Out with the old

year that is, not throwing out anything, who knows I might need it one day. 

So another year has passed, another prediction of doom for the world has passed, what will the new year bring. Surely there's a doom and gloom prediction somewhere for a year that has the number 13 in it. Maybe I'll start my own cult, The World Will End Because This Year Has A 13 In It cult. Not very catchy I know but none of the others have really had catchy titles either. Can't even make an interesting word out of the letters TWWEBTYHA13II, makes no sense, oh but wait a minute neither have any of the others. So my logic has survived the passing of another year, woohoo go logic. 

So what happened in 2012, I remember voting sometime, maybe twice. It's a blur I hate voting so I try to forget it. I was presented with 3 new wonderful granddaughters, yep 3 in one year, awesome stuff, thank you to my beautiful girls. Of course there's always the chance there was another grandchild born but my son isn't talking LOL. 

I got another year older, funny how that seems to happen every year. I gained weight again not a real surprise, I discovered more hair where no hair grew before, I lost more brain cells, I lost my train of thought and ...... sorry lost my train of thought for a minute there, I'm positive more socks were again lost and I lost more of my youth (not that there was much left there). I remember when I was a kid and thinking that the year 2000 was something a long time in the future, here we are 2013 and 2000 is a long time in the past. There has been a lot of good years in between being a kid and turning 53 (note I didn't say becoming an adult, that's what my parents are not me) and there's been a lot of bad years (miss you everyday babe). But every single one of those years has gotten me to where I am today. I think less and less about what I could of changed, and what I should of changed. Sure there will always be regrets, but that's a part of what life is all about. If we didn't regret certain actions or the paths our lives took, we wouldn't be human. Hey just had a thought, maybe 2013 will be the year the aliens land and we won't turn out to be human after all, maybe we are all really aliens and the mother ship will come to take us home. 

Sorry thoughts wandering around yet again, there's something that hasn't changed. Something else that won't change is except for the occasional mention of politics or religion, I won't be telling you how to vote, or airing my political views, nor will I preach to you or try to turn you onto my views (something I wish a lot of people on Facebook would stop doing). Your politics are your business, but if you think one party or politician is telling the truth then your insane. If you are religious or have a certain religion that may be different to the norm, fine, I hope your happy with it, but please don't clutter up my life with your views or try to change mine. I'm quite happy in my little world and don't need your opinions thrown at me as you try to turn me. I'm 53 I will not be turned LOL. 

I still won't believe the movie critics when they tell me not to watch certain movies because they are rubbish, instead I will watch them and form my own opinions, if I'm entertained and don't fall asleep then it's a good movie and I'll recommend it to anyone who likes the same sort of movies as me. Same with TV shows, I've made recommendations to others, but only those who I seriously think would enjoy it. I do not like romance, never have, doesn't mean I can't sit and watch a romantic comedy and be entertained. I love car chases and violence, doesn't have to have a script that makes sense, doesn't even have to have brilliant actors, I just want to be entertained. And after I've watched it, I'm not going to go out and get into a car chase or get violent, it's just a movie or TV show, I know it's not reality. I'm not going to believe that playing a video game or watching violent movies or listening to heavy music can make someone get a gun and commit murder, because I've done all those things and I haven't killed anyone yet. I still watch the violence and still listen to the music, and neither one of them motivate me to go out and shoot innocent people. I'm entertained and then I get on with something else.

I will never get over the ease with which people sue for millions of dollars. I can understand it in certain cases, such as someone needing life long medical care for someone elses carelessness. But if I see a puddle on a floor, I avoid it. I don't dive off rock ledges without checking the water beforehand for logs rocks or depth, it's just logical. I'm not going to blame the makers of video games, music or movies for any of my problems, or for the actions of others. I could say these are New Years resolutions but they are just the same beliefs I've always had. Sorry, again my thoughts wandered after typing something LOL. 

I better sign off before I start ranting and waving some protest signs around. 

Happy New Year to you all, and my your new year be a happy and safe one for you and yours. 

Catch yas
Cathy

It's the end of the World as we know it, oh wait a minute no it's not.

