Because I can ...

Dropping the boys off to school this morning, I made my way directly to the supermarket. I don't have a particular day that I do the grocery shopping anymore. In fact, lately I've been leaving it to the moment when I absolutely HAVE to go. You know, like when we run out of toilet paper or something equally as important. I was staring bleary eyed through the glass at the raw diced chicken, thinking about dinner, when I was abruptly woken up by the sound of the butcher bellowing across the counter "GOOD MORNING! HOW ARE YOU TODAY?!" This man was sunny and helpful and the volume of his voice accosted my still sleeping senses. What is it with these men? Have you ever noticed how cheerful and smiley butchers seem to be? They're always so pleased to see you, and I don't think it has anything to do with how appealing we may look...as we're standing there with our hair trussed back, woolly sweater, track pants and slippers on (yeah I know, quite the lovely vi

I could've had sex on Saturday. I could've...but I didn't. This all happened around 10am Saturday morning when he dropped in for a visit because he was in town. He had to fly out again late that afternoon, so we decided to catch up that morning before the flight. Now, I'm not opposed to having sex during the daylight hours, and although it wasn't planned....we had discussed it earlier in the week, on an "if it happens, it happens" basis. I was feeling pretty sure by the time I hung the phone up that night, that it wasn't going to be happening for me. This man is a dear friend of mine, I've known him for several years, and I will admit we've danced around the subject of sex off and on over the years...but to be honest, I've never really thought of him in that way. The idea occasionally flits across your mind, very briefly, but going through with it in the real world? An entirely different thing altogether. Anyway, he turns up, and for th

When I was visiting my sister with Alice a month or so ago, my sister brought out this brown fuzzy hat to show us. Apparently she wears it in the shower instead of a shower cap. Her husband walked into the bathroom one morning to find his wife in the shower, fuzzy hat on her head. He raised his hands saying "Don't tell me...I don't even want to know". My sister has beautiful long curly hair....she hates it (of course she does, if it were straight she'd want it curly right?). So every so many days she does the ardous task of getting out the GHD and straightening her hair. If you know anything about straightening your own hair at home, you would know, that when it gets wet, the curl comes back. Sproing! So to protect her straightness, she wears the only thing she found that she could stuff her hair up into. Now, I don't have a shower cap either, and if I'm not washing my hair in the shower that day, I pin it back with a claw clip, go about my busines

Something devastating happened after the softball club prizegiving on Saturday night. A young man...18 years old next month....took his own life by hanging himself from a tree in the neighbour's back yard. A six year old found him. From what I've heard he attended a party after the prizegiving....and he was going around saying goodbye to people. Everyone thought he was just being silly...noone took him seriously. And why would they? Who would suspect that such a tragedy was about to occur? Obviously those he left behind are numb with grief and questioning the why's and wherefores of his actions. As is usual in so many cases of suicide, noone is ever going to find out the reason. I have read so many tributes to him...and from all accounts he was a smiling, laughing teenager that seem to make it his business to keep his friends happy and smiling. It makes no sense at all. The college students were informed about this former pupil when they returned to school on Tu

I went out Saturday night. The annual softball prizegiving evening was held last night, and although I haven't played for two seasons now, I still attend the end of season knees-up. It's always a great night, spent amongst great people and I love to dance. Been a while since I really loosened up enough to bust some moves on the dance floor....that's not to say I'm any good at it...just that I was relaxed enough to do it. Read my lips...."bourbon and coke". Being a single woman in my 40's, there are a few things that come to the fore under these circumstances (actually the fact that I'm 40 doesn't have a lot to do with that, I noticed it the moment I shed my husband at the age of 33). The first one is that I'm single. The second is there are married women around watching the single women...and their proximity to said married women's spouses. Why is that? Do they think we're going to run off with their husbands if they don't w

I'm back. Not sure for how long, but seeing as this is free, I can't be jumping up and down complaining about it really can I? Besides, I know the people at Blogger will be working their little butts off to return our regularly scheduled programme back to normal! For the time being I'm going to post an HNT pic for the weekend....a pic I would've posted yesterday had I been able to get here. lol No, that is not my bed. No, those aren't my naughty ornaments. And no, those handcuffs don't belong to me. But...yes, those are my hands, so it's within the guidelines of HNT right? Oh and one more...No, this picture was not taken under the circumstances you might be thinking. Unfortunately I don't have any green for St Patrick's Day in it (which was a requirement this week)...but I was married to a Patrick once, AND that's gotta count for having plenty of irish bloodstock in me over the years I reckon lol. Anyway...one day last week I noticed my hit

