Music

Its strange... I want some music in my life. For years I have not felt this way. I didn't enjoy music on the radio, I prefer talk radio and don't like it when they play music between segments, preferring the talking.
Currently I am watching a Metallica with the Symphony Orchestra DVD and loving it. Tomorrow Mark and I will head out to JB HiFi to get some CDs. He really wants the 10th Anniversary Beer Songs, I want Welcome to the Jungle by Guns 'n' Roses and Beyonce Knowles new song "If I were a Boy" I heard that on Hamish and Andy last week and totally fell in love with it. I haven't heard it since but feel slightly obsessed about hearing it again.

In other news....
Marky is a bit sick - its currently 3.45am and we're on the couch watching the DVD together after he woke me with a "yucky feeling" in his tummy. Well he tried to poo without success, then all of a sudden he jumped up and said "I need to vomit" and the good boy made it to the loo and spewed his guts up. Poor little fella. Hence I won't send him to school tomorrow and we'll go to JB together :)

Still more news.....
After work tonight Jamie said that his old friend from the Boeing Picket line (older readers of this blog will know that for 10 months back in 2005 Jamie was on strike over collective bargaining) was coming over in the afternoon. Rom, let me tell you about Rom, he loud, opinionated, annoying but essentially a good hearted man. Rom had a woman called "Rosanna" with him, she is Chilean and didn't speak any English, only Spanish. Rom is orignially from Chile via Poland and Rosanna is the daughter of his very close friend from Chile, sort of like a niece. She was LOVELY and lonely. SBS doesn't have many spanish tv shows and everyone speaks english. Rom is a huge talker and quite boring - Boeing just lost their contract with the RAAF and so that is the focus of his talking, not something she is interested in. I think she enjoyed being near me and seeing Mark. We were quite good at sign language and managed to communicate. So Friday after work we will take them both to Stockton Beach over the sand dunes and have a BBQ at the beach. So that should be lovely.

I'll talk about my trip to Melbourne later, I'm getting a bit tired.

Love Mondays...

I know that Sir Bob sings "I don't like Monday's" but I actually do. As usual its all about the TV. I love City Homicide, Bones and the best Boston Legal. They had better not have replaced it for whatever was on last week.

This Monday was strange. Its the bizarre public holiday in NSW that catches me by surprise each year. Way back before we moved to Newcastle, I flew to Newie to be with Jamie for the weekend to *help* him look for a house to rent and lo-and-behold it was this - I think its Labour Day - long weekend. So we never got a chance to look at rental homes.

I hated work today, far too stressful. But thankfully I don't have similar staffing for 18 days. Leave it for others to deal with, she affects me far too much. Don't know why.

Tomorrow, I leave for a couple of days in Melbourne. Finally get to meet Roy.

Heartbreak

Or lung break, or blood vessel break.


Not entirely sure which one it is yet. My darling niece Sheena seems to be unwell. Its a strange one too.
She is lethargic, in that she sleeps so much, a good 12 hours at night and a nap of 3-4 hours. Awake time is activity that is normal for a 2.5 year old.

THen there is the *blue episodes*. Jo sent me a picture of her when she was blue and its tragic. Bluish little fat fingers and tinges around her mouth. During these episodes her oxygen saturations drop to sometimes 75% - normal is 98+%

Jo, Mark and my mum took her to the emergency department several times, she got an appointment with the kids cardiologist. She had an ECHO on her heart. She is seeing the respiratory doc in two weeks. She is having a holter monitor heart check on Friday.

PLEASE don't let there be anything major wrong with our dearest Sheena. She is the lifeblood of our family. Every single thing she does is a marvel. She is a great signer - even makes up sensible signs herself - she is amazing. Little Mark and tiny Roy are fabulous, but it is just expected that they achieve, when Sheena does its brilliant. She is smart, funny, not to mention completely and utterly adorable.

Can you tell I'm in love with her. I get to see her in just over two weeks.

Elections.

