tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51232046447558605942024-02-20T02:30:01.105-08:00Kimmywoo - Neurotic and AnxiousKimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-34100507229194841162009-05-29T11:09:00.000-07:002009-05-29T11:11:19.976-07:00Greetings from Glasgow!No time to do a proper post. Hotel internet 6 quid an hour!<br /><br />But we are having a great time. We're flying to the south of France tomorrow, where we'll be for a week. Probably no intenet at our rented cottage either.<br /><br />Nevermind!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-79538658019230958742009-05-21T07:52:00.000-07:002009-05-21T08:22:27.256-07:00Last Day in WindsorI'm currently in Manchester (hi Stu!) and will probably not get to the internet much as we're off to the Lake District tomorrow for a week. The cottages we're staying in don't really do wireless!<br /><br />I'm trying to update as much as possible, but it's hard when you're constantly on the move.<br /><br />So... on Monday, my sister's fiance drove us to Slough to pick up our hire car. There's really not much you can say about Slough. It's where The Office was set. Our hire car is a Peugeot 307, who we've nicknamed Brutus:<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVuADPYaxI/AAAAAAAAIRg/icx0A63zVLY/s1600-h/Europe+Trip+2009+042.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVuADPYaxI/AAAAAAAAIRg/icx0A63zVLY/s200/Europe+Trip+2009+042.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338293880466467602" /></a><br /><br />After depositing the car back at my sister's house, we walked into Windsor with the intention of visiting the castle. It was great timing as we came across the changing of the guards parade on the way:<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVv8Z_IGWI/AAAAAAAAIRw/qmgq7-UdVvw/s1600-h/Picture+010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVv8Z_IGWI/AAAAAAAAIRw/qmgq7-UdVvw/s200/Picture+010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338296016876083554" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVv8LWSTgI/AAAAAAAAIRo/uxnc765QaOU/s1600-h/Picture+009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVv8LWSTgI/AAAAAAAAIRo/uxnc765QaOU/s200/Picture+009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338296012946689538" /></a><br /><br />We followed them to the castle (we had a vague notion that they would know the way!)and watched the changing of the guards. Unfortunately the section where the ceremony was taking place was being renovated, so the changing of the guards occurred outside a port-a-cabin. Very posh!<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVw2q7y_gI/AAAAAAAAISA/-qXVySjEUg0/s1600-h/Picture+017.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVw2q7y_gI/AAAAAAAAISA/-qXVySjEUg0/s200/Picture+017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338297017857932802" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVw2Up0iCI/AAAAAAAAIR4/znkFyiTTrkU/s1600-h/Picture+015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ShVw2Up0iCI/AAAAAAAAIR4/znkFyiTTrkU/s200/Picture+015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338297011876956194" /></a><br /><br />Windsor castle was still crowded with tourists even for a Monday. I liked the garden in the moat, and Henry VIII's fat suit of armour. Man, he was a tub-ster.<br /><br />Walked over to Eaton and looked at the school. We found a pub and had the worst meal we've had in England yet!<br /><br />One observation: I can’t believe the current fashion for women in their teens and 20s is skinny jeans tucked into Ugg boots. They’re all bogans!<br /><br />Next installment: Stratford-upon-Avon via Oxford University.Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-40226984444682730752009-05-19T00:32:00.000-07:002009-05-19T00:52:09.681-07:00Windsor - Going to Visit the QueenEngland is bloody freezing! I didn’t take a jacket with me so I’m going to have to buy one.<br /><br />It’s strange being back after five years. I’d forgotten that there were so many old buildings and it all looked so pastoral. The birds gently twitter in the rain (of course it’s raining) unlike Sydney where the lorikeets kamikaze along in bright sunshine.<br /><br />We’re staying with my sister and her fiance in Windsor. B picked us up from Heathrow in the morning and our plane was delayed by 2 hours in Singapore. Customs at Heathrow was a joke. There was nobody even on duty. That would definitely not happen in Australia where we are paranoid about someone bringing in a foreign banana.<br /><br />As we were driving into Windsor, traffic was halted for a cavalcade of the Queen’s horses who trotted across the road in formation being led from one paddock up to the castle via the <a href="http://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsor/greatpark/longwalk.html">Long Walk</a>. B said she had organised it just for us…<br /><br />We had a quick nap and then a walk to the shops to find a jacket. The shopping journey was a fail because it’s all summer clothes over here and I was too jet lagged to go shopping properly. <br /><br />We had a pint in a pub, the Two Brewers, next to Windsor castle then went for a walk down the Long Walk. We turned in at 8:30pm and woke up at 4:30am, so had a solid 8 hours sleep. I feel like we’re conquering the jet lag… A bit.