Counting down already... For the working week to finish!

How sad is that, I am ALREADY counting down the working week! But it has been a long, not to mention tiring, week!

Things are going along well with regards to the sale, I should hopefully engage an agent next week! The Solicitor has started the contract preparations and we are talking to the bank! I had NO idea that there is SO much work that has to be completed in doing this, zip, zilch NONE!

Last night, I also had dinner with BKBS. I missed S's birthday when we were in Egypt, but I did call on the day! I think, from memory, we were heading towards Cairo at the time! S has also grown So much, and looks as though he will be walking real soon...


God-daughter B on the other hand, was her normal 'happy to see you' self, which I simply love about her! We sat, talked, played silly games before a dinner of taco's, which were so YUMM and I had not had them for ages either; thanks B!

Towel Bat, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Work is really getting busy, REAL busy, and will be that way for more than a few months I suspect. There will be some early morning starts, and even some late afternoon finishes as well!

I am also in the lookout for a hobby, I do not know what, but something to keep me occupied. I may even go back to Uni, change my course, maybe to the MBA, I am not sure. But I feel as though I need to do something new, and to keep my mind active!

And finally, I have decided to not go back to having a cleaner, and that I am more than capable of pushing a vacuum around the house now that I am doing a lot more exercises and that my core muscle groups are stable enough to handle it. Sure, I might get them back every once and a while and do a 'top to bottom' clean, but for the most part, I think I will be OK!

Since I came home, footy season is now well under way, both NRL and AFL. This weekend, I will be most likely heading to the SCG to see the Swans play, so I am hoping that it will be a warmish night. Otherwise, I will be wearing my lovely warm leather jacket from Italy. Of which, I have been wearing to work the last two days; it's excellent!!!

Hoo roo for now...

------

Happy Birthday William!!!!

Today I spent doing some catch up housework... A bit of everything really, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms and mopping the floor. Mow and whipping the lawns and pressure cleaning the back veranda... But for some reason, last night I was unable to sleep until around 3am and my body clock woke me at just after 6am, so I started with some more washing and internal stuff so as not to make to much noise outside!

But at just after 9am, I was half way through cleaning and I so needed a break! So I thought I will do something different, and in hanging out the washing, I noticed something weird... MACC!!!

Maccs assisting in the Bromiliade bed, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Maccs Visiting Hole to dog nextdoor, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Maccs Vege Bed, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

On closer inspection, it wasn't TOO bad, but the damage was done. So I grabbed the shovel and filled it back in! I also had to do the vege patch (thankfully fallow at the moment) and behind the Lemonade tree, where he is trying hard to 'talk' to the new dog next door!

So after the lawns were done, I also weeded the front Rose Garden and with what I could not get out Onion Weed mainly) I mixed up some chemical and sprayed the little buggers! Hopefully, it will kill it off!

I ended my afternoon with a nice hot spa, a drink of Gatorade (I am now drinking my 3lt/day of water or clear fluids) and rested! But then it hit me, (thanks to the wonders of technology) that was my Nephews Birthday! He was turning 5 today, and I had done nothing! I feel so bad right about now... Luckily, we are seeing him on Sunday (for Jamie's birthday) but I will TRY to get over to see him tomorrow! And, in the interim, here are a couple of additional pics of young Will!

William Zachery, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

William Zachery , originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

William Zachery , originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

William Zachery , originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Sam & Will, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

OMG Schnitzle Challenge Bernie William Alex, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Happy Birthday Mr 5!!

William, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

------

Who wants a Greyhound?

Remember how I said I did a clean up? Well here is a little bit of an update... My car IN the garage!

GV Garage, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Anyone want a DUMB Greyhound as a pet?? I mean, I love him and he's a great dog, but he is just so smart, he's dumb...I got a new lounge for outside and he thinks its great! So I put some things about the place to STOP him from sleeping on it...

Maccs Lounge Blockers, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

So when I got home from my BIL after dinner, Macc was nowhere to be seen... now this is a dead give away that he thinks he's in trouble, as he is usually jumping at the backdoor. So I went outside and I noticed that the tablecloth on the outdoor setting was astray... I touched the pillows think there's no way...

Macc trying not to give away his new sleeping spot, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

YES, he was sleeping ON the table!

