Update.......

Had some interesting discussions with the car yard today - the bottom line is they admitted they were mostly to blame and had done several things badly. As it turns out, once everything was explained properly, we aren't as bad off as we thought we were (luckily for us) and the car yard are working with us to make sure we are happy with the outcome. We will be finalising things tomorrow.
They have changed one of their practices - they were not issuing a 24 hour cool off period for linked credit on commercial vehicles - turns out I was right and they are supposed too. I think some good things have come out of a bad situation for both sides so I have at least found a silver lining ;-)
On other exciting news (for me anyway) I put my engagement ring into the jewellers to be remade. My current one (which is 17 years old) is very fragile and I keep losing the stones out if it! (Expensive and upsetting!) So I am having it remade as the same band as my wedding ring, in the same style as my engagement ring and re-using the stones. This means that the original will still exist to some degree (totally sentimental of course) which I am really happy about. It will take up to 4 weeks to get back so I'm really excited (and will be counting down the days)! I had to put another ring on that finger as it felt too weird without it (they needed my wedding ring too to make sure the engagement one fits it properly.) T has his wedding ring back too now after we had to get it reshaped - he got it caught on a pipe about 6 months ago which bent it completely out of shape! We just never got around to getting it fixed. We were at dinner the other night and he said how much he missed having it on his finger and he was always looking for it - so we remembered to get it done yesterday. Don't you just love the ones that look hard on the outside but are all squishy in the middle? LOL

Buyer beware.......

especially of finance people at car yards! Really long story short, we are seeking advice from the Department of Fair Trading. We thought we were getting a personal loan over 5 years for x amount of dollars and would own a vehicle at the end. My other half (bless him) was too trusting and trusted what he was told and signed on the dotted line (the THIRD page of a contract) without all the details of the agreement being shown to him. He was given no loan documents and to date we still do not have a copy of what he signed. Unsigned documents arrived today (nearly 3 weeks after the purchase) from the finance company and several phone calls/visits to the car yard. And OMG we went WTF!!!! We ended up with 59 repayments of x (as originally told) with a residual of $10K to be paid at the end as a final payment (which we were not told). There is no way in hell we would have bought that car if we had full knowledge. Lesson - no matter how trusting or how well someone comes across, never, ever, ever trust them when it comes to finance. THEY WILL SCREW YOU!!! Other half has had heated discussion with finance person - he is supposed to be talking to powers that be and ringing back tomorrow. Honest mistake he says - LIKE HELL!!! He didn't request any proof of exising debts, income etc. The loan application has incorrect details and we received no payout figure from the old loan (which I am chasing up). It is the biggest balls up I have ever seen! I suspect the figures have been fudged and I am hoping to prove it. I should hear back from Fair Trading in the next 7 days too. I am so angry at the moment with this Dealership I cannot put it into words! I really feel sorry for the other half too - he feels so bad about it all. I'm not angry with him in the least - he was severely taken advantage of!

The bruise 24 hours later.......

Ouchie!

Kristy got in armour..........

and Terry and Pete shot at her. The main thing was to see if she could handle the armour and the arrow fire before getting her kitted out. She isn't sure if she still wants to do it - the armour doesn't bother her but she does bruise very easily!

Phew - another assignment done!

Seven down, two to go! I will be soooooo glad when I finish this shorthand course! When I'm done, I'll need to go back and practice it all again as most of it has leaked out (I need to do daily practice to get it to sink in and become automatic). My main goal at the moment is just to finish!
Gryffen has gone to a friend's tonight for a sleep over - it is so quiet without him!

Being sick sux............

Okay, just a quick update:
* The boys and I got sick - boys with tonsillitis and the flu, me with a URTI. All on the mend but have been sick for over a week. It sux!
* I have an appointment finally to get the injection into my ankle - it will happen on the 11 September (only 4.5 weeks after the referral).
* Terry's parents have moved into town now so it's 15km to see them instead of 85km (unfortunately they have come down with the dreaded lurgy too)
* Kristy and Pete got the lurgy
* No, you do not want to be visiting all of us at the moment! LOL
* High School wants us to do a demo at their Medieval Day on 18 September - considering it but we'll see.
* Went to Hog's Breath for dinner last night = yummo and over eating! (The apple crumble with caramel sauce, whipped cream and ice cream was fantabulous!)
* Looks like RWII made a good profit - I need to get the report done this weekend and sent to Rowany.
* Caught up with my brother, sister in law and niece last week (and three of their horses). They were here for Polocrosse and spent a couple of days. We don't get to see them very much so it was great to catch up with them. My niece (who will be 15 next month) has made the NSW State Team and will be competing in the Nationals at Perth in October. She is so amazing!
* Gryffen has renewed interest and nagging to get a horse/riding lessons. We cannot afford the horse thing so he is on a mission for riding lessons. We have a calendar on the fridge and if he completes all his chores and homework without being nagged to do it (or arguing about it)for a month he will be allowed to have riding lessons. He also needs to spend his pocket money on it and I will put in the rest. I'm actually thinking about getting lessons with him (I haven't ridden for about ten years).
* Wolfstanus wants to join the local theatre so same deal with him as with Gryffen.
* Conrad isn't sure what he wants to do.
* So many things I need/want to do and not enough time - isn't that always the way? Such is life.
Anyhow, better get something done now!

RWII was awesome!!!!

I am absolutely exhausted from a huge weekend, but it was bloody great! I think everyone had a good time, people were well fed and Terry and Peter authorised as lights and had fun in the war on Saturday! I'm glad they got to enjoy the benefits of all their hard work - well done lads! The photo is of Terry (nick named 'Bumblebee'), Conrad (as banner bearer) and Peter. I'll be uploading the photos to the Radburne Photobucket account shortly (the link is off the Radburne page).
I am so brain dead at the moment a full account of the weekend will have to wait ;-)

On other news, it turns out I need to get a steroid injection into my ankle under local anesthetic and MRI to help reduce the irritation and inflammation in my ankle. What joy! I need to ring up tomorrow and make an appointment............

You know you're in the SCA when........

you stand outside at 10:00pm in the cold night air to shoot blunts at newly armoured archers to test them out ;-) One issue was one of the intrepid archers forgot his 'box' (not the one pictured) and Murphy's Law states that is where you will get hit - and he did! We laughed so hard we cried because he was such a good sport about it - and proved his mettle!

I also got to shoot a blunt at my husband LOL! It landed just above the wrist where the gauntlet and arm meet - will be interesting to see if it bruises. All in all we had a good laugh at how silly we are and how much fun this weekend will be!

Excitement is starting to settle in.....

with only two sleeps to go! Got some last minute bookings so I think we are up to about 52 or 53. There are a good mix of people coming as well as some that haven't been before so it should be great. Really, really looking forward to it, even though the next few days will be extremely busy!
And, SCA songs have a lot to answer for! I have 'Hammer of Thor' stuck in my head whilst I am at work - I just want to break out into song! LOL (It's all Wolfstanus' fault!)

The helm............

3 more sleeps to go

and organising is progressing along nicely. Armour is almost complete (although a new gorget needs to be sorted - the one T had made for himself just doesn't fit right and it got ripped off and launched to the other side of the shed ;-) His helm looks awesome - will try and get a photo of it tonight.

I have K's underdress done and just need to stitch down the facing on the overdress and do the lacing holes. Might do that whilst I am watching telly tonight.

Meat and bread have been ordered for pick up on Friday, as have the loos. I will do the bulk of the shopping on Thursday and just get the 'fresh' stuff Friday morning. The Dragon Hill Taxi has been organised for the picking up of people from the train station (thanks Johanna!) Flags and signage will go up Friday morning and it looks like I will have some helpers on Friday too (T and P might be taking the day off to help with final preparations - thanks guys!)

I figured I could do the lacing holes on my cotehardie (which has been a work in progress since last November!) and Wolfstanus' cotehardie during the day on Saturday. We can then wear them on Sunday.

Firewood has been collected, tables and benches set up and things are looking good. Touch wood, the weather forecast for Friday is the chance of showers and fine for Saturday and Sunday with tops of 15 and 16. (Similar to last year.)

