What difference a week makes.

By Monday, I was not a happy camper at all. My hot flushes were increasing, to the point I had a dozen episodes on Monday night. I worked on Monday, which, was good, because I think it helped me make some decisions.

I am good when I am out and about. I am a good teacher, and I enjoy being in the classroom. I hate feeling like I don't want to do anything. Something is not right, I am not supposed to feel like this.

When I got home from work on Monday, I rang the surgery where I was originally 'prescribed' the progesterone cream. I was told he was on holidays - and that I couldn't get an appointment until the first of November. To say I was a little distressed about this was an understatement but it was actually a blessing in disguise. I hung up from her, after she (receptionist) told me my body was addicted to oral HRT and that if I wanted to I could add a half a tablet to my regime - and made an appointment with my GP. I felt turmoil, because I felt I was going to give up the alternative, more healthy option for a quick cop out.

I saw my doctor the next morning. He told me that he had no evidence of me being menopausal as all my tests had been done at other surgeries. I assured him I DEFINITELY was. He referred me for another blood test. From that day on I was back on my anti depressants. Although their reintroduction has really knocked me, I am sleeping so much better. I have had a couple of really quiet days after driving to work wasn't such a good idea on Wednesday, and I feel rested and relaxed. I also started taking the HRT again on the Monday preempting the doctor's findings. It's now Saturday, my hot flushes have reduced by about 80% and I know I have made the right decision for me. Yes, it's sad I couldn't do it naturally, but I can't keep at something that was becoming quite detrimental to my health and well being.

And to all the proponents of natural hormone treatment - the blood test showed there was next to no progesterone in my blood stream. The small amount which showed in the blood test can be accounted by my progesterone only IUD.

I was prepared to say this isn't for me..............I had no idea I would find out that the cream wasn't even absorbing into my blood stream. This begs the question - are the many women flocking this particular doctor among the 30% for whom a placebo works???

Ikea

In the midst of the shit week, there was a highlight! There's always a highlight..........

My sister in law and a girlfriend went to Ikea on Wednesday. It had been planned for a very long time. I had a shopping list, complete with measurements. At one stage, I thought the trip would be more of a look trip, rather than a buying trip, because of the money I had to spend on my car. I actually bought lots from my list.

* chest of drawers for Mickey and Sammy. Their old drawer was one we 'adopted' from our first unit together in 1992, it was always meant to be a stop gap, and was never intended for two kids!!

* DVD storage. A funky black and white patterned shelf which can hold up to 88 DVDs
* soft, spongy stuff to put on the bottom of your kitchen drawers, cheap and much nicer than what's available elsewhere
* new tin opener because I thought Bunny lost his from downstairs ( now it's a spare)
* set of four plastic dessert bowls
* set of four glass bowls for using with cooking (like the cooking shows when they precut chilli, measure out bi carb etc)
* wine rack (really cook stainless steel thing which holds about five bottles)
* Stainless steal tissue box
* new ergonomic pillow for Mickey
* two sets of hooks for kids' rooms
* draw inserts (compartment things)

So you can see I did really well. The place is huge, I can't wait to go back again. Even the food at the cafeteria was really nice and very reasonably priced. The dessert, a lemon meringue pie, was divine. The pastry was soft and short, the lemon stuff was creamy......mmmm........just delicious.

I drove there and back, and apart from my steering wheel still vibrating like an out of control sex toy, and getting a little lost coming out of Ikea, that was eventful, and even though I haven't driven in Brisbane for a very long time, I think I did okay. Everyone was back safe and sound.

My car was packed quite full. My gf had the stuff that was the biggest, so the drama continued when on arrival she finally admitted that it wasn't going to fit into her car. (She drives a door wedge!!) Alls well, ends well, a good friend of hers came and took it home for her, that was after her dh drove several kms and couldn't fit it into his work van either lol................ Ah, but she now has an awesome scrapbooking desk, so it's all good!!

I can't wait to go back. I like the CD storage for Billy-Joe's room, they were out of stock, so I would like to get a couple of those. I would also like to look at wardrobe storage. They have some awesome systems there. Lucky the kids are older now, because I could go beserk in the childrens' area.

So, in the midst of my shit week, there were up times too.........

The day after Ikea, I took my car back to the mechanic's (fifth time!!!) and after waiting for two hours, they told me what else I needed replacing........... Cars, they keep us poor lol..................

