Drama in town

Drama in town

The twins were in a school play the last week, a few days off school and having fun with their peers in a play written out by the English teacher- not much older than my boys!

Their Year Nine reports al la NAPLAN came today, they are above their peers for the year they are in- looks like single dads can have some success. 

Three years to go before they leave school, time is speeding up on me... apron strings- two gone two left.

My boys are struggling on in the big circus of Out Of Home- government and big business are losing my confidence- I hope that the boys have dreams that can be fulfilled without help from them.

It is really weird how the governments are cutting help for the unemployed while big business are having to cut employees. Go Figure.

Woopie trails in the desert and old music compilation cassettes

Woopie trails in the desert and old music compilation cassettes

Before the last job started [in Geology!] I found- and then so put in to my van some of my old old old music compilation cassettes. The woopie for the journey to work had no mp2 connection either, and I brought no CDs with me anyway...

So- back to September:

Thus, I was in a travelling time travel machine [most of them others are sedentary- Al La The Police Box of Dr Who- althogh I think it can also fly- where as I could not unless travelling over the speed limit on an interstae hwy counts?], as each was played once through in the van. At least eight tapes I think- it was a eight hour trek to the Other Littler Big Smoke- Adelaide. That was a few weeks ago now. "A Wednesday in September". The tapes were all from the eighties, late night recordings of favorite album songs back then, after a night out with Tarn or the boys and sleep was too far away. Tracks from Men At Work, Split Enz, Beach Boys, Talking Heads, Supertramp, ... In other words, a few. Trouble was, being tapes, no fast forward or skip to next song- [a problem of the general population it seems that we only need to sample our favourite music too now- ie 10 sec, skip, 10 secs, skip til you get what you want unbtil another song name appears on the screen. Anyway- see this guy or this guy- they are good- skip through as short]..

The woopie we are using used to get to the desert, throught the desert, and back from the desert has had radio and a CD player with no MP3 connection. And no auto fridge [for the beer cold drinks.] The trip up and around the desert was not that boring, my friend Doug has a history in the oilpatch going back a long way, so many tales are etched in the back of my mind. Sometimes near Moomba- the mobile phone network would work, weird or what! [Doug might be a generation older than me, but he loves his iPhone5!] and also a radio station, relayed either from Broken Hill, Perth or maybe somewhere in Queensland- but never relavent to ME- I do seem to like My Big Smoke Radio Stations back in good old Vic.

September. That's a long while ago, and the kids have [had?] missed me. Really? #2Son has nearly finished last year of high school and last exams, telling me "I am studying", other people worrying that it does not look like it. Even If I Was Home, I am more than sure he would be telling me that same thing anyway, whether he had or not. Being a teenager once, I remember that.

And I am was up here there, for now, or longer? Was not longer. There was much to-ing and fro-ing on progress the last few days, will this be done or that. One choice was an sxtra ten days- not taken finally. Whew.

I have/had been at the desert job for so long now, I am getting used to the sub-luxurious living conditions and a the far off life of being the incredible gullible dependable single dad is fading away... Ah Innamincka, lovely place... Wow, more than that now, the Melbourne Cup is on as I write, well, back then! Weird life. Not  a housework thang to do. Nice. In a small way.

Posted a month later

ciggies, medictns- i took enuf of those that they lasted right to the end- not as planned but as anticipated anyway- dusty cigs are crap, bur ah well, and the MS meds- could have stretched it out.

There's always That Month

Not that any month should be avoided

September for a lot of people is probably a Hard Month to handle for tragic anniversaries.

[posted nearly a year later. Because]
Here, we have a birthday and a mother's death to get through.

The other weegen, there was pizza Friday, and some beer Satdee with 'some' friends for #2Son annual birthday celebration, a bit of fun had by all. So that's the good side of September.

And then there is the the rest of the month.

Morning 20th, a call from Aunty D, "oh Tone,can't stop think...". Unfortunately, I had managed to avoid remembering that morning, so it was a little dig in the ribs for me- "Shit!".

