Nov 2014

Nov 2014

Lost my father-in-law, a stalwart supporter for the family here for the last fourteen years.

Ken [KD] was a country boy through and through, born in the Mallee, with a stint in The Big Smoke around WW2 then back up north with his mum and older sisters to his dad's family.
Apparently not a great time, but then In-Laws aren't perfect all the time.
KD lost his dad on the Burma Railway during the war. Anyway, after highschool, he met Bev at work, hooked up, produced a family, and one day years later, one of their kids decided I was okay to have sprogs [kids] with...

After we lost Tarn, KD and Bev moved into a room with us [I was not moving the family to a new place anywhere else] to help me with the four kids.
It was decided that I should return to the oilfield and bring home the bacon as there was some paid help for them.The helper became great friends.
My sis-in-law Dee and Pete, had bought a house in town and commuted from LA for our summers when Pete had time off. Dee had a second girl by this time, so Ken and Bev had all their little eggs in the one town.
Until Bev relapsed two years later and on Bev's advice, I left the oilfield mid 2002 and took up full time Dad At Home- DAH.
Ken and Bev moved to a place just up the street, and then  Bev departed this mortal coil, leaving me and Ken with the kids.

By 2004, we were a bit of a sad case overall: my brother's mother-in-law 1999, my pop in 2000, my wife 2000, my mother-in-law 2002, her sister 2002, my granma 2002, then Sav, Dee's eldest girl in 2004.

And time moves on, dragging sad little asses along, trying to get through, and I had Ken to help out. Many a home-brew stout was consumed back in 2001 and 2002. I would get back from a week long hitch and he and I would down a couple of long-necks and a few ciggies [that I had had to go without at work] and getting a hangover effect by dinner time...

We had wide ranging discussions on the world. Plenty of remedies, really.  Well, at the time. Share prices, farming, oilfield, kids. The shed was a retreat.

A while after Bev had passed on, Ken met Brenda, and then married her a while after that. He was happy. Dee had bought a block of land on the edge of town overlooking a billabong, really nice, and built on it.
KD and Brenda planned ship cruises, bought tickets, and then had to cancel twice. Hips and illnesses. KD even got WHOOPING COUGH at the grand old age of --- hmm-- late seventies I believe, it had taken the medical professionals longer than three months to diagnose it, so if he was ill already it did not help.
This last year Brenda looked after the old boy as a previous condition he had on the lungs led to shortness of breath, the last few months was a lot of sitting around for home that he hated. His best friends even came down form the Mallee and The Big Smoke at The Melbourne Cup Weekend, so that was really good for him.


RIP Ken. A friend, not just a father and father in law.

Been in the desert with just internet

Been in the desert with - just internet

Strange to say, that being without the close knit family members around, seems I am not really shallowly missing them, as/but I have the Been in the desert with just internet for nearly four weeks to keep in touch with them all.

Missing a person permanently gone for ever is different, but the kids and others- I Vill Be Bach! You guys are still in  my heart and on my mind. A little messaging very few days, a quick email if I remember to, they are close that way.

Been in the desert with just internet and while I am away; The #2Son is supposedly doing all the household chores, washing, yard chores, mail and childminding chores on top of studying like mad for his last year at school exams in the hope of being a driver of an ambulance- if not a paramedic... [Pretty sure it was the fast thing about the career- not the blood and guts... Ve Vill See...] But my "leedle shpiez" tell me that the actual quality of the house work done at home is enough that you can see     -   the doors and walls and ceilings..... and he gets his friends staying over to do some of it for him! how to win friends and influence people... Oh dear me, if I get home to a-------!

Now the #1Son, what a good one that is, not in comparison or anything to #2Son, but I reckon he will be a good catch the way he has stepped in as chaperon for the Gels this last weekend- they went to an aunts he's Night luncheon(I know- luncheon?), and then maybe (window!) shopping back in The Big Smoke with Big Brother (I can see his face now- get used to it...). He aint well this week, tonsillitis the doc reckons, so I wish him better health soon, as well as good luck with last semester uni stuff.

The gels now, I think they may miss me, but early teens- probably say they do just to shut me up! I hear that they are being good, from their aunt, I hope so, she has been kind enough to take them on for initially a few weeks, but as this old desert job carries on longer, she or I may have to pack them off to boarding school! JOKE! But looks they are growing up, sensible and all. Did I mention under a little duress and help that the braces are on their teeth now, so in the end all I am is the money cow after I look after That! 

