Author: Crofton77

HR and I are on a good wicket. We each earn a good wage. Sure we help the kids out but, we still have enough to do the stuff we want; new cars,weekend brunches, weekend trips away, cruises and the New Zealand trip next year, always a few dollars in the pocket.
Yep we earn good money. However, it seems we will have to sell a child or take a personal loan to pay the winter gas bill.
I have been 'down south' for 6 months now and all of it has been cold. I love the cold, as long as I have a heater and a blanket. The first heating bill (gas) we got was in the region of $650 dollars and after HR got over his heart attack I mentioned that the heating was gas. He argued of course, I mean seriously how could I know it was gas? Anyway he checked the books and the gas meter and confirmed what I had told him. The electric bill was minimal.
Now some of you are out there saying there are ways we can minimise the use of the heater and,  you may well be right but not in this place. It seems that the heater is on, in every room, or it is off. There is no way to close the heat off in any of the rooms. Seriously, the upstairs is always ten degrees warmer than downstairs and we only use two rooms up there so closing the unused rooms off would be a no brainer. But we can't. If we closed any of the vents the system would over heat and shut down and then we would be up for repairs which may cost more than the gas bill.
Anyway we decided that the cold was too severe and we could afford the bill so screw it we will use the heater. Right up until yesterday when the second bill in 6 months rocked up. $1020.60!!!!!!!!! for 90 days. $1020.60 you have got to be joking!!!! A total of over $1600 for winter gas. That is ten times what we were paying in Queensland.
I figured I would see if there is an alternate power provider for the area – wasn't that a hoot. Bloody hell they want to know how many pairs of pink knickers you have as well as you credit rating before they will tell you the smallest thing.
HR is the name on the bill so he rang the energy provider and was a tad terse, seems as he scrutinised the bill further he discovered the bill was an estimate. He spoke to a very nice young man who advised that the people contracted to read the meters had not provided the information in time so they had taken a best guess. Great if they were anywhere near accurate. The numbers on the bill were so far out from what the meter read it was ridiculous (the meter read hundreds of MJ's less than what the bill read). So the young man mentioned that since the bill had been issued the required info had rocked up and that a new bill would be issued in the next few weeks.
HR and I have decided we need to move to a more temperate region or at least one where the gas is a lot bloody cheaper.
Until then we will sit here huddled in blankets sipping hot drinks to ward off the cold and dream of warmer days.

Late last year HR, Hagalicious and CR (her hubby) and I went on four day cruise. It was fantastic fun a relaxing cruise from Brisbane to Hamilton Island and back. Each couple had a mini suite aboard the Pacific Dawn and nothing to do but relax and sip the odd cocktail or five.
Whilst on this short but sweet holiday we received an email extolling the virtues of the Pacific Aria and how for a paltry sum we could have a seven day cruise to Cairns in a balcony room with a premium drinks package and $300.00 room credit ( because of who we work for we each got another $100.00 each person making it $500.00 per cabin). Cairns is a favourite destination for the four of us so that was a good enough reason to book the cruise. That and the fact that day two of the cruise was HR's 50th Birthday!!
At the end of the short cruise we immediately booked the Aria for August 2016. That was a hell of a long wait for the next cruise and so much happened between the booking and the cruising (have a read of my Reflections blog). Due to me moving 'down south' we had to travel back to Brisbane to go on the cruise. We decided to take a few days extra at the end of the cruise and go visit Mother, the kids and my gorgeous grandsons.
HR and I had great cruise. What's not to like? Everything is done for you! Someone cooks, does the dishes, makes the bed, cleans the bathroom, mixes the drinks and never do you have to do a damned thing you don't want to. The Aria does not have a Buffet for casual dining. The Aria has 'The Pantry' a series of small eateries that serve anything from fish and chips to a chef's salad to any pastry you'd like – total yummy-ness.The speciality restaurants were awesome, although the Luke Mangan Salt Grill was a little disappointing. We had some lovely wait persons in our favourite bars especially Minelli!.
After the cruise we went to visit the Boy Child and my Grandsons, then off Toowoomba to catch up with the Mini Brat (we had seen the Normal Autistic Girl before the cruise in Brisbane). Of course we went to visit Mother as well, took her shopping and spent time helping her do a few things. We stayed in a perfectly serviceable motel in Toowoomba. I even visited the folk at the Mausoleum!
While travelling around Toowoomba we passed the Ford dealership many times and HR drooled over the new Mustang sitting in the pride of place in the yard. He had also complained incessantly about the shortcomings of the Beast (Mazda BT50)
The afternoon before we left to return 'down south' we had said our goodbyes to family and friends and had a few hours to kill. 'Go to the pictures or go looking at car yards?' I asked HR. 'Car yards' he answered. 'Ford or Kia' I asked again 'Kia' he answered. So off to Kia we went and saw Grant the dealer who sold me two Cerato's earlier this year and Lachie.
We just wanted to have a look at the Sportage. We wanted a vehicle that was comfortable for the travelling we do all over the place. Quite frankly the Beast gets very uncomfortable after four hours driving and we generally like to travel 4-6 hours a day when we're roaming the country. I also wanted to get a vehicle that was easy to get my Grandsons in and out of but still had plenty of room and comfort.
Lachie showed us a few different models and then let us test drive Grant's Sportage Platinum.
The Platinum is top of the range with a moon roof, sat nav, blind spot mirror doovey, heated/cooled seats, electronic seat adjustment and all manner of other really cool options and this one is a diesel as well so very economical. HR was bowled over and so was I!!! What a great vehicle! Alas the Beast is a lease vehicle and we have too many years till payout and owe too much etc etc etc.
Grant and Lachie commenced the wheeling dealing part of the equation. Try as they might they couldn't get enough for the Beast to satisfy the lease and it looked like we would wait for the Sportage like we first planned. Que Sera and off we went back 'down south' a great trip in itself. HR and I DO love to travel.
The day we got home there's an email from Grant -' if you want to buy the demo you drove we can get the extra you need to pay out the lease (on the Beast)what do you think?'

