(*) Grab one last packet

It's still busy in town this morning, even a week after Xmas - it was chaOTIC then! I tried to stay clear, but failed miserably... I forgot one of the boys little prezzies at the last minute! The big major prezzies I had for months already! Gagh! My brother and his wonderful wife paid me an excellent visit on Xmas Eve - we went out to a beaut Bakery Coffee Shop for lunch, sitting in the shade on an old wooden verandah. Lovely. Always good to hang out with them... my brother and I are so comfortable with each other now we can prattle on for hours non-stop without getting bored! heh heh They showed me piccies of their new place up in Cairns, Far North Queensland (he's moving up himself this week, just to get things ready). The place looks awesome! I saw a version of it when they were 'house shopping' back in May when we went up for 10 days, but I think this one is even better! Wow, a brand NEW house! Sen-sation-al! Three blocks from the beach and all... what a tough life! Plus he landed a job straight off no problems at all (the joys of nursing). Good luck to 'em tho. I *am* really happy for them tho, even tho I'ma gona miss them like crazy.

Today I paid mah rent, some money for the boys' holiday away with their Nan (yay!), picked up a new name sticker for mah new boat, "Wyreema II" (and not "Gherkin" as Geoff suggested! rofl), and finally got those old beach trolley dolly-trailer tyres replaces (pic 'em up tomorrow, hopefully...). Even fishie got some new food... I mix his feed around now and again to give him a change etc. he eats anything I give him... thankfully the change in diet doesn't seem to faze him at all. He wasn't too fussed with his new sea shells in the bottom of his tank that I got him for Xmas either - ungrateful git! rofl. I also managed to find some spare fuses for mah cat too... naturally, they weren't the *regular* ones, so I had to hunt around just a little bit... managed to grab one last packet left in one place! D'oh! I blew my indicator lights fuse towing the boat on the way to sailing last Saturday... thankfully that's all it was. But one side-affect is that, because I replaced one fuse with another etc, I somehow managed to disconnect the CD player/radio. Now it won't play without putting in the right security code... the problem being that I *have* put in the right security code, but it still refuses to co-perate with me! Norty thing. Not a biggie tho... it's not as tho I wont survive a few days until I get someone to figure out how to get thru the code of mah CD-player at the car retailer! heh heh.

Hosting the Sailing Club's webpage has been lots of fun. Lately we've received some old photos from people who used to sail there back in the 1980's and 1990's. That's really great how a simple thing like a website can keep like-minded people together like this. Yay! There's even a hilarious 'alternative' photo someone took when one of our loyal members, Timothy Hone, was receiving a Maritime Medal (for his contribution to sailing, especially with the disabled) a few days before Xmas... gotta love the internet! I'll post them later this evening, when I finish fiddling and adding them to the webpage etc.

And yeah, now I've got a different type of boat, I've gotta figure out how to sail it properly! I managed to pick up a brand new book on sailing that class of boat (a 'Laser') for just cost price down in Melbourne, and lately I've been cramming as much as I can into my brain, trying to remember some tips and hints on sailing it more efficiently. I've just gotta get out there and practise practise practise! Too bad there's not enough water at Carcoar to do that at the moment... bugger! :( Ya, I can read and read, but it's not until I actually start *doing* it all out on the water that it's gonna make any difference, in reality. Like I said yesterday (?), sure, it's still 'sailing', but it's like the difference between a car with manual and automatic transmission... same result, just different ways to achieve that. Anyways.... I'm really looking forward to it. There's a whole weekend regatta in 2 weeks' time nearby, so I'll sail my butt off then, and come home in an exhausted heap, I'm sure of it!

Mah flowers are growing again, like wonderfully! Isn't it amazing what a few drops of water every day can do, hmmmm...? rofl

Glad the weather's been good for 13-yo JD working out in the cauliflower paddocks over the last 2 weeks... well, he's seemed to have missed the major rainstorms of the last few days anyways. Now, if only it would keep raining... gotta break this drought and fill the dams up again... for the sailors... oh, and for the farmers and stock, of course [cough cough] lol.

