Life Moves On

Oh poor neglected blog, I do still love you! As it's now the last day of February I MUST finish this post so at least I have blogged once this month. I have lucked in though with it being 29 Feb, managed to get an extra day.


Work
The big news is of course the new job. I'm staying in law but moving to an IP firm. Similar size to where I am now, but more staff to manage due to the large administration processes involved in trademarks and patents. Lovely brand new premises, and all the usual benefits of car park, phone, gym subsidy plus a few other added extras. I've also taken a significant salary increment, so will be able to give firstborn a decent weekly allowance for her final year.


Flatmate
My friend who moved in last year had an unexpected meltdown over a dog bark, so moved out mid January. Along the way it turned into a bit of a lesbian drama, so the end result was that I have adopted a zero gay policy in regards to flatmates. I now have a 25 year old boy architecture student as a co tenant. Given the amount of drama and emotional stress he is experiencing with his girlfriend, and the way he is responding to it, I'm positive he really is a lesbian in a boy's body.


Camping
The German Goddess and I have taken to escaping for a night when we can and go camping. We do it in a very low tech manner, so low tech that we had no pillows one night. As you can imagine how it is when two Virgo's get together, we now have a printed check list to tick off each time so nothing is forgotten. We don't even take a tent, just sleep in the car.

Even our "fridge" is low tech, but it does work well for keeping the beers cold

And this was the view we went to sleep with on the last adventure

Travel
In two weeks time I'm off to Singapore and Malaysia for a wee adventure with the German Goddess. We got ridiculously cheap flights from a Jetstar sale months and months ago, and now finally the adventure is about to happen. I have in the interim purchased a luggage allowance so I can take some clothes, and maybe purchase a few items. We fly into Singapore and spend three days there, and then on to Miri in Borneo. From there we head into Mulu National Park for a couple of nights. I am looking forward to the caves, bats, rivers and I really hope I get to see a shrew. 


After the rainforest and geological adventures it's back to Miri then down to Kuching, the main city. From here we will go see the orang utans, and possibly another national park. I have found a wee mountain to climb, as we missed out on doing Kinabalu, however that still has to be discussed. Also at this point I have to have my "time on a beach doing nothing". From there it's back to Singapore then home.


Spawn
Firstborn is back and starting third year next week. She's managed to get her old job back with more hours so not so stressed. She is also doing a show on campus radio with a pal, so of course Mummy is glowing with pride, and especially as she plays very cool music. So, Wednesdays from 1 to 3pm you can stream it here. She now wants a set of decks. Wonder where she got that from?


Secondborn is doing well in Melbourne. She has a good job with a talent recruitment agency that manages three brands. Even though she does find it dull at times she says she will stay with it for a couple of years as she realises the value of having good solid work periods on her cv. She's moved into  a new flat with a friend and is gradually setting it up. So funny to see her facebook status about being excited to finally have a washing machine. It really has been the best move for her, and is pleasing to see and hear the change and maturing of her attitude and how she lives her life.


Running
I ran the Round the Bays last week and did my best time ever, 42.20. I was in the top 90% for my age group, and as I was wearing a timing tag for another who was unable to run I also came in the top 75% for the 30 to 39 age group. The dog did a good time too.


So there you have it, a wee update. As you can see I am enjoying the empty nest life and look forward to the change, opportunities and adventures that this time of my life has to offer.

The New Year Begins

The New Year started with watching the fireworks over Sydney harbour. By climbing a handrail conveniently attached to a rock wall, then holding on to the wire fence on top of the wall, we got an unobstructed view of the show (and the home owners having a party with their guests!)

Why do we raise our hands in pleasure? After warm but dull weather it turned into a stunning calm night so the fireworks were mirrored on the water.

We were staying in Double Bay, pool at the bottom of the stairs followed by the sea. This was the standard view.

We also spent a bit of time at the house in Woollahra where our kind hosts office was located. A few doors up the road was this piece of mosaic sculpture in the front garden of a property.

Very cool. On New Years day we went to Manly beach with approximately 675893058376838 other people.

Still, we found a nice spot and played in the sun and surf all day. The final day we did a spot of kayaking before I jumped on the plane.

A lovely relaxed holiday was had, and I'm now busying myself making little memento treats for our hosts and their children.

Returning home also meant back to work, and returning to a piece of unsettling drama which involved a visit to the Police, but that is a whole other story. For now I just want to bask in the peace of my holiday.......while I work on planning for the next one.

One for the Boys

Guess who this is? Her blog is on the list.

