I'm afraid that my resolve to blog at least once a week may soon hit a slight snag - my life just isn't interesting enough to warrant such constant updatery. So sorry if this one is a little dull....
The reason for the blog title, is that we have a couple of noisy miners nesting in one of the little trees outside our study/sleepout windows. We have been enjoying watching their progress, and ooohing at the 2 little faces we can now see as the eggs have hatched. However - noisy miners are feisty little buggers at the best of times, let alone when they have babbies. They will very aggressively defend their territory, even birds other than the nesting pair. At the moment their territory includes our stairs and veranda, and they'll try and see us off if we stick our heads out the window to have a look at the nest. This doesn't especially bother us, but the poor cat is now having to cope with the double indignity of no longer being fed steak 3 times a day, and now being bullied by the local wildlife. Sometimes we can hear this massive cacophony of squawking start up outside, and we'll go out to find Jerry sat on the veranda trying to look all nonchalant, and various miner birds and magpies all lined up on the power lines looking like a scene from Hitchcock all shouting at him at the top of their lungs. Am I a bad person that I find it pretty funny that a 6.5 kilo tom cat is scared of some ickle birds? To add to our troubles, a group of golden orb weavers have set up shop at the foot of our stairs. I am not very fond of them (although they are quite pretty I can grudgingly admit). I know spiders are our friends in the constant battle against Australian flies, but I'm not sure how I feel about these spiders...
We've just had an election over here, and I must admit I won't be sorry to see the back of all the campaign advertising. Also I am surprised by how much I care that I was unable to have a say in the governance of the country of my permanent residence. At least that twat Howard wasn't re-elected is all I can say. I am also very excited to discover that our new environment minister used to be in Midnight Oil. Seems somehow appropriate, don't you think?
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Let them eat steak
I am resolved to try and blog at least once a week, as I have been totally rubbish in recent months, so here we go.
Last weekend was pretty pleasant all round. Friday night was pretty quiet - Stu was in Melbourne on a training course so me and Jerry Cat just had a little bit of quiet sofa time. On Saturday I went over to one of the girls' houses for a girls night in, which was really really nice. We ate takeaway, drank white wine, watched the Take That dvd, and the evening was rounded off with falling asleep on the sofa watching top gun (so I'm told). It was really nice.
On Sunday Stu took me out for a bit of a special surprise treat day as I have been a bit of a grumpy knickers lately for some reason. First stop was the Organic farmer's market that we have never been able to get to before due to lack of transport. We got there a little late and they were mostly packing away, but being mad old hippy foodies we still got excited! Then we went off to a big factory outlet by the airport to do some shopping (although I have a sneaking suspicion this treat was more to save stu's sanity as I have been moaning about my clothes - or lack thereof - for some time now). Then we went off to the Glass House Mountains, just north of Brisbane (near Australia Zoo fact fans). They were very pretty indeed, and we had a nice nosey round the lookout - photos below. So a very pleasant weekend all in all. Going to have to have a few quiet ones in the coming weeks - we have Stu's work xmas do coming up which finishes up at the casino and may cost a penny or two... also we are planning a big Fakemas celebration for all our pommie friends on the 15th December, as everyone is going to be a bit scattered for actual christmas, so we have to buy a turkey big enough to feed 14 people.... could be a bit pricey!
The cat (or little Lord Fauntleroy as he shall henceforth be known) has had diarrhea for the last month or so bless him, and the vet - would you believe - has prescribed a diet of steak and steak only for the next week to clear out his system. Stu is very jealous, and rightly points out that he never gets steak. I won't even tell you what the butcher said when I asked him for a kilo of his cheapest steak for my cat... it seems to be doing him some good, although I am a bit worried that we are setting a precedent, and his kibbles won't be very appealing when he goes back to them...
In some sad news though, the Japanese whaling fleet set off on Monday to travel down to Antarctica for the 'scientific harvest' of 1000 whales, including 50 of the endangered humpbacks that Stu and I had such a lovely trip out to see just off the coast here in August. I have therefore changed campaign of the week, and beg you please please please to take action. I can't tell you how sad I am about this. If you need reminding how gorgeous they are....
