Well, as her ladyship is away, not with the fairies this time but in Wellington, the onerous task of keeping those such as yourself once more falls to me. Don't rush out to find a bus to throw yourselves under just yet! My incoherent ramblings are not really that bad (are they?). Needless to say, I missed a whole load of you lovely chaps and chapesses on the weekend of the 12th and 13th of November. I had an exam on the 11th and held my own two minute silence. The Kiwi's don't do the 11th, prefering to remember their own major losses at Gallipoli instead. It was three quarters of the way through my Torts exam and I quietly put my pen down and stopped scratching for two minutes. That doesn't read to well does it? I stopped my pen from scratching the paper, not, I stopped scratching! Two minutes may not change the world or even most probably my exam results but it made me feel better in myself. I don't really think I could have felt better in somebody else, but that isn't quite true either! There were several very slinky young ladies sitting the same exam and I suppose that stretching the imagination, I could have felt better.... Well let's not go there. It isn't true darling I promise, I never even looked at them. Particularly not the one with the neat bob haircut and a rather sultry looking tattoo in the small of her back. Yes, that one! With the long legs and a slim little waist...
I jest. For those of you who may not know me, I JEST. I wouldn't dare do anything that may lead to the wrath of M. Well, maybe sometimes, but we do make it up very quickly and never go to sleep on an argument. OK. We do sometimes but not very often. I'm letting on with too much detail. I do not recommend anyone do the solo parent thing. There, I've said it. I hate doing it. You end up running around from work to school, school to town, town to home, think about a meal then back to town to pick up the wretch spawned from your own loins. You then have running arguments about showers, cooking, eating and life in general before finally sussing out that if you tell aforementioned wretch to bugger off and go to bed, you may just get some peace! Not good. M come home, all is forgiven for now anyway.
I have had Alice to put up with for the past few days and I find her never ending always being right a major problem in our relationship. We all know that as a Parent, I am always right. No, seriously, I am. Always, always, always. Alice however will swear that black is white and vice versa but never comes up with a cogent argument to back up her theories. Bit like my coursework when I get hot under the collar about something. Human Rights, childrens Rights etc. They don't have any. It is plain and simple. I lost my human rights when I became a parent so why should anyone else have them?
It seems I am rambling, it must be time for my nap. I shall finish the summing up of the case some other time perhaps when I will really let fly! Until then dear reader stay tuned and Michelle may put something on this site before too long. If not, you can have more of my ramblings on life etc. Until next time then, I shall sign off and await your comments! Good, Bad or indifferent, I care not. I just wish to see those numbers notch up. Sleep well guys.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Late Nov blog
I'm having a lazy morning as I will be working late tonight doing an evening teaching session in Hamilton. It's 8.45am and I am still in my dressing gown. E has gone to work and H and A to school. I think Mom and Daddy are around but I know they are off playing golf this morning. They have found a house in Waihi that they like but are not rushing to put an offer in just yet. I hope we can get to look at it later this week. It has a huge workshop which could be dismantled!! Harri will be pleased as it has a tamarillo tree and she is the only one that eats them. It also has manderin, lemons etc
Had a few busy weekends. It was Mom's birthday on the 12th so we had a few people over for a BBQ then on Sunday Mandy was coming over for lunch with her 3 and a family she has staying with her who had just emigrated. I had also casually invited R+R, K+S. A total of 17. Needless to say I cooked and prepared a veritable feast. Mandy phoned to say the boys were racing (boats) and her family had gone shooting, and Robyn phoned to say they were silaging (which she had forgotten) and therefore would pop over for coffee but didn't have tinme for lunch! We were down to 8. Needless to say we have been eating leftovers ever since. I threw the last of it away last night. Yesterday was Mom and Daddy's wedding anniversary. Only a few years left for the big 50 (which means only a few yeasr until my big 50! Had an email from Monique in the UK to say they (a crowd from my old ICU) were going to New York for Lois's 50th, sorry Lois 40th! I have my 50th planned, a girlie shopping trip to Melbourne (they have an IKEA in Melbourne!) Anybody free to join us? (June 2009).