Looking forward to it!!!!!

5 more sleeps to go.........

and the 'tavern' is ready! It's nice and close to the campfire too with views to all the activities. Thanks to Terence (who is the brains and brawn behind it all), Kristy, Pete, Arabella, Guy and Johanna for all their help today. Also to Conrad, Wolfstanus and Gryffen.

8 more sleeps to go......

until RWII. OMG! Things are coming along though - we have 48 confirmed bookings so I'm happy - still about 9 who expressed an interest but haven't booked yet. Bookings close tomorrow but no doubt there could be a few last minute ones like last year ;-)
T has just about completed his armour and Conrad's is done. Arrows have been fletched and just need to have points for targets or blunts for combat fitted. I have finished P's T-Tunic and have K's cotehardie and underdress about 80% done. If I don't get T's tabbard done won't matter - in a way it would be a shame to cover up the detail in the armour!
Need to organise prizes still and fine tune the menu although that won't take too much tweaking.
Conrad and Wolfstanus both have tonsillitis and bronchitis and Gryffen managed to bruise his toes after dropping a 2 litre soft drink bottle (full) on them from a great height with no shoes on! Ouch! X-ray says no fracutures so hopefully just bruising! So I had all three home yesterday along with my dad who has hurt his back - talk about having fun! LOL At least everyone should be right for RWII now! (Note to self - make sure first aid kit stocked up just in case!)
We have a number of new people coming this time that haven't been to one of our events before so that is quite exciting - it should be a great weekend and we are all looking forward to it!

Less than 3 weeks to RWII

and T is madly working on armour. These are shots of the gauntlet and half gauntlet being working on.
It's less than 3 weeks away and happily the bookings are starting to come in. We have 38 confirmed and at least another 12 who should be booking in the next week or so (if rumours are correct LOL).
Helped T make benches and tables (okay, I sanded and lacquered them - he made them). Getting a new bow as an early birthday present - woo hoo!
All in all, really looking forward to it!
Sent off the paperwork today for T's name and device registration and I started a cotehardie for my niece. Still lots to do though!!!

The ankle specialist called me this afternoon.......

Yes, this afternoon, Saturday afternoon........it was very good of him. The news wasn't great however. It appears I have developed osteoarthritis in my ankle, brought on by the fracture. (Doesn't help there is a family history of it too.) I go to see him on the 11 August to discuss it further. Basically there are 3 options for treatment (which will largely depend on my pain levels and ability to walk):
1. Treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs (short to mid term relief)
2. Steroid injections into my ankle joint (short term relief)
3. Surgery to fuse the ankle joint (permanent relief but brings its own set of problems such as no movement in my ankle, special shoes etc)

He also said an ankle brace or cam boot may help, wearing boots instead of shoes (which I do now anyway), not walking on uneven ground (yeah right, have you seen where I live?) etc

So, at this point, I will be opting for option 1 plus a thermal ankle strap and physiotherapy exercises. I need to go to my GP this week anyway as I have to get a mole checked on my arm that has gone 'funny' - I'll talk to the GP about anti-inflammatories.

There will come a time when I cannot walk on it and will require surgery to fuse the joint - this is not something to be entered into lightly however. It could take 2 months, 2 years or 20 years - time will tell.

If you want to read more about it, go to http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/osteoarthritis.htm (American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons) for starters...

Le sigh.......

Hee hee hee hee!

Your result for The World of Warcraft Addiction Test...

More of a habit

You are 48% Addicted!

You seem to enjoy the game, and understand it, but it hasn't yet taken over your life. This is probably a good thing, depending on who you talk to.

Take The World of Warcraft Addiction Test at HelloQuizzy

Couldn't resist...........

Your result for The Camelot Test...

Lancelot

Honourable and passionate. You never back down from a challenge. Your friends are very important to you. You believe in justice and duty far above your own personal security and comfort.

Congratulations! This was the most challenging result to get. You are one of a kind.

Take The Camelot Test at HelloQuizzy

Thanks Finn!

Your result for The hardcore SCA Test...

The Queen's Champion

You scored 53% hardcore SCA!

You are really involved in the SCA. You probably have some really cool garb. You put a lot of work into playing the game and making sure its fun for others too. For a lot of folks an event wouldn't be the same without you. You probably have a tendancy to over do it sometimes. You may need help knowing when to say "No" or when to stop sewing and go to bed.

Take The hardcore SCA Test at HelloQuizzy

Saturday was a good day......

Had fun with Target Archery and the Tavern Feast. The tavern was awesome! We did it as a potluck which meant everyone brought a plate of food - we had way too much food and it was all very yummy! The atmosphere was brilliant - everyone that was there got involved in the conversation, laughing, joking and singing. We had a toast to Oz and Francesca - what we achieved on Saturday night was what Oz was hoping we would do with Taverns. So Oz - it only took 12 months but we finally 'got it' - thank you for getting us on the right path! (We even had two newbies - my niece and her fiance - who had a ball and said they now 'get it' too and will become more involved with the SCA.) We also had a really good discussion about how we were feeling as a household, what we want to do for events and what we want to achieve. So, as a summary (which I will also need to post to the yahoo group - note to self):
* Tourney in the Park - 1st Saturday of the month in the AM (at Ollie Robbins Oval)
* Target Archery - 1st Saturday of the month at Dragon Hill
* When we feel like it - tavern feast (potluck) in the evening after the above
* Armouring and fighter training as people feel like it and get to gether outside 'official' stuff
* We all have different talents and skills - use those more for the group to make a group kit for when we go to events
* Attend events as a household when we can. Aim for one or two events a year outside of Festival. Casual War in November suggested as well as Spring War in October and Polit Baronial Hunt in September. All liked the idea - not the end of the world though if we don't achieve it - lots of things to take into consideration
* Run our events for the local group - we cannot and should not depend on wayfarers. They cannot attend our things for the same reason we do not attend theirs! All wayfarers are welcome though!

My new to do list:
* Make new garb for Conrad
* Make new garb for Wolfstanus
* Make new garb for Gryffen
* Make garb for Kristy
* Make garb for Pete
* Make bottle covers and other covers (for chairs etc)
* Get Terry's device sorted and copy paperwork for his name (Terence of Radburne)
* Paint shields for RWII
* Finish hand sewing on mine and Wolfstanus' cotehardies (still from Festival)

And that should do for a start!

MRI completed......

and films picked up but no report. I can't be sneaky as the report will be faxed/emailed directly to the specialist in Sydney *sigh*. And I can't get the result until the 11th August! It was very painful getting it done this time and I have to say it was more painful afterwards this time than last time! I'm going to call the specialist on Wednesday and ask 1)if he has received the report and 2) if there is anything I need to be doing/not doing between now and when I see him on the 11 August to avoid further damage. It sux!

And I'm booked in for Monday

My MRI is scheduled for Monday morning at 8am - then I have to wait until the 11th August to see the specialist *sigh*. The joys of living in the country (mind you I still wouldn't trade with my city cousins - I much prefer the landscape here and the space :-)).

Conrad got his school report today - he did really well. He got his first ever 'A' for his favourite subject woodwork - we are so proud of him! He also got 10/10 for his clock (above). The photo does not do it justice - he has done an amazing job!

Wolfstanus got his school report too and did really well. His top subjects were English and Drama. No surpises there!

Gryffen got his school report earlier in the week and also did really well - he has made some great improvements! We are so proud of all three boys!

Ankle update........

Saw the specialist tonight who is very nice and I have heard good things about (I saw him once before about 3 months ago). He agrees that there is something very definately not right with my ankle and it should have been healed by now. It is swollen again. He has ordered another MRI. I will ring Radiology tomorrow to try and organise an appointment. I can't see the specialist again now until the 11th August which is the only down side. At least I have plenty of time to get the MRI done *sigh*. What happens next will depend on what the MRI shows. It will be one of two things:
1. It shows nothing and the ankle is just taking a long time to heal because of the severity of the original injury;
2. It shows the fracture isn't healed or other damage and I will require surgery.

The other thing is some of the sypmtoms I am describing can mean nerve damage - apparently it isn't common with a fracture but it can happen.

