Blahpdate

Supposed to be 'blah-update'... but.. blah... nvm!

I've been progressing with the sorting/culling/consolidation of my stuff, but it's very slow.  It's surprising how intertwined this stuff is - how mixed up together it is, so part of the process involves categorising stuff.  Only once that's done is it possible to decide what to keep.

I only wish that we had a spare room (the study is full of books, etc), to stash these 'prepared' boxes in the interim.  At present they're parked around the lounge.  I have a feeling that all my goodies (except for books and clothes, etc) are going to be brought down to the lounge to be sorted/consolidated/culled.  Boy are we going to have a full lounge!  Maybe once I'm done (and my boxes are parked in the lounge), G will do his lot, and we can then repack the stuff into the study, ready for the movers.  It's weird how empty and sterile the place becomes when ornaments and decorations (dreamcatcher, for example) are removed.

Our washmachine was fetched on 1 Oct, and (praise the lawdylawd!) it's being delivered tomorrow, 14 Oct.  That's a long time to go without a washmachine.  We did do *some* laundry - G took a batch to his parents to wash and bring home damp so that it could be hung on our clothes-horses - but there's quite a backlog.  We're (or at least *I* am) reaching the bottom of the proverbial barrel, so I'm really looking forward to having a pick of clothing again.  The downside is that it's going to take a number of days to do all the backlogged washing as it's all gotta be clothes-horsed, which takes a day/2 days to dry.  Ah well at least I'm home so I can do it in the mornings and forget about it for the rest of the day!

I got a missed-call from HBBM earlier, so I called him back.  I remembered that the co. uses a cell-phone routing company to save them $ on cellphone calls, which includes a service where employees' cellphone numbers are recorded and when they call in to the office from their cellphones, the router calls them back, saving them the cost of the call (the co. pays for the call).  So I 'phoned him back' LOL.  Anyway, long story short, he just wanted to 'warn me in advance' that he's going to need me to come in on Wednesday & Thursday next week.  The pay rate isn't MUCH better than what I was getting, but I really think that if I were to try and barter, they'd say 'forget it' and hand the work on to the typist.  I WOULD actually like the extra pocket money... maybe if he needs me again at a later stage I can say 'actually, I'm wanting a better rate, plskthx'.

Friday evening, Sis & M and I are going out for a girls night.  Going to eat out and then might hit the town and have a coupla drinks.  I'm going to be staying over with Sis at the house she's housesitting, G will fetch me the next morning from Sis's work... then on to the next event:

Saturday is G's cousin's 'amazing race' style birthday party.  G & I are going to be the roving camera car, to record bits and pieces of the day.  Sounds like it's going to be fun!

Sunday will probably be a day of relaxation.  If the weather's nice, we might braai...

But for now, it's time to sleeeeeeeeeeeep!

Junk sorting/cleaning/culling...

This is a pic of our lounge, as it is right now.  This is already partially sorted.  At the left, where the pink packet is situated, is stuff to be given away/donated/rehomed.  At the top of the pic are a couple of shoeboxes of trinkets/ornaments which I have cleaned and have decided to keep.  On the couch, to the right, are ornaments still to be cleaned.  On the couch in the foreground are boxes of things which have been 'sorted' but not gone through and weeded.  Mostly papers and things, as opposed to ornaments. 

The only ornament-y things left are my Breyer and Julip horses, 3 suncatchers and 3 wooden handcrafted things (a mini chest of drawers, the compartment house and a picture frame)... so I'm on a roll here! 

Apart from this whole batch of 'trinkets' there are also:  box of toy cars, box of toy animals (farm animals/horses/etc - never been sorted, so...), teddies, cross-stitch stuff, stationery, cards & letters, coins/notes/stamps collection... oh and of course, clothes/makeup/hair accessories, not forgetting books and CDs etc.

Sheesh!!

That's pretty much all my stuff though.  I'm certain that once I've selected stuff, I'll go through it all again and refine the selection a few times.  We have time, but I'm glad I've made a start.  Plus it's been nice to 'rediscover' things.  Not forgotten things, just things put into the background of my life.

To be continued...

Smog Log

The weather's been exceptionally warm and hazy lately, here's a pic of the smog log visible from our upstairs windows...

First up:

I'm not completely "happy" with my blog as yet - the layout, colours, etc.  It looks a bit unsophisticated.  Well, how about that! Someone who uses the f-word a lot in her blog, wanting a sophisticated blog-look?  ROFLMAO etc X-D

I suspect (hope?) that my R-rating will drop now that work is over, and my irritation-button will be less frequently utilised... it still currently feels as if I am on leave though.  I think what is helping is the fact that summer is definitely on its way, and I'm thoroughly enjoying the extra light in the day.  Not simply day-light hours-wise but also the brightness of the light.  It's FULL-ON!  Yippee!!

Eish, this blog composer thing is buggy.  Not too impressed with it (still), but *shrug*, will deal.

We bought a Weber yesterday.  Spur of the moment thing, in a sense.  We've been aware of serious lack of braai (barbecue) in our lives, and on Saturday when we went grocery shopping, I saw the shop's ad-pamphlet with a Weber for R900.  Thought it might be good to check out price comparisons between SA and Aus, and so yesterday morning I Googled.  The R900 one (as super-cheaply priced versions often are) is a 'lesser' model, so I searched for pricing for a mid-range one.  Cheaper, at the currently on-special price than in Aus, by quite a bit.  So we raced out to the shops and picked up a braai!  Bought some briquets and fire-lighters, need to assemble the braai and then voila!  We shall have a braai. 

Apparently we will have to clean this thing insanely thoroughly, and make it look as if it's older than 1 year, but I'm sure we'll manage.  Our stuff generally is clean (we aren't rough with our stuff by any means), so if customs wants to judge our stuff and bill us for everything, eish we won't be pleased!

On that front, I have yet to start with everything I've been meaning to do.  OK OK OK!  Give me a break here, it's my 1st day off from work!  Friday doesn't count because it was Freedom Day (Kit's Day).  I need to clean the fishtank first, then I can sit down and take stock of what to do.  First up, I think, is scanning the odds and ends Mom has lent me - papers from Dad's keepsakes:  letters and notes and notices and circulars regarding his parade duty during WW2.  I've asked her to keep looking, as there are (somewhere!) school reports and things, including a parking fine of R1 apparently!  I'm keen to scan them.  I couldn't take them with us to Aus, but at least I'd have a record of them.

There are under 120 days until we fly.  We went to Singapore Airlines to 'show' them G's credit card (it expires before we fly), and managed to get an extra 5kg each, due to our flights being one way because of our emigration.  Yippee!!

I think I'm going to wash my hair now (long hair takes long to dry and it's SUNNY!  Yay!), then I'm going to dig out the scanner and start!  Or should I clean the fishtank first...

Watch this space!

Today is The Day!!

This morning first thing G and I went to the shops to buy cake...

People at the co generally, lately, haven't been bringing cake/eats on their last day, but on the other hand, there haven't been any 'collections' going around to give the person leaving a gift (this is according to the typist).  I thought I may as well leave on a good note so brought cake.

I am wearing 'civvies' too... to make a change from the USUAL boring dull work clothes I wear (or WORE).

Today feels festive, in a 'long weekend' or 'school holidays' way... not in a THIS IS MY LAST DAY HERE (OFFICIALLY) EVARRRRRRRRRR way.  'Officially' is the important word here, because one of the directors came to say 'good morning for the last time', and said I must please leave my details because they might call on me if there's a crisis (read: receptionist goes awol), they'd offer an hourly rate etc... so I may well be here a coupla days outside of the time HBBM needs me (it's looking like it'll be a week or 2).  I think it'll feel different, and I won't feel as captive and confined as I have always felt here.  And, it's extra POCKET MONEY woot!!!!!!

We've been attempting to get quotes from moving companies for our stuff, and it's like pulling hen's teeth... no one seems that interested in getting our custom (read: take our $).

It's a beautiful day outside today.  I hope tomorrow will be as beautiful.  Really.

There are 121 days left for us!  Let the adventure begin... after 17:00 today, at least!

Hmm

I need a make-over, seriously.

Alright

Ok, weird one, blogger, for offering me the use of the 'new editor' and giving a link to find out more about what's different between the new one and the old one and for having a "the information you requested cannot be found" page for me.  Thanks, guys, but YOU OFFERED me the link, so... yah, thanks.

Not sure I'm crazy about this new editor.  Anyway, that's not important I guess.

We have 128 days left.  Tomorrow we're going to visit Mom+Sis, and then go with Sis to a play in the evening.  Saturday Sis, G and I are going to an airshow - too exciting, never been to one before!!

Right now I'm very tired.  It's *only* 23:00, which is HARDLY late considering it's a Thursday/Friday night (tomorrow - Friday - is a public holiday), but I'm so moeg you'd swear I'd been studying for exams or something.  I think I should get (and TAKE!) a batch of multivitamins.

I officially have 4 working days left.  The past few days at work I've been busier than I have been probably the entire month so far.  And, because of that, there is a possibility they might ask me to come in for a few days extra to help out with something.

