First Pic of 2009

I have been trying to finish this one for a few weeks now.
Thank goodness it is done.
Do you like?

Took time out today to get to it especially since the little black dog woke me at 7.15 this morning.
It was so quiet and peaceful I spent the first few hours of 2009 painting - what joy!!!!!
Am feeling better thank you all for your wishes - antibiotics have kicked in and the day off is helping!

Sick...

Very sick..
Blessed New Year to you all.

Sore, sore throat....

Can't get sick now...
Can't get sick now.....
Can't get sick now....
sore, sore throat.
Worked 8am to 5pm both Saturday and Sunday and am frazzled.

Can't get to my artwork and now the man has been busy and made me a paint/ airbrush station in the spare ( has not been finished cause we ain't got the money ) room.
It is super groovy with lights suspended from the ceiling and hooks and shit and a masonite board for hanging my canvases on for painting.
Can't wait to get in there and give it a go.....
at this point I can only look at it and sigh...

It happens every year that some arse tries to return this years' calendar to get a new one for next year claiming that we sold them this years calendar....well it happened yesterday.
It really shit me cause 1. they think I am that stupid to beleive them.
2. They have the balls to try it.
3. They are plainly tring tp rip me off.
They buy a calendar, use it all year long, keep it in good nik and then come back and try to get a new one saying that they just bought it off me and I sold them this years......
Arse holes!!!!
How tight must they be????

Christmas? It's over.....

Has everyone gone stark raving mad?????
What's with the mad shopping craziness????
Well Boxing Day sales went off with a bang yesterday - rest assured we have lost our holiday forever.
Thank you to all who could not wait one more day and have now cut the holidays short for everybody else.
Guess I won't have to worry about it next year anyway.

Today was a shit fight at the Square with normallly sane people becoming possessed by the devil himself...running and screaming.."Over there, over there"..."There's something on sale over there"...

May the Gods protect me!

Yay! I MADE IT!

FINALLY A DAY OFF!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU -
I HOPE THAT YOU ALL GET A BIT OF A REST,
SOME GOOD FOOD
AND MAYBE A GIFT OR TWO.

ALL MY LOVE AND BEST WISHES!

Wall of Fame!

You can find this "marvelous" exhibit at "Sniddys" on Beaumont street Hamilton - by the way the food is great.
We have snitzels there tonight ( to celebrate ) and they were yummy.

So tired I can't stand straight...

Twas three days before I get a day off and I was soooooo tired.
My feet are ouchy and throbbing ( those nasty varicous veins ).
You can read my legs like a roadmap to hell at the moment.

Got my paintings ready for hanging tomorrow.
Heading off after work to "Sniddys" in Beaumont street to hang 6 of my paintings on one of their walls.
How super fantastic is that...
very excited I am.
Will post a piccy of what they look like after we are done.
Hope I sell a few..
Wish me luck on this new venture guys.

Stop hitting me with the ugly stick!

I am being beaten by the ugly stick.
Too tired to do my hair,
too tired to put on any makeup or shave my legs..
too tired to find a descent pair of undies..
(Oh, I have'nt got a descent pair)
was tempted to put on my birthday panties
as all mine were hanging on the line.
What if I'd had a car accident and had to be taken to hospital
and they had to cut all my clothes off and found me wearing THOSE undies???!!!!!
Even bigger hits with the ugly stick.
Do you ever get to a point where you just hate everything and do not see the point in what you are doing???
That was me and probably another 1000 people that walked passed me today.
I MISS MY FAMILY...

Wow! The Midnight shift is OVER!!!

Well I feel like i have been shredded and stuck back together with cheap glue.....
16 hours at the Square yesterday.
At least that is over.
That is my last long one - if I was at Kotara I would be up for a few more 10pm finishes and their late one is next Tuesday.
And have you heard...
seems that some of the bigger reatilers have SMELT MONEY... and are now opening on BOXING DAY..
What shits!!!!!!!
Have we not had enough?????
Its the big guys, Woolies, David Jones and Myers....
They are just all too greedy...

Good and Bad

The last few days have been very good and also very bad.
My mother in law's brother passed away with cancer.
He was very hard to handle for the family that had to take care of him, with some dementia and of course ill health making the last few years very difficult indeed.

My NSW manager appeared with her side kick ( a bit like Hitler and Goebbles )and proceeded to tear shreds off me for having such poor sales figures, stating that I am doing the worst of all the stores in NSW..(blah, blah, blah).
They were both hideous and condescending with a dash of humiliation thrown in.
They also proceeded to tell me how I can "improve" because obviously it is something that I am not doing that is causing so much damage to my sales figures.
(Lets not mention the down turn in the economy and that the Square is under major renovations ).

But hope is on the horizon with a small new side project evolving....but it's just a bit of shhhh.
I will let you all know next week.

Other than that, tomorrow is the last night at the Cottage for 2008 and also it means one month left of Calendar Club.
Also Thursday means working from 9am to 12 midnight.
Oh goodie....
can hardly wait..

Well if its not one thing then its the other...

Yes it's true - I am one complaining biatch!!!!
First I complain that things are slow and I am not making any money.
Now I am complaining that things are too busy and I am flat out.
Yes.
Tis true.
I am one, full on, bitter, twisted complaining biatch!!!

Today was Sunday and I actually had some nice people in buying my stuff.
(See? Not complaining....)

Tomorrow the count down starts..

10 days till the fat man has his day ( oh and it's Jesus's birthday too )
Although it's not REALLY his birth date is it???

I was up way too early this morning and watched somthing called Creflo Dollar, which is a pastor from America talking about the sin of man through using his...get this...senses....
For man does not trust the word of God but goes about the world using his senses of sight, touch etc...to make his judgements about the world around him.Fancy using your own brain and making a decision for yourself!!!!!

And then I swapped to Hillsong and heard all about encouragement. At least this bloke wasn't called Creflo Dollar.But they were selling DVD's available for " a limited time only" full of encouragement and love for only $21.

Needed two cups of coffee after being made to feel totally guilt ridden for actually having feelings and using my own head to make decisions....almost bought a DVD.

and the heavens opened...

and rained down the multitudes of humanity with their bonus Christmas cheques from Uncle Kevin and they spent heaps of money..
and it was good.
Now I am over it and I want them all to go away.
Cause they are all feral.
And they make a mess.
And they abuse me for looking at them the wrong way.
And for not knowing how to be in two places at the same time.
I have had three solid days of trade and this has helped somewhat..
I am over Christmas carols, after having heard them non stop from 10am to 8pm last Thursday.
I do not want to hear, "We wish you a Merry Christmas" and any songs about Jesus ever again.
All those people buying all that shit while listening to carols and children screaming like they are having their intestines removed through their arses and husbands yelling at wives for spending money on shit ....
and the joy of it all.
Ho Hum..
Bah Humbug...
back to the Pleasure Dome tomorrow.

New masterpiece

Integrating new thoughts

Well, well, well some interesting new ideas and feelings coming through for me. Things that I have to intergrate into my life and how I live it.
I am very aware that my current reading is greatly influencing my thoughts, and as someone has already commented, reading a book is only looking at someone elses thoughts and views - do I want to believe them?
Do they suit me?
Are they influencing me for all the right reasons?
Unfortunately this stuff I am looking at makes sense, a lot of sense.... and it changes many things.

Unfortunately this time of the year is when I lose faith in everything that is good...I see and hear too much horrid stuff and have to deal with ugly people.
I am tired of the energies that I feel around me -
I am tired of standing over power lines all day long and on a hard floor...my legs hurt.
but...I am happy to say that it is nearly Christmas and that means a day or two off and the down hill stretch.
Did you know that the Square is now going to be open on New Year's Day?
The big stores like Myes, Big W and Target are going to open up while the other smaller retailers will be closed...unless they make us open. Kotara is open too - all stores, cause obviously we need another day to shop don't we??????? And we are all going to rush in at the crack of sparrow fart on New Year's Day cause we have run out of alchohol, bread and milk.....nursing our hangovers.
Sucks.....

Taking the piss....

