Category: Wednesday W’s (Page 8 of 13)

What’s top of my mind: It’s day 13.

I’m writing this on my 13th workday. This is the time when coming to work every day begins to seem less of a novelty and more like a chore. I’m not at the stage when I’m dragging myself to work – give it another week LOL – but I’m groaning at the sound of the 6:30 alarm and starting to get back into the habit of doing the ironing on Sundays and thinking about which easy meal to make at the end of the week so I don’t just get takeaway because I’m tired.

The pictures on my desk are turning into a really good spirit lifter. I’m pretty sure that when I’m in the middle weeks they mightn’t work as well, but for now they’re a happy reminder of why I’m doing this.

My classes are still lovely and are making me laugh. I’m enjoying teaching medieval history to the year 8s – the class I have is 8T… imagine how many kids we have here? – and although they’re right at the end of the letters, they’re a beautiful group of kids. Traditionally, that’s not the case.

Where I’ve been: In an endless round of home to work to home to work to home…

Et cetera.

Where I’m going: In an endless round of home to work to home to work to home…

Et cetera.

But I got paid last week. It was a little more than I was expecting. That was good – my flights to Heathrow and Dublin are all earned!

What I’m reading: I Know why the Caged Bird Sings- Angelou

I’ve seen Maya Angelou on Oprah, way back in the day when I was at home with 4 small boys, so I know who she is. I know she’s way famous in America, but she’s not so much of a thing here. It occurred to me that I should maybe read her memoirs about her life, because why not?

On the link I just posted on her book, I see that she has 7 memoirs. Yikes…

What I’m watching: The beautiful summer day through my classroom window.

It looks nice out there.

What I’m listening to: Last week’s audiobook.

I’m still ploughing through the audiobook I mentioned last week. I’m not loving it, but I’ve only got 3.5 hours left, so I’ll get it done. It’ll contribute to my “Earn your rates back by reading” total.

What I’m eating: The last of the plums from my tree.

I was taking them to work, 3 at a time, to eat at recess, but they were starting to get too ripe. On Sunday I stewed them and now they’re part of my breakfasts instead.

I’m not wasting them – mainly because my tree went to all the trouble of producing them, but also because they were my Gran’s favourite fruit, so I think of her every time I eat them.

What I’m planning: what to do if my wedding dress doesn’t get here.

No, I’m not getting married! I mean my outfit for David29 and Izzy’s wedding in April. It’s been 5 weeks since I ordered a silk dress from China. I’m getting slightly restive about how long it’s taking…

Who needs a good slap: The Australia Post delivery driver in my area.

I ordered some heart medication for Silver, Jenny’s dog, from an online company because it works out cheaper than getting it from the vet. While we were waiting for it to get here, I simply gave him some of Jeff’s heart pills, as they’re on the same one and the same dosage.

On Friday, we got a leaflet in the letterbox saying that it would be dropped off at the post office on Monday because no one was home.

Except Ryan28 WAS home. None of the dogs barked, which meant that the person didn’t even try to deliver it. So annoying. The last thing I want to do when I get home is to go to the post office.

What has made me smile: Watching Izzy watch David29’s video.

We had Izzy’s kitchen tea last Sunday. I’ve never been to one of these – I didn’t even know that they were still a thing – and it was a pleasant surprise. We ate, drank and played some games. One of the things they did was to give David29 a list of questions about their relationship and he had to answer them on a video. Any time Izzy got an answer wrong, she had to take a drink.

They were expecting a simple question and answer, but David29 went above and beyond. He drove out to locations and filmed his answers. he had costume changes and props. It was very funny.

Even with the lamest of jokes, Izzy was sitting on the floor in front of the screen laughing herself silly. They’re definitely on the same wavelength.

Dad joke of the day:

What’s top of my mind: How much money I spent last year.

For some reason, I didn’t keep up with my annual expenses chart last year. The end of August was the last time I’d looked at it, and then of course, once I realised this, I couldn’t face the arduous task of totting up months of figures.

Until I had a couple of periods off at work. I had no marking and I’d prepared all my classes, so I grabbed my iPad, pulled up the calculator app, and got to work.

In the end, it only took a little over an hour. My ‘no-spend’ chart made short work of it – everything was there. I already knew it’d be a spendy total… Antarctica, even with the absolute bargain I got with the cruise, isn’t a cheap destination, while giving 15K away to help a son get into the housing market is always going to hurt the bottom line.

So yeah, I was prepared for the total. Let’s hope that no other children want to buy a house this year! I’ve already paid for much of my England/Ireland trip, but all of that will be covered by the work I’m doing now, so with a bit of luck, my number crunching in January 2024 will leave me with a smile on my face.

We can only hope…

Where I’ve been: to my pumpkin vines.

I had no success for years at the old house when I tried to grow pumpkins. It was infuriating because everyone who grows veggies crow about how easy they are to grow. However, once I started putting pumpkin seedlings underneath the fruit trees in my front yard orchard, it was a game-changer.

This year I’ve planted Bunnings butternut pumpkin seedlings and they’ve taken off. I can’t see beneath the leaves on the seedlings that are towards the back, but I’ve spied 5 or 6 plump pumpkins happily growing.

I love pumpkins. I’m looking forward to the harvest.

Where I’m going: a kitchen tea.

Izzy is having a kitchen tea before the wedding. I’ll be picking up Mum and driving to Izzy’s place on Sunday, presumably to drink tea and eat dainty foodstuffs like a lady.

What I’m reading: A Sliver of Darkness by C.J. Tudor.

Normally I search for books from the library and put them on hold, but this was one I selected when I was quickly browsing the shelves. She’s described as “Britain’s Stephen King’ so I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like. So far, I’ve just read the introduction.

What I’m watching: Anh’s Brush with Fame.

