed the medicine regime, what ever the small side effects.

WHAT THE?

That's Not Quiet Right!

After I got up to make coffee this morning, after the howling fighting horde had whizzed off to school, I looked out at Tarn's jasmine bush with its white flowers tumbling over the...

WHAT THE?

It was foggy smoggy and weird. I rubbed my eyes to clear them up as I had done since I was a kid.

The Same...

Oh oh.

Yes, the right left eye had lost definition  as if some pixels could not recognise all the colours of the white flowers.

The sky and well everything was like seen through a smoked and vaselined lens.

Bloody bugger!

Looks like another MS episode.

Or macular degeneration.

Got on to the eye doc, my aunt with MS and the local doctor.

Nothing to do, looks like the neurologist needs a call and get onto the "capaxone" asap?

left eye

right eye

I tried to see what I could do to show what was wrong, and may add to it-

constant surveillance

Disease and Constant Vineyard Surveillance...

Dear me and Gosh

So it is the start, for the backyard grape vines, the start of the growing season!
Two days ago I found yellowing leaf edges on the new leafs! And drying out ones too. Diseases?

I am trying to "count the chicks" I suppose, watching out for the flowers on the vines.
It does not look like a great amount of grapes production this year.


The plan to cut back on how many canes grow each year on each vine maybe a bit outlandish, if there is only a few bunches per vine...

And if disease prevents the flowers forming...

I went down the street to the local plant nursery as some help required. Returned half an hour later with the evidence she [a North American?] lady needed to help me out with, from an old [looking] "plant growing advice book". The advice she gave was- I better get the Wettable Sulphur spraying program started asap for the required prevention activity.

Today 5 Oct

Advice day 4 Oct

That would have started straight away if the wind was not blowing the proverbial off it's dainty chest.

And it still is, so that is not helping my small apprehension. From the above pics, you can see not advisable to spray for two days now, and it did not help on the 4th that it was HOT...

Flowers forming

Flowering time in TPV

I am a little confused about this. I thought there would be quite a few more branchlets forming before any flowers would arrive, because there may be less fruit from what I can see!
Maybe I am being a little pessimistic, as it is only the first week of October, and we have had plenty of rain as well as watering and feeding and spraying them...

Speaking of, there are a few degraded leaves, even a few yellowish ones today, so I will have to get the mildew sprays out so to avoid last years cockup!

Garage grapes

Shiraz

Pinot Noir

Shiraz

Shiraz

Last years cuttings Shiraz

Last years cuttings Shiraz

Last years cuttings Pinot Noir

preparation is a key

If Indeed new Job expresses itself

As noted, a reminder and a 3 hour break equals prospectively new job

As addressed over here, and [here too] I am anxiously awaiting to start another job, consulting geologist, what I was trained for and vocationally oriented for nearly eighteen years. Cough Cough.

Am I getting ahead of myself?

The last few weeks has been an anxious time- What will I be doing, Who are these guys that want a junior* Geologist to run a core job, Will I need this or that, What about a new PC or netbook or laptop or Notebook, a microscope, a tablet to sketch samples and site, Where is it, Will there be more,  Will the old van be enough to travel two thousand miles to a two week job or swap it, and will the kids be okay with Aunty and Big Brother?    ??????? Long distance calls and one face to face.

Alright, I have not started, no cold feet, just, what about the current part time job stuff? Argh, have to stop that thinking crap!

So thinking YEP I HAVE IT IN THE BAG even though my past colleagues have not been 100% helpful answering deep questions on how to get back into the industry- ie who to use for insurances if getting out solo and all that behind the scenes business stuff------ Bugger it, I went and listed notebooks and insurances to use anyway, got to think positively...

Well, as they wanted me asap, then I can forget the insurances and work for them instead of consulting, and do that crap for the next contract- YAY, a smallish upfront saving for the moment.

