Sunday, December 31, 2006

The hot new reality tv show called..

"Oh my god I locked my keys in the car".

After a late night on Christmas Eve and getting up early to open presents, go to mass etc I was pretty tired. After leaving home to drive to Berrigan after Christmas lunch, I was pretty sad. After driving from Albury to Berrigan (well sitting while the man drove), I was both tired and sad.

So when the man's nephew Zeke was chasing me - armed with some kind of rubber ball firing gun toy I chose to hide in the car (and locked myself in it). There I was, safe from rubber ball attack with the added bonus of seeing Zeke's frustration while I kicked back and relaxed in the car.

30 seconds later...

I was bored but Zeke stubbornly remained sitting next to the passenger side door. I climbed over into the drivers side, grimaced as I sat on the car keys lying on the seat, quietly unlocked the door, opened it, quietly relocked the door, slammed it shut and then went:

"oh CRAP".

Yes, I had locked not only my car keys but also the spare in the car (it was in the man's wallet which was in my handbag, which was in the car). Keep in mind we are on a farm miles (kilometers??) from anywhere. I was too shocked to be upset because seriously...how stupid am I! Within seconds I had five males standing around the car telling me how easy it will be to get them out. I have to say I was a little skeptical. Firstly the locks are those square push down jobs, not the ones that are easy to hook a coat hanger on. Secondly, well cars aren't supposed to be easy to break into. I'm pretty sure thats a key design specification.

15 minutes later...

Cars are easy to break into. It took a spatula, some tape and some banging of the car door but eventually the lock popped up.

The best thing was we got the final moments on the man's younger sister Breanna's video camera she got for Christmas! It was nail biting, on the edge of your seat kind of stuff. The suspense as the lock slowly, slowly slid up, the waiting for the 'click' as it popped up. There was also nature to battle as Australia's fly population descended on us.

Good stuff!

- Jen

Trouble disguised as cute


Trouble
Originally uploaded by trojen_hoarse.
Looking after two kittens is a lot like having two tiny furry babies, minus the actual birth, the crying and the breastfeeding.

Although Schroddy does squeak but I'd take that over a baby crying anyday,

So far only two 'accidents' both by Schroddy. One on Cam's beanbag. Y'know - beanbags do feel an awful lot like kitty litter. Hence beanbag is now stored away from kitten reach. As is their...bed which is also apparently poop-worthy. As a result last night they slept on a towel, in their carrier.

FUN!

- Jen

Friday, December 29, 2006

A long, long time ago...I can still remember when

...I used to update my blog.

But then I got really busy, with work and study and Christmas and ...life.

Then I thought about ALL the things that had happened and thought how am I possibly going to be able to blog about all THAT! So I put it off, and put it off until...today.

Today we got kittens. Thats right, kittens - plural. A most blog worthy event! A few pictures are up on flickr but they move so darn quick its hard to get a photo! The grey tabby is called Matilda and the tabby is Schrodinger (or Schroddy for short). Click here for an explanation of the name. They are hilarious and are bouncing all over the place save for the brief 40 minute nap they took just before.

I'll start updating about the rest in smaller posts.

- Jen

Slack Jack

I know, I know. I've been very slack.

Updates coming soon, I promise.

Right now we're off to collect some new ADDITIONS to the family.

- Jen

Saturday, December 09, 2006

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Wait. Is it?

Today I got out of bed early - and yes, for once it was a struggle because I went to be around 2am. Thankyou, Wii.

I got to Highpoint around 9:30am and got a park, actually there were oodles of parks. I had a list of what I needed to get, mostly it was for the man because we'd almost finished our family presents. I also had to finish getting best friends presents.

While I was in one particular store collecting the things on my list for the man the song 'all you need is love' by The Beatles was playing. I like the song, and it made me stop and think just how crazy all this Christmas stuff is. The man doesn't want anything for Christmas - and I actually think he is telling the truth. To be honest, I'm not that fussed either. Sure I like getting stuff but its getting a bit ridiculous.

Personally I tend to like buying people lots of smaller gifts because that way they have a better chance of liking something I give them.

But the science behind buying presents is mind boggling. I think the thing that bothers me is when you miscalculate the amount you spend on a person e.g. if I buy someone a present and then the present they give you is obviously more than what you spent on them or worse, they've put more thought into it. What I think is happening is that to avoid this happening people are just spending more money! 'Joe's probably going to spend $50 on me..ah HA well I'll spend $70 and cover myself'. It's pretty much just hedging, insurance if you will. Except it doesn't really work.

So how ridiculous is it getting? I had about three people to buy for and I got home at 2:30pm. Thats 5 hours of shopping. Five HOURS. Not including all the other shopping we've already done. That's also not including recovery time (oh god I need to sit down before I collapse), wrapping time (take a normal persons average present wrapping time and multiply by five) etc etc.

It's always a nice feeling giving presents though. Or when someone doesn't ask for anything in particular but you find a present that suits them perfectly and you know they will love. Not like the presents you're not quite sure about but you just hope the person is a good liar.

- Ah, Christmas.

Jen
p.s. Also another good thing about Christmas, leaving the shopping centre and giving someone frantically driving around the 'eye' - like "I'm a walking park, follow me to the jackpot". Or seeing two people fighting over your park when you leave..thats a little bit fun too.

Hazy Shade of Something


Smoke 2
Originally uploaded by trojen_hoarse.
I'm not the first person to make a post about this, (see Tony and Daniel) but seriously - check out the smoke! Daniel has a great picture of the smoke around the city.

Took the photo this morning after I got up and opened the bathroom window only to be able to actually smell the smoke.

It's 37 degrees outside right now, inside we don't even have the air con on. Guess the one thing the apartment has got going for it is that its not heating up much.
- Jen

Vege Pizza


Vege_Pizza
Originally uploaded by trojen_hoarse.
Not your typical 'vege pizza'.

This was concoted by the man last night. Make a normal pizza base; 1 1/2 cup p.flour, 1/4 tsp salt, pinch sugar, 1 tsp yeast, 2 tsp oil, 3/4 cup warm water. Knead into pizza base

Cook the base until it is firm (240 degrees).

Spread vegemite over base, top with shredded cheese. Cook until cheese melts.

Eat (or in my case, spit out).

- Jen

Saturday, December 02, 2006

It pays to be patient (well it should anyway)


Parliament Station
Originally uploaded by trojen_hoarse.
Yesterday I needed to get home from the city by 1pm (we were expecting a delivery between 1pm and 6pm that we couldn't miss). So I left work at midday (giving me an HOUR to get home). Actually less than that because I'd planned to grab stuff for lunch at the supermarket because I'm hungry- but I digress.

Anyway so I get to parliament station and its a 20 minute wait for Broadmeadows train. Great. So I sit down and glare at the timetable screens for a bit..consider walking back up and getting on a tram instead..decide against it. Then I get sick of waiting and decide that with my new found melborientation* that I could easily jump on the next train (Upfield line) and get off at Flemington Bridge station, then jump on a tram up Mt Alexander Rd. It's bulletproof!

So I get off at Flemington Bridge and get to the tram stop only to see its a 15 minute wait for a tram. You have GOT to be joking. Its now 12:30. Then its starts pouring rain. There's no shelter at this tram stop. The tram arrives. People get on and off at EVERY stop up Mt Alex Rd.

Get off tram at 12:58, sprint home. Nice and wet and starving.

Package arrives - 3:30pm. If I had of been patient and waited for the Broadie train I would have been home earlier, drier and probably in a considerably better mood.

- Jen

* This too is totally a real word