The typist came to me first thing this morning and asked what I'd say if the bosses asked me to work a bit longer, and I basically just scoffed at the idea... she then said that she'd "overheard" HBBM talking to one of the directors about it but she emphasised that hadn't HEARD heard anything, she was just repeating what she 'didn't hear'.  Then later on, she mentioned it again, saying she thinks they're seriously considering it... fast forward an hour or two and HBBM mentions it vaguely to me when I ask him when some work I've got (his stuff) is due. 

I've been typing up a storm the past few days helping the typist with her pile of 8 contract documents.  They're pretty urgent, as these things always (stupidly) are:  they were due last week or something... so HBBM says his stuff isn't urgent - it's only for the end of October.  It's basically inputting information and printing out valuation reports for 26 buildings, which he said is only 'rushed' because of the fact that I've only got 4 days left.  Plus, a new job has come along, with 15 buildings to do valuations for... so that makes 40 buildings needing reports.

This report is done on Lotus (yes, goddamned Lotus 95!), and if I am not there to do them, the accountant (who is busy), who is a Lotus 95 guru (and who I learnt the stuff from), would have to show the typist (who is also busy) how to do them, which is basically too much effort/a big waste and the bosses probably feel it's more worthwhile paying me to come in and do the reports.  All I'm thinking of doing at this moment is waiting to be asked OFFICIALLY (HBBM mentioned it in passing - I suppose it depends on how soon the contract documents are finished in my last 4 days), and also it would depend on what they offer.

On the one hand, it's extra moolah, which is OBVIOUSLY most useful right now, what with our whole move and new life coming up.  On the other hand, my freedom would be delayed for however long they need me, and also our pre-pack preparation time would be eaten into.  Ok, granted, it's probably not going to be a WHOLE MONTH that they'd need me... but still.

I shall wait and see, will keep a watch on how this unfolds.

For now though, it is sleep time.

Emus...

known to be curious animals, and are known to approach humans if they see movement of a limb or a piece of clothing. They are also known to follow and observe humans in the wild. Sometimes they also poke other animals and then run away after drawing a reaction, as though they are playing a game.

* quoted directly from Wikipedia's page on the Emu.

Reflection

We have exactly 131 days.  I have 7 working days left... 2 weeks, and September is finished.  Leaving us with exactly 4 months before we fly. 

Last weekend we emailed for quotes on moving our stuff, so far we haven't had anyone over to give a quote.  HULLO CHAPS.

Four months... 120+ days... and we're gone.  Everything has to be done well in time before we go. 

I'm probably going to be moving my fish in December.  Sis has agreed to look after them for me - it'll be better having them in the family (so I can keep up to date with their news) and it hopefully won't be a big burden as they shouldn't have YEARS AND YEARS ahead of them, or should I say, MOST of them shouldn't:  the kuhli loaches have maybe 10 more years!  But regardless, I'm looking to move them (back!) in December so that there is a little time for me to help out before I go (time for me to give Sis a crashcourrse in fishkeeping). 

2 months for us to do all our preparations because December is The month.  Action month where we get everything going.  2 months for everything... will we have enough time?

G's borrowed his dad's electric sander, so we'll probably start tackling our wooden furniture soon.  I can't wait to sit, quietly and peacefully, at home and go through my stuff.  I think it will be therapeutic.  A shedding of old 'skin'.

7 more days of work.  GOD DAMN BUT I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT to be out of this place.

No. No, no. Please.

YOU WON!

Damnit I want to sleep, I don't care.  Leave me alone, gayking, I don't want to click anymore.

Go away and stop holding your cards out in front of my face.

I don't want to click!

Damn you, gayking.

You made me click.

Is it possible to be MORE BORED THAN THIS?

I've been bringing the Living&Working book with me to work every day, and tagging info with slivers of post-it notes.  I will upload a pic of the book sometime, so you can see exactly how many tags there are.

It's a very interesting book, it's not OVERLY factually boring because it's written in a fresh tone and it's well divided into relevant chapters.

Work is... more and more and more dull, every moment that goes past worse than the previous.  I have approximately 316 hours until I am free (those are total hours, not working hours), 8 working days only.  I AM SO EYE-GOUGINGLY BORED I don't actually know what to do anymore.  I can't surf the net for Aus information, which would be really handy about now, so all I do is play solitaire/freecell/spider solitaire.  I have gchat open (but it's quiet there) and I play music through the ipod earphones which at least is SOME form of companionship.  Oh and I check FB/Twitter on my phone now and then.

I am SO BORED.

I don't know what I'm actually going to do at home, every day, but at least I won't have to fake being interested.  Unlike when I am at work, if I'm not interested in something I can scowl and stamp my feet and 'indulge' in being unwilling, which is all I ever FEEL like doing now that it's so excrutiatingly dull at work.

I think we're going to have an easier time sorting our stuff out.  We're waiting for proper arrangements with moving companies to come and give quotes, but at least in the meantime we did a walkthrough of the house with the inventory form one of the companies gave us, filling it in.  We don't really have that much stuff.  I think we had better look for a lounge suite hehe.

Our ornaments and things shouldn't be too much hassle.  They will undoubtably be scrutinised by customs/quarantine, but hopefully none of the things will need treatment.  I think of all my stuff (that I can think of, for now), that would possibly need treatment (because of customs/quarantine department's paranoia) would be the Tibetan compartment house, the chicken-bone sailing boat and the 3 'spiritual guide' wooden birds.  Everything else should be ok... hopefully.  We're going to double-check though and varnish/oil things anyway just to be on the safe side.

I just wish we could get started and unpack our stuff and look through everything.

I haven't stitched in ages.  I just don't feel like it these days.  Every evening I am just exhausted after a day at work spent fretting and frustrated at being bored.  Which means I cannot accomplish anything useful in the home-time after work.  Things seem so drawn out and un-FIXED now... waiting for appointments and waiting for this and that oh and waiting for payday to get the washmachine fixed and waiting to buy clothes etc.

Dullness... how well I know you.  I think if I were at home and THIS EXTREMELY BORED I would sleep the day away.  This is so painful.  I wonder if it's possible for someone's brain's chemical composition to be altered permanently by being SO FUCKING BORED.

I'm going to try attach a pic to this blogpost to show you how bored I am.  We call him Gayking.  It's become a sort of altered word, as in "I'm gayking a cake".  (it's not meant to offend anyone, it's just an indication of just how bored I get at work).

Pondering and Planning

I have 12 working days left today... and it's so boring!!

 

This weekend was rather fun, Saturday we went for a nice long, leisurely sunny drive down the Peninsula, with video camera and tripod in hand!  The weather was perfect, and we stopped at Tibet for lunch as well so we could enjoy lunch with a good view.  We stopped at various spots to take videos, and on the whole the day was very relaxing :D

 

Sunday we did chores and popped to the shops to buy groceries, but apart from that we pretty much just chilled.  I tackled the wildly overgrown grass in the garden:  the people who re-did the roof and the people who installed the doors/windows just lazily/inconsiderately tossed a whole stack of junk (10cm long nails, screws, cement chunks, roof-sealant peels, etc) into the grass, so it would be suicide to try to mow the grass.  This means tackling it with parrotnose cutters.  It took ages, it exhausted my back, I'm stiff today and I have a 1cm diameter blister on my thumb, and I've only done 1/4.  To be continued.  I did manage to prick my finger with a crazily sharp piece of metal in the grass (yay thank you assholes for tossing THAT!), but hopefully I won't die.  Oh and there are also tiny little metal shavings in the grass too - they give me the utter creeps (horror visions of barefeet and splinters), so I've been trying to dig them out of the grass/sand as thoroughly as I can.

 

Ok that's entirely too much minutae about gardening isn't it.

 

We sent off some quote requests from moving companies last night.  That's our next big mission: junk culling, assessing our stuff and deciding on steps forward.

 

One major concern will be what to do with our wooden stuff.  Ornaments, furniture, etc, will each have to be looked at and we'll need to decide with each thing whether to keep it and take it with us or not, and if we are taking it, what to do to it to ensure it doesn't cause hassles at customs/quarantine/inspection in Aus.

 

It's going to be quite fun going through our stuff, itemising it all and making an inventory, but one thing I'm not looking so forward to is numbering and listing all our CDs, DVDs and books.  I think it'll take ages, but in light of stuff getting 'lost' or stolen, knowing exactly what is missing would help a lot.

 

138 days til we fly... sounds far too little time!

Ke Nako!!

Fil it, it is hieh!

I have 14 working days left. 3 weeks until I am free. It feels
disturbingly short, and yet at the same time, if I imagine another
month tagged onto the end, it feels depressing even though it'd only
be 4 weeks extra. So, now is the time, this is the month. I still
haven't told everyone at work, in fact only the 3 bosses, the typist,
the accountant and 1 other colleague know (that I know of). I don't
really know how to go about telling everyone... as it is, I don't
exactly CHAT CHAT CHAT with them a lot, so my all of a sudden out of
the blue striking up a 'GUESS WHAT' conversation would feel weird.

