Home again - and getting to the church on time

Well, I performed my key role pretty well I think. The bride didn't call off the wedding and we were only a few minutes late to the ceremony - and given the mayhem of the last couple of weeks that is some achievement!

The bride looked gorgeous, the groom wasn't too crazy ('a character' is the mildest way of describing him) and there were no major fights at the reception.

I made it home this arvo. I'm exhausted. So I'm going to find something to eat and head to bed early...... More wedding details to come.

God has a strange sense of humour

After a really lovely first week, my holiday has hit a damp patch. Literally. It has been raining solidly for about 36 hours. While this is warm rain - approaching 20 degrees - this week is meant to be about running around doing the last of the 'stuff' for this weekends wedding. However, the bride has had to work, and with the weather as it is, it has been difficult to transport certain delicate wedding related items.

Today will be spent hurrying around the shops for last minute items. I am over it already and the shops aren't even open yet!

Only 4 days - then at last we get a big party (I get to spend two nights in a posh hotel at the Gold Coast) and then the 13 hour trek home over Sunday and Monday.

Thankfully, I had the forethought not to need to be back at work until Thursday. A couple of days to recover and only 2 days to work before the weekend rolls around!

How to spend Sundays....

I am sitting in what I firmly believe is the best pub in Fortitude Valley (the RG or Royal George) listening yo an excellent live band playing their own great combination of rock and gypsy music. It is 22 degrees, 5:30 pm and I am wearing thongs and a tshirt!!

Last night was a Hens night. Great fun, not too much alcohol and good behavior all round, so this morning, feeling pretty damn good I pottered into town to catch up with a friend. We chatted for a while then walked down to the Valley. Wandered the markets, had lunch at the best Chinese restaurant around (Dragon Inn) and then had a massage from a lovely old Chinese woman. ($30 for 40 mins)we then settled in for a couple beers while listening to a this great local band called TiMBAH. Through the marvels of technology (Internet on my iPhone) I purchased their album. They are that good!

The set is about to finish and it's off to this great Japanese place for a pretty obscenely expensive dinner. But I only make it to Brisbane about once a year so I'm making the most of it!

Mmmmmmm.... Japanese food!

Warmth, thou art my friend...

I had forgotten just how nice it is to wander around in September without wearing at least 2, usually three layers of clothing. I stepped out of the car in Brisbane after 1300 kilometres into approximately 22 degree Celsius temperatures. I slept with only a sheet on the bed. I am wearing shorts, a t-shirt and thongs (the shoes, not the underwear).

I am seriously questioning why it was that I moved to Canberra - oh that's right. The government offered me an obscenely large amount of money to work for them (obscene compared to what anyone else was offering, but once I moved to Canberra I realised that with the living costs, its not quite as obscene as it would be in Brisbane.) I do miss this weather. I don't miss the hayfever however, and it has shown up right on schedule. Its not too bad, but mildly itchy eyes and sneezing fits are definitely one of the things that I have NOT missed!!! Along with 90% humidity in summer.......

So what else is happening? Not much. I have a few days to myself this week ahead of intense bridesmaid duties next week, and I am making the most of it. I have read 3 books in 2 days. (well finished the one I was 2/3 through and read 2 others). I have napped - both in the morning and the afternoon. I have watched tv - I even sat through 1/2 of the Oprah 25th (and thankfully final) season opening show in which she announced she is bring all 300 of her live audience to Australia. It has apparently cost our peak tourism body $1 million, but given this woman's exposure, I'm sure its $1 million well spent, but I think I will avoid taking any trips to Sydney or the Great Barrier Reef while the 'fans' are in town. I haven't heard screaming like that in years!

I went shopping. I needed one item of supportive woman undergarment for the wedding - and walked away with 5....... But the wardrobe is restocked and I wont need to go shopping again for at least 12 months. I raided the Borders discount bins and found 4 new books by authors I have not read before that were cheap enough to warrant trying.