Taking the kids to the grave site of their mum the last couple of years is getting more painful for them, especially my twin gels. We used to go with their grandfather, but I can see that is getting too much for him too. [This is de ja vu too]

Mid afternoon 20th September. One of the boys was home, from the Big Smoke, the other was missing calls on his cellphone "To Get Home Now, we are Going out" , and there was a visit from Aunty and Pop later in the afternoon. #2 missed the visit.

I would like to get through this visit quietly and, well, not quickly, but at least put the effort in to dust down the tombstone and place fresh garden flowers there. We took some Jasmine and Azaleas, the Jasmine Tarn's favourite thing about the house she chose for us to live in and raise our kids.

A nice remembrance from myself or #1Son might have cheered the gels up, but none came forth this time. Sorry gels.

On the other hand, as #1Son said- spooky because:

Twenty nine years ago this month's end, I had to part with Tarn to start an oilpatch career, which lasted to 1999, on the other side of the country. She did join me there though the next year, and we stayed together where ever I had to work, Perth to Adelaide to Scotland to Melbourne to Gippsland. 

Twelve years ago this month I started another new career path, paused with a Huge Hiccup, and continued with family support. 

Ten years this month ago I had to stop that job and stay at home with the kids, for their sakes and mine. 

By the end of this month, I may be starting down a new career path in the oilpatch, and having to leave teenage girls and a young man in their aunt's care while some money is made and separation anxiety is fought. Finger crossed, September could be a neutral month this year. But is it chicken and egg counting, argh.

Three Milestones This Year

getting three in one year

Alone almost, well, people do say I have managed it, so as usual, it's either water off the ducks back or breathe it in Princess- Anyway- my four prodigies have made it to an interesting time of our lives, where, if I may be self aggrandizing, we can celebrate three no four, milestones.

The gels have made it to the TEEN years. With phones and keys and purses...
The second boy will be VOTING on his EIGHTEENTH birthday. And driving that week too.
The eldest is TWENTY ONE- I just gave him the usual birthday present- a watch.
I am a full deck of spider solitaire cards old. And Tarn would be too.

[So then- Five years to go, to sell the mansion, and move to a warm windy lake place... Unless grandchildren start falling from the sky! Need a yard to corral them little ankle biters I suppose!]

So much more could be said- I have not written up much lately, think I am still coming down from the high of working for a good coin and recovering from the stress of it all- not- haha- not quite.

We do seem to have attracted a few new people to the family home- #2Son has friends living in the shed with him a few days a week- Mr C needs to be closer to work- a 15 minute commute interferes with the apprenticeship wage threshold of fuel or food or drink- something like that- and the same with the other blow-in that has landed like a drowned kitten at the door, Mr Z, although I think he makes more coin for socialising purposes only mind you, than Mr C! I should also note that the final year of high school also includes a fair bit of weekend boozing- not like when I was a kid [hmm?]- think I may have lost parental control there- but I can stop his phone use... Just wish he would jump in to do the usual kiddie chore without been repeatedly asked. I am hoping he knuckles down the rest of the school year so as to pass high-school and get into a paramedical course! Life...

What to tell the gels when their friends start to behave like... girls? As above- "live with it", it is only one phase you have put up with- at a time- should be okay within a week or so- like the common cold- and Who Knows...

About #1Son and the milestone- he made it down from the Big Smoke for a NIGHT to celebrate with us and cousins and grandad and the carers that are lifelong friends. Was a good night out- everybody well behaved. The cousins, my brothers twin girls, who also be 21 next year, brought along a hard-drive chockers with their overseas trip to Europe- we saw about ten percent... another time BunnieTwins!

[PS #4 achieved another milestone 20 July, congratulations!]

Gross Fishing

Cleaning and Gross Fishing

This is not that it's really a family oriented blog good and bad bews etcetera.
[And this is a late post addon from an earlier one...]

If you know about this, you know I get cross with the shower sometimes. Like: When the plug hole is PLUGGED by child hair (or even the grey, ok). Or when the drain gets grown into by roots of grasses or vines or trees.

The last few weeks, if the shower is going at full steam (hahaha..) the footwell starts to fill.

Not again!

Pull the wad of hair from the plug hole...?

Not filling due to that pitiful wad of [LONG!] hair.