So, I don't know any more than I did before I went but at least investigations are happening. I am resigned to the fact that I will have issues with my ankle pretty much for the rest of my life including arthritis. Cest la vie. I am also resigned to the fact that surgery is a possibility however I won't really know until the 11th August - I am not going to jump to any conclusions. Either way, I'm just going to have to be patient. I've waited over 6 months now so what's another 6 weeks?

Nearly Monday again...........

I'm looking forward to going to my course tomorrow - Modern Business Writing - should be interesting. Can't play WoW at the moment - internet speed has been thrashed as we have gone over our 5GB download limit. It sux! (Better than ending up with a bill though!) I can't access half the stuff I want too - oh well, back to normal on Tuesday at least!

I'm going back to the ankle specialist tomorrow. It's been getting worse again over the last few weeks and has been giving me hell all weekend. It's swollen again and extremely painful. I'm back on the Panadeine Forte which I have to say normally knocks me out - this time it isn't and pain wise does not seem to be working that well. I am also concerned about blood circulation - my foot changes colour, goes bright red, itches and gets what I can only describe as hot flushes. I also have some swelling on the outside of my ankle which I didn't have before. The cramps in my foot and up my leg are painful and annoying! I'm going to ask for another MRI too - the other doctor 'assumed' the fracture was healed but no investigations were done. I haven't had a pain free day in six and a half months and the pain is increasing again. This is my body telling me something is not right, so I would be silly to ignore it! My appointment is at 5:45 pm tomorrow. I'll just have to wait and see.........

Helm in progress.........

Armour is coming along - will take photos of the legs etc on the weekend. It was too cold out in the shed tonight!

Hubby is also going to register the name Terence of Radburne and his device. Although at the moment there is a conflict with the device he wants to use so we need to tweak it a bit. The lovely Aminah is assisting us.

Armouring can be a health hazard...........

Just ask my niece K!

Tuesday evening was just a normal evening. I sat down to watch Australia's Next Top Model (my brain dead show for the week) and as soon as I did so the phone rang. I spent the next 40 minutes yacking. Just hung up and went to try and catch the end of the show and Conrad came in asking for the band aids. As I was cleaning out the cut he got from a sheet of steel and putting a band aid on I made the comment 'it is just as well I am not squeamish at the sight of blood!' We had a laugh (for those that know my other half you know why). I just got back to my seat and in comes my niece in tears with her fiance holding her up and T following behind. I said 'What have you done' and P replied 'put a drill through her finger'. Apparently whislt Miss K was drilling the metal the drill bit broke and the drill slipped, putting the drill bit in through the top of her finger nail. She bleeds well - she has thin blood. We cleaned it out, put a gauze pad on it and taped it up, gave her some Panadeine Forte and sat her down. After about ten minutes she decided to go out for a smoke when T asked her when she had her last Tetnus vaccination - she couldn't remember. So P packed her up in the car and took her to the hospital. (I just caught the elimination at the end of my show.) As it turns out, this was very fortunate - apparently the drill had gone completely through her finger (yes broke the skin on the bottom) and taken a small bit of bone off the end of her finger. They put her on an IV for antibiotics and she came home about 1am. Then back to day surgery at 7.30 am for them to put her under so they could remove the nail, clean everything out properly, push the bone back into place, stitch her up, splint the finger and get her arm in a sling. Yep, just a normal day for us! LOL

Yesterday - no further injuries.

Today - no injuries to report, yet!

She is doing fine - her finger is naturally very sore and she has declared she will never go near a power drill again!

Slowly starting to focus again......

Well, SCA stuff has pretty much taken a back burner for me over the last few months. Apart from running Target Archery Practice with IKAC once a month and doing the stock clerk stuff I haven't really been interested in doing anything SCA related. The funny thing is though, now my interest has waned a little, T's has increased! LOL It has more to do with he is finding stuff he is interested in now - which was always the key. It was just a matter of slow and steady, little bits and testing the water etc. The shed sounds like a blacksmiths now - T is making armour (his new helm is looking great), P and K are also making armour. The three of them are hoping to authorise as lights at the War Weekend in August. For me I think it was a case of a bit of burn out as well as having so many other things to do - work has been crazy busy and so has family stuff. There is only one of me after all!

Our good friend Jochen called me yesterday afternoon - it was great to hear from him and I really enjoyed our chat. It actually rekindled in me why I enjoy the SCA in the first place :-) (Thanks Jochen!) Then on top of that, I have had a few bookings for Radburne War II in August so I need to start moving things in that direction. Sorle came up with a good draft timetable for the martial activities which is a great step for planning and having others involved with the organisation process. I must admit I am starting to look forward to it.

We have a potluck feast at Johanna's on the 5 July which should be a nice evening - it will be good to catch up with everyone again.

So, on my SCA to do list:
* Get the online store up and running properly (having some issues at the moment)
* Make a new dress from the painting I had picked out (see my dress diary blog)
* Finish the lacing holes on my yellow cotehardie
* Finish the lacing holes on Wolfstanus' cotehardie
* Make doublets for Conrad
* Make a gambeson for conrad and T
* Find an SCA name for T that he will agree to use (that could be a tought one)
* Paint the shields to go on the gates at the Radburne camp
* Organise an A & S activity timetable for the Radburne War weekend
* Make some T-tunics as loaner garb

Hmm - that should do for the next two weeks :-)

Need a capshun.......

I finally did it!

Cleaned out my walk in wardrobe that is! You can actually walk into it now! LOL It took all day but now it's done. I had a huge throw out and re packed everything. Much better now!

I also have re-done all the Stock Clerk accounts and done a stock take. I found a couple of small errors (one short on one line, and one over on the next - that sort of thing) which I will now fix. Feels good to get those things out of the way!

Got 19 new chickens last weekend at Ballimore auction for a total of 25 now. They are so cute when you go to feed them and they come running up to the gate to meet you :-)

A very sad day...........

I'm a little too upset to write at the moment, our dog Missy (the one that belonged to my youngest) was mauled by a couple of dogs today so badly that we had to put her down. It happened while we were shopping and we found her when we got home, barely alive. I'm just waiting on the Ranger to call me back........although I am still very teary I am also extremely angry. The owners of the dogs were there when it happened I have found out and they left her to die......

Busy weekend........

Wow, what a weekend! Had a great night on Friday - dinner was brilliant and we all enjoyed the movie.

Saturday was baking, shopping, target archery and out to Dunedoo for my sister-in-law's birthday (she was up from Sydney).

Sunday I spent nearly all day on the ride on lawn mower starting to clear for the camping weekend. P was on the chainsaw cutting logs for the fort and T was on the bobcat. We were all really dusty and dirty! Had dinner with my mum and dad which was appreciated and watched Indianna Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark before crashing.

Today was spent on the ride on lawn mower and building the fort. Had a shower and feel human again - had hamburgers and chips for dinner. Watching the bull riding now on the Country Music Channel and then Celebrity Apprentice before crashing for the night.

Didn't get my chook washed - haven't had time and it got too cold. Maybe next weekend.......my ankle is swollen and sore again. Off to the specialist on the 30 June........

16th Wedding Anniversary today!

And I had burgandy carnations delivered to work with a lovely note and a tiger teddy bear. Hubby tried to get red carnations but no florist in town had them. Each anniversary he buys me red carnations 'cause that was what I had in my wedding bouquet. All very sweet!

Going to Hog's Breath tonight for dinner and then off to the movies to see the new Indianna Jones movie. The boys are coming with us too. Looking forward to a lovely family evening!

Target Archery tomorrow, then off to Dunedoo. It's my sister in laws birthday. We also have the bob cat hired for the long weekend to get some clearing done etc. I'm even going to have a go! Look out! So, all day Sunday and Monday will be working out in the paddock. I also need to wash Fergie (our Silkie hen) - that could be very interesting! Funniest home videos anyone?

Here is a picture I got of Conrad........

And another week is nearly gone.....

I did get my assignment done last weekend and posted on Monday - what a relief! Only 3 more to go. I have not been practicing as much as I should and therefore I am not that great going off memory, but if I can just get through these last assignments I will be okay. Once that pressure is off I am going to go back to the beginning to refresh the old brain and then practice every day. Yes I will dammit!