I love elections.
I've always loved elections.
Going to the polling booth with my parents at my primary school was my first memory of elections. Mum letting me go to a little cardboard booth, the official-ness of it. A person sitting at a small desk with a HUGE book of names.
When I was 18, I experienced my first election where I could vote. I enrolled early to make sure I could do it.
I've made some odd choices over the years... I voted for Philip Nitschke when he was running for the seat of Menzies. I thought that everyone thought the same way as me about voluntary euthanasia - how wrong I was - I was one of 1200ish people that voted for him. The annoying Kevin Andrews won by a landslide with about 46,000 votes and the labour dude got 26,000 votes. Hmmm I sort of wasted by vote, being around 1.5% of the electorate that thought Dr Nitschke was a shoe-in.
Anyway the purpose of this post is how much I love the American Elections, despite them going on for FAR TOO LONG. I'm glad I don't live there - for many reasons not just the election process, how about universal health care people??? I'm not sure who the American's will vote for, I don't think half of the country could allow a black man to be president. As there is not compulsory voting, only those that are passionate vote. This allows the hate mongering to show through. But I don't see how a 72 year old man can fulfill what is required of the American President, from what I can see, you are not allowed to sleep! A comment is required almost 24/7 and the pack of wolves that is the media need that comment NOW.

But now I'm finding the stories of the Vice-President nominees extremely interesting. Joe Biden sounds just wonderful. I listened to the speech by his son Beau and it made me cry. The fact that he was able to continue, as well as being a very productive member of society for the past 30 years when his wife and daughter were killed in a car crash... then finding a new wife that his sons loved and "they" asked her to marry them, and "they" got married. Oh its just such a romantic story. Then there is Sarah Palin, well I'm just not too sure. I think the religious side is too much, I can't believe I said that, but her staunch opposition to abortion I find quite offensive. I think they will play on the fact that little Trig is a blessed child with extra chromosomes, and that will sway parents of children with disabilities, but just because her has a child with DS does not necessarily make her an advocate for them. The path forward will tell. Trig is just a few months old, so being a parent of a kid with disability is a new experience for Sarah and her husband.

Well I've truly let my colours be known. If I was American - I'd vote for Barack Obama in a heart beat.

Sheena and Roy

Have I mentioned how much I love these kids? This is Sheena and Roy at my parents house just after Sheena's nap. Photogenic as well. They are both going through *winter* stuff. That means colds, Sheena is a shocker when it comes to a cold, her face goes all sickly and she's miserable and yuck. She tends to go a bit blue as well (oh dear), so my sis has bought a pulse oximeter off EBAY to check her oxygen saturations. She's a clever girl my sister.
Roy has improved out of sight, it went from one day getting ready for open heart surgery in the next three days, to home and now almost great. He has some issues with "work of breath" which means its hard to breathe. His whole little body huffs and puffs to just maintain. He also has a cold at the moment, and as he's only 3 months old, makes it hard to get ones milk when you can't breathe.

I'm hopefully going to visit in October. I haven't' officially met Roy. Sheena definitely needs a cuddle from her aunt again. I wonder if Jo will notice if I take Sheena home with me? I think I'd like to keep her.

I have an urge... two actually.

I want to start scrapbooking again. I miss it. I love making pages to show off. I like what I create, I'm not celebrity style, but I'm a good amateur. For my birthday, mum got me a Cuttlebug and I love it. Now I just need to keep on scrapping.

My second urge is weeding. My front yard looks like yokels live here. Messy (that's Mark's fault) and overgrown.
Its a gorgeous day of about 18C today and sunny. So I'll put on my rubber gloves and start weeding.

About midday I have to go to a choir performance that Mark is in. Hmmm... can the boy sing.... no, but I'm a good mum and want to see him. He made me promise not to "bother him" that he will want to hang out with his friends, and not sit with me. I told him, he'll be on stage singing, not sitting with me or his friends. Once again, the poor boy is confused.

Ahhh... now much better

Well was it whooping cough? To be honest, now I don't think so. Last Wednesday I would have bet anyone a million dollars that it was... coughing until I vomited - yuck.

Still awaiting some results from Symbion - now that annoys me - I emailed them to ask how long results normally take as I need to results to return to work. Not a response, what is the point of having a contact us page and no one to respond????

Marko is all better. Jamie only coughs occasionally now. I'm coughing a little bit, but am essentially better.

So what else?
Nothing actually. Life is pretty boring.

Sick of sickness.