Status Update

We're approaching the time of year when people tend to look back and reflect on the year that has been. I was having this conversation with the other half of Rockstar Productions last week, as like myself her life has changed massively in the last year. She calls it her year of detoxifying her life. Mine has been more a year of personal life change and jumping out of boxes.

Since August I have been living the empty nest life. I don't know why some people see this stage of the parenting cycle negatively, as I think it's wonderful and totally embrace the freedoms I now have. The child is doing well in Oz, and her making that move is what she needed to get her life started. She was stagnating here, now she has taken responsibility for her life and is working hard to succeed. Firstborn has finished her second year at University and is back in the Bay doing summer work. The only fly in the family ointment is that my Mother has had a couple of health issues this year, and we can no longer ignore the fact that we don't live forever. A sobering thought that was driven home on my visit last weekend.

The empty nest life means I now have a flatmate, so the rent and bill reduction means I also have new found financial freedom. This is where jumping out of boxes comes in. On one level I feel I "should" save all this extra loot, as I have been conditioned to be a good squirrel for later life, however I am fighting that impulse and instead spending on myself, and lots of travel adventures. After my holiday in America earlier this year, and also acknowledging the influence of the person in the next paragraph, I just want to spend the next few years seeing as much of the world as I can cram in, plus having more adventures here at home as well. I can see that skiing is going to feature large next winter. I stopped travelling a few years prior to breeding, so now it's time get the backpack out again. Well actually, will probably have to purchase a new one as the old one really is too cumbersome. Next stop Sydney, followed closely by Singapore, Malaysia and Borneo.

The other huge thing is my life this year is that I have a girlfriend, of the monogamous committed relationship kind. (being lesbians these things must be defined!) This too is major box jump for me, as after the deceit of the woman I dated last summer I had sworn never again. Single and celibate was the motto. After the last long term ended several years ago, as regular readers know, I decided monogamy wasn't working for me so spent three years dating many, committing to none. With the lover from last summer I started to feel that I now wanted more, until the lies and deceit happened. I then totally shut down.

Being in such a shut down state I was totally unaware of the German goddess's interest in me, until she kissed me on the dance floor one certain evening. So slowly, slowly we got to know each other. Again another jumping out of box experience, as I had to face and articulate fears, acknowledge and discuss them, and then finally let myself just take the chance and enjoy the love and warmth that was being given to me. I think of it as the most honest relationship I have had, and we both consciously strive for that. It makes me very happy. I must say though that unlike most lesbians we will NOT be moving in together. We both like our own homes, our together time and our separate time, so no u-haul for us.

One final change this year, besides going blonde, is that I voted. I guess that means I now have to change my profile on here. There has also been the usual running races, putting on events even though I swore never again, and the great car reregistration drama, just to name a few. Life most certainly is vastly different from what it was this time last year.

Dinner Date

Firstborn has been staying and we went out to dinner with the Father last night. This was a very significant event as it's the first time we have had a "family" dinner in eleven years. It was a pleasant evening, and firstborn totally enjoyed the fine food, wine and flowing conversation.

We dined at Ambeli, an award winning restaurant where the German goddess and I had dined a few weeks earlier. As the evening unfolded the Father behaved as expected, with his default setting of pretentious prat. When we arrived he was having a wee boys moment with the maitre d', they  were  trying to out cool each other. Once seated the maitre d' then asked if it he could select the wines to match our food choices, to which the Father agreed. In the world of winemakers and sommeliers this is akin to throwing down the gauntlet. At this point I indicated that I wasn't drinking.

We ordered, and once the order was in the maitre d', Shae, as by this time we had heard his whole family history, brought the first round of wines. He did pour me a small taste to match my ordered dish. The meal then continued in this manner. A cheeseboard was brought out at one point, and the Father was poured yet another red wine. Finally the bill was presented.

Unlike the Father I was able to read the bill without resorting to spectacles. The number on it was staggering despite no charge being made for any wine tastes poured for me. As I have recently been ill, as well as not drinking I had only ordered two entrees and a small salad, a total investment of $45. Once the very generous voucher the Father held had been deducted there was still over $160 to pay, to which the Father said "let's just halve it." I started to protest, but realised it would be to no avail so I  sucked it up and duly paid for twice what I had consumed. Firstborn was gobsmacked and sat there rolling her eyes. 