We have 142 days until we leave. I have started going through my copy
of the book "Living and Working in Australia - David Hampshire" (link
to be added when I'm at home), sticking in lots of little post-it
notes to mark off stuff relevant to our move. Some sections aren't
relevant anymore (Visas), and some aren't relevant yet (Education,
Sports, Entertainment), but others (Finding A Job) are really
important!

This month we are going to get movers in to give quotes on our stuff.
There are a few other things still to do, unrelated to the move (get
the washmachine fixed, buy new clothes), which must be done soon too.
One of the things to do is buy an external hard drive, to back up/copy
all our stuff so we can access it while waiting for our container to
arrive. I'm sure we'd both go a bit crazy if we went without our
music for 2 months+.

Another exciting thing to do before we go is visit family! I
desperately want to go on a drive to George/Knysna, to see my
cousins+aunt, and would love to go to Jhb and Durban to see G's family
and W+D in Pta. We have to go through our budget and see if it can be
fitted in. We also still have a number of things on our list of 'to
see/do/catch on video', so hopefully the next 4+ months won't be all
work and no play. At least I can do 1 or 2 of them with Mom/Sis, so G
won't be pressured to do everything every weekend.

EEEEEEEEEEK!! Our seats are selected already (yay Singapore Airlines,
you rock!), we'll probably have to hire a car too for when we arrive,
but would probably do that only once we're in Aus (as a resident I
believe the rates are cheaper), but EEEK YAYYYYYYYY! Min dae,
YIPPEEE!

Omg man, ONE WAY TICKETS!!

Welcome to

MY RANT!!!!!

I know that it's mean and nasty and hateful and character-muddying to
actually rant and wish harm to people on blogs and whatever, but I
SERIOUSLY WISH THIS FUCKING RECEPTIONIST WOULD DIE!!!!!!!

Seriously what the fuck is with humming and singing at fucking WORK?!?!??!

This morning I nearly went across and hit her with my phone-book,
because she spent the ENTIRE 1.5hrs after work started YACKING ON THE
GODDAMN PHONE TO HER FRIENDS!! For absolute sweet FUCK SAKE you
moron, THIS IS WORK!!! Not PHONE A FRIEND!!

Now, she's humming, singing, chanting, moaning, like african people
do. Hymnal shit. Warbly hummy mumbly shit.

SHUT UP SHUT UP FOR FUCK SAKE!!! Sweet jesus please can I die now...
or at least fall into a coma until 17:00?!?!?

JESUS!! Nothing on my ipod/computer WITH EARPHONES IN MY EARS cuts
out the fucking sound!!!!!!!! Nothing IS LOUD ENOUGH!!!!!!

FUCKING 17 MORE DAYS OF THIS. Please.... please... coma... please... please...

Chip Review Episode 3: Smiths Salt & Vinegar vs Simba Salt & Vinegar

Contestants: Smiths Salt & Vinegar (45g) and Simba Salt & Vinegar (30g)





The above photos are of the front and back of the packets. Below is a picture of the chips, Smiths Salt & Vinegar on the left, Simba Salt & Vinegar on the right.



Observations:

The main visible difference between the two are the size of crinkle-cut (corrugations). Smiths has large grooves (like corrugated iron), Simba has tiny grooves which are miniature corrugations in comparison. Simba's smaller corrugations make the chips seem thicker, which gives a more satisfying crunch when you bite into the chip. As you can also see in the picture, Simba's chips are also a bit more golden than Smiths (this effect is greatly exaggerated by the photograph though).

The flavours are very similar. The main difference is the flavour's focus: Smiths Salt & Vinegar is more salty, Simba Salt & Vinegar is more vinegar. Smiths is more 'dry' tasting (not saturated with vinegar), Simba is more tang and 'oily' with vinegar. I think the Smiths Salt & Vinegar flavour is more balanced, similar to the Simba Salt & Vinegar flavour when I was growing up, and Willards Salt & Vinegar now.

Conclusion:

Smiths Salt & Vinegar is more edible. I say this because, although the flavours aren't vastly different, you are able to eat to the bottom of the (larger) packet and still enjoy the taste, whereas Simba Salt & Vinegar, you end up screwing your face up because the sourness of the vinegar just overwhelms your tastebuds and it's actually a little 'difficult' to get through the last bit/crumbs. Oh and you also get more in the packet - GO SMITHS!! I'm sure I'll miss the tang of Simba Salt & Vinegar, but Smiths' isn't a bad substitute.

* all images/logos/copyright materials belong to their respective owners, I am merely using pictures to make my blog interesting.

It's done

It is done. I handed in my resignation yesterday.

It wasn't exactly anticlimactical, it was simply climaxless.

I phoned the typist in the morning to ask her to check in the 2
bosses' Outlook diaries to see when/if/how long they'd be available,
because I wanted to see them for a minute. Straight away she asked
'are you resigning??' so I mumbled 'maybe'. She said they're both out
until +-10:00, so I should email them to ask, and asked again if I'm
leaving (I replied 'not yet'), and she said 'every time I've just
trained someone to replace me then they leave and I have to start
again!'. Yay guilt-trip, LOL!! I emailed the bosses and then felt
anxious the entire morning.

At +-11:15 the 1 boss phoned me and said I can come up to the other
boss's office, they'll see me then. I went up. I felt so anxious.
Fumbled my words, probably didn't speak coherently at all, but
basically handed over my envelope. The 1 boss said I should hand it
to the other boss 'he's better at English', and so that boss read it.
He asked whether I had a job lined up, I said no, then they asked what
the reason is for leaving, the one said 'is it in the letter?', the
other checked, said no and so asked 'ok, may we ask, off the record?',
so I replied 'we're emigrating next year, to Australia, in January'.
They spoke a little, and the 1 mentioned my having worked here for so
long, 'practically gone through the ranks, starting as receptionist,
then secretary and PA'... then they thanked me for my contribution to
the company, and I thanked them for having me, and that was it.

I am so (bitterly is too strong a word) amused that they actually,
really believe that I 'was promoted' like that. No, guys, YOU are the
only people who have the power to promote anyone here, and YOU most
certainly did not promote me apart from to 'admin assistant', after
telling me I'd be HBBM's PA... which wasn't great but anyway. But
yah, well done on being so in-touch with staff issues.

After I came back to my desk, I dreaded having to tell HBBM the news.
It took almost all day to 'get round' to it. I was actually pretty
busy most of the day though, so it wasn't simply me wussing out.

When I did go to tell HBBM, I said 'I don't know whether (boss's name)
has said anything or talked to you about it, but we're leaving for
Australia next year.....'. So he smiles and says 'Ok, but first, I
must ask, who is this 'we'?'. Guh. What a boob. Yah, sure, me and
the boss are moving to Aus. Guh. Anyway, we had a chat about Aus,
and what it entails moving there, visa, etc, reasons to go, etc. It
was far more pleasant than talking to the bosses!

Anyway, now I'm just left with breaking the news to everyone else. I
haven't told the typist yet... will probably do that today.

This morning first thing I found a 16-box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates
on my desk. I thought it was the typist, her being the 'usual
suspect' when anyone finds any nice surprises on their desks! I
thought maybe it was because she'd found out that I was leaving, or
maybe because it was Bosses' Day and she guessed I would have
forgotten and she was 'bailing me out' or something, but I intended
asking her when I saw her what it was about. A little while later,
the 1 boss comes in from a meeting and says 'Happy Secretary's Day!
Did you enjoy your gift?'... eish, how awkward, so I stammered 'OHH, I
thought it was Moira!... I didn't realise...! Thank you!' so he said
'it's not just secretaries, it's all the ladies'... apparently all us
ladies got a box! How yum. Then an hour or so later the other boss
got in and said 'happy secretary's day, for the last time'... Eeek.

So, as of today, we have 150 days until we leave. I am feeling
pretty... odd. Not normal. Depressed? Exhausted?
Post-traumatic-stress-disorder? Dunno. I just feel blah.

D-day

Tuesday is D-day.

I am going to give the bosses my resignation letter...

I'm pretty anxious about it. After 6.5 years (will be, to the day) I'm RESIGNING. I don't know what their responses will be as I'm not quite a member of staff like one of the QSes are, I'm 'admin', office support, one of the 'background' people. As I was explaining to S (in the US), I don't really interact with the 2 directors* at all - nothing much more than "hi, good morning" each morning. The typist summed it up nicely when she said "they never tell you when you've done something right, but you will KNOW if you've done something wrong!" So, evidently I haven't been too unsatisfactory to them. Hbbm will probably be upset though (he's such a baby and needs his hand held for EVERYTHING)... but he'll just have to grab his big boy handbag and deal with it!

I won't speculate much what they will do once I've left - whether they'll get someone to replace me or give all my work to the typist - but I get the feeling they'll just make the typist do my job, as before.