Need to do something else, check that the drain outside is not overflowing. Again.

NO!

Hmmm.

Today. Half naked and ready for a shower and while the blockage is on my mind I streak outside to grab some speaker wire from the Alcoholery.

Once back inside safe from prying eyes, I bend the speaker wire into a semblance of a hook and poke it down the plug hole. Deep Deep Deep, and pulled out some hair from the U-bend.
Not so good an Idea Marvin.

Return to the Alcoholery for.... adadadadadadadda dem... [drum roll]
hanger and a pair of pliers

Bent wire to suit. Slip it down the plug hole, and lucky for me the "strainer" piece comes free. Because as I rotate the kludged up hooking device and pull it up.... 

SOME ONE'S PONY TAIL WAS DOWN THE DRAIN

That's just Gross Fishing fore ya!

Gross cleaning time

Gross cleaning time

here

Cos the family members expect it to be done by some one else... The Gross cleaning time is when I get to it, argh. Weird, you have to laugh, other wise the shower overflows...

Almost a full pony tail worth of hair in the U-bend, oh gross.

Sadder Each Time Now

Mother's Day for My Gels

Is getting to me

Each year, the girls seem to appreciate more the loss of a mum they never knew.

Adelaide, I think.

The last few years has been a bit gut wretching for me, to keep a stiff upper lip, to not let my tears show too much as we visit their mum's grave site, as I hold the twin's hands on her special days of the year- birthday, Mother's day, the accident anniversary.

Their grandfather seems to be affected by their moods too, at those times out there, so I do not like to invite him along at those times anymore either- I do not know whether that is selfish, but as the oldest child of eldest childs [make sense?], I try to control or have order and try to ensure everybody is not unsatisfied with a situation.

This year, the weather on Tarn's birthday was atrocious. No Visit 'Out There'. Just a little pizza night later that week with the kids and Ken and Brenda.

This week, Mother's Day, another anniversary, weather again unco-operative. However, stiff upper lip and surprise visit, whether they really wanted to or not, to the grave site with some flowers. By the time we got out of the car, the gels were teary. Another short rainy visit. Like the day of the burial. To me, Just Great. Not. Then home via the hospital to see Ken's partner Brenda, who is recovering [well?] from surgery, to give her flowers and cheer her up. Funny thing was, we followed Ken into the car park!

The night before, Son#2 came into my office, and said a little tippsily, that he really like that picture above, and where was it taken. So this blog is for him and his aunt.

For my Mum, I sent flowers, she had visits from at least two of my siblings, so I think Mum had a good weegen.

I appreciate the little things when they come around. Tarnia's little sister has lifted me a bit today, always so nice to read her blog which includes us too.

Busy-ness

Laundry.

Weather.

Glad I do not have what some people have, four weather extremes in a few months rather than just our four seasons in a day...

An educated worry.

As we know it, nah.

As our kids' kids will find it, maybe.

Currently A New Year

Doh!
Oh der Fred Marvin! Catch up!

The kids have started a new school year- #2Son his second last year of Secondary School, and the twins, #1gel and #2Gel have just started their first day at Secondary School. #1Son will soon start second year at the Big Smoke Uni, and in the meantime, has got himself a new single bedroom apartment. For the same price. With a kitchenette and ensuite. One glass and two plates, a set of cutlery for one. I think. Yesterday I dropped off some stuff for his place, but he did not want too much. Mugs, plates. BTW, next week he has jury selection!

The gels had a big summer holiday. Lots of sleepovers with mates here and away, heaps of swimming pool stuff. We did not get to the ocean beach even once. But we had fun I suppose. Sometimes- they had Six gels running around here, [which means I run to my man-cave and bunker in with some HM rum and coke and the teev ...] Movies. Xmas with their aunts and uncles and granparents here and there. But it was a cool xmas day. And filling.  Both times! Ta Dee and bro.

#2Son had fun- FooFighters, Big Day Out, lotsa skaten an' biken' an' time with his little cutey 'L'.

I took my lil yacht out. Once. I went to the pics once, to see A Few Best Men. (not that great, okay tho. Too Aussie).

