Halloween Capers & Ikea

Hi!

Well. Am sorry for not checking in last week. I'm pretty sure it was a busy week and then it was, I'm pretty sure, a really busy weekend..... And this week was kinda the same. But busy with stuff, not fun busy.... well, ok some of it was fun, but not Adventure fun. Hmmm.

So yes, work. Yep. Is good. I really like my job and as the time passes I seem to be getting my head around it all a bit more. But I will take this opportunity to mention that a gal at work in my old department got busted for whining about work on her MySpace Blog. Yeah. I've never been so bad, but, will suffice to say, I love my job, the coworker with the nose out of joint is still out of joint, my boss is still away on vacation, back next week - which is when the nail biting really starts for me; am on tenterhooks as to whether or not I'll be extended in my current contract (ending 31st Dec). As a matter of fact (and not corporate bitching), he told our acting boss that he actually has no idea what I do most of the time and to keep an eye on me. Yeah. So when he gets back from 5 weeks of vacation, I have to hope that he's in a good enough mood to just extend my contract without thinking about it too much. He's been told by numerous people what I do but he seems to have a selective memory.

Ok. I think have just broken the Corporate Bitching via Internet Rules.

Don't care cos no one at work will find my random little outburst if they tried (she says semi-confidently).

So, fingers crossed I get extended. I did actually just apply for a job a level above mine in my old department. I had like 3 people (the folks I do most of my work for, ironically enough) push me into doing it. Am not really qualified, or if I am it's in the broadest of terms. We'll see. I had to turn my application in late and I had to ask the contact gal (who'd also be my boss, whom I kinda know from department's past) if I could turn in my application in late, no less. Not a good start. Nevertheless, she took it and is short-listing tomorrow, so we'll see what shakes down from that. My old boss, from said Department Past, kinda hinted to me when I was there that this gig might come up, so I sort of felt like I'd be letting him down if I didn't apply. So! We'll see what happens!!!? Otherwise, all's well, I got my big project from the printing house and have started distributing it, and so far everyone seems pretty happy with it. Good!

And then there were a couple weekends in there........ Last week, well, it's kind of, well, foggy. The one shining thing I do remember, no, two shining things, no, actually three shining things are, starting with Friday after work - I went with Bruce and his two 14 year old sons to the Manly Halloween Parade. They don't really do Halloween here, but more so than in NZ. It really is an American tradition (cool), but like it or lump it it's catching on here. So this neighborhood, Manly/Wynnum (about 1/2 hour, 45 minutes from the City on the train east towards the bay) throws a massive block party on Halloween, complete with booths (not many) and a big parade. Bless 'em for bothering. I have to say, I had the best time! Then Bruce and I and the 2 boys headed to another suburb for a friend of his' Halloween party. Eh. Not so good. But we all bobbed for apples (I don't think I did that even when I was a kid), and can I just say I got mine on the 3rd grab. Yeah! But we didn't stay long. Such a good night overall tho. His kids are way cool. Far cooler than I was or anyone else at the same age back in the 80's was. They're really funny and cluey (smart/quick/clever, as the locals say) and just interesting. It was neat to meet them and they apparently liked me! Cool!

And that Saturday was recovery and chores (sorta). Then that Sunday I went with Sarah to one of The Happiest Places on Earth - Ikea! I spent a small fortune, but on stuff I've been wanting. Need? Not so much, but want - yes. Bookshelves. And some bits. I love the place, I don't care what anyone says. If you think about it, you go into any other furniture store, the prices are pretty much the same if not more for the same particle-board crap. It's just the design and color that's different. And the fact that at Ikea, 9 times outta ten you have to put it together yourself, which keeps it cheap. Hmmm. And, too, with Ikea, you get what you pay for - like anywhere else. You want Oak, you pay for Oak, etc. That's my rationale and I'm stickin' to it! Anyways, later that evening was celebratory drinks with a bunch of firemen who'd passed their test to go from regular firefighter to station officer. Am a bit hazy on what a station officer does exactly, and I probably should know for my job, but how it works is the guys (and gals) who passed put $200 bucks + on the bar and everyone drinks to celebrate their new lofty status. I was invited to "network". Well, it was a good night, I did meet some new folks and caught up with some that I work with all the time. But out of work and in civilian clothes, with drinks in their hands, it's always far more interesting! But unfortunately that night went a bit longer than sensibility dictated. Thankfully I'd already scheduled to have the next day, Monday, off. So that next day I feebly put together my Ikea stuff and napped. Sad.