I’ve caught the odd episode of this over the years, but when I was looking for a feel-good show to watch, I saw this on Stan and decided to give it a go. I’m absolutely loving it.

My Mum is an artist and I have inherited none of her talent. To see the way Anh is able to produce such incredibly lifelike portraits in such a small amount of time, while he interviews his subjects is incredible.

Stan has series 2 and 3. Imagine my joy when I pulled up this link for you when I saw that ABC iView has 6 series of it! Writing this blog just keeps on giving.

What I’m listening to: The Familiars by Stacey Halls.

I finished the audiobook I was listening to last week, ‘Mrs England’, and thought I’d listen to another novel by the same author. This one is about the Lancashire witch trials. I know nothing about them, so I thought I’d give it a go.

What I’m eating: Plums from my tree.

I’m still bringing satsuma/blood plums into work to eat at morning recess. 3/day. Yum!

What I’m planning: Nothing.

There’s nothing much on the horizon at the moment. That’s ok.

Who needs a good slap: Netflix.

Ever since I moved to The Best House in Melbourne, I’ve been paying the top tier for Netflix subscriptions. It’s now $23/month for 5 screens. This allows myself and my 4 sons to all have access to it.

Now that Netflix is rumoured to be cutting off memberships who don’t log into their account from their home screen address once a month, this may change.

There’s no way the boys will pay for Netflix memberships of their own. And there’s no way, if this comes in, that I’ll continue to keep paying for screens I won’t use. I think Netflix will find out that they’ll lose a great deal of money with this decision. I’m sure there are many families and groups of friends just like us.

What has made me smile: The kids’ reactions to today’s Dad joke.

They love it. See below:

Dad joke of the day:

If I have twin girls, I’m going to call the first one Kate.

I’ll call the other one DupliKate.

What’s top of my mind: How UNretired people don’t have a clue.

I was sitting at my desk today and a couple of people were talking about a colleague who is apparently going to retire soon and is very unhappy about it. She said to one of my friends that “I don’t know what I’ll do all day.”

They were nodding away, saying, “Yes, what will she do all day? She’ll have no clue.”

And, “I don’t want to retire. In my scenarios of when I win Tattslotto, I always think of my husband retiring but not me.”

“Well, exactlly. What would I do all day? I know how she feels.”

Ugh. I was all, “I know I’m here now, and some people might say that I’ve obviously got bored and come back to work, (which is BS), but honestly, retirement is GREAT! There’s so much to do… the days are always filled and you have total freedom to be yourself and do whatever you want to do. Tell her she’s going to love it.”

Where I’ve been: Chopping up pictures for my desk.

I’m a woman of my word. I said I’d cover my desk with pictures of where I’m going to be going and so I have. In the interests of accuracy, I stuck a piece of paper over the ‘Britain’ part of the title, because I’m only going to England and Ireland. Scotland and Wales will have to wait for another trip.

It’s already working. Some people have come up with a smirk, saying, “Thought you retired?” I walk them around to my desk, point at it and say, “Yeah, I retired. But you know me… I can’t ignore the lure of a “free” trip overseas! Five weeks in England and Ireland in September.”

That shuts them up.

Where I’m going: Costco.

We’re running out of the raw meat patties that I feed the dogs, so it’s to Costco I’ll go! I’ll also grab a slab of eggs while I’m there. They may be slightly more expensive than Aldi but it’s more convenient to have a tonne of eggs in the fridge.

There used to be years when I’d ignore the convenience factor and I’d go for what was cheapest. Nowadays, I usually still go the frugal route, but I’m loosening up the rules a tad.

What I’m reading: The Rest of Us Just Live Here – Ness.

I’m really enjoying this one. You know how when there’s a plucky band of teenagers fighting the forces of evil – think ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, for example – and they go to school and mingle with all of the ordinary kids? This novel explores the situation from the point of view of the normal kids – the ones who aren’t in the thick of the action but who still live where all of the drama takes place.

Each chapter begins with a paragraph summarising what’s happening from the core of the plucky kids’ experiences, sort of like a plot summary of a tv show. Then the rest of the chapter follows what the ordinary kids are doing.

It’s great. I have 2 English classes tomorrow, so 2 x 10 minutes wide reading will just about finish it off.

What I’m watching: Australian Survivor.

They really have to be careful about the level of danger in the challenges they get the contestants to do. In the first episode two people were injured… one with a broken collar bone. She had to leave the game.

Unfortunately, the person that had only minor injuries was a contestant I hate with a pure volcanic passion – he’s such an absolute wanker – so he’ll be coming back into the game. The producers were probably lucky that no one snapped their neck. The Australian version is a lot more gritty than the US one.

I love Survivor.

What I’m listening to: Mrs England.

I’m about halfway through this Edwardian gothic audiobook and I’m loving it. If I have to have a commute, this is a very pleasant way of dealing with it.

What I’m eating: Carmen’s Protein bars from Aldi.

I bought a packet of these to keep in my desk in case I needed something to eat at recess.

They’re awful. So SWEET.

This will motivate me to eat a hearty breakfast each morning so I don’t have to eat one.

What I’m planning: I can’t say this week.

Tom31 told my ex-husband about this blog a while ago. Apparently, A is interested in FI/RE as well. I have no idea if he pulls up this blog to read.

But just in case he IS reading… A…Don’t freak out, because no one who reads this blog has a clue as to who you are IRL. I’d like to say to you: please let the boys’ half-sister come to David30’s wedding. She was so looking forward to it and so were the boys. If she comes, it’s something they’ll all remember with gratitude and love.

Who needs a good slap: Whoever put the class lists together at the campus I’m at.

A small part of me was hoping that the classes I’ll be teaching this term would be awful, so that I’d never do this again. However, I’ve met three out of the four classes I’ll have. They all seem really nice.