Lucky me, a shop nearby had a 40% sale off an interesting Toshiba P870 notebook, which I GRABBED, and then thought I might get a larger screen mobile phone that took an hour to extract from the shop(!) as I was in a hurry by then for the 5 o;clock beer with Aunty as well as get a dinner together for kids and friends but then did not have to, and next day, got Office for the notebook, and put all the stuff I might need together- a kids video microscope care of Aldi will work just great, as will a large writing tablet (Aldi again), but had to get new drivers for them, install ACDSeePro6 suite, find the small hand lense, find stored away India ink for a stencil pen with the pens and stencils just in case, get out the sand grain comparator cards, the old tally books and drilling notes, the wellsite handbooks, the core marking pens, a tape measure or two for recovery percentages, the pilots case I repaired just a few months ago, resurrected old brief case for the notebook- it is that large it only just fits! The Samsonite brief case that was bought 1997 remains locked since 2002... it's a cool one, but now just a reminder... An alarm clock that does not wind up but not connected to the mains...  Lists...

Out of breath writing that!

Do I need a g-pick and hard hat too? Maybe my brother's old kitchen table set up in the van as a desk out of the rain and wind along with a deck chair? And a tarpaulin as a veranda, and an Esky for the ice and Coke?

[not exactly excited, expectant]

Now that call....


*been out of the field for ten years almost exactly this month, and twenty nine years this week since I started in it! Too many coincidences really- specially as all the repairs and cleaning up done prior to the job application! See previous posts an the almost-fantastic achievements. Cough Cough.

time to fly again

to and fro

Looks like I have been attempting to sort the house, car and finances out. For a reason.

[late addition- prescience]

So as to start real work and to leave the kids in part time care of their aunts and uncles and grands.
And their Big Brother.
Yes I said, with butterflies in the pit of the tummy, I said yes to a job offer.
On the understanding that a certain aunt will be around to care for the "new orphans".

The certain Aunt actually found the job offer online, which I dutifully and manfully forgot to follow up for a few days until I was casually reminded again. Back home, a quick look over the offer- looked simple and plain enough, but rather than go through hoops and forms, just sent a quick few lines after lunch, saying maybe [me] not what they wanted, but click my CV link anyway and get back to me one way or the other.

Less than three hours later, a Positive Reply!

A call and email before dinner even, about a long distance phone interview the next day! An ambit day rate claim was taken at the low end, and was the main motive of the offer I found out, but, foot in the door of the oilpatch(?!) After all the ups and downs the last few months, fixing and scrimping, a real job in the field I like to be in; exploration and getting my hands dirty doin' it.

So far, it is just pie in the sky until the company calls again, that the drilling rig is ready to core and that my services, rusty as they are after ten years of childcare, are to be utilised. On Deck as it were.

The kids are excited that Dad has a new job. [but NOT YET! they are spending money in their heads already] A trial, that could be continued far far away, over a certain holiday period. For a small fee. A fee larger of course than the present stop gap courier job that just tides us over a week at a time.

But as stated, the rub is Away Job. I should not worry.

The gels are probably fine, in company of Aunt and Cuz if I am away, but will it be too much for either?

I don't stress and worry at home with them, too much, just sometimes yell about what has not been kept up to a clean standard, feed them and taxi them and find dollars for them. Sounds cruisey.

And #2Son is nearly voting and keeping his room and nose clean for now and can cook up for himself too. Also cruisey, but the party life style as well as school requirements on top of the job he needs just to pay for his phone bill worries me a little. Maybe he can live at his GFs hoose, I sure her Ma will keep him in line!

So I am maybe going to be a working part time dad to teens.

Will I get another anxiety attack about them and fall in a heap?
Will I have to then keep the little job forever?
Will I make enough to get a new roof?
Will Aunts' family handle it all?
Can #1Son be a fill in for me too?
Will the kids be good for them all?
Will separation be good or bad?

Will they be the same afterwards?

only a couple of friends

Why is it that any birthday for a teenager is so important?

Statistically, it will only be a small percentage of their lives.

But #2 child, #2Son, has had two birthdays that needed a lot of friends to help celebrate. In my back yard. What will next years 18th be like?

It will probably another Ben Hur epic like last weekend.

"Only a couple of friends" were supposed to be around.

Like- three times what the original "guestimate" was...

At least another adult joined in at some time for a while.

I think we had a nice night.

The night before there was a quick pizza dinner with the family- without a cake.

I buggered that up! At least his grandfather and Brenda brought some cake!

Just did not think to pictoralise it nor add candles.

Epic fail I think.

But I think he enjoyed getting the guitar he got from us. And having his aunt and little cousin there too, and girlfriend L. With a call [on the speaker phone- haha] from his Big Brother back in The Big Smoke.