And then it was into another week. Went fast and uneventfully. Friday after work a little group of us went to dinner at the pub next to work. It was nice and ended early. Saturday was chores, in 90 degree heat with a million percent humidity. After I finished that it was off to Bruce's house in Wynnum (again!) for a BBQ with his family. It was fantastic. But I unfortunately stayed past my bus times and had to impose on their spare room. Then this morning it was up early and back into the City to meet with a small group of folks from work for brunch and a wander around the Riverside markets, followed by a glass of wine and a pedicure.

I swear, sometimes I write this stuff and can't believe it's me doing this stuff. 'Course, it's not like it's scaling Mt. Everest........

And now here I am! WHEW! Tho I must say, in my travels today, I did buy an awesome old-school blues cd by a guy from Melbourne - you'd never in a million years guess that he's A) White, B) Australian or C) Released this cd in March of this year. It's sooooooo good! C.W. Stoneking "Jungle Blues". If you're into that kinda music, I highly recommend it. Oh, and I did have five minutes to myself at some point during the week where I was able to watch "The Prestige". Man. It was fantastic. I haven't seen a movie like that in yeeeeaarrss. I highly recommend it if you're into 1800's magician themes.

So there you are! Busybusybusy! Hopefully this week will be quiet and low-budget. I hope you're all well up there. I'll apologize here and now, again and again, for being so rotten with writing emails. I guess because I write this once a week and am on the computer all day everyday at work..... nah, lame excuses all of them. Am sorry. Either way, hope you're all well up there and are planning your trip down here!!!!?

BYE!
J!

Relaxing & Painting with Bond, James Bond

Hi!

Well. Sorry am late. It was such a quiet weekend that I couldn’t drag myself away from my James Bond book…….. Really. Honest. After how exciting last weekend was, well, this weekend didn’t rate on the scale. But it was an otherwise fine and dandy week. Slow to start, and then next thing we were having after-work drinks in the pub Friday evening!

So work. Yep. Is good. Sent my big project to the printing house today. So that’s one off my desk! It’s funny, whenever these projects finally get wrapped up, all the little projects that were waiting in the wings, well, they kinda grow while they were waiting. But the good thing is that I can devote more attention to them and thus watch them grow and flourish! Hooray for work! Here’s to fingers, toes, arms, legs, everything crossed that my little contract gets renewed when my boss comes back from his vacation in the middle of November. I’m due to expire at the end of December….. eeeeek! Here’s hoping! So yes, work, is good. Not as crazy busy as it was, which is good. Means I can focus more. But I do rather like being busy. Sure makes the time shoot past!

And then it was the weekend. Ahhhhh. Am still sunburned from last weekend. Yeah. Lesson learned. Do they make a factor 50 sunscreen???? But yes, the weekend started off on the right foot Friday evening with drinks after work, but we were very good and left just as the sun was setting. Then Saturday was up with the sun (well, maybe slightly just after. I mean, it is rising at 4.59am and getting earlier as we go) to go get mah hair cut. It’s funny having such short hair cos you really notice when it starts to do its own thing. And I don’t have much hair at this point so I don’t quite know how after she cut it, it could get any shorter! But there it is and it looks cool. Very short. Halle Berry short. I love it. But am going to grow it out a bit just for something different.

See what I mean about the weekend being pretty dull? Am talking at length about getting my hair cut (no pun intended).

