It's a Miracle!

I woke up this morning and briefly thought:

"I can see clearly - it's a miracle!"

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!

It's freezing this morning and I'm eating my porridge before jumping on the bike to cycle to work. Brrrrr.

Happy Friday everyone!

Grumpy Day

I 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.

But it can't have been a hangover because it continued through the day and has turned into stomach cramps this evening.

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.

Grumpy.

AND it rained on my washing.

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!

Black 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.

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!

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....

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.

Guerilla Gardening

I'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.

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 Guerrilla Gardening efforts, including this one, which I don't think has aired on TV yet:



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?!

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.

Single-Handedly Reviving the Australian Economy

Me. Yep, I'm single-handedly reviving the Australia economy.

How? Through providing a stabilising boost to the Nation's retailers, of course!

This weekend I bought a pair of woollen trousers for work and a woollen roll-neck jumper from Country Road and three pairs of jeans. Count 'em, three pairs, including these (disclaimer: not a pic of me):



All this despite the fact that I haven't yet received Kev's $900. What gives Kev? I voted labor at the last Federal election? Where' my $900?

European Trip - Kimmywoo the Travel Agent

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 Swans game with a group of mates, leaving me in peace to get the last details wrapped up.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

We'll fly into Edinburgh after our glutinous week in France then onwards to the Bloke's parents for a few days.

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.

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.

And that's pretty much our four weeks in Europe. I wish we were going tomorrow!

Arrogance

There's a monster storm brewing in Sydney tonight. Walking home from pilates tonight I could see sheet lightning every minute mainly from the west. It's rumbling slowly towards us.

Easter is over and facing work this morning was a bit depressing.

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 clientele (other than us of course!).

A large amount of them were definitely under age and on coke. They'd all dressed up to the nines but the effect was ruined by their gutter mouths and screaming.

The family of the birthday girl had an area cordoned 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.

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.

I just don't remember ever behaving like that when I was 16. The naughtiest was alcohol at house parties. Is this normal now?

Our Tiny, Tiny Ears

Apparently, 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:Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Yay 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!

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.

Kitty Smalls is also deciding the indoors is preferable these days. Mind you, that could be because she's getting older.

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 princess-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.

Meh

Sick. Not the snotty, coughing sick, but the achy flu and temperature sick.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Aside from the little shits and their music, I've been asleep for most of the day. I love my bed!

Kenyan Mischief

Some weekends are quietly lazy and some are.... instances where you end up partying with a bunch of Kenyans!

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 "bogan". The Bloke went as a Swannies player with the vest, scarf and barber pole socks. I just tucked my skinny jeans into a pair of uggies and displayed my whale tail.

The party boy alternated between a full kangaroo costume:


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!

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).

We partied until the early hours of the morning and awoke the next day with cracking hangovers. The mark of a successful night out!