Hi!Well. Here we are. Late. Pretty late. Part of it is because of being busy and getting in too late and not having a maid, and the other part can be attributed to sheer laziness. But, we're here now - the sun is shining bright and happy, the birds, especially those chatty lorikeets, have been out there twittering away. It's a breezy, warm afternoon, but thankfully not too humid. Gotta love every season here that's not summer! Have got the groovy internet jazz tunes, tho it's a bit early for the glass of white wine.... even tho it's a part of the "ritual" that is checking in........ maybe just a small one........ I have a new favorite stand-by white wine - Jacob's Creek Cool Harvest Pinto Grigio - mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Life is good!
So. Work. Yep. Is really good. A couple weeks back they FINALLY coughed up an extended 12-month contract and a permanent transfer from my home
department (Communications) to my foster department (F/A18 Technical Publications). WHEW. Took them long enough. But, am very happy to have been made a permanent, although temporary, part of their team. They're super nice folks who work hard and get along well. There's always a ton of work to do so am never at a loss for something to do or someone to help. Ahhhhhhhh! Nice change from this time last year! And I know for a fact that my bank account is super happy I've moved too, although I'm sure my freight forwarder and numerous shops (I'm looking at you Walgreens and Bath & Body Works) are lamenting my absence. Still, am happy to have gainful employment for another year! Hooray!And then there were a few weekends in there.... I'll do my best to cast mah memory back....... Oh, I remember, that first Saturday I
went to a gal at work's baby shower (her first), which was nice but packed full of small, drooling people. Thankfully no mobile children, just boneless droolers who thankfully didn't cry too much (tho lots of them seemed to like throwing up on guest holders. I thought it was funny). It was a really nice afternoon. Tho I must say, baby showers are sort of strange things - "I got knocked up so give me stuff". Hmmm. Still, it was a nice afternoon with really good finger foods, no stupid games and lots of nice folks. Then after that, I went to have dinner with my friend David at his sister and her husband's house in the super nice 'hood of River Hills. They made Mexican (well, th
e best you can do when your only supplies come from the Old El Paso brand). Her husband has a recording studio in their house and does stuff for up and coming artists/bands. It's not a big studio but he seems to do well enough that he doesn't have to work - niiiiice. And in his spare time he's written a screenplay (and composed most of the music), The Lion Awakes, about the friendship between JR Tolkein and CS Lewis during WWII, and is currently being shopped around with interest from Oxford University - cooooooool! Good luck to him!And then that Sunday I was unable to check in because I'd gone up to visit my friend Kim at her place in her 'hood of Brendale (the
description at the link there doesn't say much but it's growing at the rate of a few new sub-divisions a year, in addition to the light industrial stuff), about half an hour north of my place, to scope out her gated community complexy thingy, called The Grange, as I'm considering buying a "villa" in there and didn't get back until late in the evening........ It's a long story but suffice to say I'm sick of my little place (and my neighbors), I want something nicer and bigger with more room (and a garage) and the only place in town where I can remotely afford to buy something is up around the area where she lives. Places in her complex are mainly 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, single or double garage, big, tiled, bright, with a decent-sized patch of grass in back to play with, all for around $240,000 - cheeeeeeeeeeeap for Brisbane. Plus, if I get sick of the commute (about half an hour on a very regular train) I can rent it out for around $335+ a week, which is pretty good according to folks I've spoken to who "know" about these things. I've already spoken with one mortgage broker (beats doing the work and dealing with banks myself, plus the bank pays them, not me - bonus) and am currently 
getting a second opinion about what I can or want to afford. Apparently, the banks will happily loan me like $400,000+ but oh no, am no dummy, I just want $230,000+/-! So we'll see how it goes. And too, I have to wait for the "right" unit/villa to come up for sale because currently the few that are going have been bought and the ones still for sale I didn't like where they were in the complex...... I have yet to speak to the on-site sales manager, but there's no rush until the money business is sorted. Sigh. It's either these hoops and waiting or renting and spending that much more money on something that isn't mine....... The debate continues, but it can't hurt to consider the options........! Will keep you posted!
And then there was last weekend.............................. Hmmmmmm....... what did I do......... Chores, laundry and even ironing....... because I was having yet another invasion from the property manger/owner that coming Tuesday (again, another wasted day off from work because of my trust issues). And then Sunday I spent most of the day on the phone catching up with friends/family overseas (Happy Birthday KT!)........... And yes, by the time we all finished chattering it was getting way past dinner time!And then there was this lovely 4 day weekend - hooray for Easter! Friday I didn't do much at all. Read my book, thought about the new movie I want to write (have been inspired by David's brother-in-law), watched an HBO movie "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" (pretty good but so sad) and a few episodes of "The Big C" (not the most upbeat of subject matters considering I have a good friend diagnosed with stage 4 Melanoma, but a most excellent show with good humor and a great cast). That was Friday - lovely!
Saturday was up and out early with Kim and her friend Roger who
was visiting from Newcastle (you might remember it was a mini-Adventure of ours a few weekends ago) to show him around a bit of Brisbane, complete with ferry ride and a glass of beer at the casino before heading home to change to go out to dinner at Kookaburra (!) and then off to see Tony Bennett (yes, he's still alive, tho 
barely, at 85). I have to say he was EXCELLENT. He played for a good hour and a half without a break, and belted out the tunes like a guy 30 years younger. Geez Louise I was impressed. And my seat helped too I'm sure - second row center! It was a great evening. If you get the chance, and if he's still alive, I highly recommend going to see him. Not many performers out there at his caliber. Hats off to him!Yesterday, Sunday, was a bit of laundry and a trip into town to meet up with a friend from work (one of the very few folks I'll hang out with outside of work) for a few
glasses of champagne/wine and nibbles. Then, needing a change of scenery, we walked over the bridge to the super nice, "new" (refurbished) end of Southbank for more champagne and nibbles and to watch the sunset as it reflected off the buildings of the city across the glittering river. The restaurants were all busy but not packed, which was super nice. And then, a bottle of champagne and seafood terrine and haloumi nibbles later, we wandered back through Southbank with a pit stop in QPAC to scope out what shows are coming and to partake of their potties and then it was off to our respective buses home (at the respectable hour of 9pm). It was a fantastic afternoon/evening! Hooray for 4 day weekends! Man, I wish every weekend was a 4 day weekend!
And then today has been reading my book, doing more research for the movie I want to write and checking in with you! Whew! It's been a lovely break with just enough to do that I didn't get bored or stir crazy. Tho it's a bummer "vacation" has to end, we get another day off towards the end of the month for Anzac Day (kinda like a Veterans Day for Australians and NZers). Hooray for a break (and paid, no less)!Oh, and a mini-milestone - for the first time in over 5 years I have finally been able to put my hair in
the world's smallest pony tail. Am very happy. It's been 5 months since my last hair cut - I'm trying to hold out until mah birthday (July) to finally get it tidied up - thus making it 8 months of trying to grow it out and enduring numerous god-awful awkward stages. Plus, it doesn't help that my hair is naturally wavy and hates all styling products. Am not doing too bad so far...... Hooray! Not that I didn't like the short hair, loved it, but it's time for a change and options again!And there you have it. See? You weren't missing much at all. Although there're no Adventures on the books yet (amazing!), with
Mommy's impending arrival in June I'd better get booking..........! But am sorry for taking so long to check in. Hope you're all well up there. Now that the furnace of summer has been dialed down a little, feel free to scope out deals to come on down and visit! You've got from now until November/December - make the most of it! Tho, I am booked up from June to the beginning of August, feel free to come after then! It'll be fun!BYE!
J!