Been in the desert with just internet and no TV is a shocker- but that has been changed- we now have satellite- 999 channels and only the ABC shows to amuse me... Like missing beer and the kids, "Hmm, Am I Really?" (I say only the ABC- I meant to try to catch Craig Ferguson the other night, but I missed the Late Late Show by That Much, I went for dinner in disgust).

Been in the desert with just internet and no household chores, no dishes, no cooking, no cleaning, no bed making even, no taxi rides around town for overnights or band outings. Been okay for a leedle break from raising kids for a change, as long as the work done(?) is paid for.

Been in the desert with just internet, heat, crows, dust... Hope it will be worth it, xmas is coming...

Schools's Back

A catchup on the month [February 2012!]

gone past- phst!

[a catchup on the drafts folder, whether it is worth it.. yep]

From a note to my sister who wanted some gossip from over here:

Not much news here either. Al’s back for maybe jury duty later this week.

Gels like school, gets lots of boring news about that- she said, she did, he did etc

Fraser has deb ball training, i was sposed to go to a meeting to form a committee or it will be cancelled and arrived as it was closing as I forgot,,,,,,

Got photos school pics this week.

Made a subwoofer and got aspecial amplifier for it, sounds good!

Her reply

I read your subwoofer adventure. You are Terry Ford's son that's for sure. Good on you!

I love you have to hear the who said what Stories. That's so funny. I bet you tune out and get glazed eyes. HA

Lucky bugger that Alexander. I have been called up twice in the past few years but didn't go any further than the letter and the voice mail saying I wasn't need this time. How is he going in his new place?

Awe Debs, what fun times. I went to 8. I stared in none. Our school didn't do debs so they were organised in by ballet schools, Starlight foundation etc. Plus I wouldn't have had anyone to ask being at an all girls college. No great loss really. Waste of money for the girls.

Stories from school, yep, who has been smokin etc

And that was crissy

Crissy- done and dusted

Pre Christmas

This time with my Mum and Dad- at the beach- windy and chilly- not summery at all. The folks appear to be coping on the outside, but not 100% well: Mum in the electric wheel chair and Dad and his 'oh-ow' shoulder... but he was planning an around the bay voyage with my brother  Mum says he lights up when Irene is involved

Christmas 

Dee's Pete gave her a new car to go with the hoose...

Quiet enough Chrissy Day with my wife's family sans her dad- ill. Turned out a late long night, nice company. The gels loved their pool. Of course. [Poppy is still not well either.]

There was my family's big do other side of the Big Smoke- sort of missed that atmosphere- twenty odd family- or more- wait- 5 sibs, plus pardners, plus ankle biters and YA- yeah- more than that. Anyway- we missed filling up over there- but definitely not missing out back here with Dee.

Thursday night out too, with Steve and Fran, the gels disappeared down the other end of the house.

New Year

Funny old night out at the nu hoose wif a pool- gels again disappeared down other end of hoose, but so not really invisible- "do not enter hoose wif wet feet" again and again! Anyway- another nice nite with taco mix and soft tortia and their friends. And nice Rockfords Black Shiraz '04 that no one else wanted to try- to early? It was sweetish too, very nice, lasted the whole evening- no guzzling on my part! There was some loud bangs at - oh- about midnight? And a swim for me too. next day not bad at all- read a book.

Rest of the Year?

Hopefully more work through Skye or as a consultant geo on a rig, as the government is pulling out of family support for single dads, the utility company bills and local shire taxes going up are gunna drown me... I think the four kids are going to survive with or without me, they can sort of cook and clean and get to school themselves...

Yeah, better be  better year all round, looking for that sunshine is getting harder.

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.

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!

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!

My dad and bro- gone yottie

My Father and Brother Gone Yachtie

Since the end of summer, a simmering idea

My dad Tez and brother Pete have been sailing around the Corio Bay area for a couple of years now with Pete's friend Larry. The other year dad and Larry were in a race, using whiz bang technology to steer around the lanes... Notice, not navigate... They laughed at some other yotties that were aground. Griinnnnd. They joined the club. This last year Pete has nearly fallen off when larry's boat was in a squall. Please note, this is second hand news...

But, somehow or other, an idea was simmering between them. 