Three weeks later HR drove the Beast back to Brisbane. I flew in (business class what a blast) and after spending the night in Brisbane we picked up the Normal Autistic Girl and drove off to Toowoomba to pick up the Sportage. While we did the paperwork and swapped out the cars the Normal Autistic Girl met up with the Mini Brat and went off to spend my money.
An hour later we picked up the girls and went to lunch in an early birthday celebration for the Mini Brat. After lunch we drove back to Brisbane and went to see my grandsons for a few hours.
The next day we stared our drive home in the new car. What a great trip! the Sportage was amazing and so comfy and HR didn't hobble/limp after driving for four hours.
I do need to mention The Stockmans Hotel in Tamworth. A truly awesome room with a bathroom to die for. A huge spa bath you can lie down in, twin vanities a huge shower all beautifully presented! The room had a huge king size bed with a fifty inch flat screen, lounge and table. The mini bar was fabulous and extremely well priced. Breakfast was simple food well cooked and reasonably priced. I thoroughly recommend this hotel to everyone.
So, HR had a cruise AND got a new car for his 50th birthday. Me? I ended up with a bad case of the flu that kept me away fro the Crypt for ten days. Swings and roundabouts people…swings and roundabouts.

 They say you should be careful what you wish for…..you might just get it

 At the beginning of 2016 I decided that this was going to be a good year and I would get the things I wanted, nay that I deserved. The Universe was going to provide my every whim….

On reflection I have indeed received much largess from the Universe, but it has come at a cost.

Two weeks into the New Year and I am involved in a car crash (wasn't my fault but the Fleet Manager reckons no more work cars for me) and I still have internal bruising on my leg.

A few weeks later, in a flurry of interviews, I get the job that will move me to the same state as HR. This has been a double edged gift. I am glad to move after seven years in the one job. However where I work is way different to what I am used to and quite frankly I have no qualifications for the tasks I am set. There is precious little support and encouragement from my 'team' and often I flounder. I get tasked by my immediate and my second level supervisor  and get half assed instructions that make it tricky to prioritise work let alone complete it. Ah well I got what I wanted yeah?

We sold the house as we travelled from one end of the country to the other. We didn't get what we wanted for the house and the pennies we did have left over were used to; buy a  car for the Mini Brat, pay several lots of Bond money (the Boy Child and the Consort have gone their separate ways, as a consequence two households needed to be set up), and sundry other child expenses.
So again I got what  wanted – the house sold.

I am learning to live with HR again after 18 months apart. There are times I'd like to strangle him and I am sure he feels that he would like to strangle me too.

It's different not being in the same state as my children and Mother and that can add stress at times as we try and coordinate communications.

I wanted my Brisbane Lions to be competitive but it seems that was too big an ask of the Universe. 2017 is another year.

HR and I have been on a cruise, I think there's a blog in that.

I am looking for another job but while I have had a few interviews I have not yet been successful.

I have had a nasty dose of the flu complicated with cardiac issues – I had ten days off work….swings and roundabouts there yeah?

