Breakfast Bio Pic

Boud at Field and Fen posed a quest recentlyLife Story on a Tray 

So, I am not really fancy enough for a tray - and I am not bloggy enough to curate such a thing - but I had taken this photos a little bit ago thinking its a picture of our life.

IMAGE: counter top with marmalade, Dr Pepper cans, dairy spread and vegemite featuring Gout Gout

 My Dad has some prolific citrus trees at their house and he is a man who does NOT LIKE WASTE - and therefore has become a marmalade maker, with MANY jars of his output available.  I am a happy recipient because I do like marmalade of a morning on one of my pieces of toast.

On my other piece of toast, I like vegemite - and it has to be with butter.  This is as far as I will stray from that, where spreadable has been introduced to the concept of butter.  I am not brand loyal, though - it has to be Australian 0-ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.; - - th85e 7-= - apologies for that interlude, apparently Miss L, the cat, considers the laptop merely a viewing post on her way to the windowsill.  As I said, it has to be Australian as foodstuffs is something we do not want to become reliant on imports for if I can help it.  That and the farmers.  I do go for price and whether I can win a cruise (I haven't won one yet and am not sure I would like to cruise, but would welcome the option of trying the experiment).

Vegemite - I grew up on the stuff and cannot imagine life without it.  I did have to try during my first trip to visit my Mother-in-law on the other side of the world, as the little jar I took with me ran out a few days shy of my return.  I take large jars now.  Gout Gout is a phenomenal running talent, only 17 - unfortunately not long after Vegemite released this special commemoration for him he was badly injured, which may be par for the course for an athlete but OUCH.

If you REALLY want to make your vegemite toast that bit extra and have a ripe avocado hanging around with not much to do, mush some of that on, a bit of lemon and cracked pepper and - chef's kiss! 

The Dr Pepper cans are all V I am afraid - I am not a huge fan of softdrink but unfortunately he and Paris have not got that gene.  Dr Pepper is very hard to come by in this town, and every possible outlet is mined during baseball season. These are awaiting final rinse before recycling from the night before when every game that may affect the Padres finals chances has been analysed.

And yes, that countertop is on the list of "things to change in the new house" but it is down a little way. 

I probably need to catch you up on the last 3 weeks (ummm - month) BUT

 instead I need to make phone calls.

To insurance agencies...

Nothing that dramatic though - just a windscreen repair from a tiny stone out of nowhere last week to this which will cost me $800 unless insurance come to the party;

 

IMAGE: crack in the windscreen - whilst not in driver view (because we drive on the right side of our car and the left side of the road here) it will only get worse and apparently become less likely to be a one piece windscreen) 

 (When I got the initial quote, they asked whether it had rain sensors - as the car is only old enough to scold when not wearing seatbelts but not so young as to think for me when it rains, I answered no - apparently the wrong answer, as the manufacturer (founder Henry) installed the more expensive rain sensoring screens but not the rain sensoring software so twice as much dosh is required.  The initial quote would have saved me having to think about insurance input.)

getting paperwork organised for a little altercation that my 87 year old father had with a log;

 IMAGE: as I don't have a photo of the log or the vehicle, I submit a photo of my Mum and Dad.  As you can see, he emerged relatively unscathed.  He was showing his cousin and her husband some scenery and telling tales of yore, no doubt.  The log had not been across the road last time he drove down that dirt track.  He does not "DO" paperwork.

and get some advice on what to do about the earth moving.  

IMAGE: the line diagonal is what I am concerned about.  The vertical line in the corner is a cord.  I am not asking about the cord.

(I started with this one first and oh. em. gee.  It wants me to make a claim, make a complaint, email and stamp my feet.  How hard is it to just get advice once you muddle through their directions of go to the app, go to this page, go to this form - please, for the love of mike, a 2 minute call with the advice required is all that I need!!!)

Instead of spending my "day off" telling you all about this.

IMAGE: lots of things that I have taken photos of in the last month

 Next day off then? 

 

Image:  johnathan edward durham's most excellent wit:  Look, I can offer you awkward silence or awkward conversation the choice is yours.

Upside down junket

 Oh good start blogger, I do a photo dump and dump you do. So here goes my last little while, as it happened, but backwards.

Image: the flying kangaroo insignia above the agricultural patchwork of Inland Paradise.

It was the second time we had seen that viewing our return flight this morning.

Image: not the postcard view of Brisbane aka the Big Smoke 

An hour earlier, we had left the Big Smoke. 

I know, aren't I lah-di-dah?!

Image: a rich vein of headlights through a viscous urban morning.

This is how the Big Smoke wakes up, 5.30am on a late Winter's day.

Image: the rising of the sun silhouetting the skyline of cement.

You gotta agree, 18 floors above the lobby is quite a view!

Image: some bloke on the telly in the corner of my apartment - how swank!

The biggest luxury as a wife and mother is a night of complete control of the remote and no-one to judge your choices. 

Heck, I didn't even care what I was watching! Bliss!!!

Image: the night is a little more gaudy in it's approach 

I did actually try to move the hand thing along too, by the way. I won't document it here because it's confusing enough when trying to piece it together in general, but long story short, nowhere nearer having an appointment with the elusive Dr, but the bloddy thing is turning into some Odyssean drama.

