Feliz Navidad!

Christmas Greetings!

The past few days have been quite busy as I finish last minute details for Christmas. The gifts are wrapped and waiting to be opened on Christmas Day and today I will go out and purchase the fresh vegetables and fruit.

Prue and I were out at one of the major shopping malls yesterday and it was very busy. We went out separate ways  to make the trip as quick as possible and even then, we were much longer that we had originally hoped to be. As I have mentioned before, here we concentrate on the day and the meal and all the fun that goes with it, rather than who gets what etc. It will be a late lunch lasting several hours, accompanied by a play list of favourite tunes that everyone can sing  and dance along to(not Christmas music though). Then of course, will be D and Prue, lurking with cameras to capture everyone acting the goat and embarrass them!

I don’t know if I will post again before Christmas, so I want to thank everyone for your support this year and wish you  and your families a very Happy Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maureen:)

Bring in zero tolerance!

I am so over the lenient fines and sentencing for drunk drivers. Yes,there is plenty of publicity about it via the media and the campaigns run by the police but the message doesn’t appear to be getting though. Drivers have their license suspended and /or are fined but the penalties are obviously, too lenient.Confiscate the cars and not just for a day or two but for a 6 months, in addition to the fines and suspension. Any subsequent infringements will mean the car is forfeited.

Once again,the community woke to the news that overnight an alleged drunk driver ran off the road and through the front fence of a house, hitting a family and killing a young boy. How many times do we hear this and for how much longer is the judiciary going to keep treating these delinquent drivers with kid gloves? Make it zero alcohol when driving, no exceptions and zero tolerance. The same goes for any detection of drugs in the system. Although I choose not to drink, I have no qualms about any one else wanting to drink, as long as it is done responsibly.The trouble is that in the majority of cases, the negligent driver escapes an accident unharmed and it is his passengers, or other drivers/pedestrians who are injured or killed. Driving is a privilege not a right.

Last minute details and a secret mission.

The day here started off very relaxed, with Prue and I taking our breakfast out on the back patio, reading the paper and listening to music. It was beautiful outside and we lingered for quite a while before we got on with a few tasks around the house. Unfortunately, Prue’s sinuses have flared up and she is experiencing some severe headaches so she visited the local pharmacy and the pharmacist recommended an over the counter preparation which should help her.I think they made her drowsy because she is now sleeping.

D got up early too and after breakfast he altered the blind we bought for the bathroom and put it up.  He has done a sterling job and it looks good, now all we need is the mirror for the room to be complete. In the meantime we are using a mirror left over from the old bathroom( just sitting on the vanity) and it is not particularly attractive.

After lunch I was busy with housework, so D decided to mow the lawns. Yeah! Now I won’t have to do them. At this time of the year the grass grows several centimeters each day and to keep it under control, it must be mowed weekly. It will now look decent for Christmas.

I am still not certain of who will be here for Christmas but I am prepared for surprise guests and if previous years are anything to go by, there will be surprise guests! I want to go and buy a few stocking stuffers for Prue and D tomorrow  so I am going to be out and at the shopping centre as early as possible to avoid the crowds(and get a parking spot). D said he too, wants to be out of the house early tomorrow. Seems he is on some secret mission and refuses to elaborate where he is going. Hmm, I remember the last time he did this. I ended up with a model train set for Christmas! LOL

New York, New York and Christmas Gifts.

Last night we all had a lovely evening.Prue’s ex housemate came over for dinner and we exchanged Christmas gifts, prior to her leaving for the US. As I write, she is winging her way to San Fransisco, then after a brief stopover, on  to JFK. It’s a long flight but she has plenty of work to do on the plane for her employer, so she does not anticipate sleeping until she arrives at her parents’ home in Pennsylvania.Although  this will be her third trip back this year, she was excited and looking forward to catching up with her family, shopping and going skiing. When she left here late last night, she had not packed but being the seasoned traveller that she is, she said that task would only take a few minutes! Her husband will be flying out to join her next week and they will stay until New Year’s Day before returning to Melbourne and returning to work the next day.