I mean, don’t get me wrong. This is good news. But it’s not making my obvious need to learn to say “no” to the school any easier!!

What has made me smile: The elderly dogs I’m looking after.

It’s now been a week and a half, and after a very traumatised few days at the start, Silver and Elizabeth have slowly settled in. Silver follows me around all the time, whereas Elizabeth will keep her distace but settle at my feet whenever I sit down.

Yes, I’m glad I have hardwood floors. You can imagine why…

Yes, I wish that they didn’t bark so much. (They’re learning to chill though, which the neighbours would be pleased about.)

But all in all, for two old dogs who have never been away from their Mum in their lives, they’re doing extremely well.

Dad joke of the day:

What’s top of my mind: Country hospitals.

Remember last week I was saying that I was looking after 2 dogs for my friend Jenny while she was off getting a knee reconstruction?

I’ve tried several times to call the hospital to talk to her to see how she’s getting on, but I either can’t get through to the ward, or when I do, they say there are no individual phones for the patients and they can’t give out any info over the phone “for privacy reasons.” I left a message on the only time I was able to get through to a nurse on the ward, asking her to pass along to Jenny that her dogs are missing her but are doing fine and are now part of the pack. I hope she got it.

But yeah. It’s been a week. No one can talk to her, short of me driving another 7 hours in a day to go up and visit, which I really don’t want to do…

It’s amazing to me that in this day and age, if a hospital patient doesn’t have a mobile, then they’re effectively cut off from the outside world. I’ll be trying again today. I might ask if a nurse could send me her own mobile number via text, and then I could call at a prearranged time so Jenny can actually talk to someone other than hospital staff. I can’t think of how else to find out how she’s doing.

Where I’ve been: To the tyre place.

Argh. After replacing all four tyres last year, on Tuesday night on the way to see Evan26 in a play, I got a flat. Thank goodness it was opening night, so I was able to see him last night instead.

That’s why this Wednesday W is being sent out on Thursday. I was busy.

Where I’m going: School.

Yep – term 1 starts tomorrow with a student-free day… then the onslaught starts on Monday. Today I’ll be cutting out pictures of England and Ireland from the brochure I got from the travel agency, so my desk will be COVERED in them to remind me of why I’m doing this to myself.

What I’m reading: The Leisure Seeker.

Now that I’ve wrapped up my ‘Earn your rates back by reading’ challenge for 2022 – 2023, (which had a finish date of September 2023) I’m feeling way ahead, so instead of reading a library book I’ve picked up a book Dad passed to me that he liked. It’s about an elderly couple, one with dementia and one riddled with cancer, who decide to drive off in their camper van for one last vacation.

There’s a movie with Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland which I think is streaming on Stan, so I’ll probably watch that on the weekend after I finish the book.

What I’m watching: Thrive.

I’m watching MY SON IN A PLAY!

Evan26 is currently acting in a play called ‘Thrive’, which is of course on the other side of the city in Footscray. I had a ticket for Tuesday night, but halfway there I got a flat tire. The RACV obviously had a busy night… they didn’t get to me for nearly three hours! Thank God I had an iPad with podcasts with me.

So tonight I made another attempt, this time navigating a part of the city that’s almost totally unfamiliar to me, with a phone on 10% battery. Thankfully, Fortunate Frogdancer made it to the venue 3 minutes before the phone died.

‘Thrive’ is a verbatim play, which basically means that real people have been interviewed and then the actors have to use every word/pause/umm/’you know’ etc exactly how the person said. The play itself is looking at queer people’s experiences in Australia, with the people ranging in age from 24 – 72.

The actors were directed not to play an old character as ‘old’… you know, not hobbling around with a walking stick and having wrinkly make up etc. They had to speak the exact words but also bring themselves to the portrayal.

They also had snippets of the original interviews, so we could see how the original interviewees actually looked and spoke. I was sitting next to a couple and we started talking. Turns out one of them was one of the characters being portrayed on stage. She loved it.

It’s no secret that I love seeing my son up on stage, living his best life and doing the thing he loves best. I’m also lucky that he’s good at it! I’d recommend going to see this play if you’re within reach of Footscray. You’d better hurry though – there’s only 3 more nights.

What I’m listening to: Mrs England.

I’m listening to an audiobook called Mrs England, which I downloaded when I was waiting for the RACV van to come. I’m around a quarter of the way in and I’m loving it. The woman reading it has the best English accent!

What I’m eating:

I’m entertaining at home a lot over the last week of the holidays, so I’m eating lots of salads, homemade pizza, bread and zucchini slice. I’m so glad I put that huge verandah roof out the back- it’s been lovely sitting out there on these beautiful summer days, eating food that has come ten feet away from the garden.

What I’m planning: Nothing much.

My trip to England and Ireland is pretty much at the stage I wanted it to be, with all of the broad brush strokes put in place. Apart from that, I have nothing much on the horizon just yet.

Who needs a good slap: Umm…?

I’ve been sitting here wracking my brain and I can’t think of anyone specific.

What has made me smile:

Look at the photo at the top of this post! Timo and Garrett from the Antarctica trip popped in to see me. After Antarctica, they saw a bit more of South America before coming to Melbourne. Timo is from Germany and Garrett is from Ireland, so I pulled up the itinerary of the Irish leg of my trip to see what Garrett thought. He comes from a small town near Dublin, so he had heaps of suggestions for things I could do and see. Turns out Tim used to have an Irish girlfriend so he had some good ideas too.

After a leisurely lunch under the back verandah, we wandered down to the Backyard Beach. It was an absolutely sparkling day. These guys are an absolute delight. They’re such great company- so funny and easy-going. That trip to Antarctica is the gift that keeps on giving.

Just before they left, they ate sun-ripened plums straight from the tree. Can’t get much more ‘Frogdancer Jones’ than that!

Dad joke of the day:

What’s top of my mind: My trip is coming together!!!

