There are no fireworks tonight

 It's the first thing that they will tell you.

And they'll be fast with the reasons that they ascribe it to.

But despite our ability to survive this life with some level of satisfaction, nay, indeed even joy on every other day of the year (ish), it seems the local council economic decision to not fritter many dollars not readily available from the coffers PLUS the exorbitant insurance hike from keeping the constituents body and soul relatively intact during an election year is lamentable.

And you know full well that the b-side to this folksong of the taxed would be offended no matter which way.

Nature abhors a void and has, free of charge, put together it's own lights show for our entertainment.

To the North at the horizon is the silent flicker of yellows and oranges.

On our right, beyond our peripheral, is the Pacific.

And it seems society also abhors a vacuum - or rather, some members of society make stupid decisions under the influence of alcohol, and this night gives licence to stupid decisions and indeed getting influenced by alcohol (although not necessarily together) and we heard the approach of one such member well before we could see him, with the screaming of a racing engine bolting towards our stage.

At the intersection closest to our view, there is a low floodway bridge at an angle that is not right.

Because of the issues with my eyes, I actually find it easier at times to eschew my glasses, and so again I got to experience the next few minutes of sound effects and V's commentary.

This young man (major assumption but statistics probably back me that a goodly many more males than females are making stupid decisions under the influence of alcohol these days, no matter how hard some try) completely missed the entrance for the bridge, over-corrected and ended up being airborne, hitting the cement bottom of the drain with an almighty crunching of suspension, entered the bank on on the other side before, miraculously righting itself on the flood flat beyond.

I went to find a phone as I was certain that an injury had occurred when the engine started revving and the driver started to creep away with a slink of guilt.

He did an imperfect circle back to the other end of the bridge (culvert V interjects and he may be right), successfully traversed it and in the sweep towards our street he has taken out the Stop (or is it Give Way) sign. Either way, he did neither and instead dragged it several metres along our road.

Who said we did not have any local entertainment?

Neighbours on one side went to investigate, as did one of the new neighbours on t'other with her dog.

(A) I was in my nightie, and (B) my own miss sensible anxiety kicked in on many dot points including but not limited to missiles, kangaroos, disapproval and storms, so I did not join the council.

And it's not even 12 o'clock (here - it is if you are from my right and before the international dateline fence)

Happy anniversary of planet Earth spinning around the Sun.

Tonight's Research

 So, while looking for the family story that has most recently piqued my interest, I discovered a Mr Luscombe had been one possibility's groomsman at his wedding to his second wife, described as his brother-in-law.

So I searched for this connection and discovered that Mr Luscombe left his widow

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170778968

Also in the text below, the new head honcho at the Gatton Agricultural College was going to "probably arrive in Brisbane next week" and there was a new dentist in town.

The new article regarding the land parcels involved made reference to an area called by the same name as an area near here - but no doubt they were both possibly name for

Howard Arms, Carlisle

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you go from family history to keeping the munitions workers from getting drunk and running amok for over 50 years.

Where did you drift to (or in from) this fine day?

Standards, mysteries, grand plans, experiments and interesting competitiveness

A report card stating "Has made no serious effort" against the subject Scripture

Standards are something that people experience differently through their childhoods and families - which is why this surprised me when I found it in a family history box.

The person who received this report card (which has near perfect scores for all else) only had that one year of high school, away from his family and responsibilities. The whole year he was desperately trying to cram as much peer camaraderie, learning and growing up in as possible given his family was so far away - as well as mourning for his father and, indeed, mentor. Scripture apparently, is where his standards slipped, somewhat.

On both sides, his own grandparents and great-grandparents had been staunch - but of slightly different sects and mettle.

A 1970s photo of mounted police and a man in the foreground with a cigarette and a yellow taxi. This photo has the word "Bundaberg" written on the back 

I posted this,mystery recently on a local history forum

There was much discussion over when the mounted police had ever been to Bundaberg and why and who that man was and the type and colour of the taxi and the history of local taxi companies and who had worked on the switch and wasn't it down the road from that cafe that served those great pies. You won't find that on your tik-toks.

Ginger beer plant recipe printed in a magazine that every primary school student years 3-5 received just before very long Christmas holidays 

While my dance card may not have included quite so much sugar and quite so much waiting around and definitely not as many EXPLOSIONS as above, it was still more on the grand plan end of the spectrum.

One thing that I did do that was on the list (multi-check-boxed and in columns) was roasting many vegetables for salads and dips.

One thing that was on the list that didn't ALL get done was wrapping the gifts (although I am about 80%, which is about 78% better than most years).

If you are ever in the position where your oven has failed and you have leftover pfeffernusse dough and a ninja foodi 9 in 1 and were wondering if you could forgo the baking paper as they are such a firm dough, wonder no further. I have done the experiment on your behalf.

You will be pleased to know that there are another goodly amount rolled in the freezer until they are brought into proximity of a working oven either through distance or time.
 

@

I actually worked (& was flat out like a lizard drinking all week back) on the annual celebration of Paris's birth so the day was relatively low key but we did fulfil the wish - and "letting" her win. 

One of the things that I was brought up with is this weird unjustifiable competitiveness in such realms. But truly, the girl just hurls the ball - her only science being in the amount of hurl and lack of care.

Whereas I overthink every throw. I must admit that we all "used the bumpers" (and on only a slightly related note, the arcade had NO PINBALL MACHINE!)

So - twas the night before the night before Christmas here, another big list day tomorrow and "write blog" was not on either.

Happy Christmas to all (& who knows, wishing you a HNY too given my track record)

Taurus, Pfeffernusse, Christmas Shopping and Wee - or Whee - Jasper

 Has it been 11 days? It's been a ride, anyway, since I was last at work and yet here we are, on an evening before return to work musings.