My whole house has been engulfed in sickness.
Jamie still has his whooping cough - although thankfully its almost past now, only coughs about once a day.
Friday 22nd about 4am Marko came into me complaining of sore legs. I got him to the lounge room to put some Deep Heat on his legs when he said "My elbows hurt, my arms hurt etc" then I felt him... bloody hot.
He had Friday off school with Jamie up at the shed and they didn't get home until 1am as Jamie was putting the turbo in the Patrol.
Saturday, woken at 3am with the same scenario... hot hot hot... gave him some panadol and we sat on the couch watching a dumb movie. I was working Saturday arvo so he was home with Jamie who was in the garage with Ricky from footy making up some plaques. Mark did not have any tea, not hungry.
Sunday, woken at 2am (are you seeing a theme?), again hot, hot, hot... well I finally found my thermometer and took the poor boys temperature, it was at least 39C as that is as far as my thermometer goes (its a fertility one), and I panicked. Jamie wouldn't wake up - once he's asleep, there is just no waking him - so I called the GP Access Clinic which is wonderful. I knew he wasn't ED criteria, but he needed to see a doctor, or more to the truth, I needed to talk to someone to tell me not to panic. I did not inform them I was a nurse, that would just be embarrassing.
We went to the GP Access doc on Sunday who said Mark had the flu...
I was home with him on Monday and Tuesday.
Tuesday evening, my throat seized on me and both Mark and I have been coughing ever since.
I've been dizzy, nauseas, not eating *well there has to be one positive* coughing, grumpy, sleepy, sneezy and feverish.
Its awful, as of tomorrow, I will have had 5 days off work = for a damned cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Coughing.

That is the main sound in our house for the past month!

Jamie is coughing.
Jamie is coughing, a lot.

Today he was officially diagnosed with Whooping Cough. I'm very surprised as I thought it was a children's disease. I have been vaccinated, as has Mark which I guess is why we don't have it.

Dramas with this cough include - its bloody noisy. He seems to stop breathing during a coughing fit. The force of the cough makes him vomit.

On the weekend, he was having a bad night. He had his friend Aaron over to help him fix his computer. I had gone to bed. Jamie started to cough, he walked from the kitchen into the office and stopped... he coughed... stopped breathing... and fell down and stayed there for about 30 seconds making Aaron very frightened... scaring Mark and his friend Madsen. Anyway he's fine now.

Medications include: Intal (a medication like ventolin to suppress the cough) and now codeine phosphate to work on the cough centre in the brain. Seems to be working.

That Intal was a bother.... Friday I worked until about 4.10pm drove to school to collect Mark, drove to Hamilton to collect Madsen, drove to Lemon Tree Passage (50km) to collect Jamie, drove to Newcastle West to try to get the script, drove to Hamilton (again) to try and get script, drove home (dropped off Jamie, Mark and Madsen), drove to Charlestown and got the script and then drove home!!! I was very exhausted after all of that.

Other news is my friend Ella turned 30. There was a big *do* with all the cool chicks from work. Unfortunately I had to work, so I arrived at about 10.30pm and it was fun, even if only for the short time. I work with some beautiful women, Kathryn, Lauren, Ella, Toni and Amy to name just a few.

Football was a disaster on Sunday, biffo with the Port Stephen's Team. Freaking rediculous that kids footy would do such awful things to parents. There is going to be an investigation in the behaviour of EVERYONE. Finally Daniel came to play and he scored the only point for the U12s.

I'm done - I think.

Toronga Zoo

Thursday we went to the zoo with my friend from work Ella and her two girls Jena and Kayla.
Marky has a *thing* for Jena - which is really just friendship but because Jena is a girl, its a *thing*.
Here are some photos from the day.

School holidays.

We are officially up to Day 4 of the holidays and I don't think I want to kill Mark just yet.

Over the weekend we had a great visit from Frank and Ernie. It was so comfortable with them. The three men worked VERY hard on fixing our 4WD, rebuilding the engine from scratch as far as I can tell. They didn't get home from the shed until midnight on Sunday after having footy in the morning - the kids won again - then straight up to the shed, working all bloody day and night. Poor Jamie had to go to work in the morning starting at 6am!!

Monday Jamie went to work and I hung out at home with the fellas... then we did a huge drive up to "The Bay" or Salamander Bay and then around to the Lemon Tree Passage to get some hand cleanser for after working on cars. Gets the grease off really well. We got a huge 20L drum of it and not really sure how to dispense it into a smaller container so that it is usable.