And then I ran around the Logan Hyperdome. Don’t ask me what a Hyperdome is exactly. They do that in the UK too – call malls and supermarkets Hyperdomes ('course, 'Supermarket' must be the same thing.... hmmm). But not all malls here are called Hyperdomes. And this one wasn’t any bigger than, say the Chermside Mall – and that mall is massive, and it's just a 'mall'. So anyway, after getting the hair cut I wandered around the mall- sorry, Hyperdome (cos have never been there and wanted to see what a Hyperdome was all about) and did manage to spend a little bit of money. Not too bad. I did need a new purse after all, one that actually holds my book, water, mp3 player (with headphones), etc. Then it was back into town for a trip to the library (gotta stock up on mah James Bond books!) and by then it was more than enough running around and time for home where the wine lives.

And then Sunday. I was good and got a fair bit of painting done. It really is a chore that keeps on going, but am only working away at it a bit at a time and it is all the trims of the windows, bathroom, doors and then I have to do a bit of highlighting (cos I just can’t do this by half), then the edges of the walls where the rollers didn’t get, and then I want to go through and do all the doors with the same white as the apt. I know it’s a massive effort for such a dumpy little place and no return from the landlord, but I really don’t mind. It makes the place look so much better, brighter and fresher. I don’t care how much it cost and how long it’s taking! Plus, I love painting, so there.

So there it is. See? Told you. Wasn’t really worth writing about. But here I am. It was a good and quiet weekend overall. Besides, I should really start getting into lockdown mode so I can save for An Adventure. Tho I do need a fridge….. maybe a microwave…… an iron…… Hmmm. So yes. C’mon down, the weather’s been absolutely fantastic!!!!!!!

BYE!
J!

Burning with the Sun

Hi!

Well. I know it was a busy week because it went by so fast, but darned if I can remember anything interesting that happened….. Nope. Just the usual work week. No exciting mid-week parties (though we are getting into the season soon), no exciting mid-week trips, no exciting mid-week anything besides work. Hmm.

So work. Yeah. Is good. I like my job, it’s interesting. In fact, the beginning of the week saw the Qld Fire & Rescue Service get international accreditation, from representatives of the United Nations no less (!) that will now enable the QFRS to go anywhere in the world if there’s a disaster of some kind and not only can they help, but they can organize and boss people around when they get there. Pretty neat. Qld is the only state in the country to have the honor. Not sure why, say, the New South Wales or especially Victorian Fire Depts. didn’t go for it as well or first, but Qld beat them to the punch and now QFRS is in the lead! So basically all of the folks that I work with that wear an officer’s uniform were participating in the exercises. They had to work with the Federal Police and the State Police in setting up and coordinating mock terrorist attacks around the city, various scenarios with casualties at all hours, etc. It sounded like it was really intense and reallyreally interesting. So even if I’m not directly a part of that stuff, just working with the guys who were and hearing the stories is so interesting and kinda cool. So yeah, I really dig my job. Even if, after how many months, we’re still kinda trying to figure out what it is I really do. I think we have it pretty nailed down, but there’s always new stuff I put my hand up for to help them with. Oh – and I got to go do 2 days of Adobe Flash training! Coooooool I love learning new stuff. A gal I work with (not the one with the nose still waaay outta joint, thankfully. No, the reallyreally nice one) and I are going to be updating some discs with interactive stuff and, well, fix other web stuff. So we’re quite excited to get started on those projects. But, before any projects or anything gets started, I’m having 2 days off! Hooray! Taking tomorrow and Tues off. All that time banked up in the timesheet again and if you don’t use those days, you lose them at the start of the new month. And because I’m no fool and love a good PAID day off, am takin’ ‘em! Hooray!!!