Is anyone out there really surprised? Why anyone would believe that a dead race could predict the future, but couldn't save themselves is beyond me. It really was just a big joke and a lot of fun. 

You have the questions, is it the Mayan time zone? Does it take into account daylight savings? What should I pack for the end of the world? Should I pay those bills? Should I get milk and bread? Did I turn the gas off? Should I go to work? All these questions and more fire out at us in the last few minutes before the end of the world. Then it doesn't happen, and back to normal, with a little bit of disappointment. 

I heard that there was people who were actually packing up and heading out of the city, ummmm what part of End of the World don't you morons get. It won't matter where you are, the world ends all over not just in certain areas. To most of us it was all a bit of fun. End of the world parties, the end of the world didn't happen parties, we are still alive parties, screw you Mayans parties, any excuse for us all to get together and have a few. I reckon the poor Mayan doing the calendar probably got writers cramp and had to stop to rest, then he went off to the pub for a few and forgot were he left the rock tablet. They probably all had a good laugh over it at the time thinking about how some idiots were going to predict the end of the world cause they ended their calendar LOL. 

Lets face it, if the end of the world happens, it happens, nothing we can do about it, it would be over in seconds and there'd be no one to bear witness, so instead of trying to predict it, we should all just concentrate on enjoying it while it's still here. I remember watching a special on Nostradamus and all his predictions, predicting war in the Middle East, there is always a war in the Middle East so that wasn't anything exciting. The interpretations of his predictions were such that another interpretation could be made depending on who was reading his writings. Then again it could all of just been a bunch of random words from a senile old man. He could also of been a comedian and just done it all so that in the future everyone would be talking about him and he would be laughing in the after life. 

So as one more prediction of the End of the World fades away, we can all start preparing for the next. Of course we'll need to get over our hangovers from all those parties we just had, but hey once that happens we can start preparing. I personally will be attending the next round of parties that will no doubt pre and post date the next End of the World. I might even write another blog about it. 

In the meantime I should start on my list of what to pack
Catch yas
Cathy

The Know it all

You all know one or maybe your related to one, that annoying person who is always there to criticise any purchase made or any decision you may make about your life. They are the one that is standing there telling you that you should of consulted them before purchasing your new TV or your new car. They even tell you what your kids are going to be like when they are older. Or they are telling your relatives and friends behind your back, while to your face they are all nice and positive.  

Nope they aren't psychic, just bloody annoying. You'll invite them over to see your new purchase, and instantly it's "Oh, these TVs always do this," or "You should of taken me with you to purchase your car." They are not electronic experts, they don't know shit about cars, and yet they seem to think they must be consulted before every purchase. You come to dread telling them anything about your life or recent purchases, you avoid them like the plague, but they always seem to find out and deflate your happy mood. 

And it's not just the know it all, it's the negative nellies too. Constantly looking at the bad side of life, ummmm hello we know there are bad things that happen, but for once just be happy for me.  I love to deflate the negative nellie, they will start talking about all the bad things that will happen when so and so does something, or talk about the recent purchase that can't be good for them. I jump in with, "Really, I don't agree. If this is what they want then I'm happy for them. There is enough tragedy in the world to waste time being negative." They then change their tact and start agreeing with me LOL. Honestly don't they have anything better to do that bitch about everything or tell you what your doing wrong. I'm happy so just fuck off. 

Of course when I am deflating them, I'm not mean about it, I am just enforcing the positives and taking pleasure in deflating them LOL. Too many people in this world are like that. They will take any good thing that has happened and turn it around to doom and gloom. Unfortunately when your related to them, it's hard to get away from them, if you are just friends with them you can avoid them, something I take great pleasure in doing:)

They also seem to always be down about something, getting a smile out of them seems to take forever, and even if you do manage it, they spoil it all by making some sarcastic comment in the attempt to bring you down. They seem to have had the hardest lives, but when you question them, their lives have been no harder than your own. It's the choice they have made to be always looking at the negative. Hey look at the bright side, you woke up breathing this morning didn't ya, life doesn't get any better than that LOL. 