My 50th. I can hardly belive it - I am sure I am only in my 30's still. A friend is going into hospital this weekend. It occured to her that she has not altered her will since some major changes in her life and addressed this prior to admission (nothing too serious but a general anaesthetic is involved). I was surprised that she has put some thought into her funeral, music to be played, what to be worn etc. I hope I survive her it sounds like it will be a ball! Anyway, what with that, recent 'offal hole' discussion, some recent sudden deaths locally of 'young' (my age) men and my imminent 50th I realise that I must be reaching a different phase in my life. I reckon I must have reached/passed my half way point. Hmmm. Maybe I will start that exercise programme I keep talking about!!!
I have finished my CAT course. I had a final teaching assessment on Monday and passed. I just have to get the final assignment in. I was worried that I had missed too much but managed to catch up with a session and am therefore just there. I now want to go onto the next level and do a course about setting up an online teaching course. As we are planning to do this at work I am hoping I can blend the 2 aims.
Eric has finally finished his exams, and has not stopped since. He has a huge list of 'to do' things but this week is tenderly caring for his boat and fishing rods as he and Richard are going fishing on Lake Rotorua this weekend. What are the odds for them catching anything edible?!?!?
Harriette and I are off to Wellington on Monday. I have paid for the trip but received NOTHING in the way of information from the teacher. Apparently I am taking transport, ie kids to Hamilton to catch the train (I knew nothing about this). Harriette kindly volunteered me, thinking nothing about me having to leave the family car in Hamilton for 3 days which means Alice and Eric are left with the heap that is the Safari. But she thinks that's OK! Apparently there was a parent pack sent out on Monday but it hasn't found it's way to us yet.
Alice went to a guide camp last weekend from Friday to Sunday afternoon. They were camping at the foot of the Kaimais in a local farmers paddock. They had a great time. Needless to say she came home exhausted.
Well I guess I should go and get dressed and do something productive.
Had a few busy weekends. It was Mom's birthday on the 12th so we had a few people over for a BBQ then on Sunday Mandy was coming over for lunch with her 3 and a family she has staying with her who had just emigrated. I had also casually invited R+R, K+S. A total of 17. Needless to say I cooked and prepared a veritable feast. Mandy phoned to say the boys were racing (boats) and her family had gone shooting, and Robyn phoned to say they were silaging (which she had forgotten) and therefore would pop over for coffee but didn't have tinme for lunch! We were down to 8. Needless to say we have been eating leftovers ever since. I threw the last of it away last night. Yesterday was Mom and Daddy's wedding anniversary. Only a few years left for the big 50 (which means only a few yeasr until my big 50! Had an email from Monique in the UK to say they (a crowd from my old ICU) were going to New York for Lois's 50th, sorry Lois 40th! I have my 50th planned, a girlie shopping trip to Melbourne (they have an IKEA in Melbourne!) Anybody free to join us? (June 2009).
My 50th. I can hardly belive it - I am sure I am only in my 30's still. A friend is going into hospital this weekend. It occured to her that she has not altered her will since some major changes in her life and addressed this prior to admission (nothing too serious but a general anaesthetic is involved). I was surprised that she has put some thought into her funeral, music to be played, what to be worn etc. I hope I survive her it sounds like it will be a ball! Anyway, what with that, recent 'offal hole' discussion, some recent sudden deaths locally of 'young' (my age) men and my imminent 50th I realise that I must be reaching a different phase in my life. I reckon I must have reached/passed my half way point. Hmmm. Maybe I will start that exercise programme I keep talking about!!!
I have finished my CAT course. I had a final teaching assessment on Monday and passed. I just have to get the final assignment in. I was worried that I had missed too much but managed to catch up with a session and am therefore just there. I now want to go onto the next level and do a course about setting up an online teaching course. As we are planning to do this at work I am hoping I can blend the 2 aims.
Eric has finally finished his exams, and has not stopped since. He has a huge list of 'to do' things but this week is tenderly caring for his boat and fishing rods as he and Richard are going fishing on Lake Rotorua this weekend. What are the odds for them catching anything edible?!?!?
