I decided to have a mid life crisis on Tuesday and had a radical hairectomy.
It had grown to well below my shoulders. I was sick and tired of how long it took to wash and dry, I couldn't do anything with it except put it into a ponytail, and its weight would often give me a headache.
So I got it chopped. And threw in a fringe (which I haven't had since high school) and some streaks. Maybe a few more than some.
Last time I really had my hair 'done', with a half head of foils and a cut and blowdry, was about 7 years ago, and cost me $120. Guess how much this one cost! (It included a wash, a lovely scalp massage and blowdry as well as the cut and colours). Only $70! God, I love living in the country!
The dogs went a bit beserk when I got home, they kept trying to jump up and sniff my hair. Mim just stared at me and then told everyone she encountered (strangers included) that my hair was shorter; Caitlin got shitty that I got a fringe and she wanted one but I won't let her get one.
It's been great not having to pull my hair back and put it up. And it's so easy to wash and dry now.
Thursday 20 August 2009
Tact is not her middle name
I was talking with Mim on the way into town today, about riding and horses. She was grieving over the loss of "her horse", Pixie. The pony that she hired for a half hour walking around session at Caitlin's riding school, when she was only 3. But despite only having a half hour contact with Pixie, she has always referred to Pixie as 'her horse'.
Anyway, she asked me if I rode. I said that I used to when I was Caitlin's age, but I don't anymore. She asked why. I replied that I was too old know.
Her response: 'So you would make the horse go onto its knees?'
Thanks Mim, I said I was too old... not too fat!
_____________________________________
Around the dinner table, we were discussing nicknames - Caitlin had Squiggy when she was little(r) and Mim had various pet terms. Caitlin asked me if I had a nickname when I was at school. I said no. Mim piped up with "yes you did. It was 'Lazy'".
Thanks Mim! I wonder where she picked that up from, Michael?????
Anyway, she asked me if I rode. I said that I used to when I was Caitlin's age, but I don't anymore. She asked why. I replied that I was too old know.
Her response: 'So you would make the horse go onto its knees?'
Thanks Mim, I said I was too old... not too fat!
_____________________________________
Around the dinner table, we were discussing nicknames - Caitlin had Squiggy when she was little(r) and Mim had various pet terms. Caitlin asked me if I had a nickname when I was at school. I said no. Mim piped up with "yes you did. It was 'Lazy'".
Thanks Mim! I wonder where she picked that up from, Michael?????
Tuesday 11 August 2009
A New Business Venture
Michael and I have thought about setting up an egg farm business (downwind from the house of course). Suggested names have been 'Mim's Bumnuts' or 'Caitlin's Cackleberries'. Sizes would include the usual... large, exlarge, ouch and OMFG.
I think the one on the end would be in the OMFG range. They would have to be sold separately of course, they don't come around all that often.
Each dozen could include one egg that has had a 'Michael's word of the dozen' penned on it. This word would, of course, be an educationally descriptive word.... like crunthooks, or dingleberry, or worse.
Think this business would take off?
I think the one on the end would be in the OMFG range. They would have to be sold separately of course, they don't come around all that often.
Each dozen could include one egg that has had a 'Michael's word of the dozen' penned on it. This word would, of course, be an educationally descriptive word.... like crunthooks, or dingleberry, or worse.
Think this business would take off?
Wednesday 5 August 2009
Karaoke Queens
Jemima had been soooooo looking forward to Karaoke night at the pub. She had been studiously practising 'her song' so she could sing with Caitlin.
Caitlin put her requests in early this time. She and Jemima (or Jemma as the MC kept calling her) got to sing early on in the piece. They did a great job. Jemima had to stand on a chair to be seen over the autocue.
The girls sang Lady Gaga's "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" and Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me". Caitlin did a solo on Miley's "The Climb".
Michael elected not to sing this time around, not with some of his students in the crowd.
I am very proud of the girls, especially of Caitlin. It's not easy for a 12yo to have the guts to sing in front of a crowd, with some of her peers listening in.
(sorry about the quality of video, it was dark in the pub and I've had to cut the original around to fit it on the blog)
Caitlin put her requests in early this time. She and Jemima (or Jemma as the MC kept calling her) got to sing early on in the piece. They did a great job. Jemima had to stand on a chair to be seen over the autocue.
The girls sang Lady Gaga's "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" and Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me". Caitlin did a solo on Miley's "The Climb".
Michael elected not to sing this time around, not with some of his students in the crowd.
I am very proud of the girls, especially of Caitlin. It's not easy for a 12yo to have the guts to sing in front of a crowd, with some of her peers listening in.
