sick day, shop-in-waiting, shiny things & jeans, spuds, chai

3 Beautiful Things for Friday

• bad belly overnight and in early morning meant I had to skive off work as there are somethings you can't run off to do in the middle of teaching 26 teens - however, this meant rolling back to sleep under the snuggly warm covers, when the rain came in I felt extra cozy!!!
• feeling better by late afternoon I wandered over to Pet Panache (closed for relocation) and organised dog and cat combs and brushes in a display. Sue loved it and I got to live out the childhood fantasy of working in a shop...maybe one day
• Wandered down to Knox in the evening and found the perfect shiny thing to replace the old shiny thing. It was the first one I tried on, it fitted perfectly and was just the right shape for me. Then spent a half hour trying on lots more. Still not 100% certain though (arrrggghhh)
  

3 Beautiful Things for Saturday

• Wearing my old old jeans without suffocating
• They've started doing baked spuds at Healthy Habits...unbelieveable as we were whinging about the lack of a spud place just yesterday. I love potatoes sooooooo much (sad)
• The Chai tea at Starbucks has returned to its former glory...no more weak and watery chai, at last it has some ooomph again

One not beautiful thing today, it finally snowed in Olinda (yes I know it's the last week of October) and I had gone back to bed and missed it..boo hoo, although the hail storm was somewhat impressive

House update:
Had a look on Friday night, bit hard to see the undercoat of paint in the pitch dark, should leave a torch in my car I suppose. Still, it was very exciting and I'll pop down tomorrow with the camera.

MWAH

midge ure, bananas, meeting nice people

3 Beautiful Things

• Funny text message from Caz all about Midge Ure and Ultravox!!! Love a bit of nostalgia

• Being stalked by a banana loving colleague who made me laugh very hard..thanks gav (new gav not the old gav who i still miss :< )

• Being introduced to Sarah's old school friends and their mums in the change room at swimming and chuckling at Sarah's formality.
  

House Update:
Had an official inspection with the site supervisor on Wednesday. Painting should start this week and the sparky and tiler should be hot on their heels. At least we might be moving in before the school hols are over so I'll have plenty of time to unpack properly.
Bruce, our supervisor, is great and I have absolute faith in him.
SCORPIO
(Oct 24 - Nov 22)
If you want your life to be full of fortuitous coincidence, see yourself as an angler dangling a baited hook in the stream of serendipity. In this river every catch is a prize catch. Even an old boot is a treasure to be gratefully reeled in. It will turn out to belong to someone who needs it back badly. Or to be a magic boot. Or to have diamonds hidden in the soles. What distinguishes the stream of serendipity from the ordinary river of life? Probably nothing - other than positive expectation!

a ring, a hump day and a psychic beagle

3 Beautiful Things

• Suggestion that we look for a new "E" ring this weekend to replace the other;
• The fact that it is "hump day" HOORAH
  
• Max amazingly realising that we were in the vicinity of the new Pet Panache store, even though they haven't moved in yet (we just visited yesterday) and then dragging me up the steps and across the board walk until stopping abruptly at the front door when he realised no one was there!
  

Stars

This is what Mr Cainer has to say for me today...

SCORPIO
(Oct 24 - Nov 22)
"Stop!" "No entry!" "Road closed!" We never like to see signs like this. We resent being told that something is prohibited. Some people, upon being told what they can or cannot do, shrug their shoulders and comply meekly. Not Scorpios. Acquiescence is not your middle name. Indeed it is doubtful whether the word appears anywhere in your vocabulary. The wise thing to do now is to accept a limitation and trust that it is for the best. Will you do the wise thing? Of course.

You Belong in Spring

Optimistic, lively, and almost always happy with the world... You can truly appreciate the blooming nature of spring. Whether you're planting flowers or dyeing Easter eggs, spring is definitely your season!

What Season Are You?

Actually my favourite season is autumn but I had a feeling I'd end up as spring!

super sarah, a thank you and another...