I am off to Wodonga again in October to have my birthday dinner at Miss Amelie!!!!!!!!!

Ah well there's still a few months left in this year lets see what good things it brings shall we?

Picture it…
A big square building (holds a zillion people) with only three windows
peering through one window we see…….

A Meglomaniacal Director (MD) and a deputy dawg (dd)
and then there's the idiot factor – me.
What IS she rambling on about you  ask, have I got a tale for you.

There's this document
it needs attention but…it doesn't match up with this corresponding document so we can't do what we need to do…let's send it to whatsherface the idiot newbie she'll fix it

but wait –  MD sends it to dd cc'ing me
dd sends it to me and says let's discuss
MD asks me about it but dd hasn't talked to me yet so I know naf all
dd says click the links in the document and talk to this chickie ( I have never met) in this section here
 I click links like the dutiful idiot I am and then approach this unsuspecting chickie and ask for help

the chickie provides details and a hazy picture emerges
MD and dd have a confab about the document dilemma, without me, and I get a half assed synopsis of the meeting and a few more supporting documents and get told to crack on

So the idiot newbie (me) makes the best guesstimate she can with the crap she is given and approaches MD (at the behest of dd as he is so BUSY and SO important)
but oh no, the idiot newbie (me) doesn't have a document that supposedly explains all
MD carries on like a raw prawn 'I have explained this once I shouldn't have to explain it again' (sic)
and various other complaints making me (the idiot newbie) feel like a total loser when I have never played in this particular space before

so MD and me approach the chickie and have a confab and do the investigation and lo and behold something wasn't calculated correctly in the original document

mea culpa screams MD and wonders how to fix the problem
phone calls are made and guess who gets to do the paperwork to fix the problem?

go on guess…..

give up?

it was ME yes ME the freaking stupid idiot newbie!!!!

this has taken four days to fix
four days of trying to complete tasking as well as other adhoc URGENT issues and dealing with snippy infighting in the 'team'

I need a holiday, a new job or a lotto win……….. I'll settle for a glass of wine

Well that was pretty bloody ordinary. To say I am miffed is an understatement. I am borderline furious actually.
4 weeks ago I made an appointment to see a 'professional' service provider in the cosmetic solutions industry. Yes I was looking at a non invasive facelift type procedure – all the rage and no down time.

Sunday I got a text asking me to confirm my appointment and I duly responded with the required 'Y'.

I forgot to tell HR about the text and so today he rang them to confirm. Whilst on the phone they asked if I could go in earlier as they had had cancellations. HR indicated this was highly unlikely as I was at work and I was already finishing early to make the 4 o'clock appointment. HR advised me of this conversation but said the appointment was still on.

3 o'clock I get to my car to discover 7 missed calls and two texts. Remember where I work I cannot have my mobile phone with me for security reasons.

I call the number in the text. I ask them what is going on. The person was all. 'oh I don't see your name here who are you again?' I repeat that I have an appointment at 4 and that someone, obviously not her, has been calling me. 'Oh she is in with someone I'll get her to call when she gets out. What is your number?' Fecking heck I think you HAVE my number if the texts and missed calls are anything to go by. I repeat my number five times before they finally get it right. 'She'll call right back' Yep no worries there might be a black spot on my way in to you but keep trying. 'Oh yes we will call for sure'

I drive from work straight there and am 15 minutes early for the appointment. No phone call. No text.
I park the car and walk into the building. The door is locked and the lights are off.

How totally bloody rude!!! How bloody unprofessional!!!
They couldn't be bothered hanging around for my appointment cos they wanted to go home early.
I already knew what I wanted from these people and this appointment was a confirmation and then book for the 'procedure' worth $2,500. I took time off work and was so excited.
Guess I will just have to find somewhere else to spend my money eh?

