I just want to apologise for being a misery-bag about this whole thing.
I am sorry, and I am trying to deal with it.
I'm don't write this blog for funnyness-sake, or for anecdotes and entertainment, it's not a gossip blog about the stars, it's not a 'tips and hints for success in the kitchen' or anything, it's just my scribble-book, so it can get a bit down at times.
It's part of my trying to deal with it. By putting things into words, I 'get it out' and can process what I'm feeling and thinking.
And for anyone who reads and thinks I need some help, yes, I'm going to phone a 'victims of crime helpline' or something like that tomorrow.
Partly related, but I don't really want to keep a laptop anymore. I just feel so unkeen to have something to desirably stealable. I'd rather have a big hulking room-size computer. It's like jewellery - why have it if you don't wear it that often and it's oh-so-stealable? Seems pointless. My mom feels sad for me and even offered to give me (and my sis) a ring each of hers, and although it's sweet and a sentimental gesture and I'd love to have one (for sentiment's sake), I just couldn't - I don't want any ring or expensive thing like that, includes the laptop. If anyone burgles then, they'll find FUCK ALL to steal... and that'd be great.
At least with a PSP or camera or other electronics thing, if it gets stolen, it doesn't contain 'personal' things like saved files (apart from game data). That's what's shit - all the photos I'd taken since arriving here were PROMPTLY (remember the bubbly, efficient personality, people!!) downloaded onto the laptop.
And if I hadn't been so keen on having all our papers in order and within easy reach in case of fire and we'd have to grab and run, whoever the FUCK IT WAS wouldn't have found the valuation certificates of the rings.
I feel so angry still... so let me just sign off from this now and say... yes, I... am... going... to... go... speak... to... someone...
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Just a thought (or three)
A contact or two on FB seem tired of hearing about the burglary, so I shall keep my thoughts to my blog.
I can't help but wonder whether leaving my laptop on my xstitch table gave whoever it was reason to break in. The stupid vertical blinds on the window by the front door have a lovely 1cm gap all the way around, so any bastard (would-be burglar) coming up to the window to take a look would have been able to see it.
That makes me so fucking angry.
Why the fuck should we have to lock everything away IN OUR OWN HOUSE?! What the fuck, really!
I feel so despondent now, having read up a bit online, burglary and crime stats (aus), learning that my stuff, my personal things, were in all likelihood stolen by some drug addict fuck, to be sold/traded to some drug dealing fuck.
Where the hell would I ever get my things back? I just feel so downhearted, realising that these precious things are gone, forever. So that some scumbag can get a drug fix.
G doesn't agree with me on this, but, at this point in time, I feel that all drug addicts should be jailed/lobotomied/euthenased/something else permanent to punish them and prevent them from doing drugs or committing crime again. If they can so callously ruin others' lives, they should bear the consequences.
G argues that people don't realise when trying drugs for the first time that they have such a devastating, brain-altering effect, but I disagree. Who, in this day and age, is unaware of the effects of drugs? But the innnocent, NON-DRUG-ADDICT people have to suffer. Nice.
Sorry if I sound bitter like some old Nazi hag, but I just find things a bit unfair.
But then, who ever said life is fair?
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Scanning, again
You'd think that after scanning over 7000 photographs I'd be well and truly sick of scanning things. I kind of am, but sadly it's necessary to scan all of our important paperwork, so that we have electronic backups.
It's been boring, but I've not felt like doing much else (like stitching/exploring Brisbane), so I thought I may as well do something useful.
I must say that I'm rather impressed by this scanner. A Canon Canoscan LiDE 25. 7000 photos, lots of pages, and counting.
It was beautifully sunny today, not that we got to enjoy it. We haven't been opening any windows at all, and apart from when we go out TO somewhere (like shopping), we only ever go outside to check the post, put the bin out or hang/take down sheets on the washing line. So we're not really getting to enjoy this 'fine, mild Brisbane winter' like we should be.
We'll get there, eventually. And G has been working like mad on his software.
It's been boring, but I've not felt like doing much else (like stitching/exploring Brisbane), so I thought I may as well do something useful.
I must say that I'm rather impressed by this scanner. A Canon Canoscan LiDE 25. 7000 photos, lots of pages, and counting.
It was beautifully sunny today, not that we got to enjoy it. We haven't been opening any windows at all, and apart from when we go out TO somewhere (like shopping), we only ever go outside to check the post, put the bin out or hang/take down sheets on the washing line. So we're not really getting to enjoy this 'fine, mild Brisbane winter' like we should be.
We'll get there, eventually. And G has been working like mad on his software.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Fark
Yes, my blog post is rude, crude and lude (hardyhar).
I just felt like scribbling in my blog a message to whoever burgled us. I know I posted that expressive picture, but somehow felt like rambling in words too.
Faaaaaaahk aaaaaaaaffffffff, you useless scumball.
Stealing my hard-earned, cherished and excitedly enjoyed laptopS! Even though the older laptop was 'old', and gave hassles at times, I still loved the fact that I Had A Laptop. My own computer... loved that it accompanied me through quite a good portion of my life. It got battle-scars when it was only a few weeks old, from being stuffed quite tightly into my backpack as handluggage on my trip home from Australia in 2006. It kept me company while I stitched, all my big projects so far. The new laptop was continuing the tradition, keeping me company while I worked on Wedding Blessing and more recently, Gentle Strength. I researched everything to do with moving here on that old laptop, and already had a folder-ful of photos of our Australian Life on the new laptop. Plus other things, like I'd saved the pics of this house and our car, used on the online listings...
Fuck you, burglar, for taking them both away from me.
This laptop is a good replacement for the newer of the 2, there are slight differences (no backlit keyboard, no blu-ray ROM, for example), but other than that, it's the same. Except it's not. I don't feel like I should 'invest' so much of myself in it as I did before. I don't feel like saving photos and stuff on here, and anything that I do save on here I want to encrypt so that should the laptop be stolen, nobody can access my stuff, even if they hack past the OS password.
But worst, I think, is the fact that they stole my phone... which ISN'T password protected. I don't know why I didn't PIN protect that simcard... but regardless, most of the stuff saved on the phone was saved on the micro-SD card, so just swapping the sim out would have allowed access to the stuff on there. I feel angry that I wasn't given a chance to clean out the phone first, to take off all the smses and contacts and notes and stuff, so that it would be 'ok' being stolen.
FUCK YOU burglar bastard/s! Just, fuck you. I hope you seriously come to some severe harm, but I doubt there really is karma or 'justice' in life. So, all I can do is mutely mumble away on my stupid little blog that I hope you die a painful death. Even though that does nothing at all, at least it makes me feel a little better. So stupid.
I just felt like scribbling in my blog a message to whoever burgled us. I know I posted that expressive picture, but somehow felt like rambling in words too.
Faaaaaaahk aaaaaaaaffffffff, you useless scumball.
Stealing my hard-earned, cherished and excitedly enjoyed laptopS! Even though the older laptop was 'old', and gave hassles at times, I still loved the fact that I Had A Laptop. My own computer... loved that it accompanied me through quite a good portion of my life. It got battle-scars when it was only a few weeks old, from being stuffed quite tightly into my backpack as handluggage on my trip home from Australia in 2006. It kept me company while I stitched, all my big projects so far. The new laptop was continuing the tradition, keeping me company while I worked on Wedding Blessing and more recently, Gentle Strength. I researched everything to do with moving here on that old laptop, and already had a folder-ful of photos of our Australian Life on the new laptop. Plus other things, like I'd saved the pics of this house and our car, used on the online listings...
