A long time between drinks

and posts for that matter. Time has flown since I last posted, due no doubt to those pesky school holidays and my acting in the other job.

The universe returned to its normal place with me back in my usual job and the kiddies back to their usual routine.......... and yet ......having not taken the week off that I had primed myself to have 2 and a half weeks ago, I feel as though I still deserve a break from the routine of having to get up and go to work. People through no fault of their own are just getting on my nerves much easier than usual and I find myself just switching off mid-sentence so as not to get too annoyed by what they are saying.

I am having this Thursday and Friday off, and yet it is not enough. I envy those people who say I have five weeks holiday coming up. The greatest time I have had off in the last nine years involved my birthing and caring for children - giving birth and waking up every 3 hours just doesn't cut it as time off relaxing in my books!

One day.

We finally had the entire family over for late lunch/early dinner (is it lunner?) on Sunday - it was well overdue. 10 adults and nine children and one more on the way. The announcement of the lastest addition to the clan being announced at the lunner.

The lunner went well, which has put me back in the mood to entertain again. I had taken such a break since my birthday I really wasn't looking forward to getting back into the entertaining mode. But it was smooth and we kept it simple, marinated chicken and lamb - which were later kebabed and barbecued, salads made by my mother-in-law. I made some fresh pita bread and tried strawberries in balsalmic with the best vanilla ice-cream for something different. I certainly recommend it - the strawberries were a taste sensation.

Our social calendar is filling up for October and then before you know it Christmas will be here, but not before my mother comes to visit which I am looking forward to. I remember posting how traumatic it was last Christmas, but I have decided I am going to be better and pretend I am like a well oiled seal and I will swim through the troubled waters with ease. I just won't give into stress and have a talk with my sister too, so she doesn't set off any fireworks either. Just enjoy.

Have I mentioned how addicted to eBay we have been in the last 2 months - we have been eBaying legends. I bought two handbags and one Ralph Lauren navy polo for the father-in-law, more wine and a massage table for my sister's birthday. I have to admit some self-interest in the last purchase, my sister gives fabulous massages and beauty therapist ( so more pedicures for me this summer!) Though it is really for her to make some extra money and have a choice about whether to work full-time.

My only negative experience with my latest eBay ventures involved the Kukui nut necklace that I tried to purchase from a lady in Hawaii, it seems that Border Control decided to pick me as the example, and as I write my Kukui nut necklace (as worn by Sarah Jessica, and Jessica S) is being held hostage by Border Control for $46. My options are, as presented by Border Control 1. pay them $46 have my nuts irradiated and in the process possibly damaged or 2. they can use my $46 to return the nuts to the seller, or 3. I can do nothing and write off the $20 I paid the seller in Hawaii for them. I chose the third option of course and have written that one off to experience, even though given the seller's feedback I appear to be the only one to have had this experience.

Oh well I live to live and learn.

And yet another lesson this week, involved my visiting the Dentist for the first time in 6 years and the 2nd time in 15 years. So I was kind of expecting the full x-rays and the soon to be prepared referral to the periodontist. Which is why I reduced my hospital cover (no more having babies so no more full cover!) and upped my extras cover for "Project - get my teeth in order) It is just ridiculous how I prioritise my time so that I put off a visit to the dentist that cost me all of $20 due to health cover I have ostensibly had for the last 7 years all because I ensure that the children and work are all okay first. Well not anymore, my teeth are going to be put first for a change.

I hope it only takes three visits to the periodontist like my sister's - fingers crossed.

Upside down

Last week was what I called my convergence week, it was the week within which my social and work life collided and I was so busy working and going out I sit here today in front of my computer and don't know whether I am Arthur or Martha I am soooo tired.

For one I was supposed to be in Noosa tonight after having spent the day at the beach with the kiddies. But where am I? I am at home by myself, while the kiddies and P left this morning to go to Noosa and rang me at work around 11.45am to tell me they arrived safe and sound and were heading for the beach.

Why didn't I go too? I had been planning to go up to Noosa and Caloundra for the last month and up till last Thursday afternoon I still was, till I was asked to consider "acting up" (and that's not misbehaving!) for the next two weeks - it was such a big leap - up 3 levels that I thought I may as well, because if I don't take the opportunity I may not get asked again and everything at work seems to be a moveable feast at the moment.

I ended up having to go out socially, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday each evening held a surprise of its own.

Wednesday night, an announcement by our hosts that they are having their second child. After that I got home I finished off some work till midnight.

Thursday night, checking out one of my best friend's new nose job and wondering whether there was botox and lipo had for good measure - she looked FANTASTIC, she has only admitted to the nose job, but what's that saying "in for a penny in for a pound!" I have to admit it was the other girls who suggested the "extra work" I said her having a 4 week holiday inclusive of time spent in Scotland, Barcelona and Rainbow Beach, might be making her feel and look even better! Also Great Vietnamese food that night at this great restaurant.

Friday night - one of the bosses shouted drinks to congratulate our reaching a MAJOR milestone, it was also as one of the women in my team said "a great day for shoes" all three female members of the team (me included) wore new shoes.