And then the weekend. For once I was good and came straight home after work. No after work drinks. No nothin’. Gosh, in fact, I was pretty much asleep in front of the TV by 8pm. Sad. No, did nothing exciting because first thing Saturday morning a group of us went down to the Gold Coast to celebrate Christine’s birthday by playing at Dreamworld (theme park, kinda like……. hmmm….. Knott’s Berry Farm……) and then out to dinner, and the beach today! Ahhhh, it was most excellent! She’d rented a 3 bedroom apartment for the night right smack in the middle of Surfer’s Paradise, so walking distance to all the restaurants and bars, etc. Dreamworld was, yeah, kinda like Knott’s Berry Farm in that they have a few good “scary” rides, a Nickelodeon theme, quite kid-oriented, and get this – it opens at 10am and closes at (wait for it….) 5pm! Man. If Aussies could do all of Disneyland in a day and still be standing, I’d be impressed. Cos this lot was absolutely beat by 4pm. But I have to admit I was too. But it was such a good day and lots of fun. Then it was to the apartment for a rest, a shower and some drinks, and then out to dinner at the Hard Rock Café (Christine’s special birthday pick). Then we were going to continue to party on (Wayne) but after just trying to walk from the apartment to the restaurant, we realized all the drunken hoodlums were out in force (they always are in Surfer’s Paradise. Every Sunday evening on the news is full of stories about hoodlums causing trouble in Surfer’s; which is weird because all the tourists go there). So we decided we’d just take the party to the apartment where we had lots of nibbles and booze and good music. It was fun but ended pretty early. In fact, the birthday girl was in bed by 11pm! Then this morning we got ourselves organized and just 3 of us headed to the beach (the others had to go home). Ahhhhhhhhhhh, I love the beach. My skin doesn’t so much, but I do. Yeah. I have quite funny sunscreen patterns on my arms. Oh well. It’ll fade in no time. Once the pain from the burn goes away! So yes, a very good weekend was had by all!!!!!!! Now I can cross one thing off my Australia Adventure List – Dreamworld!

And that’s that! Am just sooooo happy to have the next 2 days off. Not only am I beat, but ooooooh, the sunburn! Sunburn and office wear don’t seem to go so well together………. Not really sure what to do for mah 2 days of freedom……. laundry, sleep, not spend money, soak myself in aloe vera!

So hope you’re all well up there! C’mon down – the water’s fine!

BYE!

J!

Chicken Pies & the Civil War

Hi!

Well. Sorry for the delay. Lots of errands, a trip to the pub, and then next thing I knew the day (and evening) was waaaay gone! All apologies….. But otherwise the week was good. Busy at work, busy weekend. Busybusybusy. But good busy!

So work. Yep. Is pretty good. The week was crazy busy as boss was winding down before taking off for 5 weeks’ vacation. But the storm has now passed, we have a really nice and funny guy acting in the boss’ job until he gets back, things will be good. For being as tired as I was all day today, I got lots done. And then, as we speak, am waiting for that second load of laundry to finish, took out the trash, etc. Ahhhh, getting stuff done after work – has been a fantastic day for a Monday!

So yeah. Last Tuesday I met Natasha at the pub for 2-for-Tuesday dinner. Mmmmmm. Chicken pie. Was goooooood. And then Friday I went to Cindy’s house and had a couple glasses of wine and pizza(!) with her and her husband Miles (who’s been trying to convert me to Apple Macs and IPods… hmmm) and then we watched “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” – I love that movie. It’s fantastic. I see something different every time I watch it. Bill Murray is most excellent. I highly recommend it.

And then the weekend. It was good. Saturday was kinda weird in that I slept in (cos it was rainy), made a huge breakfast, read my book for a bit and then, breaking all weekend rules, I sat and watched TV - the first disc out of four in the Ken Burns series about the Civil War. Wow! It’s sooooo good! And then I had a too-long nap, and watched one of my dvd rentals “Fearless” (one of my top fave movies ever), and then next thing I knew it was bedtime! But come Sunday, whew, out of the house at 9am to run errands all day with Natasha and spend money like I had it on a couple “summer” clothes. Then had to rush home to meet a friend from work to go to the pub. And then next thing I know it was 5.30am this morning and time for work! Ahhhhh, it went too fast but it was nice. Very productive in a roundabout kinda way!