Tonight I am going out for dinner. To a place that serves $3.90 steak (scotch fillet, with veges or salad and chips). I will report back on just how good this deal is. Later this trip I will be having the best Brisbane has to offer in chinese food (in Fortitude Valley of course), Japanese food (also the Valley) and ribs (random little place in Annerley - but SPECTACULAR ribs :-D). There is also a hens night at a tapas bar (chicken themed, live animals strictly forbidden) and of course a wedding! I will of course report back on all of these.

Now, I need to go and start getting organised for tonight. I fear that my hair doesn't like this weather and it is demanding that I wash it again before I am seen by anyone outside. Warmth is good for the soul (and the tan) but not for curly hair!

Oh for a good night's sleep!!

The last couple of nights have been less than ideal. Wind rattling the windows made it difficult to sleep, then waking up at 3 in the morning for no apparent reason. Tonight I really want to have a good night sleep. I will be up before dawn to get away bright and early and miss as much of the traffic as possible on the road.


So hear's to a good 8 hours straight!!!! I hope.

Holidays...... They just rock!

This afternoon is officially the start of my holiday. I will be starting the trek up to Brisbane on Monday morning, probably before the sun bothers to get out of bed. But this weekend is a family affair. There is some boring stuff, a bit of housework, a lot of packing but an evening with the folks and a special birthday on Sunday for a sibling.

I am almost looking forward to it. Almost because there will also be a large number of people I dont know involved, and I really dont like large groups of people. Let alone people I dont know. I imagine I will find myself hiding in a corner somewhere having cornered the few people I do know and stuck limpet-like to them.

But it is Monday that draws my attention right now. That lovely feeling of anticipation that settles on you when the first steps of escape are in reach. I am driving, which means a minimum of about 16 hours in the car each way. By myself. Me, my iPod and rather a lot of road. I like road trips. I like stopping somewhere random when the mood takes you for a pie from an obscure pie shop. (Has anyone else noticed that obscure pie shops in obscure country towns make much more exciting and delicious pastry delights than any gourmet shop in the city?) I like deciding to stop in somewhere for a nap in the afternoon. Just pick a shady pull-off, lock the doors and put the seat back. Stop for the night at whatever little town with nice looking motel takes your fancy.

But the real key to this one is that at the end of it is a good friends wedding. A crowd of country people gathering for a good party. I haven't been to a good country party in years.

Family - the good and the bad all rolled into one

My folks are in town this week. This is great, I love my folks. But it means I have to spend a lot more time hanging round with the rest of my family. This involves 3 small children. I don't really enjoy small children, especially excited shrieking small children. My ears hurt after just 2 days.

Ah well....... Just 6 more days, and this Christmas I'm going home to the folks. Just 3 adults and 2 weeks holiday - sounds like heaven :-D

The benefits of tragedy

I found this online today.

http://howthelightgetsin.net/2010/08/22/days-that-matter/#comments

And it raises that interesting phenomena where men only really work out how to be romantic when the writing is on the wall.

I would love to meet a guy who stops now and then and thinks 'you know, I might do something kitchy and romantic for my girl' and just does it. But it seems that one or the other of the people involved have to be fighting for their life before it happens.

But, it is a beautiful thing, and good on the Kiwi PM and Wolverine for getting behind it.

For some lighter entertainment, I recieved this in my inbox today. I'm not really a cat fan, but this was gold :D

http://wiresmash.com/amazing/comfortable-ways-to-sleep-in-a-box/

Sometimes nothing goes your way

Its been one of those weeks. On Tuesday I got home and discovered that the removalists hired by the tenant of the other half of my duplex had packed my bicycle and it looks like the bike gets to go for a trip to the tropics before I can get it back. Then today, I got home to find that someone had moved my motorbike - while the steering lock was engaged. So the $200 repair I had completed last week has been completely destroyed. Worst of all, no-one is admitting responsibility. I know who it was but in the absence of any sort of proof, I have to wear it.

I find it completely unfathomable that anyone would actually touch my motorbike. Its not like the bicycle which was in the garden shed and was in the way - and is easy to move without damage. The motorbike lives in the garage, it weighs 140kg. Its a $7000 machine. It blows my mind that someone would just decide to push it around at all.

Tonight, I just want to scream!!!!