Book musings...

I have recently become addicted to Chick Lit. Like most other addictions it has come to me gradually - a little bit Of Louise Rennison here, and a little bit of Bridget Jones there... until eventually it is all i am reading! At first, I was ashamed of my little personal problem, but now I shout it out from the rooftops! I am a chick lit fan!!!! Well, perhaps not shout, maybe more of a little "hey, I'm really enjoying this book".

So, why do I like it? When I have been a hard core fantasy buff all these years??? I'm not really sure. They have escapism in common, but not much else. One purports to deal with real life (but how many sexy gardeners do you know who routinely take their shirt off in chapter 14?? Not enough, that's how many!) and the other has magic in it that tends to happen at just the right time... hang on.... maybe they do have more in common that is evident at first glance LOL.

Like all genres, there are good and bad books, some more 'fluffy' than others. And as the characters get older it's called Hen Lit!

Some that I have found good are - Sophie Kinsella, Helen Fielding (of course, the founder of the movement!), Melanie La'Brooy, Lousie Rennison (teenchiklit) and Ilsa Evans.

And if these are all out at your library, put them on reserve and ask your ever-helpful librarian to recommend something new!

Careful, someone might hear you...

Yesterday I was driving across a road and hadn't noticed that the car rapidly approaching had turned off his indicator. As I hit the accelerator I said a word.

"Where da ship, Mummy??"

Book review: Youse Two by Andrew Daddo

Twins Josh and Jack Pickering are impossible to tell apart. Well, by everbody else, anyway. In reality, they are, of course, quite different.

Andrew Daddo has written a rip-snorter of a boys' comedy that will have the reader trying very hard to hold in their laughter during silent reading times. While the humour is obviously directed at boys it will be enjoyed by both boys and girls of all ages.

Watch out for the sudden ending. I'm not quite sure what happened there...

Check out the book here.

ARGH!!!!

Well, it never rains but it pours!

On Thursday night I decided to do Friday's wash as we were going away for the weekend. It got as far as the final rinse and then wouldn't drain. Turns out it has a blocked pump. Squeezed clothes in towels, bucketed water, sopped up excess, etc etc.

Rang F&P on Sunday and they said, shall we send someone out to you? I asked if they knew where I was calling from. Yes, you're in Victoria, came the reply. ROFL! (eventually anyway.) They gave me the number of the local bloke.

Turns out the number was wrong. I found the right number. Rang it. Left a message. Thankfully the grapevine works well and someone at work told me he's having a shoulder reconstruction. So he wasn't likely to get back to me.

Rang F&P today, again, and explained the situation. They then gave me the number of someone 100 km away and I got onto them first time. They gave me a number for a courier bloke who came and picked it up for me. He was even going to help me take the laundry door off, but resourceful me managed it myself. LOL.

So that was the washing machine.

I decided that now would be a perfect time to remove the old chest freezer (which was blocked in by the washing machine) and replace it with my new mini-upright (which is still in the back porch waiting to be used!) so XDH brought his mate's trolley to help me during his visit tonight. While I was setting the video to record Spicks and Specks I heard an Oh crap. Turns out the freezer buckled and ripped the lino. Not even gaffer tape is going to fix it.

So now I have to go find someone to re-lino the laundry. Before the washing machine comes home.

And before the fish I found at the bottom of the chest freezer defrosts...

I'm going to be....

a bridesmaid!

My sister is getting married (the current date is "sometime in January" but stay tuned for updates) and she has asked me - along with two of her friends - to be a bridesmaid for her. I am honoured to be asked and perhaps even a little excited.

I would perhaps be more excited if I wasn't faced with the prospect of Eighties-style fashion this winter (and possibly next summer *shock*). The thought of puffy sleeves, drop waists and (heaven forbid) shoulder pads just makes me shudder. I didn't really enjoy the Eighties much while it was here, much less a revisit!

So, please, R., I do know that it is your day, but think of your poor sister who fades in pastels and gets lost in puffy sleeves... :p

There is one really good thing about it though - at least I don't have to worry about choosing something to wear!

More Darwinian Trainees

I blogged a couple of days ago about stupidity. Little did I know that more prime examples would come my way.

With several 35+ degree days looming, most people would take the initiative and wear something appropriate.

As the Scouts say "Be Prepared".