Last week, me and the gels went around getting the new uniform stuff and school stuff. The dresses and jackets cost a small fortune, got two of each, a size 10 and a size 12 in case there is a growth spurt some time this year. Gotta be prepared! But the smaller size was tailored (for another small fortune) and they looks just fine. The downer was that some one suggested I really should have bought four size 8 instead. Pessimists. Whatever bonuses I received (ta everyone) for getting all this school stuff (for three of them) was not quite enough, och well, and still gotta get some clogs for the #2Son! I mean Skate-shoes suitable enough for school...

Yesterday [at 8am! After a 2 hour drive..] I got to see a specialist about whether I had MS or not. I have a mild case. There. And will see him again. Next year. And drove home from the Big Smoke after seeing Son#1. Back to a crazy work schedule, and then after that, More damn school supplies shopping! At least they had practically everything to start the new year off.

Bearded. After the Big day Out Weegen

Another one-on-one thing we have between #2Son and me is the learning to drive a vehicle... As he has a little delivery job around town, I have started to let him drive me around in order to get some hours up on his logbook. He needs 120 hours worth before he can do his driving test for a licence, and that is a lot of petrol man- work it out. Och well. There is the definite one-on-one time, even if I am trying to stop the car with my mental powers at times... So I thought that with two years, just an hour a week should be fine. Nah, give in a little, and it is two hours a week. Dang. Quarter of the way there already! And we are still alive too. Hmm.

Last weegen, he and his mate Max went to the Big Smoke all by themselves on the train to the Big Day Out, a series of Concerts by big bands and the lesser known newbies. I think he had a good time.  I bought him his ticket months ago and he only just paid it back to me just in time. He had worked his butt off for it too, or else! They stayed at my niece's place nearby, so it was all good- just a hop skip and jump- or 15 minute walk away. Really growing up noo!

I have been left alone in the house a few times the last few months. Strange. Getting close to the empty nest stage. Maybe get to have the house the way I want it. Clean, neat, tidy. Hmm. And just me?

seemed odd afterwards

A family run around
Busy or what?

Last week, we had fish n chips n ChikoRolls midweek at my inlaws D and PD at the NuHoose

Friday, she picked the gels up from school for the weekend because I was off to see my mum, so did not catch her Friday arvo.

At 6 pm. dropped into see my eldest son in The Big Smoke for a coffee and to drop off of xrissy prezi.

At 8pm (late cos had to pick up some flowers!), arrived at Mum and Dad's place, by the sea and  river, not far from a 13 hole golf club!

Saturday, saw Dad off for his trip to help my sister boy and my broinlaw for the Garmin 24 at Redesdale, where the little guy got a third in his division. By the way, it bucketed down and the nobby tyres caused the portable showers a problemo, if you know what I mean...

For the weekend, sat around with Mum, fixed this up and that, installed a new weather station, formatted a slow laptop that they had given up on and hey presto, it just ZINGS along Now! Cos everyone wanted to put something on it for Nana to use, it was very cluttered, and glacially slow that they got another one... Should have taken it home to fix- for meself- but thought the better of it, it would be something the grand-kids can fight over when it rains...

Sunday: Did the leaves in the gutter thing, took dog for a walk once- cos it rained and rained and...Dad gets back and I take off home, with a washing machine for my brothers girl that has moved into a share house in the Big Smoke with mates and three dead laundry machines... cannot believe she has finished study and ready to work in the real world of Nursing. Their place was not too far out of the way, and a simple [NOT] drive home to pick the gels up. And catch up with D and PD again, and collect my gels.

No radar flashes or hidden traffic cops the whole weegen, cos I was Very Watchful of my poor empty wallet... And collected two nice hand knitted jumpers made by Mum for my gels!

The point: face to face time with family. Just doing it.

Between the lake and the bush

My place, the Highway
But not for a feed

The other day, we had a drop bear drop in....

Can you see him?

The boys were riding their skateboards around the yard, and #2 came in and said something about "outside"!

Hmm.... what?

A koala had somehow made its way into our yard from the little town lake four of five blocks away, where it itself is not far from the river. And was definitely making its way North. 

