New Year Resolutions

I haven't been making New Year Resolutions over recent years but this time I've decided to make a proper effort not to waste so much food - mainly green vegetables, as I don't seem to have a problem with fruit, which I always eat.

Since I already have everything I need, I don't spend much money, but will make an effort not to be wasteful here, either.  We've all been too generous with the kids and there was a noticeable reining back this Christmas from all concerned.  In the five years of Emma's life I've bought her so many books, she rolls her eyes when she looks in the new book cupboard and slams the door shut as though she simply can't stand to see another book! She can read already and doesn't start school till the end of January.

Frank and Michael, it's good to know I'm not alone in being addicted to some things, though I do carry it to extremes.  Yesterday I think I did about 20 jigsaws!  I'm quite blown away by the cleverness of the programmers in making them up - you can choose from thousands of pictures, number of pieces, and type of cut.  I haven't left the house - except to go in the swimming pool - for days!!!!  I must make an effort to do some shopping today and maybe see a movie.

It had to happen!

It occurred to me yesterday there must be something more fulfilling to do than waste time on Sudoku, so I googled online jigsaws and lo and behold, there they are - thousands of them!!!!! Must say it beats the mess of real puzzles and is much easier, as the pieces make a nice clicking noise when they fit, so you can be sure you have the right ones.

I was absolutely thrilled to get an email from Georges, my 'son' in Burkina Faso.  We'd lost touch but he's reappeared with a cat and a two-year-old son!!!!  I love it when people from the past pop up again.

And for anybody who's interested, the second reading app is in the Apple Store.  It's called Oz Phonics.  I'm so impressed with the art work and presentation, not to mention that it's the best reading scheme on the planet (say I modestly).  Australian children are the worst readers in the English-speaking world, as our teachers don't know how to teach reading.  Pity they won't listen to the experts.

Modern life

The other day I taught myself how to do Sudoku and wish I hadn't, as I quickly became addicted! I was very pleased with myself at first, until I looked to see how my time of completing a puzzle compared with others, and was told I was slower than 100% of other people!!!!!!  How humiliating.

On consideration, I've never known such a useless way of spending one's time and can't see any point in it at all.  I'm weaning myself off my addiction and trying to do something a bit more productive, like practising the piano.  In fact, anything at all would be more productive.

Christmas is over.  Ours was very low-key and we really cut back on presents for the kids - mostly clothes and just one toy - a big train set, complete with table.  Emma was most excited when she made a ship and a whale out of some of the wrapping paper!  In fact, her favourite toys are things made out of cardboard and boxes by her father.  Hugo is really into trains, and, apart from the actual train set, got pyjamas, a hat, a cushion and pillow slip all in Thomas the Tank Engine design.

One of my dreams

When I was still at high school I wrote an article for the school magazine about my dream of living in France and Scotland.  I managed to live in France and visit Scotland, so count myself very lucky.  This photo (among many others) of Scotland you recently sent, Frank, reminds me of that dream!  What a beautiful country it is.

Michael, I feel ashamed I know so very little about Germany, which is a very beautiful country, too.  Here in Australia we are still Great Britain-centred.  We get all their TV programs and absolutely nothing from Germany.  Fortunately I can look at lots of interesting stuff on the internet and educate myself that way.  (I did do a year of German at university in 1967, and since then have made some feeble attempts at learning again, but have completely forgotten every word.)

Thanks for your Christmas Greetings, Michael and Frank.  I send mine to everybody, too.

This year I've barely given Christmas a thought (except to buy presents for Emma and Hugo and send a few cards).  I'm simply going upstairs to watch the kids open their presents and have lunch on 25th - very laid back.

Oh dear, Infogenium, I just read all your comments about your unfortunate encounters and I do sympathise. I'm so fed up with other people I'm becoming more and more of a hermit - I think that's why the above pic appeals so much.  Honestly, people make me sick, especially on the trains - graffiti and rubbish everywhere, feet on seats, mobile phones constantly ringing.  And noisy restaurants (as we both experienced recently)!  Consideration and respect for others seem to have disappeared from modern life.

Another black day for US

Faith in human nature restored?  I don't know about that, after this morning's news from US...  

My faith in human nature restored!