In my naivety, I consider reading an excellent activity during the heat. It involves little expenditure of energy and might even take the mind away from its current situation, ie. HEAT. So it was a great shock to discover that I may have been wrong twice in one week! When faced with the aforementioned activity many students complained that it was "too hot". On closer inspection these same (female) students were seen to be wearing a) school dress, b) 'outerwear' (apparently it is fashionable to wear a singlet over a dress. I can only assume that these people have not learnt anything from Superman...) and c) a thick woollen school jumper, all artfully arranged to show the least amount of dress and the largest amount of (pink) 'outerwear'.

Perhaps they are proving that they are just as good at this as the boys??

In training...

The other day some boys were seen teasing a local cat. They were also in possession of a video camera.

Turns out they were filming themselves for their media project.

Not only did the film themselves teasing the cat - they also turned in the film for assessment.

Now, apart from the obvious disgustingness of cruelty to animals, is there no end to stupidity??? Not only do these guys jeapordise their marks, cash, and respect, but they seem to have lost their brains somewhere as well. I have heard some stupid people stories in my time (see The Darwin Awards for inspiration) but I haven't really been that close to one myself. I couldn't quite bring myself to believe that people could really be quite that stupid.

I guess, for once in my life, perhaps I was wrong.

I escaped!!!!!!!!!

Ably aided and abetted by S. and S., I enjoyed a nice dinner of garlic focacia, seafood fettucini and a glass of the house white all the while fending off barbs from both sides... :-)

Since the S. on the left is leaving us for sunnier climes we thought that a night out was in order and it was great to get together without five children in tow.

To S.: We have enjoyed your company and friendship these past 14 months and we wish you all the best in your new business. Our thoughts go with you... J.

Exciting news!

We have wees!!!!!!!!!

No, not asthma - wee, plural...

The girlie has decided (like the Little Princess) that "nappies are yeuuch!" and that the toilet is a good place to do number ones. Last Thursday she very patiently explained to me how it would work and most of the time it has...

And we are both very happy about it. :-)

Needleworkers Unite!!!!

Hey, all you lovely stitchers out there!!!!!

Yes, you - the one with floss all on your armchair, and the one with 10 WIPs and who knows how many UFOs! And even you - the-one-who-eats-chocolate-and drinks-red-wine-while-stitching!!!

Craft Critique needs you!!!

So far the site has focussed on reviewing paper-based crafts but are now looking for reviewers from crafts external to the industry.

So, let's show them what stitchers can do!!! Drop into the blog and leave a comment for them. You might even win something...

Antopia!!!

I found it!!!! The thing the ants were all gunning for.

It was the Children's Panadol....grrrrr.

So now I have a lot of souped up ants...LOL

Would that be why the baits didn't work??? Perhaps they were so doped up they didn't feel the pain...

Hopefully this will be the end of it - until the next time!

Two questions...as yet unanswered...

1. Why is it that supermarket staff bother checking in mushroom bags to see what's in it?? You'd think that with mushrooms at $8.97/kg there would be very little you could hide in there and actually make a profit!
2. Why, oh why, do I still have ants in my kitchen??? Despite numerous baits and cleanings still they come.... and I can't even figure out what they're after! The sugar is in a screw top jar and the honey and golden syrup are also untouched.

'Tis a mystery.

I have new hair!!!

Well, no, it's the same hair I had before - just cut and coloured. But it looks really good!!!! Well, I like it, and that's all that matters...LOL

A strange event occurred today...
"Let me guess!" I hear you cry. "The sky turned green? You phoned your mother??"
"No, stranger than that" I say.
"You phoned your sister???"
"No, even stranger than that! I walked past a scrap shop, and into Spotlight and didn't buy anything!"

Now that is really wierd. Perhaps I am sickening for something... :P

Have been back at work this week (perhaps that's it LOL) and it just whizzed by. The pace of this first week bodes ill for the rest of the term - it will be Easter before we know it. Apart from swimming and athletics days, the first term isn't too bad - there are several public holidays. And then the promise of chocolate at the end. Hmmmm... The girlie thinks she likes chocolate now - must disabuse her of this notion by Easter if I am to keep my choccie!

Haven't done any reading this week - have been too tired by the time all the housework is done so am really looking forward to getting some in tonight. I would try tomorrow afternoon when the girlie is asleep but I think Stargate may take preference then... LOL

Well, I'd better hop to it if I am to read. Goodnight All!