After posing for us out the front, he/she jumped onto the fence and then onto the roadside, then after scaring an overawed audience, it scampered into someone else's property across the street.

is No Pain for me as yet

There is No Pain, tingly though

That is the first thing, but the gels looked worried! 
Follow up a few months later below.

What the? 

A month ago or so, driving the van around town on the job, I felt tingling feelings from about above my left butt cheek and down my leg. I thought nothing much, but it kept recurring at odd times. Left side? And a numb feeling in the pad of the fourth finger, left hand... Sciatica? A large [but worthless?] wallet had been moved from rear to front pocket, and solved that problem years ago, but this?

The next chiropractic session, I mentioned it, "When I bow my head, it sends the sensation like pins and needles down the leg. Well?" Massage, move this and that. No change. Feeling still there. Hmm, weird.

One night at home, I grab the three legged massager the kids got me for Father's Day the other year. Father's Day? A present anyway, and leaned back against Bev's old armchair pressing the massager against my neck. Felt okay, funny sensation was not there, so... Nah, still there next day sometimes.

Finding out 

I called a surgery and made out I wanted to see a doctor because of the tingles down the left side. The previous year I had got a nurse to check for diabetes as my mum has that now, but " No, You Don't Have It". Oh good. A little prick and loss of a drop of blood never hurt anyone, but, that INSTANT little PAIN of the prick, AND GONE like that plus the NO answer was all gratifying in a way.

A few years before, prior to a knee operation, I had a heart examination. Sticking-plaster with wires all over my nearly hairless chest revealed- HEALTHY. And I smoked a bit back then too, and prior to that had been drinking more than the "recommended amount", purely because of the Alcoholery's cheap prices, and a presumed "needed stress relief". Before the knee job a few more years ago, a couple of invasive inspections of the top and the bottom parts of my innards revealed a little too much relief was being had, and a blood test agreed, so The Alcoholery's favourite customer has been a poor one ever since...

Anyway. The doctor was intrigued, and ordered x-rays, so was happy to comply, as work was a hour away. She was sure I was not getting MS. Thirty thousand x-rays later and late for work.... No. A neck x-ray means a few shots from different angles. Quite a few. Maybe 20? Anyhow, had to wait a few days, and the surgery called back about coming in for another consult. "Minor central canal stenosis at C5/6". Ahh. What? "Maybe some minor surgery." WTF?

Well, a boney[?] protrusion onto the spinal cord? Just great. But it might explain by a roundabout way why I see reds and oranges duller through a sort of greyish filter with my right eye compared to my left eye, and also the staccato digital like static sounds over the tinnitus in the left ear when it's weally weally quiet... Doubt it. Think about that, I KNOW colours are DIFFERENT and DULLER.

So now trying to organise a neurologist appointment in the Big Smoke.

In the mean time, explained again to the Chiropractor, and the gels were listening i, again, and looked worried as we looked at th ex-rays via th internet (WOW.

A Specialist

Alright then.

Oh, WHAT! Call, and find out The Specialist has been in Queensland and the receptionists at that office did not even bother to get back in touch with the senders about THAT! IF they got the fax that is.  WTF? Hang on, no, they did not even receive it? Bull dust. I watched it sent off.

next
MRI mid august and two Oesteopathic sessions and a few chiro sessions as well.

The manipulators may have modified the pain that comes and goes.

The MRI was exciting as.... a noisy nap...

Then a special trip needing a day off work to go The Big Smoke as reported elsewhere- a 20 minute eye-brain function test. A two hour trrip down for an expected all day test. Bloody hell.
However- as planned if that was so, I had a cunning plan B, leave early enough, and I could have some sailing in at Sandy Point! And did get one good reach in. And the wind died again. ARGH. Go home. Six hours on the road, one test for twenty minutes and a sail for 5 minutes...

September follow up
This time, I got the last appointment slot, about 6PM!
Dr Dominic sat me down, and said more or less:
"I have some bad news and some good news."
Ah, so?
After a few minutes going through the MRI scans on the CD the scanners gave me to give to him... The were was some little patches in the grey matter of the noodle!
This was an example of a "mild case of multiple sclerosis" apparently.
"Ah, so that was the bad news? That's all?"
"Yes"

So the slight worry I had allowed myself driving down was alleviated by the fact that there was something not right, but not deadly. The "attacks" I had been having, as come up in the diagnosis, were probably all related to the few dang little pea sized inflamed parts of the brain!