Harriette and I are off to Wellington on Monday. I have paid for the trip but received NOTHING in the way of information from the teacher. Apparently I am taking transport, ie kids to Hamilton to catch the train (I knew nothing about this). Harriette kindly volunteered me, thinking nothing about me having to leave the family car in Hamilton for 3 days which means Alice and Eric are left with the heap that is the Safari. But she thinks that's OK! Apparently there was a parent pack sent out on Monday but it hasn't found it's way to us yet.
Alice went to a guide camp last weekend from Friday to Sunday afternoon. They were camping at the foot of the Kaimais in a local farmers paddock. They had a great time. Needless to say she came home exhausted.
Well I guess I should go and get dressed and do something productive.
Friday, November 18, 2005
YES!!!
The outsiders won. The 2011 World Cup will be hosted in NZ. I'm saving for tickets now.
Does this mean we get lots of visitors? I hope you don't all wait 'til then. Carol will you be living here then?
Does this mean we get lots of visitors? I hope you don't all wait 'til then. Carol will you be living here then?
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Hospitals and offal holes
I'm not going to make any more excuses about long gaps between blog entries, that's just the way it is!
The biggest bit of news is that I have been in hospital again! I had a headcold that turned to sinusitis. I put myself on antibiotics and got better but when they finished I went downhill again. After a few days I took myself to the GP (feeling very fed up by now and convinced I should just buck my ideas up!). He was obviously worried about the septic picture I presented with, particularly deteriorating since stopping antibiotics. He thought I might have an abdominal abscess, did heaps of blood tests and put me on more antibiotics. A day or 2 later he phoned to check on me and said that I had a gram negative septacaemia (not good for those of you not medically in the know). Off to hospital. After a 5 hour wait in ED I finally saw a doctor and 12 hours after my arrival I was admitted - the night before Eric's 3rd exam. Anyway, they did an ultrasound and said I had an 'ovarian mass' that looked like an abscess (sorry guys all very girlie talk) and a severely inflamed fallopian tube. Well at least we know now what it is. More antibiotics (IV this time) and I felt a whole heap better. Discharged on Saturday and now having a few days rest but feeling fine. I have another scan next week and we shall see where things go from there. Thank heavens Mom and Daddy were here to run around after me and the girls in between their house hunting!
A strange thing happened in hospital. I got talking to the person in the next bed (relieved to find they were aged under 80, well under 46 actually!) and was saying all this couldn't have come at a worse time, husband doing exams etc.
So's mine she said.
Law I said.
Same here she said.
What's your husbands name?
Eric, but he won't know him, Eric doesn't talk to anyone.
Neither does Phil but he knows your husband.
Turns out Phil is about the only person Eric has engaged in conversation with in the last 10 months. And a few days earlier, at a previous exam, they were bemoaning the fact both wives were sick!
The coincidences in our lives were quite spooky, put aside we end up in the neighbouring beds in the same ward at the same time, both husbands had the same career in a previous life, we both have 2 girls, the eldest fair the younger one dark (their girls are gorgeous, younger than H and A), admitted to hospital within an hour of each other, discharged within an hour or 2 of each other, and so it went on. On top of that they are a great family and I hope we keep in contact.
It is such a relief to feel well. I am sure my colleagues got fed up with me being fine one day and ill the next. (Not that they have complained!). I just felt I was not pulling my weight on any front and it was such a relief to find I was really ill and not just imagining things. Does that sound perverse? Of course I would really rather have not got sick in the first place.
Had a long, and long overdue chat with Carol the other day. Have been instructed to post photo's of Nelson. He is as big as the yearlings. When I have finished this I plan to go for a wander round the block and take some photo's of him, and the handsome murray grey bull we have on loan at the moment from our neighbours.
Isn't he handsome!
My beautiful Freckles
Two Mummies, two babies.
Daddy with their 'Welcome to NZ' pressie Marigold. Destined for their freezer in 2 years time.