<br /><br />On Sunday B and I rushed out to buy a Barbour jacket - against the Bloke's wishes who think Barbour jackets are snobby. I didn't care. All the other shops were selling summer clothes and I needed a good quality, warm jacket. B put in some money for it as my birthday present which justified the expense... somewhat.<br /><br />We then walked to a restaurant for lunch with some friends we haven't seen in years. We all came back to B and G’s for coffee and cake afterwards. We then went back to the Two Brewers next to the castle. The Two Brewers is very old and more local pub than some of the others. It's amazing how with good friends, you can just pick up from where you left off.Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-26603431365542635662009-05-18T07:50:00.000-07:002009-05-18T07:54:08.946-07:00Sydney to London on the A380So, that A380. Marvellously quiet. Take offs and landings were very gentle and, in the dark, it was difficult to tell if you‘d actually landed or not.<br /><br />The only dampener to the flight was that the Bloke and I were not alocated to be sat together. We seemed to be the only couple on the plane not sat together! Are Qantas trying to tell us something?!!!<br /><br />It was irritating - on check-in the woman told us that it was because we’d checked in later than everyone else. This was at three hours before take-off! We managed to get shuffled around so we were at least sitting the same area with the Bloke sat behind me and me on an exit-row. In the middle lot of seating. I was talking to the couple beside me and they checked in one hour after us and still managed to get seated together. Hmmmm.<br /><br />My theory behind the seating arrangements is that we don’t have as many frequent flyer points as others, therefore are the lowest priority when it comes to seating. The stewards on the flight said that because the airbus has a 2-3-2 seating configuration in premium economy in a small cabin of about 30 seats, it is difficult to seat couples.<br /><br />On the second leg of the journey, Singapore to London, we arranged with another passenger to swap seats and we ended up sat together in a window and aisle seat. So humans triumph over technology yet again!<br /><br />Premium economy is well worth the money. Everyone’s friendly because no one is squashed. It’s very civilised. And the interior, despite us being located behind the engines is whisper quiet. You're also one of the first to board the plane and check in is done via the business counter, so no long queues.<br /><br />We managed to get 5 hours on-and-off sleep on the Singapore to London leg, so that's helped with the jetlag somewhat.Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-43969342087851969762009-05-12T14:17:00.000-07:002009-05-12T14:21:56.585-07:00The Final CountdownTwo days to go until our Europe trip. It's pretty much all I think about at the moment!<br /><br />I've printed off our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">itineraries</span> and tickets, found the passports (multiple as we're both dual citizens), got medication and travel toiletries (all under 100 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mils</span>!) from the chemist and started washing the clothes we'll take.<br /><br />Now all that's left is for us to pack. And look forward to seeing family and friends and not working for an entire month!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-3696309994153629862009-05-09T02:46:00.000-07:002009-05-09T03:21:16.848-07:00Floating Apartment BuildingIn keeping with my aim to view my city as a tourist, I've been walking around the city at lunch-times instead of eating lunch at my desk.<br /><br />I work close to Terminal 8 , which is the Darling Harbour cruise ship terminal. It's the terminal for "smaller" cruise ships - i.e. the ones that can fit under the harbour bridge. Here are a few shots of the little ships:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333765377450204914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgVXWe4yXvI/AAAAAAAAIN0/-FoOPXEbBV8/s200/15042009.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333765371572758562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgVXWI_fqCI/AAAAAAAAINs/nkIqsmgDTH0/s200/05052009(001).jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333765370576268754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgVXWFR6bdI/AAAAAAAAINk/UJ45yKZswLY/s200/05052009.jpg" border="0" /> <div></div><div></div><div></div>And here's one from the other side of the harbour, looking back towards Darling Harbour and Terminal 8:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333765378779256210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgVXWj1qFZI/AAAAAAAAIN8/OV_WhTYkMfw/s200/Cruiser.JPG" border="0" /><br />The larger cruise ships dock at the overseas passenger terminal at Circular Quay. The super-liners, however, have to dock at the naval base at <a href="http://www.gardenisland.info/1-00-000.html">Garden Island</a>.