Thanks for this, Frank:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=GBaHPND2QJg&feature=youtu.be

Please have a look, everybody.

I know it's nobody's fault but my own, but I'm in the dreadful habit of reading the Daily Mail (dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html) and fall about in disbelief at what I see every day.    It's nice to know there are some decent people out there!!!

While I'm cranky...

let me continue with my gripes!  It's the time of year when I have to register and insure my car. I just paid the Compulsory Third Party Personal Injury Insurance online (because I couldn't get my phone to work).  I know, I know, I know - it's a relatively minor operation, but still all the steps drive me mad.  Find the piece of paper, the Transport Roads and Maritime Services paper, the registration check paper, dig out your driver's licence and credit card, then fill in 368 answers.

And then came two emails:  #1  Thank you for taking the time to purchase a QBE Compulsory Third Party Green Slip, etc.  #2  Thank you for purchasing a QBE Compulsory Third Party Green Slip, etc.

When I'm feeling stronger - in a couple of days, maybe - I'll go online and actually register the thing!!!

Another problem with the modern world is the size/colour of the font used on almost everything.  I find it next to impossible to read anything - and what about all the people who can't read!!!  How do they manage????

Yes, sadly the world is full of rude and inconsiderate people, Frank.  (I managed to delete the repeat of your comment.)  Lina, I don't know about being brave to stand up to those pushy parents on Sunday, as I fully expected a punch on the nose!!!!  I think the only
thing stopping that was my wrinkles!!!!!

Pushy parents

I nearly lost it yesterday at Emma's Montessori Christmas concert when rude, rude, rude parents pushed forward in front of the stage - as they did last year - to photograph their own child, completely  obscuring the view of all the rest of us politely sitting on the seats.  After some minutes of seeing nothing I called out, 'Sit down in front!', then leaped up and tapped a few of the culprits on the shoulder, smouldering like a volcano and pointed out that we could not see. Some of them looked a bit sheepish and moved back, then the head of the kindergarten asked them to wait till the end of the item, when they would be given the opportunity of taking photos.  But after about two minutes they were all at it again.

While my blood pressure is still up I'm going to be blatantly racist - all the offenders were Indian or Sri Lankan and I couldn't help commenting that Japanese and Australian parents wouldn't be so rude, though Philip assured me they would, that it's changing times...

So sad...

What can I say about the death of the UK nurse except that human behaviour is becoming more and more stupid.  People should think before they speak or tweet.  The two responsible for the 'prank' have been taken off the air and advertisers have withdrawn from the program. 

Muffy beside the pool this morning

I didn't have my swim the other day and this morning there's a crisp breeze blowing up from the gorge and the temperature is 14 degrees!  It's definitely goodbye to the seasons as we knew them - no more putting away winter doonas and clothes as we never know when we're going to need them in the middle of summer.

Lina gave me this hydrangea as a cutting only last year - isn't it a beauty!

Summer arrived yesterday

After a spring of coolish weather, summer has arrived with a vengeance and Emma and Daddy tested the pool out this morning.  I think it's about 35 degrees outside at the minute and 27 in my living room.  I'll have my first swim of the season this evening - my favourite time is just on dark.

I haven't blogged for a while as I've had a friend staying with me for a week.  She headed this way last Sunday, supposedly for a couple of nights, but the radiator boiled just a few kilometres up the road, and the car had to be towed and a new head gasket (I think) put in, which took till this morning.

Heaven and hell

This made me smile, Michael!  Must say I wish I had at least a drop of mechanical and organisational ability myself.  I seem to have more and more difficulty lately getting things done.  It takes me all day just to keep the place tidy and do the cooking.  The saying, 'If you want something done, ask a busy person', is so true.  I used to do a thousand things in a day when I was younger and working full-time.

Frank, your latest comment is quite brutal!  Politicians the world over are pretty much the same...

Oh no!!!!

There are some things it's really better for us not to know!  Yesterday I bought a new hose for my very old Volta vacuum cleaner and a turbo dust filter to attach to it.  If you folk already have one of those whiz-bang Dyson vacuums you'll have been looking at your own dirt for a while, so will not be surprised, but for me, actually seeing what I sucked up was truly amazing.  The dust from the bed alone was nothing short of incredible.  And I thought I was the cleanest person in the world.