Fuck you, burglar, for taking them both away from me.
This laptop is a good replacement for the newer of the 2, there are slight differences (no backlit keyboard, no blu-ray ROM, for example), but other than that, it's the same. Except it's not. I don't feel like I should 'invest' so much of myself in it as I did before. I don't feel like saving photos and stuff on here, and anything that I do save on here I want to encrypt so that should the laptop be stolen, nobody can access my stuff, even if they hack past the OS password.
But worst, I think, is the fact that they stole my phone... which ISN'T password protected. I don't know why I didn't PIN protect that simcard... but regardless, most of the stuff saved on the phone was saved on the micro-SD card, so just swapping the sim out would have allowed access to the stuff on there. I feel angry that I wasn't given a chance to clean out the phone first, to take off all the smses and contacts and notes and stuff, so that it would be 'ok' being stolen.
FUCK YOU burglar bastard/s! Just, fuck you. I hope you seriously come to some severe harm, but I doubt there really is karma or 'justice' in life. So, all I can do is mutely mumble away on my stupid little blog that I hope you die a painful death. Even though that does nothing at all, at least it makes me feel a little better. So stupid.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Improvement
Today we were up 'nice and early', in comparison to 10am which is how late we'd been sleeping the past few days. It's just so cosy in bed and it seems to take so long to fall asleep that getting up again while it still feels like sleep-time doesn't feel right.
I had an interview this afternoon, which involved a bus trip to the city centre. It was peak lunch-hour busy when we got there, but, while it felt busy and a bit bewildering (compared to quiet at-home life LOL), it didn't feel unsafe really.
The interview was actually exceptionally long, going on for about an hour! I don't think I've ever been for such a long interview, but it was mostly extended due to the admin manager lady's manner of talking - slowly and conversationally. The Senior HR lady who was there was obviously more efficient and amped to get things going and to wrap up the interview near the end, but I don't feel that it was delayed or drawn out from my side - or I hope it didn't seem like it to them! I will hopefully hear back next week.
I really could do with a job now, not only for financial reasons but also for mental stimulation. I just don't feel like doing my fun things anymore, due to the burglary I guess. I just don't feel in a 'let's settle in and work on some hobby-ish things shall we?' frame of mind. So getting out and doing things in a work sense will be good.
Oh and regarding this post's title, I feel a little better today. Yesterday I became overwhelmed and teary at times, but I chatted to G about it, and also chatted to my mom + sis too, and today I feel a little better. Maybe it's just post-shock numbing coming into play, but for now I'm feeling a little alright.
I must say that I felt plain and unadorned without my wedding ring today in the interview. I always felt that it was a nice and shiny finishing touch, which complemented any nice earrings or bracelet I was wearing and rounded off my 'spiffy presentation' without being over the top and bling-bling...
Bastards.
I had an interview this afternoon, which involved a bus trip to the city centre. It was peak lunch-hour busy when we got there, but, while it felt busy and a bit bewildering (compared to quiet at-home life LOL), it didn't feel unsafe really.
The interview was actually exceptionally long, going on for about an hour! I don't think I've ever been for such a long interview, but it was mostly extended due to the admin manager lady's manner of talking - slowly and conversationally. The Senior HR lady who was there was obviously more efficient and amped to get things going and to wrap up the interview near the end, but I don't feel that it was delayed or drawn out from my side - or I hope it didn't seem like it to them! I will hopefully hear back next week.
I really could do with a job now, not only for financial reasons but also for mental stimulation. I just don't feel like doing my fun things anymore, due to the burglary I guess. I just don't feel in a 'let's settle in and work on some hobby-ish things shall we?' frame of mind. So getting out and doing things in a work sense will be good.
Oh and regarding this post's title, I feel a little better today. Yesterday I became overwhelmed and teary at times, but I chatted to G about it, and also chatted to my mom + sis too, and today I feel a little better. Maybe it's just post-shock numbing coming into play, but for now I'm feeling a little alright.
I must say that I felt plain and unadorned without my wedding ring today in the interview. I always felt that it was a nice and shiny finishing touch, which complemented any nice earrings or bracelet I was wearing and rounded off my 'spiffy presentation' without being over the top and bling-bling...
Bastards.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
I feel a bit sick
Sure as clockwork, it gets dark and I feel anxious and ill at ease.
We were up early today to go to a friend's birthday breakfast, it was strange being up so early and leaving while it wasn't 100% bright daylight yet, and of course I felt a bit concerned leaving the house empty while we were out.
We came back and it was all fine, but now that it's dark, I feel anxious again. I have an interview tomorrow afternoon, and I'm already anxious about leaving the house empty, catching a bus/train with my phone etc in my handbag, as well as (of course) pre-interview nerves.
I just can't stand this. We did chores this afternoon, and I felt angry while I was vacuuming. I wanted to swear at things the entire time. Things like, cursing the fucker who moved our/my stuff, who dared open our cupboards, scratched in our stuff. Swear at the bastard who forced his way into the bedroom through the window and walked around in our place. Swear at the entire damn house, actually. I hate the place now, I think. And I feel angry at my jewellery, stupid useless trinkets of prettiness and beauty, stupid little glittery things which caught the fucker's eye and made him scratch in the cupboard there. Stupid things thrown on the floor. I resent those things now, strangely. I don't understand why, but I resent them. They were mostly gifts from people, and they are meaningful gifts, appreciated and cherished, but as a whole, I almost feel like I just don't want them anymore.
Rationally/calmly thinking, I feel ok, but other times I just feel angry. I feel unable to comprehend what's happened, in some way. The moment it gets dark, I feel on edge. I wish I could newspaper up all of the windows, so that there's NO WAY anyone could be lurking outside peeping through the gap. I feel as if someone is watching the house, watching us, the entire time. I feel like I should get rid of everything that might be 'desirable'. That sitting here typing, I am visible and being watched and it's being noted on some list that I have something to be stolen, and these are the signs to check for to make sure they're not at home, etc.
I wish I could put barbed wire around the whole house, like in WW1 with the trenches and No Mans Land. I wish I could get my hands on the bastard who broke in, and yell for all my might and beat him bloody while demanding an answer to "why the hell did you do this?!". I KNOW, logically, that that's not possible, that it's fantasy-dreamlandy bravery, that it's all pointless, that the fucker wouldn't care even one jot.
I just feel like I don't know where to go from here, psychologically. How can things ever feel safe again, how can I feel comfortable going out ever, leaving our stuff behind? Even if we do move into another place with better security features and in a less crime-ridden area, I just don't feel like I can relax again.
One could wish that all criminals would get blasted off the face of the earth, but there are just so many of them and so many variants. So many factors causing them to do crime, it's not like they're normal like 'us', with just a 'nasty streak'. There are just so many different kinds of people in the world and I feel hopeless that there COULD ever be peace and happiness. It's just not possible, is it? They're just on a different level... able to do crime without a care.
I hate it. It's just so wrong. Kinda makes me wish there WAS a frickin' apocalypse yesterday.