Maybe all explained- the clumsiness and all that sugar spilled next to the coffee cups over the years, the different red colours between the left and right eyes I can actually discern, and the tingly neck and legs [which have disappeared at the moment] are all due to a mild case of MS

So far.

And if I take up a course of medicine- self inflicted needle jabbing in the beer pot skin- I should be able to contain any further inflammation/attacks to a minimum.

But I still have to see the GP, and probably go to a MS clinic up at the Big Smoke. What all this means down the track will more apparent, as far as inhibiting job prospects or working in the patch again, probably no affect. Fingers crossed and not twitching...

sad and glad

Weird- an old draft, unposted

But- so relevant in any case.
This is what I meant to say a while ago... and as usual, there is always something I don't get around to doing.
Like yesterday, it was one of the my nephew's 18th birthday, which is big over here, as you can actually go up to a bar and "where's me beer mate?", and I was waiting to call, and FORGOT until 10pm, which ios a bit late.
Sorry Jord, and Maz, and lil bro...

So from last years brave attempt at... welcome mat rollout to my Sis-Inlaw and partner and kidlet Dmpsi.
They have just had a hoose built, out at the edge of town, so drinkies may be a bit smaller than in the past when there was sometimes advanced imbibations and only had a five minute walk home...
From last year- and also this year, git beck ere...

sad and glad
Tarnia's little sister is coming to see us all soon, the girls cannot wait to see their aunt, cousin and uncle, back from the States. The boys. Probably. Me- wine beer company good fun.
I don't know whether it's coming home to see us all, or a family vacation?
Making sure we are well; growing? Aunty sounds excited,
To be with us. For Christmas time.
Home is where the heart is...
Friday...
Fish and Chips out in the back yard with a few beers or wines.
There are  a few six packs and bottles waiting.
Glorious spring weather, better be- rain on the way?  :-(

Weird family roots- Steiglitz

Cross Pollination?
Our family roots are entwined. So romantic...

Our family roots are definitely mostly in  Victoria, Austalia, since the turn of the twentieth century.

My dear wife was born in Swan Hill, Victoria.
Me, south of Melbourne, 338 km from there.

My Mum, born Caulfield, Melbourne.
Her mum Mary, Albert Park, Melb.
Her dad Des, Sydney, NSW
Mary's father Edward, Carlton, Melb; her mum Cath, South Melb. Cath's parents both Melbourne born.

Judd Clan without18 grankids- 2004

Edward's parents- Thomas  McHutchison b1856 and his wife Catherine Stapleton, b1854, were both born in Steiglitz , between Geelong and Ballarat, Victoria.
Right in the middle of the Great Victorian Gold Rush of the mid-Eighteenth century. Roots from there, Paisly Scotland and Isle of Man. And a convict down another branch at the time too.

My dear old dad, born small town 25 km northwest of Swan Hill, 1937.
His dad Adrian, Leongatha, Vic, 1913, (BTW, around when my house and it's piano were built).
His mum Glad, Fitzroy, Melb.
Adrian's dad- Cape Otway as far as Adrian's records show and Christmas Hills for his mother,
Glad's folks Heidleberg for her mum; her dad, no idea at this time.
Hmmm. Cape Otway is only about 100 km from Steiglitz. Branches back further include County Cork- Ireland, Ormiston and Mid Lotthian ,Scotland, and as far back as 1673- Inverness, where Andrew Young  and Janet Roy lived aboots, and their son John Young was born.

My mums maternal Uncle Albert- lived, worked and raised four kids in Murrumbeena, Melbourne.

