http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/customcounter.html?day=28&month=02&year=2011&hour=17&min=00&sec=00&p0=56
I will add/update a widget on the blog to show it.
I... am not sure... but I may "have" to stay where I am, job-wise... for now.
Everything is provisionally able to fall into place nicely, if I am still at this co and have the leave days accumulated that I would have if I stayed.
Our Aus-visa activation trip (touch wood/depending on whether we get it, etc), will require 5 days' leave. Our river rafting trip requires 5 days' leave, but after the visa trip I'd only have 3 days' leave available, and would need to put in for unpaid leave. I doubt that I'd be able to join another company and get 2 weeks' leave so soon.
I have 233 working days left, til end Feb 2011. It feels dumb, because I've started this timeline before, and it's always shifted. This time, hopefully, it'll be for real, as G's work commitment finishes approximately the end of this year, and I don't want to sit at home for 6 months... Ok I'd LOVE TO, but don't think it'd be practical.
I've formulated a plan with the visa activation trip... it's pretty exciting. I've kinda got Sis fired up about it too: a trip to Brisbane, with a few-hour stop in Singapore on the way. She's never been on a long flight like this, nor to a different continent, and although it'd be a very short trip, it's at least an appetiser for her, to give her something to inspire her. It won't be too expensive, apart from the flights of course, as we'd be sharing accommodation, and with a stay of only 4 or so days (the main reason for the trip being us activating our visa and opening a bank account), we wouldn't have much TIME to spend great wads of money. What's extra cool is that the time we've provisionally marked off as trip-time is during the Ekka - Royal Queensland Show! So it wouldn't be a luxurious sight-seeingy kind of trip, but I'd say a fun holiday nonetheless! And it gives me something to count down towards - 5 months!
In visa news, there is no news. This is the 2nd week since G's meds have been finalised, I want to wait til Monday to send a post-lodgement-enquiry to find out w'suppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!! Basically to check whether they've got everything and whether they need anything more. I think it'd be better form if I were to wait til Monday, as then our visa app will have already been 4 months in progress, instead of my being so impatient that we don't even give them THAT long to do everything. It's just too exciting and I can't wait!!!!!! It'd be pretty cool if the visa were to be granted on my birthday, but let's see!
In my visa/cross-stitch race, I'm in the middle of a bit of a slump. I DON'T have that much to do, but just don't even have the energy. I guess it's cos of the trip-excitement, but also because we've been having extremely muggy, humid, hot weather the past few days. The last thing I feel like doing is sitting under glaring lights, handling fabric and thread with clammy hands. Today the weather looks as if it wants to give us a bit of relief - after it has a bit of a thunderstorm first. It'd be nice if it were to thunderstorm! This evening, please! Then we can enjoy it at home and I can stitch!! :-D
Ok I'm bored at work. 233 days of this? Hmm.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Diddle-daddle
Once again I am sitting bored at work. IT'S IRRITATING!!!
There are so many things to do (not just fun/hobby things), and not enough time in the evening (or on weekends) to do all of it. We have to do a big wash-up, gotta get a washer for the basin (we've had a bucket under it for a few months now), we have to re-stick the car's numberplate (it came off on Sunday), have to mow the lawn, cut back the plants (and cut up the stuff before throwing it away). Then I need to email the owner of our place to a) tell her the tap in the garden doesn't work anymore (I suspect due to the work going on next door), and b) to ask her to tell the CancerClan to trim their tree. It's growing up and over the fence, I reckon there's more tree hanging over our and the other 2 neighbours' fences than in their own yard. And if they can pettily 'ask' us to trim a blade of grass from growing through the fence, they can bloodywell cut their TREE.
Those are just the 'need to do' things. There are the usual chores, too, and other things we *should* be doing regularly, like washing the car and watering the garden (but I still don't really feel much like giving a damn about the garden if the CancerClan haven't ACTUALLY moved out!).
Of course, that's all in the way of happily doing FUN stuff. Unreservedly stitching, playing computer games, reading, nevermind going out and stuff. There's just too much life-time wasted sitting at work all the time. The balance is all wrong. Time should be divided into: work time, sleep time, unfun things time, fun things time. Not: work time, sleeptime/unfun things/fun things time.
And this month is a lean month for us - having to pay for things and having nothing left. After payday things should be back on track, but it's still uhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
GUHHHH
SO FRUSTRATED!!!!
GAHHH SO FRUSTRAAAAAAAATEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No news on the visa front. No progress with Golden Ice. I did play Diablo last night, and made a bit of progress but OMG do they make you WORK for the waypoints in Act 5.
Hbbm has his aircon on right now and I'm dying a slow death.