We were up early today to go to a friend's birthday breakfast, it was strange being up so early and leaving while it wasn't 100% bright daylight yet, and of course I felt a bit concerned leaving the house empty while we were out.
We came back and it was all fine, but now that it's dark, I feel anxious again. I have an interview tomorrow afternoon, and I'm already anxious about leaving the house empty, catching a bus/train with my phone etc in my handbag, as well as (of course) pre-interview nerves.
I just can't stand this. We did chores this afternoon, and I felt angry while I was vacuuming. I wanted to swear at things the entire time. Things like, cursing the fucker who moved our/my stuff, who dared open our cupboards, scratched in our stuff. Swear at the bastard who forced his way into the bedroom through the window and walked around in our place. Swear at the entire damn house, actually. I hate the place now, I think. And I feel angry at my jewellery, stupid useless trinkets of prettiness and beauty, stupid little glittery things which caught the fucker's eye and made him scratch in the cupboard there. Stupid things thrown on the floor. I resent those things now, strangely. I don't understand why, but I resent them. They were mostly gifts from people, and they are meaningful gifts, appreciated and cherished, but as a whole, I almost feel like I just don't want them anymore.
Rationally/calmly thinking, I feel ok, but other times I just feel angry. I feel unable to comprehend what's happened, in some way. The moment it gets dark, I feel on edge. I wish I could newspaper up all of the windows, so that there's NO WAY anyone could be lurking outside peeping through the gap. I feel as if someone is watching the house, watching us, the entire time. I feel like I should get rid of everything that might be 'desirable'. That sitting here typing, I am visible and being watched and it's being noted on some list that I have something to be stolen, and these are the signs to check for to make sure they're not at home, etc.
I wish I could put barbed wire around the whole house, like in WW1 with the trenches and No Mans Land. I wish I could get my hands on the bastard who broke in, and yell for all my might and beat him bloody while demanding an answer to "why the hell did you do this?!". I KNOW, logically, that that's not possible, that it's fantasy-dreamlandy bravery, that it's all pointless, that the fucker wouldn't care even one jot.
I just feel like I don't know where to go from here, psychologically. How can things ever feel safe again, how can I feel comfortable going out ever, leaving our stuff behind? Even if we do move into another place with better security features and in a less crime-ridden area, I just don't feel like I can relax again.
One could wish that all criminals would get blasted off the face of the earth, but there are just so many of them and so many variants. So many factors causing them to do crime, it's not like they're normal like 'us', with just a 'nasty streak'. There are just so many different kinds of people in the world and I feel hopeless that there COULD ever be peace and happiness. It's just not possible, is it? They're just on a different level... able to do crime without a care.
I hate it. It's just so wrong. Kinda makes me wish there WAS a frickin' apocalypse yesterday.
Testing, testing
I now have Blogger on my phone, not that I'm planning on penning any tomes on here... This is just to see that it works.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Picking up our pieces
We're on a road to recovery... as best we can be.
Tomorrow we're (hopefully) getting our safe. I did get a replacement laptop, and it's been making me feel so uneasy the entire time I've had it. This nagging, gnawing anxiety over it, and feeling that it's a burden, this thing I have to be responsible for, this big, valuable thing which I can't keep on me, in my pocket, 24/7, this thing that is at constant risk of being stolen. I just cannot shake that feeling, and so despite enjoying being connected to the world again, I'm looking forward to getting the safe and locking it in the safe, along with the rest of our super-important stuff.
I've been keeping my eye on eBay to find any of our stuff, but no luck. We can't search everywhere... at least eBay is one option. It's so exhausting to actually sit and contemplate just how remote our chances are of actually finding our stuff, and getting it back, but we just can't drive around the entire greater Brisbane area looking in pawn shops and 2nd hand jewellery/electronics shops.
I am trying not to think about the stuff on the laptops, or on my phone. And even if we get all of our stuff back, in all likelihood, the info on them would be lost.
I decided, though, to buy a new phone, one that can go online/check mail/chat/etc, so that I don't have to have the laptop with me all the time. My old phone was pretty sad and very sorely lacking in 'smartphone' capabilities (although it did try its best), so I was dependent on the laptop. No more, once my phone arrives.
Other aspects of recovery are: we got insurance (yay!), but are looking to change policy as it doesn't cover mobile phones!! Now, of all the things that you'd think would be most expensive if your handbag were stolen, a mobile phone would be no. 1. So, that insurance policy isn't that great and we're going to change - also probably tomorrow.
The rental agency has replied to my email saying she's forwarded on my request to the owner. And they're getting quotes for motion-sensing lights and security-screens for the windows. I don't hold any faith in those though, because (as the police constable said) they can just break the glass that's NOT screened (the screens only go on the openable windows).
Throwing a psychological spanner in the works is the fact that I'm still jobhunting, despite having no real interest in it right now. I have an interview on Monday, at least I have a few days to prepare! I just don't really feel in the right frame of mind now to try and sell myself and make as if I'm some powerhouse awesome-as-a-magic-carpet admin guru. Remember the keywords, boys and girls: dynamic, efficient, experienced, BUBBLY PERSONALITY!
How I despise those non-words! Dynamic, fast-paced, busy office... and I find it most 'amusing' when they say something like 'must have a sense of humour!'. Like, yeah, gotta put up with a lotta shit in THAT company!
Ok but anyway, jobhunting is vital, I need a job, we need the income now. These haven't exactly been the cheapest last few weeks.
Here's a sneak peek (see? I know how to spell that right!)... just a teaser:
I feel excited despite the guilt/anxiety.
That's all for now - I think it's time for a cuppa tea.
Tomorrow we're (hopefully) getting our safe. I did get a replacement laptop, and it's been making me feel so uneasy the entire time I've had it. This nagging, gnawing anxiety over it, and feeling that it's a burden, this thing I have to be responsible for, this big, valuable thing which I can't keep on me, in my pocket, 24/7, this thing that is at constant risk of being stolen. I just cannot shake that feeling, and so despite enjoying being connected to the world again, I'm looking forward to getting the safe and locking it in the safe, along with the rest of our super-important stuff.
I've been keeping my eye on eBay to find any of our stuff, but no luck. We can't search everywhere... at least eBay is one option. It's so exhausting to actually sit and contemplate just how remote our chances are of actually finding our stuff, and getting it back, but we just can't drive around the entire greater Brisbane area looking in pawn shops and 2nd hand jewellery/electronics shops.
I am trying not to think about the stuff on the laptops, or on my phone. And even if we get all of our stuff back, in all likelihood, the info on them would be lost.
I decided, though, to buy a new phone, one that can go online/check mail/chat/etc, so that I don't have to have the laptop with me all the time. My old phone was pretty sad and very sorely lacking in 'smartphone' capabilities (although it did try its best), so I was dependent on the laptop. No more, once my phone arrives.
Other aspects of recovery are: we got insurance (yay!), but are looking to change policy as it doesn't cover mobile phones!! Now, of all the things that you'd think would be most expensive if your handbag were stolen, a mobile phone would be no. 1. So, that insurance policy isn't that great and we're going to change - also probably tomorrow.
The rental agency has replied to my email saying she's forwarded on my request to the owner. And they're getting quotes for motion-sensing lights and security-screens for the windows. I don't hold any faith in those though, because (as the police constable said) they can just break the glass that's NOT screened (the screens only go on the openable windows).
