Savings + Ikea = Sleep!

Hi!

Well. Here we are, another Sunday evening, no sun to set tho as it's blocked out by hugemongus black clouds... Ahhhh spring! But the birds are out there, tho the magpies have chased away the lorikeets and the crows, so it's a bit of a 50-50 trade-off. Apologies for not checking in last weekend..... but nothing of remotely any note happened last weekend. Not even chores. I just read books all weekend (yes, still no TV, tho on my way to the mailbox this evening, I passed the thrift shop on the corner and there on its doorstep sat a big TV, like the one I used to have, free to whoever walked by..... I tell you, I'm tempted, if I thought I could carry it.......). So I thought I'd spare you the sad tedium that was last weekend's not much. You're welcome. But here we are now - groovy jazz tunes just fired up on the radio (ABC Classic FM), have a nice, cool glass of some kind of Yalumba Pinot Grigio that I've not had before (not bad, tho a little fruity/syrupy for me....), life is good!

So. Work. Yep. 4 weeks of gainful employment starts tomorrow, thankfully, and with much relief (the bank told me to add that last bit). And even better, it's back at the last gig I was doing earlier in the year with Health, doing editing of their planning documents. Hooray! Shame the gig can't go for longer, like forever, but hey, 4 weeks will fluff up the bank account nicely anyways! And it buys me time to keep looking and applying for whatever's going. Numerous applications of which I burned up all of Wednesday submitting. I worked at those applications so hard I had a kink in my neck for days after. I just hope it pays off (some pun intended), but soon. Am just happy there's stuff to apply for. So even tho I'd love to come back to SD like yesterday, if that ol' economy up there doesn't pull itself up by its bootstraps pretty soon now, I'm not going anywhere! Add to that the exchange rate is around AU$.96 - nearly even! So anyways, yes, work tomorrow. I have my little clothes all ironed and set out...... I can't be bothered making mah little lunch..... But will bring a snack...... Hee, it's like school.

And then there was my last week of freedom, for 4 weeks anyways...... Last Sunday evening it occurred to me while flipping through the new Ikea catalog, to buy a new bed, as their fancy mattress were on sale for just 2 weeks, until the 3rd of Oct. I blame a number of my health complaints (headaches, sore neck, back, hips, etc) on my current mattress, "mattress" being a bit of a generous description, it was more of a glorified box-spring. But never mind, it beat sleeping on the floor, or on a constantly punctured/replaced air-bed. So first thing Monday morning I packed myself up and embarked on the 2 hour and 45 minute road trip that is public transport to Ikea. By car it takes like 20 minutes. But I was sure to put that fact outta my head whilst on the buses (it takes 3 to get there, by the way). All so I could road-test all their mattresses. So I picked one I really liked. And then didn't buy a thing. Came home and thought and thought and thought about it (while sleeping on the couch)... Long story short - I went back first thing yesterday and bought it. And bonus, (well, an $80 bonus, but bonus nonetheless) they delivered it next day - today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ooooooooh for once I can't wait to go to bed! Will keep you posted! And also excellent is that Ikea gives you 3 months to live with it and if you don't like it you can return it! Cool. 'Course, I'd have to get it back to the store...... on the bus........ I predict I'm gonna love it! It'll certainly beat what I had!

And then there was the real weekend. Yesterday was a bit of a write-off due to Ikea and travel time. Today was chores galore.... I swear I've never done so much laundry in my life, but that was mainly sheet-protectors and mattress pads - I had that many to try and make that previous bed sleep-able..... Now what do I do with them.....? Hmmm. So yes, busted out the chores (heehee, I'm trying to write this with my jazz turned up loud enough for me to hear over my neighbors underneath me, who are watching a very lively action film with their surround-sound fired up full blast. Funniest thing is, they have to shout at each other to be heard over it. Ahhhh, apartment living). ANYWAYS, because talking about doing house chores was sooooo riveting.... So yeah, chores. And I still have The New Bed to make - hooray! But that was today. And the weekend. Boring, yet in an excitingly boring kinda way.

So there you have it. We're kind of back in Adventure Holding Pattern due to Bank Account Lockdown, until the job thing settles itself down anyways. Once the job thing does come through, trust me, aside from saving for the move back, I'll try to get out on some of the Adventures on mah list! Again, will keep you posted! But now that it looks like I'll be down here for a few more months at least, you should really consider a visit down this-away sometime soonish! Hope you're all well up there - drop a line!