Out of curiosity I googled some pics of dust mites for your delectation...I'm sure you'll thank me.

Storm

I was sitting in a metal bus shelter on Thursday afternoon when this storm blew up.  A streak of lightning lit up the sky and hit the wall just inches behind my head!  I heard the

crackle and saw flashing lines of electricity, just like you see in cartoons.  Talk about a fright - what a close shave!

Meanwhile, in Scotland and England...

Just look at the contrast between these pictures and the ones in my last blog!  Thanks for your email this morning, Winifred, with your news of a bad weather spell.

Now, to answer your question, Olga:

There's not a big difference between sardines and herring. In fact, "sardine" means "small fish." (The fish in question were named after Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean, because they used to be plentiful in this region.) When they're young and small, these fish are called sardines. When they get older and bigger, they're called herring. For centuries, herring have been a dietary staple of northern Europeans - Scandinavians, Russians, Dutch, British and Germans.


I never knew this!  In fact, the saying, 'You learn something new every day' is very true.  Thank heavens for Google, which provides the answer to everything you ever wanted to know!

Out and about again

On Wednesday I went to Bondi with some friends to look at Sculptures by the Sea.  Here's one of them:

I know I'm just another Grumpy Old Woman, but it was such a lot of bother!  Public transport is a nightmare.  It must have been 34 degrees and there were thousands of people lined up for one lonely bus at the end of the walk, so we all piled on like sardines.  Is it too much for whoever organises these things to put on some more buses??????  It's not rocket science...

Great to have you back, Winifred.  I don't know what makes it so tricky to get into these blogs...so frustrating.

Back to the doctor

I'm now on my third lot of antibiotics and tire very easily.  It probably wasn't a great idea yesterday to go for a walk down a slope so steep it was surely only for mountain goats. The road was deceptive at first, seeming to be a gentle slope, but then it dropped sharply.  I don't know how anybody could possibly manage to survive in such an area - many of the houses had inclinators from the road down the sheer drop. Without one, lugging groceries down and children up would be next to impossible.

This shows a house perched on the edge of a precipice:

A lost soul...

Still feeling sick, I took myself into the city on Thursday to take my mind off myself.  I wandered round Circular Quay (between the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House), and visited the Museum of Contemporary Art:

where I looked in astonishment at exhibits like this:

I found a nice place to have lunch at The Rocks.  The highlight of my day was when one of the waitresses came over to talk to me - she'd arrived from The Netherlands three weeks ago, found a flat in Bondi and a job!

I then went to Woody Allen's film about Rome, which I thought was terribly clever - a real sendup of our stupidity.  I loved the music, which reminded me of the 60s when I was learning Italian in Newcastle.  I completely disapprove of Woody's morals and stopped seeing his movies when he ran off with Mia's adopted daughter, but went in spite of this...shows how desperate I was to fill in the day.

Baby, it's cold outside!

The other day it was 29 degrees and I thought of having my first swim of the season, but decided it mightn't be a good idea with bronchitis.  Yesterday it was between 15 and 19 and Muffy and I nearly froze to death.  I opted for a woolly jumper and scarf while she headed for the bedroom and snuggled under the doona!  Sorry, but I do think she is so very cute!!!!

Later in the afternoon, this was her chosen spot on the sofa:

Sick of being sick

The doctor tells me I'm no longer contagious, so Emma came downstairs to see me yesterday, the first time for a week.  I'm sure she's grown 6" in that time!  She practised the piano, had a chat, then suggested we do some cooking.  From one of her recipe books she chose these desserts, and we had a lovely time preparing them.  They're full of sugar and butter, so I wasn't a bit surprised when her father told me she didn't actually want to eat them!  The fun was in the making.

I'm on a health kick again, so did not allow myself the usual huge packet of chips when I shopped just now at Aldi.  I stuck to salad vegetables, fruit, grain bread, tins of fish.

It's really only a week I've been out of action, though it feels much longer than that.  Tomorrow I'll try to get back into normal routine, starting with the English lesson for my three Japanese students.  Theoretically I'm supposed to have a Japanese lesson after the English one, but I haven't looked at anything for weeks, though I did go through all my notes and sort them out. (My sickness followed the school holidays, when we all had a break.)