Throwing a psychological spanner in the works is the fact that I'm still jobhunting, despite having no real interest in it right now. I have an interview on Monday, at least I have a few days to prepare! I just don't really feel in the right frame of mind now to try and sell myself and make as if I'm some powerhouse awesome-as-a-magic-carpet admin guru. Remember the keywords, boys and girls: dynamic, efficient, experienced, BUBBLY PERSONALITY!
How I despise those non-words! Dynamic, fast-paced, busy office... and I find it most 'amusing' when they say something like 'must have a sense of humour!'. Like, yeah, gotta put up with a lotta shit in THAT company!
Ok but anyway, jobhunting is vital, I need a job, we need the income now. These haven't exactly been the cheapest last few weeks.
Here's a sneak peek (see? I know how to spell that right!)... just a teaser:
I feel excited despite the guilt/anxiety.
That's all for now - I think it's time for a cuppa tea.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
This is to ratballbag scum burglars and criminals EVERYWHERE
Thanks, blogger
Because Blogger is refusing to let me comment ON MY OWN BLOG, here's my comment...
The police constable suggested we stick it out because it's not that bad here and breaking a lease is a REAL PAIN here in Aus.
We are going to ask the rental agency to get an alarm system installed here (it'll be in the landlord's interest because an alarm is a bonus).
Plus, we're looking into buying a fat-ass safe, so that we can stick our stuff in it whenever we're not using it and whenever we go out/outside!!
The police constable suggested we stick it out because it's not that bad here and breaking a lease is a REAL PAIN here in Aus.
We are going to ask the rental agency to get an alarm system installed here (it'll be in the landlord's interest because an alarm is a bonus).
Plus, we're looking into buying a fat-ass safe, so that we can stick our stuff in it whenever we're not using it and whenever we go out/outside!!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Holy fucking moly
I have been absent now for almost a week.
We went to karate on Monday evening, after stitching and mucking about with my laptop as I always do while stitching. I put the laptop to sleep, and we left at 19:20.
Karate was good... considering we hadn't gone for almost 2 weeks, it was pleasantly strenuous.
We got home, I got out the car to open the garage door, G was playing the fool pretending to sing with the radio, I pulled a face at him, and opened the garage door. The inner door, between the garage and the lounge was open... I looked back at G because *I* certainly hadn't and wouldn't have left it open, then I went towards it, and stepped into the house.
Bloody fucking hell... I just... dunno - I don't remember... but the single-couch cushions were chucked off... the digital camera and G's old nokia was still there, but my nokia... MY CELLPHONE... gone!
Tthe buffet cupboard's doors were open... MY LAPTOP was gone... the old one I stored in there 'to keep it out of view from the window' (as lack of incentive to break in)... fucking hell, my laptop, on the stitching table... gone.
The bed... I stumbled into the bedroom to find the bed shoved to the side, the pillows chucked around, our whole 'important documents' folder THROWN out onto the bed... I turned to look into the walk-in-robe... all of my things... my jewellery, just chucked out of the little plastic storage drawers... jewellery boxes and little decorative cardboard boxes... emptied and discarded. Little pretty paper packets which odds and ends of jewellery were gifted in, ripped and discarded... the ring-box I got with the engagement ring... thrown down. Empty. The bedroom window open... no gauze-mesh screen.... gone... the blinds were opened... shock... shock shock shock...
I hurried out of the bedroom, the sliding door in the lounge... a blind was ripped down... the door was open...
The kitchen... larder cupboard door open, one of our re-usable shopping bags on the floor... I grabbed the phone and dialled 000... not even hearing the person on the other end... just saying 'hi, we've just been burgled... ok yes...' when told they were transferring me to the police.
Held for ages... I charged around the house in despair... looking around... the bathroom cupboards wide open... drawers pulled open... nothing of value in there... the 'hallway' cupboard pulled open... nothing valuable... G's 'study'... nothing touched - the sliding door of the cupboard was open. Looked in my 'study'... they had opened my wardrobe in there, but obviously nothing in there they'd want, just model horses and My Little Ponies. They looked in my fancy, pearlescent box, thinking it contained more valuable stuff than cross-stitch threads...
Back and forth, through the house, despair... shock... G takes the phone from me, as I'm still holding... the side-gate by the front of the house is wide open... I've already walked with the torch but don't see anything, I run to knock at the neighbour's door - it's dark, but they have a motion sensor light... they answer, she stays behind, he comes to our front door with me... I don't enter though as it's too intruded already without having the neighbour come in, and as I said to the neighbour while waiting for G to come back from being on the phone, it almost feels like if I stand out here it's as if nothing's wrong in there. He said they heard nothing... also that it's a common thing - 6 or 7 out of the 8 houses in the street have been broken into... wow that's great to hear...
The phonecall takes forever... it's hopeless... whoever it is has run long ago... it's dark, there are a million directions he could have gone. G gets a police case number... we thank the neighbour, he goes, we close up shop... go around closing blinds and windows and G closes the wide-open bedroom window... closes the sliding door... we look again to see what's been taken... my purse, our 3 rings, as well as (cleverly, fuckers), the valuation papers from the important-documents file... nothing else was important enough. And my 2 laptops... a diamante set of earrings, bracelet and hairclips I thought were taken too were found... these are no fools.
And they took one of our re-usable shopping bags... put both the laptops and chargers in the bag, and left... the insult! The absolute disregard for what those laptops mean to me, to us... the fact that the old laptop and the phone are of almost no value now... they're old, scratched, they only mean something to me... smses, pictures, mms, contacts, notes, ringtones... soundclips, video clips... videos and pictures of the last car drive we took with Dude... when we 'moved out' to G's parents' place... and then, the fact that the entire contents of the old laptop were copied onto the new laptop, but expanded by 3 months... added to, grown, organised, supplemented... gone.
I phoned the bank/mobile phone company, travel-card companies to block the cards... all quick and simple. Then we find the purse, cards removed and discarded, on the messed up bed... obviously no cash and the cards are of no use to them... so now I have cancelled cards that I still had (yay)... rather safe than sorry.
We go through the house locking and double-locking everything... 2am... time to sleep... if we can. It's so so difficult, I'm so afraid... just can't... the windows aren't closed, the blinds are see-through... so insecure. So afraid...
I lie there, listening, terrified, for a sound... of course there are sounds in that state of mind. Morning comes and I'm so turmoiled, so upset. Angry, autopilot. Devastated, biting back tears, angry, resentful, shock. Don't even remember what we did that day. I do remember looking for my phone under/in/on top of things in the hope that it was thrown to the side. We were then on our way to the mobile provider's shop, to get my sim swapped, when the fingerprints constable phones, can she come over, otherwise is tomorrow morning better? Today, please!! (We need this done so that we can finally close cupboards and put things away... it's so upsetting seeing the place like that...)
She comes, does her thing... she's so helpful and friendly and she's so reassuring, not by words but just in presence. Apparently, there were about 6 burglaries that same evening... essentially some fucker walking around, knocking to see who's home. Obviously this is their 'day job', there don't seem to be any usable fingerprints. She's taken what she can get, but says we should wait out our lease then move. It's called Forest Break, this suburb, because of how commonplace house break-ins are. That's great to know. It would have been more useful knowing this before we even moved country, but we live and learn don't we.