I don't violently hate the place like I did a short while ago, I now just feel a constant resentment, I despise the fact that I'm still there. Everything about being there makes me so irritable and gets on my nerves badly.

Examples being:

* the receptionist has some sort of burp-disease: every 5 minutes or so (maybe even less!?), she burps. It just drives me nuts.

* the receptionist has some 'problem' where she ... I don't know if it's burps/sneezes/coughs/vomits, but she makes this sound that you'd make when laughing derisively at something someone's said. Like: "Joe bought a Lamborghini! And he's going to buy a private jet too, with a swimming pool in it!" "PFFHHHHHHHHHH (raspberry sound, but dry), sure sure, pull the other leg, it's got bells on it!". Now THAT sound is what she does, every OTHER 5 minutes. And it drives me nuts.

* the receptionist seems to think that her periods/bowel movements/digestion problems are OF INTEREST to me or are somehow relevant to my life. So, on an all too regular basis, she says, for example, "I'm going to loo, I've got a running stomach". Yay, I really need to know this, WHY?? Guhh! Do I even need to say that it drives me nuts?

* the receptionist, in every other way, is SO IRRITATING! Everything about her is just so irritating! Her high-heel shoes, the way she walks in her high-heel shoes (her feet/ankles kinda go \ \ wtf?), the way she yaks on the phone all day, the way she pronounces things, the way she gets 'he/she/her/his' mixed up, the way she says she's going to the bathroom, but then goes and makes her lunch while away from her desk (and I'm standing in for her)... etc etc etc etc etc. I'm tired of this woman now. And she's started humming/singing. Do I even need to...?

Hbbm... just by being my boss, sadly, is annoying. In a non-boss way he's harmless really, an old fuddy-duddy with quirks like the best of them. But, as a boss:

* he sits on the edge of my desk when he wants to dictate stuff at my computer, and I get the EEKS every time because I have visions of the desk breaking and me ending up with both legs broken... being rushed to hospital.

* when he dictates stuff at my desk, either he leans (see above) or he pulls up a chair to sit next to me at my computer (on either side of me) and he leans across my personal space. Don't get me wrong and think it's invading my space as in a sexual-harrassment type thing, it's just, plain old 'too close'. You know that trapezoidal shape area in front of you at the computer: your left hand has access to your mug/book/notepad/pencil/whatever, your right hand has access to the mouse/telephone. He comes and plonks himself down, and shifts things... unconsciously just pushes the phone out of *his* way so he can lean better... or he leans across between my mouse and me. Or he leans over and I feel paranoid and grossed out that he's breathing over my mug of tea. JESUSFUC....... It just DRIVES ME FUCKING BONKERS I JUST WISH I COULD STAND UP AND YELL AT HIM. Seriously, DON'T MOVE SHIT ON OTHER PEOPLE'S DESKS!!! Specially not IN THEIR PERSONAL SPACE!

* when he's dictating stuff and I'm sitting at his computer, he leans across to look at the screen to see what I've typed/what he's dictated... and he breathes. Ok it's not like, breathing all over me, but his face is maybe 1 foot away from my head and I get whiffs of tea-breath/toothpaste-breath/JUST BREATH, not stinky, but just breath... and he ums and ahs and dictates/edits... I just ... I just cannot wait until I don't have to deal with it anymore. "Um... ahh... um... no take that out... *points at screen* just put in there 'xyz blahdiblahdibla'..." fuss fuss fuss gahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

There are other things about that place which I'm tired of (such as being at a constant 4C all day, every day, regardless of season/weather/building-being-on-fire/etc), but I can at least console myself with the knowledge that in just over a month's time (I have to give a month's notice), IT WON'T MATTER ANYMORE IN THE SLIGHTEST!

On that happy note, I shall sign off this blogpost, and go sleep and dream happy dreams. Happy dreams. Happy, tickets-booked dreams!

* Hbbm is my 'boss', the 2 directors are the Bosses. I am employed by them, and I work for Hbbm.

It began in Afrika

Today we booked our one way ticket.

ONE WAY TICKET.

TICKET... going one way...

The enormity just hasn't sunk in yet.

We fly at the end of Jan. It has been booked...

Re-re-re-recalculation

I've shifted my resign date by a month. Yes, I'm the Queen of Indecision.

Round of applause please.

I've decided to finish working at the end of October. 29 October is a
Friday, which would feel better, rather than finishing work in the
middle of the week.

On the Sunday after we'd have 90 days til we leave, and on the Monday
it'd be our 2 year anniversary.

So, everything points to having ONE MASSIVE PARTY that weekend.

With that date as the T, I have T minus 67 days til I'm free. 48
working days left.

Main reason for delaying it is the fact that I actually need that
extra month's pay. Sucks. But also, resigning next week feels a bit
soon LOL!

I need to sit down this evening and make a countdown checklist, much
like the one I made for the wedding.

A momentous occasion - Athlone Towers' implosion

In the picture above, you can see the Athlone towers from the north-east (roughly). The road on the left is the N2, the national road from the airport to Cape Town city centre.

A few weeks back, I read somewhere that the Athlone cooling towers were to be demolished. Bit by bit over the weeks, it was revealed that they would be demolished by implosion, and the date was likely to be the end of July.

When we left for our Aus trip at the end of July, I sincerely hoped that it wouldn't be done in the week we were away. Luckily for us, we had 2 weeks to spare!

The date was set for 22 August 2010, at +-12:00.

A large portion of the local population had the same wish to witness this event as us, so even though we were heading out at about 10:30, we heard on the radio that the place we had been planning to go was already closed to traffic. We decided to try our luck parking in the University's lower parking area, and thankfully when we got there we found a virtually empty parking area so we parked and headed up on foot. This was +-11:00.

We walked uphill for a bit, intending to go past Rhodes Memorial and set up our picnic a bit higher up/away from everyone else. We really didn't feel like it at the time, so we made our spot on the road a few hundred metres before the Memorial. Most of the others in the vicinity were sitting on the edge of the road below us, us 3 were mostly alone on sitting on the ground above the road. It was about 11:15 that we settled in.

The weather wasn't really playing nicely, and it was very cold thanks to an gusty icy wind (the videocamera and tripod nearly blew over at one stage). The sun came and went, and at times we were drizzled on. I prepared the videocam and took a clip or 2 to make sure it was ready, then waited. At 11:50 I pressed 'record' and left it to run uninterrupted. At exactly 11:56, as everyone was idly waiting for the last few minutes to go past, I notice the towers starting to bend on the videocam LCD screen.

A lady nearby yells, "THEY'RE GOING!", and I realise that this is it, it has begun... 4 minutes early. My eyes are glued to the LCD, and the two massive towers, which a few seconds before almost filled the screen, buckle and fall towards each other, crumbling down, to be engulfed, hidden and finally replaced by a huge smoky cloud of dust...

It takes seconds, the cloud thins out and there's just emptiness where these two towers were standing. Just a gap, with the neighbouring building and chimneys remaining, untouched. It's all clear and empty, no destruction or damage, just a pile of grey is left. It's all over, the towers are no more, and I'm glad to have been there to witness it. A piece of history, and I was there. I caught it on video.

Sometimes it is a powerful feeling to say "I was there".

Chip Review Episode 2: Doritos vs Doritos

Contestants: Doritos - Australian (Cheese Supreme - 45g) and Doritos - South African (Cheese Supreme - 45g)





The above photos are of the front and back of the packets. Below is a picture of the chips, Aus Doritos on the left, SA Doritos on the right.



Observations:

At first glance, the chips are almost identical... the only noticeable difference being the barbecued appearance of the SA Doritos (blackened bits, as opposed to the grainy black bits which you find in Aus Doritos too).

The flavour is almost the same between the two, apart from the more dairy-esque taste of the Aus Doritos (like Twisties had in comparison to Niknaks), and a very slightly more tomato-ey cheese flavour, where the SA Doritos are a plainer tangy cheese flavour. The SA Doritos seem more thin and brittle than the Aus Doritos.

Conclusion:

The difference between Aus and SA Doritos is negligible. Hardly a substitute if it's virtually the same. I think when the chip-craving begins, Doritos will be Doritos, and equally satisfying!

Interesting tidbit/extra comment:

I'm fascinated as to why in SA we get smaller packets of chips: less in a 'serving' (such as Twisties/Niknaks, as well as smaller packets where the contents are the same (Doritos/Doritos)...

* all images/logos/copyright materials belong to their respective owners, I am merely using pictures to make my blog interesting.

Seeing the light....

... well, at least I've found the lightswitch!!

Watch this space!

Chip Review Episode 1: Twisties vs Niknaks

This is the first in a series of 4.

A bit of background to the experiment, first:

Just before jumping on the plane in Brisbane, I bought some packets of chips.

I brought them home unopened, and decided to do a comparison between the Aus chips I got and the SA equivalents.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Contestants: Twisties (Cheese - 45g) and Niknaks (Original Cheese - 40g)

In Australia, they have Twisties. In SA, we have Niknaks, which apparently is the country's favourite chip. And has been for decades, too.





The above pictures are of the front and back of the packets.