As you all know I moved interstate earlier this year.
A good move mostly, the usual hiccups – settling into the new location and job, learning to live with HR again after 18 months of blissful peace…..
I think the worst thing about moving is trying to find the right 'support' team; you know – hair stylist, colourist, beautician and nail tech.
Three months in and the search continues, though I MAY have the hair stylist, colourist and beautician sorted. The nail tech not so much.
I had intended to continue getting my hair done in Queensland – once a month when I go up to visit Mother. Sadly every fricken Saturday I go up my stylist is not working!!!!
So I tried the local hairdresser in the local mall and while they did a reasonable job and didn't cost the earth the atmosphere wasn't quite what I wanted. I mean when I go to the salon it's all about ME!!! The interaction with my stylists etc must be positive, fun and at my whim. So I asked around at work and they recommended a place in Canberra, but on reflection it looked very young, not for the more mature person such as myself so I kept looking.
Then one day I was stuck at the lights and just idly surveying the scene when what should I see to my left but a hair salon. When I got home I googled the shop and lo and behold they had a website. Right then…I made the call. an appointment for Thursday afternoon.
I duly turned up for said appointment. We spent time discussing what colour and style I wanted. My hair will no longer hold red colours they fade quickly and look nasty. I decided to get the red out. An hour later the foils and colour were in. 45 minutes later the colour was set and time for the wash. The best part of going to the salon is the head massage!!!! Then it was time for the cut. The manager of the salon cut my hair and I am really happy with the style. Then came the drying and styling. The colour is gorgeous! Hardly any red left.The foils are subtle and natural looking. I actually look younger with this cut and colour!!
Three hours have passed and I am quite hungry as I thought this would take 90 minutes tops and then I would go and have dinner with HR. Now it is time for the 'beauty' Eyebrows waxed and tinted and of course the top lip rip!!
Because my hair is so fair whenever I get an eyebrow tint it can be quire scary lol. All of a sudden I have eyebrows.
It was after 9 pm when I got out of there and I went in at 5:30, almost 4 hours. I think it was worth it.
I am going back again. When I am sure I am on a winner I will name names!
Now if I could just find a decent nail tech…….

So, I have a glass of O'Mara's in hand and it's time to have a bit of a rant about football. No not that round ball choreographed dance they call soccer, or thugby (rugby), or even that ugly throw-the-ball-backwards-to-go-forwards rubbish they call league (rugby league) (for our American friends your Grid Iron is not football either so deal with it). I am talking about the only game that could possibly call itself football, where men are men and the boys can go home, where padding is for the feint of heart and skills and fitness rule supreme. I refer to Australian Rules Football.

Now as everyone knows I am a slightly rabid Brisbane Lions fan. The Lions are having a very bad year . Actually bad doesn't quite cut it, HORRENDOUS is more like it. I know it, the media knows it, we ALL bloody know it.
Oh did I say media? MEDIA???? The bloody media ignores the crap out of the Lions when we are trundling along, not earth shattering wins or anything, just trundling, getting it done, winning some losing others. But you just wait until we do something wrong, like lose almost every game of the season so far (we've won one of thirteen to date) or some of our drafted players decide to go home (they're leaving in droves the headlines read). Suddenly the Lions are the hottest news in Australia. Suddenly every hack journalist has an expert opinion on what is wrong with the Lions and how to fix it.

Picture it: It's August 2013,13 August 2013 to be precise, the Normal Autistic Kid and I are at the hotel in Brisbane getting gussied up for the Brisbane Lions Gala Auction. We're keeping a weather eye on FaceBook and Twitter for messages from friends we will be meeting up with at the function. I am scrolling through the Tweets and there's something about Vossy (Lion's coach) I shake my head , reset my glasses and read again, Michael Voss, Lion's coach, has been sacked. WTF????? Two hours before a Gala event and they sack the coach? surely this is a joke, put the telly on, where's the news?
2013 was not the worst year for the Brisbane Lions. It wasn't a good one but hell Vossy was starting to come good, we thought. The media thought otherwise and in what can only be described as a sustained attack the media hounded Vossy up hill and down dale in the press, on telly, social media and anywhere else they could get a hearing. A man's career as a senior coach butchered by the press.
That evening was awful, truly awful. The players were stunned, the guests were angry and vocal in their anger.

Move to 2015 and the go home five. The AFL has a DRAFT system, where young players are picked up by teams these kids are supposed to be down with the fact that they may have to go interstate to get a gig on the big stage. For many it is their first time away from home and they get homesick. Nothing wrong with that, let them go home. But, the media cook it up as something else, they dream up tensions in the club – administration, coaches and even the fans.
How about we look at what the real issues are, how about we look at facts not fiction?
After the historical three peat of the early 2000's Eddie McGuire campaigned long and hard to have our retention allowance removed. Why did he do that one might ask??? Because two of the the Premierships were won against his team. Sour grapes much Eddie? He tried the same game when Sydney Swans started beating his team regularly. So, money that had helped to keep players at the club was suddenly removed and there was an exodus.There was the usual turn over over retiring players and coaches.