There are so many things to do (not just fun/hobby things), and not enough time in the evening (or on weekends) to do all of it. We have to do a big wash-up, gotta get a washer for the basin (we've had a bucket under it for a few months now), we have to re-stick the car's numberplate (it came off on Sunday), have to mow the lawn, cut back the plants (and cut up the stuff before throwing it away). Then I need to email the owner of our place to a) tell her the tap in the garden doesn't work anymore (I suspect due to the work going on next door), and b) to ask her to tell the CancerClan to trim their tree. It's growing up and over the fence, I reckon there's more tree hanging over our and the other 2 neighbours' fences than in their own yard. And if they can pettily 'ask' us to trim a blade of grass from growing through the fence, they can bloodywell cut their TREE.
Those are just the 'need to do' things. There are the usual chores, too, and other things we *should* be doing regularly, like washing the car and watering the garden (but I still don't really feel much like giving a damn about the garden if the CancerClan haven't ACTUALLY moved out!).
Of course, that's all in the way of happily doing FUN stuff. Unreservedly stitching, playing computer games, reading, nevermind going out and stuff. There's just too much life-time wasted sitting at work all the time. The balance is all wrong. Time should be divided into: work time, sleep time, unfun things time, fun things time. Not: work time, sleeptime/unfun things/fun things time.
And this month is a lean month for us - having to pay for things and having nothing left. After payday things should be back on track, but it's still uhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
GUHHHH
SO FRUSTRATED!!!!
GAHHH SO FRUSTRAAAAAAAATEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No news on the visa front. No progress with Golden Ice. I did play Diablo last night, and made a bit of progress but OMG do they make you WORK for the waypoints in Act 5.
Hbbm has his aircon on right now and I'm dying a slow death.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Visa update
I logged on this morning to check the status of our application, and G's meds are now 'finalised'!!!! So, we are evermore closer to the visa application result!! It took 2 weeks for them to assess his meds, so now (it seems) all the CO has to do is tick 'received' for the meds and PCCs... and then of course, we wait... I'm not sure how it all works, as in, what happens after everything's been received - does the CO then have to go through everything and tick 'met'? Then do we get the visa? Will they ask for more information? Has the CO been through the information we've already uploaded? How long to wait til we get the result? Ohmyword, questions!! It'd be super-awesome if we were to get the visa this month, then we could pop up to Pta and get the visas stuck into our passports ASAP. Could book the flights to and from Aus to activate the visa.... start EVERYthing!!!!!!!!! Could RELAX knowing we'd got it! So many thoughts!! We're poised to make our moves!
In STITCHING news, I worked on Golden Ice last night. This second-last colour is irritating because I have to pick my way around the lower-left half of GI, filling it in, but still have to pay attention and not make mistakes. Can't wait to do the LAST colour, where I can just stitchstitchstitchstitchstitchstitchstitch filling everything in. Gahhhh can't wait :D So impatient to get home and stitch. Probably can't stitch much this weekend, taking G's parents to lunch tomorrow, probably visiting Mom+Sis too, not sure what else. Will try fit some stitching in!
YAY IT'S FRIDAY!!!
In STITCHING news, I worked on Golden Ice last night. This second-last colour is irritating because I have to pick my way around the lower-left half of GI, filling it in, but still have to pay attention and not make mistakes. Can't wait to do the LAST colour, where I can just stitchstitchstitchstitchstitchstitchstitch filling everything in. Gahhhh can't wait :D So impatient to get home and stitch. Probably can't stitch much this weekend, taking G's parents to lunch tomorrow, probably visiting Mom+Sis too, not sure what else. Will try fit some stitching in!
YAY IT'S FRIDAY!!!
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Disconcerted
Yesterday after work I noticed when looking out the bedroom window, a whole lot of wood and other stuff in the Habsburg's back yard. I realised what it was: skirting boards and tiles. The place is still empty and wonderfully quiet, but we've seen (through the front window, when in the car in the morning - no, we're not spying) a wheelbarrow in their lounge, so I guess they're having the place retiled. This morning we saw the front door open and some guy/s in there.
I feel so... worried about it. I really really really don't want them to move back. Really, really don't. I am hoping and praying that they're having it retiled and are going to let it out. I'm trying not to dwell on it, but it's such a disturbing, depressing thought that in a few weeks' time they'll be back. On new tiles, with their goddamned high-heel clonky shoes, and the brat's toys, and the furniture being shoved and scraped along the floor, and so it goes on. Back in the place, stinking us out again, disturbing us with their noise and lack of consideration. I really despise them. I've even had a nightmare where we'd just landed in Aus, found our dream home on a hillside overlooking the ocean, only to find that they're living next door and the places are joined, just like here. I suppose we could, in passing, ask the neighbours on the other side if they know what's happening, it'd at least put my mind to rest, in whatever form of rest that may be - relief if they're preparing the place to let it out, or awareness that it's just a passing bliss that they're not living there right now. But I dunno... I just... just hate these people.