The picture below is of the actual chips, Twisties on the left, Niknaks on the right.



Observations:

The first difference that is evident is the colouring used on the 2 chips. Niknaks are by far more artificial looking, colour-wise. They also smell different: Niknaks having a stronger smell, with a sweet/sour cheese-aroma. Twisties don't really have a strong smell at all, and that difference is carried through to the taste as well: Niknaks are sweeter and more 'cheesy', while Twisties' flavour is more dry and salty... there's definitely more of a milk-solids element to the flavour of Twisties.

Conclusion:

On the whole, what with having grown up with Niknaks, I would say that Twisties are not a substitute for or equal to to Niknaks. In time, however, I suppose one would become accustomed to Twisties as a replacement for Niknaks, but I would bet that regardless of how long a person has been living in Aus, they'd get a big-time craving for some good ol' Niknaks at least once in a while!

Interesting tidbit/extra comment:

The character on the packet of Niknaks is pretty old - over 25 years old. He used to be a dancing clown with painted face, but has evolved into a strange variation of a Rastafarian. Here is a picture of him from the old days:



* all images/logos/copyright materials belong to their respective owners, I am merely using pictures to make my blog interesting.

Evidence

This TV is the one we used to watch the SWC games.



Despite not having a TV licence, we used it this TV to receive broadcast television signal, but considering how terrible the picture is on this TV, AND considering that it's a black+white TV, I think we didn't really break the law...

87 more working days...

Ommmmmmmmmmmm

I'm trying to keep calm, and ignore this shit-hole. Things that
happen here, really, WILL BE OF NO CONSEQUENCE in 87 days' time!

I will be free.

I must, however, blog about it at least a TINY bit, to keep my sanity
a bit stronger.

I won't go into detail right now, as it's UTTERLY PETTY, but this
receptionist woman is SO FUCKING DISHONEST! A sneakier, more
conniving person I have NEVER EVER met, and hope never to ever meet in
future!

I wish the bosses would 'find her out' and fire her lame, sneaky ass! Bitch.

</rant>

This morning, we jumped in the car and while we reversed out of our
bay, I found a couple of loose hairs on my sleeve and so, as G was
manoeuvring the car out towards the gate, I let them go out the
window... As I was doing so, I noticed the car sounded funny, the
tyres in particular! So we pulled up near the front gate, and I
hopped out and voila, the back left-side tyre was down.

The security guard raced out to help and pretty much did the whole
thing, changing the tyre for us. I wasn't badly late for work, but
luckily for the hair on my sleeve!!

I might have mentioned in previous blogpost/s that we have shifted out
move-date forward by 2 months. What's silly is... our visa 'initial
entry by' date on the visa is February, and now that we've BEEN to Aus
to activate it (Aug), we've decided to move in Jan... thereby making
the Aug trip redundant... EXCEPT for the fact that we wanted to go
ASAP in order to activate it JUST IN CASE something happened which
prevented us from doing so later, in time before the 'initial entry
by' date.

It's all so exciting. We might be able to move out of our home by end
of Dec, because G's parents are moving to a house with a
grannyflatlet, which we could move into (G's already asked and they
said they don't mind), so EEEEEEEK!!! That'll allow us to a) spend 1
month's less rent money, b) close things more in advance of moving (we
can start already while we're still working), as we won't need our own
phone line/internet service (thereby saving a months' worth of
expenses), c) we can hopefully sell the car earlier as we could 'bum
lifts' from his parents or we could rent a cheap car in the interim.
ALSO, it means that we can get our STUFFS sent off in a container
early, so that we won't have TOO long in Aus without our stuff.

Too exciting. I'm looking forward to leaving here. I'm thrilled by
the fact that I don't need to put the 2 directors down as references
on my CV... but I'm still dreading giving notice and handing in my
resignation letter. Eugh!

87 working days til I'm free! 123 days total til I'm free! 18 weeks
til I'm free!!!!!

And 24 weeks, 166 days, until we MOVE!! Now THAT is hectic...

Recalculations...

G and I have been brainstorming, and we both think it'd be a good idea
to shift our move forward by 2 months... and leave at the end of
January.

That leaves us with 170+ days left here. The reasons for the shift are:

* safety: 2 months less living here = 2 months more freedom. 2
months free of being afraid that we'll wake up in the night with
someone holding a gun to our heads, 2 months free of a constant
awareness that ANY DAY we might get home from work to find our place
ransacked... this kind of worry plagues us DESPITE living in a
security complex with electric fence, 24hr security guard, motorised
front gate, laminated (strong) windows, security gate on the front
door, and close neighbours who don't seem to work 'standard' hours.

* money: if G and I resign to finish work at the end of December and
only move at the end of March, that leaves me not receiving any income
for 3 solid months, BEFORE even GETTING to Aus and facing a lack of
income due to jobhunting (apparently it takes a few weeks to get a
job). G was intending to use the 3 'unworking' months in SA as time
to begin with his software development, but he can be doing that while
in Aus and I'm looking for a job.

* fluid movement: we're planning on flying with Singapore Airlines,
and they have DIRECT flights in January, in February + March they all
go via Jhb. Although it's not a big issue, it'd still be nice to be
ON OUR WAY once and for all, without stopping ANYwhere apart from
transiting in Singapore. The airfare isn't more than the standard
flights, too.

* end of year wrap-up: we can close all our accounts in advance,
while we're still working in December. We might have to stay at Mom
or G's parents for a while, when our stuff has been packed, but it
would allow us to get going sooner. Also, I suspect opening accounts
there/joining things there (like medical schemes/insurance/whatever)
is better the earlier in the year we get there, as we'd only miss
January. I think we'd also be better off leaving before the end of
the tax year in SA, so that we don't have to file a 1 month tax return
the FOLLOWING year. It means we'd have to file half a tax return in
Aus but no worries there, I don't think.

Our concerns are:

* My pension/provident funds, our savings/fixed term accounts - will
they be released in time.
* Selling the car - will it be soon enough before we go that we can
transfer the money before we go.
* Missing birthdays/other occasions - not a MAJOR issue, but still,
it feels sad to think we'll be missing out on (for eg) my sis's, G's
mom's, G's uncle's birthdays, N&N's wedding, etc.
* Leaving Dude will be painful regardless of when we go, but he'd be
4 years old... we'd miss his 'hatchday' celebration date.

Hopefully by moving earlier, Mom+Sis and G's parents will be more
inclined to come over to visit us for Xmas 2011, too!

I've decided that I'm going to pack in a WHOLE STASH of SA chips and
chocolates... we'll probably only get our container a while after we
arrive in Aus, and I'm sure it'll be like a pot of gold, these tastes
of home!

We've also been reconsidering going on the river-rafting trip. G
simply won't be able to take a whole week's leave so soon after the
Austrip, and if we leave end of Jan, we'll really need the money
that'd be spent on the trip. If I don't take those 2 unpaid leave
days and 3 paid leave days, when I resign they'll have to pay me for
the 5 days' leave that I haven't taken, which would be a nice bonus
(even if only a small amount!). But the river-rafting trip just
doesn't seem like it'd fit into our timescale. If it had happened in
March past as planned it would have been ideal, but right now, it's
not great. I'll be sad to miss it, I've been looking forward to it
for ages, but... dunno... it's really a luxury. With the
river-rafting trip out of the calculation, I have 89 working days
left, which isn't a lot. Can't WAIT til I'm free!!

Ok now that I've got all those plan-thoughts out of my head, it's time
to go back to filing/playing solitaire/twiddling my thumbs. At least
I have my ipod...

Whoops!!

I pressed enter, by accident. D'oh!

Ah well, no hassle :D

This blogpost may seem like a real My News kinda thing, but ah what
the hell - it's MY blog so wahh! Hehe.

Saturday morning (31 July) we got everything ready, raced through to
G's parents to drop off Dude, then we headed through to the airport.
G drove, then at the airport we jumped out with our bags and G's dad
took the car - he was going to be using it for the week.

Had lunch at the airport, got on our domestic flight up to Jhb, met up
with Fe and his-D for supper (very yum sushi for me!). It was so fun
seeing them again - weird how time flies, we'd seen them last at the
wedding!!

Then we headed on to international and checked in. Went through
security check (we had a checked in bag, full of stuff for other-G
from his mom), then got on V Aus... it was nice, a new plane with
lekker entertainment system. The flight was nice too, but flying
overnight was a bit exhausting as it wasn't THAT late in our minds.
Got to Melbourne late in the afternoon (1 Aug), RAN AROUND like mad.
The connecting flight booking only allowed 2 options and we unwisely
chose the one with 1.5hrs in between instead of 2.5hrs.

First of all, we were delayed when the bag took ages to come through
onto the carousel*, then we were delayed badly by customs/quarantine.
We got to the check-in area, only to find about 5 different Virgin
Blue flights being checked in at the same time, so thank the lawd I
asked a ground-staff member to HELP!!!!!! And she got us to
queue-jump and got checked in 20mins before the plane was due to
depart for Brisbane.