I was hoping that all of the broad brush strokes of the holiday would be settled by the time I started work next week and it appears that it’s all going to plan. In the past week, I’ve been able to sort out who I’m going to see and when and where. Plane tickets are done and the tour to Ireland is sorted.

Scott was terrific in booking the plane tickets to Dublin and back for me. Flight Centre doesn’t use budget airlines in the UK so I needed someone from there to do that bit. On Tuesday I was woken by my Whatsapp pinging at 7 AM precisely, with a message, “Aisle, window, or middle?”

He was obviously waiting for a reasonable time for me to be awake!

Now that the important bits are settled, we all have plenty of time to decide what we’re going to do day by day. It’s all very exciting.

Where I’ve been: to the travel agents.

On Monday I went down the street and popped into Flight Centre to book my plane tickets. I’m fine with booking tours etc, but I’m more comfortable relying on someone else’s expertise when it comes to the Tetris game of juggling airline schedules.

Me oh my – when they say that plane fares have increased they’re not kidding. It is costing me nearly double what it cost for the same airfare 7 years ago.

Where I’m going: Mooroopna.

Forty years ago, I decided to buy a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. I contacted a breeder called Jenny. She put me through the third degree about what sort of home I was going to provide for a pup before she put me in touch with someone who had a litter of pups from one of her stud dogs. I appreciated the interview – I would’ve been deeply suspicious if all she asked me was about payment.

When I fell in love with Sarah, my first Cavalier, and decided I wanted to breed and show her, Jenny became my mentor. I was in the show ring for about 5 years and had my own breeding kennels, then when I started having human babies it all became too hard, so I disbanded my kennels.

Jenny and I stayed in touch. She very generously allowed the boys and me to adopt many dogs over the years. My boys were able to grow up with quality, purebred dogs with wonderful natures at a time when I could never have afforded to actually buy them a pet.

Well, time marches on. Jenny is now living up in the country with 2 dogs left. One of them is Poppy and Jeff’s mother, while another is a boy called Silver. While Jen is in the hospital for a few days, Elizabeth and Silver will be coming down to The Best House in Melbourne for a family reunion of sorts.

So today is ROAD TRIP DAY!

What I’m reading: A Slow Fire Burning – Paula Hawkins.

This is from the same author who wrote ‘The Girl on the Train’, which about half the world has read. I’ve only just started this one, but it’s off to a good start.

Oh! By the way – I’ve already ‘earned’ back my rates for this year ( September 2022 – September 2023) – have a look at the sidebar on the right. My next rates bill doesn’t arrive until August sometime, so now I’m just salting away the numbers to attack that one. I only thought I’d do this for one year but I’m still enjoying it.

And another thing – if anyone has a good book about Ireland – either fiction or non-fiction – please pop it in a comment. I have a lot of research to do about Ireland before I get there. I want to know exactly what it is I’m seeing!

What I’m watching: Junk.

Somehow, I got sucked into watching ‘Love is Blind’ on Netflix. I only have myself to blame. Don’t follow my lead, I beg of you. Save yourself!

What I’m listening to: PODCASTS!

I’ll be on the road for at least 6 hours today, so I’ll be able to rip through a lot of poddies that have been slowly accumulating. Finally, I’ll know what ends up happening to Belinda Blumenthal!

What I’m eating: lots of salads.

Ryan28 and I are on a bit of a health kick and we’re chowing down on salads. I make a couple of salads every two days and then we pick away at them until they’re gone. Then I make another couple and the cycle continues. I’m mainly cooking from the two salad books from Thermobexta , (she also has lots of free recipes on her site), and I’m loving my day off from cooking in between.

What I’m planning: How to decorate my desk when I’m at work.

When I was at the travel agents, I asked for a brochure on England and Ireland. I’m going to cover my desk with pictures so that when I’m unhappy at not being free, I’ll be reminded of why I’m doing this.

Who needs a good slap: …

Meh. I’m in holiday mode. No one.

What has made me smile: My notifications going crazy in the middle of the night.

Two nights in a row!

The first night was when Liga whatsapped the Antarctica group, saying that she was going to get a tattoo about the trip on her arm. The group went OFF, with suggestions ranging from a penguin, Ming’s yellow coat, a black panther, plankton or krill coming through. As you can see, she went with the map of Antarctica on her arm.

Then the following night, Scott sent through 11 messages and links about Essex. It was as if there was a fireworks display in my room! I was tired after being up the previous night with Liga’s conversation, so I left them until the next day.

I had such a lovely few hours, sitting on the couch the next morning going through all the links. We’re going to have a wonderful time.

THE HISTORY!

Dad joke of the day:

What’s top of my mind: I accidentally agreed to work full time in term 1.

I didn’t say yes and I STILL got the job.

When I was in Ushuaia I was asked to work term 1 at a different school, teaching English and Drama full-time. I was so proud of myself when I said no. I was determined to never work full time again. My plan was that I was going to work 1 or 2 days a week, only accepting short-term contracts of 3 weeks or so.

Two days after I got back, I received a panicked message from the Daily Organisers at my school. They were all sitting in the staff Christmas lunch on the 2nd last day of the year when it dawned on them that they hadn’t covered a guy who was going on Long Service Leave for term 1.

They were beside themselves. It’s very difficult to find someone at this late stage of the year and unless I agreed, it was going to be a huge problem for the school. They thought that I was still in Antarctica, so they were googling what the time was there, and saying, “It’s 11:30. You never know, she might be looking at her phone…”

When I answered back straight away from my couch in Melbourne they were very impressed with the internet in Antarctica! But as I read the message I was torn. I was serious when I told everyone I wouldn’t do another long contract. I found the loss of freedom for weeks on end to be hard. But I could also feel for the Daily Orgs… And also, I was just back from an amazing and expensive holiday. Working for 10 weeks would give me the cash for another one…

Plus they were offering holiday pay or being paid as a CRT. Holiday pay, eh? Being paid 12 weeks but ‘only’ working 10? Hmmm…

So I typed back a message asking about which option would pay more. (I’m not a charity!) Then I thought that might sound rude, so I sent a smiley face after it. Apparently, they looked at each other, with one saying, “A smiley face? That means YES.”