I must admit that I love a good book and am always drawn to get very excited when I am in the middle of a good read.
I am currently half way through one called "Spook" by a lady called Mary Roach. She is quite interested in what happens to us after death and has written another book called "Stiff" about what happens to the body when we die.
There are some fascinating chapters about experiments on weighing the soul, you've heard the 21gm shit haven't you, also about mediums in the 1800's in England and allegedly where they would hide ectoplasm, that funky stuff that came with every good seance back then.....seems fannys are good for many things...lucky if you were a lady medium - men had more difficulty.
She also goes to a Mediumship College in England failing to have made a connection after three days ( yet the rest of the class was certain to have spoken to a dead soul or two ). She cites experiments that have been going on for years using psychics and mediums and even the best of the best only seem to get it right 50% of the time ( so I guess I am right up there with the best!He..he ).
She is not a skeptic.
She really, really wants to know that there is more to us than a fundamental character residing in a body for a certain period of time and then....poof....all gone.
You know it has never been proven that there is no life after death, just as there has never been proven that there is???? Scientifically that is.
I find it challenging and nurturing to my poor befuddled grossed out by society's narssisistic individuals mind.
Something to ponder and think about...
Have a good one.

Last Art class tonight

Well, I have just been to my last art class with Tony for 2008.
I managed to finish one art work - a picture of Nobby's at sunset - will post it tomorrow.
This one has taken so long as I have not had time to work on it at home, so I really only had classes to do it in.
I dont really feel very inspired at the moment, and painting has been a blessed relief.
I will be glad to really get back into it after Calendar Club has finished.
Will also be selling, so if anyone is interested, please be in touch.
Tonight's class was a bit sad for me. I have enjoyed the comfort of a tutor and knowing that I can ask for help and assistance if I dont know what to do or really stuff it up.I cant believe that I have been going to his classes for 10 months.
I know I will still keep in touch with Tony but it will not be the same as sitting in a weekly class.

Also,
to those of you who encountered me in my "she -devil from hell" mode this morning (Thursday) at the Square, namely Ivy for one, I apologise I was more than slightly ruffled by a very bad morning encountering people who decided to think of me as their personal rubbish bin and my stand as their play area.

Can my head stop hurting now?????

Have had one of those persistant headaches again...this is day three and it is wearing me out.
I am out of patience and just want to lie in a darkened corner.
But,
instead, I get to listen to not one, but two school choirs today.

Two groups of kiddies who cannot sing or play musical instruments, but do so anyway for the entertainment and annoyance of everyone at the Square.

I was ready to scream - and of course, this stops any chance of any real customers coming to the stand during this time and actually spending any money as these horrible children are placed directly in front of ME....

So from 11 to 12 and then from 1 to 2.30 I just stood around with a throbbing head twiddling my thumbs......annoyed and hating Christmas with a vengeance....

Hormonal, swearing teenagers singing about baby Jesus when they really just want to drink themselves stupid and get into each others pants is just wrong...
JUST SHOOT ME.

Only 24 days to Christmas

The Christmas lights have been turned on!
The streets are starting to light up and look really pretty.
I love this time of the year - it looks gorgeous outside and some people really go all out to dolly up their houses.
We get to enjoy it for a whole month and to heck with the electricity bill!!!!
At the Square it is deadly quiet.....
like it's just not happening.

Even Santa sits on his own for hours.
Poor Santa!

At the chance of sounding bitter and twisted...

I best not post for a while as I am getting more bitter and twisted as the days progress...one more spanner in the works has made my current situation very difficult indeed.
Sending sweet thoughts and good wishes to all....I am going to hide in my hole.

Alien rears its ugly head!

What in God's name do people eat to cause them to have annaconda size turds?
I'm sorry, but I have never seen anything like it and hope never to again.....another surprise left for me in one of the toilets at the Square....just after I bypassed the one with all the piss on the floor.....another security alert!
Guess I won't be hearing the end of this one either.....

P.S. Annaconda turd cannot be flushed...they have tried and tried.
Poor cleaners..another long Thursday.
At least the season is almost half over.

Had my second last art lesson last night.
It was a breath of fresh air to just sit and paint.
It was like going to a different planet and having a rest.
I will miss it greatly ( until I find a replacement ).

Welcome to the Pleasure Dome!

If any of you are old enough you will remember a band called "Frankie Goes to Hollywood".
They had an album called "Welcome to the Pleasure Dome" - a do-your-head-in-fest about corruption, war and human nature.
Well, I am currently sitting in my own little "pleasure dome" right here at the Square.
I watch all types of humanity walk past - for some I feel sorry, for some I have no time at all.

Some would rob you blind and then spit on you.
Some of the girls sport black eyes and craggy faced boyfriends who say "fuck" a lot.
Some mothers just let their kids run riot while they talk on their mobiles.
Some still ask whether I am selling records.
Some people are really poor - I mean really poor not "whinging poor" like most of us are when we can't go buy that new dress for the weekend....
some kids SCREAM like a banshee rising from the depths of hell!

Some people are really nice - just a few.

Some guys spit at you from the top balcony.
They leave their garbage between the calendars.
They NEVER, EVER put the calendars back where they were.

I have seen more arse cracks than I ever want to again.
I have seen more boys' cheap and creepy underwear hanging out of their pants and men scatching their balls then the normal average human being.
I am so over the creeps and pervs, the eight year old love birds who insist on deep throat kissing in the kids section of the calendar stand and who get pissed off when I tell them to "GO AWAY".

welcome to my pleasure dome!!!!!!

Choices...

We all live with the consequences of our choices, don't we?
In hindsight, would we have made those choices at all?
They may have seemed a good idea at the time.
I have made some choices to take with me into 2009.
Will they be the right ones?
Only time will tell.
But, sometimes changes just have to be made or one can, quite literally, go insane!!!!
Too many hours at the Square can send you insane!!!
Mother Mary of the ample arse ( her words not mine! ) came to visit and bought some calendars.
Helen also came to pay a visit.
Santa sat in his chair and said, "Ho, Ho, Ho" all day long.
Apparently kids are not allowed to sit on Santa's lap or have him touch them in any way - how sad that we live in a world where creepy old men feel the need to touch up kids while in a Santa costume...... and this then changes EVERYTHING.
Santa, who is a hero figure to kids all over the world, now cannot get a cuddle or kissfrom a kid who has been waiting with the greatest of anticipation all year long, nor can the kids whisper their secret wishes into his ear. They have to sit beside Santa and Santa has to stay politically correct with his hands on his knees in full view.
What have we done????

Thankyou for your gift!

This morning I got into work and did the things that I had to do - it was early, which I must be to get a park in the same universe as the Square.
I walked into the toilets to find that they were all occupied, but one door slowly opened and I woman walked ou to the hand basin to wash her hands.
I made a bee line to that cubical when......
ewwwwww....
there on the floor was one huge squashed shit!!!!
Dry wretch, heave and dusgust overcame me and I yelled at the top of my lungs...
"How disgusting!" and walked out to stop myself from heaving.
This did not phase the woman at all, but it certainly alerted everyone else within a 50 kilometre vacinity!!!!
I alerted the secrity to the "issue" and I guess the cleaners had to go in and deal with it.
I did not hear the end of it though, the cleaners kept on comming up and asking me about the gift that had been left for me.

60 Days to go!

Maybe I would glad swap a week of sitting in the orofice at BackPassage for the scum sucking life draining energies at the Square?????
Maybe, maybe?
The Christmas Tree went up at the Square last night so I have something pretty to look at.
The guards are at the gates at all entrances - so if staff thought that they could sneak in and park ( and then drive out and back in before the free 3 hours expires ) then they have another thing comming.
I have been parking in the back streets and take a stroll every morning to enjoy the only bit of sunshine that I get.
It is really only a few minutes extra if I arrive early enough - otherwise I need to hunt and kill to get a spot.
I also stop at Darby's pie bar and get a pie or cake to have with the first cuppa of the morning.
mmmmmmmm....

Bugger me!

Well its just been so flat out at the Square that half the shops are shutting at 4.30...yes
4.30.
All the upstairs food court had closed down today by 4.30 and the security gurads were running around writing down names of traders who had closed early....this is a no, no!
Then we started to do the dame thing downstairs.
All the traders in centre court were out of there by 5.15.
It's dead.
Is everyone really waiting for their Christmas bonus from Kevin?
I really think that the money will be going on hams and puddings myself.
I am always slow in the first few weeks, but it is only about 4 weeks till Christmas and no one is spending......