3 Beautiful Things

• Sarah's happy mood. The new improved version is being very cooperative and says thank you when I remind her to do things...wow, who is this child??? I'm loving her to pieces as she is making life very calm and peaceful right now;
• Speaking to the driver of the car from the accident last weekend and hearing he is ok and then receiving a phone call from the parents of the passenger of the car- He's still in hospital but is going to be fine.
• A long chat with Linda (who I managed to flag down for help on Friday). It's good to know that worrying about the boys all weekend and wondering if they were ok was perfectly normal.
  

Stars for today:

SCORPIO
(Oct 24 - Nov 22)
Draw a deep breath. Now draw another. Go on, help yourself. It's free. Have one more, this time with your eyes closed. Pull it in slowly and let it out gently. As you exhale, imagine that you are breathing out all the restrictions you face. You are setting yourself free of these. Remember to breathe in again (after all there are some
limitations that we cannot ignore and must respect). But still keep trying to see yourself as a person of great power and freedom. For this is what you are.

FYI One week til Hallowe'en

Quick House Update...
the portico has been rendered, this is the base colour. Also, the internal doors have been taken down and the nail holes puttied over ready for painting.
We reached a top of 30 degrees today. It was fine and a little windy.

Safe and sound, resurrected dog, jogging

3 beautiful things on a Monday

• Found out today that Mandy knows the mother of the girlfriend of the driver of the car crash I came across on Saturday night...and the lads are ok (talk about 6 degrees of separation)
• The little black dog on the corner that Max has been looking for anxiously over the past four weeks was back in the front garden this morning and happily barking away...I thought he'd gone to the great kennel in the sky
• Going jogging with Adelle and Lochie (and being lapped twice by the 8 year old!)

SCORPIO
(Oct 24 - Nov 22)
If it ain't broken, don't fix it. And if it is? Then think carefully before you make a repair. What caused it to break in the first place? Once everything has been put back together again, will it be subject to the same stresses and strains? What will be the cost? Might it not make more sense to start afresh? To what extent are you letting false sentimentality cloud your judgement? Two hands are waving at you now. One is the past saying farewell. The other is the future beckoning. Wave back!

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

FYI only 8 more days to Hallowe'en

Cats, DMCs, warmth

3BT

• Voting for the perfect cat award at Pet Panache - looking at pictures of gorgeous felines is a lovely way to spend time. I miss my Dru so much but I know she is happier in a home where she can sleep on the bed and get all the pampering and attention a cat deserves
• DMC with Sue whilst sipping Riesling and eating hot chips at the Ivy under the warmth of an outdoor gas heater. Max enjoyed a chippy or ten courtesy of Geoff and me.
  
• Stepping into a warm house after a cold walk. As exhilerating as the fresh "mountain" air is, there is nothing like opening the front door only to find the house still warm from the late afternoon sun.

PS I have updated Saturday's entry with photos from the Monster Trucks we saw at Rod Laver.

Sunday House Update

I have received complaints from Him-Indoors that this blog is supposed to be about the house, but I've been putting in too many blogthings and star signs. So here is the latest update on the house.








































































Nevertheless, my stars from Mr Cainer for today....


SCORPIO
(Oct 24 - Nov 22)
Your Week Ahead Duck. Put your head below the parapet and keep it there. If you want to know whether the coast is clear send out a decoy and watch carefully to see what happens to it. Work on the assumption, this week, that you will not resolve a stressful issue regardless of what you do or say, But the more you rise to the bait of a conflict the more impaled you will become on the hook of contention. So do not engage. Be neutral. Keep back. You absolutely need not be in a hurry. Do not be swayed by how urgent a certain situation is starting to seem. Trust this and, soon enough a highly supportive arm will be extended in your direction.

Rats, Students and Monster Trucks

SCORPIO
(Oct 24 - Nov 22)
Did the Beatles sing, 'I want to hold your ham'? And what about Bob Dylan? Did he really sing, 'The ants are my friends, they're blowing in the wind'? Of course not. Some people, though, are quite convinced that this is what they have heard. Actually, miscommunication is no laughing matter. The worse thing about it is that it can happen without anyone realising. Once it has occurred, though, people may labour under a misapprehension for years. If in doubt today... get it clarified.