And, oh yeah... there *ARE* new photos on the way... just gotta get around to editing and uploading 'em...

(*) Thursday Thoughts

SJ and IX had their School Presentation Night and Xmas Play last night. The play was fun - but bizarre! Like "A Bug's Life" Xmas! rofl The best bit was the crickets - playing cricket dressed in cricket whites! hahahahaa. Oh, and of course - 'The Beetles' performed as well! heh heh

Speaking for cricket... the 3rd Ashes Cricket Test starts today... I think we'll win the series somehow... oh YA!

My brother sent me their new Cairns address the other day... I'm really excited for them, but also it's like... it's really happening! Gagh!

I was amazed to realize that I've had a fishie for three years already! Thoon IV is going wonderfully well, cheeky as ever.

And our water is dropping rapidly! Already our sailing dam is at 14%! Whenever we get a bit of rain [the occasional storm or short shower], it just gets sucked straight into the ground with little or no runoff... bugger! Last weekend I hit a submerged tree [in an Access dinghy] at what I thought was the deeper, clearer part of the dam, but looks like I wont be taking my little Wyreema out again there - until we get some rise in levels. Thankfully the trailer is 100% right to go... Ben Chifley Dam, Wang and Windamere, here we come!

The 'task' I've set myself over the Xmas break is to organize 35 years' worth of sailing club paperwork... old minutes, regatta stuff, correspondance etc etc etc... it should prove 'challenging' [to say the least!] Oh well, once it's all done and organized [I actually enjoy doing that kinda thing! Gagh!] - it's done! THEN it can go back happily in the filing cabinet at the clubhouse.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa
I wud like a kool toy space ranjur fer Xmas. Iv ben a gud boy all yeer. Yer Frend, BiLLy

Dear Billy,
Nice spelling. You're on your way to a career in lawn care. How about I send you a frigging book so you can learn to read and write? I'm giving your older brother the space ranger. At least HE can spell! Santa


Dear Santa,
I have been a good girl all year, and the only thing I ask for is peace and joy in the world for everybody! Love, Sarah

Dear Sarah,
Your parents smoked pot when they had you, didn't they?
Santa


Dear Santa,
I don't know if you can do this, but for Christmas, I'd like for my mommy and daddy to get back together. Please see what you can do. Love, Teddy

Dear Teddy,
Look, your dad's banging the babysitter like a screen door in a hurricane. Do you think he's gonna give that up to come back to your frigid, fat mom, who rides his ass constantly? It's time to give up that dream. Let me get you some nice Legos instead. Maybe you can build yourself a family with those?
Santa


Dear Santa,
I want a new bike, a Playstation, a train, some G.I. Joes, a dog, a drum kit, a pony and a tuba. Love, Francis

Dear Francis,
Who names their kid "Francis" nowadays? I bet you're gay.
Santa


Dear Santa,
I left milk and cookies for you under the tree, and I left carrots for your reindeer outside the back door. Love, Susan

Dear Susan,
Milk gives me the shits and carrots make the deer fart in my face when riding in the sleigh. You want to do me a favor? Two words, Jim Beam.
Santa


Dear Santa,
What do you do the other 364 days of the year? Are you busy making toys? Your friend, Thomas

Dear Thomas,
All the toys are made by little kids like you in China. Every year I give them a slice of bread as a Christmas bonus. I have a condo in Vegas, where I spend most of my time making low-budget porno films. I unwind by drinking myself silly and squeezing the asses of cocktail waitresses while losing money at the craps table. P.S. Tell your mom she got the part. Long Dong Claus


Dear Santa,
Do you see us when we're sleeping, do you really know when we're awake, like in the song? Love, Jessica

Dear Jessica,
Are you really that gullible? Good luck in whatever you do. I'm skipping your house. Santa


Dear Santa,
I really really want a puppy this year. Please please please PLEASE PLEASE could I have one? Timmy

Timmy,
That whiney begging shit may work with your folks, but that crap
doesn't work with me. You're getting an ugly sweater again.
Santa


Dearest Santa,
We don't have a chimney in our house, how do you get into our home? Love, Marky

Mark,
First, stop calling yourself "Marky", that's why you're getting your ass kicked at school. Second, you don't live in a house, you live in a low-rent, ghetto apartment complex. Third, I get inside your pad just like all the burglars do, through your bedroom window. Sweet Dreams, Santa


(Thanx to Pattycam for the source)

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Sure, I aint been blogging lately, but at least I'm not getting spammed here anymore either! whoo hoo!