Yesterday I noticed Freckles moo-ing a lot and as Eric went to work I went to check Daisy was OK. As I crossed the drive I realised she was stuck in the barn! The doors had blown shut in a storm recently and bent which meant that they could only push in and not pull outwards as they were supposed to. Anyway, she had obviously pushed in and got trapped in there. I hurried to the rescue but got a shock when I pushed open the door, calling out consoling phrases to her as I did, to find myself face to face, in a confined space with the bull!!!!! He got a fright and dived along side the RR where he stayed until I got Daisy out and then he finally followed, none the worse for wear. Daisy was dying of thirst though and fed on Freckles for AGES after! A bull confined in a barn, with Bridgets possessions, can do a lot of damage but luckily he didn't - honest Bridget. Crap on everything, hay bales lightly scattered though but as I was in my long dressing gown at the time I thought the cleanup could wait.
Mom and Daddy have bought a car and laptop, got internet connection and are busy house hunting. Mom was at the local golf course othis morning at a ladies meet so got to meet a few people. House prices have rocketed here and the exchange rate is definately not in their favour so what they can get for their money now is not what they were they were looking at 2 yeasr ago. Still at least they're here.
Girls are fine, Harriette is positively delightful at times, which she intersperses with bouts of foulness - just to keep the balance you realise. Alice is somewhat hormonal and gets so angry at times. Yesterday we played a wee trick on them and Alice went puce with rage. I read that the HP movie had been premiered in the UK and at a higher censorship rating. I looked on the web to see when it was coming here. I booked tickets for the opening day and then told the children that it had an over 13 rating and they couldn't go. Eric then added 'but it's OK because Mom and I have booked tickets and we'll tell you all about' I cannot over-state the reaction. Harriette threw herself into the sofa offering protestations and saying how she looked 13. Alice just went off the deep end, yelling at us saying we were going to take and she was going etc!! I couldn't bare it and told them it was a wind up but Eric wanted to let it run at least a week!!!!!!!!!! Of course when we told them we were going the day it opened aftyer school we immediately became the best parents in the world, once Alice got over her rage!!
Remember I couldn't remember the 'blog moment' from last time? It came to me when I was feeding pigs and walked past the offal hole! We had been talking at dinner about where my uncles ashes had been spread in Australia and that went on to what is to happen to us when were die etc. Now the plan with Eric has always been that he would be cremated and his ashes spread by Dover lifeboat at sea (there is history there for those of you who have known us less that 10 years). Anyway considering that that now is not really an option I asked what we should do with him then added I guess the most apt place for you would be down the offal hole. As you can imagine everyone was in stitches and Eric was indignant. Well I think it would be a fitting end - don't you?!?!?!? The only question now is do we waste money on cremating him first or just pop him down whole. Harriette thinks he won't fit and as it'll probably come to her and Alice to make the decisions we'll leave it in their hands.
The biggest bit of news is that I have been in hospital again! I had a headcold that turned to sinusitis. I put myself on antibiotics and got better but when they finished I went downhill again. After a few days I took myself to the GP (feeling very fed up by now and convinced I should just buck my ideas up!). He was obviously worried about the septic picture I presented with, particularly deteriorating since stopping antibiotics. He thought I might have an abdominal abscess, did heaps of blood tests and put me on more antibiotics. A day or 2 later he phoned to check on me and said that I had a gram negative septacaemia (not good for those of you not medically in the know). Off to hospital. After a 5 hour wait in ED I finally saw a doctor and 12 hours after my arrival I was admitted - the night before Eric's 3rd exam. Anyway, they did an ultrasound and said I had an 'ovarian mass' that looked like an abscess (sorry guys all very girlie talk) and a severely inflamed fallopian tube. Well at least we know now what it is. More antibiotics (IV this time) and I felt a whole heap better. Discharged on Saturday and now having a few days rest but feeling fine. I have another scan next week and we shall see where things go from there. Thank heavens Mom and Daddy were here to run around after me and the girls in between their house hunting!
A strange thing happened in hospital. I got talking to the person in the next bed (relieved to find they were aged under 80, well under 46 actually!) and was saying all this couldn't have come at a worse time, husband doing exams etc.
So's mine she said.
Law I said.
Same here she said.
What's your husbands name?
Eric, but he won't know him, Eric doesn't talk to anyone.
Neither does Phil but he knows your husband.