My mother-in-law Bev, born 1938, Sea Lake, 57 km from my dad's birthplace and 66 km from Swan Hill.
Her mum 'Elsie', born Steiglitz 1908, between Geelong and Ballarat. I was told she Moved north because of the wet and cold in Geelong, where she worked, caused her distress and ill health.
Her husband Frank, born Bendigo, 1910. Tarn and I met there at College, 1980. And we moved back there years later for a little while. Son#2 was born there too

My father-in-law, born 1933, Balranald, NSW, also lived in Marrumbeena, Melbourne, at his dad's mothers house,  as a child before WW2. I think.
His parents, Victorian born or NSW. No data. Better fix that! His dad was a POW, died on one of the ill fated railways.
And my gel#1 is named after her grandfathers greatgrandmother! But where gel#2's name comes from?

The weird cross over points are entwined in both of our family roots. Tarnia's and mine. 

 Steiglitz, Swan Hill, Bendigo and Murrumbeena  

Coffee and Oats

New Recipe for Coffee and Oats

Drink and breakfast

Here is a new way to prepare brekky and a cuppa.
Or for the rest of the world- breakfast and a beverage.

I love coffee, and time poor means instant coffee, and really, only freeze dried instant coffee, and in my Particular Case- Moccona Classic or Indulgence.

Rolled oars to make hot porridge can be prepared differently, that is, cold turkey time...

Plain raw rolled oats, milk, sugar AND a LITTLE SPRINKLE of instant or ground coffee on top;
Alternatively, make the porridge properly... with a sprinkle of coffee on top;
Or put a few grains on your favourite cereal instead!
Like on 'Oat Flakes'. 

Cuppa coffee- add a few grains of rolled oars! LESS than a quarter teaspoon! Much Less!
Gives the coffee a really nice taste.

I have not tried it with tea yet- but I imagine it just would not work out as good.

Lonesome Breakfast Times These Days, & Stings

The weekend, and today...


Breakfast Today
The three progs* left at home these days are getting so autonomous, I could leave home  for a few weeks and nearly be comfortable with that on a rig in the North Sea...

Not really.

I can sort of sleep in while they get ready for the school day. Toast smells sometimes drift down to my room. Some talking,  mostly the TV noises. Occasional brawls do not make me rush to put out the wildfire anymore.

Then the inevitable "Bye Daddy", "See you Dad",
"Yeah, Bye! Oh. Made your lunches? fed the Cat? Done your shoes? Have a good day, see you tonight!"

Weird. I am a bit lazy sometimes, but they are all really growing up!

I am still Grumpy at breakfast, probably like my dad! Back when/then, Tarn, and my Mum too, would give "Their Man" brekky in bed to stave off the Grump from "ruining" the kid's breakfast...


I walk down the hall to get ready for the day for a Pondering Shower  or ABC news over a lonesome brekky and nice coffee.
Yeah.
Bath towels, underwear, and breakfast dishes all around the lounge. TV on.
All left in situ like a tsunami had been announced or I walked into Pompeii...

#2 Son and Heytell

#2 son is not so much a handful anymore, and some conversations are pretty good- and I though last night, pretty grown up. "We" "had" to try an "app" out on our respective iPods- 'Heytell.'

Hmmph.
Pause an old NCIS at 11:55pm and go to my pc and find and load the dang app, fine, and the iPod wanted update itself- jeze mabel!

Anyway- like coitus interruptus, the two downloads went ahead. I got the app loaded and I wondered back to see if #2 the dazzler had loaded his app.

Nah, It was in the middle of updating the song list instead...
Hmmph.

Stomped back, snatched the iPod off the umbilical, forgetting to make sure it was okay to eject it and went back to watching my show.

Finally the Frazzler got his shite together, and with much sssss's and stuff, we got it to work. Dunno how much that is gonna cost me in wasted time and money, but looks like a cool walkie talkie type thing. If a WiFi hotspot is close by that is.

To be Stung or Not
The other two progeny have really stung me this weekend. Their birthday money went on an iPod touch each with some subsidizing- I don't like one missing out- so sue me.

"Everybody else has an iPod Toch. Bwha, bwha!"
Fine where's the cash gels?
Got em, although there could have been extras for extra- like Maccas...
"There you go. Satisfied?"
Oh YEAH! They were!

Tarn would not have gone down this track I am bloody sure, but, [And Happy 39th again Tarn], I cannot help myself. A Techy Boy Thing I reckon.