There was of course the incredibly idiotic recruiting debacle when Vossy thought getting Fev was a good idea and ended up losing two very good servants of the club over it.(that was also blown out of proportion in the press but Fev asked for it)
Then the AFL in its infinite wisdom decided that Queensland needed a second team and created what the Normal autistic Kid refers to as the fantastic plastic – the Gold Coast Suns (2011)- or cold toast scums, depends who you are right? Fans from the Gold Coast who used to be Lions supporters switched allegiance to 'their' team starting a membership loss for the Lions which the media ascribed to the fans being disenchanted with the Lions.
2016 – Brisbane Lions has the youngest list, we had a very tough draw, even the press agree, Leppa (coach) is changing the game plan. This year we have re-signed key players, some early because they want to stay.

There is more but you get the picture. Some good stuff and bad stuff and through it all the players keep on keeping on. When we win we are ignored by the media (unless it's against Eddies team) when we lose we're a basket case.

It is extremely difficult watching your team lose week after week. I loathe when so called fans think social media is there for them to abuse the players and coaches. I DETEST the media for  the continual negative press and their attempts to get yet another Lions coach sacked. In all fairness the media have been responsible for the sacking of other teams coaches as well but as they are not MY team I am not concerned with them here.
The media have set themselves up as demi gods, king makers, coach breakers and I for one have had quite enough. I am extending my media boycott to include such shows as AFL360, On the Couch as well as all print media, I am also culling my Twitter 'following' list to remove the more rabid negative so called Lions fans.

One day soon the tide will turn and my Lions will be up there winning and I am with them every tricky step of the way…

We are the pride of Brisbane town
We wear maroon, blue and gold
We will always fight for victory
Like Fitzroy and Bears of old
All for one and one for all
We will answer to the call
Go lions, Brisbane Lions we'll kick the winning score
You'll hear our mighty roar!!!!!!

That leads to Brunch!!!

HR and I are doing the whole losing weight, learning to eat better thing and one day a week, usually the weekend we go a little nuts.  Generally starts Friday night and finishes Saturday after dinner-ish.

Friday night's are a trip to Grill'd (see previous blogs). Last week we shared the 'Front Bar'; a steak sandwich with egg, mesculin, tomato, Spanish Onion, Dijon mustard, beetroot relish and herbed mayo and of course the Chips Share Plate. Safe to say a total success as a meal!! I think that a second success has seen this place become a firm favourite and a definite part of the 'routine'.

The 'routine' is something HR and I are setting up to help establish a stable home life for us both. You may recall that for eighteen months HR and I were living in different states. When you add to that the fact that I have started a new job after seven years in the last one, moved after eighteen years in one place, and the car accident at the beginning of the year, I am one unsettled person!

Anyway, I digress, last Saturday HR and I took a drive to a lovely little town name of Gundaroo. A rustic little eatery called 'The Cork Street Cafe' served a particularly delicious repast for HR and I. HR chose the Eggs Benedict with Bacon and I had, wait for it, I had Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Bacon and Fried Eggs. OMG talk about deliciousness! Totally worth the drive out there I can tell you.
Then there is the Gundaroo Heritage Walk a meander through the historical high spots of the town.
One could do a lot worse than head to Gundaroo for a feed and a walk!

This Friday we again trekked off to Grill'd where we tried a Beef Burger with our usual accompaniment of Chips. We ordered the 'Almighty' .  'Grilled grass fed lean beef , tasty cheese, crispy trim bacon, free range egg, couple of slices of beetroot with salad, relish and herbed mayo' and we added some avocado. What a HUGE burger!! We cut the burger and I had to eat my share with a knife and fork. Seriously there was no way I was going to get a bite of that baby!! Needless to say it was a thoroughly enjoyable meal and we waddled out of there! We have dibs on a chicken burger next week.

This morning we trundled off to Yass to have a bit of a looksee. We wandered the high street and back streets, there are some beautiful old houses out that way. We decided to have a very late breakfast/early lunch at a lovely establishment named 'The Roses Cafe' where we ordered Eggs Benedict with Bacon, a cappuccino for HR and a pot of Green Tea for me. Next time we go there we will partake of the other delights they had there. Quiche's, savoury muffins, pies, wraps, all manner of delightful baked goods as well as traditional burgers and breakfast foods. A veritable cornucopia of culinary concoctions!!
HR did mention that he preferred the Cork Street Cafe Hollandaise to that of The Roses Cafe. Apparently he found The Roses Cafe Hollandaise a little 'claggy'. However the bacon was cooked just right at The Roses Cafe.
One could be forgiven for thinking we are on a crusade to find the perfect Eggs Benedict, at least HR may be.
Anyway we are scoping next weeks destination As I type so I'll update you when I know!

Oh yeah HR has lost nearly ten kilos, me not so much only four, mebbe if I got off my fat arse I might lose a bit more………….