She's finished, takes the ripped envelopes with her in case there are prints on there. We go to the shop. I can't remember the 'query pin' in order for them to do the swap of the SIMcard, and stupidly I didn't think to bring my passport... so we can't get the SIM swapped. It's just (unintentionally) a slap across the face and I'm overcome by tears... sitting in the mall, tears streaming down my face...
At least we are able to buy a temporary number, I pretend I have flu (excuse my red eyes). I just can't bear the thought of having no phone number... to be totally disconnected from the outside world... my SA SIMcard still works but has no airtime (and is on roaming anyway). At least my extremely old nokia has a good portion of my contacts 'left behind' on it, so I am immensely comforted.
That night isn't any better, still afraid, and the next day again I'm angry. I think that was the worst day. It's shit being angry during the day, overwhelmed with shock response, and then the moment it gets dark, to be terrified.
We've been hunting on eBay... and other sites. I now have a laptop again, to aid in the hunt. I'm still angry. I have a back up though, made in November, but I've lost almost 6 months. And over 3 years of smses... messages of bad news, sad news, happy news, wishes on birthdays, anniversaries, as well as night-before-the-wedding wellwishes.
Fuck the bastards who can so casually take that away.
We went to karate on Monday evening, after stitching and mucking about with my laptop as I always do while stitching. I put the laptop to sleep, and we left at 19:20.
Karate was good... considering we hadn't gone for almost 2 weeks, it was pleasantly strenuous.
We got home, I got out the car to open the garage door, G was playing the fool pretending to sing with the radio, I pulled a face at him, and opened the garage door. The inner door, between the garage and the lounge was open... I looked back at G because *I* certainly hadn't and wouldn't have left it open, then I went towards it, and stepped into the house.
Bloody fucking hell... I just... dunno - I don't remember... but the single-couch cushions were chucked off... the digital camera and G's old nokia was still there, but my nokia... MY CELLPHONE... gone!
Tthe buffet cupboard's doors were open... MY LAPTOP was gone... the old one I stored in there 'to keep it out of view from the window' (as lack of incentive to break in)... fucking hell, my laptop, on the stitching table... gone.
The bed... I stumbled into the bedroom to find the bed shoved to the side, the pillows chucked around, our whole 'important documents' folder THROWN out onto the bed... I turned to look into the walk-in-robe... all of my things... my jewellery, just chucked out of the little plastic storage drawers... jewellery boxes and little decorative cardboard boxes... emptied and discarded. Little pretty paper packets which odds and ends of jewellery were gifted in, ripped and discarded... the ring-box I got with the engagement ring... thrown down. Empty. The bedroom window open... no gauze-mesh screen.... gone... the blinds were opened... shock... shock shock shock...
I hurried out of the bedroom, the sliding door in the lounge... a blind was ripped down... the door was open...
The kitchen... larder cupboard door open, one of our re-usable shopping bags on the floor... I grabbed the phone and dialled 000... not even hearing the person on the other end... just saying 'hi, we've just been burgled... ok yes...' when told they were transferring me to the police.
Held for ages... I charged around the house in despair... looking around... the bathroom cupboards wide open... drawers pulled open... nothing of value in there... the 'hallway' cupboard pulled open... nothing valuable... G's 'study'... nothing touched - the sliding door of the cupboard was open. Looked in my 'study'... they had opened my wardrobe in there, but obviously nothing in there they'd want, just model horses and My Little Ponies. They looked in my fancy, pearlescent box, thinking it contained more valuable stuff than cross-stitch threads...
Back and forth, through the house, despair... shock... G takes the phone from me, as I'm still holding... the side-gate by the front of the house is wide open... I've already walked with the torch but don't see anything, I run to knock at the neighbour's door - it's dark, but they have a motion sensor light... they answer, she stays behind, he comes to our front door with me... I don't enter though as it's too intruded already without having the neighbour come in, and as I said to the neighbour while waiting for G to come back from being on the phone, it almost feels like if I stand out here it's as if nothing's wrong in there. He said they heard nothing... also that it's a common thing - 6 or 7 out of the 8 houses in the street have been broken into... wow that's great to hear...
The phonecall takes forever... it's hopeless... whoever it is has run long ago... it's dark, there are a million directions he could have gone. G gets a police case number... we thank the neighbour, he goes, we close up shop... go around closing blinds and windows and G closes the wide-open bedroom window... closes the sliding door... we look again to see what's been taken... my purse, our 3 rings, as well as (cleverly, fuckers), the valuation papers from the important-documents file... nothing else was important enough. And my 2 laptops... a diamante set of earrings, bracelet and hairclips I thought were taken too were found... these are no fools.
And they took one of our re-usable shopping bags... put both the laptops and chargers in the bag, and left... the insult! The absolute disregard for what those laptops mean to me, to us... the fact that the old laptop and the phone are of almost no value now... they're old, scratched, they only mean something to me... smses, pictures, mms, contacts, notes, ringtones... soundclips, video clips... videos and pictures of the last car drive we took with Dude... when we 'moved out' to G's parents' place... and then, the fact that the entire contents of the old laptop were copied onto the new laptop, but expanded by 3 months... added to, grown, organised, supplemented... gone.
I phoned the bank/mobile phone company, travel-card companies to block the cards... all quick and simple. Then we find the purse, cards removed and discarded, on the messed up bed... obviously no cash and the cards are of no use to them... so now I have cancelled cards that I still had (yay)... rather safe than sorry.
We go through the house locking and double-locking everything... 2am... time to sleep... if we can. It's so so difficult, I'm so afraid... just can't... the windows aren't closed, the blinds are see-through... so insecure. So afraid...
I lie there, listening, terrified, for a sound... of course there are sounds in that state of mind. Morning comes and I'm so turmoiled, so upset. Angry, autopilot. Devastated, biting back tears, angry, resentful, shock. Don't even remember what we did that day. I do remember looking for my phone under/in/on top of things in the hope that it was thrown to the side. We were then on our way to the mobile provider's shop, to get my sim swapped, when the fingerprints constable phones, can she come over, otherwise is tomorrow morning better? Today, please!! (We need this done so that we can finally close cupboards and put things away... it's so upsetting seeing the place like that...)
She comes, does her thing... she's so helpful and friendly and she's so reassuring, not by words but just in presence. Apparently, there were about 6 burglaries that same evening... essentially some fucker walking around, knocking to see who's home. Obviously this is their 'day job', there don't seem to be any usable fingerprints. She's taken what she can get, but says we should wait out our lease then move. It's called Forest Break, this suburb, because of how commonplace house break-ins are. That's great to know. It would have been more useful knowing this before we even moved country, but we live and learn don't we.
She's finished, takes the ripped envelopes with her in case there are prints on there. We go to the shop. I can't remember the 'query pin' in order for them to do the swap of the SIMcard, and stupidly I didn't think to bring my passport... so we can't get the SIM swapped. It's just (unintentionally) a slap across the face and I'm overcome by tears... sitting in the mall, tears streaming down my face...
At least we are able to buy a temporary number, I pretend I have flu (excuse my red eyes). I just can't bear the thought of having no phone number... to be totally disconnected from the outside world... my SA SIMcard still works but has no airtime (and is on roaming anyway). At least my extremely old nokia has a good portion of my contacts 'left behind' on it, so I am immensely comforted.