So while I do know some people like this, I don't care. They can be downers all they want, I'm not taking it and I'm not letting them draw me into it. I actually feel sorry for them. While I have days that I don't want to get our of bed, or days that I'm so depressed I barely function. I don't pass it on. When one of the kids tells me something that has happened, I enthuse with them, I don't pick it apart and tell them what they should of bought or done. And my kids will enthuse with me, cause I don't. They will share things with me and it's all because of the attitude. No one is sharing with the know it all or negative nellie, and they only have themselves to blame. 

Catch yas
Cathy

Holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 glorious week off work. 2 weeks to do whatever the hell I want without somebody telling me I'm doing it wrong. Or maybe I am doing it wrong, the holiday that is. 

See my idea of a holiday is not packing up and going somewhere, or planning day trips all over the place. My idea of a holiday, is turning off the work pc and just doing whatever the hell I want. I can do as much as I want or as little as I want. And it's not costing me a dime, which is just as well since I don't have any money to go anywhere anyway. 

Whenever I say I'm going on leave, I get asked constantly 'where are you going?', ummmm nowhere, the response is usually cries of shock and gasps of horror. Apparently I'm not doing it right. I should be jumping on a cruise (I work for the company last thing I want to do is anything associated with work), I should be meeting up and going out with people, why? I don't lock myself up and refuse to go out when I'm working, I just go out around my shift. And why should I spend a fortune doing something I really don't want to do, just cause everyone else does it?

I put my money towards paying off bills and buying stuff for the house, I really really really need a new bed. I don't have extra to squander on a cruise or shopping. Don't get me wrong, cruising is a great holiday, unpack once and someone else runs around doing everything for you, perfect. But to be honest I'd rather sleep in my own bed, and watch whatever I want on telly, or sit down and read. Hmmmm, I guess you could say I'm not a great mixer. The thing is by the time I finally have some leave, I'm usually so tense and fed up with having to deal with morons that the first person who I hear whine just a little bit would die LOL.

Ahhhh I hear you wondering why I am on my pc when I work on one all day. Well that's easy this one is for fun, I enjoy being on my pc, I'm not wearing a headset and I'm not wondering when my next break is. The whole damn day is a break, yahhhhh. 

So for the first official day of my holidays, I've done the laundry, vaccummed the floors, made the beds and tidied up the house, heaven. Yep it sounds crazy and yeh these are things I do all the time, but I don't have to rush to finish before I start work, if I want to stop halfway through the vacuuming I do. No pressure = no tension, perfect. I do have one plan and that's to pick up my cutie pie grand daughter from day care tomorrow. I can handle that easy peasy, sure hope I don't nod off on the couch and sleep through it. I'm sure her mum would wake me up in a panic though LOL. 

So I'm going to grab an orange and my book and do some reading. Have a wonderful day peeps. 

Catch yas
Cathy

21!!!!!!!!!!!! No way

Well here we are on the eve of the birth of another one of my children, the last one this time folks so you only have to put up with ramblings about how wonderful they are one more time, at least for this year LOL. 

21 years ago, I was in the hospital, trying to get some sleep while having  incredible back pains, the labour pains were nothing compared to the back pain. I knew my husband was in the waiting room, in the uncomfortable chairs, despite being told I wouldn't give birth tonight and to go on home. Cause that's the sort of person he was. 2 other women were in there with me. One had been admitted but her pains had stopped, she'd end up going home in the morning, the other was being monitored for problems. All I wanted to do was sleep but I couldn't. I wanted to go back home and sleep in my nice warm waterbed, but the hospital wanted me to stay in. 

A nurse finally took pity on me and got me a hot water bottle which she put under my back, the pain eased immediately and I went to sleep. I found out in the morning she replaced it twice during the night to give me a chance to sleep, thank you whoever you were. Don came in first thing in the morning, looking worse than me, obviously those chairs were not for sleeping. We must of walked everywhere in the hospital, I'm pretty sure we even went into several storage areas. I couldn't eat or drink anything without wanting to throw it back up. And despite the fact my husband had a heart condition, he walked alongside me all day, never asking to rest for a bit, only stopping to grab himself some water. 