Still have the cough and the yucky chest/sinus thing happening. Not too bad though. Kids have bit of the same - Wolfstanus has been off school for the last two days with a really bad throat. Hubby had to go the doctors today too - throat infection. My mum also had to go to the doctors - hurt her back and she can hardly move! Telling my mum to rest though is akin to telling the sun not to shine! Dad and I are just taking the no nonsense approach and she is just going to have to deal with it! She will get grumpy but it's for her own good!

Packing boxes at work - pretty much all my stuff is packed. The removalists arrive tomorrow so it will be a funny day I think. In the temporary office on Monday (for several months whilst they refurbish our current office) - not looking forward to having to unpack again. The worst will be the computers and phones - all the stuff we have now is being moved over the weekend. We are all a little aprehensive whether it will all be working Monday morning. Time will tell - we can always hope for a miracle!

This weekend have some family stuff to do, need to do the usual cleaning etc and I need to get started on my next assignment. I can't complete it until I get my other one back though as I need to re-do anything I have done incorrectly. I can start on it though. At least if I get most of it done, when I get the other one back I can just do the corrections and then send it off! That's the plan anyway!

Next Friday is our 16th wedding anniversary - quite an achievement in this day and age. And yes, it has been a bed of roses, thorns and all! LOL We are going out for dinner with the boys at the usual haunt - Hog's Breath. I have to say I do not regret a minute of it - even the tough times. It's all the experiences that shape you as a person so how can I regret any of that? I have learned so much in the last 17 years - about who I am as a person, how to deal with a whole range of things good and bad, and the importance of family. It's okay that we are all different - I have learned to accept a lot of differences and why people act the way they do sometimes. I won't let myself be a doormat but I do think I sort most things out pretty well. The other joy of my marriage of course is our three wonderful boys - the first one arrived 11 months and 1 week after we got married, just 3 weeks before our first wedding anniversary, the second one 19 months later and the 'baby' 3 years and 2 months after that. I think I'm pretty darn fortunate! Would I trade my life with anyone, including a movie star or royalty? Hell no! I think I have a pretty good life!

Potato Bake is yummy for lunch......

On a short lunch break so thought I would post as it has been a little while. News to date:
* Conrad had a good birthday - Hog's Breath was great as usual!
* I got Gryffen's device paperwork done and sent
* I spent my flex day last Friday sick and all of the week. Still recovering from an URTI and sinusitis. I'm sure everyone will be happy when I stop barking like a seal!
* I'm now a level 58 blood elf hunter on World of Warcraft (man is that game addictive)
* I'm watching what I eat a bit to try and lose some weight - being on crutches for 4 months and idle has not helped my waist line! I've also started using the Ab King Pro which has been an expensive shelf for the last 6 months!
* This weekend I am not going anywhere and I *will* complete my short hand assignment that has been half finished for the last 8 weeks! The time has come to get serious again! Then I only have 3 assisgnment to complete and I will be finished the course. Then it is time for a break!

And back to work............

Happy 15th Birthday Conrad!

That is scary! Hope you have a great day dude and enjoy Hog's Breath tonight!

That is all.

There is nothing quite like....

The sound of chainsaws, the smell of sawdust and petrol whilst enjoying the scenery on a 3000 acre sheep property. We cut wood on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning for my in-laws now the cooler weather is approaching. Conrad and Wolfstanus did a really good job of splitting some of the wood with an axe and burnt off some energy. Poor Gryffen has been sick since Friday with his tummy ‘issues’ and has pretty much been stuck to the lounge. He still isn’t well today and I was starting to get concerned about dehydration. He’s with my mum and dad today and no news is good news. Hopefully he is on the mend now; things were starting to improve late yesterday. (Update: mum just called to say he has had something to eat, he is drinking and seems to be improving – huzzah!)

Had a lovely weekend with both sides of the family – got a surprise visit from our nephew and his family from Wagga. They turned up Saturday and had dinner with all of us before heading off to his father’s place. All in all it was quite a good weekend. I even got to veg out on WoW online for a few hours last night too.

I’ve still got a huge list of things to do which I never seem to get around to doing. I just keep chipping away at it…….one day I might get through it! LOL

The thing on top of today’s list is getting Conrad a birthday present – he is 15 tomorrow! Unbelievable! Time sure gets away in a hurry! Speaking of which, time to get back to it…………

Mood = reflective

Don't you just hate it when you are forced to look at what you are doing and work out what you need to change?

I am so sick of people getting narky on email lists and not stopping to think before they type. I have to take a step back though and remind myself it could just be my interpretation too. Email lists are a bugger that way. Really I should be thanking this person though - he made me stop and think about all the things I am trying to achieve and am I being realistic? I also asked myself *why* I was on that particular list. The light bulb came on and I removed myself from that particular email list - I do not need to be there. It was not something I was particularly interested in - I thought I was serving a purpose by being there - to relay information between members of our group that do not have access to email lists and that particular group. Turns out I was wasting my time and theirs. So to 'Grumpy' - thank you - you just helped me free up some more time and made me realise it really wasn't necessary for me to be doing what I was doing. It also made me stop and think about a whole lot of other SCA stuff and what I need to be doing. (Occassionally I need a good swift kick to bring me back to reality - I like to think I'm superwoman at times but my mum keeps telling me I'm not and I need to slow down.)

I just posted an email to the Radburne group on my view of the world (in Radburne) at the moment and I feel better for it and more focused. I cannot single handedly make things work (although I like to think I can LOL) and I am risking burnout again if I keep it up. Is it worth that? I don't think so.

I think I also need to stop wearing my rose coloured glasses when it comes to the SCA - that way I might reduce the amount of times I am disappointed. Don't get me wrong - there are lots of great things about the SCA and some fantastic people (a number I am priveledged to call friend) but there are also things/people that aren't great. I forget that whilst there are a lot of people that *do* like to help and answer questions and are tolerant, there are also those who aren't. They tend to make you come crashing down to earth in a hurry.

Things I have decided:
* Archery will be my SCA focus
* This edition of the newsletter will be my last one
* Stock Clerk stuff needs my attention and focus
* I am not going to stress about the War Weekend - if we get attendees great, if not we will still have a camping weekend and have a fort we can play in. I am not going to put pressure on myself to have the *best* war weekend - reality is most people don't want too/can't travel to us. So be it.

more cat pictures

Not enough hours in a day....

Ain't that the truth! Got some stuff done on the weekend but not all that I wanted to do. Such is life.
* Had a fantabulous time doing archery on Saturday - I even improved my score this time. I have a nice little bruise on the inside of my left arm - I got it with the bow string (not keeping my wrist straight). Only did it once - it hurts when you do that! Although not as much as if you have it too close to your chest and you hit the boob! Had mucho fun with Aminah and Johanna and the boys. Introduced Aminah to Jeff Dunham and his Spark of Insanity DVD. Sooo politically incorrect and soooo funny!
* Got 12 months worth of the stock clerk reports re-done. Up to March 2007 now. It is now imperitive I get it sorted as I got approval to go with the online store. Huzzah! Software etc has been ordered and hopefully will turn up soon. It's a bit of nervous excitement I must admit. The lovely Sveinn and Sorle have offered to help me out which I am very appreciative of! I've also got book reviews coming in for the webpage too which I need to get to Sorle to upload for me.
* Didn't get the cupboard done
* Got the money order for Gryffen's device registration and the outline copies done - need to colour in!
* Got the washing done - just need to sort it now
* Got to catch up with our niece who we haven't seen for about 6 years and got to meet her twin boys. They are adorable little cyclones and just under 4. Looking forward to seeing more of them.
Anyhow, better get back to work!
Note to self: leave for work about 15 minutes earlier tomorrow due to high traffic with the main bridge being out!

Friday on my mind......