We all thought we looked pretty damn good, we went on to a girl's night out with some other women from work after the drinks. On the way to the girl's night out part of the evening (which we were late for by an hour) we three ladies left to catch a cab after the drinks. My good friend F who is also my boss, had a terrible accident in her beautiful shoes and fell smack bang in the middle of the road where the cabs pulled up - personally I blame the damn unicyclist who caught our attention.

I hate to say it but the fall was coming, because F said that she felt unstable in the killer shoes that morning while completely sober let alone after a few woines, and some fresh air. All I can say is that it was the biggest prat fall and even now I shake my head and wonder how she was not seriously injured (only a grazed knee and bruised elbow thank goodness).

We renamed her shoes shortly after the fall, the "Jumanji shoes" (they were Zebra skin - she wore all black with a camel poncho and carried a Louis Vuitton so all up it was a very very big but stylish fall) We still went out after the fall and were the last three to leave West End that evening out of about one dozen ladies - I think I was hungover for about 2 days and the 9.30am 2 year old birthday party on the farm was the last thing I needed.

I am falling into a dangerous new zone at the moment, probably not the best one as a mother, it involves lots of hard work in between the evenings out and going to work early i.e. 6.45am and constantly thinking and dreaming about work. It's almost no surprise that when we got a chance to let our hair down it was about playing hard too.

I may be losing my balance too for while as I am asked to consider taking on more responsible positions. First up though I am going to go easier on the Friday night drinks for a while so I can slip back into my safe routines again.

A collection of photographs from this morning when we attended the 2nd birthday party. It was a beautiful morning and the Barnyard Babies were there, pony rides and 3 flying foxes. One of them went over the creek and 2 were on land. I loved the look of the country- side there even though we only drove about 20 mins away from our place.

Two of the flying foxes and plenty of participants

There were even lovely looking weeds.

First ever ride, bet you can't half tell.

At least there was some water in the crick!

Eddie.. part 3.

Elliot and Eddie yet again!

Eddie has returned from Switzerland and made a welcome return to our home last week. I think this is the third visit now the second one being before he left for Switzerland and we had to have Suzy Q twice instead, I don't think I posted about her she was a sweet little cow who went to the boys soccer match one day I have posted a photograph of her that is cropped from the other children as I don't like to post other people's children without their permission. She and Elliot were also photographed riding my sister's flatmates lovely red motorcycle - of course all the kids in Elliot's class thought that was so cool because the story Elliot wrote from Suzy Q's perspective (it is her diary after all) said that Elliot gave her a ride on the bike.

On Thursday night when Eddie returned we had to brainstorm about what cool thing Eddie did that night so they decided it would have to do with Elliot's new sport activity Taekwondo (he is doing it once a week on Wednesday nights) P stayed up that night after Elliot went to sleep working on the photograph on Photoshop and unfortunately went to print it and bumped the hard drive and lost all the work and had to re-do it. Not a good thing when your planning to be at work at 6am.

The next morning after P had gone, Elliot woke up and I showed him the photograph, he was not happy. When I asked him why he replied that he didn't like his face and he thought that children would laugh at him. At first I tried a guilt trip, how dare you be so ungrateful when your father stayed up late to do this photograph for you, it didn't work of course, he was still not happy. Then I decided to try another tack and said;

"I know you like to make people laugh when you speak, well this is another way you can get them to laugh. Also if you take yourself too seriously people won't be able to have a joke with you, it's much easier if you can laugh at yourself when others find something your doing funny too." This approach appealed to him and that's the way the photograph went into Eddie's diary.

Suzy Q

If you need some motivation then do I have a suggestion for you...

Elliot has always had problems with constipation. I don’t want to bore you with the details but suffice to say it has been challenging for him and us from day to day and week to week and year to year.

Recently we implemented a newly named week for him, it goes like this: Sunday, Pooday, Tuesday, Pooday, Thursday, Pooday, Saturday and so on. We had to take this regimented approach after he was failing to poo after about 3- 4 days and then coming home sick from school - he has refused to use the school toilets since pre-school, plus it would take him up to ½ an hour it is all too difficult at times. We had to leave work to pick him up of course whereupon he would go to the toilet when home and was perfectly fine after that!

Part of Elliot’s problems in this area have certainly been behavioural as well as, initially physically. I have many times considered taking him to a professional to obtain some guidance but we have soldiered on and read lots and spoken to many other parents and Dr's (who really only recommended medication which does not augur well for a relaxed day at school).

Our latest regime, however, appears to be going extremely well (touch wood), and we have found ourselves having to remind him less and less to have a try. The other morning, he decided to go himself and as I was in the bathroom I decided to praise him to reinforce the behaviour and mentioned how proud I was that he was going regularly now and without reminding. We also discussed his methods for relieving himself as impaction had been a part of the physical problem in the past. ( I know this is too much detail for some of you and Elliot is going to absolutely kill me one day!)

Anyway Elliot replied that what he likes to think about when trying is that there are ants in his bottom and because he hates ants so much he tries to push them out as fast as possible. Naturally I was surprised and amused, indeed I had to contain myself from laughing out loud but said instead reasonably seriously that his idea sounded like an excellent way of motivating himself to get the job done.

So there it is some motivation for anyone who might be suffering with this problem - just think of the creature you dislike the MOST in the world, imagine it is inside your bottom and away it and you will go!