Hey peeps

Thought I'd pop in to say quick gidday to anyone who bothers to stop by here and to have a quick lurk around some of my favourite blogs. 

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News in brief: Yours truly turned 45 a couple of weeks ago, took it hard I must confess. Much consumption of strong drink and funny smelling cigarettes was required that day/week (well it's ongoing actually). Speaking of ageing, life is cruel you know, I used to ingest chemicals to blur the lines of reality, now, all I have to do is take off my glasses. 

On the topic of cigarettes (a while back I acknowledge, stay with me people), I passed my 2 year smokefree milestone - yayyy for me!

On a more serious note I nearly lost another sister a  couple of months back but thankfully she survived the ravages of a terrifying affliction called Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Thank the gods that medical treatment is top-knotch (and free) here. 

Currently getting my head around the fact that I will soon no longer have school age offspring; the boy finishes high school in a couple of months then on to university next year - this is good and bad; great that he's miraculously not a drop out (statistically speaking 'they' tell me he should be a dole-bludging crackhead having been raised in the evil environs of south Auckland by a cash strapped single parent), not so great that I'm inching ever more quickly towards decrepitude (please forgive the age related whinyness; the birthday is still raw). 

I did almost manage to get away for a couple of weeks to South Pacific island (Fiji to be specific), the plan was to up the vitamin D quota over the long, dreary, wet NZ winter but finances just wouldn't allow it. Booked it all but had to cancel when a big unexpected bill arrived. I just know there'll be swim up bars and margaritas in heaven ahhhh. Not actually sure why I included that 'non news' in my news update - obviously not a lot of real news to share. Sad. 

That's about it for now folks, oh yeah nearly forgot, big fucking earthquake down country in the early hours of this morning, mucho property damage I hear though thankfully no loss of life. 

Spring has sprung here in the land of the kiwi (and various other flightless birds) and there are smiles to be seen about town again - onwards and upwards. Love Lou. 

PS Sorry about the surfeit of parentheses (an indicator of poor education so I'm told), I just can't fight it. Ohhh that reminds me yet again - I got my diploma (remember the one that I bitched on about for a year?), big double yayyy for me. Not a real flash diploma you understand - but an accomplishment by my standards. 

L

EDIT: PPS Not a good day for tourists in NZ, I hear that a small sightseeing plane has crashed and burned with none of the 9 passengers and crew surviving. 

Friday night and the lights are low

Just a quick post before bed.

I’m tired and slightly drunk. It’s been another long week, work continues to be frantic and I seem to be running around after Rory almost every night. I would almost kill for a sleep in tomorrow but he has another early football game….so maybe Sunday.

Have a great weekend everyone.

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An Estonian woman gave birth to a daughter on June 11 on board the Baltic Queen, a large passenger ferry en route from Sweden to Estonia. The company is gifting the child free travel on the ship for ever. See the story here. Cool.

Motherhood

My wonderful mother turned 70 years old today and my sister and I  had planned a big surprise dinner party at mum’s favourite local restaurant.  The whole restaurant was booked to accommodate the 80 invited guests.

Somehow we’d managed to keep it from her. She thought the hair and facial appointment and the manicure we’d booked for her today were simply a birthday treat and not party preparation.

Unfortunately late last night she was feverish and struggling to breathe. Dad called an ambulance and mum’s been in the high dependency unit in hospital since then with a bad case of double pneumonia. The hospital recommended we all come in at about midnight as it appeared that mum’s fragile heart (she has mitral valve disease) was failing. It was incredibly worrying, we thought we were going to lose her.

I am very very pleased to share that there has been some good  improvement today, and especially this afternoon, after a barrage of antibiotics. Her temperature is down, her heart is ‘running’ smoothly again and she’s breathing more easily.

A couple of friends helped me with the huge cancellation job this morning - the birthday celebration that never was. We’ll organise something on a smaller scale when mum’s better.

I love you.