<br /><br />The area you see in the foreground of photos 2 and 3 is where the container shipping yard used to be before it was moved to Botany Bay. It's going to be turned into parkland, office and residential areas, which is great on one hand, and sad on the other because that's part of Sydney's working harbour history gone. And they'll be getting rid of Terminal 8 too. I'm betting that the developers of the site decided that having a cruise liner parked beside some office towers would spoil the water views.<br /><br />So it'll be shunted over to Balmain, which will cause traffic hell for residents and will be a disappointment for travellers. Imagine thinking you'll be in the thick of things in Sydney, while in reality you'll be parked in the suburbs! I'd want my money back!<br /><br />The cruise season (October to March-ish) is over, so there aren't as many ships in port as there have been. It's still a pretty spectacular sight when they reverse out of the berth and do a 180 degree swivel on the spot because there's not much room between the quay and the Balmain headland. To have that degree of control over such a huge vessel in such a tight space is very impressive. I'll try and take some shots of it happening next time I see it.<br /><br />Still, I don't think I'd enjoy cruising. Imagine being stuck on a ship with hundreds of other people for days at a time. No thanks. More like a floating RSL club than a nice holiday!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-8284103561276565372009-05-06T22:44:00.001-07:002009-05-06T23:13:16.571-07:00Work - With SupervisionThe Bloke and I have a lovely dining table and with recycled wooden benches. However, the benches aren't really good for sitting at for long periods of time.<br /><br />So on the weekend, I bought two dark brown leather chairs from a furniture seconds store.<br /><br />I had several sales people say to me:<br /><br />"You do know that you'll have to assemble those chairs yourself, don't you?"<br /><br />What? Did I look completely incompetent? Did they not realise that they were talking to a woman who had assembled a 6-burner BBQ, a queen sized bed and soldered together the TV and stereos' cables in order to get surround sound? HA!<br /><br />It all went fairly smoothly at first. Unpack chairs from box:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332955285819079506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ2k8ZJu1I/AAAAAAAAIMs/iJrpUz405dw/s200/IMG_1939.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332955881144263906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ3HmJvJOI/AAAAAAAAIM0/VQdCKQ1CKP4/s200/IMG_1940.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ3hZEVYFI/AAAAAAAAIM8/nWSJ6lmQ_FI/s1600-h/IMG_1941.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332956324308541522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ3hZEVYFI/AAAAAAAAIM8/nWSJ6lmQ_FI/s200/IMG_1941.JPG" border="0" /></a> Screw in the base of the chair to the back and legs of the chair, then screw the front legs to the base of the chair:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332957116154561234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ4Pe7IwtI/AAAAAAAAINM/r57XYk3jnAE/s200/IMG_1943.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332956716650004818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ34Op1AVI/AAAAAAAAINE/XfeMmleseqg/s200/IMG_1942.JPG" border="0" />And there you have two chairs!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ437ZsYGI/AAAAAAAAINU/JLAZJ_F1Nug/s1600-h/IMG_1946.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332957810993684578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ437ZsYGI/AAAAAAAAINU/JLAZJ_F1Nug/s200/IMG_1946.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332958179886784994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SgJ5NZoqYeI/AAAAAAAAINc/G9ldFV8Fods/s200/IMG_1947.JPG" border="0" />With supervision of course! However, the second chair proved harder than the first to put together. The screws wouldn't go in the whole way. I think the holes hadn't been drilled properly at the factory. I guess that's why they were so cheap.<br /><br />So it's a bit wobbly. Let's hope that nobody large sits on that particular chair! </div></div>Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-10628362535609576652009-05-04T00:12:00.000-07:002009-05-04T00:24:20.645-07:00In case of emergency .... Zzzzzz<img src="http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:TKN8DyYK50vw7M:http://d21c.com/DragonsDreams/gar/Sleep.jpg" /><br /><br />In the interests of scientific experimentation, I took a sleeping tablet last night.<br /><br />I got a prescription the other day just in case I can't sleep on the plane. It's a 23 hour journey, so I'd like to have a back up plan if I can't sleep! I thought I'd better test out the medication first - the last thing you need on a plane trip is an allergic reaction.<br /><br />I was prescribed temazapan? Diazapam? In any case, it produces a big result for a little tablet! I was mega relaxed this morning!<br /><br />Late for work? Doesn't matter!<br /><br />Can't find my watch? Doesn't matter.<br /><br />It was aaaaaaaallll good! The cycle into work was interesting....