Oh my God, a glitch in the system....

Well folks, didn't I hit pay dirt....
I am on the lap top at work using the free wiifii connection from Macca's over the road.
Yay!!!!!!!!
This is the first connection that I have been able to get since being here.
Just happen to have my lap top doing some clean up work on files and stuff and low and behold.....the heavens have opened up.....
can it last?
I don't know....but hey,
I am going googling....see ya!!!!!

Yawn...

My days are full on at the moment..funny that, when I spend hours being so bored, yet I am immovable from my spot.
Business has not gotten better...people are keeping their money in their purses.
Don't blame them.
Everyone is feeling the pinch and I fear that it will get worse before it gets better.
It is all doom and gloom at the Square - I am over the negativity.
The unhappiness rubs off very quickly and spreads to everyone.

The man is still very sick and baby girk is a cough machine.
Back to the doctors for both of them tomorrow.
I am about as useful to everyone as tits on a bull - tired and unmotivated.

Happy Full Moon Witches!

Happy Full Moon to you all -
Sorry I could not make it to the Cottage, but I cannot really be anywhere else other than the Square at the moment...
not enough energy to go round any more..
too old for this crap.

the whole family is sick now...gorgeous girl, baby girk and the man...all snorty and snotty.
Just
dont
breath
on
me......

Do you hear that too????

My tinnitus is playing up - rather loudly buzzing in both ears like someone left the T.V.on and all there is is white noise on full volume.
Ouch!!!!
Mother is still on strike...but the man has stepped in and is now performing motherly duties so baby girk feels no need to be sorry for anythng.

I have had to give away some of my duties at the Cottage for a few weeks until after Chrissy - I am old now and cannot handle to pace.
Bugger...I know that there will be some YAADER's quietly celebrating this fact, but unfortunately for them, I will be back.

Need to paint.

Need to stop eating scorched peanuts and chocolate biscuits.

Read a book on symbols by Carl Jung, but it did my head in.

Need sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Mother on Strike!

Why do things always come to a head when you are so busy that you cannot scratch yourself, let alone look wisely and calmly at a problem?
Baby girk is being a typical 14 year old - self centred, lazy and non conformist.
There is not one thing that I can ask her to do that she will take part in without a whine or whinge and I have had enough.
So I am striking...
Basic stuff like cleaning your room, helping in the house and doing your homework and really not negotiable items for any 14 year old - in this country most of their lives revolve around enjoying themselves and being social - how hard is it for these kids to do just a few things that they are asked to do, for crying out loud!!!!!
Now the man would certaily say that I have been too soft.
Yes probably.
Love is supposed to make things right, isnt it?

Anyone bought Henny Penny lately?????

Since when did one have to rob a bank to be able to afford to buy bloody Henny Penny chicken??????
Was in a hurry between work and the Cottage tonight,could not cook a decnet tea for the family, so I stopped at our local Henny Penny to buy a chook, a few pieces and some chips and frikken hell, I needed to go to the bank to get a loan first.
How expensive is that stuff????
It's only chicken for crying out loud!
I must be paying for all of the steroids that they pumped into the damn thing before they strung it up, electrocuted it and hacked it up for human consumption ( noice!! ).
Won't be doing that again soon I tell you.



Only 70 days to go.
Have been offered the possiblity of a job selling garden implements, like secateurs, clippers etc for $20 per hour. Unfortunately it is in Sydney.
Me and sharp garden implements?
and stupid customers.....
I don't think so.

So many thoughts

So many thoughts and so little time,
Which ones are yours and which ones are mine?
Which ones did I buy off the net?
Which ones did I swallow whole
and will poison me time.

Will I speak them out
or will they go stale
will I tell the truth
or create another tale?

Do I need to have these thoughts
going round and round my head?
or could I just bend over, spill them out
and empty my head instead?

I think I have thunk enough
I think I can have a rest
My brain is busting and bursting
A brain holiday would be the best

Could my brain switch off
Could it - just for one day
No thoughts, no dreams, no fears
I think I met a man today
that hadn't thought for years.

His eyes were glassy, his face was bland
He couldn't give a rat's arse
He spat, he snarled, he swore, he moaned
His life was just a farse

He would never think again he said
He slid through every day
He didnt love, he didnt need
Nor cry, nor laugh, nor play

He was a blob
He was a scurge
so meaningless, so bland
He was a walking dead soul
just exisiting in this land

I think I'll think about all this
and then I'll think some more
I think I'll just keep thinking....
and then I'll think some more

Cause I dont want to be a blob
nor be the walking dead
So I'll keep thinking all these thoughts I got
in my big fat head.

Mindnumbing Boredom

Well, I really need to blog so that this day does not go down in history as a total waste of expended energy.
At least I would have left some memory of today by a blog entry.
Business is woeful - I cannot believe how bad it is.
The only grateful thing about it all is that I do not have to go through this all year long ( hmmm Michelle? ) and be witnessing my livelyhood going down the toilet.
I pity the poor small business owner who is feeling the effects of all this scare mongering by the media and the killing of Mr.and Mrs Average's miniscule savings by fat cat arse holes who were so freaking greedy that they pissed it all up against the wall.
No one is spending money - all shop keepers are just staring into space hour after hour and no one comes.....
Other than that I am glad to be home, showered, having been greeted my the man who made a curry and cooked a cake and by baby girk who gave me the biggest kiss and told me that she missed me ( must be wanting money ) and Maximus the Pug who is just plain cute!

Where is the wicked witch from number 42?

Hello out there...where art thou oh wicked one?
Am wanting to know how Friday went and you are no where to be found????

on another note,
the Square has been slightly busier over the last two days, so I live in hope that I wont completely go down the preverbial tubes this season..
Oh Goddess of the fortunate blessings, bestow upon this weakling a mass of hungry calendar seeking plebs to pass by my humble place of business...so mote it be!

on another note,
I have two art lessons left before its all over red rover..

on another note,
tomorrow is Sunday and I get to sleep an extra hour - YAY!!!

Almost three weeks already!

My how time flies when you are enjoying yourself....I have almost been doing the Calendar Club thing for three weeks!
It will be over in a blink of an eye.
That means that Christmas is only about 9 weeks away so it's bound to get busy soon.
Start planning your Christmas shopping folks.

Still just plain...

Is mine the only plain blog site left?
I think so.
mmmmmm...never mind. I am sure that I will tart it up eventually.
I may tart myself up while I am at it.
at the moment though,
I am losing the will to live.
Being idle shits me...I honestly rather be working flat out then doing nothing at all ( so I feel for you Michelle - I am experiencing it as well ).
I have better things to do with my precious time than watch the passing parade of dudes and dudettes at the Square.
I expect that things will be slow till after Melbourne Cup - we have all been frightened to shit and back with the "end of the earth" almost upon us, so no one is spending any money. Do you blame them?
I really think that the greed of the select few has caused this whole cafuffle and all of us average people are now hurting.
I feel change in the air...

Two new creations!

These are my two latest ones.
The old shed was taken at the vineyards a few months ago. It took me quite a while to complete.
The seagull is just a bit of fluff I knocked up in a few hours as a bit of an exercise.
Hope you like them!

More paintings to come..

Well I squeezed in an art class on Wednesday night and finished a painting I have been working on for a while.... I just cannot find the time to paint and that is a bit scary.I do not want to stop now that I have started.
It is too easy to stop and just not try and I have thousands of tubes of paint at home thanks to all my friends who gave me so many for my birthday so I just HAVE TO use them.
I am also working on some small canvases that I can finish without too much of a hassle - that will stop me from getting too frustrated.
I am already finished one and halfway through another.
I will post some pics tomorrow.
I ran into the baby girks old art teacher a few days ago and she has given me some encouragement to keep going even though I am losing my art teacher soon.
Some ideas are beginning to flow.....

Well the arseholes have entered the building...