I had my first piano practice yesterday and didn't do too badly.

Oh dear - sick.

I've been coughing and spluttering for more than a week now, and am on my second dose of antibiotics after having caught a bug that went through everybody upstairs.  The doctor thought it might turn into pneumonia, so I had an X-ray, but it seems to be only bronchitis, which is unpleasant enough.

BTW, Frank, since I got your email about freezing lemons, I've been doing just that.  Once you take them out of the freezer they soften, making squeezing the juice so easy.  I used to be always throwing lemons away, so this is a very useful tip for me.

Michael, I agree with Infogenium - that is brilliant!!!!!  I will send it to any of my friends who speaks German.  I'd never seen HAND, but now that I have, will start using it.

This morning I went to the library with a list I'd got from the pc of Man Booker prizewinners.  Sitting in the sun with my hot lemon, honey and ginger drink, I've started Anita Brookner's 'Making Things Better', which she wrote after her award.  Must say I'm struggling to work out who's who in the first chapter.  I don't think this is the sign of a brilliant writer...

HAND (Have a nice day) everybody!

Good Lord!

For weeks now I've been listening to BBC radio 4 all night every night (except when I doze off).  I absolutely love the discussion programs with so many highly educated, clever, witty, people speaking so eloquently, the dramas performed so professionally, the news from all round the world - in fact, I enjoy every single program!  The thought did strike me when I was in Chelsea earlier in the year that there is a level of wealth in UK not experienced in Australia and now I am coming to understand there seems to be a level of educated people that we don't have here, either.  Of course, the difference in population would account for that - you have 62 million people and we have 22 million.

And it almost goes without saying that the opposite applies, too - there are many poor, uneducated people in both UK and here.

Another thing that has really surprised me is the number of people with titles who appear on the programs - Lord This, Baroness That!!!!  In Australia we have the odd Sir, but the title would almost never be used - we are really egalitarian in that respect.

You win some, you lose some...

I must make it clear that it was my Australian friend-who-knows-everything, Infogenium, who told me the other day that one of the men I most admire, Melvyn Bragg (photo) had been made a Labour life peer in 1998.  That's a long time for me not to have known!

Check out Lord Bragg's credentials.  (Must say, though, last time I listened to one of his programs I could barely make out what he was saying - was I almost asleep or was he mumbling?)

A sad, sad week...

We've just got over - does one really ever 'get over'? - the rape/murder of Irish woman, Jill Meagher, in Melbourne and now the horrendous abduction/murder of dear little April Jones in Wales.  I've been tuned to BBC radio 4 all week for news of April, feeling sick to the stomach, like millions of other people all over the world.

Another one of those days...

I put it off and off, but eventually I have to go through bills, letters, brochures, etc, and yesterday was the day!  As usual, Muffy wasn't far away.

No matter how I try to tell myself it's simply another thing to do, I absolutely hate it!

Why I detest the modern world...

Trouble is, I'm part of it!  In spite of my best efforts, I've been glued to Facebook recently, following the rape/murder of Jill Meagher in Melbourne, the appalling comments of Alan Jones in Sydney and now the missing 5-yr-old April Jones in Wales.  Not that I ever use my own Facebook account, as I can't understand it!  It's nothing but a big mess to me, but I keep it open just in case I want to find a friend lost along the way.

And, in spite of your best efforts, Infogenium, I still can't figure Twitter out.  Now and then I get an email telling me somebody has tweeted me, but it's never anything I need to know.

A couple of weeks back, after sitting in a restaurant for nearly an hour waiting for a friend who was sitting in a similarly named restaurant a couple of kilometres down the road, I finally got my Techno Wizard friend - yes, you Infogenium - to get me a mobile.  I'd got rid of my first one years ago, as I kept forgetting to take it with me, found recharging a pain in the neck and had difficulty hearing on it.  I was buying $30 credits and finding that on the rare occasion I wanted to make a call, it was out of credit.  It took ages for me to realise it ran out according to time, not number of calls made.  If I'd kept it for a year, it would have cost $360 for one or two calls. Ridiculous.

But this new one will last for 365 days on $20 credit, so that suits me better.  However, I haven't had occasion to use it and probably never will.