The weekend has been busy. I slept in late yesterday morning. I couldn't believed that I'd stayed late at scrapbooking, and then perused a book a gf loaned me, and turned the lights out at 2am. Saturday was spent finishing the washing that Bunny had started the night before. I took Billy-Joe to spend the weekend with a mate, for which I was happy for because it changes the dynamics with the two little one's and life is quite peaceful. I came back home and met the plumber who was fixing the leak on our beautiful Kleenmaid oven. I had a nice conversation with him. He is leaving plumbing and going to start a Personal Coaching type business. I was most interested so chatted to him about that...............quite an apt conversation to be having I thought. I told him to send me something when he gets himself set up. Then I went into town and bought some 3/4 pj pants and sleeveless pj tops............we've gone from being cold to balmy summer weather in a matter of a day!! I bought the little ones new jammies too. I took them to Doughnut King, chatted with a friend in Rockmans and bought some new pants and a singlet top, and then headed home where I finished tidying, and folding washing.

Dinner was stir fried vegies plus chicken scrolls from the butcher. Yummo. I had an early night.

Sunday breakfast was Bunny's homemade McMuffin burgers, then I cleaned the beautiful Kleenmaid stove, and the beautiful kitchen, and the crappy bathroom. The kids were good, just playing and Mickey helped me out doing chores, which was great, especially as I didn't ask him to help.

Bunny came home from servicing his car, and then he put together the Ikea drawers. It took 2 1/2 hours....................but looks fantastic and is so much better having all that room. I am very happy with my purchase. The destructions were well pictured and made sense, all the bits were there and everything fitted together really well.

I picked up Billy-Joe and then unpacked some more Tupperware from downstairs, which I washed and put away, putting the rest in a bag for St. Vinnies.

I have had a couple of glasses of wine, and read some of my latest Jodie Picoult book (Vanishing Acts). Bunny is making dinner............gosh I love it when he cooks - what a turn on!!!

Holidays at the end of next week................yeehaaaa!!!





*

The control freak loses control

I never got to finish that post from the other day. It was so not a good day. My headache did clear though, and now a few days later, and even though I still have headaches, they aren't as frequent or as severe.........only using paracetomol twice a day, instead of all day long.

Hot flushes a little less frequent, but I am sleeping better with the St. John's Wort and Valerian, so that's something to be happy about. Except here I was not wanting to take anymore medication, and instead I am replacing it........Although I should dwell on the positives, and think that the new stuff is a lot less damaging, but I wanted to be on nothing.......nothing.........just exist on what God gave me! You know, surely all those hormones, endorphins, serotonin, cortisone, adrenalin, and all those things...........wouldn't it be good if we were given just the right amount - so we didn't need assistance. Then on the other hand, one has to question why the benefits of herbs has been around for a very, very long time.........so then maybe it isn't just a sign of the times, there's probably always been a need for things like that.

The upshot, after speaking to good friends, friends who have knowledge, friends who love me, and those who have all the above.............. I have decided that I will ring Dr. Williams' surgery tomorrow, and see what I should do. Another option, is to see Adrian the naturopath at my chemist, who may be able to make me a brew. Another option is to try another progesterone cream. Another option is to try another natural thing. I am still on the fence about going back onto HRT.

This post is finished, I want another one which is a happy one.

How are you?

I always answer with the utmost courtesy..........
"Great thanks, really good - and you?"

Let's face it, if someone asks you how you are........imagine if everyone actually espoused exactly how they were feeling.......this one small gesture of courtesy would die a natural death.

At the moment my reply would be lengthy, and a little heavy on the negative side.

"I have had headaches everyday now for weeks on end. I eat Panadol like M&Ms and it's getting to a point where paracetomol, isn't doing the trick anymore? I usually get up and have a headache within a few minutes of getting up, if I don't have one then, I usually get a worse one later in the morning, and it's really hard to kill. I've had two lots of panadol and two lots of nurofen plus and I am still achy in the head. The chemist gave me something stronger tonight but I was advised to take it later........(but I want it to go away now, once I am asleep it goes anyway!!) I don't know if I am game enough to take it while I am still 'up'.

I have been taking an extra 1/4 tsp of my progesterone cream every morning, and I don't know whether there's a subtle improvement, or whether I am really good at kidding myself. "

Have to go now, but have more to add to this post.........