Tuesday Marko went to School Holiday Program at the Hunter Sport Centre where he did "Mission Impossible" which he loved. Lots of gymnastics type stuff and running and jumping and other things that middle sized boys love. His favourite thing was jumping into the *foam pit*.

Wednesday was officially the coldest day of the year 15 degrees and WINDY. So what did Mark and I decide to do.. walk all the way to Jesmond for no good reason other than wasting time.

The football crisis deepens....
I still haven't vacuumed.
Roy is much better - or so I believe
My throat hurts, one of those left side only, OMG all of a sudden I can't swallow. Must have some panadol

Tomorrow we are going to the most beautiful zoos in the world - Toronga Zoo in Sydney with my friend Ella and her daughters Jena and Kayla. Mark and Jenna have a *thing* which really is just friendship but gee its cute, he is SOOO excited to see her, his clothes are all laid out for tomorrow (his spunkiest clothes), he washed his hair with shampoo twice, soaped his whole body twice and even brushed his teeth tonight without being told - and that is unheard of - all in preparation of seeing Jena! Wow that girl has some influence.

Other thoughts from this period of time is FOSTER PARENTING. I need to have some time to talk to Jamie, but I feel my life is heading in the direction of fostering kids. I have wanted to it for about 5 years so.. just a niggle in the back of my mind, but I wanted to wait until Mark was older and less likely to be hurt. As time progresses and I'm still not pregnant, my mind wanders to other ideas: adoption or fostering. The news these days are littered with stories of neglected, abused children and no one to look after them. The story of the twins in QLD who died at home and were not noticed by their mother for a week had a profound effect on me. I want kids and these "breeders" who have no job, no money, have kids to get the baby bonus just keep on reproducing. Then Frank loaned me the book "A Child Called It" and I think my life is changed forever. This is the story of Dave Pelzer who lives in America and was severely abused by his alcoholic mother from the age of about 6 until he was taken away at about 12. Boys and girls like Dave become the criminals of the future if foster parents don't step in and help. The on Sunday night was the show "Domestic Blitz" which featured a lady who has fostered close to 500 kids in her lifetime, well that was the clincher.
I think Jamie and I would make great foster parents. We are home a lot. We have space. We have a good home. We just need a little bit more money - get over this current crisis, and Jamie NEEDS a new job. Then we will seriously look into this.

I'm officially....

in love

with my nephew.

Check out the latest photos of Roy here.

YAY, June will be over in 7 hours. What a disastrous month for my family.

Freak

Does anyone know this song???

No more maybes
Your baby's got rabies
Sitting on a ball
In th middle of the Andes

Yeah I'm a freak (of nature)
Yeah I'm a freak

If only I could be as cool as you

Body and soul I'm a freak I'm a freak

Try to be different
Well get a different disease
Seems its a fashion
To need the cold sore cream
I don't really know
How to put on a cool show
As boring as they come
Just tell me where to go

If only I could be as cool as you

Well that is me at the moment, trying to be in fashion by needing the cold sore cream.
All this stress has finally caught up with me and I broke out. Not one, but two cold cores. I feel disgusting, I look disgusting and I'm TIRED.



Roy doesn't need an operation. He is healing himself - clever little boy :)

A long time between drinks.

This is ROY DECLAN GEARY. He's our new little nephew/cousin born on the 5th June 2008 to my dearest (and only) sister and her hubby. Roy was a chubby bubby when he was born 4kg or 8lb13oz in the old money. That is Jo's nose and supposedly has a real Geary look as well. Sheena hasn't had much time with her new little brother as she was ill when he was born, so she was kept away and now little Roy is quite unwell. He was born with a VSD or Ventricular Septal Defect. He's currently in the cardiac ward at the Royal Children's Hospital, so is in really good hands. I'll give updates when they come to hand. I'm just busting to smell him... baby and milky.. yum.