That night isn't any better, still afraid, and the next day again I'm angry. I think that was the worst day. It's shit being angry during the day, overwhelmed with shock response, and then the moment it gets dark, to be terrified.
We've been hunting on eBay... and other sites. I now have a laptop again, to aid in the hunt. I'm still angry. I have a back up though, made in November, but I've lost almost 6 months. And over 3 years of smses... messages of bad news, sad news, happy news, wishes on birthdays, anniversaries, as well as night-before-the-wedding wellwishes.
Fuck the bastards who can so casually take that away.
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Today's adventures
This afternoon we headed out to the local hardware store to buy sandpaper, and while we were there we took a look at the outdoor chair and table sets. We bought a cheap one, as it's not going to be sitting out in the sun every day (the porch is covered), but it's still comfortable.
I tried to take a pic, but it's a bit 'messy' with flash/window reflections. The buckets are our weeding buckets... and the white thing in the plant bed is a 'termite station'... apparently they're old/useless now but I don't really feel like digging them up!
We also popped through to the aquarium shop, and I bought 7 glowlight tetras. I was planning only getting 5, but they only had 7 and I thought why leave 2 all by themselves when they can have a safe home with me?
Unfortunately the plants are a bit algae-mottled, but the snails are working hard to combat the algae. And in this pic, I didn't get any of the black neons, but at least I got some of the glowlights quite clearly! They're so adorable. One of them (a male from the original 3 glowlights) immediately started displaying his fins and showing off to prove he's alpha male the moment I released the newbies into the tank.
After struggling to assemble the (stupid) table and releasing the fish into the tank respectively, G and I sat out on the porch with tea and coffee, relaxing in the quiet. Or, at least, it was quiet until the weird man nearby started playing with his r/c car again. It's been quiet so he's evidently been back at work, but now it's weekend again and he's out there a lot again *sigh*
Tonight it's going to be sushi for supper - so lemme say adieu again, and get started :D
~ adieu ~
I tried to take a pic, but it's a bit 'messy' with flash/window reflections. The buckets are our weeding buckets... and the white thing in the plant bed is a 'termite station'... apparently they're old/useless now but I don't really feel like digging them up!
We also popped through to the aquarium shop, and I bought 7 glowlight tetras. I was planning only getting 5, but they only had 7 and I thought why leave 2 all by themselves when they can have a safe home with me?
Unfortunately the plants are a bit algae-mottled, but the snails are working hard to combat the algae. And in this pic, I didn't get any of the black neons, but at least I got some of the glowlights quite clearly! They're so adorable. One of them (a male from the original 3 glowlights) immediately started displaying his fins and showing off to prove he's alpha male the moment I released the newbies into the tank.
After struggling to assemble the (stupid) table and releasing the fish into the tank respectively, G and I sat out on the porch with tea and coffee, relaxing in the quiet. Or, at least, it was quiet until the weird man nearby started playing with his r/c car again. It's been quiet so he's evidently been back at work, but now it's weekend again and he's out there a lot again *sigh*
Tonight it's going to be sushi for supper - so lemme say adieu again, and get started :D
~ adieu ~
Plant pets
I was sad to have to leave my violet/s and other bits and bobs of potplants behind, but a week or 2 ago, we bought a violet. Then, while I was raking on Tuesday, I discovered a tiny little plant which seemed to be an escaped indoor plant. It wasn't very big, so I dug it out of the surprisingly hard, rocky clay ground and potted it.
These are the two plants we now have:
The 2nd plant surprised me this morning with a precious little flower. I hope it's a sign that the plant is relieved to be in softer soil and glad to be indoors! I had plants like this before, and they didn't seem to hard to keep. The only problem I had (when we were still in the unit before last - the Pink Prison) was a lack of light, so the plant got taller and taller and taller, and then lost all of its leaves as it worked out that there *was* no light to be gained. That was a pretty glum flat, so I'm not surprised the plant didn't last.
Another pic, I'd been meaning to take it since Easter weekend. I got (and hid) a group of these guys for G, and once he'd rounded them all up, we sat on the couch. I showed one of them (the right-side one) to Bird, who was instantly besotted. This is just a pic to show you how cute they are!
I worked out yesterday that I've applied for over 45 jobs so far, had 7 interviews and only 1 day of work. There are lots of jobs out there, I'm just not finding *my* job.
The home inspection happened without fuss. I think we have a good case for getting a 'green' bin as we currently have 14 black-bags of garden waste lined up by the fence. The lady didn't seem to have found any 'faults' or problems, I hope that means we're doing ok! She didn't go out into the back garden though, obviously it looked spiffy enough out the windows... I must say it looks so nice now that it's mowed, even if it is, in reality, pretty weed-infested. It's more welcoming and it makes me want to go lie out there on the grass with a junky magazine, a small bottle of coke and some other treats and while away a sunny afternoon. Sis and I used to do that back home, mostly on the stunning sunny winter days.
The Australian sun is a bit less forgiving than the South African sun (but not by a whole huge lot...), so I think we need to buy a sun-umbrella. We also need (would like) to buy a small patio table + chair set. It really is beautiful on the porch in the morning. Would also be nice to get some potplants but I think it'll be a bit of a 'strain' for now while we're still adjusting to living here having to tend to plants. I'm still getting back into the swing of fish-tank maintenance.
Talking of the fishtank, we're going to (finally!) buy some sandpaper so that the under-tank board can be completed. Yup, it's varnished but needs sanding and touching up before I can set up the fishtank in its permanent spot. I'm going to pop into the aquarium shop too, to buy 5 more glowlights. Once the tank has been relocated and has been settled for a while, I'll buy some cardinals.
Ok, that's all for now! Gotta go check the tank water stats and possibly do a waterchange. Adieu for now!
These are the two plants we now have:
The 2nd plant surprised me this morning with a precious little flower. I hope it's a sign that the plant is relieved to be in softer soil and glad to be indoors! I had plants like this before, and they didn't seem to hard to keep. The only problem I had (when we were still in the unit before last - the Pink Prison) was a lack of light, so the plant got taller and taller and taller, and then lost all of its leaves as it worked out that there *was* no light to be gained. That was a pretty glum flat, so I'm not surprised the plant didn't last.
Another pic, I'd been meaning to take it since Easter weekend. I got (and hid) a group of these guys for G, and once he'd rounded them all up, we sat on the couch. I showed one of them (the right-side one) to Bird, who was instantly besotted. This is just a pic to show you how cute they are!
I worked out yesterday that I've applied for over 45 jobs so far, had 7 interviews and only 1 day of work. There are lots of jobs out there, I'm just not finding *my* job.
The home inspection happened without fuss. I think we have a good case for getting a 'green' bin as we currently have 14 black-bags of garden waste lined up by the fence. The lady didn't seem to have found any 'faults' or problems, I hope that means we're doing ok! She didn't go out into the back garden though, obviously it looked spiffy enough out the windows... I must say it looks so nice now that it's mowed, even if it is, in reality, pretty weed-infested. It's more welcoming and it makes me want to go lie out there on the grass with a junky magazine, a small bottle of coke and some other treats and while away a sunny afternoon. Sis and I used to do that back home, mostly on the stunning sunny winter days.
The Australian sun is a bit less forgiving than the South African sun (but not by a whole huge lot...), so I think we need to buy a sun-umbrella. We also need (would like) to buy a small patio table + chair set. It really is beautiful on the porch in the morning. Would also be nice to get some potplants but I think it'll be a bit of a 'strain' for now while we're still adjusting to living here having to tend to plants. I'm still getting back into the swing of fish-tank maintenance.