Their next message was telling me that the holiday pay was the best way and thanking me for accepting. I stared at the screen in disbelief. I didn’t accept! I was just asking for information.

But I knew that I’d want to go somewhere in 2023…

So I let it slide. Friends and family have already told me that I can’t whinge about working. “You’ve done it to yourself!”

But I tell you what – I’m taking term 2 off.

Where I’ve been: Gardenworld.

Ryan28 kept the important things alive while I was gone. Himself, Poppy, Jeff and Scout. But my hanging baskets? Not so much. I’ve spent a month trying to revive them, but yesterday I realised that I was sick of looking at ugly.

Today I’ll be chucking out the old plants and making the place look pretty again.

Where I’m going: England and Ireland.

Woo hoo!!!!!!

An hour after I finished my Antarctica blog posts, I began researching where to go next. England is my soul’s home. It’s where my family comes from, (ranging from my paternal grandfather to 6 generations back on my mother’s side and everything in between), and I absolutely adore English history.

Now that I’m in a position to be able to travel every year, I can revisit England and also see other parts of the UK that I either skimmed through when I was there in 2015, or I missed altogether.

I thought of Ireland. Never been there… people say it’s terrific… it’d be fun to go from an all-white place to one of emerald green…

So anyway, I booked a place on this tour. If I’m going to see the place, I may as well see as much of it as I can. Plus I can catch up with my friend James, who I met on the tour to North Korea.

I’ll be in England before and after the tour, seeing my friends Corinna, Deana and Scott. I also want to sneak off to Windsor Castle to stand on Henry VIII’s grave. I was hoping to do that on my birthday, but Windsor Castle isn’t open then.

So the Ireland part is locked down. The English parts are still a work in progress. Who knows what I’ll end up doing and seeing?

What I’m reading: Really good books.

I ended 2022 with 120 books under my belt and I’ve started off 2023 with some cracking good reads. I can recommend:

The Way It Is Now – Garry Disher. A crime novel set on the Mornington Peninsula, just down the road from me. The author must live there because the descriptions of the place are utterly real in every detail. I’ll be hunting up more of his novels.

The Trivia Night – Lowe. This is an excellent summer holiday read. It’s in the vein of Sally Hepworth. It’s set in Sydney. Don’t read it if you don’t like saucy themes.

The Paris Apartment – Foley. Another murder mystery. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this one.

The Bullet That Missed – Osman. I know I’m late to the party with this one, the 3rd in the wonderful Thursday Murder Club series. This one was equally on a par with the first in the series. (Not that there was much wrong with #2…) I read this in a day and I count it a day well spent.

By the way… have a look at my reading challenge on the right hand side of the blog. My rates are due in February and I’ll be finished with the challenge of ‘earning’ back my rates money for 2023 before I’ve even paid them! Only one more book to go.

What a nice head start I’ve given myself for the challenge in 2024!

What I’m watching: my Netflix queue.

It was getting out of control, so I’m concentrating on whittling it down.

What I’m listening to: not much.

I mainly listen to podcasts and music when I drive and when I quilt. I haven’t been doing much of either since I got home.

One fringe benefit of working is that I’ll be able to catch up on all of my podcasts during the commute.

What I’m eating: Plums from my trees.

I thought the rainbow lorikeets would get them, but I was able to pick some sun-ripened plums for the first time from my little orchard. The Satsuma plum (my favourite) has quite a few, while the Santa Maria plum produced two plums. If I divide the cost of the tree between the plums, the Santa Maria plums are worth $30 each.

What I’m planning: Holidays!

Not just mine. Liga from Latvia/Antarctica is coming to Australia this year and we’re going to catch up. So far, she wants to see the Opera House, do a 10 day hike and see me.

We just have to work out how these things will all fit together.

And as I’m sure you all know, she’ll be doing that hike without me.

Of course.

Who needs a good slap: The Irish tour people.

Guess how much the single supplement is????

Nearly one thousand Aussie dollars. Ouch.

They didn’t even offer the option of sharing a room. After having such a great time with Liga and Corinna, I might have considered it. But I didn’t even have the option. Rude.

What has made me smile: The Best House in Melbourne.

It’s really lovely to be home.

Dad jokes of the day:

What’s top of my mind: Have I forgotten anything?

I think I’m ok, but Monday was spent driving around getting last-minute things like polarising sunglasses and a plug to fit the charging outlet of my new battery charger for my phone. It’s scary when you buy something electrical, bring it home and then realise that you have no way of charging it because you don’t have small enough outlets.

If I wasn’t going grey before, this last minute stuff would have brought it on. I’m looking forward to sitting down on the plane on the first leg to Aukland and thinking, ‘If I haven’t brought anything with me, I can’t do anything about it now…’

I hope there’s some good movies!

Where I’ve been: Chelsea Heights Community Garden

Yesterday I drove over to this community garden. I first spotted it a few days ago and thought it’d be e great Little Adventure for November. Alas! When I arrived there was no one there and a pinpad locked the gate.

I’ve decided that November’s Little Adventure will have to be postponed. I’ll try my luck again in December or January, because looking through the chain-link fence, it looks like a fantastic space. I’m really keen to see what they’re doing with it.

Plus they have chooks. Sometimes I miss my fluffy-bummed gerls.

Where I’m going: Have I mentioned that I’m going to Antarctica tomorrow?