Dad has a quiet life, kids all gone, [for now], twentyfour/seven looking after my wheelchair-bound but bright as a button mum. He does not get out of the house long enough to relax, unless we gang up and pitch in to help out as often as six siblings can manage. A golf round does not count, nor does a quick fishing trip down the street with the mad as a black hatter smarty bum Labrador "Lockie". A night or two away from it. Last time was working on my sister's farmlet three hours away to the north. What does happen pretty regularly is that the weekend ends up rained out...

pete is becoming an empty nester. I think. Four kids out on the loose, either working or studying or planniong on a trip overseas. He and wife Weez are now on nearly up to ten years of running a finger food catering company west of the Big Smoke in the former gold mining district- now a great boutique wine region. And he has been sailing with Larry...

Autumn

"been looking at coutta boats" was a new telephone talking point as summer ran into autumn when ever news was exchanged and then the inevitable "what's new?" came up. 

Port Phillip bay- thanks NASA-
Corio Bay in the SE, just cut out the mooring area,
The Big Smoke up the top of the Bay,
but this pic misses The Heads, captured in last pic below.

masted Couta Boats

These coutta motorised boats were designed for the bay fishing industry, or close enough, not ocean going. Usually with a sail in the old days and wide. Typically kept moored in the little ports sprinkled along the shores of Port Phillip Bay. These days as the fishing has gone quiet the boats are making a come back for recreational sailors as weekend racers or cruisers. But pretty expensive. 

At the end of Autumn, they found a yacht instead.

Winter

A proud dad

The yacht they found was for sale, and up on the wharf being micro detailed by the owner. The hull is of solid gum [eucalyptus], a draught of about 5 or 6 feet, a keel, not a centreboard contraption like AustraliaII for these guys! The design is of British origin, and well known as a great sailing vessel. The one the boys were looking at had been up and down the east coast, across to Tassie and island hopping Bass Strait too. Forty years of sailing, and in great shape, hardly a pint of dirty water in the bilge dad reckoned. The mast was being refitted/renewed on a shed when I visited early June.

Te Boyz

The other week the mast was restepped. The sails have been given a clean up, the insides tidied and the technology up to date. And the fellas are eager to go.

File pic...

My preferred sailing either

or

The first overnighter for dad and pete planned for Spring is around to Portarlington. So far.

First overnighter- around the lower headland, The Heads is the NoGo area to the right...

Looking forward to going out with My dad and bro- going yotting.

Just another day

Another cake on the table

Number one son 

aka Son#1, returned home the other week after a wee trip.

His travels included some live p.jam, rubbish, small falls near buffaloe and a venice beach visit!

Lucky lucky lucky....

Anyway, he also brought back some little things for us all, what a good guy! I also got some parts for a portable weather station and a thingo for my home weather monitor!

The gels had a cake ready for dinner to celebrate his latest birthday now that he was back. Yummo- the usual mud cake!

The Visitor

Ensconced in his favourite place... The gels do not want me to hand this deaf lil ol critter back to the rightful owner! I 'd love to, he needs TLC, from auntie! Oh the poos and wee is funny... once a month maybe...

In rememberance

It Has been five years since the Kerang Rail Disaster in Victoria.

This accident where a truck driver purportedly did not see the signals, nor the passenger train moving through the highway and rail intersection, colliding with it, killing several travellers on the way home. Sun, or truck noise? Who really knows.

One of the passengers killed in the accident was Tarnia's Aunt Ursie, a lovely person who used to call us out of the blue and fill Tarn in on the local gossip in Tarnia's old home town in the north of the state. The Mallee, a vast dry climate agricultural region of wheat, sheep and also grape and citrus. And hardy people.

After Tarn's death, I had my in-laws's with me,  and it was always good to say hello to her. Her brother, my father in-law, he would have a quick chat- phone calls cost money you see. But others like Bev, as Tarn did, liked the gossipy family calls, we were so far from them. I would fill her in too on the kids achievements and all.

She is missed by many people, especially her children.

To Ursula, a real nice ol' girl.

And another one gone again

Yesterday was Tarn's birthday

A slow day really. 

No grave visit this year- cold and windy, but maybe when it's nice again. Just getting too sad really. I think I am over it, but then the kids get a little upset.

Her twin gels cooked up one of her favourite dishes for dinner, Tuna Mornay, and I got a chocolate mud cake for desert.

Just the four of us this year, but tomorrow, a small get together with her dad and his bride.

That'll be okay.

Oi You- Wake up

Sunday: Sleep in and clean up.

But the alarm went off and woke the remaining indigenous seagulls cats, and then...

Yes, another quiet weegen. The gels were sleeping over at their friend's place, and I was going to sleep in.

I keep forgetting to null the alarm on weegens. 