Image: to the South from Room 1802 last night - buildings, lights in golds, silvers and blues.

The new cooktop is another drama requiring more money, a shell game, thoughts about retail ethics and at least one more phone call.

Image: Asian soup in a China bowl with noodles and greens and cabbage and mushrooms and beef with a chilli oil (medium semi-adventurous white girl strength) and fried shallot, garlic and coriander - all the fun things - and a mango coconut smoothie. D has a stir-fry (the other option was they would make it into a curry.

My only suggestion was smaller pieces please?

White girl with chopsticks and a spoon - and even one of those useless wooden forks - was no match for some of the vegetable matter. I thought that they would chop it? which apparently is a pretty dumb thought to just think - that don't work.

Absolute yum though, and relatively good value for this day and age (& Big Smoke prices).

Image: plane propeller in mist morning prior 

Forty minutes prior I had been standing in line at Qantas check in. System down so manual check in. Flight delayed 20 minutes. At least better off than this poor girl who had missed her earlier flight, luggage locked in the house of her host who is in detention because she assaulted said guest instead of the promised trip to the Great Barrier Reef. 

I mean, what the heck world!

Image: photo credit to my sister.  ,(I will update with her link)

A womans hand holding two fingers of a man - both belonging to older people.

Mum and Dad both had birthdays in the last week. They have one week a year of being the same age - 87 - and 61 of those together. Isn't it a beautiful picture?

The week before my sister, brother, spouses and village moved them into the local "Resort". We were, as alluded to a few posts ago, in the Big Smoke dealing with other things.

Image: the back of the crucifix given to my aunt by a friend of her faith 

The good news is that my aunt is not only alive but survived the operation that has a slim chance of allowing her a little independence - such a relative term 

Image: words in page.

Hi, sorry it took me 

five days to get back

to your text.

I myself am 

understaffed at the 

moment.

An oldie previously used - I don't have time to harvest memes as well.

Heading out to see the folk at the resort tomorrow. Back next week.

You?

A surprisingly great, surprising, great weekend

 What a world away from last Thursday.

Image: not my wrist! Screenshot of some weird-a** AI generated movie promo for a movie that doesn't actually exist but leads you down a pathway on a - ? If Elizabeth had Elizabethan Era and George Georgian Era then is Charles Charlian? Serious question!

Sought medical advice.

Sent for CT scan.

Whilst awaiting being diagnosed with hypochondria, a condition that I had already self-imposed, I was surprised by a call from the GP, confirming instead the diagnosis foretold on initial verbal description given on Day One by  my big sister.

Image: flowers for my aunt organised by said big sister

No success as yet of a date to see a hand surgeon. After a circular phone call bingo bust on Friday I heard of my Aunt's very resolute (if slightly confused) recovery of mind and put into progress a plan of connection.

I drove back to the big smoke with 'Salina yesterday morning, met with an absolute blessing of a friend who ferried me, fed me, made possible for me to spend time with my aunt, my friends and I got to meet her admired family member and she a special clan of mine.

Image: the most amazing poached chicken  which has fennel and radish and garlic and goodness and parsley and vegetables and yummy, yummy comfort food she threw together in less than 40 minutes 

I laughed much with my aunt and she got to talk with me and discuss with each other our wishes and plans and her options and pragmatic hopes and she got communion and a video call with many extended family and, oh my goodness flowers and the most amazing superwoman who is the embroidered cushion epistolated with "when you want something done, ask a busy woman". I am in awe of the amazing women that I was around this weekend.

Many "I am not a do nothing sort of woman" in each their own ways.

Image: just a bit of the divine crazy that was my time 

Then I drove, had pizza, drove, heard podcasts, dozed (don't worry, had a driver), burgered, showered, connected with Paris and crashed. There were a few great blokes in but parts too. But some absolute crackers of women.

Goodnight.

Beetroot, busted and the blonde bombshells

 So it's been a time.

Image: sunrise from the sunroom at New Paradise 

We have a ripening crop of beetroot in the garden. No picture which is pretty dumb because it looks amazing.

Image: Hill End corner of the Brisbane River 

I would tell you the yarn of my early conversion to the magenta side, but I busted my wrist while on my way to a specialist appointment behind a fake Eiffel Tower last Tuesday. 

Image:  Cranes on the horizon at sunset - P A hospital August 2026 - not a player in any of the story except scenery

I was obviously suffering main character syndrome, as we were in the big smoke for other medical stuff for another of my clan whilst 'Salina minded the cats.

Image: Miss G and - hmmmm, she has not yet got a blog name, what do you think?

I would also tell you of the blonde bombshell with the mathematical brain and the burning desire for justice and her amazing life drama with highs and lows and anecdotes galore who tonight is entering her final drama but the night is late and the thumb now aches.

Image: their mother and our mother once upon a time 

She is wanting to see her Bob and her Mum and her Dad who she hasn't seen in so long and I pray that her pathway from here to there is as trauma free as possible.

((((( Senator K-Katy )))))

Late edit: Katy is still going strong, although the hips are not so resilient...