Talking of the fishtank, we're going to (finally!) buy some sandpaper so that the under-tank board can be completed. Yup, it's varnished but needs sanding and touching up before I can set up the fishtank in its permanent spot. I'm going to pop into the aquarium shop too, to buy 5 more glowlights. Once the tank has been relocated and has been settled for a while, I'll buy some cardinals.
Ok, that's all for now! Gotta go check the tank water stats and possibly do a waterchange. Adieu for now!
Friday, May 06, 2011
Our friend
He's been keeping us company while we work in the garden. I just watched as he took a stroll around the front of the house...
He stood sentry in the driveway for quite a while. Just after I took the photo, he flew off to chat to some crows.
He stood sentry in the driveway for quite a while. Just after I took the photo, he flew off to chat to some crows.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Ok, Blogger's doing that thing again
I can't comment on Andie's blogpost! Just wanted to say it looks very pretty. Also, I don't know if maybe I've just been an infrequent visitor, but the blog layout/background is awesome!
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Just for the record:
I HATE GOOGLE INSTANT!
It keeps reinstating itself when I'm signed in on gmail/google account, DESPITE clicking DO NOT USE Google Instant.
Yes, Firefox clears the cache when I exit the browser, but REALLY, come now! If I select 'use only https', and that setting is remembered, WHY CANT THIS setting be retained?!?!?!
GUHHHH!!
It keeps reinstating itself when I'm signed in on gmail/google account, DESPITE clicking DO NOT USE Google Instant.
Yes, Firefox clears the cache when I exit the browser, but REALLY, come now! If I select 'use only https', and that setting is remembered, WHY CANT THIS setting be retained?!?!?!
GUHHHH!!
While I was at *work* today...
Yes, you read that right, I was *at work* today.
We were, as we have been lately, sleeping 'late', til about 9am. I've been meaning to gradually get our 'wake up' time earlier, so that we don't go back to our weird day-time of waking at 9am and going to sleep past midnight. So I got a phonecall (voicemail) at 8:50 this morning, from a recruitment agency (the only one which has actually been looking to get me a job - that I can tell!), asking if I want to do a quick one-day assignment, today! I phoned back, trying to sound more awake than I was, and despite being hesitant and slow-thinking, I managed to say 'yes, I'll do it'.
I got ready as quick as I could, which entailed ironing my outfit as I hadn't pre-ironed it in preparation for such an occasion (who woulda foreseen this?), and I got there at 10:30 (thanks to G's chauffeuring skills). I walked in and was about to announce myself to the lady at reception, when she greeted first "ah, you must be H..!" and she almost immediately showed me the ropes, and then took me to meet the admin manager who had arranged the job with the recruitment agency. He greeted me warmly and then without further ado told the lady to show me the ropes right away. Evidently I was much needed, as their receptionist was off sick rather suddenly.
All in all, it was exceptionally quiet. The phone apparently rings no more than 50 times per day, AND there are admin assistants who 'back up' the receptionist in answering the phone (in that company obviously the receptionist doesn't have to "put her hand up and ask the teacher if she may leave the room" as I had to in my previous company!). All I really did today was answer the phone, courier 5 parcels, fold and envelope a stack of letters, and update and print 4 copies of a 'meeting schedule'.
Stupidly enough, I didn't think to ask the recruitment agency what the pay would be for the day (I think it was too early in the morning for my brain's negotiating faculty to fire up ye olde lasers), so I have no clue how much I'll get for my 6 hours. But I'll send through the timesheet tomorrow (unless they call me in again), and hopefully I'll hear about it soon. Also, hopefully they'll call me in again, as it was nice working there (not that I'm hoping their receptionist stays sick for a long time!).
Luckily I had my phone with phone-msn though, so I was able to keep up to date with G with all the news at home, because a) without it I'd have died of boredom once the work was done, despite the fact that the receptionist had 2 antique magazines at her desk, and b) otherwise I wouldn't have heard about my parcel until I got home!
Now we know what they do when they have a parcel to deliver - we've been pondering it, thinking that they pop a postal-item note in the postbox, but no, they merrily leave it at the front door! What a marvellous country this is! After getting home and savouring the fact that I had An Unopened Parcel waiting for me (you gotta make that feeling LAST!), G and I sat down to a mug of tea each and I proceeded to tackle the parcel.
I lovingly opened the parcel, which contained my birthday present!
Apologies for the spooky looking lighting in the photos, my camera doesn't really like photographing without decent light. But I really couldn't wait til morning to blog about this!
I haven't worked any further on Gentle Strength, due to working til 5pm today, so no pictures today. I am going to be good and work my little heart out and finish Gentle Strength before starting with Spirit Horses. Also, I would like to try finish Wedding Blessing... no, I haven't forgotten about it!
Watch-o this-o space-o!
We were, as we have been lately, sleeping 'late', til about 9am. I've been meaning to gradually get our 'wake up' time earlier, so that we don't go back to our weird day-time of waking at 9am and going to sleep past midnight. So I got a phonecall (voicemail) at 8:50 this morning, from a recruitment agency (the only one which has actually been looking to get me a job - that I can tell!), asking if I want to do a quick one-day assignment, today! I phoned back, trying to sound more awake than I was, and despite being hesitant and slow-thinking, I managed to say 'yes, I'll do it'.
I got ready as quick as I could, which entailed ironing my outfit as I hadn't pre-ironed it in preparation for such an occasion (who woulda foreseen this?), and I got there at 10:30 (thanks to G's chauffeuring skills). I walked in and was about to announce myself to the lady at reception, when she greeted first "ah, you must be H..!" and she almost immediately showed me the ropes, and then took me to meet the admin manager who had arranged the job with the recruitment agency. He greeted me warmly and then without further ado told the lady to show me the ropes right away. Evidently I was much needed, as their receptionist was off sick rather suddenly.
All in all, it was exceptionally quiet. The phone apparently rings no more than 50 times per day, AND there are admin assistants who 'back up' the receptionist in answering the phone (in that company obviously the receptionist doesn't have to "put her hand up and ask the teacher if she may leave the room" as I had to in my previous company!). All I really did today was answer the phone, courier 5 parcels, fold and envelope a stack of letters, and update and print 4 copies of a 'meeting schedule'.
Stupidly enough, I didn't think to ask the recruitment agency what the pay would be for the day (I think it was too early in the morning for my brain's negotiating faculty to fire up ye olde lasers), so I have no clue how much I'll get for my 6 hours. But I'll send through the timesheet tomorrow (unless they call me in again), and hopefully I'll hear about it soon. Also, hopefully they'll call me in again, as it was nice working there (not that I'm hoping their receptionist stays sick for a long time!).
Luckily I had my phone with phone-msn though, so I was able to keep up to date with G with all the news at home, because a) without it I'd have died of boredom once the work was done, despite the fact that the receptionist had 2 antique magazines at her desk, and b) otherwise I wouldn't have heard about my parcel until I got home!
Now we know what they do when they have a parcel to deliver - we've been pondering it, thinking that they pop a postal-item note in the postbox, but no, they merrily leave it at the front door! What a marvellous country this is! After getting home and savouring the fact that I had An Unopened Parcel waiting for me (you gotta make that feeling LAST!), G and I sat down to a mug of tea each and I proceeded to tackle the parcel.