There is a relaxed atmosphere here this morning. D attended his work break up yesterday afternoon which he said was good but he left relatively early because he is not into drinking large quantities of alcohol and his work mates were gearing up for a long evening, so he left them to it.Right now he has gone out to do his normal Saturday routine – going to the Asian food markets and buying a ticket in the weekly lottery. He prefers to go alone and is quite a local identity around the various stores(mainly due to the fact that he is not Asian). The shopkeepers all know him by name and he loves the recognition lol. Such a show pony, you can see where Prue gets it from can’t you? Ha ha.

D was banging on this morning about what I want for Christmas but I cannot think of anything I need. I told him that I am successful in obtaining a new job I will need to buy some new clothes and that will be my gift  but he does not regard clothing as a gift and is insisting I give him a few suggestions. I honestly cannot think of anything  other than a peaceful day with family , friends, good food and plenty of fun and laughter. He was not impressed and I fear he will go out and buy me something anyway.

Have a fabulous week-end!

A relaxing trip into town and a good interview.

I have just returned from the interview, which was conducted at an inner-city suburb. The interview went well and the recruiter is going to forward my details to the employer, which is good. Now I will have to wait until I hear more next week.It was an interesting interview and the young man I met with was both well-informed about counselling and very personable , which was a pleasant change. Many recruiters have no idea about the position advertised and only follow a strict set of criteria when interviewing candidates but this young chap had worked in a similar position as that advertised and was more interested in talking about philosophies and actual case experience than a specified list of questions.

I travelled in by train as it is both more relaxing and much more convenient than having to search for car parking.The train was packed full of people heading into city, probably on a mission to complete their Christmas shopping! The city is busy enough at any time but it is absolutely chaotic at this time of year and a good place to stay away from, unless it is essential.

Tonight, Prue’s American friend (and ex housemate) is calling around because tomorrow she flies out for NYC, to go home (Pennsylvania) and  spend time with her folks for Christmas. She is a lovely person and we are all looking forward to seeing her.

D finishes work today and will be on leave until February. I suggested to him that while he is on holidays we should make time to do a few things such as visit the aquarium, go for a picnic down the coast and a few other things we take for granted  that are really worth seeing in and around our own city. D is not into going anywhere much, so I may have a job convincing him LOL

From the crazy lady in the Bio Hazard suit!

We are expecting a hot day here in Melbourne. Already the mercury has reached 36 C and climbing and one cannot help but remember that fateful day last February, when so many perished or were injured in the Black Saturday bush-fires.I can only imagine how those in the ‘at risk’ areas are feeling today. Conditions are conducive for fire; dry and a strong northerly wind. I hope everyone out there is taking the necessary precautions to protect themselves, their families and their properties.

I was touched by post, written in my daughter Prue’s blog http://pruesaysit.com/about living back home. I am so glad she is back here and overjoyed that everything is going so well, especially between her and her father. She  also revealed what a germaphobe  her mama can be, which although embellished  is pretty well spot on!!!! Ti amo Prue

Just substitute Jackson for Addams LOL

Time Wasters- Don’t Bother!

After yesterday’s disappointing news early in the day, things improved when a city head hunter called to make an appointment to see me on Friday. I had mixed reactions about it but as the position sounds interesting I am going to meet him. I have to admit, I am over the unprofessional work practices of some of the so-called professional recruitment firms. They seem to lack empathy and have scant regard for the anxiety they can cause potential candidates by requesting they attend an interview, when they already know that the candidate is (a) overqualified, (b) inexperienced or (c) the position will be filled internally and they are just going through the motions by conducting external interviews, etc. Then there is the matter of feedback and notification about the outcome of the interview…. it is non-existent. Individuals go to great lengths to ensure their CV is up to date and well presented, they research the potential employer,ensure their attire is immaculate and professional, then  there are the additional expenses involved in attending the interview, fares, petrol etc. Surely, it is only common courtesy that they inform all candidates of the outcome? Yes, times may be tough but that is no excuse for these head hunters to act in such an unprofessional and mean-spirited manner. That’s my rant for today. LOL

I have received many lovely emails over the past week .. thank you!

