Time Flies to May..........!

Street Art in the 'Gabba

Hi!

Well. It's been a while.......  But first things first. The march of technology, in addition to Blogger in their infinite wisdom, has dictated that I update my little blog template. I've resisted it for a few years as whenever I've succumbed to their updates, baaaad things have happened in the background (as you may recall from snafus with uploading photos........ and it could happen again, we'll see.......). And, seeing as I went to school to learn how to make films and TV not computers, I can only fix so much. Now finally change has rendered my resistance futile and updated and modern I am. It's still a work in progress, so to use construction parlance - please excuse my dust. Either way, I hope you like it. Then again, you have as much choice in the matter as I do!

So, the delay in checking in........ there's really been nothing to report.

S.B. Palace

Every week has been pretty much like the last. And really, it's only been 4 weekends since last checking in, and over those 4 weekends, sadly, not much has been happening. My tiny, dumpy apartment block has seen two annoying tenants move out (OK, 4 if you count the fact they were couples) and 2 new tenants move in, including the unit next door to me. It's a young gal and she seems nice with her head screwed on (tho why she's living in this dump is probably the same reason I am and why I've failed to move - it's cheap and it's close). Our poor old suffering washing machine, killed off finally by one of the recent ex-tenants with her obsession with spinning everything numerous times, was finally replaced with a newer model. My lovely Indian neighbors to my other side have finally been given real jobs

Young Neighbor....

and are working on getting their permanent residency. He just finished his Bio-Engineering PhD and is working on post PhD stuff and she's a mechanical engineer thinking of going for more school. Put it this way - they're smarter than all of us in these units rolled together. I really quite like them and am very happy for them - they've worked hard and have had to suffer our racist, bogan (Australian for white trash/redneck) neighbor. My other neighbors below me, you might remember he ended up in a sudden, medically-induced coma for a few days around Xmas, they're expecting their first child and I think that's really cool, am very happy for them. But me, not much happening, tho all is well. Still kicking around the idea of buying a place, but it could be held off for a wee while yet as I have a few bills coming due (hello car registration and flights to Cairns and Lake Eyre), so I've been trying to be good about not doing much. That and I'm trying to save my vacation time. Which leads me to my next topic........

Worker Bees (in Melbourne)

So. Work. Is good. In fact, we have the day off today for Labor Day - Hooray! But yes, work has been good, busy, which is super nice. Did I mention they extended my contract 'til the end of March next year? And I told you I've moved permanently from my other team.... Still really happy to be working with my adoptive team. We're getting another editor gal back who'd gone away to have a baby, only two days a week (I envy her tho not her reduced pay check), which will maybe make my life slightly easier...... at least it's someone I can whine about punctuation with! And that's work.....!

And then there were a few weekends in there, but

Storm Clouds Over the 'Gabba

not much to report. Over most of those weekends the weather was appalling - rain rain rain and wind and cold and damp. This weekend has thankfully been perfect, so Saturday I took myself on a little bit of an Adventure walk - from my house over to Southbank to check out this year's Buddha's birthday celebrations (lovely, tho slightly crowded). Then I continued wandering to Woolloongabba..... not much to see or report from that really. I'd gone to a little cafe called Canvas (neat, hip n' groovy, nice little place, tho we weren't there long) for a drink with a co-worker a few nights previous (on our way to our totally riveting Qld. Editor's Society monthly meeting - yawn) and thought it'd be nice to check the 'hood out during the day. Meh. See, I used to take my wee scooter to the Yamaha dealer around there for it's check-ups and since I've sold it, well, the dealer moved and they've been fixing up that part of town like it's the Next Big Thing. Eh. For one it's right near the stadium where they have some pretty big cricket and rugby games, tho not around the same time because of the pitch or the grass or whatever... I don't know, I hit "mute" when that bit comes on in the news), it's around one of the biggest and busiest intersections in town.... ehhh, I wouldn't live over there, even if they do have the German Club, two whopping huge hospitals and a good bus-way!

Kitchen Organization.....

And then yesterday, Sunday, I took the car out for a spin and we ended up at Ikea of all places, oh dear. But thankfully the crowds were pretty thin (tho not all of them - har har har) and I was able to wander and redecorate to my heart's content - ideas galore. Picked up a new shelf thing for the kitchen, although I might have to make more of an effort and re-hang it with proper butterfly screws because I'm convinced it's going to crash down at any time because the drywall is super thin and brittle....... But I was determined, tired and slightly cranky that I don't live in a normal apartment..... But it looks great - more space, until it crashes down that is!

And today, a day off to do no labor has been pretty much just that. Checking

Small But Comfy!

in, emails.... might watch another episode of Mad Men (finally up to season 3!) and that's about it.

So there you have it. See? You haven't really missed anything. I did want to write but knew all 3 of you would be bored stupid, so again, I thought I'd spare you. You're welcome! But hope you're all well up there! Hurry and book that visit - the couch will be available August 9th, you'd be more than welcome!

BYE!

J!

Small and Pretty, Spiky!

P.S. So far so good with uploading photos, aside from some funky spacing issues....... overall, they must've listened to people's complaints because it was a thousand times easier than with template updates in the past! And bonus - captions that are easy to add!