Another Friday is here - looking forward to another busy weekend. Update from the last week or so:
* My friend is doing okay but it will be some time I think before she will have a *normal* life
* Had a nice weekend with family last weekend including ANZAC day
* My father in law ended up in hospital this week as he couldn't swallow food and drink - turns out his oesophagus has narrowed and was inflamed. He is now on medication and has to go back to the specialist in 6 weeks to have it widened. He got out of hospital on Wednesday and they have been staying with us until today. Back home to Dunedoo now.
* Boys are doing well
* Had a trip to Orange yesterday for work - wasn't too cold!
* Started re-doing all the stock clerk reports for the last two years as some of the opening balances didn't carry forward properly. Then I need to do a stock take before end of financial year.
* Have an OZIBOD meeting tonight - the proposal for the online store will be discussed
* Need to get the Red River Runes newsletter done hopefully this weekend
* Need to clean out my walk in wardrobe which is full of everything but clothes!
* Target Archery tomorrow and IKAC
* Need to get Gryffen's device drawn up and a money order done (might try and do that today)
* Need to pay for the green slip on the ute
* Need to do the washing
* Went to the fracture clinic today - the new buzz words are 'bone crush injury' to go with the crack fracture. What does this mean? At least 6 months to get mostly back to normal. Will probably never get back to normal, may cause long term issues or future problems - will need to wait and see. I need to wait 2 to 3 months more and if things aren't mostly back to normal I need to see the ankle specialist who comes to town once every 6 weeks. Continue wearing a tubi grip on the ankle, physio, flat shoes, minimal exercise and being on it etc. Continue with pain medication as needed. *sigh* And all for not paying attention! Looks like my lovely stilleto punck rock boots are relegated to the closet for some time yet!
* My dad goes to the specialist about his liver problem in just under a fortnight
* My mum and dad are booked to go to New Zealand for two weeks in September - glad they are going, they deserve to have a great holiday!
And that should do for now.....

Sometimes life sux.........

Feeling a little sad and reflective at the moment - I have a mountain of work to do but just need a few moments to release.

Had a bit of shock this week - a very close friend of mine has been betrayed by her husband in the worst possible way. Needless to say, they are now seperated. What do you say to someone in that awful situation? There is nothing anyone can say to make the hurt go away - I hope it will lesson in time but I suspect it will leave a scar. I don't think you can go through something like that and not be changed by it. Once the storm has gone, no matter how long it takes, we will look for that elusive silver lining. Not possible at the moment.........

Babe, know that we love you and are here to support you in whatever way you need. If that means you want some quiet time to yourself, let us know, if it means you want some company or someone to go *blah* too, then let me know. This is about you and what your needs are. My heart goes out to you and in time I hope you can move on to better things.

Warm fuzzy hugs...........

I count my blessings that my other half and I have been able to work through our difficult times and move on, it hasn't always been easy but we have come a long way. I guess that is part of the reason I feel so sad for my friend - that things didn't work out the same way for her. I'm going to stop now before I need to go for the tissue box......

The baby is sleeping....sshhh!

T and I at the Feast on Saturday night

Rex the Kitty!

Ahhhhhh!!!!

Well, the bug of doom has set in - aches and pains, headaches, sinus and a sore throat. P - you are sooooo in trouble! I can't afford the time off work and the feast and tourney are this weekend. Man - I can really do without this at the moment! I'm feeling so blah today - really don't want to be here - want to be in bed!

Need to get things sorted for the weekend - I've made a list, just need to get it together. Wolfstanus is going to help me make some boards up for games either tomorrow night or Saturday morning. On an updside - K & P are now coming to the feast - it will be their first SCA event. Huzzah!

Get Rex the kitty this afternoon - looking forward to that! It will be interesting to see how the other 2 cats go with him. Cleopatra will be okay - she was fine with Sylvester when we got him. Sylvester is about 21 months old now so it will be interesting to see what he makes of his new play mate. We will slowly introduce Rex to the dogs - he will be staying inside until he is about 6 months old anyway. The dogs are pretty good with the cats. Scrappy often sleeps on the verandah with Cleopatra and they are all very good together. It's more what poor Rex will make of 6 dogs! I'm sure they will be fine as long as we do things a little at a time......

Need to call into the RSPCA on the weekend sometime too to drop in our volunteer forms. The three boys and I are going to help out one Saturday a month. May work it up to 2 Saturdays but we will see how things go.

Back to filing.........

Middle of the week update......

Hmmm, where do I start?
* Getting a head cold which is annoying - it has been toying with me a bit (I've been waiting for it to clear so I can get my flu needle) but it has advanced ever so slightly (doesn't help that work mates and others living with us have the flu!)
* Conrad's authorisation got returned to me cause one of the Marshals forgot to sign the form so now I have to try and get a signature on it. Will try and email him tonight to get a postal address....
* Getting a new kitty tomorrow for Wolfstanus! We picked him out at the RSPCA on Sunday - just needs to get the vet stuff done tomorrow and I will pick him up from the vet. Will have to post a picture of course!
* Still need to do the lacing holes on my yellow cotehardie before Saturday! If I don't get it done I'll just wear one of the others .
* Need to get Gryffen's device drawn up and submitted to Aminah.
* Need to practice play for Saturday night!
* Meeting with Aminah and her dad at lunch time today to sort out final stuff for feast on the weekend.
* Need to find CDs before the weekend!
* Now a level 51 hunter on WoW . Couldn't play last night though cause T and I were cleaning the house.
* Foot is okay - need to wear cam boot still but have thrown the crutches away! Huzzah! Next check up is 2 May. I've been walking around without the boot for a few hours at a time but it still gets very very painful and swells up. I moved it the wrong way last night with it just being strapped and my oh my, the pain was excrutiating. Guess I have a ways to go before it gets back to *normal*. Could be worse though!
* Really looking forward to the weekend to do some SCA stuff locally and catch up with friends.
* Need to get the Newsletter sorted out for May/June (seeing as I forgot about the March/April one).
* Started organising/planning for war weekend. I'd like to get a project plan and timeline sorted out in the next few weeks.
* Lots of SCA projects I want to do but event organising and life seems to take over!
* Need to complete my next shorthand assignment!
* Need to pick up Dylan's glasses this afternoon
* My new glasses should be ready in the next week I hope!

That should be enough for now..........

Eating sunflower seeds...

I am trying to eat a bit healthier (not that my diet is toooo bad)and I am trying sunflower seeds to avoid the temptation of chocolate and crisps at work. They are surprisingly tasty and I am enjoying them very much! I have eaten them 'in' things before but not on their own. I think they could become a habit! I am also trying to drink two bottles of water a day (600ml) on top of my normal supply of diet mineral water and a couple of cups of cinamon coffee (low fat of course). I am half way through my first bottle of water.........looking forward to being able to do some exercise again (i.e. going for a walk around our property) but I think that will still be some way off [sigh]. I'm still walking around in the cam boot and my ankle is still quite painful (I overbalanced yesterday when I didn't have the cam boot on and it swelled up a bit again), for the most part now I don't use the crutches anymore. I can drive again though which is definately a huge plus!
Went to the optometrist yesterday - expensive trip as usual! LOL Gryffen needs new lenses but for a good reason - his script is now too strong as his eyes have improved. He may even grow out of needing glasses which is great news! Wolfstanus does not need glasses however he does have a stigmatism developing, probably from knuckle-rubbing the eye due to allergies. I got to see the polops under his eye lid! OMG! My eyes have deteriorated slightly which means I need slightly stronger lenses - I opted for new frames this time too as I can't go for ten days without them (means I have a spare pair) and the frames are about 4 years old. I have gone for a purply colour which the boys helped me pick out. It was rather funny! I'd put a pair on and they would tell me either yes or no - the consensus was unanimous with the pair I ended up with! LOL Conrad wears glasses too but he had his visit last year. The three of us also had the photos taken of the back of our eyes to check the health of them too. We all have healthy eyes although not much pigmentation (which is the protection from light and burning) - means sunglasses and hats at all times when outdoors! The boys are good at wearing hats, but need to be better with sunglasses! They started today which is good. I can't go outside without sunnies as I have light sensitive eyes so I already wear mine all the time (including if I am a passenger at night - oncoming headlights kill me! This is why I avoid driving at night.)
The feast is only 8 days away so trying to get organised for that. Wolfstanus and I have started learning the play and getting props organised. I still need to finish lacing holes! Maybe on the weekend.....
Wolfstanus' cat went missing a couple of months ago - we hope to get him a kitty from the RSPCA this weekend.......