Thank you

To a thoughtful friend who sent me this today.

"To lie sometimes on

the grass under trees

on a summers day,

listening to the

murmur of the water,

or watching the clouds

float across the sky,

is by no means a

waste of time."

-Sir John Lubbock

Writing is therapy - right?

Maybe if I just sit down and say how I am feeling, I can close it up and then just move on. It's kind of like praying, handing it over to God and saying I can't do this by myself, so you have to just guide me please? So I guess this is in essence a written prayer.

So where do I start? Today I was happy, no work, and the house is up to date. So that means I an do whatever I please. Anything! I sit all day and read a book!! I am too lazy to go and do something productive. I mean, I can always clean out cupboards, or clean behind stuff, or tidy kids' rooms, or scrapbook, or edit photos, or update my recipe blog, go for a walk, go to the library, go to Maroochydore and collect my much wanted bowls which have arrived.............no I sat and read a book. I did clean out the filing box, and tidy up, but that's it. I sat and read a book - half the morning and half the afternoon.

I don't go dancing when I feel like this, heck I don't want to go anywhere. I just want to stay home. Safe, content (well not really, or I wouldn't be feeling blech!) but it's the easiest option.......

I write about my positive things, and there are so many. I am grateful for them every single day - that makes me feel more guilty, because I know I have no concrete reason for feeling like this. I love my family and I love looking after them, and making sure they have everything they need. I enjoy my work, and equally enjoy not going to work - just that I like the money and the challenge of doing something I often feel totally under qualified to do.

So what are the negative things............just me!

I have been in a fair bit of pain of late. The crushed crab shells keep me going, they are fabulous. Without them, I would be in bed.......that's the honest truth. I would not be able to function. The CCS keep my back pain free, they also help my achilles and my neck and my thoracic spine too. It's my hands that have been giving me a lot of trouble of late, or more specifically my fingers. The arthritis is really giving me trouble. The fingers on my left hand have settled down a little, although they can't tolerate being squeezed by my husband, which he often loves to do when he is holding my hand. They were so sore, that at night time I couldn't even move my hand, because it was so painful. Like I said, that's settled a bit. The middle finger on my other hand, now that's a different story. It has enough pain in that top knuckle to compete with the entire left hand's original pain. It's even growing nobbly bits on it. I went to the doctor because I was concerned about the pain I was having. I am not a wimp, but it's been a couple of months, and it's not easing. There's nothing I can do about it. Osteo arthritis, can flair up and then settle down again It can be so bad that there are things I can't do. My husband gets his socks and they aren't folded properly. I turn then into themselves like my Mum does, and sometimes I just can't turn the socks inwards...........it hurts so much. Changing the bed linen is painful too, holding the whole doona while putting the cover on........holding something heavy, like a shopping bag, or even a milk carton.

Then, to top it all off...........my tennis elbow is giving me grief again. I can't even wipe down my huge kitchen bench with my right hand. Thank goodness I have always been able to do a lot of things with my left hand, so it's really no big deal...........I can feel the inflamed tendon and I can massage it, it's so acute, it almost brings tears to my eyes. I did it vacuuming, too much stress holding the vacuum in one hand. I had it years ago, and then didn't vacuum for months - dh did it for me. It's back now with a vengeance.........

On the hot flush front, I am still having flushes, although not as many. I rang the surgery and am taking a 1/4 of a teaspoon extra of the cream for a fortnight to see if that makes a difference. I have also noticed that if I drink more than a couple of very small glasses of wine, they're heaps worse. So I am careful. On Father's Day, I drank much less than I normally would on a day of celebration - and not that I get drunk, drinking less, is never a bad thing. Then I read back on all the wonderful things that the cream promises, and I don't see them all fulfilled yet, I need to be patient. It promised that I would sleep better, and that certainly hasn't changed. I am taking the Valerian tablets every night now, and have a much better night's sleep.

I have prattled, aimlessly, possibly jumping from one thought to the next.

I have a special friend, a man I met in Springbrook. Peter and I became very good friends with him, but he and I were friends first. He lived on his own, was near retirement and we enjoyed each other's company. It's his fault I learnt to love expensive red wines!! He was a guidance counsellor at the private school where he worked and he would often listen to my ramblings. I would get into these types of 'moods' and he would always say.......
"Jen, don't should on yourself."