Momma always said…

…that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

I am determined to start making a better go of breakfast during the week rather than the current situation where Rory gobbles down his cereal standing at the kitchen sink and I grab something, usually unhealthy, when I get a chance later in the day at work. I want to be one of those families where breakfast is a sit down event. 

In my fantasy world, every morning there would be a clean and pressed plain white Irish linen tablecloth on the table and freshly squeezed chilled pulpy orange juice in tall glasses. Our places would be set with an eclectic but stylish mix of old fashioned pretty crockery and there would be rich dark cappuccino in beautifully glazed cups. Rory and I would sit down and chat for at least 15 minutes about our plans for the upcoming day.

We’d be eating…

IN SUMMER:

• Monday: A fresh made waffle with locally grown berries and yoghurt. 
• Tuesday: Light toasted muesli with fresh apricot and peach fruit salad.
• Wednesday: A buttery croissant with a slice of gruyere cheese and a couple of slices of tomato.
• Thursday: Kellogg's crunchy nut cornflakes followed by a hot piece of toasted Vogels bread with Marmite.
• Friday: Half a juicy pink grapefruit followed by a creamy banana and yoghurt smoothie.

 

IN WINTER:

• Monday: A cherry tomato and spring onion omelette.
• Tuesday: A bowl of porridge with sultanas, cinnamon and a wee sprinkling of brown sugar.
• Wednesday: A short stack of pancakes with real maple syrup and banana.
• Thursday: A poached egg on Vogels 12 grain toast with a drop of HP sauce.
• Friday:  Grilled chicken bacon with a toasted sesame bagel and cream cheese.

 

 

…or something like that *sigh*

How about you? What’s your idea of the very best week day breakfast options? Feel free to put me to complete shame and share your family’s breakfast routine.

What ever Wednesday

What ever happened to 2 year olds Adlan and Nikita?

Earlier this year 2 year old boys were reunited with their biological families following a 2007 hospital mix up wherein 2 families took the wrong boy home. One mother was Chechen but both mothers gave birth to sons on March 1 2009 in a Russian hospital.

Last I heard in The Guardian on 1 April blue-eyed Adlan had been renamed Nikita and returned to his biological mother in Russia while dark haired Nikita had been renamed Ali and repatriated to Chechnya and his family. 

I can only imagine how very difficult the process would have been. It would be nice to hear an update about how the boys and their families were doing. 

Or would it?

Would I actually want to hear that things weren’t working out for what ever reason? Perhaps it’s better assuming, nay trusting, that everything worked out just the way it should.  In this fairytale world of mine everyone is happy and both boys are settling in successfully with their new family.

Я живу в сказке.

Selfish

Britains oldest mother-to-be dismisses concerns about her age. "It's not my physical age that's important - it's how I feel inside," she said. 

Yeah, right!

The London Telegraph reported yesterday that 66 year old  divorcee Elizabeth Adeney of Suffolk is 8 months pregnant with her first child conceived via IVF treatment administered in the Ukraine.

Mrs Adeney, a wealthy businesswoman, is said to have been "desperate" for a baby, and was "over the moon" when she discovered that she had fallen pregnant.She’ll be 67 by the time the baby comes along and if she’s still alive, she’ll be 80 when the child turns 13.

Selfish cow.

She has considered only her own wants, not that of the young child she’s likely to leave an orphan at around the age of 10. Emotional scarring practically guaranteed.

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Global Day of Action

Join Amnesty International and death penalty opponents all over the world in supporting the Global Day of Action for Troy Davis today (May 19th). Go to the US Amnesty International website for information and to find out what you can do to help.

Check out my post of April 30 for more information.

Mothers Day

Had a delicious breakfast in bed this morning for Mothers Day and scored a lovely new pair of slippers which is great with winter fast approaching.

I think Rory was trying hard to get me out of my ‘funk’ of the last couple of days and suggested we jump in the car and go get his suit hire organised for the school ball on June 6. He rang his date as she wanted to come and bring her dress so they could co-ordinate their look. We picked her up on the way and I watched his eyes light up as she came down her front steps. He’s besotted.