The rain must have bought them out.
The arseholes I mean, cause there were quite a few at the Square today and they all decided to invade my sacred space.
More rain tomorrow...that means more arseholes.
Can't stand arseholes.
Oh and bonus....it's Thursday night shopping.
I can hardly wait.

Maximus the Bonking puppy.

Yes, yesterday little baby Maximus, all of 4 months old attacked one of his toys and started the dreaded "humpy humpy"...
How could this be?
He is only a baby.
and today I attended a committee meeting at the Cottage and Maximus started on the poodle boy Trev.
I won't be able to take him anywhere..

Boy, this stock market thing has ripped the crotch out of the calendar sales.
This has been a disasterous start to the season.
I am sitting there for hours bored out of my little brain.
What I do want to do is sell, sell,sell...as I work on commission it really does not pay me to be doing nothing.
But what can you do?
Also our other car is terminally ill.
We need major surgery and the car is currently at the mechanic's waiting for a new artery and heart or something...
does it ever end?
I guess it will be another visit to Mr.Bank Manager soon.....
"Hello...remember us?"

Yes, yes,yes...I hear you!

Mmmmmmm,a good weekend had by all.
That's great.
Next time I will come to.

One of the sisterhood is heading to Thailand to have a brilliant time - wishing you a safe trip. eat plenty of food, have heaps of cocktails and have a great time Vicki.

Time off for YAAD - time to contemplate.
Time to refocus and move back into lessons. Also a sneaky week to catch up on homework and assignments.

My weekend was ordinary - work and boring work, but all is good. I have finished one book and am doing some tarot revision ( yes, I am still learning too ).

It's vewy, vwey, qwiet!!!!!

Where is everybody?
Oh, that's right...
they are at Stroud enjoying themselves....
and I am here, clearly not.

Nevertheless, I need to make the most of it I guess.

We have had issues with the last ritual at the Cottage.
I think the full moon had much to do with it = she can really play with our heads and hearts.

I understand all points of view.
I wish someone would have shared these concerns with me - I always get this news second or third hand, after it happens. My opinion seems not to be needed.

Maybe that is a cue to keep my opinions to myself maybe???

No worries.
I am hoping that all is well at the convent and that the ladies are behaving themselves.

I am sure that I will, as usual, get all the news second or third hand upon their return.

Reading..

One of the things that I enjoy when I start Calendar Club is the fact that I can do some reading when things are quiet and that's about 87.3% of the time at the moment.
I am reading a book given to me on my birthday by gorgeous Kylie about a woman trying to find her purpose in life. She spends three months in Italy, three in India and three in Indonesia.
I have been to the Italy bit and now I am in the throws of India as she studies at an ashram with her guru.
Great book Kylie. Thanks.
Tomorrow is my first Thursday which means a 12 hour day at the Square.
Should get some more reading done..
And I am missing out on Stroud this weekend..
boohoo...

Gobbledygook and the full moon!

Can't stand the noise...
my head is busting...
full moon..
feeling crazy..
stuffed tonight's YAAD lesson.
I guess I am just tired.
It usually takes a week for me to get into the swing of things.
Too much to do.
Going from "go slow cycle" to "crazy fucked up cycle" is doing my head in.

Bloody full moon.

97 days to go...

It's all good. First day and everything worked. Eftpos and till all in working order - always a plus.
My feet hurt from standing and I feel as if I have not had a gap of 9 months since being at the Square.

Already spied "Mr.Happy", that half wit psycho bastard from previous years. He is still being allowed to roam around the Square freely.
Should be locked up.

Also all my other freaky friends have come out of the woodwork - like moths to the flame!!!!!!

The freaky little Macedonian guy who has a nervous tick and talks about politics ( as if that interested me ).
The old guy with only two teeth in his whole head that talks about his injuries and how he used to drive taxis eight years ago ( as if that interested me )
The silent mother with the crazy son who wears his pants up under his armpits - well they don't talk...
The moron who comes every day to "just look" and will then buy one calendar ( if I am lucky ) during the sales period.

I have not seen Barramundi Man yet...but it's early days.
(He's the guy who wears the same Barramundi hat every year and goes straight to the girlie calendars for a quiet tug ) C R E E P Y!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh what fun....

I'm over it!

This working for a living gig is shit....I'm over it...


Hold on.....


I haven't started yet.

This is my first morning and I havent had my coffee yet!

Get a grip!!!

Well, it's time!

Tonight I had a most marvelous time at the Cottage with so many fabulous women ( and man ) all in their pj's and fairy wings.
It was a hoot!
From Deb's music selection of Daddy Cool classics,to the great food and gifts.
I got a total of 22 tubes of paint!!!!!
Wow........
A box of epic proportions and also a pair of nanna undies of even more epic proportions!!!!!
I got wine and crystals, a book and a mug, several charms that I intend to take with me to the Square, lotto tickets ( I won $4 on the scratchy Helen ),pastels and art book,a beautiful snake brooch made by Faerie, an Edith Paif collection CD and notebook, hand cream, oil and lip balm....if I have forgotten anything, forgive me!
It was heaps good shit!!!!!
It was great seeing everyone have a good time and you all went to so much effort to get dressed up.
We are certainly a mad bunch when we get together.
I also want to thank Lisa for letting us party at the Cottage. We made such a mess and I know Diana will be in there tomorrow at sparrow fart making it schmick for the Handfasting.
Thanks again to everyone.
It's still painful to think that I have been alive for 50 years.I should have done more, seen more, been more....by now. For me it's never enough....
But hey, I have had my Crone-ing revoked....I can wait another 5 years.
Not ready to be a Crone yet.
I am 49 and twelve months old......
Indeed, and hot in my nanna undies ( thanks Lisa ) - the man can't wait to burn them.

Picture!!!! You want a picture???!!!!!

Now, you KNOW I don't do pictures...
You will just have to wait till I see you in your jammies Saturday night...and I am sure that there will be someone there with a camera who can sneak a pic!
Shann is right - I looked good yesterday.

You missed it.

Today I could not redo the do.

But, went out to see two ladies displaying their boobs to all and sundry ( you would have loved the show, Lisa ) at the Civic Theatre called "Bustin Out".
These two gifted singers and comediennes did the whole show with exposed tits, got the audience involved, sang songs about tits,, told jokes about tits, did tit shadow puppetry and more...it was hillarious.

See you at the Cottage with bells ( fairy wings on )...
P.S. Is someone bringing a cake????????

The hair cut has happened!!!!!!

Miss Gorgeous finally talked me into the ultimate haircut experience today!
She actually booked me in and paid for my "do" as a 50th birthday present from her - how cool!!!!
We went to "Beaumont on Beaumont" and you have never seen anyone squirm in the seat as much as I did...I was glad that Miss Gorgeous was there with me!

We went from the "hair cut consultation" and "you have a small face and pointy nose, so I can't work miracles" talk to the "colour consultation" and endless questions..."do you want to go lighter or darker, do you want streaks?( oh sorry they are now called "foils" - streaks are so 1980's ).
So, of course I said, "I have no idea what I want".......
Hell....
Torture...
But away we went..
Colour done and there I sat looking like I landed from outer space with aluminium foil in my hair and gloopy colour poking out...charming.
All this time to worry........
Then, a wash and back in the hot seat for the cut.....
Shitting myself...
So he starts...
all the while saying, it WILL look good when you blow dry it.
Not giving me confidence here..
Then he dissappears.
So I stare at the mirror.
Oh God.
Then the blow dry lady comes over and starts blow drying.
I'm looking, and looking...and Miss Gorgeous turns to me and says, Well do you like it? You're looking a bit like Carol Brady ( the mother from the Brady Bunch ).
F**K!
Indeed I do.
As the blow dry lady starts with the straightening iron I then go from Carol Brady to Julie Andrews ( some of you young things would not know these people ).
So Mr. Stylist guy returns and I lay it on the line....
"Get rid of the Carol Brady look!!!!"
So he gets out his snippers and goes to work and I end up with something that I actually like very much!
Now...how do I keep it looking this way??????
It's so stressful being old!

It's so close I can smell the fear....

Yes - my birthday.
50.
SHIT!
I got my fairy wings today.
And a hideous pair of PJ's.
I will be a sight to behold.