Spent last weekend with Raven and her family in Brisbane. The drive up and back was brillaint, but really made me realise how DRY it is out here... it's just GOT to rain sometimes, doesn't it...?!?

My main 'thing' at moment has been with the Carcoar Dam Sailing Club, helping out in little ways as I can.

(*) Carcoar Dam Sailing Club Website

I've volunteered to resurrect the Carcoar Dam Sailing Clubs' webpage. Lots of fresh pics and info too.

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What WAS it? A remote control, of course! [giggles]

(*) Keeps Freezing

Spend today (Sunday) helping out at the Sailing Club, removing the pontoon for the winter and doing a bit of maintenance on some of the the club boat trailers. Twas a nice relaxing productive day - and always nice hanging out with those blokes, even if it was just the three of us today! Three was a perfect number tho for what had to be done... we just wanted to get the pontoon in - which took hardly anytime at all (thankfully), and we thought - while we're here let's kill a few birds with one stone, so we got some things done that could've waited until say, September, but they're all done now - yay! Yeah, just a couple of blokes hanging around with some tools - it's a worry! hahahaa. By the way - there wasn't even a beer in sight! heh heh I took a few photos of the Club and surrounds, and I hope to down/upload them soon. The current water level is abysmal :(

JD rang me and 'told' me what he wanted for his 13th birthday in early August... not suggested or hinted, just right-out told me! heh heh... not a worry! I got him a 3-pack Rechargable Walkie Talkie CB Radio set, which he's been hanging out for a while for. So, I'm glad I was able to get him something he's actually wanting. In the back of my mind I'm considering haggling with the boys' mum to go halvies [or thirds] on a PS2 (Play Station 2) for the boys - their cost have come down awesomely recently... quite reasonable... anyways, it's just a thought... and ya, they already have a Play Station, but it's like 3rd-hand and keeps freezing on them... you know, when you live 30kms out of town and it's sub-zero temperatures outside, sometimes the boys need some other kinda play/hanging-out options... especially with their mum pegnant again and getting out of her hair! lol

Oh ya, I'm listening to Ben Harper's 1997 album "The Will To Live" - I think I'm a bit of a fan of this guy nowdays! I have FIVE of his albums already! Gasp! That's unheard of for me, especially when it comes to music that's kinda 'this millenium'! heh heh

(*) Thoonish Begrundings

Hiya Blog Paige. Hope you all have a fantastic and positive festive season, however and with whoever you celebrate it with.

About 4 days before Xmas, my mobile phone decides that would be a great time to just up and pffffzzazz on me. Not too bad, considering I’ve had it for like 6 years or something! I’d been thinking of updating my phone anyway, so this kinda forced my hand. I got myself a Nokia 1110 for just $79 - plus I get to keep my old number etc. yay. My mobile is a glorified answering machine for me anyways, but as I’m doing a bit of travelling in the next week I didn’t want to be without access to a phone. Yay.

Some of you noticed my cryptic comment at the start of my last-ish post. Well, basically, I have a special friend. The only difficulty is - she lives in Colorado! Look, I know the limitations of internet long-distance friendships, and I’m fully conscious of taking things very very carefully and slowly. We’re just good friends, anyway. No - really! Haha.

I’m hoping I’ve uploaded one or two pics from the boy’s school presentation night from last week. They’ve had a great year scholarly-wise. Last Saturday the four of us spent a few hours at the local pool, and I had just the best time - well, we all did. Alex just sat down next to me and chatted like for ages and ages, just really enjoying catching up with things in his world with me. That just charged my inner batteries for months, let me tell you! Looks like we’re hitting the pool again this arvo - they’re predicting weather in the mid-30s c / 95f, so the pools’ sounding like a good plan.