We RACED through to the gates area, only to find ANOTHER long queue,
this time security for the same 5 or so Virgin Blue flights.
Thankfully we were allowed, once again, to queue-jump and so we raced
to the boarding gate. Only to find that our plane was delayed due to
the walkway-tube malfunctioning! We got on ok, and got into Brisbane
+- on time, late at night.

At Brisbane airport we had a short wait for our Coachtrans bus (very
handy!), then were whisked away and dropped off right outside the
hotel. We checked in, and G asked the reception-man whether he could
suggest someplace for us to eat. "The kitchen's only just closed!
Ah... Well, seeing this is Brisbane, and it's a Sunday night, not many
places would be open, but you could head into the CBD (5mins walk),
and see if you can find something...". The cook of the hotel kitchen
at that point walked past (having packed up for the night) so
reception-man called to him saying "these people want some supper..."
so he just replied "kitchen's closed, sorry", to which reception-man
amusedly turned to us and said "he didn't seem too interested in that,
did he!".

We eventually did head down into the CBD, and went to Hungry Jacks...
open 24hrs! There was a SERIOUSLY drunk man there, thankfully not
very hostile or anything, but the place was pretty busy so we bought
our (cheap) supper and went back to the hotel. I nearly died of
asphyxiation walking up the hill, and it took me about 10mins once we
got back to the hotel to actually regain myself. JEES I am so unfit!

We got to sleep pretty easily then, we didn't really sleep late though
as we'd made a hire-car booking and had banking to do. We strolled up
the road into Fortitude Valley and picked up our car - a cute little
Hyundai i30. We'd booked a lesser car, going more for cheapness than
driving pleasure, but were amused to find we'd got a 2l! Very nice.

We then drove back to the hotel, and were completely flustered when
parking when the key refused to come out of the ignition after
switching off. Only after nearly breaking the thing did we realise
that you need to... put the car into PARK first before removing the
key! And you can only put it into park if it's switched on (not
idling on-on though), and you have to put the handbrake up too.
Finicky, but I suppose safety over 'laziness'!

Then we headed down into the CBD again, to do some banking. This was
past 12, lunchtime rush starting to become evident because of the
number of pedestrians. Firstly I bought a simcard, registration for
that was painless. We then went into the bank, where it was quiet and
mostly empty. We were told to wait, and ahead of us in the queue were
3 people. We sat down, happy to wait. After about a minute a staff
member came to us and told us that they'd just asked more staff to
come in (presumably from lunch), and he reassured us that we wouldn't
have to wait long. I think we waited a total of 3mins! Incredible!

We were helped by a very nice, efficient and friendly lady, who, as
evidenced by the awards she had on her desk, is very good at her job
and is ALWAYS as friendly and helpful! She activated our account and
also opened a savings account for us, and applied for debit cards.
For the delivery of the cards we gave G's friends' address, and she
told us they'd arrive in about 4 to 5 working days.

After heading back to the hotel we arranged with other-G to go to his
place for supper. Raced out to buy a "refidex" (mapbook!), and,
jumping into our cute car, headed off that evening. It was so
painless driving across the city, and we got to his place quite
easily. His apartment is very nice, spacious and very modern and he
has a garage. Supper was very yummy too. I took a video clip of his
apartment to show his mom, I thought she'd like that seeing how she'd
made up this whole survival kit for us to take to him (the goodies for
him was the only reason we took checked-in luggage!), and specially
seeing how emotional she got when talking about him being so far away.

Tuesday we slept late, then walked up the hill to Roma Parklands. It
was a bit chilly with the wind, but lovely to wander around peacefully
in parklands and feel safe. After getting 'lost' we found our way to
Southbank, crossing over the funky bridge to get there. We lounged a
bit in the sun on the grass bank on the riverside, then walked on
further and had lunch near Streets Beach - a man-made beach (what a
strange concept!). On our way back to the hotel we went to the
internet cafe, then at the hotel had a very garlicky carbonara pasta
for supper. Much later that night G started to feel sick. We reckon
it's the hotel's food as he got sick last time we were in Brisbane,
and we were staying in the same hotel then...

The next morning he was still sick, but we attempted to head out to
catch the Mirimar boat to Lone Pine, but we didn't make it very far
and went treats shopping at Coles instead. When we got back to the
hotel, G had a nap and I lazed (ah what a life!) on the hotelroom
balcony. I bought a yum salmon+creamcheese sarmie from the coffeeshop
on the corner, and after having tea too, I dozed off briefly on the
balcony. What bliss!

That night, G mustered up all his strength and we went to our friends'
house (another G, weirdly! I'll refer to him as G/G, and his wife as
E and their daughter as little-E), to have supper with them and
other-G. Their 3 year old daughter is adorably sweet and she utterly
charmed our socks off. She's the most eloquent, well behaved 3yo kid
we've ever seen. Supper was very yum and I think it helped G to
regain a bit of strength.

Thursday we blobbed around again, G still not feeling up for a boat
trip to Lone Pine (he felt worse than the day before), so we went to
the internet cafe again and registered for a tax number. We bought
some eats too, to take with us to Lone Pine rather than buy there.
That evening we braved rush-hour to go to Westfied Garden City mall,
meeting up with other-G. We had KFC (I had a burger with bacon and
cheese... quite yum!), and just mallratted. Apparently Thursdays are
'late shopping' days in Brisbane. It's quite weird for us, being
spoilt by Canal Walk's 9am to 9pm hours daily! While we were at the
mall, G/G phoned and told us that our debit cards had already arrived!

Friday we drove through to Lone Pine and spent most of the day there.
I won't go into much detail about it, but it was lekker being there
again. I put my video camera to good use the whole time. Afterwards,
we popped in at G/G's place and picked up our cards and had tea with E
(and their daughter, little-E). All that was left for us to do was
pack, then, so we headed back to the hotel (had supper there) and then
packed, ready for our journey back. THIS time, we would have NO
checked-in luggage.

We got up at 2am Saturday morning, checked out and drove to the
airport. It took far quicker than we expected so we got there about
3:15am. Obviously no one was at the car-hire desk, so we had to
'express-return' the keys. The airport was almost empty until about
4am, when others started to arrive. After a bit we checked in (the
lady was rather icy/terse), and went to the gates. I bought some
chips which I stuffed into my bag (yay, souvenir treats!), and we
waited. The flight to Melbourne was uneventful but fine.

Once again, in Melbourne, we had an awful rush, only this time, we
weren't at fault for unwisely choosing a too-short connection, it was
the only one offered by the airline. While going through the motions
of checking in and all that jazz, we had to go through security check
again, which was different to usual. They had an MC-type guy standing
to the side giving information about restricted items and stuff you
may not take onboard, and after the long time standing in that queue,
both G and I felt quite stressed by the adrenalin and hype. It was
like being in a Hyperama on Jolly Trolley or Hypermania days...
exhausting and noisy!

We got onto our plane alright, but were over an hour delayed as the
plane had to refuel. I was particularly anxious about that because
our flight from Jhb to CT was only 1hr 15mins after the Melbourne-Jhb
plane was due to land, AND it was the LAST flight of that airline for
the night. Plus, if we missed it, it'd be such a waste of money. But
no worries, the pilots made up such good time that we were only about
5 mins later than expected in Jhb. It was a long and uneventful
journey, the biggest bonus being that G and I got to sit in a 2-seater
row, with no one but a flight-attendant sitting behind us during take
off and landing (and he was even facing the other way!). Lovely. And
the loo was right there too - super-convenient.

We RACED, again, to get to our next plane in Jhb. We got a bit
disoriented though, as we couldn't figure out where domestic
departures was, but we found it eventually and checked in hurriedly.
The lady there asked us why we'd just ran, to which G answered
'because gates close 40mins prior to departure, and it's now 38mins
prior to departure...'. Duh. We checked in ok though, raced to the
gate, and thankfully weren't the last people to get there: there was a
whole busful of us who eventually headed to the plane.

OH MY GODDD what a cramped dreadful flight! G and I were seated
separately on different rows, on opposite sides of the plane (at least
nearish) - I guess because of how late we'd checked in. Both of us
were in the middle seat, and neither of us had access at all to any
arm-rests. G was seated next to 2 interesting guys, I on the other
hand was seated next to a quiet, polite Muslim man and a white guy
with a FLIPPIN' LOUD Iphone/pad/tampon. And he kept nudging me in my
ribs as he turned magazine pages, but at that stage of the 'day', I
was beyond caring. I was trying my damndest to stay seated and not
run yelling to the toilet! I simply folded my arms, jabbed my elbows
into my handbag on my lap and tried to zone out. I think it worked as
I think I nodded off occasionally.

It was either that or watch the 'air-TV' which was showing, which was
HORRENDOUS! A business news-clip about the Gautrain and whether it'll
be ready for the 'football fans next year', HELLOO, SWC has passed?
And an interview with some golfer's wife. Both of the clips were
subtitled, but DREADFULLY: in a transcript, you don't PUT in where
the person ums and ahs, FFS! And you most certainly check your
spelling/grammar/word usage. Anyway, it was excrutiating but I
survived.