<br /><br />My body fought the medication at first though, which was interesting and probably tells me that I'm a total control freak.Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-55380322460454868062009-04-30T14:25:00.000-07:002009-04-30T14:27:57.864-07:00It's a Miracle!I woke up this morning and briefly thought:<br /><br />"I can see clearly - it's a miracle!"<br /><br />before realising that I'd slept with my contact lenses in. I NEVER do that, so I must have been either really distracted or really tired!<br /><br />It's freezing this morning and I'm eating my porridge before jumping on the bike to cycle to work. Brrrrr.<br /><br />Happy Friday everyone!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-30338007574341034612009-04-29T01:06:00.000-07:002009-04-29T01:12:44.967-07:00Grumpy DayI felt queasy this morning, from what I thought was the result of two glasses of bubbly last night. I cycled into work thinking I was going to spew.<br /><br />But it can't have been a hangover because it continued through the day and has turned into stomach cramps this evening.<br /><br />Then, just when I was ready to change and cycle home from work, it bucketed down with rain. I had to leave the bike at work (which I hate doing) and hurry home for a 5pm physio appointment.<br /><br />Grumpy.<br /><br />AND it rained on my washing.<br /><br />At least Kitty Smalls is happy. She's on my lap, purring away. The laptop has been relegated and I am awkwardly typing this entry whilst balancing the lap-top on the arm of the sofa. Anything to keep her happy!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-89115513069984194772009-04-28T02:12:00.000-07:002009-04-28T03:59:58.330-07:00Black is the new.... Black?Another black-out in the city today. It's embarrassing that we can't keep the lights on! Everyone groaned when we realised that we'd lost whatever we'd been working on. <br /><br />We all gathered in the office with the most natural light and chatted about which movies we'd seen lately etc. There wasn't much else we could do for the next hour or so until the lights came back on!<br /><br />I can't believe that this is the second blackout in the last few months that has affected the city - most buildings blacked out, people stuck in lifts, traffic lights on the blink....<br /><br />In other news, I almost hit a dog when I was cycling home last night. It darted out from under the bushes. I hit my brakes. The dog hit his brakes - almost scrabbling backwards in his attempt to stop. He dropped the ball he was carrying and skidded on the concrete. We avoided disaster after a bit of swearing on my part. I'm sure he would have sworn, in his own little doggie style, if he could. Phew.Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-87666009719439997912009-04-26T01:23:00.000-07:002009-04-26T02:08:42.960-07:00Guerilla GardeningI've been too lazy to post anything here recently. I have a house-prices rant stored up in my brain, but I won't inflict that on you yet. Instead, we'll look at something more pleasant.<br /><br />I'm trying to get out more at lunch times and go for walks to escape the office. An effort to become a tourist in my own city. I've noticed several <a href="http://ten.com.au/guerrilla-gardeners-about-the-show.htm">Guerrilla Gardening</a> efforts, including this one, which I don't think has aired on TV yet:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328914794318408738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SfQbxYmsLCI/AAAAAAAAIME/W9XtzzY9eZI/s320/25042009(001).jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />Previously, there was a bricked-in set of stairs, but now there are plants, a sturdy spider-web, and, if you look closely in the top left-hand corner, a giant spider! How cool is that?!<br /><br />In other news, Big Kev put that $900 in my bank account, so thanks buddy! It'll probably go into the house-deposit fund or towards the Europe trip - not long to go now.Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-27958673967515757472009-04-20T00:07:00.000-07:002009-04-20T00:28:10.447-07:00Single-Handedly Reviving the Australian EconomyMe. Yep, I'm single-handedly reviving the Australia economy.<br /><br />How? Through providing a stabilising boost to the Nation's retailers, of course!<br /><br />This weekend I bought a pair of woollen trousers for work and a woollen roll-neck jumper from <a href="http://www.countryroad.com.au/">Country Road</a> and three pairs of jeans. Count 'em, three pairs, including these (disclaimer: not a pic of me):<br /><br /><img src="http://www.grabdenim.com.au/downloads/Image/gallery/large/bd4c9ab730f5513206b999ec0d90d1fb-2.jpg" /><br /><br />All this despite the fact that I haven't yet received <a href="http://www.treasurer.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?DocType=3&doc=factsheets/2009/004.htm&min=wms&pageID=011">Kev's $900</a>. What gives Kev? I voted labor at the last Federal election? Where' my $900?Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-32024774032381340802009-04-17T19:52:00.000-07:002009-04-17T20:22:21.139-07:00European Trip - Kimmywoo the Travel Agent<p align="center"><img style="WIDTH: 310px; HEIGHT: 228px" height="335" src="http://www.borev.net/suitcase.jpg" width="395" /></p><br />I'm eating a left-over laksa on this Saturday lunch-time and finalising our accommodation for our European trip in May. The Bloke has gone to the <a href="http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/">Swans</a> game with a group of mates, leaving me in peace to get the last details wrapped up.<br /><br />We fly into London on the Qantas A380 (in premium economy - hooray!) and spend a couple of days with my sister and her fiance in Windsor - can't wait to see her again as the last time they were over here was for Christmas.<br /><br />We're then meeting friends in Stratford-upon-Avon and staying in an old converted castle. I love that about Europe - the historic buildings. In comparison, the oldest buildings in Australia are 200 years old.<br /><br />We'll also visit Mr Stu's stamping place of Manchester. We've got heaps of friends who live in and around the area, so we have a couple of days there. I've heard the shopping there is good too! The Bloke mutters under his breath and rolls his eyes every time I mention the shopping potental!<br /><br />We'll then meet the Bloke's family in the Lake District, where he grew up, for a week of walking and pub meals. I love the Lakes - they're just stunning and one of the most beautiful places in the world.<br /><br />Following a family week, we're meeting friends in Glasgow for a night out on the toon! I'm hoping it's not too big a night though, because the next day we fly to the south of France for a week.<br /><br />The week in France was one of the first things I organised. We're close friends with a couple who are also going to Europe at the same time as us - and taking their 18 month old boy! We were all keen to have a bit of time together, so we've rented a large converted farmhouse with a pool, in the middle of the French countryside. The photos of the place look amazing. There'll be six Aussie (and a child!) and we're going to go to the markets, the wineries and generally eat and drink ourselves stupid! Can't wait! I hope it's warm enough to swim.<br /><br />The Bloke is keen to show us around the area because he used to go on holidays there with his family when he was a kid. Luckily he speaks French as we're relying on him to be our translator and spokesman for everything! Sacre blu!<br /><br />We'll fly into Edinburgh after our glutinous week in France then onwards to the Bloke's parents for a few days.<br /><br />One of the nicest things about the trip is that, following our stay at the Bloke's parents' house, we'll drive down to Cambridge and spend two nights there. Apart from the fact that Cambridge is pretty damn spectacular, it's where the Bloke and I met.<br /><br />We weren't there as students, but were working at a hotel there. In fact, the Bloke hired me for the job of valet parking cars (for a position beneath him as he likes to joke whenever the story is told - haw, haw). I was travelling Europe in my gap year and the Bloke was working three jobs. We were pretty poor then and it'll be nice to go back and stay in a luxury hotel and reminisce.<br /><br />And that's pretty much our four weeks in Europe. I wish we were going tomorrow!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-73024887640238742722009-04-14T02:10:00.000-07:002009-04-14T02:21:18.908-07:00ArroganceThere's a monster storm brewing in Sydney tonight. Walking home from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pilates</span> tonight I could see sheet lightning every minute mainly from the west. It's rumbling slowly towards us.<br /><br />Easter is over and facing work this morning was a bit depressing.<br /><br />We went to a friend's birthday party on the Saturday night. It was at a suburban bar, which had great decor and would have been fantastic had it not been for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">clientele</span> (other than us of course!).<br /><br />A large amount of them were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">definitely</span> under age and on coke. They'd all dressed up to the nines but the effect was ruined by their gutter mouths and screaming.<br /><br />The family of the birthday girl had an area <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">cordoned</span> off for the party. But people just kept sitting down in the area with a "so what?" reply when asked if they were aware it was a private party. The arrogance on display was amazing.<br /><br />We still had a good time (the Bloke had to carry me up to bed when we got home because I'd had too good a time) but we wouldn't recommend the bar to anyone and won't be going back.<br /><br />I just don't remember ever behaving like that when I was 16. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">naughtiest</span> was alcohol at house parties. Is this normal now?Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-87023787303077639252009-04-09T22:58:00.000-07:002009-04-09T23:08:05.004-07:00Our Tiny, Tiny Ears<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Apparently</span>, men have huge ears and women have tiny, delicate ears. Well, that's what the manufacturers of the ear plugs bought by the Bloke would have you believe:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322939457446907330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/Sd7hPAIIjcI/AAAAAAAAILo/TiDShQiJ4pg/s200/IMG_1937.JPG" border="0" />Let's take a closer look, shall we?