I lovingly opened the parcel, which contained my birthday present!
Apologies for the spooky looking lighting in the photos, my camera doesn't really like photographing without decent light. But I really couldn't wait til morning to blog about this!
I haven't worked any further on Gentle Strength, due to working til 5pm today, so no pictures today. I am going to be good and work my little heart out and finish Gentle Strength before starting with Spirit Horses. Also, I would like to try finish Wedding Blessing... no, I haven't forgotten about it!
Watch-o this-o space-o!
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Gardening day
G and I took a break from weeding the back garden and today focused on the front lawn. G weeded and I raked for ages, and it looks a good deal tidier.
I got a bit carried away with raking though, and raked the plant bed/mess corner/depression in the ground where bushes are growing. I'm not sure what the point is of that thing, but it's a half-circle hollow in the ground, with a plant-bed around it in the shape of a C (the flat-side of the half-circle is against the fence). Maybe it used to be a koi pond? Who knows. There are currently just bushes growing there, half-drowning in leaf litter, but now I've raked the C-shape bed clear and it looks a good deal more civilised. If I owned this house I'd get rid of the bushes and put some pretty flowering plants there (like marigolds/daisies etc). This just looks like somewhere snakes and spiders would make a home, which isn't very nice to look at.
While I was raking that mess, a pied butcher bird came and hung out with me. At first he was hesitant to come near if I spotted him - maybe he wasn't sure how I'd react to him (if I'd chase him away) - but we got a sort of a rapport going and I raked whole-heartedly and he ogled the ground attentively, watching for insects. It started thundering a short while later, and then he serenaded us for a bit from a high-up tree.
Pic belongs to: Steve Happ Photography - used in admiration!!
I then raked under the tree-wall plant bed which runs along the one side of the driveway (separating the lawn from the driveway and front porch). It's also just trees, with no flowers, and the actual bed is covered with a thick layer of leaves. Also very welcoming to spiders etc, so I raked with the energy of someone not really close to the action: the rake is nice and long! I uncovered a gap in the plant bed, which must have been a path through it. I wonder if we could trim the trees so that the gap is more visible, so we don't have to squeeze past the window to take the bin out!
I must say that although it's private having trees by the front of the house, it's also a bit odd, because you can't see or enjoy the front lawn much. Can't tell if the postman's been or if the bins are still out... but maybe if we trim the trees a little bit we can improve the view/outlook without being reprimanded by the rental agency. Maybe we could even plant some flowering plants out there!! We do seem to live in the 'wilder' house on the block as the other houses all have these prim, manicured-looking front lawn and plant beds and we just have bushes!
The back garden will take a while to look half-decent. There's a creeper plant growing in over the fence, climbing up the one tree. Gotta hack that thing back (maybe even cut it out from the outside as it's obviously been done before, unsuccessfully), and trim the lower branches of the other tree. It's a bit offputting having these spider-webby lower branches in your face when you want to weed near the tree...
We're going to have to mow, though, before finishing the weeding job. G's been weeding and I've been grass-ripping - pulling out the grassland-style grass so that the lawn-grass can grow and fill the gaps. It's quite astounding how solidly packed and close-to-the-ground some of the patches of weeds are... if it were just those plants you wouldn't even need to mow, they're that tightly packed.
But, mow we must, as the inspection is Friday. I'm going to ask whether we can get a 'green bin' (for garden-waste), to go with our yellow (recycling) bin, because at this rate, we're going to be mowing almost weekly, and raking about as much too. It's in the owners' interest to get us a bin though, as by doing the gardening, we'd actually be increasing the value of the house!!
Ok that's enough garden-talk for now... I'm probably going to settle in and stitch in a while. We might pop out to the shop though, to buy more black bags and an extension cord, so that we can mow and finish raking (yup, there were that many piles of leaves out there, and I haven't even finished raking!!)
I got a bit carried away with raking though, and raked the plant bed/mess corner/depression in the ground where bushes are growing. I'm not sure what the point is of that thing, but it's a half-circle hollow in the ground, with a plant-bed around it in the shape of a C (the flat-side of the half-circle is against the fence). Maybe it used to be a koi pond? Who knows. There are currently just bushes growing there, half-drowning in leaf litter, but now I've raked the C-shape bed clear and it looks a good deal more civilised. If I owned this house I'd get rid of the bushes and put some pretty flowering plants there (like marigolds/daisies etc). This just looks like somewhere snakes and spiders would make a home, which isn't very nice to look at.
While I was raking that mess, a pied butcher bird came and hung out with me. At first he was hesitant to come near if I spotted him - maybe he wasn't sure how I'd react to him (if I'd chase him away) - but we got a sort of a rapport going and I raked whole-heartedly and he ogled the ground attentively, watching for insects. It started thundering a short while later, and then he serenaded us for a bit from a high-up tree.
I then raked under the tree-wall plant bed which runs along the one side of the driveway (separating the lawn from the driveway and front porch). It's also just trees, with no flowers, and the actual bed is covered with a thick layer of leaves. Also very welcoming to spiders etc, so I raked with the energy of someone not really close to the action: the rake is nice and long! I uncovered a gap in the plant bed, which must have been a path through it. I wonder if we could trim the trees so that the gap is more visible, so we don't have to squeeze past the window to take the bin out!
I must say that although it's private having trees by the front of the house, it's also a bit odd, because you can't see or enjoy the front lawn much. Can't tell if the postman's been or if the bins are still out... but maybe if we trim the trees a little bit we can improve the view/outlook without being reprimanded by the rental agency. Maybe we could even plant some flowering plants out there!! We do seem to live in the 'wilder' house on the block as the other houses all have these prim, manicured-looking front lawn and plant beds and we just have bushes!
The back garden will take a while to look half-decent. There's a creeper plant growing in over the fence, climbing up the one tree. Gotta hack that thing back (maybe even cut it out from the outside as it's obviously been done before, unsuccessfully), and trim the lower branches of the other tree. It's a bit offputting having these spider-webby lower branches in your face when you want to weed near the tree...
We're going to have to mow, though, before finishing the weeding job. G's been weeding and I've been grass-ripping - pulling out the grassland-style grass so that the lawn-grass can grow and fill the gaps. It's quite astounding how solidly packed and close-to-the-ground some of the patches of weeds are... if it were just those plants you wouldn't even need to mow, they're that tightly packed.
But, mow we must, as the inspection is Friday. I'm going to ask whether we can get a 'green bin' (for garden-waste), to go with our yellow (recycling) bin, because at this rate, we're going to be mowing almost weekly, and raking about as much too. It's in the owners' interest to get us a bin though, as by doing the gardening, we'd actually be increasing the value of the house!!
Ok that's enough garden-talk for now... I'm probably going to settle in and stitch in a while. We might pop out to the shop though, to buy more black bags and an extension cord, so that we can mow and finish raking (yup, there were that many piles of leaves out there, and I haven't even finished raking!!)
Monday, May 02, 2011
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Beginnings
And that's my progress for Day 2.
This one feels much smaller than Wedding Blessing, which is a complete lie as the entire fabric will be covered in stitches with this one! But it already has a 'spirit' (currently looking a bit spooked, and spooky too).
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