Anyway, this morning I snuck out to the family room, and fair enough, he was back on the table... I got my camera, but in trying to get the flash up, it beeps and clicks, he heard me and jumped off quicker than I ever thought he could move. So he KNOWS he has done something wrong, right?

So I made a coffee whilst getting ready to come to work, and I snuck back down to the family room (camera already at the ready to go) and bugger me, he was BACK up on the table and when I opened the door to go out and get the pics, he just froze and didn't want to look at me!!!

Macc on table, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Damn CAUGHT, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

I am not looking at you, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

I like this one the most, it almost says "this is a comfy spot, care to join me???"

Comfy would you like to try, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

------

A weekend catch-up

Man, have I been busy! Last week, really, was simply a bit of a blur... I thought I was going to get a new outdoor setting, but in the end (and thanks to the sales woman who wanted to force me into the sale) I have decided to leave it until the Boxing Day Sales instead!

But on Friday, I picked up Sam and William and we went looking at all sorts of 'stuff'! First stop was Harvey Norman to show them the outdoor lounge I was looking at, and then we went to another store for the runner up selection. It is clear that the Seychelles is the best!

After lunch we then headed up north to Dural, where I had visited an Advanced Tree Nursery the week before with 'The In-laws', as they are looking for a tree for the front yard. I now have a very clear decision as to a Christmas present for them, plus I will get some plants for home as well. Mainly a couple of Jacaranda's for the roadside. But, speaking of the front yard, here is how it is coming along. We are having L's birthday here on Friday, so I do want it to look good (and the back as well)!

Frontyard, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

In other news, my sister had surgery yesterday after dropping a knife into her left foot/ankle. At first, the doctors thought she may have severed a ligament or a tendon, so she underwent surgery to have a look. Fortunately for her, she had not and movement should return in her foot soon... Get well soon SIS!

And finally, here is Macc enjoying the front lawn... awwwww

Macc, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

------

My backyard...

Just a quick post to show you my backyard, including the 'Spahouse'!

As we have had a bit of rain, not much, but enough to put out some fertiliser in readiness for Lou's upcoming birthday family celebration to look nice and green. I am really happy with how it is coming on this year, although it still needs a topdressing to level it out in more than a few places!

Aussie Backyard Spa-house, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Not that you can see it in the photo, but the small area below the spa is still a little bare, and I will be (now that I am staying home) paving it and putting the outdoor table setting onto it. And under the verandah, I am trying to find a Rattan or Water Hyacinth lounge. I am going shopping (looking) today, and this might just be my Wedding Anniversary present!

------

Another part gone...

Today, we said another farewell to some more of L... I donated her more formal clothes (work and evening) to an organisation called 'Suited for work. We, her parents and I, last week went through all of it and sorted it all into piles of shirts, skirts, pants and dresses. They were in the second bedroom. All of the boxes of shoes were also sorted into groups as well! I was going to take a photo of it all, but alas, I forgot... Sorry! (picture is linked to their website IF you want to have a look at them...)

Suited For Work, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

So today, they came and collected what they wanted (which was most of it). Now, whilst it says 'Women helping other women build self esteem and gain Independence', I feel honoured that she is still making a difference by her clothes helping the cause. More so, as her work has also done a clothing drive, as she had talked about this program at work, so I now feel more confident, that I have done the right thing...

After that, we (L's parents and I) went up to the Hills district to look for the tree for the front yard to remember L. It was awfully hot, the cars thermometer at one point said it was 44c, so we called it a day and came home for lunch. Storms are now rolling through and it is a little cooler, but humidity has gone through the roof!! ------

Spa Repair

As it is getting hotter in town, and after doing a water change last week, the spa developed a problem... The circulation pump, which actually pumps water through the filter, went 'belly-up'! So I took it out, and off I went to the Poll and Spa shop only to find out that, even though the parent company Monarch, had gone out of business, the circulation pump was actually a cheap Chinese import, and that a NEW one (that will not match existing plumbing OR union joints) will need to be sourced, grrrrrr!

So the search began (by the pool shop) to find a newbie, and I headed on my way. That was Tuesday. This morning though, with the temp heading north of 35 today and 40+ over the next two days, I got a call telling me my pump was in, an Aussie one and everything will match up, YEAH!