Last weekend was pretty pleasant all round. Friday night was pretty quiet - Stu was in Melbourne on a training course so me and Jerry Cat just had a little bit of quiet sofa time. On Saturday I went over to one of the girls' houses for a girls night in, which was really really nice. We ate takeaway, drank white wine, watched the Take That dvd, and the evening was rounded off with falling asleep on the sofa watching top gun (so I'm told). It was really nice.
On Sunday Stu took me out for a bit of a special surprise treat day as I have been a bit of a grumpy knickers lately for some reason. First stop was the Organic farmer's market that we have never been able to get to before due to lack of transport. We got there a little late and they were mostly packing away, but being mad old hippy foodies we still got excited! Then we went off to a big factory outlet by the airport to do some shopping (although I have a sneaking suspicion this treat was more to save stu's sanity as I have been moaning about my clothes - or lack thereof - for some time now). Then we went off to the Glass House Mountains, just north of Brisbane (near Australia Zoo fact fans). They were very pretty indeed, and we had a nice nosey round the lookout - photos below. So a very pleasant weekend all in all. Going to have to have a few quiet ones in the coming weeks - we have Stu's work xmas do coming up which finishes up at the casino and may cost a penny or two... also we are planning a big Fakemas celebration for all our pommie friends on the 15th December, as everyone is going to be a bit scattered for actual christmas, so we have to buy a turkey big enough to feed 14 people.... could be a bit pricey!
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| Glass House Mountains |
The cat (or little Lord Fauntleroy as he shall henceforth be known) has had diarrhea for the last month or so bless him, and the vet - would you believe - has prescribed a diet of steak and steak only for the next week to clear out his system. Stu is very jealous, and rightly points out that he never gets steak. I won't even tell you what the butcher said when I asked him for a kilo of his cheapest steak for my cat... it seems to be doing him some good, although I am a bit worried that we are setting a precedent, and his kibbles won't be very appealing when he goes back to them...
In some sad news though, the Japanese whaling fleet set off on Monday to travel down to Antarctica for the 'scientific harvest' of 1000 whales, including 50 of the endangered humpbacks that Stu and I had such a lovely trip out to see just off the coast here in August. I have therefore changed campaign of the week, and beg you please please please to take action. I can't tell you how sad I am about this. If you need reminding how gorgeous they are....
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| The great Hervey Bay Wildlifeat |
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Rejoining the land of the connected
I'll not bore you with the ins and outs of the lengthy saga of getting the internet and phones connected in our new house - it is lengthy and a bit of a saga - although it did bring out a creative side in Stuart I was unaware of. Other than such teething troubles (I suppose only to be expected when we are first into a brand newly renovated house) we are very content. I sit here tippety tapping in my wee study, and I can only hear a little bit of traffic, the cat snoring at my feet, and some Lorikeets rowing in a tree outside. Given the (well documented) alternative in our previous accommodation, I can only smile. Obviously if that bunch of useless bastards would give us our deposit back I could combine smiling with being able to buy stuff, but hey. It's a lovely sunny afternoon and I will not let such things disturb my serenity.
So what have we been up to in the Telstra imposed hiatus I hear you cry (if any of you still check the damn blog). Well we have been through a Queensland spring, and I have to say how very pleasant it was. Whilst the temperature has definitely been on the side of what we poms would call hot, I am reliably informed it has been quite a mild spring. I think the nicest thing about it has been the annual blossoming of the Jacarandas, a tree I have to admit I wouldn't usually be able to pick out of a lineup, but when it blooms it leaves the whole city dotted around with purple. It is lovely (especially for an aging hippy like me). Also springtime means the lead up to the month formerly known as November - now Movember. This is quite possibly the best idea ever for fundraising I have to say, and it is so much fun spotting all the guys around and about who are taking part. Despite my best efforts I was unable to persuade Stu to take part (miserable git) - but I have a whole year to work on him now.