When it went off, there followed a squeaky meow from the hall way, as in, not the usual whinging loud meow of FEED ME, but a reminder, heel-ow, brekky time!

"Come along now"

"Buggerisation, okay, okay."

Ah, two of you, hungry?

"SCAT, Me First"

"Waiting, waiting..."

And then, later, I ty to do something else.

 "What is that RACKET?, I will Kill that thing with my Sonic Eyes."

"Come on I want to use the Front Door. Not Like I Usually Do, But So What?"

An intro to the world

In an olde fashioned way

Second boy has a turn

In Oz, maybe like in other places, we have a growing up celebration called a debutante ball. Where the nearly adult among us are presented to society or local community [as nearly ready to find partners? Or to present their current partners?]

Involved is:
Presentation.
Money.
Worry.
Time.
Poor bloody parents.
Relatives and friends.

Preparation

First, the parents have to be persuaded to part with money. For dancing lessons. This takes over a month, and the couples have to get it right, and the worry wears them down if they are perfectionists. I am told.

Next is finding the committee to look after the Kids' Big Night Out. As it was not not done properly before the practice sessions, and the few involved at first really needed to spread the load. Or get the nod on the decicions already made?
Yep, another committee, and yours truly put his hand up. And stayed quiet as the arrangements could only be nodded at from my point of view. Maybe a female partner would have enjoyed using the almost wedding like organisational skills required to implement committments to this procedure, like food, table arrangements and clothes and props, photographers, video people, stage trees and props, DJ for afterwards....etc etc,

So I was on the committee. Unfortunately, the male partners choices on the costumes were over-ridden. No, jeans and tees were not on the list, but suit/vest/tie colours were and their choices weren't. In the purple mode only, thank you boys.

The outfitting- apparently costly to the girls family, a sacrificial goat or jeep is sold off and a new mortgage negotiated, just like a wedding. The guys, just rent a tux and shoes... and do as they are told.

The Night

We were allowed five tickets to the ball. Which for me meant a grandparent and a sister and the twins. And me. Better than alone like last time as a partner piked out on #1Sons deb. Or refused- very unsettling at the time.

My sister travelled through the Big Smoke to come to a very special night, very appreciative of that. And his Poppy came along too and the twins. Also at the table was #2Son's girlfriend's Mum and partner and sister and partner. A jolly little group, first time together.

The deb kids were not at the table though, they were The Entertainment. And the table talk was a bit minimal, as we were there to see our kids.

They were presented to the Deputy Premier of the state, the Mayor of the shire, their partners and other school dignitaries a pair at a time. 

 Then there was the dancing.

The end was a loud din of families lining up for more photographs and a disco starting up. 

To me it was a little emotional at the start of the night, accompanied by poppy and the girls and my sister, was seeing this young man, a gentleman almost [hand reared] stepping out onto the world stage with a beautiful friend.

Moving on up...cell phones

So I succumbed

The gels get a phone

For their birthday last month. Thus keeping up with all the other little Jones'. Hard to believe the little tomboys are now on the verge of actual teen-hood. Mind you, they better grow a waist, the new school pants are the right colour and length. Only. Alterations were more than the original cost!

Phones

Severe restrictions of course. Fatherhood allows that. Does it not?

one- do not use them...

two- I do not want to subsidise over-use thank you very much

three- do not drop them

four- I cannot remember

five- use facetime?

six- use the landline?

Anyway, so far, no recharge yet until the next few weeks...

Maybe they are being sensible? 

[But one cent texts... #2Son can fill five sheets of his phone bill with itemised sms calls...]

They did lose the privledge of use because they could not keep a tidy room. In one case, nearly a fortnight. 

"Have you finished your room?" 

"Almost" 

"Well, do you want your phone AND iPod back or what?"

"Yeah..?"

"WELL?"

I dunno how the human race arrived at this point.

Did Julius Caesar give his folks grief like that?

The Boys

Eldest son was suitably Outraged that the gels got a phone in the first year of high school, whereas he had to wait until I had a spare when he was in his second  or third year, long after friends had them. Even so, he was good with it.

The second son managed to scrounge a second hand one off a richer friend when he was in his first or second year at high school. And managed to sell "his bmx bike spares" to maintain the SIM card and plan that had to be gotten under my name anyway.

I think they are outraged as I really did go out and buy the twins a phone each, even though I probably will bleed financially as soon as they get the hang of them.

But... As the gels already have Apple Touches with wifi video- do they really need a cell phone? I thought no. With the Facetime, it was fine really, the broadband plan was upgraded enough to cover the five technophiles that lived under my roof anyway. 