<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322939772234953410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/Sd7hhUzc8sI/AAAAAAAAILw/BOO35zNzojE/s200/IMG_1938.JPG" border="0" /></div>Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-13953249325674917312009-04-08T02:58:00.000-07:002009-04-08T03:07:25.917-07:00Yay for Long Weekends!Slowly getting over the flu. This one's been a real energy sapper. I think it's the sudden change in weather. We all put our clocks forward one hour on Sunday for the end of daylight savings, and on Monday it was freezing!<br /><br />I love winter. Well, an Aussie winter that is. It's still warm enough to enjoy a clear, crisp day without it being so cold you have to hide indoors.<br /><br />Kitty Smalls is also deciding the indoors is preferable these days. Mind you, that could be because she's getting older.<br /><br />Planning for the Great European Trip is still underway. We will probably spend two nights in London. Anyone got any hotel recommendations? Must have king sized bed and, hopefully without sounding too <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">princess</span>-like, be around the four-star mark and not in a dodgy area. I'm thinking of booking through a last minute website to get a good deal while we're in England. You can get some real bargains.Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-74536573012506804422009-04-04T02:04:00.000-07:002009-04-04T02:12:18.471-07:00MehSick. Not the snotty, coughing sick, but the achy flu and temperature sick.<br /><br />The Bloke and I were meant to go out for dinner to celebrate our second wedding anniversary, but got home on Friday night and was too poorly to do anything other than collapse on the couch. Useless. He went out with some friends instead and I got a nice, quiet night to myself. It was a win-win. We'll go out dinner next weekend.<br /><br />It's when you're sick that you most appreciate your bed. God it was good to sink into bed. Apart from the little shits in the rental place several doors down who have been playing rap music every single weekend with the volume at 11.<br /><br />I don't mind the occassional large night - we've been more than guilty of parties at ours. Every once in a while the neighbours have a big one too and you don't begrudge that.<br /><br />But every weekend? Geeze. It's the kind of thudding bass that seems to penetrate the walls too. They can't be more than 18 years old. First time out of home and really revelling in their freedom. I'm sure someone will tell them where to stick it sooner or later.<br /><br />Aside from the little shits and their music, I've been asleep for most of the day. I love my bed!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-75676289869121697462009-04-01T02:33:00.000-07:002009-04-01T03:27:54.838-07:00Kenyan Mischief<img src="http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:gd1xKUU0XlvqmM:http://www.countriesandflags.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Flag_of_Kenya-large.jpg" /><img src="http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:jM8SgH8xlqZ22M:http://www.countriesandflags.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Flag_of_Australia-large.jpg" /><br /><br />Some weekends are quietly lazy and some are.... instances where you end up partying with a bunch of Kenyans!<br /><br />This particular Kenyan had just become an Australian citizen. So, in true Aussie style, he and his Aussie girlfriend (whose birthday it was) had a bbq with the dress up theme of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogan">bogan</a>". The Bloke went as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Swans">Swannies </a>player with the vest, scarf and barber pole socks. I just tucked my skinny jeans into a pair of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugg_boots">uggies</a> and displayed my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_tail">whale tail</a>.<br /><br />The party boy alternated between a full kangaroo costume:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319665854979358674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 146px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/SdM_6QnRv9I/AAAAAAAAIJ0/azdJMXj_t8Q/s320/IMG_1904.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />and, later on in the night when much drink had been taken, "Shaniqua" - consisting of a boob apron (apron with huge fake boobs on - don't ask me why) with a long haired wig. He looked.... erm, scary but hilarious. And no, I'm not posting that picture!<br /><br />But Kenyan dance/rap music is the best! All us white girls were completely out-manourvered by the Kenyan chicks (apart from the party boy's gal who can shake it with the best of them).<br /><br />We partied until the early hours of the morning and awoke the next day with cracking hangovers. The mark of a successful night out!