I always feel guilty and think I should be doing something other than what I am doing........... Like today, I should be doing cleaning, whatever, whatever, rather than reading a book........and this afternoon I heard Noel's words in my ear...........'Jen, don't should on yourself'.

It would help me to remember that more often.

My drive

I am very lucky, when I drive to work, this is what I contend with.........
The only thing I contend with are cows and the odd flood.

Wonder what's going on

I don't know what's going on, but over the weekend my hot flushes started again. I had the worst night on Saturday night, was awake and everytime I was awake, I'd have another hot flush. During Saturday wasn't good either. I have been in touch with a friend who has also just started on this treatment, but she has done some reading on this, and it can happen, that hot flushes start again before everything is stabilized. It's not Tuesday and I haven't had anything since Sunday night, so I hope that's a positive thing. I feel quite happy about it all now, but was rather frightened on the weekend that all the money, time and effort that I had spent to try and change my medication was going to backfire. I felt sick! If the flushes continue, then I will have to go back to the doctor. I have no intention of going back onto oral HRT ............

Grateful

It's one of my favourite emotions. Kind of leaves you feeling all fuzzy and warm. With being grateful comes contentment, another aaaahhhh emotion. They bring with them a feeling of peace and comfort.

Every night I sit down in my chair, read a book watch TV, or browse the internet, while my husband is downstairs watching his TV programs contentedly and my kidlets are tucked up in bed. I am in my house, which we bought, which we are so fortunate to have bought at the right time. Yes my house is too small, (with a huge kitchen though) and it's built on land where you wish you were a mountain goat, but it's ours! We pay $200 per week house repayments, much less than most people pay and considerably less than what rent is.

Yeah, it's humble, it's warm, it's filled with a loving family and a husband and wife who adore each other.

It doesn't get much better than that now does it?

They make me smile

I first saw these on the Big Brother House, actually first of all I saw the noodle bowls. My dear girlfriends informed me that there was actually a BB Store.......how cool, I was stoked!! I couldn't order them at the time, because I didn't have the money, so I waited until I had some cash, and then ordered the bowls and decided on the lovely cups as well. Now, with a dishwasher, we use a lot more cups and apart from some nice coffee cups, I don't have a full set of any other cups. I was so disappointed though, because the noodle bowls were out of stock........... The cups arrived today and I have put them in the open shelf in my new kitchen and they look gorgeous, and yes, they make me smile every time I look at them, they are bright and happy...........just love them!

Now onto the noodle bowls, the story doesn't end. I tried several online kitchen stores, even spoke to a live customer service rep with an online store that I often use, and they weren't even prepared to source them for me. Then a good girlfriend stepped in, after I told her that I had no luck in finding any website with just S&P stuff........... Everytime I googled salt and pepper, bloom bowls, I got all kinds of stuff, nothing resembling what I was after. Al found the distributor in Melbourne. I was so excited, and I couldn't believe her finding them for me. The girl has more patience and persistence than anyone I know! Thanks Al!

I rang the distributor and they were lovely, and said I could ring my local HOUSE store and order them.......onto a lovely HOUSE sales person, and voila, I have six noodle bowls winging their way to my local HOUSE store very soon.

I am loving buying new things for my gorgeous new kitchen.........

In love with Harry

I wanted to re read the 'Half Blood Prince' before I even bought the newest Harry Potter book. I am pleased I did - it's a fantastic book and helped to bring everything back to me. On the weekend my brother gave my eldest the latest book for his birthday. I finished 'Half Blood Prince' on Saturday, so no prizes for guessing what I am reading now. I have almost finished it. The house has been very quiet with illness and me not feeling well either, so the perfect time to sit down and read and read and read. Even though my eyes were stinging and burning, I had to keep reading, when it got too bad, I'd just rest my head back and close my eyes! I have never, ever been so taken with a book before. I even dream of Harry and his friends when I go to bed at night. I have almost finished it now, and have been reading the latest part with my heart in my mouth. I can't believe how attached I have become to Harry, and how very sad I am that it's the last book. J.K. Rowling is a genius and a master story teller. I have never read an adult book that has held me so transfixed!

Photo from last Friday

Thank you Suzy for emailing the photo through. It's a lovely one of us.

Goodbyes, work, and bikie chicks!

The kids woke up this morning, and were not happy that the school holidays ended. Billy-Joe was okay, especially considering as I thought he may have felt apprehensive about today, Sammy just wasn't happy, and Mickey cried. I wasn't happy about being up early either, but that's the way it is.

