Things I say

My friends have often commented on the fact that I have some unique ways of expressing myself.

One term I often use, but felt that it may be racist, so I try and stop myself from using it....... I would never be deliberately racist, but I thought I'd better check out the origon of what I was saying.

I often say, "I was running around like a navvy!" Meaning I have been extremely busy, I use this as an alternative for 'running around like a headless chook' but somehow the former phrase is my preferred one.

I looked it up and am happy that I can keep using it.....

Definitions of navvy on the Web:

a labourer who is obliged to do menial work. Originally, a laborer on canals for internal navigation; hence, a laborer on other public works, as in ...
www.artistwd.com/joyzine/australia/strine/n-2.php

drudge: a labourer who is obliged to do menial work
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Navvy is a shorter form of the word 'navigator' and is particularly applied to describe the manual labourers working on major civil engineering projects. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navvy

Goodbye Falcon

I felt quite ill all day today. I like how I cope with stress, but I hate how I react physiologically to these kinds of things. My head copes well, the rest of my body, including my heart and my stomach, don't do so well. I lay in bed last night, it was nearing midnight and my heart was racing and I had that awful sense of anticipation and trepidation within me. I knew deep down inside that we had the right decision, but on the surface, I was questioning myself. I had a memory that the car was quite oldish looking, that it didn't even have carpet on the floors. I was sad that there weren't electric mirrors and that it felt 'big' to sit in.

All I can say, is that I wish I could have picked it up before 4pm today, I could have saved myself some anguish. I was sitting in the finance guy's office with my mouth so dry, I couldn't speak properly....... I had taken photos of my car in the morning, and felt I needed to do that, I needed something to remember it by. The kids were great, and humoured their scrapbooking Mama. I even got Billy-Joe to take a photo of me sitting in it.

After I had signed the paper work, I had to sit and wait - but coudn't relax, so I stood up and watched the traffic going by, and then with a start realized that my new car was just outside the window. I had already walked past her twice and hadn't even noticed her...... I just thought all the 'good, new' cars were out there, and that mine was hiding out back somewhere. I was so surprised, the car looked fabulous, all shiny and new, I suddenly lost the sick feeling and felt rather excited, which was probably all that I was feeling, before, but now I could let myself be excited and I didn't worry anymore.

I drove it up to show my Mum and Dad, and they liked it, and, like me were surprised at how big it was and laughed that I didn't think it had any carpet inside.....

I hopped in the car to go and pick up my kidlets from holiday care.......and couldn't start the thing. Nothing I could do made the motor even turn over. Dead! Dead as a Dodo bird!!! I shut the door, turned off the radio, turned off the a/c, made sure my seatbelt was on............but nothing!!! I went upstairs and rang Toyota, and was assured that the mechanic would ring me shortly, he was currently on another call. I went back downstairs and waited for the call. Dad was busy reading the manual and I sat back into the car and started pushing more buttons...... Lo and behold, it started! I had somehow managed to immobilize the car, by inadvertently triggering it's security system. Well, you can only imagine my happiness when it started.......it could only happen to me!!!

Not only is the car shiny and new, it has carpet, it also has electric side mirrors which I just love, and it has cup holders which the falcon didn't have. The middle seat belt in the back was a proper belt too, so I didn't need the harness belt for Billy-Joe. The boot is huge and it drives really nicely. I have my frangipani steering wheel cover on, and some of my bits and pieces, and it feels like my car.....

I look forward to driving her again, and I know I won't cringe the next time I go to the bowser.

My New Car

I actually am posting this out of order. Better late than never.

I don't regret many things in my life - thankfully even from the not so good things I have done I have always come out wiser and stronger.

I do regret a little that nearly five years ago we bought a new car and we bought a Falcon Station Wagon. I love that car. I still have a soft spot for them. Twenty years ago, I had one, I just loved it. It was my one and only new car. It was awesome. They are so easy to drive and so comfortable. I lost that one however, when my marriage at the time dissolved. I have always hoped for another.......

We bought the Falcon, with all the right motives. We wanted a car for our growing family, something comfortable and large enough, so that when we go away, we have enough room to pack all our stuff. We have only been camping a few times, it didn't turn out quite the holidays I had anticipated, so our holidays have become a week in a unit - that's a holiday for me.

I drive my car a lot. I spend most of it driving around town, and driving to work, which is a fair distance away, but hilly and windy - not really the kind of road one needs a six cylinder vehicle for.

This week the local Toyota Car Yard had a big sale on, and they stipulated on their brochure which was mailed to me, that they had cars from $6990. The salesman was very helpful but failed to show us anything under $10000.

Anyway, turns out the vehicle that was cheap, was their drawcard and that's the one we ended up buying. It's a Toyota Camry, perfect condition with one owner.

We pick it up on Tuesday.

I hope it's a good car, at least as good as the Falcon has been. The Falcon was needing some work done, it had couple of car park dings, and it needed four new tyres, it also needed some attention to small spots of rust coming through. The front end also needed some work. So we have a new old car and a new debt.

I am looking forward to cheaper fuel costs and also cheaper insurance and registration. What I save can go toward the payments. I will miss my big car, with all it's power, but this new one will be much more practical......

I will get some new frangipani stickers for the back window and will buy some new seat covers, black ones with pink frangipanis....... It will be a 'JennyCar' soon enough.....

Australia Day Weekend

I decided that this Australia Day would not go uncelebrated. I think that as a nation we are far to lax about praising the wonderful country where we live. Actually as a nation, generally the patriotism is only shown during a cricket match, or some other high profile sporting event. Rather pathetic I think. We do live in a wonderful place and I wanted to let this weekend go with something to remember.

So we did.

We celebrated with our bestest friends - my parents and we had a ball. Peter and I got into the spirit of things and decided to dress in bright unmatched outfits with hats, and even the kids made sure they wore hats, even indoors. My Dad, not to be outdone, got Mum's beach hat out of the car, and never mind that it was white with pink trim, he stoically wore it all afternoon, much to Mum's chagrin. We had fun, we laughed lots, drank some fabulous Australian wines and ate some fantastically tasty Australian food. I marinated some chicken tenderoins, and skewered them, we had lamb chops, and Mum made her infamous marinated pork spare ribs. Mum made her yummy coleslaw and I made a green tossed salad with kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes, and we had the Australian touch of beetroot, tinned corn, and some mexican bean mix for good measure. Peter bought me a bottle of Jim Barry's Riesling and it was absolutely delicious - I was quite sad to learn it wasn't a $10 bottle! Unfortunately it cost $16 so I won't be getting another in a hurry.

I love my Mummy dearly with all my heart!

Me with my four beautiful boys.

My middle boy - Sammy.

My Mum and Dad with his 'cute' hat.

Sammy and his Oma

All dressed up for Australia Day.