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-89774128439675143532009-03-30T23:12:00.000-07:002009-03-30T23:38:41.792-07:00Electricity in Sydney = Fail... Epic FailAs I was hurriedly typing the minutes of a meeting into my computer (I try and do that on the same day as the meeting otherwise you can never remember what the scribble on your notepad translates to), we had a blackout.<br /><br />You could hear groans from everyone on the floor as we all lost what we were working on! We hung around reception and tried to find out what was going on. As soon as we heard that the blackout had affected much of our part of the city, and it was 5pm anyway, we all abandoned ship and headed home. As we've never had a fire drill before, getting out the building proved to be an adventure - 15 flights of stairs later....<br /><br />I'm glad I wasn't travelling by bus, however, because the traffic lights were also out (picture from Sydney Morning Herald website):<br /><img src="http://images.smh.com.au/2009/03/31/442198/420cbdblackout-420x0.jpg" /><br /><br />I found out this morning that the blackout was due to a power surge and over 100,000 people were affected. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that:<br /><br />"Energy Australia said the blackout was caused by a fault in one of four major 132,000 volt cables that supply power to parts of the CBD, the inner-city and eastern suburbs."<br /><br />Hello? Only four cables. For an entire CBD? How does that work?<br /><br />The cherry on the top, however, was the decapitated rat left on the back doorstep by Kitty Smalls that same evening. Nice!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-38227915778705259212009-03-25T01:12:00.000-07:002009-03-25T01:26:11.135-07:00Commando Kitty Smalls!I came home the other day to this sight:<br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317035734735300786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/Scnn1HL0qLI/AAAAAAAAIFk/TCLC8MgmrJE/s320/IMG_1894.JPG" border="0" />I think she'd been sitting under a car when a large drop of oil fell on her. It did make her look rather jungle commando kitteh though:</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317037237540900402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_b-je2cz0wzk/ScnpMlkmTjI/AAAAAAAAIFs/4nHY1n12eD8/s320/IMG_1897.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>She got a good scrub down that evening, which she did not appreciate! </p>Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-44054272794801188862009-03-21T16:50:00.001-07:002009-03-21T18:02:42.494-07:00Noosa<a href="http://www.visitnoosa.com.au/">Noosa </a>was very interesting. The main drag is Hastings Street, which like Double Bay or Mosman dumped in the tropics. It's OK if you like that kind of thing - it has some funky bars and lovely shops.<br /><br />We were staying about 5 minutes drive away in <a href="http://www.noosaville.com/">Noosaville</a>, on the Noosa River, which was much quieter but still had tonnes of fantastic restaurants and things to do. It really is ideal for a relaxing weekend and it's great for families.<br /><br />Our resort had three swimming pools in a tropical setting, so we swam every day. I bit the bullet and bought a tankini (sob) on Hastings Street. It's very cute. I have decided I feel more comfortable without the little potbelly on disply. Sigh.<br /><br />It was safer than swimming in the ocean which was polluted with oil from the striken <a href="http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/oil-slick-spreads-to-bribie-island/2009/03/13/1236447438781.html">Pacific Adventurer</a>, caught in Cyclone Hamish. The surf at Coolum Beach, on the way to Noosa from the airport, was a rust-brown froth. On the way back to the airport, four days later, it was all clean with people swimming in the water. Great effort from the clean-up crew.<br /><br />Noosa is a very strange mix of redneck, hippy and wealthy.<br /><br />We drove up from the airport (in our hire car, a light blue Kia we called "Misty" which was the shitest car ever) and parked up for lunch. The car next to us had the bumper-sticker "Australia: Love it or Leave it". A nice, thinly veiled racist statement.<br /><br />What does that mean anyway? You have to love that car driver's take on Australia or get out? You have to love every part of Australia or get out? In that case, the car driver's got to love the immigrants because they're part of Australia too. Moron.<br /><br />Then, a few days later, I saw a woman get out of car, the back of her t-shirt riding up slightly to reveal a swastika tramp stamp! And I don't think it was the Hindi version either. Rednecks!<br /><br />Having said that, just about everyone we came across was really nice and laid back. And the surrounding bushland was beautiful. We went on a couple of bush walks. One was on Noosa Headland where we followed a track to a beach. Unfortunately it was a nudist beach, something we didn't realise until we got there!<br /><br />Why is it always middle aged men with fat bellies who are the nudists? Why no young chiseled gods? Ewwww. We continued walking to the next track!