Well, Santiago first. Fingers crossed that my suitcase travels with me all the way there! As Blogless Sandy said, it doesn’t matter so much if the suitcase goes missing for a few days on the way home.

What I’m reading: nothing.

I’ve finished all my library books and I can’t reserve any eBooks until later today – they’ll become due before I get back and the last thing I want to do on my quest to earn back my rates is to have library books actually costing me money!

I have books downloaded on my iPad, which will be my entertainment hub while I’m away. I’m hoping I can read eBooks from the library to keep my challenge going, but if for some reason they won’t work, I have plenty of books on my kindle app.

I tell you what though; The Murder of Mr Wickham was great! If you love Jane Austen, you can’t go wrong with this book.

What I’m watching: ‘Wednesday’ on Netflix.

This is directed by Tim Burton with music by Danny eElfman, so it’s reminding me of ‘Edward Scissorhands’ in many ways. I think I’ve watched ‘Edward’ about 40 times – we taught it as part of the year 7 curriculum for years. Tonight I’ll finish it off, just before I go.

What I’m listening to: Jeff snoring.

They’re not going to be too happy with me when I start wheeling my suitcases out the door…

What I’m eating: Vegemite.

I bought some Saladas yesterday at Aldi. All of my breakfasts until I go are going to be 3 Saladas with loads of vegemite. YUM.

What I’m planning: A nanna nap today.

My sleep was disturbed last night and I was pretty angry. See below:

Who needs a good slap: The person who wrote the packing list for the Antarctic cruise.

Usually, I find it hard to fill in this ‘who needs a slap’ section. But something happened at midnight on Monday night that made me LIVID. Please read the screenshot above…

On Monday afternoon, I was procrastinating with doing the ironing by sitting on the couch on the front verandah, reading through the entries on an Antarctica travel group on FB. As I was scrolling through the photos and videos of penguins, seals, whales etc. I saw a comment that someone made about how the Hondius (the ship I’m going on) doesn’t supply parkas for its passengers, only boots.

“That’s odd,” I thought. “Maybe they’re only supplying parkas to select groups.” Still, an hour later, the remark was still niggling at me. I decided that it’d be easy enough to ask the question, so I went to our group’s page on FB and asked if parkas were supplied. At midnight the answer came back:

“No, Frogdancer, only boots are supplied. Here is a link to the hire company the ship uses, but they don’t accept hires less than 7 days out from departure. You’ll have to move quickly!”

Bloody hell. Are you kidding me?!? I jumped straight across and THANK GOODNESS was able to reserve a parka. The time difference worked for me in this case – it was 6 days until embarkation from where I live, but in the US it was still 7 days.

I checked the email of the packing list that I was sent in June … yes, as you can see, I remembered correctly. We were told that a parka would be provided. The owner of the company sent the hire link to us all 7 days ago, but didn’t mention that parkas were needed. I glanced at the link at the time, and thought that I’d already bought gloves, hats and everything else and that I wouldn’t need to hire a parka, so I ignored it. I was unimpressed when I realised, to say the least.

Can you imagine how absolutely stuffed this trip could be if I couldn’t go on the ice????? Fortunate Frogdancer strikes again – if I hadn’t read that comment and asked the question, my whole trip would have been ruined. As it is, I’m going to be paranoid about it until I actually get the boots and parka in my hot little hands.

I don’t think I’ve been so angry about anything for a long while. This whole thing was like Macbeth – it certainly murdered my sleep for a while!

What has made me smile: How excited everyone is for me.

I’ve been planning this trip for over two years, so now to me it’s just routine – I’m going to Antarctica. But when other people hear, their eyes light up and they get so animated. I remember when I was like that when I first started planning it. Now, as I have only a day to go, I’m getting those anticipatory butterflies in my stomach. I’d almost forgotten how much fun it is to travel overseas.

Dad joke of the day:

What’s top of my mind: I’m actually going to Antarctica!

You know it’s all becoming real when your pee bottle arrives in the post!

I posted this photo on FB and a friend was a little disturbed, saying she had a purple one of these “but I didn’t know it was a pee bottle!” It’s not, of course, it’s just a wide-mouthed water bottle, but when we’re on the ice we can’t leave a trace of ourselves there when we leave. That means no food, no litter and no… um… wastes. If you know what I mean.

My visa arrived yesterday, thank god. My travel agent rang on Friday and chirpily said, “So do you have your visa?” When I said, no, her voice changed dramatically. I asked her to try calling the Chilean embassy since no one was picking up the phone whenever I tried.

Of course, on the first attempt, she got through, and talked to a lovely woman who said that she couldn’t put it through on Friday because she was working on visas that people needed for the coming weekend. (Can you imagine the STRESS those people would be under???) She promised to look at it on Monday.

However, in the afternoon I came back from collecting my currency and there it was… the instructions for the extra info I needed to provide. Basically, I had to show that I could support myself for the 3 days I’ll be in Chile, so I won’t be a burden on their community.

A screenshot of a bank account, a payment for the visa and the next day my visa was in my inbox. This alone has made going through a travel agent worthwhile. I’m sure I was pushed up the queue – someone on Twitter said that he’s been waiting since the beginning of September for his Chilean visa.

Where I’ve been: to the Money Exchange.

Here I am, hunkering down at home trying to avoid crowds, deciding to pick up my currency in Mornington rather than Southland. I get a text that my money is ready, so I grab my mask, jump in the car and drive to get it. When I walk in, the girl behind the counter says, “Oh sorry. We don’t have your Chilean pesos yet. I shouldn’t have texted you…”

What can I say? I wasn’t impressed but there’s no point in complaining – she can’t magically produce them out of thin air. So 2 days later I made the trip back. Fortunately, I have good podcasts to listen to as I drive!