And then after all set up and the facetime is finally usable:

"Everybody else is using iTunes!"

Who- What- How- Why- When?

Parents do not read the conditions, or do, don't worry or/nor care and still sign over the preciousnesses of their lives - to The Net. Or Steve Jobs and minions. (Jeze Mabel- shoulda got those Apple shares)

I did so as long as use was supervised- after all, I managed to trust #1 Son. I think.

The Sting.
Their accounts needed some real verification before accessing the app store. Really?

Big mistake.

#3b girl child went for some  free apps/songs. ["Not"!]
I was not there over her shoulder, so did not notice, AND was not told that the verification notice was in reality--- an agreement to purchase these app/songs...
Da dong...

Okay, and I agreed to what I thought was a strange way to get a freebie... Da Dong

And then  #3a girl child needed some verification code too. Still not suspicious.

As they went off to bed I recieved some emails with Apple invoices and a thankyou for using the Apps Store.


DA DONG!

WHAT?!

We had just put some credit into their accounts from Target using the rest of their birthday money from the rels at Fi-ester Weegen!

Raised my voice and berated the two rapscallions, nor Yelling but certainly crossly!
"never Never do that again! Etc etc etc..."

And then and now realised that it was all my fault anyway. Still, cheap and not cheap!

More Stings. Today

[An aside- a pay check $238. Food today $136, Sting 2- cat medicine $46]

I received a text message from The Bobby Dazzler that I could pick him up after school.
Why? No answer.
So when It gets home, It says, "we could have gone out to the grave to pay respects?"
BUGGER, yes, we could have done it that way!
Hmmph again.
Off we go to see Tarn to put a little posy in the vase thingo, share some tears, and leave.


Travelling towards home:
"I need shoes"
"Me too"
Bugger me!

So. Via the shops...

First shop, cheapos okay, but do what Tarn would have made me do anyway, and get some more quotes.

Next place.
"Yuck"
"Don't like 'em"
Get some replacement jeans on special for me...$35

Next place.
"Nah, my friend says those shoes are crap"

Back to the first one, and fork out 120 buckaroonies!

Next stop, get some shoe inserts for the injured one like the doctor says. Another $35.
By the way, from last weeks x-ray of #3b's foot, looks like there's Nothing Wrong with it...
Hmmph, knew that!

Stung too many times. Credit card, cheque book and pay check buggered again for the week.




*not sprogs! Progenies. progenics?

Close shave-ers

Another trivial pursuit of cleanliness.

In more ways than one.

After a shower pondering, I thought I should better clean up my ablution-istic accecessorizing belongings...

After all, with three kidliwinks also sharing the large bathroom, a good example may work!

I have given shaving up. "For Lent", ROFLOL.I am pretty sure that at least two people are throwing their hands up in shock and horror clutching their (female) cheeks and a "oh, it makes you look So Old, get rid of it!" So far, a client or two have been like that as well. What?  I cannot see the problem. My face! Winter is coming along. Even with Global Warming Accelerating as hard as it can, it is still going to be cooler around here for a few more months, so what the hell? The gels are being annoying- "ooh, it's so thick!"

Ruffling through my basket of stuff on the shelf, I found a few odds and sods... a twenty years plus collection of the best and worst blade shavers, IMHO.

My first shave, a twin-blade Gillette Contour is not there, but there a few others. The Mach series is not that great. They may have five blades, but they sure don't last that long for me. The vibrator handle doesn't turn me on at all, it still shaves the same as the triple blade.

The Quattro from Schick does a good job, and the replacement blades are usually cheaper and last longer than the Gillette ones. Go figure? The earlier Schick's were not great, but adequate. A change was as good as a holiday was probably the reasoning behind the defection...

The Wilkinson Sword was a souvenir from Grantham, UK, 2001. It was not that great either.

Now I am using the one from Aldi - an in store no-name brand I suppose. It works really well for a triple blade, and the only thing I reckon would be better for it would be a trimming blade like the Mach and Quattro have.

Another Ponderant was that this is a way of digitizing my memories... for me, later...

S'weird aint't it, all the shite we manage to accrue over the years, and think nothing of it?