I went to go sailing on Sunday, but it was so ridiculously windy I couldn’t even get my sail onto the mast! Needless to say, twas funny after the glass-like conditions of the week before. Still, the Sailability boats went out with a few handicapped people, who had a ball - I helped out a bit with them as I was all dressed up with nowhere to go, including life jacket! Haha. Those little Sailability dingy boats are virtually indestructible, and just hit the water in all that wind like nothing was the matter. Perfect for people in a wheelchair!

Afterwards about 20 of us on the Sailing Club had a small Xmas Party and BBQ get together. Twas the first time I’d actually seen everybody all together at the same time! People can’t always make it every week, but it’s a nice small very friendly and welcoming club - I’ve been made to feel really really welcome. Just cause I love the sailing is as side issue, surely…? Hahahaa.

(*) Plainly bizarre

I must confess - there are just some things I will not share about myself on this blog. Yes, I know, I have poured out a good measure of my joys and angst thru this thing over the past 18 months, but there are just some things I just cannot bring myself to talk about in a public forum such as this. So - I apologise. Anyway - it's my blog, so, nuts to you! hahahaa!

---

The boys have the school presentation night tonight, which I'm looking forward to... mind you, their mum started our hour-long dialogue last week by 'telling me' that I should not go 'for the boys' sake'... well, I told her that I WILL be going 'for the boys' sake'! She later backed down and said she shouldn't keep saying things like that to me. Anyway, tonight will be a relaxed fun night. JD's last year in Primary School, so he'll get some sort of special award. Gasp! I cannot believe he'll be going to High School next year! What happened to my little baby boy?!? Mishtah booy is all growing up! Boo hoo! hahahaa.

My brother has not only invited me to their place for Xmas Day, but we're planning to have 2 or 3 days together in Sydney as well! Just getting a cheap motel and do a bit of sightseeing, and just hang out together. I'm really looking forward to that too. I'll actually *have* a Xmas this year, by the sounds of it. Plus he's still talking about taking me away on some cruise or rather to Fiji or something next year! Holy shite! lol

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Sailing was a bit of a fizzer this week... at one point the lakes' surface resembled glass from lack of wind! Luckily I was about 100 meters offshore when that happened, but one poor bloke had to paddle about 1km back! Mind you, the first time I get to use the paddle on my boat - snap! Right at the handle! Useless! The handful of ppl on shore could hear me laffing my head off - it was very funny! On the very first stroke - snap! hahahaaa. Luckily I was pretty close in and was able to get myself in without much trouble.

But the magical part of the day was in mid-afternoon, while we were waiting for the wind to do something - anything! - about six of us jumped into the tinnie (aluminum speedboat used as a starting/safety boat) and anchored in the middle of the lake. All wearing our lifejackets (for the heck of it), we all went swimming in the middle of the lake! Now, in all my 41 years I've never done that before! The water and weather was awesome - just floating about and splashing about like twits - a really special time. I had an absolute ball. Needless to say, sailing is my big chance to just relax and feel as close as I can get to the elements at the moment. I love it, I really do.

The funny thing was - one of the guys and I went out to the lake last Tuesday to go for a sail, but we ended up doing a bit of work about the place, as - the wind was way too strong to even go out! hahahaaa!

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Save a tree this Xmas season - don't burn logs in your fire - use old rubber tyres instead...

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This has got to be my favourite, if somewhat slightly warped, song lyric of the week! I first heard this 1969 album by The Who way back in 1980, and altho I have the CD nowdays I don't play it all that much (it's a special one to me). However, driving out to sailing on Sunday, I remembered the whole lyrics to this song - just a total random thought on my part. Needless to say, I was pissing myself laughing as I was driving along a quiet country road! (I think I needed the stress relief in just laughing out loud, methinks!!!) Mind you, some of these lyrics are just so plainly *bizarre*! I still can't believe something so plainly cruel and awful would even get released as a commercial 'pop' song! hahahaaaa!

We're on our own, cousin, all alone, cousin.

