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.

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.

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

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?  :-(

A change over

But who does the Change?
And then. When it's done... what is missed.

Son#1 left the Hoose [temporarily] in February to stay in The Big Smoke for tertiary studies, sharing a place with some other noisy YAs.

He was supposed to sort out what he wanted to keep here for when he came back home and to sort the junk out so that Son#2 could have his room... He was going to use the Piano Room on his return home, not as big as his old room, but as he sleeps all day and parties elsewhere all night- only needs a sofa bed...

Not as good or bad as

Hurt good or bad?

Symptons
The First Daughter was in a school fund raising event and hurt herself running a around the school block.

At home, she said it was because of the running, and a swelling was above the ankle.

Home Diagnosis
"Hmm. A slight sprain my dear, ya'll be fine"

A week later, "Can we go to the doctor?"
"For a sprain? Let's try a wrapping?"

Troubling
And nearly another week, the tapping down the hall before brekky was definitly signs of a limp!
Tap tip Tap tip Tap tip. Obviously it still hurt.

Evil Smell Question

I thought I had lost this in the Great Google Blogging Website Meltdown 12-16 May '11
Is this the face of..?
Face, no.

This is the kitty, a marvin-ing kitty!

Speak no Evil,
Hear No Evil,
See No Evil
Smell no Evil
Do no Evil?...........

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?

What do they want...

So,
three out-of-state-trips
for the kids
without me.

And more soon!
Where's that cash gunna appear from? Thin air?
Nah.
Dad the money cow. [Apologies to an old Delhi Pet geo mate, Adelaide 1986]
He don't need no noo sailin' gear!

I feel left out, as usual. That's getting so common these days an oi don know why I mention it. Boring old fart that drinks too much? Travel? Pfft.

Well, I have been where they went, and where they are going to next as well.
So it's not like not being there with them that I am going on aboot Dixie. Or Geoff Peterson. [balls!]

But I think I am. Pity. Pfft. Cant spend it.

I am glad I managed to get them there, frankly.

Last year the younger ones got to go to Cannberia [#s 3a & 3b], and Taswegia[#2], as did #1 for a----Music festival in Taswegia that he paid for!

Likely lad- LET ME OUT

gels at 2-1/3yrs

And for #2 this year it's to the Norte Wildes end e Beeg Rorck; and the younger ones are to be revisiting a fake gold-field town. A place, back six years or more(?), where I managed to actually pan out a few colours from a secret spot in the "wild" creek... and caused a minor Gold Rush, from either end of the watercourse... That Was Funny. Being a geo helps sometimes- now I sort feel what it must have been like to start the Poseidon Rush forty or more years ago. The little vial with the booty was found empty last year- so much for that Show Piece! I reckon My Dear would have loved seeing the kids back then in that place, as she would have been to go with them this year. Annoys me to think of that now.

Hells bells, I just wanna sail fast at sandy! Take a few days off down there rather than rush down and rush back tired hurt exhilarated just for 2 hrs on the water. If I have to take the gels along, hmm. How boring- I would be worried as hell leaving them alone on a beach while I reach down the inlet and back as fast as I can to make sure they are okay. If #2 comes along too- well, you cannot ride a bmx in the sand dunes now can you? How long can you fly a kite, build sandcastles or moats or slide down dunes for, or swim/paddle? By your selves? Oi! Maybe they can now... Nah. There will be the little devils riding my conscious, not to mention others! Next year maybe.

And if I like it there and enjoy myself- it would have been just Windy And Bloody Cold for them.

ahhh.

And #1 is fine BTW. From his diary-like blog I see that something is right in the world. If you ever read Diary of Adrian Mole 13-1/2, the reading from the start is just as good IMHO.

So they are being edumacated, cum ell an hi water, and well. The schools are brilliant around here.

And. So. What ever anyone says- I am not that lazy a bastd. That has been mentioned in my hearing and I hope those gits stub a toe, badly. More than once. And never bring it up again. Or bother me. Ever. Again. Some times you can't pick who will do it, and then WHAM. Threatened once. I was left shaken. Depressed. Ashamed. And the criticism of some, well! But why? Like, have they lived my life? Can't I be myself, and just help me out with or give me a proper response so I am not left wondering at the motive of the actions taken? So now, as a recent correspondent says, Fuck Em. Rude and ignorant and arrogant douche bags. Piss Off, I have more on my mind than climbing that ladder the small minds want me to. My mother-in-law said to me once, "Ah Tone, never apologise or explain! Live!" Sends shivers down my spine, what a way to go, but, sometimes, you do need to open up to soothe or be soothed

At least the wine is plenty thanks to Last Years Great Vintage because now I have to go without something else. For the kidleiwinklies. Something my critics probably would never understand, so sorry for the rant dear reader.

And the above bottles of the finest wine from the best grapes in Gippsland will be shared with kin. A few for sure at the NuHoose Over The BillsBong Location when they move in, and not long there! And soon as can be at OG, Bunnyton, Mill Rd, Sunbuns, maybe SBrahton, and The Ghurk too. Oh dear, that is not far away either, maybe there will be a bottle of The Backyard Portable Vineyard Alcoholery available---- Now I am ranting on....

From the 45 bottles above, now only 41.... It's young, and so I hope that a year, or two more, might even make it taste better, cos really, there is one a week for nearly a year... the 2006 vintage was great too my friend Hoffy says.

Busier than Joan of Arc!

busier than Joan of Arc