By the time I dropped them off, they were all happy and set off ready for the day with optimism. It was quite cute, because I drop them off and then they always walk up the stairs and turn around and wave. Today Sammy and Billy-Joe forgot to wave, dear little Mickey must have upped them, because I waited and they came running back to the top of the stairs to wave........too cool!!

Last night, I got an email to check my phone. Mmmmm, I wondered what's up. My girlfriend must have sent the sms to the wrong person I think. She asked me if I wanted to go to Montville today for a coffee ON THE BIKE!!!!! She admitted that fifteen minutes after she sent it, it hit her, she won't come! Well I surprised everyone, most of all myself and I went up for a ride. By the time we left Nambour, I thought that it was alot scarier than I remembered it. All that stopping and starting and gear changing isn't easy......... I was grabbing Lisa with my legs and I think my nail prints are permanently embedded in her leather jacket...........and that was just from getting out of my street and going to the service station. She wanted me to get off the bike at the servo............"And I have to climb back on with all these people watching?" "Yes lovey, you do" I must say the second and subsequent times I hopped onto the bike I was a lot more lady like that the first attempt. I just about clambered all over her, to get on as that was all I could hang on to. By the time we got to Montville and then to Mapleton for lunch, I wasn't hanging on for grim death anymore. I did enjoy the ride. It's being so vulerable that I am not so fond of. I like to drive myself, because I am in control, being on the back of someone's bike, you have absolutely no control at all. You really have to trust the person you are with. She was very good, and rode slowly although going downhill it felt quite fast.......... Coming down off the range is an experience I tell you. I like doing it in the car swinging around those bends, it's a whole new ball game on a bike.........

I wish I could post a photo, but I couldn't take my camera it's too big. Lis took her camera, but left the batteries on the recharger........so we can't scrapbook today. Does that mean she will take me again?

So, that's my day. A far cry from washing, dusting and cleaning.............but heck, I'd done that before I left!

While I was in Montville - Kenilworth asked if I wanted a day a week's work................I said yes of course. I love that class of kids, they are excellent. Those two days a fortnight bring me back the centrelink payments I have lost because I put in an estimate in case I am working, so that brings me back to what I was getting when I wasn't working. Not good, but I can manage the bills with that income, and any extra will be cream on top.

A highlight that needs its own post

I met a fellow blogger - Suzy We had an enjoyable coffee together. The time went by far too quickly. I would have liked to have chatted more. She is sweet and very easy to talk too. I look forward to continuing to read her blog, getting to know her better and seeing her again soon in the future. They only had a flying visit to the Sunshine Coast and I was honoured that they took out a chunk of their time to come and meet me. Thank you Suzy, you are a lovely lady and a very thoughtful one too, the ear rings you made me are just gorgeous.

It is really bizarre meeting someone that you have met online. I have met girls before from message board type situations but this is the first blogger. I find it really weird and sweet that she commented on things that had happened in my past. I was touched that she remembered them, and also a little startled that she knew so much about me.............you forget that your blog is quite personal in a very public kind of way lol..............

I am going back to read over some old posts of hers too, to get to know her better.

Thank you Suzy, you are a lovely lady and a very thoughtful one too, the ear rings you made me are just gorgeous. Who knows, maybe you will move up here one day!!!

I will post a link to a photo of us when Suzy posts it on her blog.

The holidays are over

The last two weeks have just gone by in a blur. I thought they would be peaceful, quiet and relaxing. They were some of those, in pockets of time, but generally they were very, very busy. The kidlets were in holiday care three days a week and on those days I always did heaps. Except the first Tuesday when it was freezing cold, Peter was painting and I knitted and drank cup of soup while sitting under a granny rug..........bliss!

Highlights of the holidays
* spent time with my sister in law and her kids. She cut my hair and Billy-Joe's and we had lunch and chatted away the hours. On another day, she shouted the kids a day at the bowling lanes. We had a lovely day. The weather was perfect and finished off by a lunch at the Alex Surfclub Kiosk and an icecream at the Cold Rock.
* I got my new glasses
* The kitchen is finished, apart from a few fiddly things
* I cooked heaps, and baked heaps too
* I had fun at Daisy's as usual
* I spent some time with my parents
* I spent some time with Peter's parents and kept in close phone contact
* I have nearly caught up on my housework

Back to school tomorrow. I know I need to work more this term, I wonder what the term will bring.