The day dragged on and I watched women in labour going inside all day, we even saw one go in early in the morning and come back out that night, with a baby. I was so jealous. They all said that the more babies you have the shorter the labour, ha, my third was the longest. About 9pm I was finally taken down to the labour ward. Propped up with a bean bag, I kept telling them to take away, and gas they kept shoving over my face till finally I threw it at someone and said, stop it's making me sick and get this fucking bean bag out of here. Why is there always some idiot that says, now there's no need to swear dear. I tell you she's lucky she still had all her teeth. 

About 10.30 Dale was finally born, one of the poor midwifes had bruising up her arm where I'd squeezed to hard. He was in his fathers arms, and I was lying there with tears streaming down my face. Don had a cold and he was holding his cough in as he cradled his son, the pressure turning his face red, but my heart was filled with love at the sight of him struggling. It would of been easy for him to hand him to me or one of the nurses so he could cough, but no he wouldn't give him up. 

I was moved to a bed and Dale was whisked away to the nursery, so I could get some sleep. Don went home to make all the calls. The next day the girls arrived with their nana, and they too were rapt in him. Of course that wouldn't last cause we all know babies have a habit of growing up LOL. The next day we were home and surrounded by bloody Indians. The kind from India not the other ones. They were living with us while settling in after immigrating. I didn't need to do anything but feed Dale, they did everything for me, which was lovely but so damn boring I had to fake doctors appointments to get out of the house with him. We moved into our own home 2 weeks later with the Indians in a caravan out the back. 

When Dale was 20 mths old his father died. He loved our son and my girls ferociously, but the one thing he wanted to do, see them grow up, he couldn't. We moved around a lot and the kids all grew up. As the youngest Dale was a bit spoiled, but his sisters also did the strangest things with him. They'd dress him up like a girl, paint his nails and make him play all the girly games. But he loved it. That was until he had to go to school and found out they'd been torturing him for years. 

Dale hated school, used to make himself sick so he didn't have to go, or he'd spend the day in sick bay. Finally one teacher refused to let him go to sick bay, and we colluded against him so he had to stay at school. He finally gave up the fake sicknesses and found he actually had fun. Of course that all changes in high school, your not there to have fun your there to pick up girls and do all the things we hope they won't do, but deep in our hearts know they'll try. Our house was no longer filled with friends of the girls, now it was filled with friends of Dale. I felt like I actually had 10 children not 3 with the amount that would sleep over on the weekend. I'm pretty sure some of his mates slept over to catch a glimpse of his sisters, cause well they had boobs LOL. 

Finally out into the working world and growing up at 16. That's 5 yrs ago now, and so much has changed and so much has stayed the same. Dale works out every week, watches what he eats, but he still knows how to party hard. He didn't want a big 21st, so it was just dinner with the family on Saturday night. He picked the place and didn't have to pay. His sisters and their families gave him a voucher for sky diving, something he has been wanting to do since his brother in law did it. I gave him his special photo album that they all got when they turned 21, and a concert ticket that he wanted badly. And me I got the pleasure of being with the family at the same time, sharing memories with photos and just thinking back over the years. It's amazing to me how memories resurface with the telling of a story or looking at a picture, looking at the girls holding him in hospital, or putting their hats on him and telling him to pose, I remember all the joy, all the love and all the sorrow. 

No matter where Dales life takes him, no matter where mine takes me, we are family. I am proud of him and love him with all my heart. Happy Birthday Dale. 

And now to embarrass him with a pic he hates, but I love. 

And okay a couple he would approve of. 

Catch ya's
Cathy

My Neighbours Kids are Mutants

Well I'm thinking they are anyway. They are lovely kids, don't get me wrong, but I'm thinking they are too lovely. They play happily together, fights are over before they have begun and they actually listen to their parents. It creeps me out to be honest. 