It was a great idea to get out of the house for a couple of hours. It was wonderful seeing him looking so grown up (and suave even) in a beautiful black single breasted jacket with a charcoal shirt and silvery grey embroidered waistcoat and tie. I enjoy watching him and his girl interact; he’s gentlemanly and considerate - I’m really proud of the man he’s becoming.

I love you son.

With malice

 

 

Ring ring, ring ring (my land line)

 

 “Hi, Lou here”

(Mature woman’s voice) “Whoever you are, stop ringing me”

“Sorry? Who is this?”

“My name is (bleep bleep) and I keep getting missed calls from this number on my cell phone with no messages left.”

“Oh. It’s just me and my kid living here – wait a minute; I have a teenage son, any chance you have a teenage son or daughter that he might be trying to reach?”

“My children are grown up. Stop ringing this number or I’ll call the police. I will only warn you once. I’m filing an immediate complaint with Telecom about the malicious calls.”

..and hangs up. Hard.

Total over-reaction to a wrong number I think but as I don’t have caller ID on my land line, I don’t know if Rory has been calling her number for some reason.  He’s at his dads tonight but I’ll figure it out when I talk to him tomorrow.

I’ll be checking the next phone bill that arrives. Weird. 

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I always want to say ‘have a great day’ or some such at the end of my posts but I can’t as a couple of you are reading at the end of the day straight after I post while others are reading at the end of the previous day and still others of you are actually reading earlier on today (I think that about covers all 5 of you who visit)

It’s  a life long mystery actually, I’ve never fully gotten my head around the concept that the Antipodes have already finished the day when the other side of the planet is just starting out – surely we down under should be able to take advantage of this situation somehow - it just seems plain ungrateful to squander a God given head start.

Auckland, NZ    

Good night. Good day.

Motherhood Update

Home from work in time to cook dinner the last 3 nights?

Back to overseeing homework?

House spic and span?

Fridge and pantry well stocked with nutritious food?

Washing folded and back in drawers?

Resumed nagging about chores, showering, shoe cleaning, tooth brushing, hair shampooing and room tidying?

Back in the running for mother of the year?

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What a relief!

I was really starting to worry that I was turning in to one of those mothers whose own needs superseded those of their child. I realise now that I’m unlikely to leave any significant mark on this world so I consider that my main reason for being here is to raise a good and useful citizen who may be in a better position (i.e. smarter and more able) to leave his positive mark on the world.

I know that in only a few short years, the boy/man will be doing his own thing and may or may not be regularly in my life and I accept that but…

I would hate myself if any ambivalence on his part related to his perception of ambivalence on mine.

Old habits

…are not always hard to break.

I used to be one of those people who could be relied upon to get things done. I don’t mean at work as it’s pretty much a given that you have to get shit done at work or else you get fired. No, what I mean is the other stuff.

Being on the school gala committee, keeping the house clean and the gardens tidy, attending night classes, coaching the kid’s football team as well  as volunteering a half shift a week at the animal shelter.  All this alongside being a working single mother.

It’s all changed though. And not for the better.

Somehow 2009 has already morphed into the year where I  work too many hours each week, where I write a blog and read other’s blogs (and add comments ad nauseum) and where the house is in a perpetual state of disarray. I’m distracted.

Rory is nonplussed by it all but is encouragingly picking up some of my slack.  He’s taken to reminding me, as a secretary might, about upcoming events and requirements on my time and/or my pick-up/drop off schedule for that day if required. I came into the kitchen this morning to find him adding dates and details into my PDA. I asked him was I getting that bad? Had I dropped the ball in the motherhood stakes? He assured me I hadn’t actually missed anything but the unspoken “yet” hung in the air.

I made an extra effort tonight and I was home before 6pm with grocery shopping and proceeded to cook a proper dinner and run the vacuum around and do a load of washing.

Must be better mother!!! Will update progress tomorrow.