3BT

1. Sharing tales of Roland the Rat with Anne
2. Hearing how much my old students miss me
3. Laughing my head off during monster trucks and the demolition derby

Now would you like to see some pix from the Monster Trucks???
The monster trucks make a mess of some cars...







These guys, some of them members of the Crusty Demons and a bronze medallist from the extreme games, defy gravity and pull some amazing stunts at great heights...





The 50s show the big boys how it's done...unbelievably one of these boys is just 10 years old, but then again one of the monster truck drivers is only 14.
The tanks flattens out some cars and other debris....

And if you thought the monster trucks made a mess of a few cars, check out what they did to these caravansI loved these mini-monster trucks..thought I might do up the Terios like this, of course they don't corner very well as the drivers discovered in the tight arena.

But the highlight for me was the demolition derby, an absolutely bizarre concept where the last car able to drive wins!!! A bit like Melbourne traffic.

Cars and hills

Just got back from a car accident. It felt strange, I was first on scene, then another woman stopped (linda) and she looked after Duncan who had got out of the car while I talked to Esbourne trapped inside. All I could do was keep him talking, watch for signs of altered consciousness and make sure the chest was rising and falling. I knew I'd have to smash a window if he started to deteriorate.
It was strange being along side CFA people, although nice to be thanked by them in front of members of my old brigade.
I even caught up with an old friend from Monbulk.
Sadly, when I left one of the ambulances was still on scene and they were still working to stabilise one of the boys. Not a good sign. The police woman I spoke to will call me on Sunday to let meknow how they went.
When we move I will rejoin the CFA.
God bless.

low cloud, big grin & dinner

3 Beautiful Things

• The eerie sense of isolation as the low cloud mingled with the tall trees as I walked through the forest this morning
• The massive grin on Max the Beagle's face as he ran towards me after unsuccessfully chasing a wild rabbit
• An unexpected invitation to dinner

People Envy Your Generosity

You're a giving soul, and you'd do almost anything for those you love. And they'd do anything for you! People may envy how giving you are, but more than anything, they envy those you open your heart to.

What Do People Envy About You?

Today's stars by Jonathan Cainer
Scorpio
Are there better things to be doing? Are there better places to be doing them? And, go on, we may as well ask this question too, are there better people to be doing them with? If the answer to any of these questions is a genuine 'yes', you will find out this weekend. Almost certainly, though, there is far less to change or to challenge than you imagine. One small, but significant adjustment could alter your outlook on a host of matters and could soon turn cynicism into enthusiasm.

Some thoughts in the evening of a lovely spring day

It's quite funny, but not so long ago I was thinking that I really wanted to be in the house by Christmas even though our completion date is the end of January. But just lately, as I walk around the village shops I have been noticing the beautiful decorations and lights in the windows. It really is a stunning part of the earth to live, of course it has its drawbacks, otherwise we wouldn't be moving, but I am glad I will get to spend one last Christmas up here in the hills.
Mum used to take us for a drive through the hills when we were kids. We'd travel at a nice leisurely pace, admiring the scenery and popping into shops full of things we couldn't possibly afford. Now I curse these people who drive through so slowly because they are holding me up, (I suppose I wouldn't mind so much if they would allow you to pass - but they speed up whenever you attempt to overtake). Maybe I am missing a lot by always being in a hurry and not truly appreciating the beauty around me. I am moving somewhere very flat, very suburban and very bland. Perhaps I should not always be thinking the grass is greener, perhaps I should have stayed put??? Who knows?
I will make the most of our new home when we do move in, even if we only get to live there for a year or two. I will enjoy living in a place that is mine (and the bank's) and enjoy the fact that I was able to watch it being built.
Perhaps it is just a stepping stone to something more suited to me. A cottage by the sea perhaps in a small seaside village. Of course there aren't many of them left at all, look at what has happened to Inverloch, commercialism has taken over. Money and possessions...why do people think that is all there is to life? Why do people feel the need to be so competitive and strive to make others feel small and insignificant? What is it about humanity that drives us to be so..so..so inhumane? I wish I was a bird, I'd fly above all this mayhem and cruely, I'd catch a wind current and float far far away. And then I'd rip some poor defenceless worm out of the ground for my tea. I guess cruelty is everywhere, but at least in nature it serves a purpose. But so many people are cruel for the sake of being cruel. I will never understand, and for that I am glad. Because if I ever do understand, then maybe I will have become like them!