We arrived in CT early (yay!) and, wonderfully, CT didn't disappoint:
3 out of the 7 basin-taps didn't work in the ladies' bathroom.
WELCOME TO CAPE TOWN EVERYBODY!! Come to think of it, Jhb airport
wasn't much better (it smelled a bit grim).

G's dad was godsently there, waiting for us and G drove us to his
parents' place, to drop his Dad off before coming home. We weren't
sure whether we'd take Dude with us or not (if he was sleeping it
seemed a bit pointless waking him etc), but after a while of us 4
chatting he really perked up and started talking too. So he came home
with us.

All in all, a WONDERFUL trip. I wished and still wish that we were
able to STAY rather than have to come back... I just love it there.
So, maybe our ETA will change? Watch this space!!

* the story with my bag. Ah, ha. When I grabbed my bag off the
carousel in Melbourne, I instantly noticed that something was wonky
with the zip. I'd padlocked it, but it was 'off'. So we dragged the
bag to one side to inspect the contents, only to find that some UTTER
WORTHLESS SLUG ACSA/ORTIA employee had damaged my zip to steal: 3 x
peppermint crisps. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, 3 CHOCOLATE BARS. And
not only did they do that, they left one of the wrappers behind, AND
to add insult to injury, they RIPPED the ziploc I'd put them and some
jellytots packets in. Jellytots packaging being notorious for leaking
sugar (hence my ziploc'ing them in the first place!), my entire bag
was now covered in sugar. Lovely. What a bunch of fucktards.

Holiday stuffs!!

Back!

Back from holiday, and although I don't feel like going into detail right now, I'll just say this:

I wish we were already living there. SA just cannot compare.

Officially

I am now (ok as of 17:00) officially on holiday! Only back at work on 10 Aug... WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Jettin' off tomorrow afternoon - catch y'all on the flipside!

Stupid fucking...

inconsequential, insignificant life.

My life is utterly pointless. I don't get what I want, what I ask
for, I can't do anything for myself, I'm like a stupid baby that
should be in creche, forever oblivious to the outside world.

I'm so fucking wussy that I'm all TEARY AND CRYING upset (ok, biting
back the tears and failing, so not really CRYING crying), because of
some fucking short cunt man in a bag/shoe repair shop. Seriously,
what the fuck is wrong with me?

I phoned on Friday last week (when I was told the bag would be ready),
and the lady on the phone said she'll phone me back... she never did.
I phoned on Saturday, and that lady told me it wouldn't be ready,
it'll be ready on Wednesday (today). I phoned earlier, it's ready, so
I went out during the morning to fetch it and pay. I gave it a minor
check in the shop, paid and left. I got back to the office, checked
it more thoroughly and was horrified at their workmanship. Shoddy
stitching in the lining (where they'd had to undo stitching to affix
the new handles), there were glue splotches on the outside of the bag,
the whole thing didn't look wonderful (won't go into absurd detail).
I'd forked out R150 for this, and seeing how they didn't actually
phone me back after promising to (black mark already), I thought 'to
hell with this' and went back to ask for a refund. The man was so
bloody unhelpful, saying they don't do refunds, they will re-do the
work. I said no, I don't have the time (he argues 'but you have the
time to come back here..?') I want a refund so that I can get it done
somewhere else some other time, because this is unacceptable. So HE
starts telling me I'm being unreasonable, they don't do refunds,
they'll re-do it, which I say I don't want, so then he utterly
dismisses me like I'm some child that he doesn't want to speak to
anymore. "I'm sorry, I can't help you if you don't want to be
helped". Why the fuck do this shoddy work, making me pay for it in
the first place? Why should *I* have to come back anyway, why isn't
it done right from the word go, no, he says, they'll redo it, and
deliver it back to me, but other than that they can't help me.

So then this old fart man who is there with his old wife having their
feet measured or something is standing waving some shoe-stick thing at
me telling me that he's had many years in conflict-mediation
experience and I'm being unreasonable. Well fuck you too, you old
cunt. I don't see why their UTTERLY shoddy workmanship, bad work
ethic, dismissive cunt manager/whoever he is should be MY problem a)
*I*'d paid for it b) it should be done RIGHT the FIRST time c) where
the fuck are their standards d) where is their quality control, e) it
was late, f) I had to phone THEM back, g) their price was high but I
was willing to give it a try cos they were recommended by a colleague.

FUCK YOU you arseholes!

So anyway, I have a wussy stupid fucking life, where I am all lame and
unassertive and timid and get all bunged up after an episode like
this, totally disempowered and useless.

WHAT THE FUCK

I'm so dissatisfied with my ENTIRE LIFE!!

Oh but yay, tomorrow's payday at least.

And there are 2 more days until our visas are activated. So that's
ok, I suppose.

FUCK EVERYTHING!!!!!!

Dumb Friday

There are just 5 working days left... if you exclude today because
it's already started, there are just 4. I really cannot wait. We've
pre-packed to a degree: we've realised that with other-G's goodie bag
we'll need to take a checked-in bag, but that's ok, as we'll be able
to take non-handluggage things (like razor, etc) then. I just hope my
flippin' handbag is fixed ASAP, they promised it for Friday past, but
then when I phoned, the lady apologised and said they can have it for
me by Wednesday, as they need to build-up the handles.

Friday I was off sick. Phoned in and left a voicemail, made a
doctor's appointment. The typist then phoned and left a voicemail for
me at 9, saying madam has left a message saying she's 'coming late'*
and they can't get the switchboard open. Lovely. So I phone back to
give instructions, and when the typist asks where I am, I say I'm off
sick and I've left a message...

Today I get in and the typist gives me a rundown of what went on on
Friday: switchboard only got opened past 9, typist didn't KNOW
receptionist wasn't coming in until about 9 because she hadn't checked
her cellphone for smses. Director was all in a flap because the swb
wasn't opened, hbbm was all in a flap because typist was at swb and I
was away, etc. Apparently he went and ranted at 1 director about
receptionist being 'awol' and he said he doesn't mind when employees
have personal crises they have to sort out. That obviously didn't
satisfy hbbm, because he then went to rant at other director (the one
with empathy/compassion issues) and that guy told accountant to
request receptionist to put in leave for the hours she was away. But,
then when madam DID get to office, she then asked that boss whether
she could be away for a few hours on Tuesday (tomorrow) he said 'sure,
just ask (me) or (typist) to stand in' (no mention of taking the time
off as leave). Lovely.

Just to clarify: * On Thursday I overheard madam phoning to confirm
her 'appointment' at 8:30 on Friday morning, so I knew she wasn't
going to be in. But, being off sick (legitimately) surely trumps
going 'awol' and taking liberties (she didn't ask beforehand). But
anyway, I reckoned/assumed that the time off on Tuesday is for another
interview, and subsequently overheard her phoning someone who she'd
used as reference saying 'if they phone, please give them nice info'
etc. So, perhaps madam has a new job lined up? Then guess who will
most likely become receptionist-cunt in her place?!?!?!? ^.^ ME of
course!!!!!!!!

There are 90 days until I am free. I haven't blogged since finding
out but apparently I am unable to take leave during my notice period,
so I won't be able to skip the goddamned office lunch on my final day.
I'm currently weighing up whether I want to endure it or resign to
end at the end of November... but it's an extra paycheque for 11 days,
as opposed to 21... Dunno. I don't know anything anymore.

Weekend countdown

It's now that time when I can say NEXT WEEKEND! Not this weekend, but the next!

I can't believe... wow... but has time DRAGGED to get there... and
still so long now to wait! This week, and next week probably worse,
is going to be an ordeal!

Friday we watched Star Wars 6... good ending! Then Saturday we
watched no. 1. Totally different hehe. JarJar is so annoying... but
then the ewoks are too (pretend-cute), and somehow I can't take Yoda
seriously... he sounds like Jim Henson... a muppet! And C3P0 is also
silly... he sounds seriously gay and mincy :-P

But regardless of that, it's still fun to watch :-D 2 left! And then
it's Star Trek!

Jesus but this receptionist... she yaks endlessly with her friends, on
the WORK PHONE. And, while she's yakking, the other line rings, she
puts her friend on hold, answers, it's ANOTHER friend who she tells
she'll phone them back, hangs up that call and goes back to her friend
who's holding. LIKE SHUT THE FUCK UPPPPPPPP!!!!!! SHUT UPPPPPPPPPP
SHUT UPPP SHUT UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have under 100 days left... 96 to be exact... NINETY SIX DAYS UNTIL
I'M FREE OF THIS FUCKING MORBID, DEPRESSING, SOUL DESTROYING DUMP...
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9 WORKING DAYS TIL OUR HOLIDAY!

Saturday G and I went on our rounds, he collected his new drivers
license, bought a new wallet, I dropped my handbag in to be repaired
(should be back on Friday)...