And that’s that! Oh yeah, a guy from work has a good friend that lives here from Seattle that he’s been wanting me to meet. She apparently throws a mean Halloween party, which is kind of interesting in that they don’t really “do” Halloween here. It’s not as bad as it was in NZ with their “No Trick or Treaters Permitted”, etc, signs, but it’s certainly not as nuts as it is in the States. So am supposed to go with him this week sometime to meet her and help her plan her party. Cool. I haven’t been to a costume party (or, as the locals call it – ‘fancy dress’) since I was a kid. Am actually kinda looking forward to it. Now what to dress up as………

So there you are. Hey, now that the stock market is floating around in the toilet, the exchange rate has been pretty good if you’re coming here with US dollars (or sending it to me as a gift), or really rotten if you’re, say, me trying to pay off a US credit card in Australian dollars…….. So for now it looks like The Adventures won’t be realized quite as quickly as I’d hoped. Thank you George Bush Jr.! Which reminds me, have just received my early voter ballot – go Obama! Ok. That’s as political as I’ll get. Hope you’re all well – c’mon down!

BYE!
J!

Muggy Days of Quiet

Hi!

Well. It was a good week. Short, cos I had Monday off. Excellent. And because I do “normal” hours, well, what I’m used to in my home country, which is like 8 – 8.5 (a standard Queensland Government working day is, get this, 7.15 – good ol Australia), I build up ‘day off time’ in, well, no time. So am looking at having yet another day off, maybe this week….. Ahhhhh. Hooray for working for days off!!!

So work. Yep. Is good. Busy, but not stupid, unmanageable busy. I find all this directorate policy stuff for firefighters fairly interesting. I mean, never having worked in any sort of policy area, and the fact that some of what I do directly affects firefighters, well, it’s all kinda cool. And scary. But mainly cool. Am learning lots and lots, and meeting some interesting policy makers (and spending an incredible amount of time in meetings, which is weird for me, but interesting nonetheless). I just really like it, aside from all the political and personality disorders, but yes, I am a magnet for this stuff it would seem so am getting used to it. But I do have to say one thing – my boss is going on 6 weeks vacation next week. It’s still up in the air who’s going to sit in for him, but it should be….. interesting and different, that’s all I’m sayin’! Man, wish I could have 6 weeks of PAID vacation time. That’s ok, am happy to even have one paid day off. Beats temping by a long shot!

Thursday and Friday were actually more exciting than the weekend, now that I think back on it. It was a gal I work with’s Birthday Friday, but Thursday she invited a big group of us work folk to the Paddo pub for dinner. It was a reallyreally great night. Laughs all around. It was too much fun to be having on a school night, but well worth it. And then Friday she invited me with her closest friends to her real Birthday dinner at this Thai restaurant up the road from me (how considerate of her to plan her events so near to my house!) where the food was a bit eh, and came an hour after we ordered (Thai food at 9pm? Ugh), but her friends were really cool and interesting (most of them from her high school days, which was just a handful of years ago, bless ‘em…. Yes, everyone I know is young; that’s because the folks I know that are my age are all married and really boring). It was a really good couple of nights.

And then the weekend. It was, overall, extremely quiet, which was really nice compared to how exciting the week was, party-wise. Saturday was the usual chores and errands with Natasha. And today was nothing. Took a nice long nap, read my book, watched “Splash” on tv (midday – gasp! I never watch tv during the day, especially on weekends!) but it was actually pretty funny, and not that dated of a movie. And I don’t know that I ever saw it from beginning to end. Really cute. John Candy. Man. Jack Black is probably the closest personality like him that we have these days, but that doesn’t really compare. He was so damn naturally funny. Shame.

And honestly, that’s it. Quiet. Recharging the batteries, taking a break from those Friday evening after work at the pub sessions. I should have done some more painting today but it was 90 in the house, same as my day off on Monday, and granted I got lots and lots of painting done, it was bloody hot. So I was quite happy to sit in this back room here with the fan and pseudo chill out. It was nice. Boring for those playing along at home, but nice for me.