Last night we watched District 9 (yes, FINALLY!). Wow, what a tense movie! Not at all what I expected. I loved it though... it was so raw and real, and Wikus's response to his weird hand is just SO REAL. Jees!!!!! 5 stars, brilliant movie. Wednesday (for now) we're going to see Avatar (in 3D). Can't wait.
This evening I'm hoping to stitch a bit - haven't stitched since Thursday and the compulsion is poking me and I want to stitch right now. I realise I've been working on Golden Ice since early 2008. It's already been 2 years! Ok a lot has happened since I started (wedding preparations, honeymoon preparations, wedding, honeymoon, scanning 7000 photos, visa application preparations, visa application, to name a few!), but it's been so long! It's about time - Golden Ice's time has come and I must finish. It's time to move onto something new... to try new things. Time, also, to tackle Act 5 of Diablo 2 (LOD). EERrrrghhhh!!! So much I want to do.
Visa news: DIAC/Aus govt are completely restructuring the system, scrapping the CSL in mid-2010, the MODL (a list of occupations according to which you are assigned points) is scrapped, they're capping and ceasing processing pre-Sept 2007 applications at 20 000 (which SUCKS for people who have been patiently waiting!), amongst other things. I'm hoping that we are still ok, being on the as-yet-unscrapped CSL, but it all is uncertain. No further change has happened with our visa application, G's medicals remain 'referred to Australia', whatever that means for us. I hope it moves along, so we can get clarity on our plans.
I feel so... worried about it. I really really really don't want them to move back. Really, really don't. I am hoping and praying that they're having it retiled and are going to let it out. I'm trying not to dwell on it, but it's such a disturbing, depressing thought that in a few weeks' time they'll be back. On new tiles, with their goddamned high-heel clonky shoes, and the brat's toys, and the furniture being shoved and scraped along the floor, and so it goes on. Back in the place, stinking us out again, disturbing us with their noise and lack of consideration. I really despise them. I've even had a nightmare where we'd just landed in Aus, found our dream home on a hillside overlooking the ocean, only to find that they're living next door and the places are joined, just like here. I suppose we could, in passing, ask the neighbours on the other side if they know what's happening, it'd at least put my mind to rest, in whatever form of rest that may be - relief if they're preparing the place to let it out, or awareness that it's just a passing bliss that they're not living there right now. But I dunno... I just... just hate these people.
Last night we watched District 9 (yes, FINALLY!). Wow, what a tense movie! Not at all what I expected. I loved it though... it was so raw and real, and Wikus's response to his weird hand is just SO REAL. Jees!!!!! 5 stars, brilliant movie. Wednesday (for now) we're going to see Avatar (in 3D). Can't wait.
This evening I'm hoping to stitch a bit - haven't stitched since Thursday and the compulsion is poking me and I want to stitch right now. I realise I've been working on Golden Ice since early 2008. It's already been 2 years! Ok a lot has happened since I started (wedding preparations, honeymoon preparations, wedding, honeymoon, scanning 7000 photos, visa application preparations, visa application, to name a few!), but it's been so long! It's about time - Golden Ice's time has come and I must finish. It's time to move onto something new... to try new things. Time, also, to tackle Act 5 of Diablo 2 (LOD). EERrrrghhhh!!! So much I want to do.
Visa news: DIAC/Aus govt are completely restructuring the system, scrapping the CSL in mid-2010, the MODL (a list of occupations according to which you are assigned points) is scrapped, they're capping and ceasing processing pre-Sept 2007 applications at 20 000 (which SUCKS for people who have been patiently waiting!), amongst other things. I'm hoping that we are still ok, being on the as-yet-unscrapped CSL, but it all is uncertain. No further change has happened with our visa application, G's medicals remain 'referred to Australia', whatever that means for us. I hope it moves along, so we can get clarity on our plans.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
It's 9:30am
and it's already boring.
Today is Thursday, in case the blogpost system doesn't show that.
This evening we're going to watch Eddie Izzard! Can't wait! Also can't wait for Kelly Clarkson, next month :D
As blogged last night, I've started on the second last colour, and it's such a pleasure stitching when there are only 2 symbols left on the chart! It is still a lot of stitching, but the end is in sight - I really can't wait for that TOO! I dug out the Wedding Blessing kit this morning, and yay, it's so much smaller than Golden Ice. It might be the last cross-stitch I do in SA... who knows? I'm super-amped to start the Wedding Blessing though, as it is so light and the colours are varied. Gentle Strength is next (still... yes I probably HAVE blogged about all the charts ad nauseum)... and it's a bit 'daunting' as the entire fabric is stitched over. Although... now that I think about it, I *could* of course just buy all the threads I need for Motion (as I have the fabric already), and what beautiful fabric it is too! But whatever!!!! I will cross that bridge when I get to it :P But maybe, just maybe, the hand-dyed fabric might call out to me too loudly and I wouldn't be able to resist...