So I drove to the shop, and the first thing I saw was that the end of the electrical cable was wrong, but I think I can make do with that... Simply open up the electrical box and swap it for the one on the old pump, right? Simple? Sure was!!!

Old (left)_New (right), originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Inside spa circ pump removed, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Spa Circuit Board, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Job Finished, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

As you can see, the Supervisory Cat was on duty...

Watch Cat, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Whilst all of this was going on, me outside in the heat, where was Macc? Asleep of course (and I dare not startle him, as his head is UNDER the TV cabinet!

Sleepy Macc, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

------

Blooming technical issues!

Over the last week or so, I have been having more than a few 'technical' issues with my laptop. It has been (for a little while) not good with SKYPE, and over the last week, really slow to start up. In fact, on Monday night when I finally decided to get off all my data, and do a clean install (thinking of W7), it took nearly 5 hours to transfer nearly 80GB. OK, I hear what you're saying, that's a lot of data... But it had a very slow bit rate as the processor was running at 100% on other things!!

After it was all done, I restarted the laptop (made a coffee, and watched the David Letterman Show as it was 11.45pm) and it was finally ready to start the reload of Vista. Following the instructions to use the recovery DVD, I got a message in big red letters ERROR! Can not read image on disc... ASUS, here we come! It is now back in at the tech desk, they know of the problem, and I should have it back as early as today!

BUT, in other bits around the house, some of the 'Hippies' L had planted have come into flower, the Dranuculus is about to flower again, and just for good measure, here is a pic of the pets... Do you think they are trying to tell me something (Jas looks comfy and resting after our trip to the vet, whilst Macc is excited; do you think he wants to come in?):

Comfy Kitty, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Jumping Macc, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Garden Flowers..., originally uploaded by AussiePomm.1. Passion, 2. Hippie1, 3. Hippie2, 4. Hippie3

------

Smelly flowers and a vege garden!

Today, was a day in and around the garden, off to do some shopping and finally to get my hair cut!

So today, the tomato's got a tidy up and tied up, the corn is 'kicking-on' and the lawns were all tidied up. Even Jasmine gave a helping 'paw'!

Jasmine Vege Patch, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Vege Patch 2009, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Also in the garden, the 'Dracunculus vulgaris' we got at a Garage Sale about 4 years ago now, and although it flowered last year, we missed it coming up! This year though, I spotted it last week, and it is now staked and almost ready to open up. It is standing at almost 1m tall!

Dracunculus vulgaris, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Dracunculus vulgaris, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Dracunculus vulgaris, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

And finally, at the end of the day, I think a spa will be in order to rest my tired old bones... What do you think?

Spa House, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

And then there's Macc, I think he is keen to go inside, don't you?

Macc wants IN, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

------

Jamie's Baptism

Today, we had little Jamie's Baptism... A lovely day was forecast, but true to form (for C&P anyway), it ended up quite gusty and the coldest day in 7 weeks!

On another matter, you might remember a few weeks/months ago, I was after input for a colour change to my house... I have got some colours and have painted the outside of the kitchen window... I have photos of the before, one option and another option below... I am after some comments!

Kitchen Window Schemes, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

------

Back at work, farewell & a busy time ahead!

This week, I am back at work after 4 months off... Both Monday & Tuesday were good (busy)days! However, after an email when I returned, today I was off to an old family friends funeral. It was such a lovely day for it, over on the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney in glorious sunlight. Hek, it was even rather warm! RIP to you my friend... God speed!

I am now going back to work 4 days a week as well, giving me an extra day at home to get things done, stuff that has really needed doing for a little bit, but now I have the time, ability and money to do them! Just yesterday, I booked the house in to be re-pointed. You know what that is right? You scrape out the mortar between the bricks and replace it with new, stronger mortar. It not only sounds like an absolutely HORRID job, but I think it is even noisy as well since a grinder will need to be used! So a dusty, noisy HUGE job, is too big for me, so I have contracted a guy to do it for me! Once that is done, I will then get the painters in, and they can paint the eaves, fascias and windows/doors in the colour scheme I am yet to choose (I have it down to two though!).

I am also looking at gaining my Pilot's licence. This is going to be very exciting for me as it is something I have always wanted to do! Only trouble was that other things took priority over the last couple of years...

------