Olga, you are treading on dangerous ground suggesting I download whatever I want to!

Infogenium - I had thought of taking my pc to you to fix the night we had dinner at the Lebanese restaurant.  Pity it burnt down the other night!  Lucky we weren't inside it when the blast occurred, or we would have been blown to Kingdom Come.

Don't do it again!

I did as you suggested, Frank, and asked Philip and suffered his wrath.  He cleared the download with a dire warning of NEVER DOWNLOAD ANYTHING!

Oh dear

Everything in life is so damned difficult!  Nothing comes easily to my poor brain and I am constantly frustrated...

The other day - for only the second time in my life - I managed to check the air in my tyres and you've no idea how happy that made me!  Whenever I figure out how to do anything at all, I'm overjoyed!

Even doing this blog is always a struggle.  Nothing is straightforward - getting the pictures in takes many steps and it doesn't always work the first time.  Of course, anything to do with computers nearly drives me mad.  About every second day I almost give up, and think I'll never bother with emails again because I get so many, but I try to do something about it, like unsubscribing from the hundreds of things I must have subscribed to over the years or deleting some of the thousands in my Inbox (don't even think about the Sentbox), rereading them first, in case they are important.  But I never manage to clear it.

Yesterday I foolishly allowed myself to be taken in by an invitation from JustCloud, promising storage among the angels.  I don't have the faintest idea what it's all about.  But since I filled in their wretched form, I've received about 97 messages from them, telling me the trial is just about up - nobody mentioned it was only a trial - and now I must subscribe for money but they'll give me 20% off.  Help, Infogenium - how do I uninstall??????  I filled in an email filter but their messages just pop up, so that didn't work. The one redeeming thing is that it appears to be only on my second laptop - the one Philip gave me when the main one had viruses - and this one seems to be clear.  I don't dare ask Philip as he will hit the roof that I downloaded it in the first place.

Washed out...

Oh dear, I am indeed feeling washed out today after hearing of the discovery of the raped and murdered body of a young Melbourne woman who went missing on her way home the other night.  The news is always appalling and I can barely listen to it.  Steven Pinker reckons the world is a better place than it's ever been.  That may be so, but it's still pretty awful.  Even talk about the cruel treatment of Australian sheep in Pakistan makes me ill.

You young women, do take care.  NEVER walk home alone in the early hours of the morning.  It's a stupid risk to take.

I took this photo just now as hanging out the washing is actually my favourite household chore. I love the feel of clean sheets and towels straight from the line.  I do wish everybody could enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and not feel the need to rape, murder, rob, bash, kill, etc.

Local street

Had a Newcastle friend visit yesterday and I took her to this street nearby to admire the spring blossoms.  We chatted to a friendly woman who lives in one of the beautiful houses.

The weather was sunny and 24 degrees, which was perfect.

Was it 2003 when I discovered Andre Rieu, Frank?  Yes, it's the very same man!  At that time he was unknown in Australia so that's why I got you to send me the video.  Now he's probably the most famous person in the country and his DVDs and CDs are everywhere, even the post office!  (And even young folk like Infogenium really adore him, though it's not cool to say so!!!!!!)

Olga, what a coincidence that we've both splashed out on expensive tablecloths lately!

This is so amusing...

First of all, Infogenium - you can't possibly deny you don't think Andre Rieu is a talented, charming, handsome, gorgeous man of integrity!  Don't try to wriggle out of it by saying you merely came to see him in the flesh out of friendship for me!

Oooohhh, every time I see the photo from my last entry I go weak at the knees....

I bought this little book of treasures at the Art Gallery yesterday and laughed out loud when I read this page on the train coming home.  (I deliberately didn't crop the photo as I want to show you my new French provincial tablecloth underneath.  It was a huge extravagance at a recent fete I went to, but I've always wanted something like this, so couldn't resist.)

Frank, I'll email the new address.  You can still use the old one, but it will eventually peter out.  

Naughty woman!

Wash your mouth immediately out, Infogenium!!!!!  To suggest such a wicked thing of MY PERFECT MAN!!!!!!

And which security person are you referring to????  I can't see one on the right, but if you mean the curly-headed one on his right, it is indeed his real child, Pierre.