(sorry about the quality of video, it was dark in the pub and I've had to cut the original around to fit it on the blog)
At last! A courtesy car!
Michael's Peugeot has been at the dealers for the last four weeks, as they 'attempt' to fix it.
Communication is not a strong point for this dealership. At first we were told that the mechanic was running tests to find out what was wrong with it. This took almost a week, despite having told our regular mechanic that it would be ready for us within 24 hrs. The mechanic then advised that it was the BSI (computer system) that was at fault and needed replacing. (It took him a supposed week of running tests to discover this when I did a Google search and came to that conclusion in two minutes!) The BSI would take 3 days to get to them.
So I called up in 3 days time, to be told that the part hadn't arrived yet. It arrived the beginning of the third week, they fitted it - and the car still wasn't working. So they ran another diagnostic, and the technical team (in Kuala Lumpar), told them the steering unit stalk/Comm 2000 (the indicator stalk that has a computer in it!) needed replacing. So they ordered that. Again, it would be here in three days.
At the end of week three, on my way to Geelong, I called in to see if the car was fixed. To be told 'oh, the part is on back order and we'll be sent an email when it can be sent out'.
Got Michael to contact the owner of the dealership on Monday. He was told that the part arrived late on Friday and was fitted.... but the computer is still not reading it!! They were going to experiment with some aerials as advised by Kuala Lumpar.
Michael rang on Tuesday, and was told by the owner's wife cum admin person "ring back on Friday after two and speak to the mechanic". Yep, not a good move. He had to get to a staff meeting so couldn't spend the time to react as he wished.
I rang this morning and advised the spare parts chick that Michael and I would be in this afternoon to speak with the owner and find out what the hell was happening with the vehicle! It has been off the road for 6 weeks now. As Michael works days and I work afternoons, it means that I've been running him in to work (40km), home again (40km), back in to collect him and go to work (40km), he'll take the girls home if he has no meetings after work (40km), come back and get me at 7pm (40km) and then we'll go home (another 40km). It makes for an exhausting day, multiplied by five times a week! Caitlin has not been able to go to karate because of its late finishing time. I'd lost patience with the dealer.
Michael and I rocked up at 3.30pm this afternoon and had a long chat with the owner. The owner was a bit shocked that the car had been at his dealership for four weeks - he had thought it was only two weeks. He wasn't able to give us any idea when the Pug would be fixed - it was all the problem of the electronics of cars and outsourcing of technical people to overseas and delay in delivery of parts from the Sydney warehouse. However, after a request from us, he was able to offer us a courtesy car - an old Jeep.
Tomorrow morning, I don't have to be up at sparrowfart to drive Michael to town, Caitlin can go to karate tomorrow night and on the weekend (if the Pug isn't fixed by then), Jemima can go to her friend's birthday party whilst Caitlin and I go to the dog training days. It's not the end of the Pug saga, but at least it's something.
Communication is not a strong point for this dealership. At first we were told that the mechanic was running tests to find out what was wrong with it. This took almost a week, despite having told our regular mechanic that it would be ready for us within 24 hrs. The mechanic then advised that it was the BSI (computer system) that was at fault and needed replacing. (It took him a supposed week of running tests to discover this when I did a Google search and came to that conclusion in two minutes!) The BSI would take 3 days to get to them.
So I called up in 3 days time, to be told that the part hadn't arrived yet. It arrived the beginning of the third week, they fitted it - and the car still wasn't working. So they ran another diagnostic, and the technical team (in Kuala Lumpar), told them the steering unit stalk/Comm 2000 (the indicator stalk that has a computer in it!) needed replacing. So they ordered that. Again, it would be here in three days.
At the end of week three, on my way to Geelong, I called in to see if the car was fixed. To be told 'oh, the part is on back order and we'll be sent an email when it can be sent out'.
Got Michael to contact the owner of the dealership on Monday. He was told that the part arrived late on Friday and was fitted.... but the computer is still not reading it!! They were going to experiment with some aerials as advised by Kuala Lumpar.
Michael rang on Tuesday, and was told by the owner's wife cum admin person "ring back on Friday after two and speak to the mechanic". Yep, not a good move. He had to get to a staff meeting so couldn't spend the time to react as he wished.
I rang this morning and advised the spare parts chick that Michael and I would be in this afternoon to speak with the owner and find out what the hell was happening with the vehicle! It has been off the road for 6 weeks now. As Michael works days and I work afternoons, it means that I've been running him in to work (40km), home again (40km), back in to collect him and go to work (40km), he'll take the girls home if he has no meetings after work (40km), come back and get me at 7pm (40km) and then we'll go home (another 40km). It makes for an exhausting day, multiplied by five times a week! Caitlin has not been able to go to karate because of its late finishing time. I'd lost patience with the dealer.