So yes, had my plastic surgery - the good news is that we have all margins and nothing to worry about, nothing to see here but a bit of a scar where I was all pulled in a little tighter. 

Using dressmaker terms, a soft pleat has slightly developed and, using teenage girl vernacular, there appears to be a bovine look. Or perhaps that was her descriptor for my general attitude during one enlightening skirmish in the trenches of parenting an adolescent.

Allow me to assure you, there are some good moments too.

We live for the good moments!

But oh, how I beg forgiveness from my own mother as I see myself at 13 sometimes when we butt heads. 

Ahem.

(Photo description - a cooling rack of 32 very -messily white iced biscuits)

To the detriment of my own waistline I have discovered an absolute pearler of a cookie recipe. Pfeffernusse

Luckily the universe was able to yin my yang with a dose of "is-that-a-funny-noise-i-hear,oh, looks like the oven fan has died" syndrome.

My future joint health thanks you for that 🙏

Speaking of which, among the many "let's try to get ahead of the health mud that has been slung" issues in the last month, I had a bone density scan.

I went because one of the more-than-your-average effects of the medication that I take to minimise the possibility that the stimulus that assisted in my body to manifest cancer replicating the party trick is to aid the gallop to osteoporosis.

It is also that true women of my cultural heritage (pasty white crossed with more of the same) have a tendency towards a pretty fast canter as it is.

(Photo description: flyleaf of "The Book of Common Prayer" inscribed "Mr A Fleming" - and "Alex Fleming Glen?!???uarry Church")

A bonus of doing family history is finding out how ancient some forebears got - and how brief were the lives of others in the canopy.

I had a pretty intense day last Wednesday. It was about that point where what day of the week it was became a real blur.

It was the ONE DAY I had available for Christmas shopping. Those of you who have visited me in the past at this time of year and I happened to post will know that I am oft in such a position - not one of your "organised-in-July" (or even November) girls (not that there is anything wrong with that) - at the 11th hour.

I had bookended this "stress-free" spendfest (artfully arranged with an interlude for family and handover of parental target - I mean responsibility) with medical appointments. 

At the first, the GP gave me good news - clear margins, slightly good news (-penia is above -porosis in the osteo- food chain) and terrible news. She has to go to a different medical practice next year as it is part of her training (& even worse news from the receptionist - my regular GP prior to this one will NOT be returning from her extended leave).

Then I dragged Paris into several outlets that the daughter that, even 18 months ago (okay,  four years ago) would have delighted in going through with me. 

I was ditched at the door, however . Occasionally her shadowy figure sought me in the side aisles for whispered knowledge of "how much longer are you going to be?"

Luckily we are doing a Santa Steal this family Christmas. That means that I don't have to think of specific items for specific people except for immediate family. My brain would not have coped.

Finally we got to the shopping centre, so it was a larger space she could ditch me in.

The shopping centre is about a block from my work.

I bumped into three of the BIG Bosses while shopping. I almost felt the need to apologise for Christmas shopping on a work day!

(They know that I am on leave and why)

I was about 3/4 through my solo reconnaissance when the phone rang - "how much longer are you going to be?"

After a lunchtime saga I was a woman without responsibility but with great purpose. Shopping was ACHIEVED.

 I finally saw my surgeon who was very pleased with the margin news and excited to explain the engineering behind the skin usage and taping of the dressing. She will be happy to never see me again - but in a good way.

I have spent the last few days of my leave with my parents and extended family. I also got Taylor Swift concerts both ways cocooned in the car with a beautiful young lady. The glory of no signal - I will take that route every time!!!

The route Jasper has taken was one that had us on watch and see level alerts.

 Fortunately for us - but unfortunately for them - Jasper took a right (and right there) rather than a hard left (and a fair distance) and got the Cairns region instead. 

It seems in the last decade or so, the main problems arise when the cyclone becomes an ex.

It becomes a vindictive water-syphon scouring it's path.

 I am praying now for the people who are affected in so many ways - and also for those who will help them.

Food as medicine

 It has been a week two months a year (or two) of medical micro-drama around here.

I will not go into the minutiae, but broad brush strokes should paint an amazing big sister doing the hard yards, with me as her sous chef while we wrangled with parents and specialists and anaesthetists and radiographers and nurses and hospital administration.

I was with the Old Man while he broke fast on Tuesday.

He was an in-patient (haha very impatient) and had been in theatre the day before.  He had had to starve himself for a full 9 hours prior to surgery. You have to understand the Old Man is a STRONG advocate of breakfast and considers the missing of any very ill-advised indeed.

I am not sure if it was a "give them options" policy of the hospital or fulfilling the desires of a starving man, but the tray he was delivered had it all.

• Porridge, fruit and milk.
• Egg on toast - just one, well-hard and with only a smear of melted butter between egg and toast - cold and white.
• Another toast, a pat of butter and a small packet of Apricot Jam - "nobody's favourite" he declared.
• Tea, coffee and juice.
• Sugar, salt and pepper.

There should have been a page in that interminable package of forms to be completed whereby you could indicate

• if the patient was the sort who could not stand to see any food wastage; AND/OR
• would appreciate the economy of the insurance company picking up the hospital tab after all of the years of premiums (mind you, there were years in our childhood where he would make a profit on the insurance company).

Instead, there were very pertinent questions about drug and alcohol intake.

And yet what did I find while assisting filling out potential future meal forms?

There is a tick box for every option, for many courses and sides, soups and dessert options - and wine, beer and soft drink selections.

That truly felt so very strange.