Smileyness

The munchkin playing hide and seek with me makes me go all smiley.

Mummy lets hide together, come on mummy.

So we dutifully hide under the blanket (it's dark in here isn't it), we giggle and we ask 'where's Torby and mummy? where could they be?', then we throw the blankets off and yell surprise to the empty room. It is extra funny when Stampy is around to be scared by our shenanigans.

Don't tell Nw but we have plans for him when he gets home tonight... there will be hiding and surprising and we shall be sneaky and it will be hilarious. At least that's what Torby tells me.

Yup, very smiley indeed.

nomnomnom

Bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon and a teensy sprinkling of shallots and pepper makes me go nom!

It would be bad to have another one right?

right?

Off to see Dylan Moran tonight with some lasses. yay!

Oo and am taking Torby to a trial Tae-Kwon-Do class next Tuesday. If he likes it, we might enrol him. Something nicely active that will teach him to pay attentention and burn off some excess energy.

It's right around the corner from Meg&Jamies and we're there on Tuesday nights anyway. Anyone else interersted?

Or will my son be the only one in the group with lethal hands? :)

it seemed relevant :)

Savage Chickens makes me giggle

niceness

What with the weddings, the wedding anniversaries, the pregnancies and the new babies (squeee for MissFinn, MrC, MissP and the new MissA) the first half of the year is shaping up to be pretty bloody fantastic!

To blog or not to blog, that is the question

The topic of 'why do you blog' has come up a few times recently.
It's an intriguing one.
Here's my reasons.

- Memory. I have a crap one so need to write things down so I can look back and see what I've done. This blog was created so i could record Torby growing up and milestones and feelings. It's since expanded to include a lot of what I'm doing and feeling.

Sharing of info. Given that I have friends who read this that I don't see very often, I like to let them know what i've been up to. I fail at writing letters or emails of any length. So much of my life is dull and so I never know what to tell people in them. It's nice to still feel connected to people who are too far away.

It's useful as a back-up way to invite people to things..email/phone calls/letters are the amin tool but there are people who slip through the cracks (I have an address book at work and one at home, people are missing off both) This way, te infor is out there and out there and can be considered a general invite.

Sharing links, recipes, amusing things. So I can remember them and so others can be amused/informed/whatever.

Brain dump - I often have too much running through my brain and need to put my thoughts somewhere. The act of writing things down helps me to think through what's happened and figure out why I react the way I do. It's also useful to get advice on things. I don't write it on paper because I tend to lose paper. Because I know a variety of people read this, it also forces me to censor what I say and therefore not let myself get too wrapped up in negative emotions. I have my other blog that I sue to vent when i'm really upset or annoyed. It's not written on paper so it can't be found and used against me or hurt people. It's useful to truly get things off my chest thatt are too close or too ugly or too whatever. I explode and then feel a smidge better. No-one knows who or what I'm talking about so it's (relatively) safe. Codenames are still used.

I like blogging. it lets me say things without an immediate reaction from people. It's sharing info with a buffer. I get to let people know how I feel without having to deal without dealing with their sympathy/outrage/pity/gleeful delight/schadenfreude face-to-face.

I can't be accused of playing favourites or being secretive if I post it here.

It's a learning process in how to walk the fine line between sharing too much (really? my blog is public? people can read it and get upset by what I've written? whoulda thunk??). It's a learning process to not let my passive-aggresive tendencies get the better of me. It's a learning process to use the power of the internets for good and not for evil. It's all a learning process but I think I'm getting there.

How about you? Why do you blog? Why do you not blog?

Good Luck MissFinn on evicting the Timeling today. Hope it all goes beautifully and I look forward to hearing of his/her arrival into the world.

Yay for babies!

The catch-up post

So, last night I was indeed sensible.
Was home by 11:30, asleep by 12:30 (with clean sheets on the bed for extra enjoyment..mmm clean)

The birthday boy was suitably surprised and then got suitably drunk.

The kids ran up and down the stairs, had balloon wars and generally had a good time until the lovely lads took them away for sleeptime.

We played a very raucous, very drunken game of Trivial Pursuit.

I got to catch up with lovely people I don't see often enough and chat with the lovely people I see far too often *grin*

In other news;

Have confirmed that roadtrip to Melbourne for Midwinter is a goer. Yay! Now to book a cheap flight home on the Sunday and organise a place to stay.