We have also purchased ourselves a car - it is quite nice to have transport again. It's not as nice as our old megane in the UK, but it will get us from A-B (and hopefully back again).
The most notable events of the last few weeks have been a couple of bloody great concerts - Justin Timberlake and The Killers who were both absolutely amazing (in kind of different ways). If you get a chance to see JT on this tour, even if you're not too sure whether you like him I can pretty much guarantee you'll like it. It is a truly amazing show (and he's a sexy wee beastie).
Work is still totally shit - some days I wonder whether I am at work, or at school, due to the actions of some of the pathetic wee shites I have the misfortune to share an office with. I am still keeping my eyes peeled for something else - wish me luck. One good thing is that they have relented over trying to force me to take 3 weeks annual leave at Christmas - I am trying my best to believe that this change of heart is due to the benevolence of our CEO, and not the fact that they have recently hired an internal HR person (the irony!) who has pointed out that this is a trifle dodgy.
Finally, we went to the Gabba to watch the cricket last weekend, which I am assured by people who get much more excited about such things than me, is quite exciting. I was quite excited by the fact that it was quite acceptable, nay mandatory, that you should start drinking beer at about 10:30am, and continue for as long as you like. Whilst I feel none the wiser about cricket itself, due to the fact that the absence of Freddie and Steve Handsomison reduced my attention capacity somewhat, we had a bloody good day. This was the day after the Killers, and before Stu's 31st birthday, so he had a bloody great birthday treat weekend all in all.
I think that is about all I can think of for the minute - now we're back on line I am resolved to be better at this - promise. In the meantime, here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.
Bye
x
So what have we been up to in the Telstra imposed hiatus I hear you cry (if any of you still check the damn blog). Well we have been through a Queensland spring, and I have to say how very pleasant it was. Whilst the temperature has definitely been on the side of what we poms would call hot, I am reliably informed it has been quite a mild spring. I think the nicest thing about it has been the annual blossoming of the Jacarandas, a tree I have to admit I wouldn't usually be able to pick out of a lineup, but when it blooms it leaves the whole city dotted around with purple. It is lovely (especially for an aging hippy like me). Also springtime means the lead up to the month formerly known as November - now Movember. This is quite possibly the best idea ever for fundraising I have to say, and it is so much fun spotting all the guys around and about who are taking part. Despite my best efforts I was unable to persuade Stu to take part (miserable git) - but I have a whole year to work on him now.
We have also purchased ourselves a car - it is quite nice to have transport again. It's not as nice as our old megane in the UK, but it will get us from A-B (and hopefully back again).
The most notable events of the last few weeks have been a couple of bloody great concerts - Justin Timberlake and The Killers who were both absolutely amazing (in kind of different ways). If you get a chance to see JT on this tour, even if you're not too sure whether you like him I can pretty much guarantee you'll like it. It is a truly amazing show (and he's a sexy wee beastie).
Work is still totally shit - some days I wonder whether I am at work, or at school, due to the actions of some of the pathetic wee shites I have the misfortune to share an office with. I am still keeping my eyes peeled for something else - wish me luck. One good thing is that they have relented over trying to force me to take 3 weeks annual leave at Christmas - I am trying my best to believe that this change of heart is due to the benevolence of our CEO, and not the fact that they have recently hired an internal HR person (the irony!) who has pointed out that this is a trifle dodgy.
Finally, we went to the Gabba to watch the cricket last weekend, which I am assured by people who get much more excited about such things than me, is quite exciting. I was quite excited by the fact that it was quite acceptable, nay mandatory, that you should start drinking beer at about 10:30am, and continue for as long as you like. Whilst I feel none the wiser about cricket itself, due to the fact that the absence of Freddie and Steve Handsomison reduced my attention capacity somewhat, we had a bloody good day. This was the day after the Killers, and before Stu's 31st birthday, so he had a bloody great birthday treat weekend all in all.
I think that is about all I can think of for the minute - now we're back on line I am resolved to be better at this - promise. In the meantime, here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.
Bye
x
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| Long Overdue Bloggage |
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