Happy

I have just helped Fraz go through a performance review for one of his staff. Now he reckons we should each do a review on our marriage! YIKES. Luckily I was checking my Trade Me sales at the time and he got bored waiting and plugged in his guitar [and headphones] so I am off the hook for tonight. He has the day off tomorrow so will be up till all hours happily plucking the strings. As for me, I have had a couple of wines and am merrily tapping away hoping for not too many spelling errors. Nothing on telly, I have checked out what Wanda is up to, always interesting in a nosey kind of way, and also Jess of course. Am feeling at a bit of a loose end as I am not out tonight [obviously], unlike the previous 4 Tuesday nights, when I was pretending to be a Karaoke Contest judge in the city. We decided on a winner last week and now it's all over :(

Today I received a cardi [yes that's right!] in the post, the first Trade Me win I had achieved in many weeks - have been trying hard not to spend money online this way. Anyway, it's really nice and just what I wanted for my librarian role. Maybe some bifocals that balance on the tip of my nose would be useful...

We move house in 4 weeks and I CAN'T WAIT. It's not far from here, I can see it from our letterbox in fact. I really like all our neighbours so that's a good thing.

Small dilemma happening for my tipsy self - do I feel like chippies or chocolate? Or maybe more wine? Determined to get up at 5:15am for the gym so maybe not more wine...

Fisherboy

Here is Lockie with his catch - a trout weighing 538g and measuring 30cm! The biggest of all the trout caught by him and his friends this morning. The rain may have been pouring from dark skies but this did not deter our Lockie. He had a great time but now we have to work out how to gut the thing and cook it up...oh boy.

We spent the rest of the day hanging out at home, and later we popped over to see some friends for a wine and a catch-up before tea-time, [and a spot of Playstation for Lockie!].

P.S. I have now cooked the fish and it was very tasty - Bella and I sampled it happily but the boys wouldn't even taste it: 'we caught it, you eat it'.

Saturday Movies

This afternoon Lockie and I started watching 'Madagascar' on DVD, while I was doing his physio, then Bella woke so I parked her on the couch with a bowl of popcorn until we had finished and we joined her there, once the curtains were pulled against the grey day outside. We had a lovely time, although the similarities between the storylines of this movie and the recently released 'The Wild' were rather obvious. Brought to mind the twin-like qualities of two other animated movies: 'Antz' and 'A Bug's Life'. I'm sure there are others I haven't thought of. What's with that anyway?

Tomorrow Lockie is going to fish for trout somewhere in Brooklyn. Yes, that suburb that is up a hill. Hmmm. Should be interesting. Will keep you posted.

It is Labour Weekend and yesterday Lockie's school had a 'Teacher's Only Day' so everyone gets 4 days off school, instead of the usual three. Handy. Except the weather is yuck. Typical holiday weekend!

Gym Bunny

On Saturday night I took Lockie along to a party at my local gym. It was an early start and we didn't intend to stay long. The party was a birthday celebration for the gym and there was the enticement of the drawing of a $16,000 cash prize too, to which I had an entered my name. We got there after the band had finished [Mickey Finn, appropriately as it was an Irish theme] but there was still plenty of food and drinks to go around. The prize draw was long-winded and convuluted and in fact 5 names were drawn and each one had a go at winning the big prize, although 4 scored a Mystery Prize and one won $160 cash. And THAT WAS IT! Everyone packed up and started to go home. I felt cheated and ripped off! What about the 16 grand? Upon asking, it appears that the advertising posters mentioned only a 'chance' to win, with no promise that the cash would be won. Not good enough, and I know several gym members who thought it was a crock of shit too. As it was, Lockie, who spent the first half an hour whining that he wanted to go home, spent the next half an hour playing on the equipment [under my eye of course], especially the treadmill. And then a staff member kindly handed him [and a bunch of other kids] a gym backpack, and we discovered it had a gym cap, headphones and drink bottle inside. That cheered him right up and we went home in time to meet Bella getting out of the bath - still early! Not much of a night out... Fraz had to go out later so I got comfy on the couch with some wine, pineapple lumps and Donnie Darko.

Move over Megan Alatini!

For those who don't know who she is, Megan Alatini is on the panel of judges for the latest edition of NZ Idol. I was in her place last night [not really!] when I helped to judge a Karaoke competition in a bar in the city. Fraz was supposed to be doing it but sent me along instead. I was up for it and laughed my head off at the wannabe Idols as they warmed up the mike. And then the competition started and I was all seriousness, of course. At least, I hid my giggles behind my hands. The girl we chose to win [bar tab and entry to the final in 3 weeks], was very happy. She did Whitney Houston a treat! The Elvis impersonator didn't look too happy at not getting a placing and the worse performer left with his entourage before the competition finished. Can't please everyone. I'm thinking of doing it next week... I got free drinks at least.

I'm Back

Eeek! I have forsaken my poor lonely blog for far too long!

Now to remedy that, I will skim over my recent trip to Sydney. Meg was a wonderful hostess and made sure we kept very busy - we spent 8 days shopping, drinking/dancing, sightseeing and walking, plus numerous hours on public transport getting about the city. Lockie would have loved the trains I reckon, but we were kid-free! I really enjoyed seeing 'Varekai' by the amazing Cirque du Soleil, we saw an art exhibition by a highly acclaimed sort-of distant Swiss relative, visited many beaches, and the Sydney Aquarium with our cousin Ally and her two kids, and of course, I brought back loads of pressies for the family. In fact it was touch and go that I would be able to close my bulging suitcase.

Fraz seemed to have coped very well with his stint as sole carer of the children, with the help of his mother at times. I am toying with the idea of booking another week away in Sydney in fact.

Home now, after a week of extreme holidaying [for me anyway], life is back to normal, and I have just survived the first week of the school holidays relatively unscathed. One more week to go. The weather, so lovely and sunny and HOT in Sydney, is totally shite here, so maybe we will see some sun soon... PLEASE!