Sunday we went to other-G's parents' place for lunch (picked up Sis
first), they had a problem with Skype which G fixed and we got to
video-chat to other-G :-D then we had yum snacks out in their
garden... soaking up the sun and chatting a lot... then a very
delicious lunch... apparently their 'usual' Sunday lunch. After
wonderful pudding his mom brought a parcel of stuff she'd like us to
take to other-G... a couple of warm, winter tops for eg. And some
JELLY TOTS!!! X-D We're going to try shuffle our luggage around so
we can fit stuff in, but we'll have to see how we manage.

Then on route to dropping Sis off we popped in at Te's... her aunt who
has been here on holiday from Aus is leaving 3 days before we're
flying... she swapped some notes with us! Was so lekker to see Te
again, it really had been too long since seeing her last. Weird how
time flies. Oh and we met Shadow, their big, boisterous black boy
Labrador! He's such a sweetie, totally opposite to Phoebe in regards
to size, colour and speed of movement (Phoebe is like a bullet, racing
around). When we got to Sis to pick her up earlier she had still been
busy in the bathroom and couldn't open for us so we rattled the front
doorhandle and heard an answering SNIFFFFFFFF SNIFF SNIFF
SNIFFFFFFFFFF through the door-frame and a tock-tock-tock-tock sound
of Phoebe's tail knocking the skirting board in the doorway!

Man I can't WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!! This week.......... it's so
dull!!!!!!!!!! This woman... this PLACE is driving me bonkers!!!

Reflection

I've been 'meditating' on my diary again - there are:

5 months (plus another 2 weeks which are not 'working weeks' so they
don't count),

exactly 22 weeks,

20 working weeks,

exactly 154 days,

exactly 97 working days

left until I am FREE!!!!!!!

14 days (10 working days) left until it's HOLIDAY TIME!!

I really CANNOT WAIT!!

8 months until we move...

I read the latest Fair Lady magazine last night - there's an article
there about being a 'workplace zombie', and it lists symptoms, causes,
suggestions, etc... and I am SO a workplace zombie. But, sadly,
there's nothing I can do about it except wait it out.

On Wednesday I took a sick day. I just called in sick. It was the
best thing I've done in ages. I really need a break from being an
autopilot drone, it's just getting me down. Things generally are
dull, everything's dull and same-old. I'm just not fulfilled now...
and don't know what to do about it. Need a break.

I think I'm getting a cold... I went to bed last night with a
gross-scratchyish throat, this morning it was a bit worse but it's
worn off a bit. It's coming back though. Yay. Rather this
weekend/coming week than closer to the holiday!

Yes, yes, I have already pre-planned how I'm going to pack for the
trip. I know there are still 2 weeks to go, but I'm so fucking bored
here that it gave me some 'escape' doing it. I've made lists of what
goes into which of our bags.

I'm taking a backpack and a handbag. I'll keep the NB stuff in the
handbag, so that during the flight it can stay with me while the
backpack (for my own stuff apart from clothes) gets put into the
overhead locker. The handbag can easily be stowed under the chair
during takeoff/landing and it can be shoved into my backpack when
traipsing through the airport or while travelling elsewhere. G's
going to take a togbag into which his stuff and all our clothes will
be packed. We aren't taking any luggage to be checked in as we don't
have time in between flights AND we're flying on 4 different airlines
on this trip and don't want to bother with the risk of a
logistics-failure.

Anyway, it's lunch now and despite not feeling like eating anything, I
should if I want to avoid feeling bleh later.

New home :D

Anyone looking for me now will have to ask me where I's at! Buahahahaha!

My Kfm mug

Struttin' its stuff, with a foamy Nescafe cappuccino!

Fun photos for today!

First up: a pic of where I am with Wedding Blessing.



It's slow going.

Second up is a pic of the 2 SA-flag-themed scarves I bought, and my Kfm vuvuzela.



The SA-flag scarf I want to keep as more ornamental/for special occasions, the stripy one I want to actually wear. I got G one of the stripy ones as well cos they're so funky and he's not so fond of the prickly-picnicblanket-wool scarf he has.

The vuvuzela came with a Kfm Breakfast mug which I bought about a month ago and just haven't had the chance to fetch (yah yah, there ARE only 2 matches left of the SWC and I only get my vuvu NOW! At least I can go crazy with it on the weekend *huff*). Thankfully there's an architect that our messenger regularly visits which is virtually next door there, so he fetched it for me! The mug is currently 'afk', sitting at the sink waiting for a wash. My camera batteries died as I took the Wedding Blessing pic so here's a pic of a Breakfast mug (taken from Kfm's website where you can send in pics of your breakfast mug in exotic places):



I must admit that I'm looking forward to something quite strange to do with finishing work at the end of the year: bringing my work-mug home and giving it a good thorough scrub! It's a cute brown grainy-coloured mug with 3 owls on the outside (no pic at hand to upload), and I noticed a while back that the brown grainy-colour on the inside had 'grown'. It was, in fact, a tea stain. I did give it a scrub at work, which improved things, but it's not quite right yet. So, silly as it seems, it's one thing I'm looking forward to: cleaning off the residue of the office from me and my things!

Our trip is in 22 days. REALLY can't wait! Want to get a '365 recharge' simcard when we're there, so when we do move in March, our numbers will still be valid and we won't have to worry about not having airtime when we arrive (in case of emergency). The only thing we need to organise is travel insurance. Otherwise we're READY!!

Work has been a bit dumb lately. A whole new switchboard/phone system has been installed, and it's... not really different from the old one. The only real improvement that I can vouch for is that the cord from the handset to the switchboard doesn't crackle and cut out anymore. And it's easier for individual extensions' voicemail/diverts to be set up and cancelled. Everyone was SO annoying when the technician was busy installing it, with a million questions and complaints. Like, people, stfu and GIVE THE MAN A BREAK! He's *NOT FINISHED*!! Chances are, the 'issue' you are wanting to yell about is a temporary consequence of having 2 completely separate phone systems going at one time! But anyway, it seems to be settling down now... (touch wood).

Netherlands beat Uruguay in the semi final (YEEHAAA), and Spain beat Germany. Germany has played madly in all their matches, but I have to be honest and say that I had a gut feeling all that day that Spain would be the winners... no I'm not making it up and also no, I hadn't heard of THAT octopus until AFTER the match :P The match on Sunday is going to be interesting - GO ORANGE!!

Tomorrow is Friday, thankfully! We don't have anything hectic planned for this weekend which means SLEEPING LATE! Woohoo!! Oh and chores... but they don't take longggg. Hope the weather rocks too. Yay sleeping late!

Contemplation

We leave soon for our holiday.

SWC is nearly over, it ends on Sunday, then life will hopefully return to normal. There are titters about xenophobic attacks, etc, which I hope are exaggerated.

I'm so uninspired lately. Life is really so meaningless lately, what with waiting for Aus etc, can't really *do* anything. Can't get out of the rut. Just waiting things out. It's not very fun really.

We need to buy a new microwave soon. Ours died probably a month ago. It hasn't been a major disruption for us, the thing we miss most is the kitchen-timer function. Its predecessor was the same make, just approximately 3 years older, this one was a few months over 2 years old. Don't think we're going to buy LG again. Strange how you can make do without something.

SWC LOLzors

HAHA it's been quite fun actually, watching some of the SWC games, and now it's down to Uruguay vs Netherlands and Germany vs Spain. I hope Netherlands and Germany win, so that when they play it's the Deutsch vs the Dutch!

Thought for the day

If you really put a small value upon yourself,

rest assured that the world will not raise your price.

(Author unknown)

Folding drawings

One of the 2 people here who are on contract has resigned, her last
day is Wednesday next week. That leaves just 16 of us (excluding
not-my-dept boss and his people). Weirdman is the only one (that the
typist knows of) left of the non-permanent staff. So, we *might* be
whittled down to 15... I'm just hoping that they don't do a whole
reshuffle until nearer to our leaving time, if at all. If they do
retrench me I would get a 'package' which probably wouldn't be much
but would at least be something, but I don't want to wait and see
whether it happens... end of December it is!

At the moment I'm folding drawings. One of the jobs has nearly been
completed, so I have hundreds of drawings to fold. It makes a change
from sitting here twiddling my thumbs, but I still feel as if I'm
sitting in a waiting room for an eternity. I'm surviving though, and
I at least have other things to keep me awake, like my iPod, and the
knowledge that we're busy making things happen - organising forex,
etc. Really not long now til our trip! And it seems that apart from
activating our bank account and buying simcards, we don't have
anything we *have* to do, so we can just relax and see the area!
We've hired a car and we're planning on driving around seeing what
different suburbs are like. It's not a long holiday but it's still
TOO exciting.

I've been slowly working on the Wedding Blessing, it's coming along
nicely. Hope I can finish it before we move! Want to get it framed,
almost as a 'seal' on our life here: one last cross-stitch framed
(matching the other 3), the rest to be done in Aus.

Mmm choc cake. It's a colleague's birthday so he brought cake. And
some soccer-ball-theme foil-wrapped chocolate balls! Mmmm!