His mum would be proud him and of the lot of them

Enjoy Frizle!

diy or not

Expensive month of Sundays really

Blue moon month of Sundays anyway.



About.
You know, 5 weegens worth of pain suffering success and lack of adulation. 
Had some money left over after tax and pension pay out adjustments and trying to be...cheap. And it is only the start of the financial year...
PS: a Lotto win paid for itself, only, like, the ticket entry....



Whinge needs rants wants and had to be dones...




Ideas/Tasks	DIY?	Follow up	Bargain	success	cost
new 55" LCD 3d smart tv	no	no	blank	blank obviously	yep...
Fix the windscreen of the family car	no	Yes	Yes	Yes	250
Kitchen spout and taps [FAUCETS for the yanks]	yes	Yes	No	Yes	75
Shower head	yes	Yes	No	Dunno	22!!!!
Shower taps	yes	Yes	No	Dunno	43
cracked window pane in Piano room*	no	Yes	Yes	Yes	110
Laundry window pane **	no	Yes	Not really	Yes	110
Front door Side Light Window panes***	no	Yes	Spose	Yes	180
New computer	yes	Tomorrow	Nearly	Hope so	~500?
Fix memory in this computer	yes	Tried	No	No	90
Expand memory in gels pc's	yes	Tries to	No	No	a/a
MCC annual	no	Yep	No	yep	###
Car rego	no	Had to	No	Yep	150
Phone/net/mobiles	no	Had to	Nup	Spose	250!
Water	no	Had to	Nup	Spose	445!!!!!!!
Power	no	Had to	Nup	Spose	450!!!!!!!!!!
Service the car	no	Should	Wont be	Will see	Argh
Girls' new pc's or tablets	no	Maybe	Should be	Could be	Argh
#2son's birthday pressie- acoustic geetar?	tes	Will have to	Hope so	We'll see	Cheapo soonish!
Windows7 64bit, usb3 4port for nu pc	yes	Yes	Yeah	Hope so	110
Plastic stakes for portable Vineyard Pots	yes	Hmmm	Maybe	Hope so	Dunno yet
fix shed lights	yes	have to	no	hope so	dunno yet

 Used the modern way to pay bills, amazing the frequent flyer points accruable doing it that way. Just wish I flew more instead....

*****I finally noticed the OTHER DAY- Cracked and nearly falling out, fixed after too many years!!!!!!!!! Bloody kids fault too!

So the start of Spring was four really nice warm days. Fingers crossed for next day or two...

  

Spring is Sprung In The Portable Vineyard

Wondering around the yard today and Surprise!

Did not notice any activity during the week and then...

Buddding vines! 

Shiraz

Pinot Noir

The Pinots

Mulched the pots today, beautiful first day of spring!

Junk week

Junk week

Recycling "recycling" junk and or just throwing out some personal history.

The old sofas and dresser go back to Tarn's first Adelaide purchases with her "own" money.

A shame, but when it's worn out, it is worn Out.

car seats and the old sofas from '87

bike parts and cubby house kitchenette

The kids stuff, well, they have outgrown the cubby house kitchenette- a hand me down from their older twin cousins, sorry girls, and the little doll-house- again, sorry about that, but its been out of use for far too long!

The tyres- a few  of the many- I was going to reuse them as vegetable patches for strawberry or tomatoe plants... The hard rubbish collectors will only take four a year.

A nice old bike lasted less than half an hour- dang- should have done a yard sale-  same with the stereo unit sitting on the old speakers!

Will be interesting to see what is left for the Official Hard Rubbish Collectors later on in the week.

An old clothes drier needs parts- replaced with a newie, bugger it. A stove top way past its use by date.

And then the recycled sitting apparatus picked up by the boys were not used or utilised- Out They Go too! Who really wants to sit in an old rocking chair [that still works] or car seats? Really?

The gels tried to smuggle the car seats back into the cubby hut, but I put my foot down hard- NO!!!! LEAVE THEM OUT THERE I said ore than once to #3Eldest Girl Child.

I was thinking of removing the speakers and recycling the magnets for the notes on the refrigerator...

What may be unappreciated is the fact that there is several thousands of dollars worth of stuff being junked, and I do not want to do a garage sale. My loss if stuff/junk is nicked and sold on!.

4 of 12 tyres and some old speakers and stereo