I spent a week down in Melbourne waiting for Roy to be born, oops I mean helping out with Sheena in Jo's last week of her pregnancy. I adore Sheena, she is so magical. Happy, loving, bright and funny. We ripped off some Kelly Travolta who said that "Suri Cruise is a real artist". Suri is the same age as Sheena and that is 2.5years old, granted Suri is probably not delayed, but she is still a two year old. Anyway, Sheena did a scribble on a piece of paper and as a supportive adult, you praise the heck out of the drawing. I said to Jo... "you must be so proud to have such a talented artist"... well we thought it was funny.
There really is something about "blood" Sheena just knew that I belonged to her (if you know what I mean). After church on the Sunday that I arrived in Melbourne, Jo and Sheena were already at my parents house, I squealed and made a fuss, well she wouldn't let go.. cuddle city.




Jamie stacked his motorbike. It was his first accident and all he got was a grazed hip and a bruised ego. He was only going about 50km and it was really wet. Lots of people stopped to help him, I just love Novocastrians.

Birthdays...
Jamie turned 34 on the 6th June. We went to Forster for his birthday weekend. Connie and Paul came up to visit which was very nice. It rained ++++. Paul cooked us some lovely meals. I love not cooking. We stayed at Smuggler's Cove which is a 4.5 star caravan park and I'd highly recommend it. We had a 3 bedroom unit which was better equipped than my home. On our way home we had a kerpuffle. There was a clunk... we couldn't find the stick it sounded like we ran over. Next the temperature gauge went right up and there we stopped. Our three vehicles were out of action... I got to drive a gorgeous brand new Nissan Maxima for a week... I want a Nissan Maxima, or a Mazda 3, or a Corolla, or a Honda Jazz... umm I want a new car, but will have to make do the "heap of junk" that we call the Commodore. The photos below were taken on the side of the road, in the rain, waiting for a lift/miracle.

Mark's 10th Birthday was very very exciting for him. He was having his first party in 5 years. We invited 6 boys and they ALL CAME. Now I knew girls were noisy, but I had no idea that boys can squeal as loud as girls, but the added excitement of defiance. Well we survived it. Cost far too much money. A pinata, lollies, party hats (no idea why we did that) and because my oven has broken I had to buy a cake... delicious. Too many pizzas.
BUT Mark enjoyed himself All the kids did as well, there were only two that were the stand out annoying ones. The other 5 were great. All were picked up by 9.30pm and we went to bed. We Jamie and Mark had to shoot each other with his toy guns. We got him a game of Uno Attack (very cool people), both sets of grandies got him a PSP game. Jo got him a book which he likes a lot and then there is the CD - Novelty Songs of the 60s and 70s with Up there Kazaley. We're enjoying that. A huge thankyou also to Kathryn (the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world) for the PSP and caring for the puppy dogs. You are a marvel.
The boys after singing Happy Birthday (Madsen had a wet shirt after apple bobbing, hence he was shirtless)


Cake, the toilet paper game which turned into a toilet paper war!!! the pinata, the chocolate game.. YUM

Wow did you make it to the end??? If you did, please go have a cup of tea and good lie down, you deserve it. I'll try not to neglect you so often.

The Saga of the Commodore

Bizarre things happen in my family. Saturday afternoon Jamie had been to his friends house and was driving home over the Stockton Bridge. The sound changed a bit and then whoosh.. no more back window. That isn't normal, windows don't just fly out do they??? Now we have a good reason why out boot/trunk was always filling up with water - the windscreen wasn't in properly. On that drive we also got a super chip in the front windscreen.
The Commodore now needs

• Front and back windscreens
• 2-4 new tyres
• The gas system installed
• Back seat recovered.
• Automatic locks repaired
• Paint job fixed.

No problem

A good read.

If you are looking for an uplifting and incredibly sad blog to read. The faith that Tammy has is incredible. All I can say is thank goodness I don't live in America... after reading this blog and then watching Sicko... how can a government do this to people.

I just finished reading Li Cunxin's book Mao's Last Dancer. It was totally amazing. I loved it all, the poverty of his childhood, the regimental-ness of his adolescence, his bravery and his love of... ballet. In a million years I'd never imagine I would want to see a ballet, but after reading Li's book, I really do, but probably won't :)

I am supposed to read Emma by Jane Austen next, but it really does not appeal. So I might skip that one.

Maybe I'm nesting.

I feel somewhat organised.

Last night I did all of the dishes and the kitchen looked wonderful.

I asked Jamie to collect Mark from school, its on his way home, and I have to make an arc. I just wanted to come straight home.

Jamie called me and asked for some Chocolate Royale biscuits and some coke. Like the good missus I am, I obliged. What you would like for dinner? I don't care.