So there you have it. Don’t worry, am $1,400+ away from planning real adventures. And am also in the process of writing my permanent job description with the hopes that I not only get to keep my job, but that I get a raise. Watch this space!

So hope you’re all well up there! If you like muggy heat, c’mon down!

BYE!

J!

Hanging with Errands

Hi!

Well. That week went by fast. They all seem to, really. Maybe it’s me getting old; maybe it’s that I’m busy at work. Dunno. All I know they all start painfully slow and then magically it’s Friday, then Sunday. Hmmm. Good thing I like my job otherwise it would all be so much more painful (and the weekends would go faster).

So work. Yep. Is good. Busy. Since I finished the big project I was working on, yet also working on lots of little ones, I seem to get nothing done. Lots of interruptions, which are all fine, I don’t mind in the least, but I don’t seem to be finishing one thing beginning to end, I seem to be getting stuff done in little chunks. It’s weird. But I don’t mind, so far as I know, am still doing a great job. And that’s all that matters, especially in light of the fact that my contract is due to expire at the end of December. Sigh. Some day I won’t have to worry about expiring. Well, my job anyways.

And then the weekend. Friday evening started at the pub across from work to send off our consultants (one of whom I went with on the wine tour of Stanthorpe last year, the tour I was so looking forward to and yet was deathly ill the whole time). Then I was off to Southbank and the Plough Inn for Linus’ birthday drinks. Was a good girl and kept to just two drinks as had to be up early for my haircut. But man, I’ll tell you, I was beat. Can’t even stay out standing around chatting anymore cos I pay for it the next day by being so tired! Well, in all fairness, it’s hard to go out for too long on a Friday anyways after a long week at work. Yeah. That’s my excuse.

So yeah, Saturday was my haircut, then zipped over to Ikea for a couple things (just enough to be able to haul it back on the bus), Natasha met me at the haircut, then more errand running and then home. Man, I left the house at 8 and didn’t get home until 4.30pm. Spending money along the way like I have it just lying around. But anymore, I just can’t be that close to Ikea (ten minute drive in a $12 cab) and not go. Sad really. But it was a great day, errands were run, hangars were bought.

And today was laundry and more errands (yes, as a matter of fact I do need a cedar wood shower “mat”). Am now just waiting for the dryer to finish. And just think, one more load to go, but will do that tomorrow… on my Day Off! Hooray! I don’t have to go to work tomorrow! I had too much earned time on my timesheet (you’re allowed 22 hours or so) and if you don’t use them, you actually do lose them. So am having tomorrow off. Not sure what else to do besides laundry…. I spent any money I thought I had….. But ahhhhh I can sleep in and read! Besides, it’s supposed to be like 30 degrees (which translates to around 87, 88 ish), so how much could I possibly have the energy to do??? Man, it’s gonna be a tough summer if it’s starting this early. Good old global warming.

And that’s about it. Am getting so much closer to paying off all my hard earned debt. So when I finally finish with that, I’ll have some champagne for one thing, but will start saving for Real Adventures and get this party started already. I know I bag this dump of an apartment, but man, it’s been worth it to have been able to pay everything off. Awesome!

So there you go. Hope you’re all well up there. Unless you like gross humid and hot, I don’t recommend coming down here until at least March. I think I mentioned that last week, but, well, yeah. Just come down here anyways, either way it’ll be fun!

BYE!

J!

The Corporate Gods Like Offerings of Pizza & Post-Its

Hi!

Well. Magic Mountain has nothing on the week I’ve had. They ought to invent some kind of Corporate Roller Coaster based on weeks like this. But then it was Friday and the weekend (all one day of it – Hooray for that Corporate Roller Coaster and its dips!). Yeah. And now look – it’s already Sunday evening. Sigh.