Washed and still working

Absolutely amazing!

I downloaded some photos from my card reader onto the pc the other day. I put the card in my pocket, to put back into my room into my camera. Alas, I never did that! But I did wash my dressing gown..........it's nice and clean too. And so is the memory card. I took this photo with it today, with a very clean CF Card.........





So now my boys are squeaky clean too...............

And SanDisk must be an awesome brand.

Enjoying the holidays

It's so good to be able to sleep in a little. Truth be known, I am not getting any extra sleep, but boy it feels good being able to go to bed later and get a up a little later. I have had things to do everyday this week, so it's been quite busy. Peter is home this week finishing off our dream kitchen.

I went to Dr. Williams today and he was very happy with me. From today I cut my Avanza down to half a tablet every second day and the same with the oral HRT. In a month I can stop the Avanza and in six weeks I can stop the oral HRT. Interestingly, with my 'no diet' way of thought, I haven't put on an ounce in three months, plus the exercise hasn't been like I was doing before with the kitchen and Mickey. My fat percentage went down, not a lot, but I was rapt as I have lost weight before but the fat percentage has stayed the same. I am excited about dropping off those other meds.

The doctor is expensive, but I think it's well worth it.

The kids are really happy to be on holidays too. My sister in law has given them a PS2 as her son has a new Wii console. My kids are over the moon, and have no idea they actually have it on a long term loan. Perfect timing for over the holidays.

The weather has been cold and I am loving it. I love wearing winter clothes and I bought two pairs of winter footwear last Saturday. I got a lovely pair of boots and a pair of Colorado closed in shoes. I have worn one pair of them everyday this week. They keep my tootsies warm.

I am knitting again!! Can you believe it? After I put my knitting stuff in the St. Vinnie's bin earlier this year, I have been inspired by Suzy . Thank you Suzy for getting me started again. I am just knitting a scarf, something nice and simple. I haven't knitted in about ten years, and haven't made anything complicated in about 20 years, so I thought a pair of socks might be a bit ambitious.......

We are going out this afternoon to pick out the colours for the exterior of our house. Our house looks rather daggy and is in desperate need of a freshen up.......

I will post the colours when we choose them. I am a huge fan of Resene Paint It goes on really well and is quite thick and also hard wearing. I love it.

Living gets in the way of life.

It feels like that sometimes doesn't it? I thought that with having Mickey home all this week, it would be a quiet time. I was welcoming it.. How wrong I was! We had things to do everday. I was out every single day this week. It was inconsequential stuff which really needed doing.
* I bought a new heater, and then took it back because it wouldn't work on the carpet, and then with the same money bought a cheaper heater, two windcheaters for Mickey and a couple of throw rugs for the kids to snuggle under in front of the TV.
* Bought Mickey some new shoes as the others were cut off in Emergency.
* Bought and tried sample pots of paint. Have chosen this colour for the kitchen. It's called Sea Nymph (see above, typical blogger I couldn't put it down here........)
* Had an unexpected cuppa with a friend which was nice.
* Cooked a divine pizza for dinner on Thursday, will post recipe on food blog.
* Cleaned and tidied and pottered around in my kitchen
* cleaned and vacuumed my house
* Baked Jam Drops in my new oven after the electrician got everything hooked up
* Picked up the slate and wall tiles
* Visited dear father in law in hospital, who is doing very well
* Had a couple of girlfriends make a flying visit
* Spent the day with my Mum yesterday and bought a pair of boots and a pair of Colorado closed in winter shoes. The sale was buy one pair get the second pair half price. Gotta love a good sale. I will have those shoes forever. I hate having cold feet and only having a pair of court shoes and a pair of sand shoes as my only closed in ones. We also haunted every kitchen shop in the Plaza. I bought a new stab blender too, as I killed the last one - so only got a cheap one this time.
* A grocery bag broke and a 2L bottle of cordial and a 2L bottle of soft drink fell on my toe. It was black and swollen it looked like a plum. I put a needle through it on Friday night, so at least yesterday I could wear shoes and walk around all day.
* Took Mickey to outpatients appointment on Thursday morning.
* Went out and scrapbooked on Friday night
* Went dancing on Tuesday night.
* Am exhausted just reading about my week.
* Sammy's eyes are playing up again, so doing the drops again
* Mickey still on antibiotics - he will have sutures out tomorrow.
* Had to take disciplinary action toward my eldest son. His behaviour and attitude is not the best at the moment, so we have an action plan, which includes losing all his privileges which he has to earn back week by week with the right behaviours and attitude. I think we got through him. Now we just have to stick by our plan and hope and pray he breaks ties with these kids that he is hanging around with at school. Have made the teachers aware of this, so Billy-Joe knows we will be keeping a close eye on him.
* Have read a book called 'A Boy called It" By Dave Pelzer. A gut wrenching true anecdote of a child suffering abuse......... Should make my own kids read it, especially Billy-Joe and then he will realize how blessed he is- and how tragic others lives can be. This was not light, relaxing reading, so I will have to find something else to read for enjoyment. Mind you this book was like a car crash, I couldn't put it down. I had to know that it would be alright. I have the other two books to read as well. Obviously he endures more..............

