Monday, December 08, 2008

Paradise Update

Thank you everyone so much for the blogiversary wishes.




Right at this moment, I am being serenaded by a magpie on my front window.

Magpies have a bit of a reputation, but also the most glorious songs.

We don't know if she (he?) is singing with delight at the rain and the nibblies it is washing her in the gutter, or if she is seeking old love or new love or children.

She (he?) has been at it for a good 15 minutes so far. I did try to take a video (is it still called a video?) of it, but long story short, (a) you get what you pay for and (b) there is nothing more unnerving than trying to get a good shot of a severely backlit magpie on your front window without getting freaked out by the intense eye contact she (he?) is directing your way.




Did I mention it is raining here? On and off since a thunderstorm last night we have had quite heavy showers.

Rain is a blessing and always welcome in my history, but I now live a life where there are direct downsides. Downsides which are also upsides, I might mention.

V is a bricklayer. There is something to do with the actual structural integrity as well as health concerns that require bricklayers to only work when the weather is clement.

Which is great for me, because the words "child free time" represent the sum total of our ongoing honeymoon it means I can concentrate on my work without having to think about any household tasks because ma'honey is around (cough).




It has been a perfectly tempered weekend, actually.

  • Saturday
    • was glorious weatherwise,
    • 'Salina's team won their softball match,
    • Santa visited the softball grounds (that guy gets around),
    • I discovered the proof to a theory that no woman my size donates to any charity shops - they all discard their "skinny clothes" when they finally realise that it is NEVER going to happen - which made me feel better in a way because that means I am a normal woman even though it also meant that I couldn't even shout myself some cheap clothes,
    • our groceries came to EXACTLY the budgeted amount,
    • I happened to find in the fridge exactly the ingredients I required to make a freaking AWESOME moussaka (with eggplant-free variety available for the immature palate) that met with the double-thumbs up and request as a regular menu item.
  • On Sunday
    • 'Salina and I cycled to the beach for a swim in the amazingly warm ocean,
    • then came home to 'Salina impressing herself and us with her fabulous room tidying talents with the added bonus of being HAPPY while she did it,
    • the skies darkened but saved their moisture until I had taken all the washing off the line,
    • we watched "Scrooge" and even though I slept the majority of the way through it (strict training in saying "yes" when asked "are you awake?" while asleep is required to attain this prize) I was awake and got a tear when Tiny Tim got his present,
    • got a light show with dinner to the accompaniment of thunder - but not in a scary way, more in an awe of nature but really really safe way (the upside to living in a really FLAT part of the country)
    • and saw 49 up with V before turning in and falling to sleep with a crescendo of rain.





So - how was your weekend?

9 comments:

Mary O. Paddock said...

Sounds like a terrific weekend, Jeanie. (She cleaned her room and was happy about it? How did you manage that?!)

We have Magpies in Montana. Pretty birds with oodles of brains. Strangely no one there likes them, but that bunch doesn't like Daisies either. I like the way you describe their songs.

In a peculiar way, our weekend is just beginning. Gary works Wed-Sat so we start partying on Sunday afternoon and kind of continue around school and whatnot until he goes back on Wednesday.

MissyBoo said...

Sounds like a wonderful way to spend the weekend.

You should see one of the magpies round here he (she) takes on my dog in attempt to steal his dinner :-)

Debby said...

Not as miraculous as yours.

Melody said...

I had a good weekend - thanks for asking. Spent a lot of time shopping and getting my bearings....

ELIZABETH said...

Hid inside because it was cold. Made up some Christmas carol CD's as gifts for girls at the gym.
Hid inside because it was cold.
Did some laundry.
Hid inside because it was cold.

Really cold.

Anonymous said...

My weekend?
It was nice. I took Immy and Maddy to Highschool Musical 3. Anthing that involves the girls and Zac Efron sounds good to me. (Lily was at a friend's house). The boys and the babies stayed home with David.

Your weekend sounds lovely.

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

We cleaned we had the accountant and friends over on Sunday.
OMG what a busy weekend you had too.

megz_mum said...

You sure had a nice one! We saw James Morrison Sunday night - fantastic

jeanie said...

Mary - I don't know, but not hounding her was a technique employed - and doing "work" myself while she was at it.

Our magpies are very territorial, especially in spring.

M+B - our neighbour feeds ours and they are pretty good - but they rouse on Eddie the cat quite a bit.

Debby - I will send you some good fortune (just as soon as I get some of the $ fortune I am owed)

Melody - your weekend would have been a WHOLE NEW experience.

Elizabeth - so, was it cold?

Tiff - I have so far sidestepped the High School Musical phenomenon.

Trish - so the accountant cleaned you out or counted as a friend?

Megz_Mum - James Morrison - that would have been great.