Let's think of a game to play now the grown-ups have all gone away

You won't be much fun being blind, deaf and dumb,

But I've got no-one to play with today.

Do you know how to play hide-and-seek?

To find me will take you a week.

But tied to that chair, you won't go anywhere;

There's a lot I can do with a freak.

How would you feel if I turned on the bath, ducked your head under and started to laugh?

What would you do if I shut you outside, to stand in the rain and catch cold so you died?

I'm the school bully, the classroom cheat

The nastiest playfriend you ever could meet

I'll stick pins in your fingers and tread on your feet... (P.S. That line had me howling with laughter - it's just SO bizarre!)

Cousin Kevin (c) John Entwistle/The Who 1969

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On This Day...
Born: Charlie Rich, 1932.
Died: Dianah Washington, 1963.
Events: Mick Taylor leaves the Rolling Stones, 1974.
Useless Trivia: Is black the absence of all colour and white the presence of all colour?
My Soundtrack: 'Tommy' The Who
Footwear: bare butt nekkid
Weather: gloriously sunny with light winds

Cyalayta
Mallard d'Quackers :o)
"Excuse me, which way is the stage?" (Audience member, lost at Altamont, 1969)

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(*) Happiness is a warm gummy bear

Life remains great for me. Happiness is not something I've been so used to over the last four years! hahahahaa. No, seriously... things at work are positive I'm finding it easy to get back into a 'normal routine' and the work isn't hard, altho a bit of heavy lifting is making me use some muscles that haven't been used much lately. As a result of the physical activity 5 days a week, my emotional state is a whole lot better... sleeping well, eating OK, all of that. It's a nice place to be.

My brother came over for a visit for a few hours yesterday, and we just hung out together - really really positive. It's good we're at a point where we don't have to talk about M and all of that anymore, because, well, basically - it's all in the past now, isn't it? He and his wife are quite jack of the shite the boys' mum has been flinging in my direction over this year, so they're quite happy to just ignore all of that now. Me too - I'm jack of it too, and it doesn't affect me so much as it used to anymore, thank gawd. Boys ae going well, but getting to see them as ofetn as I'd like to is a bit of a hurdle at the moment. Hmmm...

There was supposed to be a sailing club meeting today - but only 2 other people showed up! Damn! The wind was great too (despite a bit of light rain) - I was keen to go out for a sail too! But - not today [sigh!] Not to worry.

Working with people with a disability is funny sometimes. One bloke who came out with me as a helper on my van run on Friday is quite physically handicapped, but has a great cheeky sense of humour all the same. While he's quite hard to understand sometimes, as I was walking out of a hotel back to the van I heard him say out loud, clear as a bell, "Get the lead out!" hahahaaa. Pretty funny. It's a nice gang of people to be working with too - they're all quite crazy, so I quite naturally fit straight in.

Thanx for all your lovely comments too - I really appreciate you taking time to stop by. Thank you!

(*) Happy Smiling People

Been a good week. 2 days work, two days' off over the weekend - and I'm seeing the boys tomorrow! Tis good. No seriously, things at the new job are working out fine... it's just loading and driving and unloading commercial laundry about 4 times a day in a 1-ton van, no sweat. Nice loopey people to work with. Really looking forwatd to seeing the boys tomorrow - the plan is to see the "Wallace and Grommit" movie... we've all been huge W&G fans for about 6+ years! The weather should hold for the Sailing Club working bee on Suday... a bit of painting, maybe a bit of roofing, a bit of laughter, a bit of food... sound alright, eh? And yes... 9 days until I go out sailing! oooh... i'm *still* excited about it.