Tarn

Tarn would have been mortified, being the sort of technophobe that had to be gently persuaded over many months that a new bra would be better than the one with the loose under wire[s?] prodding her conciousness over whether I would be unamused at such an extravagance: 

"A new bra? What!" which I never said by the way because I could not understand it. But maybe I with some affluence and consumeristic ideas I had devolved into a toddler- 

"GIMME IT. NOW!" 

I do not think that a new vacuum cleaner would be allowed either- I love my dyson...

So the boys were a little nose out of joint- was it favouritism?

Me

No.

I need the gels to feel safe in these times, for example that they do not have to scramble for a coin AND a public telephone if they need help. Being the single parent/single dad, I need to be re-assured that they can be safe, all the time. Do you know that the number of public telephone in our town can be counted on one hand...? Well, google earth won't let me find them, but I am sure there is a lot less around these days than when I was a kid. But I can find a video store...

The Birthday celebrations

The mice were away

Not really Away
And the cat did sweet...?


One month into the new school year, and the New High School Students and #2Son had things to be paid for! A camp in the mountains and a school dance.

The gels were sort of excited about going to a school camp this week, just two nights away to bond with the new class mates I suppose. A giant swing etcetera. Some kayaks and hiking activities, an obstacle course. Rain...

The older boys had been there in their earlier high school years too, and the main thing to tell me on their return was how bad the food was. Not this time!

So I sent them off, or did they take off themselves? Advice, be nice, do not do anything you know you should not. What else can I say- no drugs or sex or drinks or music or fun? Trust- I have have so much and I respect my kids' teachers. And the system. Cos they live in the same small town and so far there are no secrets tween the gels and I. Yet.

Now I do not know whether that is true with me and the #2Son. I have him driving the family car on the freeway with us all in there, and he says he don't do that or this when he goes out, so...

With this kid, all it is this time is throwing money at Potential. This debutante dance thing needs money for dance training, the partner's flowers, the Suit, and more- seats at the table for family/friends... I did get the #1Son to do it at the other school, and he missed the after party... I will have to do the same thing with #2 too! Already his partner is tired of the dance training- and I say, "download" a waltz and Practise! - "yeah, nah, dunno"! And another thing- maybe you know- he has an ingrown toenail, an dthe doc said "try not to skate for a week or so...". Yeah right. There was a follow up visit- and he admits that he did not finish the antibiotics cos he had a few drinks last night. to the doc. In front of me. gRREAT! Not. Of course. Even if I did say he could go out, I did not mean to have a few. His foot. His trial and error. Good luck with that. "Daad?" Hmmph

A Showery

Blurb to the Masses About
Hairy Plugholes...

Deserving some pat on the back, or cash, for a hair washing cure! YouHaveToLaugh at this one, or commiserate!

Having some complaints from some of my immediate family descendants growing up around me the past year, ie my kids, we have swapped to a well known brand of shampoo and conditioner, as some of us keep getting "rashes" from nearly every kind of shampoo and conditioner I contrive to either luxuriate in or save money on.

I kept saying- "Water too hot", "Too long in there", and "Really? Show me, nah, can't see it".

Well, actually, I think after using a well known brand or the Aldi sort-looka-like, the complaints from the bleachers have all but disappeared!

And even the plug hole has been clear of all detritus! Hair I mean. No long ones, grey ones, or short ones. Since start of the year anyway, that I recall. I used to pick the junk out and slap it in a corner and forget about it, and do it again, and manage to collect a fair amount each week. The WeirdOrWhat dirty left behinds are gone, hooray.

Being the sole cleaner stay at home dad, I used to get tired of the ankle deep tepid water gathering at my feet, thanks to the collecting "human hair balls" in the shower.. Laziness and necessity and money, cures all ills?

Figured after a year I could maybe call a hair saloon that creates wigs.

Not any more. Cured and Clean and Happy all round. Some trivial but absolutely riveting and amazing facts of our life.

One bad call for the week was, also to do with the bathroom, that there must be a leak under the handbasinsink, cos all the spare bars of new soap, including the expensive pandering ones were in a container, that collected the leak... Fifteen bucks worth of soapy waste... argh.

When it is ready

And the weather suitable
or not... won't matter.
It is solar heated.
With a view- stuff the sea side mate!


I may have to beg borrow steal or Buy this place.
For the kids of course.
Once it is ready and the bar is pre-stocked too...