In the end, I decided to get some Chilean pesos, but I know I can use my debit/credit cards here as well. Even though the exchange rate is much better to get Argentinian pesos when you’re actually in the country, I decided to get some here – I’m arriving in Ushuaia at 10 PM and I have a feeling I’ll just want to pay cash straight up for a taxi to my hotel. I embark on the cruise the next day so I won’t need that much money.

The ship uses Euros so I plumped for them rather than USD. If I have any cash left over (which I NEVER do when I travel) I’m far more likely to be going back to Europe rather than the States,

Though having said that, I DO have to tick off my last continent, so who knows where I’ll visit next year?

Where I’m going: To Mt Martha.

See below.

What I’m reading: some cracking good reads.

The Herd – by Emily Edwards.

“Elizabeth and Bryony are polar opposites, but their unexpected friendship has always worked. They’re the best of friends and godmothers to each other’s daughters – because they trust that the safety of their children is their top priority.

But what if their choice could harm your own child?“

Widowland – by C,J Carey.

This is a reimagined history, set in London after Germany won WWII. The author has done a really good job of weaving the details of the people and events of that time into an alternate reality, where in 1953 there is a coronation planned – but for King Edward VIII and Queen Wallis – not Elizabeth II.

It’s very 1984-ish.

I’ve just started Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid – all about an aging tennis star who comes out of retirement to try and defeat the new up-and-coming star on the tennis scene, and I’ve picked up The Murder of Mr Wickham by Claudia Grey.

“The happily married Mr. Knightley and Emma are throwing a party at their country estate, bringing together distant relatives and new acquaintances—characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. Definitely not invited is Mr. Wickham, whose latest financial scheme has netted him an even broader array of enemies. As tempers flare and secrets are revealed, it’s clear that everyone would be happier if Mr. Wickham got his comeuppance. Yet they’re all shocked when Wickham turns up murdered—except, of course, for the killer hidden in their midst.  “

As an Austen lover, I thought this might be an enjoyable romp as I’m counting down the days before my trip. Here is the post I wrote after visiting Jane Austen’s house in 2015 in Chawton, Hampshire.

One of the highlights of my life.

What I’m watching: A zombie-fest!

It turns out that I wasn’t trailing behind the rest of ‘The Walking Dead’ fans. The very last episode dropped on Monday, so on Sunday I settled in on the couch and watched 7 episodes to get up to date.

It was emotional to see the last episode. I’ve been watching this show for 12 years. However, there are a few spinoffs planned, so I just might buckle myself in for those.

What I’m listening to: A very emotional and heart-wrenching speech.

Chanelle Dawson is the oldest daughter of Chris and Lynette Dawson. Chris murdered Lynette over 40 years ago and has only now been convicted of his crime. The podcast ‘The Teacher’s Pet’ investigated the crime, while ‘The Teacher’s Trial’ documented the murder case. In this last episode, Chanelle is giving her victim impact statement. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.

What I’m eating: Vegemite.

I know I’m going to miss having the opportunity to eat Vegemite with breakfast. So even though I don’t often eat it, lately I’ve been going nuts with it.

What I’m planning: to get the cavaliers shaved today.

Wow. I wrote about this nearly four years ago. Where does the time go?

Yesterday my sister Kate came around, all masked up, to clipper my dogs. Halfway through Poppy’s coat, the clippers died. She’s left with one short ear, one skinny leg, a short back and long hair everywhere else.

Fortunately, we discovered a clipper shop just 10 minutes away. She left to go and see our parents and I went to get the blades sharpened. I’m going to her place later today to finish the job. All masked up, of course. I seriously am taking no chances so close to the trip.

Who needs a good slap: No one.

Well, maybe Trump. But that’s pretty much a perennial thing.

What has made me smile: The realisation that next week I’ll be off on an adventure.

I’ve been putting my head in the sand, pretty much ignoring that Antarctica is really going to happen. Last year Latestarter Fire and I were so disappointed to have to postpone our trip – she had to actually cancel it – so I guess I didn’t want to get disappointed again.

This time tomorrow I’ll be halfway to New Zealand on the first leg of the trip…

Dad joke of the day:

What’s top of my mind: how quickly covid can fuck things up.

No, no no, I don’t have it!

But remember how I was only going to leave two weeks to hunker down away from crowds before I left on my trip? Then bethh left a comment, suggesting that I give myself an extra week, just in case.

“You might want to take 3 weeks off ahead of your trip – IF you were exposed on your last day of work, it could take 7+ days to show up and 10 days to clear. I almost messed up a trip in July/August by getting Covid closer to the departure date than I planned! I only tested negative the morning of my flight. It probably partly depends on the rules for your trip – in my case it was a very light case, my housemate didn’t even catch it, and I felt fine by the time my trip arrived. Thank goodness for vaccines & boosters!”

Today was going to be my last day of working and tonight was going to be my last outing… David29 and Izzy have a tasting evening at their wedding reception to choose the menu items for their wedding.

Last night at 11 PM he called me and said that Izzy’s mum has just tested positive to covid. Even though they live with her, the happy couple, Izzy’s Dad and sister are all allowed to still attend. Imagine if I was still going and she’d found out a day or two later?

David29 said that there’s around 16,000 active cases in Victoria at the moment.

Where I’ve been: at the doctor’s. The hairdressers. The chemist.

Yesterday I received my 5th dose of the vax. It takes 2 weeks to be at its most effective, so hopefully, that’ll help keep me safe on the planes. I also had a haircut – holding my mask on my face at all times.

Today I took a nice stroll to the other side of the highway to pick up some anti-seasick tablets that Blogless Sandy recommended.

Where I’m going: to get some money.

I’ve ordered some currency – Chilean pesos, Argentinian pesos and Euros – and I’m waiting for the currency place in Mornington to let me know when they have it all assembled for me. I thought that it was probably safer to go to Mornington than Southland at this stage.

What I’m reading: The Long Game by Simon Rowell.