<br /><br />On our last day in Queensland, we climbed to this lookout in the Noosa hinterland, which gave 360 degree views over the Sunshine Coast:<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzF4e03m6ysqWTjMCpXKufLDp9w_bzRNZR-tWObUd5obI_96ho5mmZSge8OWBAmWJ6m8ZYXMAu6E40mrbm-fA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><p> </p>Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-37806174576132325452009-03-15T23:54:00.001-07:002009-03-16T00:15:44.963-07:00Weekend AwayThe Bloke and I are just back from a weekend away in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Noosa</span>. We went for a friend's wedding - my friend since year 10 in high school - and had a relaxing weekend away.<br /><br />It was great to catch up with that particular group of girlfriends who I don't really see much of anymore. The bride lives in Queensland (soon to move to Sale in Victoria), another girlfriend lives in Sale, one is moving to London and one has two kids and lives an hour's drive away.<br /><br />But, as we re-bonded over diner on the night before the wedding, it was as if we'd just seen each other the weekend before. The husbands looked slightly shell-shocked as we pretty much just talked non-stop!<br /><br />I'll post more about the weekend away and the beautiful wedding later when I've uploaded the photos to the computer. I'm typing this on my new HP <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">netbook</span>, which I LOVE! The Bloke bought if for me the night before we flew up to Queensland as an early wedding <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">anniversary</span> present.<br /><br />It's so small and light and very good looking:<br /><img style="WIDTH: 380px; HEIGHT: 218px" height="283" src="http://www.mobilemag.com/content/images/16504_super.jpg" width="482" /><br /><br />It will be perfect for the long-haul flights.<br /><br />I downloaded the first two episodes of "True Blood" to watch on the plane. I've heard good things about it and it's just being shown on pay TV in Australia.<br /><br />What I didn't realise what that it contains a few very graphic sex scenes. I'm not a prude, but it's kind of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">embarrassing</span> having that on your screen when you're surrounded by people on an aeroplane! Blush! Of course the Bloke was laughing about it all weekend and kept teasing me about my "porn"!Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-39398010096262768962009-03-09T01:42:00.000-07:002009-03-09T01:53:22.680-07:00Bird Poo = Queezy<p align="center"><img height="194" src="http://www.virginmedia.com/images/bird_poo430x300.jpg" width="310" /></p><br />I'm fairly sure a bird pooed in my mouth on the cycle home tonight. ARG - A BIRD POOED IN MY MOUTH!<br /><br />I was cycling along a busy, tree lined, four lane road at quite a pace (to avoid being side-swiped and mowed down by cars) and I felt this wet thing hit my lips. I assumed, because it had been raining, that it was a fat drop of rain falling from trees. But it didn't taste so good..... I immediately spat it out.<br /><br />When I came to a halt, I wiped my mouth with the back of my glove and IT WAS WHITE.<br /><br />There was a fairly virgorous rinsing of the mouth when I got home.Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123204644755860594.post-81815526244153585232009-03-07T18:52:00.000-08:002009-03-07T19:11:41.852-08:00Blinder Than Yesterday<p align="center"><img src="http://www.daviddarling.info/images/gas_permeable_contact_lens.jpg" /></p>I went to the optometrist last week, resulting in two facts:<br /><ul><li>I am blinder than at my last checkup; and</li><li>It will cost me more money to be blinder.</li></ul><p>For the past few years I had been seeing an optometrist in the city, however, after some poor service, I decided to see a local optometrist. It took over an hour to go through the various assessments, but I finally felt as though I'd finally had a thorough check-up. None of this 15 minute rush-job business that I experienced at the city optometrist.</p><p>She was extremely knowledgeable and carefully checked my eyes. For one thing, my eyesight has deteriorated and I am another -0.5 blinder in each eye. This makes my right eye -6.0 blind and my left eye -6.5 blind.</p><p>But the scary thing was when she said:</p><p>"your fortnightly contact lenses are causing irritation where they cling to your eyes" </p><p>then showed me some pictures of at what stage of irritation my eyes were. GAH! Ewwww. She had a chart of eye irritation photos ranging from clusters of little red bumps to science fiction red planet surface-style bumps. Erk!</p><p>Apparently my fortnightly contact lenses are too tight on my eyes, causing irritation, and over time protein build-up on the lenses causes further irritation.</p><p>So I'm trying out two types of daily disposable lenses and will report back to her next week.</p><p>The only thing is, they are four times the price of my fortnightly lenses at approximately $120 <em>each eye</em> for a 3 month supply. But what price can you put on eyeball health, right?</p>Kimmywoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09966333351277241241noreply@blogger.com9