So work. Yeah. Hmmm. Is basically, technically, perfectly fine and good and busy. The beginning of the week started on quite a high note (folks I like that had been away for quite a few weeks had returned, I’ve wrapped up two of my big time-consuming projects) and my boss was singing my praises to anyone who would stand still long enough. And then, I don’t know, the Corporate Gods thought that was too much and decided to throw a “spanner in the works” and mess with me. Thursday 8.00am dawned bright and cheerful. By 8.05am my day had taken a shift to the very bad. Long story short, and because I don’t want to get done for any kind of Internet Corporate Badmouthing, it was a bad day right through and I was apparently doing not so great a job. Hmmm. Damn those Corporate Gods. And all because I thought I was using initiative in proposing a Sunday of ‘bustin’ some work out’ session with a few folks I work with (higher-ups I might add, who were all for it). That’s all I’ll say. But the folks I work with were behind me and Sunday’s work sesh continued on regardless and was a screaming success. We got lots done, thus saving us weeks of work. In our minds we know I rock. So hopefully this coming week should be smooth sailing….. you hear me, Corporate Gods??! Maybe I should really set up that alter to them after all…… with offerings of chocolate, post-its, paper clips, ‘sign here’ tabs, cans of Coke………….

And then it was Friday! Went out to dinner with a couple people I work with. It was most excellent. Went to a BBQ rib place called Blue Smoke in New Farm; made by, paid by, driven by Americans! Apparently the owner is from Maryland and 2 of the staff that I talked to that night are from the US, one from New Orleans and the other was from Oklahoma. Wow. I even heard a smattering of others at nearby tables. I asked if they were going to be having an election night party and it hadn’t occurred to them – yet! So hopefully they will! Will call them and rattle their cage next week sometime. I think it’d be neat. And they even had cornbread, southern style with a bit of spice to it. All in all it was gooooooood. Tho I must say the BBQ sauce was a bit thick and sweet for my liking, but I think that’s just the east coast/southern way of doing it. It was gooooooooood either way. Then we continued on to the nearby 'hood of Teneriffe for a look around (it’s on the river) and a couple fancy drinks/wine. Man, Teneriffe is niiiiiice, but the odor of botox, plastic and leather car interiors was overpowering. And everyone was young and very white. It was kinda creepy. Like some kind of pod people neighborhood. The wine was nice tho. I think I’ve mentioned Teneriffe before, but it’s where all the all wool storage warehouses have been converted into very fancy pants apartments and lofts. So there you go. Just add the word “warehouse conversion” to any real estate brochure and you automatically double your money. It kinda looks like a snapshot of just the nice parts of Brooklyn, minus the fire escapes on the outside and varied cultures.

And then Saturday was chores and relaxing. Yeah. Needed it after that week. And today was work. It was good. We got so much done. Our rationale for it was that during a normal day we get interrupted too much. So there, we busted it out and now have a much better idea what we’re working with and what needs to be done (a fraction of what we thought we were going to have to do). It was good. Yes, a bummer to have to come in on a lovely sunny Sunday, but way worth it in the long run. Plus, we had a good time, went to breakfast, ordered pizza for lunch, yeah. It was a good (work) day. And now here I am! It’s bloody hot, tho I know this is nothing yet. And Kona chased a skink to the back of the fridge where it’s died. Ahhhhhhhh. In this heat and humidity, there is no smell quite like it. And I can’t move the fridge to get to it because I’m afraid the damn thing will fall apart, that the rust is the only thing holding it all together. Just a couple days of this smell and the flies should have done what they’re on this planet to do. Hopefully. Thankfully, I’ll be at work!

And that’s that! Whew. Well, I hope you’re all well up there. I wouldn’t bother trying to get down here until, ohhhh, March, April next year, ‘cos if it’s this hot and gross now, awww man, there’s like another 5 months of this. Ugh. I don’t deal with humidity very well. Waaaah. But if you like it, c’mon down! We’ll go to places that are air-conditioned! Hooray!

BYE!
J!