Have not found my copy of Trachtenbuch but have borrowed Meg's one so can remake the spanish with the funky sleeve without completely making it up from memory. I distinctly remember it as this oblong shape with green stripes and there were tassels and sequins and penguin embroidery all over it..quite sure that's what it looked like...guys?

The thing that made me go 'hmm' has been sorted. I spoke wrote, they went 'eep, wrong interpretation, damn this text-based thingy and my inability to use clear wordular stuff and damn you for reading the worst into it' (hint of paraphrasing with their permision) Is all good. Yay for all sortedness.

Accidental squiffiness

Really did mean to stop and go home at about 11 like the sensible lasses did.
Wasn't supposed to be sit around until about 2am.
Wasn't supposed to start drinking the champagne once the wine ran out.
Wasn't supposed to dissect the problems of the world with 2 awesome lasses.
Wasn't supposed to get home and read blogs for an hour whilst chugging water in a desperate attempt to avoid a hangover.
Really, Honestly

My head has almost stopped pounding.

Must be time to have a shower and go drink cocktails at a friends surprise birthday party.

I will be sensible this time. I promise!

Things that make you go 'hmmm'

You know when you read something, it makes you go 'hmm.
You read it again, still 'hmm' .
You're unsure wether or not to respond.
Gives you a better understanding of the way someone's mind works..better but not very nice.
Hmmm.
As was discussed last night, I must learn to be more tolerant and forgiving.
Must get better at lettings go.
Hmmm.

This post bought to you by the letter A for Ambiguity and the number 4.

photos and pictures and snapshots oh, my!

Have been uploading stuff to Flickr.

Most of it is photos (mainly of the kids but a few ones of people who aren't under4) from Festival taken by the very wonderful Bro-in-Law Jamie (he takes and nice piccie and even remembers to bring his camera along and use it!).

I'll need to have you listed as a contact on Flickr to view them. Am also considering making all the Torby ones viewable to contacts only as well..go forth and crete an account if you haven't got one already! :)

In other news...hmm well actually, that is kind of all my news...I've had a pleasant but non-eventful day. Torby and I did shopping and mucked about in the playground and had naps and read books and played on the computer. We did notice the absence of our Thursday morning coffee buddy. Pesky married women and their honeymoons!

where, oh where

Anyone know what I've done with my copy of The Trachtenbuch?

Trying to find the piccie of the frock I want to remake..

Must be in house somewhere...

Going to drive me insane until I find it...

I'm looking forward to;

Ninner on friday night to welcome MissCharlie into the apprentice fold (For those playing at home who have no idea what I'm talking about - it's an SCA thing)

A birthday party on Saturday night.

Next weekend may see a friends 10th Wedding Anniversary Party and July may see a girly roadtrip to Melbourne for an event and catch-up with chums.

All good things to look forward to.

I is the cool, calm and collected

Nothing says 'Professionalism' like walking out of a meeting where you have been very clever and useful and having the heel break off your shoes causing you to swear and then have to walk the rest of the way barefooted.

Go me.

A nerdy squee

I figured out how to display current month on a Microsoft Access Report (I know, the horrors my work puts me through)

In a text box put

=Format(Date(),"mmmm")

Yay
Yay
Yay

Okay, now back to pretending Im not a nerd at heart.

I am pleased to report that my phone isn't dead, just the USB cable I use to charge it up through my 'puter.
Lot less expensive/annoying to fix.

Now to make it through my first day back at work in about 2 weeks.

Sigh.

A wedding last night and TheDinghy's 3yr old's birthday party and Easter egg hunt today.
I'm so tired.
7:30 is a bit too early to actually go to bed right?

Mind you, I like the exhausted that comes from doing nice things, surrounded by my friends and celebrating milestones.

It's a happy tired.

Yay for weddings

Went to Megzz and Smurgs wedding last night. They looked utterly gorgeous and but I failed to find my camera in time so no photos from me!

The kids got paper cones full of rose petals to scatter about at the end of the ceremony. Well, I'm sure that was the plan. The kids were much more interested in running up to Megzz or Snerg and hurling the flowers on them and then giggling and scooping up the petals on the ground to do again. Kept them entertained for hours.

After the ceremony we all trundled down to the Cellars for the reception. Soon found a corner to make our own and sent periodic foraging parties out for food and wine.

I managed to not cry until they did their bridal waltz to The Wine Song by Cat Empire. Very very appropriate really.

So we drank, we ate, we danced, we kissed, we hugged, we laughed, we had a really really good time.