Today is Thursday, in case the blogpost system doesn't show that.
This evening we're going to watch Eddie Izzard! Can't wait! Also can't wait for Kelly Clarkson, next month :D
As blogged last night, I've started on the second last colour, and it's such a pleasure stitching when there are only 2 symbols left on the chart! It is still a lot of stitching, but the end is in sight - I really can't wait for that TOO! I dug out the Wedding Blessing kit this morning, and yay, it's so much smaller than Golden Ice. It might be the last cross-stitch I do in SA... who knows? I'm super-amped to start the Wedding Blessing though, as it is so light and the colours are varied. Gentle Strength is next (still... yes I probably HAVE blogged about all the charts ad nauseum)... and it's a bit 'daunting' as the entire fabric is stitched over. Although... now that I think about it, I *could* of course just buy all the threads I need for Motion (as I have the fabric already), and what beautiful fabric it is too! But whatever!!!! I will cross that bridge when I get to it :P But maybe, just maybe, the hand-dyed fabric might call out to me too loudly and I wouldn't be able to resist...
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Monday, February 01, 2010
News!
This weekend, I stitched like mad. I have 2.5 colours left and then it's FINISHED! Yes, half a colour because I was nearly finished with it but ran out of the colour. So this evening I'm going to try finish that colour and then there are only 2 colours left! Yeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll post a pic later once I've finished the 3rd-last colour.
Otherwise, this weekend was pretty chilled. We went to N&N's place for a braai on Saturday - was so lekker to have braai food because we don't have a braai at home and always smell braai when people in the complex have braais. Had fun and played Buzz Quizmaster again - G won this time :P
In OTHER news: all weekend I had a feeling that something would change with our visa application on Monday (today). I logged on with my phone this morning to check the status, and there HAS been a change. The document checklist hasn't been updated with 'received' but probably will be shortly... My medical info has been 'received' and my medicals are 'finalised'. G's medical info says 'referred', and the details say 'referred to Australia'... I'm just curious to know whether that means they have a query about the results, or if it just means they've received it and are now processing it.
We will have to wait and see!! I can't believe it's been so smooth so far - hopefully I'm not jinxing it by saying that, but so far it's been ok. Eeeeek now we wait with crossed fingers, touching wood and all that jazz.
On Thurs we're going to see Eddie Izzard. Can't wait! I was a bit hesitant to go see him, seeing how flipping expensive the tickets are, but G splurged and got us tickets which seem quite near the front! In March we're going to see Kelly Clarkson, can't wait for that either! Ohh, and our river-rafting trip has been postponed til October. But, if we get the visa soon, then we're going to have a quick trip upcountry soon anyway, to get the visa stuck in our passports. So YAY! So much going on at the moment :D And I'm trying to finish Golden Ice before we get the visa.... let's see!!!!!
Otherwise, this weekend was pretty chilled. We went to N&N's place for a braai on Saturday - was so lekker to have braai food because we don't have a braai at home and always smell braai when people in the complex have braais. Had fun and played Buzz Quizmaster again - G won this time :P
In OTHER news: all weekend I had a feeling that something would change with our visa application on Monday (today). I logged on with my phone this morning to check the status, and there HAS been a change. The document checklist hasn't been updated with 'received' but probably will be shortly... My medical info has been 'received' and my medicals are 'finalised'. G's medical info says 'referred', and the details say 'referred to Australia'... I'm just curious to know whether that means they have a query about the results, or if it just means they've received it and are now processing it.
We will have to wait and see!! I can't believe it's been so smooth so far - hopefully I'm not jinxing it by saying that, but so far it's been ok. Eeeeek now we wait with crossed fingers, touching wood and all that jazz.
On Thurs we're going to see Eddie Izzard. Can't wait! I was a bit hesitant to go see him, seeing how flipping expensive the tickets are, but G splurged and got us tickets which seem quite near the front! In March we're going to see Kelly Clarkson, can't wait for that either! Ohh, and our river-rafting trip has been postponed til October. But, if we get the visa soon, then we're going to have a quick trip upcountry soon anyway, to get the visa stuck in our passports. So YAY! So much going on at the moment :D And I'm trying to finish Golden Ice before we get the visa.... let's see!!!!!
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