25 March, 2007

Karma? Or a trade-off?

I woke up Friday morning feeling like:

1. someone had broken in while I slept and used a cheese grater on my throat
2. my head was throbbing in time with the ceiling fan
3. my sinuses were threatening to burst out of my face and go on an angry rampage.

Yes, I have a cold.

Was it karma, for hoping that the rain would hold off one week for my holiday? Perhaps, since the weather report now says rain for first two days but none for the rest of the week. Yay!

I stayed home from work Friday and slept a lot of the day. Saturday, I was feeling a bit better (sinuses were down to petulant tantrums by that stage) so I went to work. Funny how exhausting just sitting and trying to help people fix their internet can be.

Today I'm just a bit congested. Could have done with a bit more sleep (since I'm now on my time off) but the clocks went back last night and Chickie was up at 5.15am (would have been 6.15am in daylight savings time). I've been trying to tell him all week that today he'd need to sleep longer but his internal clock will probably be set to daylight savings time for a while. Though I heard him when he woke up at 5.15, at least he didn't come asking for his breakfast until 5.55.

No idea what the holiday is going to do to his internal clock, but I'm hoping it will reset it to slightly later. This kiddo has zero concept of how nice a sleep-in can be (no matter how much I try to convince him).

We fly out tomorrow - I can't wait!

22 March, 2007

A high note

It's always nice to receive compliments and work yesterday ended on a high note. The reason - I was complimented twice on my work!

In my job, we make outbound calls to help with customer's technical problems and only take incoming calls from the reps on the floor (we help them with their calls). Apparently the centre manager was listening in on a rep who got through to me for help. The manager was so impressed that she passed on the feedback to my centre manager, who then dropped into our team meeting to pass it on to me (and everyone in the team!) *blush

I also hold another extra role in my workplace. There's actually a bunch of us throughout the building that have the same role. As part of that, we had a meeting a week or two ago with some auditors. I made the mistake of sitting opposite the guy doing the interview. So he'd look at his notes, then look up - at me! There were about 8 of us in the meeting/interview but I felt like I was monopolising things a bit (not to mention feeling a bit 'deer in the headlights'-ish). So anyway, I was chatting to our HR person yesterday and she said she'd heard I'd made an excellent impression during the interview.

Wonder if I can top that today ;)


Oh and I have a request. Is anyone into knitting at all? If so, can you recommend any pattern websites? J's mother said she'd knit me something as a birthday present. I've been trying to find something that I like but honestly there are some really crap looking patterns in the shops locally. I need to trek out to Spotlight some time and see if they've got anything. The stuff around here is either baby/craft or 70's ugly stuff.

I'm thinking of something fairly simple - perhaps a cardigan to keep at work (since the temperature is usually a fraction above freezing mostly). I'd like it in a fairly soft wool and I'm not into the chunky knit look (I really don't need any help with looking chunky!). The only request J's mum has made is no Feathers wool!

So any recommendations?

19 March, 2007

Well, that's a bit of a relief.

I picked up Chickie from child care today and as usual, talked to the carer about his day. She said he'd been so helpful with everything today - just a joy to have there (always nice to hear!). Then she said he was so ready for school. So, I'm thinking it will be a good thing to start him later this year.

We were talking about it further and she was under the impression he'd start in a few weeks, but he misses the cut off by a couple of weeks so has to wait until third term. So he'll be there for a bit longer yet. Because of this the carer is going to talk to his room leader about putting him in the extended program. Apparently there's a couple of kids in a similar situation so they're going to concentrate on things he'll find helpful in school. I don't know what it is they'll be doing exactly, but I plan on having a chat with the room leader to find out more.

I hope Chickie enjoys it. Sounds like he probably will as the carer today said he was very familiar with the usual program already. She was concerned he was getting a bit bored.

My baby is growing up!

18 March, 2007

Bah!

I just checked the weather channel for the Gold Coast weather for the week we'll be there.

Rain...

Every. Single. Fricken'. Day!


In fact the weather channel long range forecast, for that area, says it will rain for two weeks solid. Couldn't it have waited just one lousy week???

17 March, 2007

Then and Now (part 1)

The tv was on at work today, tuned to the ABC. Rage was doing a bit of an 80's flashback and they showed the Hunters & Collectors 'Throw Your Arms Around Me'. I loved that song (along with a lot of other Australians!).

It brought to mind though, the show from the 80's/90's The Big Gig. Anyone remember this from it??

Then and Now (part 2)

As for Now? Well, I'm kinda liking this song - a lot!