I now have sore feet, a mild hangover, a sleeping MissJimmy in Torby's room (he's at grandma and papa's. Nw took him there after the ceremony so we could both rage on) and a great feeling of joy that two people I love are so very happy with each other.

I cooked a steak, boiled some corn and made some sweet potato chips.
We ate some icecream.
Now watching Collectors on ABC

Domesticness is relaxing.

More good than bad.

Tummy bug over and done with. We were both eating normally by Tuesday night.
Hoorah!

Chums get married on Saturday.
Hoorah!

Torby and I had a crappy morning out shopping but all was forgiven when he held my hand while having a nap.
Hoorah!

Had a lovely meal at a pub last night with the M&J an the nieces. Gotta love child tolerant and possibly even friendly pub bistro's.
Hoorah!

House still looks like a post-festival bomb site.
Boo!

random festively stuff

Festival
Still warm and muggy.

Pack of kids running around like pork chops makes for amusement.

Felt much smaller than last year..I kind of liked it.

For the first time in 2 years of being at this site, I got leeched. Only realised it because of dried blood on back of thigh.

So so lovely to see chums esp. those pesky ones who live in Melbourne.

Yummy food and wine and far too much bacon.

Mel and Bethan getting Laurelled..Le Woot!!

Torby looked very very cute in his frocks. I will have to track down photos of him and Nw in their matchy matchy frocks.

Very different rhythm to previous years, but having a munchkin on site will do that.

Afternoons spent by the river watching the kids splash about is a pleasant thing.

Need to make frocks with detacheable sleeves...Was too icky to have arms enclosed on the days I wore sleeved frocks.

Was nice to leave on the Monday - no sleep makes me spiky.

This leads us to...

The Monday night of dooooom!

Agree to let child fall asleep in our bed.

Tuck him in, read stories, turn light out.

2 seconds later..child goes bleurgh!

Manage to get most of it on his pillow and himself.

Throw crying, vomity child in shower to get gunk off him and out of his hair.

Child still upset and crying, place on couch wrapped in a towel while off to fetch clean clothes and vomit bowl.

Calm child down in time for next wave of heaving...put child in shower for second time in 20minutes.

Place clean dry child, dressed and oh so sleepy child on couch, propped up, with bowl.

Child falls asleep.

Child wakes up and throws up..luckily into the bowl (hurrah!)

Child falls back asleep again.

An hour passes with no vomit so bravely put child in your bed again.

Finally give in to queasy tummy you've had for an hour or so and go throw up.

Fall into bed and sleep lightly, startling awake at slightest noise that could indicate child about to hurl again.

Be grateful that you notice noises when you manage to catch some in time with the bowl.

Get up and go throw up again.

Repeat last few steps every few hours.

Randomly Insert tears and wishing your husband wasn't in the middle of a field somewhere where he can't be contacted instead of at home.

Luckily we haven't hurled for the last 4 hours, Torby has kept food down and I've kept some weak cordial down. I have hopes.

ah-ah-ah-choo!

Head colds suck.
Head colds that haven't gone away by Festival suck doubly so.

That is all.

Festival Cookery

Have made this

Am now getting off my arse to make this and 2 batches of these.

Yup, any second now I'll move off the comfy couch and get cookin'....

This is what my brain ponders on the train in the mornings.

Do you wear Pants or Trousers?
Undies, Knickers, Jocks or shudder Panties?
Swimmers or Togs?
Jumper or Sweater?
Have you ever worn a Blouse or Slacks?

All very important questions.

where's my vodka?

To make everyone's life easier I volunteered to look after the nieces as well as Torby today so Nw and M&J could go to Festival site and set-up our campsite without the burden of kids.

Next time I volunteer to have 3 kids for a day, make sure I haven't been drinking.

When they were being good and entertaining themselves, it was great. When they all decided to have tantrums over someones tentacles being on their side of the house, it was freakin' horrible!

So, yes, it evened out in the end. I even got some sewing done and it made campsite set-up easier and faster apparently. Where's my matyr badge?

This time next week, I shall be in a big frock having fun. yay!

The mind boggles

There's been lovely mornings shopping with Torby, there's been lovely afternoons hanging with DrNik and watching him cook, there's been eating that fabulous food, there's been packing and cooking for Festival, there's been sewing, but most of all, there's been ... Gummi Chickens Feet!

Why???

Why have a Facebook account if all you do is bitch about how useless/annoying/a harbinger of the apocolypse it is?

I don't like Twitter and MySpace, so I don't use them!

I really will never understand some people