Ahhh Holidays - UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

It is the September school holidays here. 2 weeks and 4 days of joy. Thus far we have:

• Been grocery shopping
• Babysat Middle child-sat a friend's son and had him to play/played at his house all day
• Gone swimming at the causeway

Notice a pattern here - nothing (except the groceries) has cost much money - and nothing has been outrageous, tell the girlfriends about, exultant fun!

That half changes today - today we start the half of the holidays that is both fun AND doesn't cost too much. We are heading off this morning for a week at the family property in Central Queensland.

Well, we are heading off after:

• I do a blog about it - DONE
  
• I do another load of laundry - DONE
  
• I peg them - DONE
  
• I unpeg everything dry (due to hot and windy weather, the above load will be in that category quickly) - NEARLY DONE
  
• I pack my port and toiletries - NEARLY DONE
  
• I do the washing up - DONE
  
• I have breakfast - DONE
  
• I call Electrolux about my washing machine - AAAARRRGGGGHHH!! NOTE 1
  
• I call AMP about taking 67% of my fund in fees when I rolled an account - AAAARRRGGGGHHH!! NOTE 2
  
• I call my client's suppliers and get the answers I have been hounding them for for a week - AAAARRRGGGGHHH!! NOTE 3
  
• I finalise a little job - see NOTE 3
  
• I pack the car with bikes and ports - TO DO
  
• I copy all I want to take with me from the computer - TO DO (LOTS MORE)
  
• I write notes to remind V of things he will remember anyway - TO DO (if I remember)
  
• I wait and wait for phone calls (see NOTES 1 AND 2)
  

'Salina awoke at 5.30 and is raring to go - she has everything she wants to take already packed in a pile all over her bed and is eating breakfast and working how to nag me until we leave.

Off for a full week at my childhood home, for 'Salina to boss around play with her cousins and ride horses and open gates for grandpa.

Off for a full week at my childhood home, for me to get a session of training on the Stock program and do data entry backlogs for the property and negotiate intriguing family relationships enjoy being a grown up in my extended family and miss V like crazy.

(I sound like such a sap, don't I? I actually will have a great time. I get to stay with my sister, BIL and their children (who I have not yet got names for on the blog - they are both beautiful and adorable - although her daughter is a little too much like mini-Jeanie in temprement - it warms the cockles), spend a night or so with brother, SIL and their children (Flowergirl, Rockgirl and Brutus), have some time with my lovely Mum and Dad as well - and I will get paid for the work that I contribute. I love my family a lot, its just that I insanely think I am more witty when I gripe. Apologies all)

Still, I will miss V like crazy - he will be working here and come over on the weekend. We haven't had this long apart since our "courting" days!

I need coffee!!

See you in a week and give me a yell if you notice any burglars.

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NOTE 1: Those of you keeping up with the washing machine drama will know that my lovely front loader is not working at the moment and last you heard I sent an email to Electrolux.

To update - they sent back an email saying "who told you" but no "oh, we will bend over backwards to keep your custom".

I rang the local Electrolux company and ended up talking to Rossco, a technician who made the right calls to the right places and assured me Electrolux would cover this little problem and he would call when they had the parts.

The next day, Rossco called and asked again about my washing machine as he couldn't find parts or records of such an object ever being manufactured or fixed. I gave him the info again and he would call me back when they had the parts.

A few days later, we repeated this step. I waited patiently for a week for this call back.

To check on their progress I called this morning. It seems my mate Rossco has retired in the interim - they will call me back before lunchtime to advise on what they can unearth about the saga...

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NOTE 2: I finally got all my superannuation funds rolled in to 1 account. What a feeling - until on Friday I got the details of one AMP one, and basically I am unhappy with the fact that 67% of the value vanished into a bucket called "fees".

On Friday I spent 40 minutes on the phone, listening to hold and before being told someone would call me back about it.

Today I spent 40 minutes on the phone, listening to hold, explaining to Jess, listening to hold, explaining to Daniel, listening to hold, explaining to Susan, listening to hold, explaining to Kay before Kay told me someone would call me back about it. Oh, okay, she would mark it urgent as I have to leave town by 12.

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NOTE 3: Last Monday I sent problems I had with a project to my client to follow up.

On Tuesday, a colleague of hers advised me that she was on 2 weeks leave and had sent it on to their suppliers IT/Marketing manager.

On Wednesday I called the IT/Marketing manager to find that she was on 1 months leave. I spoke to her colleague who I sent the email to and she would follow it up.

On Thursday that lady and I played phone tag while I was volunteering at tuck shop.

On Friday I was the only one playing tag.

Today she told me Friday was her 1 day a month leave, and she will have it to me this afternoon - so it looks like work will be coming on holidays with me...

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I need more coffee!!