Feeling slightly dejected :(

I am feeling slightly dejected today because I heard from the organisation with whom I had employment discussions and it seems they will not be in a position to employ anyone until the New Year and then it will be dependent on their contract  with  the Federal Government. I understand their predicament but I can’t help feeling disappointed. That’s life I guess and I am going to allow myself an hour or so to come to terms with it, then move on! Now Prue’s health is improved I am in a position to actively seek employment again, so  I will be sending out my CV to a few organisations. It is doubtful that anyone will be hiring before the New Year as all not for profit organisations will be in the same situation but I will  make direct approaches anyway.

The week-end here was quiet but good. I spent most of Saturday sorting through the kitchen cupboards and finding a space large enough to accommodate the new dinner set and had a good throw out at the same time. I did find a few items that I am going to sell on E Bay  as they are authentic vintage  and Prue tells me there is a demand for 70’s coffee and tea sets!

Christmas Shopping.

I am pleased to say that  with the exception of a few items that cannot be purchased until closer to the day and fresh food, I have finished the Christmas Shopping. Yesterday, Prue had an early appointment , then immediately after we headed off  to a nearby shopping mall to purchase D and Prue’s gifts.Although the mall was busy, I was pleasantly surprised that we managed to secure a car parking spot around the perimeter of the centre and not have to resort to parking in one of the large multi- storey car parks. I always find them intimidating and fear for my own safety, as they are dark and quite isolated.

I am never one to pay full retail price for anything, so we settled on the retailer who could offer the best deal. Yes, I am an unashamed bargain hunter and enjoy negotiating the best price LOL I have wanted to replace my kitchen crockery for some time with a white setting and while we were at the mall yesterday, I bought it. Rather I bought  two setting as they were each setting for four.They were on sale  and I managed to buy the two dinner sets for less than it would normally cost for one. Today, I am going to tidy the kitchen cupboards, throw out the old settings (they are not worth keeping to give to anyone)  and replace them with the new ones. I think food always seems more appealing on white china.

I have had some lovely emails this week, including one from the old friend I caught up with a while back.We exchanged some photos  from many, many years ago. We looked soooooooooo young. I guess we were LOL

Have a good week-end.

Maureen

Happy Hanukkah!

Hanukkah starts tomorrow evening, so Happy Hanukkah to everyone!

I have been feeling down the past few days but I think it is more to do with tiredness , than depression. I am feeling exhausted  but thankfully , the hot flushes seem to have settled down since I began taking additional vitamins and Omega 3 capsules. Maybe it is psychosomatic but they seem to be doing the job!

Tomorrow, Prue and I are going out to buy hers and D’s Christmas gifts because I do not want to have to face the hoards of shoppers closer to December 25. Parking is such a pain now days and if you do happen to secure a park, it costs an arm and a leg. What happened to the good old days when you could go to the local shopping precinct  and park for free? I must be getting old, referring to the good old days. LOL

Thank you mystery woman.