BYE!
J!

Gone with the Wind... And Back Again!

Hi!

Well. Here we are at long last! As you may or may not remember, I went back to Tucson/San Diego for a spur-of-the-moment visit. Got back last Friday the 3rd of Sept, a week later than scheduled. And so come that Sunday evening I absolutely could not bring myself to check-in like I was supposed to. This is because, quite simply, I think I had post-trip blues, and by checking-in, I was coming back to the routine and admitting the trip really was over. I was sad in other words. Wanted to be back there. But, over the week, I managed to get over it, well, enough that I have now started a Return Strategy, primarily contingent on getting a job. More on that later. Anyways, here we are - the sun has set, the lorikeets are returning to the evening routine slowly but surely, the crows have moved on to other trees to harass those local birds, the groovy jazz tunes are on the radio, got mah glass o' Merlot - life is pretty good!

So. Work. Yeah, about that...... The hunt is on, let loose the hounds! Kinda back where we were when I returned from my last trip home last year... hhmmmmm. Fingers crossed 7 painfully long months don't go by until successful, gainful employment this time. I have the applications fluttering out there on the breeze, have registered with what could be my 5th, quite possibly the 7th, employment agency (I've lost count), cue "Waiting Game". Will keep you posted.

And then the Weekends! HOORAY! Oh I had The Best Time on myhelp from David and his mad artistic design skillZ, I got mahself the tattoo I've had my heart on for a few years now. I have to say, much as I wanted it and love the design, it's a bit bigger than I expected. Nevertheless, I love it and like rock n' roll it's here to stay! Other time spent in Tucson was taken up with eating mucho Mexican food (you're welcome El Mezon de Cobra and numerous little drive-thru Mexican eateries) and shopping for discounted summer threads - just in time for summer Down Under! Hooray for flipped seasons!

Then it was off to San Diego where my first stop off the plane was to visit Dad in the hospital. He's fine and he was fine going in. Just goes to show that a seemingly blithe comment to your Doc during a routine physical exam can actually save your life. That was a Wednesday, they operated first thing Friday morning, he was discharged Tuesday by high noon. That Wednesday we were running errands and as we speak he's currently in Mississippi on a 5-day Scotch tasting tour with a buddy of his. Triple-bypass? What triple-bypass?? I think, among allllll the other "preventative exams" we have to go for during our lives, they should force us at around say age 50 to get an angiogram every two years or so. Imagine how many heart troubles/deaths they could prevent with that????

So besides the crash course in "You and Your Open Heart Surgery", San Diego was a way awesome visit because I got to catch up with family, Katie (at Disneyland!), as well as two friends I hadn't seen in roughly 20 years: Amaru and Teresa. And to think at the time we were thick as thieves, who could've predicted the next time we'd see each other would be 20 years later. And as lame, Hallmark Card as this sounds, it warms my heart and allows me to sleep a bit better at night knowing Teresa and her family, and Amaru and his family, are happy and well. As always there wasn't nearly enough time to catch up. One visit over pizza and ice cream can't possible begin to touch the tip of the iceberg that is 20 years. But never mind, we've connected and there's no way another 20 years is gonna go by before we chat or hang out again! Hooray!

And before I knew it it was time to board Amtrak for LA and the plane back to Brisbane. Needless to say I was incredibly sad to leave. But in the time I've been back I've devised a Return Strategy that will see me return to San Diego permanently, hopefully within the next year or so. As I mentioned it's in it's early stages due to lack of investor financing (a.k.a. Job). Again, will keep you posted.....

And now for the Brisbane part of the show! It's much the same. Lovely, laid-back, sunny and easy-going. It's springtime here at the moment, which means the weather is glorious. Not that winter isn't, it just means the nights aren't so chilly. It's a lovely city really. And if I'm headed back to the US in the next year or so, you better stuff that piggy bank and get another one cos if you want a tour guide, you'd better put a shake in it!

Otherwise, to summarize my time back here, I'd say it's actually been quietly busy. Looking for work, chores, walks, catching up with a few friends.... The usual really!

So there you have it. Apologies for the long delay. Won't happen again for a while, I can tell you! I hope you're all well up there - I miss everyone like mad. Hurry and save your pennies and come down and visit!!!!

BYE!
J!