In case of emergency .... Zzzzzz

In the interests of scientific experimentation, I took a sleeping tablet last night.

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.

I was prescribed temazapan? Diazapam? In any case, it produces a big result for a little tablet! I was mega relaxed this morning!

Late for work? Doesn't matter!

Can't find my watch? Doesn't matter.

It was aaaaaaaallll good! The cycle into work was interesting....

My body fought the medication at first though, which was interesting and probably tells me that I'm a total control freak.

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!