Ryan (15 next month) came home from school on Monday and announced "Well it's official...I now hate my music class". My heart dropped...this is (was) one of his favourite classes. At the beginning of the school year, the class was split into groups of 3 or more, and each group was to decide on a song to play at an up and coming concert (two weeks from now). For the past 6 weeks Ryan has been practising on his guitar and learning the tune to "Six Feet from the Edge" by Creed. On Monday, due to one of the other groups only consisting of two students, he now has to learn "Iron Maiden" by Iron Maiden. Have you heard the guitar work in this song?? My son is a novice electric guitar player, and while I'm not going to doubt that he has the capability to get the job done...that's mighty intricate finger work to achieve in two weeks. He reckons he'll be ok. I have to admire his spirit and give him credit for having the confidence...but in the m

Early yesterday evening I drove past the local firestation. We have a very small firestation....for years there's been talk of them shutting it down and joining with the neighbouring bigger surburb. The community uproar basically consisted of a very loud "OI! Bollocks to that!!"....and for the time being, we're still lucky to have one. And when I say "one", I mean that's how many fire trucks live at our station lol. Yep, just the one. But that one firetruck is what gives our community some security when and if it needs it. I believe there are only 2 permanent firemen at this firestation, the rest are volunteers. Several years ago standing on a balcony of one of my friend's houses, I heard the fire siren go off. It sounds like the civil defence emergency siren, it's so loud it can be bloody deafening if you're close enough. My friend's house is high on the hill, and has a terrific view of the community. The siren went off...and within minu

I stayed overnight at Alice's Friday night. I finally got to bed at 2am...that was after I'd already been asleep on the couch since about 12.30am. Yep, that's me...my middle name isn't "Stamina" for nothing ya know *snort*. Saturday morning I crawled from her daughter's room, into bed beside Al and we watched Bridget Jones' Diary...again. As I sat there staring at the telly and eating reheated leftover pizza for breakfast, my brain cogs began to spin. Bridget Jones was in her early 30's right? She was fixated on her weight, how much she smoked and drank..and the lack of men in her life....or maybe more the lack of a significant male in her life. So....I've just begun the journey into my 40's...I'm not obssessed with my weight, although I probably should be...I know I certainly shouldn't be smoking....my drinking is minimal, so at least I've got that bit under control....and as for the lack of men in my life? Well, that'

A couple of weeks ago, the infamous Al and I, for seperate reasons, had a particularly trying Saturday morning. While I was crying down the phone to another friend, the beeps came through...answering that call, I heard Alice crying on the phone....I say goodbye to the first caller and go back to Al. After we both managed to stop blubbering, we laughed at each other, making fun of the irony of us both sobbing at the same time...it's never happened before....it's either one or the other, you know, and never the Twain shall meet....until that morning. Eventually our conversation moved to safer ground. Alice: "We need to get hammered." Me: "Nah we don't, we need to do something Thelma and Louise-ish. Oh, I know! Let's bugger off up the coast for the night and stay at the orchard." Alice: "That sounds cool...but without the gun..." Me: "Or the driving off the cliff bit..." Alice: "I'll bring the scarves." Me: "I

A few months ago I made a new friend...his name is Mark. Mark comes to me courtesy of MasterCard. Mark rings me each month for a lovely chat....this always consists of "If you could just put the minimum amount of $[blah] on it, you'll be ok until next month". See how much he cares for me? *sigh* Today I made another new friend....his name is Daniel. Daniel has become very attached to my home. He is a man of many hats. He brings gifts. He shuffles things around to make good things happen for me. And because I think he's so wonderful, I introduced him to my mate Mark. Daniel comes to me courtesy of my local banking branch. I now have a new fixed interest rate on my mortgage, AND a very cheerful Mark at the same time. I think that means I've just lost Mark's friendship...he will be out there searching around making new friends I suppose. I have not made any friends, new or old, at the Inland Revenue Department....yet. But...I'm wearing them down...it

How could I possibly disappear after all the support and encouragement you've shown? That would be unforgivably rude of me. Thank you all so much for your kind words, I can't tell you how much I appreciated reading your comments on my previous post. They've all helped me immensely. We really need to have some kind of party. There are various forms of being 'done'. There's the done that applies to the roast beef being ready....the done that applies to an assignment, or job being complete...and then there's the done in relation to had enough, given up...nothing, nada...no more to come because there's nothing left to give. I'm sure there are other varieties, but those are the only ones i can think of at the moment. It seems for the moment I'm "undone"....and not in the "I've buckled under the strain and my brain is now a gooey mass" sense...been there, done (heh) that...but in the "I have far too much to say to ev