Can someone let me off the merry go round for a bit please?

Well, I guess today is just one of those days where everything goes wrong. In addition to the stuff that happened this morning, my niece (who lives with us) broke her leg this morning (so there are now two of us on crutches in the house), apparently she also broke the seat in my car (not sure how or what exactly) and I have just been told by the ankle specialist I can expect at least another 3 months of recovery time for my ankle, could be longer. He also feels I over did it on the weekend and I need to gradually stop using the crutches and cam boot and not go cold turkey (gobble, gobble). [sigh] Such is life - apparently there was a lot more bruising of the bones in my ankle than I was initially told. He also said the fracture although healing, won't be healed yet. At least one thing is he doesn't feel I need immediate surgery as it won't speed up the healing process - a plus I think. I'm so over it - nice glass of bourbon tonight methinks.......still, things could be worse! Nothing a good dose of laughter won't fix!

I hate Monday........

It's just been one of those days! T woke up to a flat tyre and a flat battery on the ute - not a great way to get up. (I had already left by this time for an 8 o'clock appointment with the physio.) Luckily my niece had my car to take the boys to school so T could get a lift into town to get a new battery. By this time, I found out I needed to go back onto my crutches so at least T could pick them up from home for me and get me a box of panadol.
So, recap..........went to work without my cam boot on Friday. It went okay but was a little tender by the evening. I didn't walk around much though. Have been doing my physio exercises (non weight bearing ones).
Saturday went without my cam boot - did the usual stuff, doing dishes, tidying up a little, washing, hanging washing out, supervised target archery and had a shoot myself. OMG - by 5 o'clock in a lot of pain. Put the cam boot back on, took panadeine forte and did not get much sleep that night. Had the cam boot on all day Sunday, still not much relief. Still not great today either. It has been 12 weeks today since I injured it [sigh]. The physio is trying to get me in to see the ankle specialist today (he only comes up from Sydney every 4 to 6 weeks) but it isn't looking good. If I can't get in to see him, I will see an Ortho on Thursday. I am sooooo over this! I know I just have to be patient and it will take time but it is so frustrating!
On other news, the Anniversary Feast has hardly any bookings and it is only 12 days away. I helped Aminah come up with a plan B so it will go ahead, even if it isn't in the original hoped for format. So many things contribute to this stuff - we are 400km away from our neighbouring groups, the price of fuel has skyrocketed compared to previous years, there is only a very tiny group here that participate, we live in a rural area where culturaly what we do is not cool - locals aren't really interested.....and the list goes on. Team that up with our event falls in between Festival and May Crown (which is in NZ this year) and you get the picture. Not only that, we need to keep in mind that people can't travel to our events for exactly the same reasons as we can't travel to theirs. Oh well, such is life.......we will still have fun. Haven't learned our play yet - not sure if we will. I suppose we should just in case....then there is also the war weekend which is only 4 months away! OMG - time to start organising!
Just a call from the hospital - I have an appointment with the ankle specialist in 45 minutes - I have been warned I could be there all day though!

Meh.........

Supposed to be doing shorthand (4 assignments to go) but I am just SOOOOOO over it at the moment. I cannot get motivated at all. Did a few practice drills yesterday but can't get my head around it today. Work is reasonably busy. I hate getting up in the dark at the moment - it makes me feel so tired! Still don't know what is wrong with dad - the earliest he can get an ultrasound of his liver is on the 11th......too long (sigh).

Onto happier thoughts - organised target archery for this Saturday with an IKAC shoot. There will only be about half a dozen of us but that's okay. I cannot shoot though as I will be the only TAM there - oh well.

T has fixed the banner stands I broke just before Festival - you rock! Thanks! (And he hasn't killed me and is talking to me again so I guess that means I'm forgiven!)

Planning for the Radburne feast in a few weeks. Trying to organise something fun for people that will be there to participate in, something out of the ordinary singing and dancing. There have been some great suggestions on the list in response to my request for help - will go through them all this evening. I love the idea of the murder mystery though - that could be so much fun! Don't know that I have the time or skill to organise it though - we'll see.

Better do some more work!

Post Rowany Festival 2008

Okay - someone stole the last week. Come on, I know you did! This last week has been extra busy - unpacking Festival stuff, drying tents, mountains of washing, work, organising the party for T's 40th and my parents 40th Wedding Anniversary, trips to the fracture clinic and Physio, my dad being not well........okay, now I know where the week went! Party went well on Saturday night - had a BBQ, fire buckets, about 50 friends and family - all in all a good night.

My foot is on the mend - have given up the crutches after 11 weeks - huzzah! - and now just have the cam boot. I can walk on it and start doing my physio exercises. Hopefully it will just keep getting better from here. Go back to the specialist on the 2nd May where I will hopefully get final clearance! I am going to have to be mindful of my ankle for some time though - the doctor did tell me this particular injury is notorious for being slow and painful to mend. Oh well, nothing quite like doing a job properly. It could have been worse though!

Festival was an interesting experience. Green, wet, VERY cosy (a little too cosy at times), no campfire and no shower. (We did go prepared but had not the room!) We saw both extremes - wonderfully helpful people and those that were very inconsiderate. I guess you get that in any group. Some aspects exceeded expectations and some were a little disappointing. All in all though, for the most part and for most of us, we had a great time. Will we go again next year if it is at Glenworth Valley? Not sure - a certain member of our household on arrival said 'Make the most of it - we will NEVER do this again!'. We now have that person down to a maybe IF certain things can be changed - like having room for a campfire and the shower, camping with Drakkar and having a little more space. *grin* The rain was also an issue - someone in particular hates camping in the wet (he gets too bored you see). With some help from Drakkar, still trying to get someone in armour! Slow and steady........LOL

Conrad authorised as a banner bearer and had an absolute blast on Friday afternoon and all day Sunday. He can't wait to do it again! Wolfstanus and Gryffen also had a load of fun and were very helpful water bearers on Sunday. A big thumbs up from the boys! Despite beaing on crutches which limited a fair bit of what I could do, I still had a pretty good Festival. I think we did pretty good with our preparation and our clothing (apart from pack up on Monday - long story - apologies to all but in the end it was just too hard. I had a t-tunic on over my mundanes but at final good byes when chasing up kids and doing the final see you later, I did not have it on. This was only over a very small area but I'm sure I still managed to offend someone - so my sincere aplogies). It will be an interesting road to see if we go again as it is a family decision. There are some who are not sure it is worth all the hassle. I guess it will be about how we can improve our experience next time - what can we do to make it better?

Where to from here with SCA stuff? I still have my short sleeve cotehardie and Wolf's cotehardie to do lacing holes on (before the feast next month). I have a play to learn with Wolf before the feast (the Radburne Anniversary Feast on the 19 April). Then it is into planning mode for the war weekend at Dragon Hill in August (8 - 10). Have the fort to build, facilities to look at, war scenarios, A & S and a whole host of other stuff to start thinking about! Target Archery is on this Saturday - will be interesting to see if we get anyone turn up this time! (Doesn't matter - I need to get started again myself anyway.) Speaking of archery - T and I bought beautiful leather quivers at Festival! Will have to take photos to put up here!

Happy 40th Birthday T!

Happy birthday from all of us to you!

see more crazy cat pics

Only 2 sleeps to Festival!

Aaaagggghhhh! Looking forward to it though! No time for chit chat - last minute sewing, cooking and packing to do!

Got a spiffy new camera that is brilliant! Can't wait to use it on the weekend! It has 8 megapixel, 18 x optical zoom and an 8GB memory stick. It will also record up to 6 hours worth of movie!

Off to do some more stuff - will post after Festival!

Only 6 more sleeps til Festival!

Yep, counting down! Still got lots to do but hope to take care of the vast majority this weekend. T has come around and isn't too bad about going now -something to do with camping on the river and being able to fish ;-) We are now hoping to leave Thursday morning instead of Thursday afternoon to save setting up in the dark.