Then it's that time of the year when my life turns to mushy wishy washy poohy pooh.
Those calendars arrived.
There is a ton of them...
Lots of very pretty ones though.
You must come and see...and let me go to the toilet.
Remember,
I will be standing there waiting for you....

Another "shit" story!

Following on from Anchell's post about the new puppy giving his opinion on her work place I will throw Maximus's effort into the ring.

This morning the puppy came inside ( he is a big boy now with his own doggy kennel outside )and was running around like a goose....
then he disappeard up the stairs into the spare room where I have my Calendar Club stuff set up and plugged in on the floor to charge.

A moment later the baby girk cries out, "Mum, Maximus has just done a poo on your Calendar Club stuff!!!"

And indeed he had!

What advanced dogs we have!!!!
they know better than we do.....

I laughed and then I cried as I had to wipe his shit off several cables and other paraphenalia!

Having a family birthday party this afternoon.....cause I am very old.

Yesterday's readings went well. I went to a private residence called "Nirvana Vista Resort" - a huge house on a hill overlooking the vineyards from all directions. Brilliant spot for next years retreat methinks....
P.S. There is a spa and horses too!!!!!

It's Saturday!

I am heading to Pokolbin today to do some readings at a private party.
Good money pickup, so I am grateful for the booking.
I will enjoy myself..for sure!

Those pesky calendars never turned up yesterday...which means that now I will have to wait till Tuesday to start and the man will be back at work, so much of the heavy lifting will have to be done by me and the mother in law who will be helpingout as she always does.

The company has really done the dirty on my friend who is handling Kotara this year. They are making her work her stand and also do the "Borders" calendars which starts in November. This is a lot of extra work for very little money as she will have to employ full time staff leaving little margin for earning money from commissions.
Why should this worry me - it doesn't as such, I just feel sorry for her being put into a situation where she had no choice but to take on both sites, or do none - and that the company is happy to force issues onto us, but when it comes to granting us a favour in return ( like the booksales ) they will not come to the party.

So two sided.

That's how it is, and I guess I will try and offer my friend as much support as I can cause I know she would do the same for me.

Less than a week to my birthday bash....have you got your wings yet?

Did you know that I am going to be ancient soon?

Yes, that day is looming on my horizon....
10 days to go..
Oh
My
God.
I will be so old!
Time to turn over a new leaf and cause some changes..
Can you teach an old dog new tricks?
Now if you asked the man that question, he would say that I am incapable of change.
Maybe I cannot change?
I guess time will tell if the getting to 50 experience is just another day or the start of something big!
Michelle says that I need to grow into my art - I agree, I have to find my own style and this will be an endeavour of mine in 2009. I guess that the structure of going to class keeps me motivated to produce art as I have to have "something" every week. I worry that if I do not have a class to go to that I will slacken off and posibly stop and I do not want to risk stopping. It will be hard enough to fit in some sort or painting while I am working.I am sure that Michelle knows that frustration well.

by the way,
I am getting one and a half tons of calendars tomorrow...
yippee ( not )..

Duped again.....

Well, the veil of Calendar Club is definately falling over my life yet again..
I had been promised a sweetener for this season, with a booksale to run and the possibility to make extra money.
That is now just another "story" concocted to make sure that I agreed to another season.
No bookclub sales.
No extra money to be earned.
All just a story.

Am I surprised?
I guess I was still hoping that something that was promised to me would be done.
I do not like being led up the garden path...
no, no, no....
I am ashamed of myself for being duped into believing that this would happen.

I guess I was hoping for a reprieve from the disasterous "Wombat" incident.
By the way, have not heard from them and had no shift in four weeks.

Every time I go to art I feel pressured to do as much as I can so that I can be prepared for when we stop....for something to carry on with..

Things are not going according to my plans....
they are going hay wire....
not happy Jan!

Sorry all .....I have been away!

Hi folks.
I have been away in Melbourne for a few days. Forgot to mention it to most everyone,as I was so sick last week it just was not on the agenda.
But we had planned this trip for weeks.
Went to the Spellbox and ofcourse saw many, many things that were gorgeous but also went to the other Spellbox that can be found up the back street and it has all changed! No more a retail shop it is now a dedicated "Witch's House" only doing readings, workshops and it has a full range of herbs and resins for spell crafting.
It is totally wonderful but I was astounded by the changes. I asked why they decided to make it a "Witch's House" rather than a retail outlet, but they just said that it was time for changes to occur.
While in Melbourne I always get to look at some of this season's new calendars and there is some nice stuff coming our way..

Did some shopping, bought lots of coffee and cake, visited the Queen Victoria Markets and baby girk went to another Anime Convention with a friend of hers from Geelong and a friend who had come down from Queensland to visit.
We stayed at a dumpy place in town that had a great location but was full of students who partied all night - therefore preventing us from sleeping.
Am as tired as hell..

This one's for my girl!

I started this one in class on Tuesday.
My older daughter asked me for a piccy with seagulls.
I have not done seagulls before so thought that it would be a challenge.
Today I completed it.
All it needs is a few clouds, which I will do in class next week.
Hope she likes it!!

Better!

Happy Ostara to all!
A time for new beginnings and heralding in the spring - and some such stuff!

Wanted to go get a hair cut yesterday, cause I feel kind of ordinary after my week as a sicky girl, and I went down to Wallsend and could not find one hairdresser with a vacancy...and believe me there are 10 salons in very close proximity to one another!
So I came home, after fumbling around, as ordinary as ever and thinking that things must not be too bad out there with all of these women having 1) time in the middle of the day to make themselves "bootiful" and 2) the money to do said "bootifying".
I have a thing about salons....they terrify me...I just do not like them..maybe it's the mirrors....I am forced to sit there and look at myself..ewwwww.
I could think of many other more pleasant things to do.
Still need a hair cut.

Here they are!

Here are my latest two finished masterpieces!!!!!!

HORSESHOE BEACH.




This is the one I had problems with....too many rocks and a slightly larger canvas than I have done before...but now it's done.


"DOWN TO THE BEACH"





The man calls this one my picture of goalposts on the beach.


Please comment........

I have another one in the works, which is about half done of an old shed that I took a picture of when we where in the vineyards a few weeks ago and I started another one today, another beach scene with seagulls that has been commissioned by grown up daughter for her new flat.

Can someone make the room stop spinning please?

So, I am in a vertical position.
But everything is swaying.
Small trip in car this morning was important for me to see that I am not ready to return to the human race yet.
Also, my stomach is playing basket ball with any food I try to eat.
This is how sick I am folks........
I
CANNOT
EVEN
HAVE
A
CAPPUCCINO!!!
YES, it's that bad.

Surfacing...

Well folks I can truely say that I have not been this sick for many years...
worst of all is having balance issues ( or migraines, depending on which specialist you want to listen to ) and not being able to lift head from pillow.
This morning though, I am feeling better.
I am really very tired and have huge black bags under each eye...yuk, not a pretty picture.But I should improve from now on.
Thanks to all who sent me their wishes for a speedy recovery.

1 kilometre exclusion zone!

Do not approach!
Don't even look in my direction.

I be sicky girl....

Got antibiotics from Doc which will sort me out shortly.
Also yoghurt from supermarket to balance out my guts after taking antibiotics which will take care of virus.

Sicky girl...

oooh! my chest feels like it's on fire!

It has been so long since I have been sick that this feels really funny!
Baby girk has passed on her Youth Day Virus to me and now I have a firey chest and yuccky throat!
Probably will only last for a day...I get over these things really quickly.
But for the moment.
I need a Bex and a good lie down.

How can you do this to me!!!!!

My art teacher has told me today that he will be stopping art classes just before Christmas...and may not continue to teach next year.
POO
Bum...
I do't believe it...
Finally a teacher I am comfortable with, who has taught me so much in such a short period of time and to stop now is like having my life line taken away.
He said that he MIGHT consider running some very limited classes next year, but he is not sure at this stage.
He really wants to get back into his own painting, now that he is going to be extremely famous by doing paintings similar in style to the Dutch master Vermeer and getting rave reviews from art critics around the world already!!!

Yes, I am VERY HAPPY for him - he deserves to be rich and famous.