I am sitting at my pc today, with it covered as the dust is flying through the house, hopefully for the last time, so tonight I will do another big clean. I can't wait for it all to be finished now!

Oh Mickey

The long weekend started really well. I got up latish, and then decided to go out and buy the tiles and slate for our new kitchen. Billy-Joe came with me, I had to do the groceries too.

My alarm bells started ringing about 35 minutes after I left. I rang Peter from the tile shop and he didn't answer the home phone or his mobile. I thought maybe, he'd gone to the hardware store. a girlfriend rang me about 1 1/2 hours later and said she'd rung at home and it rang out. I was quite worried by this stage. I got home, ran inside and no note to be found. The back sliding door was open!! I went around the house looking for blood. CSI would have been proud of me. I went across the road and asked a neighbour if she'd seen Peter leave in a hurry, she said she hadn't noticed.

Just then Peter arrive home. He had been in casualty with Mickey, who had shot himself in the foot with the nail gun. He was given antibiotics after the nail was removed and the shoe was cut off. He was apparently very brave, and did the whole thing with happy gas. About an hour later, the hospital rang and they wanted Mickey brought back to the hospital to stay and to have surgery to have the wound debrided. So I took him up - waited until he was comfortable and asleep and I left. I was still unshowered and hadn't eaten. I dropped in to see the girls and got home around 10.30pm. At 2.30am I got a phone call, Mickey was unsettled - would I come and stay. I packed up and spent the weekend with my little boy in hospital.

He had surgery on Saturday morning, and was very brave. He didn't even cry until he was coming out of the anaesthetic in recovery. It was then that he wanted to go home. The whole weekend he was so good. He just lay quietly in his bed watching 'Spongebob' cartoons and the odd dvd. We were very happy to come home yesterday afternoon. I slept like a log last night. Sleeping in a crappy bed with a lot going on was surefire way of me not getting much sleep. I just slept in little snatches - so I was very happy to be in my own bed last night.

Today I awoke and felt like crap. So often once the crisis is over, I feel really awful. I feel better now, this evening. I have gone back to enjoying my kitchen. Don't get me wrong, not for one moment over the last couple of days did I count my blessings - especially considering the accident with Mickey could have been horrific, I just needed time to get my 'zing' back. I am planning on waking up with it in full force tomorrow.

Brrrrrr

It's so cold here at the moment. I must say I quite like it - it makes a nice change. I had to buy the kids new flanelette sheets for their beds as they said they were cold last night. I am about to hop into the shower to clean it, but will shower myself and get into my jammies. I love snuggling and being cosy in this type of weather. The air is so brisk - we don't have cold here much. When this uploads I will check out my weather pixie to see how cold it is. My southern counterparts will laugh - I know - because it really isn't anywhere near as cold as it is for them. I don't have to wear a coat or have to have an electric blanket - necessities when I lived in Geelong No gloves, scarves or woolen beanies.........except the beanies the kids, have mainly for fun. The kids are outside with track suit pants on and long sleeved t'shirts. They are all barefoot - no sense no feeling lol.......... I have the doors shut, which happens only on really cold days and makes the house feel really weird, I am so used to having everything wide open. I didn't even have my ceiling fan on last night.

I think it's pretty cool from here south, so I hope everyone is keeping snug. I just checked the weather pixie, it says 17 degrees. I always say that anything under 20 degrees is cold. Funny thing is though the poor weather pixie is wearing a midriff top!!!