Campsite looks very cosy - could be an issue for T but I'm hopeful! I keep pointing out all the positives and reminding it is only going to be as good as we make it. If you go in thinking you will have a bad time, then you will. I'm determined we are going to have a fantastic weekend dammit! That does not mean I am not nervous about the whole thing - far from it! We have never been to the site, we have never camped at Festival, I am still on crutches, we are camped next to the Royals and pretty much 'on the green'. It's either going to be a huge success or a huge failure - for now I am not going to speculate but keep an open mind and remain hopeful that it will be the former rather than the later!

The boys of course are as excited as I am ;-) Aminah, Johanna and I will have a last minute planning session on Sunday as well as have an excuse for morning tea and a chat ;-)

Only ten more sleeps til we go to Festival!

Yes, we are all getting excited (maybe not T so much but he is helping out). Had a good weekend.....

Went to Dunedoo on Friday night to see a Johnny Cash tribute show (performed by Dale Platz) - it was very, very good! Dale also does the most amazing Willie Nelson (if you closed your eyes you would swear it was Willie singing!). Boy could he play guitar, banjo and fiddle, as well as told some really good jokes. There were some great sing alongs too! All in all it was a good night out with the family (T's parents and sister as well as my parents went too).

Home Saturday morning to do the wasing etc. Johanna came over too and helped out with some more sewing (see Katrijn's Dress Diary for an update). I hope to have all my sewing done by this weekend. This weekend we will get all the camping gear together and purchase any last minute items. I also hope to get all the groceries bought so I can do any pre-cooking I need to do. T has made the boys some boffers (and is going to make them shields apparently), we need to get Conrad's armour finalised (have to put mesh on the helm and a plume). I also need to follow up with Miles if it will be possible for Conrad to get authorised as a banner bearer at Festival. At least I have next Wednesday off work to pack (clothes and food etc) - will need T to help pack the camping gear as being on crutches makes everything difficult!

Can't wait for Festival!!

Migraines suck!

Due to the fact I had a stoopid migraine on Wednesday evening and most of Thursday, the only thing I got done was the hemming on T's shirt. I'm back at work today although still a tad heavy in the head.
Off to Dunedoo this evening but back in the morning - hope to get more sewing done this weekend (need to go to Spotlight too). Johanna is coming over on Sunday for some more Festival planning!

Only 2 weeks until Festival

Quite literally! We leave for Festival 2 weeks from tomorrow! I have an update of my sewing over at Katrijn's Dress Diaries for those inclined to take a look. I got Wolfstanus' two shirts finished last night and all but one sleeve hem and the bottom hem on T's shirt done (and managed to get some short hand done too!).
Tonight I want to finish the two hoods I have started and T's shirt. That may be a little ambitious - so I want to get at least the outer of the hood sewn and maybe the lining tomorrow (but definately T's shirt done).
Going to Dunedoo on Friday night to see the Johnny Cash show - should be a fun night out - my parents, T's parents and T's sister are all going too. The boys are allowed in as well so will be a real family night out! Got lots of sewing planned for the weekend again and I need to sort out some of the camping gear.
A parcel has arrived today (thanks to my mum for picking it up from the post office!) and I suspect it is the archery gear I ordered from Canberra.
The other Jeff Dunham DVD has arrived too - can't wait to see it - he is soooooooo funny!
I'm still hopping along (I think I need a bunny tail and ears - OMG - that is not a good image to have in my head - albeit a funny one) and getting more frustrated every day. I can't wait to be back on both feet! *sigh* Hopefully at the end of the month!
Really, really looking forward to Festival although I am now officially starting to panic because I am not as organised as I want to be! I know things will be okay but I'm allowed my panic moments!

I have a Cam Boot!

Well, went back to the Ortho today - turns out I have a crack fracture in my talar bone (the one that sits between the leg and foot bones), a bruised bone and a bruised tendon (the one that runs from the inside of my ankle under the arch of the foot). Explains why my 'sprain' wasn't getting any better! I'm off work today (just cause it was so much mucking around at the fracture clinic) but will go back on Monday. I have to stay off my ankle for the next 5 weeks and stay on crutches - not looking forward to it. My arms are already tired from being on crutches for 6 weeks! It could be worse, the bone is not displaced - if it was, it would mean surgery! When I go back in 5 weeks for a check up we will see what happens next. Hopefully it will be repaired enough to start walking on a bit and start physio again.

Festival should be interesting on crutches! I'll be damned if I'm going to miss out now though!

Eeek! Festival is only 2 weeks away.....

Well, actually it is 5 weeks away but it is still EEEKKK! I had a plan - which didn't quite work out - I was going to be prepared for Festival. So what went wrong you ask? Well, I busted up my ankle nearly five weeks ago (which I was informed this morning could take 3 to 6 months to heal - I need to have an MRI on Tuesday to check for ligament damage) so haven't been doing much, then T had second thoughts about going mainly to do with the 'stuff' being circulated around a wet site etc, and also could we be prepared to camp in the wet?
So now what? (Valentine's Day as it turned out was a *good* day to talk about stuff :-)) We are now going - I need to book (initially we were going to do at the gate but why should I put the organisers out when I know how difficult it can be organising a small scale event let alone something the size of Festival?) -could you imagine 300 people turning up unbooked, to camp? That would be horrendous! (sp?)
Need to make garb - lots of it! I think I will cheat with the boys duds though - they have some 'good' ones but I think trackie dacks will be a good alternative this year for extra ones. Need to make sure all our camping gear (modern) is in order - at least our campsite will be down the back so won't be too much of an eyesore! Need to work out food/menu, Stock Clerk stuff and how to keep it dry and oh so many other things! I sooooooooo want to go to Festival but at the same time I am a little aprehensive as I have no idea what to expect. We day tripped to Crossroads in 2005 and 2006 which is totally different to camping at the new site! (As I also reminded T, I have been camping in the rain for him before on fishing trips, so why should this be any different? I even have photos of a tarp on poles over the camp fire to keep it going! LOL)
Conrad wants to get authorised as a banner bearer - which means - learn the rules (he has made a start on that), get armour (I think his dad's may fit but it all needs padding etc) and organise for it to happen. (Miles is helping find out about that one for me - thanks Miles!)
Looking forward to visiting the lovely Aminah on Sunday with the equally fantabulous Johanna - it will be nice to have coffee, cake and a catch up! (Plus I get to ruffle Aminah's new sexy short hair and get to meet Max the Cat!)
PJ, one of our cats has not been home since Monday morning - hopefully she just realises she has an appointment with the vet tomorrow and is just away until that is over! She has been away for this long before but I must admit I am getting worried - Wolfstanus will be devestated (as will the rest of us) as it is his cat. Such is the nature of the beast.
Lunch is over - back to work!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love this quote on my desktop calendar today:

"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly"
-Anonymous-

Today is not about expecting gifts but taking the time to reflect and remember to let the people you care about know how much you DO care. We should remember to do this throughout the year, but today is a good day to make that extra effort!


As an aside, I'm back to the Ortho tomorrow for a CT scan - wish me luck!

Hump Day!

It is officially hump day today - otherwise known as the middle of the working week. It's the downhill run now to the weekend! Yay! Although I must admit it feels like Friday - I am so exhausted!

Went to the Ortho last Friday (5 hour wait - what fun! They saw over 100 patients that day!) and he wants me to wait until the 15th February before they do a CT scan on my ankle/foot. The x-ray has shown that I have a Fibula coalition with the calcaneus so he thinks that may be why the healing is taking longer than usual. (In easy terms - part of the joint in my ankle is fused together which means I naturally have less sideways movement in that ankle, hence the longer healing time.) Downside of that is that if because of that issue the ankle doesn't heal, I may require surgery to either 'slice the bones apart' or 'fuse them completely' to stabilise the ankle. So, it's still a waiting game. I've had no change in pain levels in the last week so it looks like I will have to go back for a CT scan. Crutches are still my friend although I use them less because they are such a nuisance! I'm driving too and from work at the moment - it's a bit painful but do-able. I wouldn't like to try and drive any further at the moment though!