Year in Review-2011

All growed up
Changes

Hitting the half century this year and getting a balloon flight from the Family, rather than a weekend at a famous [within the Family] campground grog fest, has had me try to be profound about flying not drinking. Did not work. Which reminds me- I have to organise That Weekend away soonish before the ticket runs out... I try not to read the part of the paper with the "HatchesMatchesDespatches"- some people write too well for me to complete their memorials to their passed on relatives- makes me wince that I could not get it together to honour Tarnia that way- but the circumstances at the time were hard to handle. It may have been nearly eleven and half years ago now, still hurts to be reminded, but maybe I am so full of myself I was/am insulated from the grief now. The kids are nearly all grown up now or half way, but still they need some finishing touches, like acting on hints "dishes", "lawns" "room!".

But they are the nicest people I know.

Also this year-

My eldest boy hit university running rather than take a daggy trip around the world or buy a car. Successfully completed the first year away in the Big Smoke with his mates and only a few musical festivals, bar cruising and the associated hangovers... Cannot believe he will be twenty this year.

Second or Middle child started his eleventh year of schooling and two jobs after school. These jobs are to only be up with the Joneses- ie skateboard, "skatebike", clothes and shoes, girlfriend and an iPhone... A few hangovers, too early for my liking, and ignoring the 7:30pm curfew has me a little annoyed lately. We saw the Foo Fighters together so I suppose we have spent quality time together, at least once? As I have to let him drive my car or van for a mandatory 120 hours behind the wheel before you can take a car licence test... that must count too? We are still awaiting an invitation from the MCC for his junior membership- waiting for 16 years! A trip to Tassie and some surfing weegens were had during the year. Who says the government run schools are shite? Ejits would. He has been less of a handfull this year at home and school, so I think he is going to be a gentleman after all, indeed, his mum would be proud too, like me. I suppose he might miss his mum, but there is a GF and her mum, and his aunts of course. He is spoken highly of when his name comes up, I expect it was hand rearing and the denial of services goodies bike the phone works, and if no lawns are done, then no driving around on his delivery job!

The Twins have done their seven years of primary school now, and expect to get mobiles [or cell] phones and Facebook and Hotmail accounts this year as they approach the Teen Age. [Expect...] I think I will hold it off as long as possible- what can they do? They cannot leave home. Teen peer group pressure may crumble my resolution though. A mistake may have been made granting their siblings those privileges or RIGHTS[?] too early, ie in the first or second year of high school... Their teachers loved having them all year, and they had a good musical year too- brass band, choir and Taiko drumming. With little or no practice too. Means a quiet house... [Other growing stages are yet to hit them, praying to myself- just another year please.] My mum wanted to pay for piano lessons, but apparently the teacher was hard to get on with... All their friends keep them very busy, sleepovers and all that jazz. Putting up with six screaming preteens in the house is a little trying. Yelling out of my cave "ITS NOT THE SCHOOL YARD!" does not seem to work either. Youtube has a lot to answer to as well! It may be a hard start to the new school year as many of their friends are going off to different schools, but I hope that the friendships made this year will last for life.

The folks are still holidaying at the ocean, well, maybe the wrong word, Living by then, but, they are doing as best they can. The fishing, the river, the dog, the cat, the golf club, the shed, the boat, the kayak, the grandchildrens' visits, all close to their hearts. My little worry is that I am too far away to care for them more if needed- has it been worthwhile staying on in Tarn's house, and not moving closer? My visits are not often enough- which also goes for my visiting my siblings- they are all a long drive to go see from here. Or, I am finally living within my budget! But they are all well, and it looks like most of the grandchildren that have finished secondary school are moving on through to the universities. Six of them so far. And one to start primary school soon!

My sister-in-law has moved into their new house, the one I was looking after. They have had a successful year too, their girl growing up on two continents and appears to be taking it all in her stride. Her dad and partner are still going, popping in for a cuppa or dinner now and then.

New family member

We have a live in cat
Borrowed?

I slipped a suggestion to my sister-in-law the other week, noting that it was just a suggestion that she may not have realised could be pretty effective and help her out. A lot.

I could "board" their cat while they were away for a little while, other wise it would be a hard decision about what to do about the 16 year old male cat- Oscar. Poor bugger had been upended from Sydney to the country, then back to suburbia, then left "alone" some time of the year while they were OS-where her dad looked after him.  I think our 11 year female cat Fluffa should survive him. The gels loved the idea! So here is the temporarily live-in-cat:

Obviously an update...