Socks, shoes and sms

3 Beautiful Things:

Wearing brand new socks all week
Finding my missing shoe (must clean out the walk in robe this week)
Text message from a friend I thought had forgotten me


SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 22)
People think, when they try to be 'in the right place at the right time' that it means changing location. Rarely, though, is this really required. It's much more likely that a simple change of attitude will do the trick nicely. Simply by deciding that you are going to feel all right, you can chase away a lot of what's wrong. In deciding to play the hand you have been dealt as well as possible, you can be more successful than an insecure individual who happens to be holding an entire set of aces.

Loose change, great night's sleep and making it onto the original 3BT

Three Beautiful Things

• Donated all my loose change so Buts has to shave off his side burns...God bless those year 12s
• Woke up at 5.30 just before my alarm, rather than waking up 6 or 7 times during the night
• Making it onto the roll of honor on Clare's website!!!!!

My stars for today from the lovely Mr Cainer:
SCORPIO
(Oct 24 - Nov 22)
Ideally, you need your ducks lined up in a row. You need someone to be in a position to help you. You need certain items to be in the right place and a sequence of events to have a particularly helpful outcome. Or at least, that's what you think you need. Really, you just need to have confidence in your own intuition. That will lead you unerringly towards the opportunities that are most helpful and the possibilities that are most productive, regardless of where (or what) others expect to be.

Never Date an Aquarius

Freaky, unconventional, and downright strange - it's likely that any Aquarius will weird you out. And if you do happen to fall for an Aquarius, you'll probably find them too emotionally distant to connect with. Instead try dating: Cancer, Pisces, Capricorn, or Virgo

What Sign Shouldn't You Date?

This is very funny. I can't even think of any Aquarians amongst my friends and acqaintances. I don't know of one! But get this. My fiance is a Cancer, my father was Piscean (both water signs like me so instantly compatible) my mother and niece are both Capricorns and my last BF was a Virgo. For a bunch of random silly questions this isn't too bad.

Beauty & The Beast

Went to see a lovely stage production of Beauty & the Beast last night, lovely.

3BT for yesterday. (Bit rushed)

• Reminded the SD to do something and instead of catching the usual glare was actually thanked for reminding her. Perhaps Saturday's action has worked. It is easier to be polite than bored for hours on end.
• Fabulous costumes, singing and dancing at Beauty & the Beast
• Having a moment of excitement when looking at the construction for the project I am involved in next year at work. This means I am engaging with my new job on an emotional level which is essential for me.

I have some more up-to-date house photos but I will add them in later when not at work

Bye

to the fabulous Chris Shaw xxx

Acute case of Monday-itis

Three Beautiful Things...

1. Support and a shoulder from the fabulous Mandy
2. Hilarious hamster text message from Gav
3. Escaping the school grounds at lunchtime with the walking group
   

Today I walked for a Cure

Three Beautiful Things

• Being part of a huge crowd all trying to make a difference as we walked for a cure for juvenile diabetes
• Having a great chat all the way with the lovely Katie.
• The divinely chiselled calf muscles of a team of cyclists making their way up the one-in-twenty at an amazing pace. We do have lovely scenery up in the hills!

While Katie and I were walking, Sarah and Aaron enjoyed the entertainment and face-painting.

Three Beautiful Things..aren't always easy to find

..but I've managed to do it...

1. Forget-me-nots en masse
2. Speaking the secret language of step-motherhood with my kindred spirit
   
3. Having the courage to stick to my guns: when someone's behaviour was so appalling I dropped her home to her sleeping dad (night-shift worker) instead of feeling guilty and putting up with it. I think I was brave to do this!
   

Apparently I'm psychic

You Are 90% Psychic

You are so very psychic. But you already predicted that, didn't you? You have "the gift" - and you use it daily to connect with others. You're very tapped into the world around you... Just make sure to use your powers for good!

Are You Psychic?