The above pic is from the day you were with me, when we BOTH saw Andre in Sydney!!!!!!!! Swoon, swoon...

Good to see you've figured out how to comment, Frank.  Thanks for the tip, Olga.

I'm off to buy the DVD of Andre's performance I saw at the cinema.

By the way, I want 'The March of the Hebrew Slaves' from this DVD at my funeral - so keep this in mind and issue the instruction at the relevant time, please.

Even better!

Or immer besser as the Miele commercials tell us, though we're not talking about the same thing!  Yesterday I saw Andre Rieu at the cinema, Maastricht 2012.  Oh, it was simply wonderful on the big screen!!!!

The young British woman presenting the show, Charlotte Hawkins, is an absolute stunner!  Don't think I've ever laid eyes on such a gorgeous creature.  Google her.

You can take the girl out of the country...

...but you can't take the country out of the girl.

A farm out of Denman, a town where I lived many years ago.

Last night I went to a lecture on reading at Macquarie Uni.  It took me 30 minutes to get there by car, then 50 minutes to find somewhere to park.  Yes, there appear to be plenty of parking areas, but not ones where a casual visitor can go!!!  When I did find a suitable one, I needed a ticket, even though it was free parking.  Really logical, that is!  I couldn't see a ticket machine anywhere as the place was so vast, so had to ask somebody, then, when I got to it, it was just on dark and I couldn't see which button to press, so had to ask somebody else.  Then, of course, I had to walk miles back to the car to display the ticket on the dash.  I was 20 minutes late and very, very, cross!

Modern life drives me mad!  Yesterday both my computers were off as often as they were on, and my phone, VOIP (whatever that is!) through Philip's computer, hasn't been working for days!!!!!!!  I reported the problem via email, then later got an email reply telling me they'd tried to ring but couldn't get through!!!!!!!!!  Well spotted!  I frequently feel like getting rid of phone, computers and even the telly and maybe one day I will.

Learn something new every day...

Thanks, Winifred, for your lovely picture of rose hips.  Not only did I not know what rose hips were, and I had to look it up, but your new way of sending the pics proved a bit of a challenge and I had to figure out how to get them into Picasa so I could get this one here.  But I've succeeded!  Always gives me a lot of satisfaction when I figure something out, and lots and lots of frustration when I can't, which is usually the case.

My reading scheme on an iPad app!

For a couple of years now, one of my young friends has been busy putting my reading scheme, Sounds of Reading, into app form for iPads and yesterday the first one went into the appstore. It's called Oz Phonics.  The first one is a 'taster' and the others will follow.  It's great for good and struggling readers, especially dyslexics, from 4 years up to adults.  

Here's the link:
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/introtoreading/id556500708?mt=8

Do please tell all your friends and family!!!

Stop complaining!

The other night at some unearthly hour I undozed - is there such a word? - and found myself listening to a play on BBC radio 4.  After just a few minutes I realised it was unmistakably 'The Grapes of Wrath', which I had read at high school, about 53 years ago.  

I was astonished that I recognised it so quickly after all this time, and sure enough, at the end, the announcer confirmed it.

Made me think just how lucky we are nowadays, yet most people still complain and will never be satisfied.

It really is spring!

Olga and I went to see this year's flowers at David Jones today and once again were very impressed.  Not only did the whole ground floor look gorgeous, but smelled beautiful, too.
Profits were down last financial year, so it was less extravagant than previous years, but still wonderful.  Outside it was freezing and it's been snowing down south.

More on houses

Olga, gluing our houses together, as you put it, is indeed something that most people would wonder about.  It seems that when the British colonialists came they simply built the only way they knew, without stopping to think there might be another way, especially in a country as vast as Australia.  However, they did built individual houses as well, especially in the country.   Here's a drawing of a slab hut in the early days:

I've been in Hornsby one and a half years now, and have still not unpacked all my bits and pieces. The other day Philip hung a few of my own paintings in the remaining wall spaces.  The place maybe looks a bit cluttered now, but at least it feels like home.

No surprise that I've put this one over the piano.  It's a print brought back by friends as a gift from the Prado in Spain many years ago.  I actually think it's a boy playing the instrument, but of course Emma assumes it's a girl.