I just put this down an hour ago. I enjoyed it very much. It’s set in and around Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula and it was so nice to actually know the places where the action was happening.

Plus Harry the dog was amazing – I love a Golden!

What I’m watching: The last season of ‘The Walking Dead’… at last.

I decided that if my ship goes down in Drake’s Passage and I’m bobbing around, waiting to be rescued, I didn’t want to have unanswered questions about what ends up happening in The Walking Dead. So I’ve launched into it.

What I’m listening to: the sounds of the neighbourhood.

I’m sitting here on the couch, the dogs asleep beside me. Jeff’s snoring.

I can hear the kids next door playing in their yard, with birds chirping and cars driving by every now and then. It’s a sunny afternoon after a morning of rain.

What I’m eating: sneaky fish and chips for lunch.

When I was walking back from the chemists, I saw that the fish and chip shop was open, so I decided to grab a minimum chips, potato cake and a fried dimmie. It was ok, I guess, though for some reason the chips were bright yellow.

Put me off a bit.

What I’m planning: my Little Adventure for November.

It has to be somewhere away from lots of people. And definitely NOT a school excursion. Blogless Helen told me off about that one!! LOL.

Who needs a good slap: The Chilean Embassy.

I submitted my visa application on October 4. It’s now 6 weeks later. I still haven’t got it. I sent them an email today, but I’m getting nervous.

What has made me smile: my freedom.

On Monday I drove over to Tom30’s place, let myself in, made a cuppa and turned on a Netflix movie. He was getting a washing machine delivered and would otherwise have had to take a day off work.

It’s lovely to have the time available to do little things like this for my kids.

He also suggestively left the ironing board and iron out, but I pretended I didn’t see them.

Dad joke of the day:

What’s top of my mind: This is my last day of teaching for the year!

Due to a comment last week, I’ve decided to allow 3 weeks of avoiding crowded places before I jump on the plane for Antarctica. Right at this moment, I’m sitting in front of a year 8 class, deflating little boys who think they’re able to do whatever they want.

Fools.

Where I’ve been: In my sewing room.

When I decided to increase my crowd-free weeks before my trip, I decreased the time I had available to make baby quilts for people at work. I spent the last few days frantically sewing and quilting and finished them yesterday, only to learn that one of the recipients doesn’t work on Wednesdays.

D’Oh! I’m going to have to sneak into both campuses tomorrow morning to deliver them.

Where I’m going: to the Apple store at Southland.

Blogless Sandy lent me a carry-on bag for my trip. One look at it convinced me that I won’t be able to escape bringing checked luggage – packing for both -5C and summer temperatures on the one trip means that I’ll need more space than a carry-on bag will give me. So I’m going to buy an iTag for my suitcase.

It’s one of those purchases where it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

What I’m reading: Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes.

I like to have an eBook on my iPad, as well as my kindle books and my podcasts. Every now and then, when I’m searching on Borrowbox, I’ll come across books that I otherwise wouldn’t have.

Stone Blind is the story of Medusa. I’m only a couple of chapters in but I think I’ll enjoy it.

What I’m watching: nothing. And everything.

The Block has finished, not with a bang but with a whimper. I’m finishing off ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ on SBS, American ‘Survivor’ on Go!, The Serpent Queen’, ‘Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK’ and ‘The Circus’ on Stan and my queue on ‘Netflix is lengthy. Add on my new ‘Binge’ subscription (I still haven’t watched the last season of ‘The Walking Dead’) and I’m really spoiled for choice.

What I’m listening to: The Other Half podcast.

I just love this podcast! I first stumbled across ‘The Queens of England’ podcast a few years ago and absolutely loved it. Once he finished this, he began successive series of podcasts looking at women in history. If you’re a history buff, I’d HIGHLY recommend his work. I’ve learned so much and each episode is interesting – quite an amazing feat considering how many there are!

He’s just on the last story of the ‘women and the papacy’ series, ending with a nun in 1930’s Italy who sounds like an absolute powerhouse.

Looking forward to hearing what the next series will be about.

What I’m eating: salads from Thermobexta’s new book.

I’m still working my way through this book. I’ve decided that now there’s only two of us in the house, I’d like to have a salad or two in the fridge and pick away at them for meals.

Last night I made the sweet potato salad and the sesame coleslaw and paired them with some roasted drumsticks. We’ll probably have the same tonight.

What I’m planning: My trip.

Up until now, this holiday has had all the feeling of being a dream. After I had to cancel it last year due to lockdowns, it’s always been “in the future.” Now that my last day of teaching has come, along with the delivery of Blogless Sandy’s suitcase, it’s starting to seem real.

I need to get some cash. I found out yesterday that UBank doesn’t charge international fees on their Visa debit cards, so I’ll have to activate the one I’ve had with them for years. I think I’ll use that to pay for my bill on the ship.

I need to work out how to use Google Translate (I’ve never used it) and I should probably learn a few Spanish phrases. Seems polite.

Still need to get some seasickness medication. The Drake passage is apparently not to be sneezed at. I have no idea if I’m a good sailor or not, but I think I’m about to find out.

I’ve just had a chat with a beautiful student in year 9 who I used to teach in year 7. She’s from Santiago, so I’ve picked her brain about good places to go. She’s so excited that I’m seeing her city.

Who needs a good slap: The Drake Passage.

What has made me smile: it’s MY LAST DAY!!!!!

On balance, I’ve enjoyed coming back here to work – and I’ve really enjoyed the money – but I’m so looking forward to 3 cruisy weeks at home before I set off.

I’ve shamefully neglected my veggie garden, so I want to have it up and running before I go. If all Ryan27 has to do is water it every couple of days or so, it should be looking good by the time I get back.

Dad Joke of the Day:

I used this as the Dad Joke for a French class last week. It cracked them up.