If one of them is upset they will calmly speak up and say "Jemima, you hurt my feelings" to which Jemima will reply "I'm very sorry I hurt your feelings, I will try very hard not to hurt you anymore". I'm like wtf, a normal brat, or maybe it would just be me, would of pounded on Jemima with a big stick while shouting abuse at her and they wouldn't of admitted it was because of hurt feelings. Once apologies are accepted they skip off into the sunset to play happily together for hours on end. There are 4 kids all together, and apart from the youngest who is just a toddler, they are super polite and super nice. The toddler is nice, but whinges a fair bit as toddlers are wont to do. 

I feel like I'm living next to mutants or cyborgs, programmed to suck us all in with their super niceness, until one day they snap and turn on us all with sub machine guns. 

Even the parents are super nice and polite, no raised voices from that house, unless it's the raised voice in laughter of the kids having a great time. Mum and Dad quietly explain to the kids why something is not acceptable. The grandmother tells the oldest that shouting across the road to her friends is not ladylike, and the kid actually listens and doesn't do it again, even going so far as to tell her friends to please not shout across the road. 

Dad comes home from work, and the kids all rush outside, vying to be the first to wrap their arms around him, as if he's returning from a 10 yr absence. Ummm hello it's just Dad, no one exciting, not like he's bringing home Johnny Depp for dinner or anything. I'm cynical, aren't I, yep I am, but I'm creeped out. I was such a rebel, sure I agreed with what the olds said, but did I do it, bet your arse I didn't LOL. 

I seriously can't remember any hurt feelings in my childhood, I'm sure there were just can't remember them. I remember chinese burns, nipple cripples and pushing and shoving. Oh and lots of shouting and swearing, no not from Mum and Dad LOL, My own kids were probably not as bad as me and my 2 brothers, but they didn't elicit creepy feelings from too much niceness like the neighbour kids. 

Schools out over here for 2 weeks, so for a week and half, I've been listening to them compliment each other, play nicely, help their mum, and be kind to each other. I'm telling you I am a nervous wreck, just waiting for one of them to pop up at my window with their little smiley face and whipping up the uzi and blasting me to hell and back. Until they are back at school my house is going to be a fortress, locked doors and windows, I'll keep the lights off so they don't know I'm home and they can't get me, only another 4 days to get through and I'm safe till the next holidays. 

Catch yas

Cathy

Magpie Madness

Yep tis the season, for all you Aussies at least. Time to don the ice cream tub hat, walk around carrying sticks, stick springy things on your bike helmet, and generally duck!!!!!.

For those of you who don't know what a magpie is here's a pic.

As you can see it is a vicious man eating, flying beast that strikes fear in the heart of every man and woman in Australia. Every spring they emerge from hibernation and begin breeding. They then defend their nests from such nasties as the inappropriately dressed jogger (lets face it he's asking to be attacked).

Or they'll swoop on the unsuspecting cyclist.

She never saw danger coming, shaking head in grief.

I remember as a kid walking home from the bus stop, and hearing the familiar thump thump thump and someone shouting DUCK!!! Of course it wasn't a duck, it was a magpie swooping down on an unprotected head. For years we'd either run down the road, or carry a stick to wave above our heads. Now I've got my license I just drive down the road, they can't get me now LOL. At this time of year you see lots of sticks being waved in the air, don't think they are threatening you, they are just trying to ward off an attack. Of course if your some pervert peeping in a window and it's nightime, then yeh the person waving the stick may be threatening you, but face it, your a perv you deserve it. 

The threat of magpies, and they have hurt people before, has led to crazy inventions such as below. 

This one is actually my favourite cause apparently if your looking at the magpie they won't attack. If you don't have this helmet then the tree you walk into while looking up at the magpie will probably do more damage than the magpie. If you don't want to go to any expense, then grab a stick or an ice cream tub (make sure you consume the ice cream first), draw eyes on the back and top of the tub and fool those crazy magpies. 

I usually know the season has started not by getting attacked myself but by noticing a walkers misfortune as I drive past well protected. Regardless of how horrible it is to be swooped on I always find myself smiling at their misfortune. Sure hope karma doesn't get me for that. 

Remember the magpie is only protecting its nest, they don't really hate you, so don't get all paranoid and think the world is out to get you. Although come to think of it maybe the world is out to get you, but the magpies of this world aren't. 

Catch yas 

Cathy