Michael and I rocked up at 3.30pm this afternoon and had a long chat with the owner. The owner was a bit shocked that the car had been at his dealership for four weeks - he had thought it was only two weeks. He wasn't able to give us any idea when the Pug would be fixed - it was all the problem of the electronics of cars and outsourcing of technical people to overseas and delay in delivery of parts from the Sydney warehouse. However, after a request from us, he was able to offer us a courtesy car - an old Jeep.
Tomorrow morning, I don't have to be up at sparrowfart to drive Michael to town, Caitlin can go to karate tomorrow night and on the weekend (if the Pug isn't fixed by then), Jemima can go to her friend's birthday party whilst Caitlin and I go to the dog training days. It's not the end of the Pug saga, but at least it's something.
Saturday 1 August 2009
An exhausting week
Michael had a week at 'retreat' last week, which meant I was solely responsible for the well-being of two children, three dogs, one cat, six chooks, eight sheep and one lamb! And they all lived through the week!
We drove Michael to Geelong on the Saturday to catch a midday flight. It's only a three and a half hour drive to Avalon airport. Caitlin elected to stay home and catch up on sleep. She was still exhausted after three days at school camp.
Mim at Avalon airport
Jemima and I waved Michael off then headed into Geelong to grab some lunch before heading home. I played Jemima's favourite CD over and over again so she could practise her songs for karaoke. She also got to take some photos with my camera, to alleviate her boredom, and didn't do too badly with some of the shots. Arrived home at 5.30pm to find that Caitlin had coped well on her own all day.
two of the photos taken by my backseat driver
A lovely friend had offered to look after the girls whilst I worked - I arrived most nights to find dinner had been prepared for me and the girls had already been fed. Thank you Jenny, you are a life saver!
I even managed to whip up two delicious quiches in our new oven, using donations from my six girls.
Caitlin had a podiatrist appointment on Thursday to see what could be done about her ankles (being sore and giving out on her). Turns out she pronates, her left foot more than her right. She has some foam inserts for her school shoes to trial for two weeks and then she'll be reviewed. We also need to get her new school shoes as her current ones were too loose/stretched (and the elastic on the strap broke on Friday).
Jemima had a playdate at our place with her friend, Edward. They happily played Barbies for a number of hours, and helped crack the eggs for a lunch of scrambled eggs.
Jemima and I drove back to Geelong on Friday afternoon to pick Michael up. Caitlin, again, elected to stay home and look after the animals. She did call me to ask how to turn the oven on. I'd shown her how to do it before I left, but she thought that it wasn't working properly because it wasn't screaming at her the way the old oven did! Driving back was exhausting. It was dark, cold and wet. We stopped at Mortlake for 15 mins so I could have a powernap. But we made it home safely.
We drove Michael to Geelong on the Saturday to catch a midday flight. It's only a three and a half hour drive to Avalon airport. Caitlin elected to stay home and catch up on sleep. She was still exhausted after three days at school camp.
Mim at Avalon airportJemima and I waved Michael off then headed into Geelong to grab some lunch before heading home. I played Jemima's favourite CD over and over again so she could practise her songs for karaoke. She also got to take some photos with my camera, to alleviate her boredom, and didn't do too badly with some of the shots. Arrived home at 5.30pm to find that Caitlin had coped well on her own all day.
two of the photos taken by my backseat driver
A lovely friend had offered to look after the girls whilst I worked - I arrived most nights to find dinner had been prepared for me and the girls had already been fed. Thank you Jenny, you are a life saver!
I even managed to whip up two delicious quiches in our new oven, using donations from my six girls.
Caitlin had a podiatrist appointment on Thursday to see what could be done about her ankles (being sore and giving out on her). Turns out she pronates, her left foot more than her right. She has some foam inserts for her school shoes to trial for two weeks and then she'll be reviewed. We also need to get her new school shoes as her current ones were too loose/stretched (and the elastic on the strap broke on Friday).
Jemima had a playdate at our place with her friend, Edward. They happily played Barbies for a number of hours, and helped crack the eggs for a lunch of scrambled eggs.
Jemima and I drove back to Geelong on Friday afternoon to pick Michael up. Caitlin, again, elected to stay home and look after the animals. She did call me to ask how to turn the oven on. I'd shown her how to do it before I left, but she thought that it wasn't working properly because it wasn't screaming at her the way the old oven did! Driving back was exhausting. It was dark, cold and wet. We stopped at Mortlake for 15 mins so I could have a powernap. But we made it home safely.
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