Turns out Phil is about the only person Eric has engaged in conversation with in the last 10 months. And a few days earlier, at a previous exam, they were bemoaning the fact both wives were sick!
The coincidences in our lives were quite spooky, put aside we end up in the neighbouring beds in the same ward at the same time, both husbands had the same career in a previous life, we both have 2 girls, the eldest fair the younger one dark (their girls are gorgeous, younger than H and A), admitted to hospital within an hour of each other, discharged within an hour or 2 of each other, and so it went on. On top of that they are a great family and I hope we keep in contact.
It is such a relief to feel well. I am sure my colleagues got fed up with me being fine one day and ill the next. (Not that they have complained!). I just felt I was not pulling my weight on any front and it was such a relief to find I was really ill and not just imagining things. Does that sound perverse? Of course I would really rather have not got sick in the first place.
Had a long, and long overdue chat with Carol the other day. Have been instructed to post photo's of Nelson. He is as big as the yearlings. When I have finished this I plan to go for a wander round the block and take some photo's of him, and the handsome murray grey bull we have on loan at the moment from our neighbours.
Isn't he handsome!
My beautiful Freckles
Two Mummies, two babies.
Daddy with their 'Welcome to NZ' pressie Marigold. Destined for their freezer in 2 years time.
Yesterday I noticed Freckles moo-ing a lot and as Eric went to work I went to check Daisy was OK. As I crossed the drive I realised she was stuck in the barn! The doors had blown shut in a storm recently and bent which meant that they could only push in and not pull outwards as they were supposed to. Anyway, she had obviously pushed in and got trapped in there. I hurried to the rescue but got a shock when I pushed open the door, calling out consoling phrases to her as I did, to find myself face to face, in a confined space with the bull!!!!! He got a fright and dived along side the RR where he stayed until I got Daisy out and then he finally followed, none the worse for wear. Daisy was dying of thirst though and fed on Freckles for AGES after! A bull confined in a barn, with Bridgets possessions, can do a lot of damage but luckily he didn't - honest Bridget. Crap on everything, hay bales lightly scattered though but as I was in my long dressing gown at the time I thought the cleanup could wait.
Mom and Daddy have bought a car and laptop, got internet connection and are busy house hunting. Mom was at the local golf course othis morning at a ladies meet so got to meet a few people. House prices have rocketed here and the exchange rate is definately not in their favour so what they can get for their money now is not what they were they were looking at 2 yeasr ago. Still at least they're here.
Girls are fine, Harriette is positively delightful at times, which she intersperses with bouts of foulness - just to keep the balance you realise. Alice is somewhat hormonal and gets so angry at times. Yesterday we played a wee trick on them and Alice went puce with rage. I read that the HP movie had been premiered in the UK and at a higher censorship rating. I looked on the web to see when it was coming here. I booked tickets for the opening day and then told the children that it had an over 13 rating and they couldn't go. Eric then added 'but it's OK because Mom and I have booked tickets and we'll tell you all about' I cannot over-state the reaction. Harriette threw herself into the sofa offering protestations and saying how she looked 13. Alice just went off the deep end, yelling at us saying we were going to take and she was going etc!! I couldn't bare it and told them it was a wind up but Eric wanted to let it run at least a week!!!!!!!!!! Of course when we told them we were going the day it opened aftyer school we immediately became the best parents in the world, once Alice got over her rage!!
Remember I couldn't remember the 'blog moment' from last time? It came to me when I was feeding pigs and walked past the offal hole! We had been talking at dinner about where my uncles ashes had been spread in Australia and that went on to what is to happen to us when were die etc. Now the plan with Eric has always been that he would be cremated and his ashes spread by Dover lifeboat at sea (there is history there for those of you who have known us less that 10 years). Anyway considering that that now is not really an option I asked what we should do with him then added I guess the most apt place for you would be down the offal hole. As you can imagine everyone was in stitches and Eric was indignant. Well I think it would be a fitting end - don't you?!?!?!? The only question now is do we waste money on cremating him first or just pop him down whole. Harriette thinks he won't fit and as it'll probably come to her and Alice to make the decisions we'll leave it in their hands.
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