Off to Cowra this weekend - we are caravan shopping (we have our eye on a 26 footer that needs repair) and going to the museums etc. Will be nice to do something different this weekend!

Conrad was doing Laser Tag for sport at school today, he was so excited. Can't wait to hear how he went! Gryffen turned 10 yesterday so we went to Hog's Breath for dinner - yummy as always! Wolfstanus has been suffering with Migraine (had to pick him up from school yesterday) so hopefully he will be a bit better this afternoon!

Quote of the day (from my desktop calendar)
'Ask a lot, but take what is offered.' Russian Proverb

Foot update.......

Yes, it's been a while, yes there are lots of things to update, no I'm not going to do it now :-)

My foot still hasn't healed after 18 days - the physio feels more investigation is required as it is not acting like 'a normal sprain'. One suggestion is it could be Syndesmotic sprain (ligament that joins the shin bone to the foot) so off to the Ortho clinic at the hospital at lunch time today. What joy! (I'm hoping it's not that as it will be a long recovery.)

Watch this space!

As an aside, all three boys are happily back at school - an update will appear here sometime in the future.

Funnily enough - this is my favourite car!

I'm a Ford Mustang!

You're an American classic -- fast, strong, and bold. You're not snobby or pretentious, but you have what it takes to give anyone a run for their money.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Tuesday of a new week.......

It's been a few days since I've written anything - WoW has had me! LOL

The gathering on Saturday went well - pretty much all the active members turned up and we got through a heap of stuff and had a good afternoon! Looking forward to this year.......

Had my first physio appointment for my ankle yesterday - went well. At this stage, the physio doesn't think I've done any major damage which is good - time will tell! I must admit though by last night the ankle had swollen up again and was extremely painful - had a full day at work yesterday. This morning it is aching again and I've had to take my shoe off and re-strap it. The inside where all the bruising is has become quite painful again (it never really stopped aching)and just doesn't stop. The panadol isn't having much of an affect at all today. I'm due to get an x-ray on Monday but I might ask for a bone scan insted - just to save time and double check things! The outside of the foot keeps 'pulsating' too which is quite an odd feeling! I will be so glad when things are 'back to normal'!

Update on the foot 'thang'

I went to my GP last night for a follow up (I went to work yesterday and it nearly killed me! My arms and good leg were so tired when I got home I nearly went splat on the verendah - thank the gods T was there to catch me!). The doctor told me I could be on my crutches for up to 4 weeks! I have to go back in 10 days for another x-ray and it it isn't better in 4 weeks I will need a bone scan.

Spent a couple of hours at the fracture clinic at the hospital this morning and made an appointment for the physiotherapist - I need to go there on Monday at 8.30am before work. What a pain in the preverbial this is turning out to be! I have a kind of shuffle thing happening now so I can get around without falling over - I think a snail would more than likely beat me in a race though!!

On other news, we have our first SCA meeting/gathering here tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone and talking about some planning for upcoming events. Huzzah!

36 hours after the injury...........

I normally don't bruise but it is starting to come out now...........

Just when you thought you had seen everything........

moar funny pictures

Okay, I admit it, I'm a doofus!

Well, this is probably not news to most of you - but I have excelled myself today! Whilst walking back from my mum and dad's this morning to head to the car to go to work, I misjudged the bottom step and down I went. There was a resounding 'crack' from my ankle. I sat in the dirt and cried for a moment or two - then thought 'Okay - now how do I get inside?' By this time my mum had already gone to work, my dad couldn't see me (down a hill) and the boys were all still asleep in bed. I managed to get myself up and hopped to the back door - locked! Damn! I hopped down the path, crawled up the steps on the verandah, hopped to the front door and inside. I then got the phone and crashed on the lounge. I rang my dad and told him I had a slight problem - he came right down.
As it is my right foot I hurt I cannot drive so dad and the boys piled in the car and we drove to the hospital. Three hours later I came out with crutches and a bandaged foot. The x-rays did not show any fractures so it has been put down to a bad sprain and pulled ligaments (the cracking noise was the ligaments in my foot). I have 3 days off work and a note to go to my GP in a week to make sure everything is healing the way it is supposed too. I will be on crutches for a while I think - I can't put any pressure at all on my right foot without collapsing in a heap! The boys have been looking after me today - they are so sweet!

On happier news, I got two cotehardies made for Wolfstanus yesterday. It is a new pattern I tried and I'm really happy with the result. I'll put an update on my dress diary tomorrow with photos.

What we do for fun on a Friday and Saturday night.........

is knock down dead trees and mow knee high scrub grass with a 16hp ride on lawn mower! Bwahahaha! I'm sure the neighbours think we are insane! Trying to clear 25acres by hand is not everyone's idea of a good time! LOL But when you are on a shoe string budget and don't have a tractor, a Sigma paddock basher is the next best thing! Our lovely neice and nephew (who are in their 20s) have been helping us out too. The boys have been helping as well and we have achieved a huge amount in the last two days and been having fun while we are doing it!

For those that were at the Radburne War Weekend, we have done the front of the block pretty much down to the dam (where the Drakkar camp was) and in towards where the feasting area was. We will have a really good area cleared before the Anniversary Feast and a good camp area for the War Weekend. Speaking of which, I am now in planning mode and have already had a few expressions of interest! Huzzah!!! We should also have some permanent shade structures and bench seating, as well as a fort complete with ditch and bridge for battles. I'm starting to get excited again! I think with plenty of planning we may be able to improve on the last one! (We can but try!)

I'm off to bed......I have muscles aching that I did not know I had! LOL We're off fishing tomorrow at one of the local reserves on the Macquarie River and taking a picnic lunch. I think I will take one of my new books to read...........

It's Wenchi's fault!

The Recipe For Katrijn

3 parts Cleverness 2 parts Boldness 1 part Attractiveness Splash of Originality Finish off with whipped cream

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

Goodbye 2007, bring on 2008!

Who stole 2007? I swear I blinked and it was gone. It has been a huge year, lots of changes, lots of things happening and lots of growth. Definately can't say I'm bored!

The three boys all got great school reports - room for improvement in some areas of course (can't we all do with *some* improvement tho?) - but made great achievements. I am especially proud of Conrad - he has done a complete 180 and put in a huge amount of effort at school. The results speak for themselves. He got his first ever 'B' (which is 'High Achievement') for Woodwork. We are so proud of him. Gryffen's report said he is at year level or above for all areas and has done his personal best in all subjects. Wolfstanus received several 'A's (Outstanding achievment) too. What more can a mother ask for? As long as they are doing their best and having a go I'm happy!

My beloved has been working his rear end off all year with work as usual and keeping the home on track too. We have been making plans for what we would like to achieve around the house. In no particular order:

*Clear the block of dead trees/scrub
*Put in a tennis court
*Above ground swimming pool
*Finish off the BBQ area
*Set up the Archery range
*Put in some permanemt shade structures and seating down the paddock
*Build a 'fort'
*Build an area around my favourite tree for a meditation / relaxation area

That sould keep us going for a bit!

I have been in my new job for nearly 12 months and loving it. My probation period is up on the 12 February - think I should be right though. I don't think my boss is in any hurry to get rid of me .

Radburne is winding up as a Proposed Shire and its members going Household instead. I put the Jan/Feb newsletter out on time which makes me feel good. I had some great contributions this time around and we had a bumper 12 page edition - our biggest one yet!

Monthly archery at Dragon Hill will commence on 2nd February and we have our first Tavern Feast for the year on the 16 February. Nothing else has really been planned yet. I know I need to start thinking about the War Weekend soon too - six month lead in time and all that.

Planning on going to Festival in March and hopefully attending a few other events - will just have to wait and see how things pan out.

Personal goals for this year:
* Make more time to spend with family and friends (including wayfaring to SCA events)
* Complete my short hand course by March
* Explore my spiritual needs
* Help out at home more (meaning outdoors, I already do most of the indoor stuff )
* Learn how to drive our new ride on lawn mower which is more like a mini tractor!
* Complete wardrobe for the family for Festival

I think that will do for starters .

May your 2008 be filled with learning, love and laughter! Stay safe and be well.

The bowl says it all!

moar funny pictures