I am just hoping and will pray that he decides to not forget some of his devoted students.
Till then, I am going to try to get to as many classes as possible.
I do not have much time left.

This time next month....

This time next month I will have turned 50 and working at Calendar Club.
Rocked out of my safe home environment - made to go out into the mad, bad, wide world.
Oh well....we all have to do things that we really would rather not do, don't we.
This is my time to pull my finger out and contribute to the household coffers.
This year I also leave behind my art classes ( although I will certainly try to factor them in ) and also new puppy boy Maximus.
The big girl has now a new place to live.
She will be in a secure unit complex just behind Beaumont street, Hamilton.
She took me to check it out yesterday.
It's lovely. Totally secure. You have to have the front door opened for you by the resident you want to visit....you can't just walk in off the street. The complex is only 2 years old, so everything is fresh and bright and all she needs is her bed and TV. The place is fully furnished and has air conditioning.
I hope it is a new start for her - she is now a "very important" legal secretary and deserves a nice place to live.
She moves out next week.

What? 100,000 views???No - Now it's 400,000 Views!

This little video was taken a few days after we got Maximus!
Nothing much.
Just a moment really.
Yet....
The man put it on U - Tube.
Can you believe that we have had over 100,000 views.
And 2000 messages, including shit like "I hate that ugly dog " and much worse to "Awwwww, he's so beautiful. I want one!"
( Early update from Saturday 13th - it's now 400,000 views.)

World Youth Day Virus and bloody Horseshoe Beach!

Well it seems that all of those lovely Christian pilgrims left some very nasty germs in Australia, and now many people are getting quite sick with various fluey, virusy, squirty types of nasty things as a result.
So,
that's what you get for letting all those lovely young people in the country...
where was border security????
mmmmmm????

went to art class yesterday and asked for forgiveness and for HELP....
as I could not bear to over paint another rock in my latest artistic creation.
So I chucked a hissy fit spack..
stomped my feet..
and Tony sent me to the "quiet room" to reflect and contemplate
where he sends all of his naughty students..
where I was given instruction on how to fix the error of my ways.

Things improved.
The painting has improved.
I will leave it now and finish it next class.

Another family member down - beware the dreaded whatever it is!!!!!!

Woke up this morning with a queezy tummy.
Maximus was also making noises - normally he is very quiet.
Then the man gets up and says he is feeling like shit and so I called work and said that he was not coming in today.
So back to bed he went.
Could have been the massive amount of popcorn we consumed last night?
Went to see "Tropic Thunder" with free tickets that I had won.
It's a very warped Ben Stiller movie - very black comedy, very funny!
If you watch this movie and see Tom Cruise's role in it,you will never look at him the same way again!!!!!
Baby girk still sick as well - still high temps.

A day in the vines!

We spent a great day at the Vineyards today - with the change in the weather making it a superb day.
Lots of wine tasting ( after a very slow start and a sleep in ) lunch and a coffee at Hunter Valley Gardens. I guess it's been at least six years since I have been there and lots has changed with many new estates and attractions.
Still, a lovely way to spend a lazy day.

Baby girk is not well having battled a temp all day and went straight to bed when we got home.
Looks like a day off school for her tomorrow.

Well, I don't have a dad anymore.....

It's fathers day this weekend...and I hear that Christmas decorations are already out at David Jones in town!
How rediculous!
It's September!!!!!!

We are hoping to go to the Vineyards for the day on Sunday - maybe it will stop raining by then.
Some wine and cheese tasting sounds pretty good to me!!!!
My dad is no longer with us -
Father's Day was not an exciting day in my household as a child.
I could never really get him anything anyway. He used to always say,"What did you get THAT for?" whenever he received a gift for fathers day, birthday or Christmas. It annoyed the shit out of me. He just could not receive anything graciously without comment.
In his later years I resorted to food gifts - biscuits, lollies etc...at least he would eat those and have a moment of pleasure.
Now I take a bunch of flowers and put hem on his grave.....
and I think I can still hear him say.....
"What the hell did you get me those for????"

It's wet...

Boy, it has rained over the last few days hasn't it? I dont think it's over either.
My neck has been giving me curry over the last two days and I spend most of my day with a hot water bottle as my best friend.
Went to have our tax done yesterday - phew, glad that it is over with.
Older girl still looking for a new place of residence - she has a few to consider and I am sill trying to steer her to share rather than rent on her own.
Man is at work and loving it (NOT)!!!!!
Puppy is on my knees, sleeping, as I type.
I am frustrated with my latest masterpiece ( too many rocks.....)
Baby girk waiting to go to Melbourne at the end of the month to see a good friend and go to another Anime festival.
All is well....

Grown up Daughter comes home for a while!!!!

A rare time in the household....our oldest girl is home for a while. She is looking for a new place to live as the current place is too much of a "party central" and all grown up girl is an efficient legal secretary who needs her sleep and some respectful space....not noisy music at 4 am in the morning!!!!
but.....the cost of flats is horrendous!
It's Newcastle for God's sake ....not Sydney!!
Can you really be paying $450 for a one bed room flat?????
She is looking at a flat today after work.....
I'm happy to have her home for a while.
The man is slogging away doing early shifts this week, which means 4.30 wake ups....he is REALLY happy about that,
and baby girk demanded a day at home "cause no one will be at school today cause of the teachers strike!!!"
I am off to art to get my painting critiqued...and start another.

Here is my newest painting

How do you like it?
I invite your comments.....

Very Excited!

I have finished my latest art work today.
I only drew it up in class last Tuesday - so it has been a whirlwind process.
This is the first one that I have painted using my own images and the first one that I have done without any input from my teacher.I did it all at home.
Indeed, I am very excited.
I just hope that he finds it acceptable and does not pick up on any tragic errors that I have done.
Anyway,
I can only get better.
I am very pleased with my progress - I have been going to classes for about six months and this is my seventh painting.
I will put up a picure of it tomorrow when the man returns from Sydney with out digital camera.
Hope you like it too...

The man goes to Sydney.......ON HIS OWN!!

How dare he!!!
On his own...going away...without me...
He is attending a course organised by the Cancer Council for volunteers who would like to become telephone consellors/advisors for people with prostate cancer.
He is leaving this afternoon and will spend two days attending a seminar ( he hates the thought of role play )- his accomodation is being paid for and I think most of his expenses as well.
I thought of maybe going with him - but its all too complicated with baby girk needing to still go to school and new puppy needing someone at home to look after him.Plus it gives him some time out from the mad Daniel women.
A change is as good as a holiday - don't they say?

Cold and miserable in Redfern!

Spent the day with baby girk at another Anime Convention in Sydney.
It was another massive journey for me - as I am so challanged by anything remotely "new" or different and this trip would mean that I would have to catch another train and be in an area of Sydney unfamiliar to me... ( yes I know, I am a sad, sad case )
We travelled down by train and then connected with anothr one to Redfern Station ( which was so dead easy I am embarrased to say that this made me anxious ) and then we walked to the Australian Technology Park which is right behind the station.
You should have seen the crowds....my goodness.
I am always blown away by the number of people that come to these conventions. It is seriously big stuff. And the costumes!!!!Most people get dressed up as their favourite characters from the books and stories.
It is a sight to behold....as they all get off buses and trains dressed as warriors,japanese cartoon characters, swordsmen, and such..
I let the girk go and meet her friends and I wandered around Redfern in the cold, wet and freezing wind.This entertained me for about 10 minutes, then I just froze and was miserable.
There were no neat shops to go and visit, no book stores, no interesting coffee shops that would beat the taste of hubby's coffee and only a few dodgy pubs that I crawled into to beat the cold at certain points.
But the baby had a great day and that was the most important thing.
I did go to bed at 9pm from sheer exhaustion!
She has now made plans to go the next Anime Convention with some friends that she has in Melbourne next month - we just happen to be there at the same time that the Convention hits town....can you imagine her excitement?????
AN Anime Convention in Melbourne and being able to stay with friends at the same time....sheer heaven for her..
and for us that means two days in Melbourne without baby in tow!!
The man is going to a barista course in the City and I will head straight to "Spellworks" and maybe get a reading done.Oh, yes....I will also be having copious amounts of coffee...
BLISS!!!!!!
No news from Wombat.....