(*) Good weekend

Seeing the boys on Saturday was great... well, SJ was in one of his 'moods' so he didn't decide to come, so it was just JD Ix and I. Cool! JD's still being a bit tender walking on crutches (even tho his cast came off last week) but seems happy enough. The School Open Day ended-up being practically a non-event, so we ended up hanging out at an Ice Cream parlor and, as strange as it seems, a local cemetery! The boys were really interested in some of the really old graves from the middle of the 1800's - there's a grave of a Second Fleeter in Kelso cemetery! Sheesh! Actually, it gave JD a really good chance to ask me some questions like, "What's 'cremation'?" and the whole death and burial and funeral stuff... it was really positive putting it all into perspective for him after my mum passed away back in April and stuff. Funny how you've just gotta run with moments like that... no, it was really easy, actually. Mind you, I caught my 12-yo fully checking-out some 18/19-yo girls who strutted past the ice cream shop - very cute! We actually had a brief refresher revisit to the 'facts of life' talk in the car on the drive home... it just kinda happened, and JD's pretty open to that kinda stuff. I always thought I'd be so damn embarrased, but once you start talking about that kinda stuff as tho it's totally natural and normal (which it is, obviously!), then it's easy to relax and tell things as they are. I mean, he's 12 - things are changing for him all too soon, you know! lol. He's a good kid, but was wondering why some of the girls in his school year are acting a bit crazy sometimes... hahahaa. No, it was a good day altogether, just hanging out together. I miss that soo much - it was like a shot in the arm after the other day's major downer.

The working bee at Carcoar Dam on Sunday was a big positive as well. There were about 10 people just getting the area around the main shed/building ready for the upcoming season, laying a bit of top soil and putting grass seeds down, that kinda thing. My back and arms got a bit of a workout thanks to a shovel and matic - but I really enjoyed it. At the club they host quite a few disabled people once a month and take them out sailing, so they've done heaps of work with special ramps and toilet facilities and even pontoons lifts in-and-out of the specially-adapted boats they use for people in wheelchairs. It was very relaxing hanging out and actually meeting a few of the locals too - a good friendly bunch. We'd basically finished by 1.30 - I was expecting a long day, but they only do a bit at a time. Kewl! It was such a glorious day I went and sat down by the water's edge just enjoying the quietness (and it was *so* quiet! Beautifully so) and water view across the lake. I thought about getting the kite out, but there just wasn't quite enough breeze for that. It's a tough way to spend the weekend, eh? lol Plus it's only 48km away - that's about a 35/40 minute drive at most. Not bad, not bad.

Speaking of - kite flying in the late-afternoon today - beautiful colours reflected off the nearby trees with a view to die for atop The Mount! Whoo hoo!

Listening to and enjoying this album at the moment - Aftermath by the Rolling Stones (1966) - how retro is that, eh? lol Under My Thumb, Stupid Girl, Paint It, Balck etc etc etc!

(*) Slowly rising

Seeing the boys tomorrow - huzzah! Picking them up at 10am and going to one of the local large schools who's having an Open Day, with a fete and games and displays and stuff. Thinking of taking them to very quickly visit Norm before I drop them off at 2.30, but will see - depends on how SJ reacts at the time, not to worry.

JD got the cast off his leg on Wednesday no worries. Speaking with him yesterday, he's getting about fine but still has to take things easy - he's getting about in crutches still for a little while. So obviously, we wonlt be able to run together at the annual Edgell Jog in 2 weeks... we didn't do it last year as it was sleeting! A broken ankle is a pretty good excuse eh, JD? lol.

Hoping the working bee at the Sailing Club goes ahead this weekend (Sunday)... the weather's looking pretty hopeful to be climbing about on roofs and things like that! The water level is slowly rising... can't wait until the sailing season starts in a few weeks... gotta christen the Wyreema yet too... my lifejacket I bought on eBay should arrive early next week too. That'll complete my sailing kit (or 'clobber' as us Aussies would call it! lol) at last.

On This Day...
Born: Macaulay Culkin (troubled youth, 1980).
Died: Stevie Ray Vaughn (muso, 1990).
Events: Ganesha (not Homer J!); Jimi Hendrix plays his last gig at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.
Useless Trivia: Chris Smith (UK) flug a wellington boot 175-feet in 1975.
My Soundtrack: Elvis Costello; 'Abbey Road' The Beatles; ABC Radio National
Footwear: fluffy gray sox
Weather: gloriously sunny, very light winds - almost Spring mid-winter's day.