Of course if I were really this powerful I would have predicted the frustrating things that are currently going on my life, like the stuff with my stalker. I knew that this "person" would cause me trouble but I didn't realise the extent of it. I wish I could go into more detail here but I can't! Anyway, I did predict it to a point and I did say that certain information should not be divulged to certain people because it would be passed on but what can you do? Obviously there is something that I need to learn in this life that I didn't learn in my last, and it involves being made miserable by a very bitter and I think unwell person. Perhaps I need to learn more patience, more resilience and more compassion. In the mean time I'll just have to grin and bare it.

Love to all xxx

Friday the 13th Raises its Ugly Head

Couldn't resist another one of these. Actually, I prefer a Chai latte!

You Are a Soy Latte

Yeah, you've got a bit of that healthy hippie thing going on But you're more Kate Hudson urban bohemian than Phish groupie You're worldly and well traveled.. and you know where to get the best coffee in town. All your experience makes you a compassionate person - and a caring girlfriend.

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Chaos ruled this Friday 13th. 5 classes, 5 room changes, 4 of the 5 involved being sent to rooms already in use. So I got to know large tracts of the school today!!!
If the year 12s are dying for their exams to finish I'm right there with them. I just want my old rooms back! Except the stinky portable.
Got to bowling tonight to discover my purse is not in my car. Left my bag at work...in the long run perhaps a good thing as I won't spend much this weekend.

Last night was lovely so. So good to see the old crowd and meet some new faces. We went to the Irish at Knox where they now served Bulmers!!!!! YUM. Managed to get some sponsors for the walk. Over at the restaurant the new maths teacher and I chatted about Treasure Island in Eastbourne and other such things. I quite enjoyed grilled atlantic salmon, I think Rach was amused to see me eat fish! We ran into Emma, a student at my old school, it was her 18th...happy b'day em. I really really miss the Boz crew but I'm hoping it won't be too long before I'm fully settled at my new school.

3BT

• Knowing that Aaron is home from camp and snuggled up in bed. Should go wake him soon for cuddles
• Discovering the generosity of teachers who dig deep for a worthy cause. I finally have a bit more money for the Walk on Sunday, all I had to do was ask.
• Good news from the boss about my job next year. The term 99.9% was used. (So my luck wasn't bad all day.)
  

Well that's it from me

See ya

• 
  

Feeling HOT HOT HOT!!!

....and not in the way you're thinking!!!

Amazingly warm day today, top of 36 which is just unheard of in October. Ah the joys of global warming. Melbourne water supplies are also very low and there is no rain in sight. The strong northerlies did the two things that nor winds are famous for in the southern hemisphere: 1. hot, dry conditions that flamed some scub fires and 2. sent the kids crazier than usual.

Anyway I guess it's time for 3BT:

• As promised some days ago I am posting that Max the Beagle is all clear...well sort of...his lymph nodes seem good so we just have to check them regularly. Love that boy!
• Fun HTML chat with year 11s at recess, they rescued my blog from explorer which was great.
• Another student made me very proud when she made a decision to include someone in the group and to stand up to the others who had made this girl's life miserable. You go Jess!!!!!

I'm off out to dinner with the Boz crew so no doubt I would have had something to add had I not been so hasty. But I like to stay in touch.

Bye for Thursday

Happy Birthday Rachel Day

to the fabulous and wonderful Rachel

Let us begin with Three Beautiful Things:

• The hint of a cicada outside warming up for a night of chirping
• Sending flowers to Rachel for her birthday. I was so excited thinking about the flowers arriving at her school and all the kids wanting know who sent them.
  
• Passing notes with Bec in the back of a classroom..it felt great to be naughty!!!

News for today:

Not much to tell really. Aaron and Sarah tootled off for camp this morning. The school ended up short one male staff member so they were looking for volunteers. They got a bit of a bonus with Aaron: already had a police check, experienced with school camps, Level 2 + Oxy Viva First Aid Training, and has three days off work this week.
As for me I'm a bit lonely without my boy but Max and I have been walking and I'm about to tackle some housework. I didn't eat lunch today so even my dinner is ready. Bargain.

Best get to it.