It's been three years...

It's been three years since dad died...20th August 2005.
Since then, so many things have happenend in my life that it seems as though dad has been gone for much, much longer.
I know so little about him that I often wonder how similar I may be to him or how different?
He was a man who shared little and certainly was not around much when I was little - he worked afternoon shift. I knew him as an angry, solitary man who ruled with an iron fist.
All I have now is some memories, and a box of documents that tell me something about his life.
When I see my mother, she does not mention him.
It's all about her.
And I guess that's where she's at - it needs to be all about her, that is her survival tactic.
And it has worked for her.
I have had a massive headache for days now and I woke with it still firmly lodged in my head this morning.
I am hoping it goes away soon.

What are you really doing with your life???

I watched a program on t.v. last night on Compass ( ABC )about a 75 year old Aussie man who goes around Bali and does free cataract surgeries in remote villages for those suffering blindness.
It told about his efforts to overcome the fears of the people and their superstitions about their Gods and that they are suffering because of karma from another life.
There was a story of a family of two sisters who had 22 children between them, all who developed cataracts and were blind.This Aussie man tried for years to get the father to allow the kids to have an operation, and finally, two were allowed to go. Ofcourse, it was successful which then made the other 20 children want one!
Also, there was another story of a two year old, blinded by cataracts, and her first moments of seeing her mother's face for the first time after the operation ( which lasts only 12 minutes ).

How joyous it was!!!

This particular fellow had been through a near death experience ( I guess Lisa would definately call him a walk in ) and after this man left hospital he moved to Bali to recover and now he is giving back to the country that gave such a new perspective on life.

It was also a story about the spiritual centre of the Balinese, how their whole world revolves around the graciousness of the Gods and what they give and what they take away.
They celebrate life and, equally, celebrate death.
We have a lot to learn from these gorgeous people and my heart longs to go back there.
It did make me think about what I am trying to achieve through my life -
that I have a real need to be a spiritual person - it makes me feel that I have a soul.That I would like to feel that I do something that makes a difference.
And that is not at Calendar Club, nor is it Wombat or Rockmans.

In Bali, the village medicine man or Baliyan is the most important person in the village. They go to him, or her, for all their problems, for healings and for advice as well as to reconnect to those who have passed on.
You can see the Baliyan become 'taken over' with the presence of the departed soul and you can see the people become possessed with spirits who are passing through and connect with them to cause havoc and illness. I really want to learn and know more. It is fascinating stuff.

The Volvo goes bye bye!!!

Well, another headache gone - we sold the Volvo this weekend.
Not for as much as we wanted, but with the way the market is now a days, we must feel very blessed at selling it at all and considering it was our first ad in the Herald. We had only advertised in the local trading post before that.
So "Precious" now belongs to a young Kashmiri family - dad works at the University as a researcher and mum is expecting her first baby ( and is terrified of dogs, as we found out when Maximus went to say hello ).
Good luck to them - I know "Precious" will be good to them.
I was a bit sorry to see the car go - I am sure that if I did not have to count the pennies I would still be very happy to continue driving it as long as I could.

Work? I'm over it!!!

Whose idea was this work thing anyway???
It's all a bit ho - hum and I cannot imagine standing in a ladies clothes shop serving all day long, every day, all day - I now admire all shop girls for their stamina and resiliance!!!
I did a shift out at Rockman's Wallsend yesterday cause they had just fired a lady in there and had no one to do the shift.
Tell you what - I sold more stuff there in the first 15 minutes than I have in the four shifts I have done at Wombat Greenhills.
They certainly want their pound of flesh....no standing around...no, no, no....tidy racks, vacumn floors, wipe benches, hang dresses....
I was exhausted..not good form for an old lady like me.
I go back for three hours today to Greenhills and then the rest of the weekend is MINE!!!
Father in laws birthday party today.
Small do at his place and hopefully I will be doing very little tomorrow.
Have a good weekend everyone - full moon will do crazy things to some people so be on your guard....the patients have escaped from the asylum and are among us!!!!!!!

I won a Ipod shuffle today!

Above are my two most recent works.
One is sort of out back themed with really rich colours that I have not attempted before and I am still working on it and the other is a pic of Newcastle Baths which is now completed.
I have been going mad entering lots of competitions lately and today I got an Ipod Shuffle in the mail.Apperently you can put msic on it and listen through headphones???
Yippee!!!!!!
I have also won a dvd called "The Tudors". I think it's a bit of a yawn....but it's a prize and I need to be grateful...
Maximus is lying on my lap while I type away and Sandy, my friend, called him a "time waster" today - indeed she is totally right.
He is a complete time waster..
I will blog my new art works later when the man gets home and can do it for me..
Things are fast paced at the moment with the contract for Calendar Club arriving in the mail for me to sign off on - that means commiting to another season...ooohhhhh
I have a headache already.
And by the way, I start on October 13th, one day after my birthday, which means that I have to set up the kiosk ON MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! and it will interfere terribly with our Scone Monestry thingy.....I may only be able to be there on Friday and some of Saturday...see already it is shitting me off and there are still two months before I start..

Maximus - the eating and pooing machine!

Boy can that little boy eat!
Maximus has a hankering for piklets, potato bake and the froth off my cappucinno - he only gets a little bit.....don't yell at me!!!
But I am sure that he has grown heaps in this last week.
He is far more confident and loves to have a wander in the back yard on his own exploring in the jungle where the grass is taller than he is.

Life goes on and I am getting to go to art class today - I missed out last week due to going "Wombating".
I had to step up and do some heavy painting over the past few days to look as though I have done something.
I am hoping to finish my latest creation today and will post it later.

I am sad that we have lost one of a YAAD girls she is on my mind and I hope that she stays safe and finds what she needs for herself at this point in time.Good luck Maggie ......stay in touch!

By the way,
The man's latest test results for Prostate Cancer came back as under .01%!!!!!!!!!
Which means he is in the clear and all is super wonderfulious!!!!!
I always sweat when he goes in for a blood test.....as you do...it is such a releif to get the results back.

We have had a great weekend with our newest member of the Daniel family.
We showed him off to several family members who had not seen him yet.
He, of course, won many hearts and is a real cutie!!He loves crawling up and sitting on our necks, snuggling in under our hair.

I have two sifts at "Wombat" this week.
Not much is it?
But I was listening to my cousin's boyfriend who told us that he is working in the kitchen of a local restaurant where they are paying him $13 an hour as a kitchen hand.
He has also been called in to do a one hour shift! That's rediculous!
That's working in todays environment thanks to work place aggreements and every one needing to take anything and everything that is available no matter what the conditions!

8.08.08

Today is the day the Chinese have been waiting for...the start of the Olympics!
I hope it works out well for them as they are putting many people, services and businesses on the line for this event.
I wonder how we would react in Australia if the government told us that we could only drive our cars on certain days if we have even numbered number plates?
Or that we have to shut down our factory, as it is making too much pollution, until the Olympics are over?
But, today is a very lucky day and there are a bzillion Chinese getting married today as they believe that it wil bring them prosperity for the rest of their lives.
They even arrange to have their wedding photos taken a week before the actual wedding day so that they are perfect.
Mmmmmm...blows the idea of you future husband not seeing you in you wedding dress before you walk down the isle doesn't it!

Fortuna is going crazy!

Heaven's, slow down world I want to get off!
I have a job....oh my God!
It's only casual at the moment and I have no idea how many hours I will be getting...
so I am taking it a day at a time.
It's a "Wombat" at GreenHills which is part of the Rockman's group of women's fashion stores.
My boss is James Packer!
He pays shit money...the retail award is shit and work place aggreements make it shittier.
but....at the moment it's a bit of money coming in.
And I am grateful...how it progresses I guess we will see.
There are other things in the pipeworks.
thank you Fortuna..
shit, you rock!!!

Maximus
is SO CUTE.

Life with Maximus!

How such a little bundle of fur and snoffles can bring so much joy into a household!
Maximus is being a darling as is just so adorable.
I took him into the Cottage twice for an introduction yesterday, so if you missed it, I am sorry. There will be plenty of more times ahead as he will become Cottage dog number two behind the mighty Trevor.
He is very very good at night wihout a peep coming from his box till morning - I remember our last pup howled for days til he settled, so I am very lucky indeed.