Sometimes in life, we meet someone ( albeit briefly) who leaves an indelible impression on us. This is what happened to me , prior to the graduation on Monday night. While waiting for a coffee, I noticed a young woman , possibly in her late 20″, early 30’s, also waiting for her beverage to be prepared beside me. I did not  have my glasses on and she could see that I was having difficulty seeing  my order number ticket.” Here, let me take a look at it for you” she said. I turned around to see a beautiful woman, who literally had half a face  and her remaining eye was severely distorted. ” I might only have one eye but it is 100 %” she laughed. I thanked her and we began chatting about the day, the impending Christmas season and she went on to tell me(completely unsolicited) that she had been involved in a major car accident when she was in her mid teens.We continued chatting and she told me she had a black belt in one of the martial arts  and I told her about my sky diving adventures and recommended to her that she should try it. There was a pause in the conversation and I turned around to see tears streaming down from her remaining eye. ” what’s wrong?” I asked and she grabbed my hand and said that she was overwhelmed that I chatted to her and did not look at her as some type of freak! Why would I?  She was a beautiful woman and she radiated a special warmth , which  immediately drew me to her. She told me her life  since the accident had been very lonely and that she pursued unusual sports and hobbies, to prove to herself and others that she could do these things, regardless of her disabilities. This woman  had every reason to be sad and bitter but she wasn’t. Her joy at being treated and any other individual was disappointing  but not surprising. Being a qualified disability practitioner  I have seen it all too often,  discrimination , mainly due to ignorance or fear.Despite all the education about disability it is still happening. Thank you mystery woman for being so kind to me

Listening to the rain.

It has been raining continuously this morning and it is beautiful. Good soaking rain that will hopefully fall over the catchment areas. Victoria is still desperately short of water and a long hot summer has been predicted, so any rain is a wonderful thing.

Last night’s graduation went well and finished earlier than I had expected. It was a good night though and I look forward to remaining in contact  quite a few of the other students and establishing a peer group for de-briefing purposes.When I arrived home Prue had left to spend the night over the other side of the city, with one of her ex-housemates. She has not seen her friend since they all moved out of their share house several weeks ago and was apprehensive about being so far away from home( in case she felt unwell) but I spoke with her this morning and she seems to be enjoying herself.

Today, I have been tidying up my PC and archiving all the redundant files and sorting out some of the books here in my study. Do I really have so many books? Although  they take up so much space, I can’t bring myself to part with any of them. They are all valuable resources, many of which I have been referring to for years!Perhaps I will just stick with sorting out the PC  and listen to some music while I am doing it

Graduation Night.

It was a very pleasant week-end here in suburban Melbourne. Good weather and we had visitors on and off all week-end. D managed to get the whipper snipper (weed whacker), which has been sitting idle in some dark recess of the garage working again so the yards were trimmed and just about anything else that did not move, was given a good haircut! I swear, something comes over D when he gets that thing in his hands. LOL The edges look neat and tidy, the yards have been reined in and everything looks presentable again.Weather permitting, I hope to have Christmas lunch outdoors this year. It is much more relaxed and considering most of the food is going to prepared on the BBQ, a practical option.Christmas! I have no idea who will be here this year. It could be 3 or it could be 6-10. That’s the way we roll here. Each year we have people who would normally spend the day alone, join us. It is a noisy day and we always eat late and continue the festivities well into the night.

Tonight , I am going to the course graduation. I am not particularly fond of such events but I will wait until each student receives their diploma, then make a discreet exit. Some of these ceremonies go on until quite late, then there are usually invitations to party or club afterward(normally in the city) but I think I will leave that to the younger students!

The fish monger, aka Prue’s surgeon.

The last couple of days have been rather taxing with appointments and a few other things that have been going on here. Yesterday, Prue went for her post op. review and got a great report. She is healing well and everything is as it should be. Unfortunately, her surgeon(not the original guy who referred her for surgery) was less than forthcoming with any conversation and was severely lacking in social skills. For heaven’s sake, he didn’t shake hands with Prue when he met her( which by the way was the fist time she had laid eyes on him. She had no idea who had operated on her until she asked the nursing staff after the surgery) or make eye contact AT ALL! He took a quick look at her abdomen and then virtually dismissed her, telling her to direct any further queries to her GP.That was it and here is your bill, thank you very much. Although he may be competent at his job, he should brush up on his people skills( and get a new white coat because the one he wore yesterday made him look like a fish monger LOL).We are all just happy that Prue is regaining her health and the anti social surgeon did provide us with a few hearty laughs on the way home from the appointment!

Last night we had a visitor which was lovely and today we have had other visitors and Prue has a friend arriving shortly to stay for the week-end. The house is going to be buzzing.