13 March, 2007

A why, a how and a hard to believe

Why is it that the sports bottle Chickie has by his bedside (in case he gets thirsty at night), had to lose its lid about two minutes after I've changed his sheets and tucked him in... Yes, he and his bed got soaked - thank goodness for waterproof mattress covers.

How is it possible to spend money so easily? My bank account is $3000 lighter tonight. All it took was a (smaller than usual) Visa bill, a couple of plane tickets, accommodation for a week for 5 people, childcare costs and car insurance. Bills always seem to come at once, don't they?

Hard to believe but looks like Chickie has his very first girlfriend. Well, to be totally honest - he may not even know it! Apparently one of the other parents at the childcare centre came in asking which boy was Chickie. She said her daughter would not stop talking about him and she was saying that he was her boyfriend. I haven't asked Chickie about her since he's not too enthused about girls lately (girls are icky, doncha know).

So, that's my day, hope yours has been better.

12 March, 2007

By the power of Grayskull...

I went and saw Hot Fuzz today - loved it! If you liked Shaun of the Dead, go see Hot Fuzz. It's very funny. If you've seen it you'll recognise the title of this post.

If you have seen it, can you tell me how you would describe the segues between various bits of action? I really don't know how to describe that style. I found it really effective for this movie though.

Usually I'm a chick flick fan but this was a nice change of pace. Comedy still but definitely not a chick flick!

Then tonight I watched the last episode of Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee on SBS. I really quite liked it. I might have to go search out the book.

You know, thinking about what sort of movies I like, you'd think I'd watch a lot of tv shows that are along the chick flick lines. To be honest though, I can't even think of any shows I watch that would fall into that category. The closest would be Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee, and it doesn't quite fit. My fave shows at the moment are NCIS, House, Medium and Bones. Funnily enough all on an investigative theme.

So what shows are you watching at the moment? Are they the same genre as movies you like to watch?

08 March, 2007

Whaddya think?

Do you like my new banner picture?

I'd never make a graphic designer though, since it's taken me most of the night to get it to the stage I'm happy with. I have to admit, I quite like it.

Happy to accept constructive criticism (just be gentle mmkay?). Oh and if you know of any good (free) clipart/photoart/digital scrapbooking sites for bits and pieces/tutorials, please do comment with the url. The photoshop bug has bitten me again ;)

05 March, 2007

An advertiser's dream

I was talking to Chickie yesterday, about his birthday (he'll be 5 in June). Earlier this year, I was thinking that he and his 3 closest friends at childcare could have a little party. I'll have to rethink that now since two of the 'four musketeers' (as the childcare workers called them) have gone to school already and I don't have their contact details. May just have to make it Chickie, L (who is still at childcare for the first school term) and the kids from the mother's group we used to hang with.

I was thinking of doing a ten pin bowling party. J's work had a social club outing at the local bowling place last year and Chickie had an absolute ball. Something about being encouraged to knock things over perhaps??

So I mentioned this to Chickie and he got all excited. He must have seen an ad on the tv for a bowling birthday party, because he started talking about what they could do and how they could have chips and hot dogs etc. So I said "So you like that idea then, and you want to do it?". His response? "Yes! I want to do exactly what the tv tells me!"

Oh dear... better cut down on the tv.

04 March, 2007

What shall I do on this sunny Sunday?

It's my day off and the sun is starting to shine a little. Weather reports said it would be cloudy and a chance of rain over the weekend. We did have some thunder and about 5 minutes of rain on Friday night but then yesterday it was a little cooler and cloudy.

Yesterday's weather was very appropriate for B's funeral. Overcast and grey. The funeral was Greek Orthodox so most of it was conducted in Greek, with one tribute from B's brother in English. 95% of the service was sung/chanted by the priests. I've never experienced that sort of service before. I have to say though, the sound of B's wife and mother weeping is the most heartbreaking sound I've heard in a long time.

On a more cheerful note, we bought Chickie a trampoline yesterday. They had them on a fantastic special and I've been wanting to get him either a swingset or trampoline for ages. It's a small round one with a net. I'm hopeful it will stop him from jumping on our bed (that drives me nuts!). I think we need to organise some sort of steps for him to get in and out safely though.

So what to do today? Chickie keeps asking to go to the museum. J took him yesterday while I was at the funeral and he loved it. I think his new favourite word is mammal because he keeps saying "Mum, have you heard this word before? Maaammaaal" (he really stretches out the word). Perhaps we'll all go next weekend. Maybe we'll take a train ride into the city. He loves that. Today though, I don't know.

So what are you planning on doing with your Sundays?

02 March, 2007

Grrr

I've been trying to post a video from youtube for over a day now, but I'm having zero success. I keep getting error 400. No idea what it is though - guess I'd better go search through their help section.

Anyway, here's a link instead...