When the Father returned from paying his share he then proceeded to moan that the winery would only cover $70 of what he had paid, obviously his feeding allowance when on the road. The miserable git was moaning because he'd just consumed three courses of food, four glasses of expensive wine, and was having to personally fork out $10 for it! Fortunately the waiter had cleared all glassware and cutlery from the table otherwise I wouldn't have been able to resist.

If a "family" dinner is ever to occur again you can guarantee that I will be firmly setting the parameters before even a sip of water is taken.

Tick Done

To those that didn't attend, and you know who I'm talking about Ms Crazy Housewife and Ms life without ben, you missed a great night.

More regular transmission may resume shortly as I get around to finishing some of the drafts that are yelling at me.

All Better!

Car and fingers that is. After emptying my bank account I now have my car back and looking prettier than ever.

I have promised the panel beater that I may paint her in the future, however I now think maybe just the bumper. I quite like the red bonnet with the blue badge. Interestingly all the males involved in the process agree that I have done the right thing in repairing her, and I now have a fully certified safe car that only has 83,000k on the clock. She had to be weighed as part of the process, and phew, she is also not overweight.

I've had another weekend on the snow and this time at Turoa. The universe turned on breathtakingly stunning day for us,

and even this little mishap didn't distract too much from the fabulous day.

This time I actually donned skis for the first time in over 25 years, and I'm hooked. The new format skis make it so easy, I just want to do more. This one is from the start of the day when I was trying to remember how it all went. 

After the finger damage interlude I spent the rest of the day on the intermediate slope.

Next  time I hope I will figure out what the poles are for.

The ball weekend is fast approaching, under two weeks now, so I'm starting to get a bit fretty about it, along with the fact that I may not be able to fit my costume. However, all you lesbians out there I hope you have your ticket, you won't want to miss the biggest party of the year.

See you all there.

Bad Blogger

Yes, I now officially have the title of being THE worst blogger, but, but - life has been busy!
Firstly I've had the two insurance saga's to deal with.One good one bad. This is the start of the bad insurance story.

I won't go into the full story, but it seems an insurance company can make decisions, and do legal things about ownership and registration, without feeling the need inform car "owner" at any point. Unlike the travel insurance company (the good story) who very promptly paid out for the bracelet I unfortunately lost while in America.

To take my mind off the car drama I went here

for a bit of this

I'm heading up again this weekend but this time I will put the long trippy uppy things on the end of my feet so I can spend the day falling over, and pay a fortune do so! While on that trip I got up close and personal with this one.

And come January I'm going to climb the fukker. Will do the full crossing and nip up to the top along the way.

 When I got back I managed to temporarily fix the car, you may recognise the piece of plastic.

It's now with the man with a big belly and tattoos getting road worthy again, though thanks to a vital piece of misinformation from the NZTA call centre, it is going to cost slightly more than $100 to re register and make legal again. 

Along the way I have had one of these

And as I was truly pampered by my gorgeous girlfriend I created a bit of art for her during the day

I have also done another race, first in my age group, fourth in open women grade, committed to doing this race, and a triathalon in November, and - even though I swore never again, I am doing another lesbian event.

So you see, I'm not telling fibs when I say busy! 

I will hopefully get my car back this week, which is good as that saga will finally be over, but sad as I've been driving Dolly the last two weeks. A good friend has loaned me her car while she is out of town and I really don't want to give her back, I'm sure you can see why.

So that is my life the last few weeks. Oh yeah, the child is still in Oz and still alive. 

Juxtaposition

Before

After



The End.



Empty Nest Week 1

The first week of empty nest life is now complete. I have today finished cleaning the room ready for the temporary flatmate's arrival. I stopped counting the loads of laundry after the sixth one. So many towels and sheets have reappeared that the linen cupboard is bursting at the seams, will have to download.

I finally changed the toilet roll on Wednesday, and another today so that means two rolls in nine days, as opposed to one a day. I don't know what she did with it, she was either at school or work for much of the day, why did we go through so much? It is also pleasing to get in from work and find there is only the porridge bowl and tea cup on the bench, and they have not reproduced mysteriously while I was at work.

Along with physical changes to the living environment, the main change of course is life priorities. No longer do I have to work my arse off to support the "family" it's just all about me now. Freedom, yet strangely a concept that one can't totally instantly embrace and go wild as Mummy guilt still raises it's head. I am however working on it.

I have had many phone calls from the teenager over the week, which negates her goal from the start of the year which was "I want to get a job, move out and never talk to you again!" I won't mock though as she has done well to organise a flat, move there, and now has accepted the sensible job offer. She starts her first full working week next week, that may not be pleasant.

Dinner is ready, must go.