Other than that, many change have occurred, but things need to settle down a bit before I can say that any of it has been accepted.
I really have come to understand that I do not "do" change well at all and most new things in life are very threatening to me.
You would think I would have thought that shit out by now?
So I need to slide inot things slowly and then I can adjust.
YAAD two starts tonight - so another adjustment needs to be made to the weekly itinerary. It has been so many weeks - I will be happy to see my girls again.

What a weekend!!!

It's been a very full weekend.
All has gone very well.
Baby girk LOVED her Anime Convention at the UNSW.
She took a friend with her and met a few there and they had a ball - I actually did not get lost and navigated the maze that is Sydney very well.
I was exhausted though.
Today we spent the whole day at a Prostate Cancer Seminar at the Town Hall.
There were some amazing people there with one very important gentleman named Dr Walsh from America, a leader in his field.This was his only speaking appearance in the whole of Australia for this year so we were greatly honoured.
Allan Pease was also there - the man who wrote so many books on body language.He did a small talk on his experiences with prostate cancer.
We learnt many new things today and the only unfortunate thing to happen was that a woman sitting next to me had a "turn" and an ambulance had to be called to take her to hospital.
There were 300 people there today and this woman happened to be sitting next to me - the man reckons I must have done something to her....

and


the biggest thing of all
is that we got a new member of the family today.
Yes...
we got our pug today.
it was a spur of the moment thing
it just happened.
we called up yesterday and this puppy was the only one of two left out of the litter.
So went round to the breeder after the seminar,
took one look.....
and were sold.
We are calling him "Maximus" - cause he's not...
he is tiny..
actually teeny weeny
and is currently in a big box in the lounge room.
What have we done????

It's been vewy, vewy qwiet!!!!!!

Very quiet week this week.
The weekend sees me heading down to Sydney tomorrow to an Anime Convention at the University of NSW - I have not been around that area of Sydney before so the thought of catching buses and such is just a little daunting....also I have baby girk and friend tagging along. She and friend will have a ball, I will be bored out of my brain!!!

Sunday, there is a huge Prostate Cancer Seminar being held at the Town Hall here in Newcastle, and as we are part of the local Prostate Cancer Support Group, we are going along to hear some guest speakers and mingle with the rest.
Should be a good day and am looking forward to it.

A friend of ours had a baby girl last night, must ask Gayle whether she attended....but they called the bub Jadah DAPHNE!!!!!!, Daphne????
It is Grandma's name apparently...may the Goddess bless baby, who from now on, will always be known as Daph by me!

Wet, Cold...well it is winter!

nothing to report.
All good.
"If you havent got all the things that you want, be grateful for all the things that you don't have that you don't want!"
Anonymous.

Psychic Fair this weekend!

Doing a Psychic Fair this Saturday at Telarah Bowling Club from 3pm to 9pm.
It is a fundraiser for a local footy club.

It has been a good week - I have done four readings with one already booked in for next week.
That is cool.
I also have a party booking for later on this year from a lady that called all the way from Melbourne. She is having a hen's night at Pokolbin.
I am up for it - cannot let a job slip by at this stage.
Even if I have to travel a bit to get there.

I am told we are under the influences of the Goddess Fortuna - well bring it on baby!!
May I be blessed with the magick stick many times over!!!!!!

What the?

Had a dream last night that baby girk wanted a rabbit's foot lucky charm.
I had to chase after it in all these shops until I finally got one - It cost only $4 from this dodgy old guy in a shop behind another shop and when we finally went in to buy it he wouldn't sell it to us without trying to sell us two.
The dream ended before I walked out with it.
mmmmmmmmm?????

Frikken Cold!

For Goodness sake - will someone turn a heater on?
Even my Wiggles shirt isn't keeping me warm.
But, the jasmine is blooming and so winter is coming to an end.
I guess we should enjoy the colder weather while we still can - soon we will be whinging that it is too hot.
To anyone who is interested in my progress in the exercise stakes..
well I am still going, but have not lost any weight.
Anyway, it must be doing me some good whether I lose anything or not.
I have also finally gotten some massage approved by those arseholes at Allianz ( can I suggest that you never, ever use Allianz for anything )and so I had a blissful session this morning.
Now this rain will cripple me again...but
Going for another session on Friday.

Pilgrims Pope-ulate Sydney!

Phew! Thank God that's over.
Now all those insanely happy Christians can go home and leave us to get on with our miserable lives.

I watched some of the Papal Mass at Randwick on tele today and was impressed with the whole set up. The beautiful Australian wildflowers on the stage where the Pope celebrated Mass and the southern cross on the priest's robes were great Aussie touches. The Pope's referral to the church as "she" seemed to mess with my brain - if the Church can be a "she" why can't there be more flesh and bone "she's" as "her" representatives? mmmmm?
When DID Jesus decide that all priests are to remain celibate their whole lives?
But, I digress,
we do live in the great southern land, and we can be proud of the fact, that, in most cases, we are one multicutural community that makes it work.

It's going to rain - my back feels like it has been sawn in two!

Garage Sale proves Pope-ular!!!!

Today's garage sale went off with a bang!
I sold heaps and was well pleased.
So did the dragon lady, crystal faerie and the honey Bee as well as Hissy fit sister of the Sister Mother Mary.
To be sure we will be having another one soon.
It amazes me what people will buy - not that our stuff was shit, but I really think that the regulars go around looking for bargains and then these same items appear at other sales a few weeks down the track.
I heard stories, from others who had held garage sales, of people climbing fences at 5.30 in the morning to see what was on offer...
man, I would be hitting them with a broom and telling them to get a life.
It was certainly fun, accept that it is such a long morning from 7am...I thought that I had been there for hours and realised that it was only 10am....so we sent the Dragon Lady for Gloria Jeans ( blessed be ) and that kept us going.

Now I head for an afternoon with my dear mother - that should top off my weekend and tomorrow I am sleeping in....shhhhhh...don't bother me.

Pope visits our Mary and the Health Nazi sends one of her henchmen!

Well Popi is visiting mary Mckillop's grave as I type...this is the third Popi to visit and she still is being ignored...
She needs another miracle,
she is short one..
tragic isn't it?
Surely one miracle is enough??
Not for Popi, obviously.
I hope our Mary ArtyFarty has a little word in his ear when she has her "private" meeting with him today.
MAKE MARY McKILLOP A SAINT FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!!!
In the mean time, here we were thinking that we would get a nice easy stroll today and who turned up?
Dragon Lady!!!!!
Obviously the health Nazi passed the torch to her late last night cause her arse was on fire too!!!
Dragon Lady left us for dead, wheezing and coughing metres behind as she tore up the track.
Totally shameful.

Sore Thighs - Losing my Will to Live!

Thinking about:
....Watching "the One" last night - seeing poor young Mitchell being booted out.
Ouch.....he really did well and was dignified about leaving.Good on him!I could not have been judged in such a way cause I'm a wuss!
....The Pope in Oz - could the Muslims have done something similar and have been treated equally? What about us wiccans or pagans? What if we held "World Pagan Day" and carried around pictures of the Goddess in all her forms and faces?
....Michelle, and knowing that feeling of missing out on all the fun at the Cottage. Feeling left out, so far away from friends.We do love ya 'chell.
....Feeling the dynamics change at home with the man going back to work and being the main breadwinner again.
....missing the man, and knowing how important my relationship with him still is to me.
....thinking about close ones dealing and dying of cancer and how horrid that is.
....getting baby girl to get serious about school work and cleaning up her room.
....Feeling that my identity is one that I have 'settled' on - that I really do not know what my identity is.
Understanding that I am never really "enough" for anybody - that they think that I should be different, better, less, more, happier, funnier, prettier, more available, understanding, psychic, loving,optimistic,modern, trendy,capable - maybe I'll stop there.
How do I do all of that?
Most of the time I am just fumbling through, trying to keep my head above the water line...
....contemplating YAAD and what I am teaching and what it is teaching me.
....needing to find some real work and having no desire whatsoever to do so..