Wendy

PS: Popped into blogthings again...ooops think I'm addicted

You Have Fantastic Karma

You are a kind, sensitive, and giving person. And all your good deeds will pay off - if they haven't already. But you're not so concerned with what you get in return anyway. You have an innate caring nature - and nothing can change that!

How's Your Karma?

Wendy's Three Beautiful Things..all before 7am

• The stunning magenta azaleas in full bloom look particularly spectacular in the early morning light
• Lots of "hello"s from others walking their dogs. The usually reserved Olinda crowd is much friendlier at this time of day and with dogs in tow. Even a passing cyclist said good morning
• The delightful sound of the dawn chorus as birds chirp the world awake. Even the call of cockatoos had a decidedly musical tone as I felt so good this morning

I received a reply from Clare, the original 3BT. This really impressed me as she must be snowed under with emails and comments since becoming a blog of note and I'm thrilled she found time to reply to me.

Three Beautiful Things For Monday

• The sun on my back when I was filling the car this morning made me feel warm and tingly all over
• Students thought I was in my early 20's (I'm so shallow and they're getting a great report this term)
• Made a new friend at work today - My scary new job gets a lot less scary everytime I make a friend
  

House Update
Aaron met me at the house after work. He'd collected Sarah from school, only told me after my panic attack when I couldn't find her. The missing bits of plumbing had arrived and have been plumbed in. No pix but all good!

Max the Beagle Update
Max news is not so good. The vet has his pathology report back and one of the lumps was malignant. We've made an appoinment for Thursday for more tests. I can't stand the thought of going through this pain again. I just love Max to pieces but pets stay in your life for such a brief moment. I hate cancer for all that it has taken from me. I'm praying that one of my three beautiful things on Thursday will be good news about Max. Early night tonight so I can get up at 5.30 and walk him.

Love Wendy

Three Beautiful Things

Hello, again. If you look in my links you'll notice something called
Three Beautiful Things It is a "blog of note" that I looked at today, and may I say it really impressed me. Clare, who runs the blog, writes down three beautiful things everyday that happen to her. Wow, it sounds simple enough but I think when you go out of your way to find three beautiful things in a day it can only serve to accentuate the positive and distract one from the negative. So in my blog I'm going to try this too. Maybe it is becoming a world wide phenomenon that will turn us into happier human beings. So here goes:

• 4am chat with Aaron as we woke up to the sound of rain on the roof,
• A walk through the hills with Max between rain and hail downpours...the air smells extra clean after it rains,
  
• mandarins in orange and mango jelly (just like mum use to make)

Love Wendy

PS: I've added a site metre today
PPS: As much as I love and we need the rain it means there is likely to be heavy cloud cover tonight so not much chance of a repeat performance of last night's spectacular moon rise.
PPS: Don't forget it's one week until the JDRF. It's not too late to sponsor me.

I'm evil but not selfish????

Ha ha, I was searching through blogs and found a link to How Evil are You? I thought I was pretty nice until I did this. There were some boxes I ticked and then emptied so imagine my potential!!!!!

You have to try this :)

Wendy is 70% Evil

You are very evil. And you're too evil to care. Those who love you probably also fear you. A lot.

How Evil Are You?

So then I tried the selfish one and it turns out I'm ok

Wendy is 34% Selfish

In general, you are a very giving person who treats others very well. But at times, you insist on getting your way - when it matters most to you.

How Selfish Are You?

Seeing as I'm not selfish I best stop mucking around on the internet, take Max for his walk, do some washing for the fam and introduce Mr Dyson to Mrs Carpet.

Ciao


ok, one more and then I'm outta here

Wendy is 71% Addicted to Love

Might as well face it, you're very addicted to love. But you're not really getting the deep love you seek. Short lived, dramatic relationships are more your style. Let go of needing someone, and you may find someone you actually want.

Are You Addicted to Love?

That's it, i'm done. Enjoy

Wendy has her Sarcastic Moments

While you're not sarcastic at all times, you definitely have a cynical edge. In your opinion, not all people are annoying. Some are dead! And although you do have your genuine moments, you can't help getting your zingers in. Some people might be a little hurt by your sarcasm, but it's more likely they think you're hilarious.

How Sarcastic Are You?

Sorry, it started to hail so I did one more.