So I bought a cooked chook. Arrived home, the boys are watching The Matrix (VERY LOUDLY) on the telly. I assembled a salad, cooked some pototoes (Mark would prefer to have noodles than potato, I cooked some noodles).
Served dinner. Cleared the table. Washed dishes. Fed the dogs. Folded the washing.

The boys are still watching The Matrix (VERY LOUDLY).

I must be coming down with the flu.

WTF??

Another football story.

We take two kids to football twice a week. Once for training and to the games. There is a little 8 year old called Ricky and his 11 year old brother Jake. Jake is a lovely boy, Ricky well he's a little bit feral. Nice enough though.
We drive the kids cos #1 the car doesn't work. #2 Dad got "done" for drink driving and lost his license.
My WTF comments are such.
The mum doesn't come out of the house to say thank you, they don't ring to make sure its ok we collect them, its now just expected. Mum or dad don't thank us after we drop them off or make sure the kids behaved themselves. They show ZERO interest. Very annoying.

The last two weeks the boys have not had breakfast. We collect them about 8am and drop them home about midday. They are playing a very physical game of AFL. Last weekend I felt sorry for them and got them a packet of chips - good nourishing food. When I thought about it, why is it my responsibility to buy them a snack, they should eat before they come, they should have a snack with them or money to buy one with. So I said no this week. Poor little Ricky was starving. But they are not my kids. At the end of the morning the canteen had too much food and was giving it away. So my point to the parents wasn't as good as I would have liked it to be.

When we dropped them off I went into the house, introduced myself, said the boys had a great game, which was true. I then mentioned that it would be a great idea to make sure the boys had breakfast before they came or had a snack...
"That's their own fault, they should get up earlier and have something to eat"
Again, not a thank you.
Do I make some vegemite sandwiches to prevent the annoying "I'm starving, have you got any money?"

OH DEAR... these poor boys have not got much hope in life when the parents care so much.

Cross Country

Back in the good old days when I was at school, I used to fake asthma on the cross country running days so I wouldn't have to run. I hated it that much. Mark loves sprinting, he's not a fan of long distances,or so I thought.

On the Saturday afternoon Mark rolled his ankle. We went ice skating on Saturday night. He tried to get out of AFL on Sunday morning saying his ankle hurt - he ended up playing in two games. Monday morning, he said "I need to stay home as my ankle hurts, it will be so boring not being able to run in the cross country".

Anyway. I collected him from OOSH and he had a funny look on his face.
"I did terrible in the cross country, last, after all of the boys and even all of the girls"
Oh well I thought, you do have a sore ankle.
HUGE SMILE "As if, I came first".

MY BABY CAME FIRST, in a 4km run. The assistant teacher suggested he run at a steady jog rather than sprint, so as not to wear out. And it worked.

He's off to the Zone Cross Country Run on Friday. I'll report in how he went.

Football Family

We spend so long at football each week. This morning we set the alarm at 6.30am went to collect 3 other kids whose parents do not drive. Then drove off to Medowie for a 9am start.

The under 10 team (Mark plays on this team) played ok. They were completely thrashed, but that is ok. Only one kid cracked a 'nana about it. It was one of his first games. Not entirely sure of the score, but I think we only got about 7 points.

Next was the Under 12's and there was a parent barney. The coach, Ricky, is only 17 and he drives me NUTS. He is so over the top, loud and opinionated.... but the kids seem to love him and are desperate to please him. Well, it is a rule that all the kids wear mouth guards - that makes sense - well kids being kids - forget their mouthguards. Mark was one and another boy forgot his. The dad of the other kid (from now on referred to as Dad A) said its ok Kid A can just play without his mouthguard, and he wouldn't sue the club if anything happened to Kid A. Ricky said "I'm the coach, and am here for the kids, and no kid is playing without a mouthguard". Red rag to a bull, Dad A cracked the sads, and blew up at Ricky. Not entirely without reason. But made it EXTREMELY uncomfortable for all involved. Jason (Club President) and Jamie (Coach of U10s) were trying to smooth out the problems.... OH DEAR. Not sure if that was understandable, but trying not to be libelous. I'm on Dad A's side!!

DAMN our tv is not working, its completely scrambled. Our oven broke yesterday. Petrol is very very expensive.