HAVING A WHINGE

I am so busy trying to catch my tail at the moment, I don't know if I am coming or going.

Here is the checklist for work:
Year 7 music correction (one class of 27 kids)
Year 8 Music correction (four classes of 27 kids- all on the computer!)
Year 9 Music preparation
Year 11 Music Performance preparation
Year 11 and 12 Music Styles preparation and correction
Before school theory correction
tutoring of year 12 music student
tutoring of Year 8 percussion kid
supervision of student teacher (he is improving?)
Units of work for Year 7 + 8 Music
Helping graduate teacher with registration (ongoing)
Sorting out comments on the report
Band and choir music preparation

I think that is all........ so far I have completed the Year 7 music correction.

I am ok with all the other stuff at home and socially - although I don't have enough energy after the day!

Well that is my daily whinge over and done with. I have finished my grumble with the world. I shall now get on with the work that I have to do.

a weekend away

I spent the weekend away and I am quite refreshed. I was in bed about 9.30 pm both nights - which blew me away totally. It was cold and the wood fire made me feel toasty and content, so much so I couldn't resist my bed for too long.

The first night I slept in a tent while the chill settled around. I had my super-dooper sleeping bag and I was told I looked like Kenny from South Park. I am not sure if others experience the cold hip issue but I took an extra sleeping bag to get the hips warmed so I wouldn't have to get out of bed too often to visit the 'long drop'. (A toilet without any plumbing - just a big hole in the ground with the toilet seat above it.)

The rains came on Saturday afternoon and a good 8mls fell over night. Many of the others had gone through the late afternoon and early evening so I was able to move into the 'shack' for the night. I was quite warm and slept all the way through (which for me is a novelty!)

There was a beautiful purpose to the weekend - a memorial for my friend's sister who died late last year. It was sad but it was also quite uplifting. Her father gently guided us through the sprinkling of the ashes (undertaken by the daughter's partner) in a hole where her favourite native tree was to be planted. Her goddaughter read a poem, the nephews and nieces helped back fill the dirt, solar lights were placed either side of the tree so that "she would not be in the dark" and then the youngest sister read a poem.

I missed the funeral last year as I was on a school camp. It turned out to be a bad week that week - a friend's sister lost her battle with cancer, my brother-in-laws mother died and then the guy I was on camp with had to leave on the second morning as his father had passed away as well. Even if I had wanted to go to the funeral I was suddenly in charge of the camp. Being at the family bush house was important to me to show that I was with them - but it was also a chance for me to say my goodbyes.

Smoke get's in your eyes

Melbourne is awash with smoke. Last night I had to turn the recycle air button on as it was so thick that I couldn't open the window of my car and the air coming through the vents was awful.

Driving home from an excursion today I realised that the horizon looked like someone had held a piece of gauze out in front of me and stretched it so that you could see the distance almost clearly.

Everything smells of smoke. I have not put my washing on the line - I have clothes horses up around the house instead but they still smell of smoke.

One of the State Government departments has decided that now is the time to burn off the overgrown bushland. There is hardly any wind at the moment so we have this high level of pollution just sitting around. I live near the bay so I get a small amount of bayside breeze and some clearing of the smoke, but still I find my throat is dry and irritated (over the top of the cold that I have).

On the plus side - it is a long weekend starting now! I am happy. I am home (still have a singing lesson to get to but that is nothing.) I will be away for 2 nights and I plan to relax. I have some correction to do but I will do that early. Oh the sleep ins......

BUSY BUSY BUSY!

Why is it that when you are quite busy, and that you seem to have so much on your plate that someone comes along and adds to it?

I don't have an answer to this but I thought I would put it out there and see what you all think.

This week has been just as hectic as usual. Monday I didn't know if I was coming or going. Tuesday was better (1/2 day stoppage can do that to you). Today I am still at work - trying to catch up on correction (blogging is not really helping).

Who knows what tomorrow will be like.

Update. Student teacher - much improved. We had a "hallelujah" moment the other day. He realised that teaching means reflecting on your own learning......Hooray! I was stoked.

He was viewed by the University Lecturer today and she had a great chinwag with him. He seemed to change in attitude towards me after that. WOW! I am quite excited by that. He told me about something I had not known about before and then I asked him to explain it further. Through this process he then told me that he felt uncomfortable about being in the "teacher role" with me. I stated that I am not a guru and I have a lot to learn. Yes there are things that I do well - but then I have the experience there and I am willing to share.

I told him that I am trying to model the behaviour I would expect from him, even if there are differences of opinion or clashes. (we both laughed).

Things have improved.

Short and sweet

I caught up with a good friend last night and asked her if she had read my blog lately. She said she hadn't as I write too much. I laughed at this - as did she because we were having a chuckle over it. I also talk lots too.

So here is a blog for her - short and sweet. I promise to be succinct.

I feel energetic about life again.

• I have started tracking my food (was getting a little out of control).
• Exercise - am getting this back on track without it costing an absolute fortune.
  
• My friends are fantastic and are keeping me grounded and are looking out for me in more ways than one.
• Family bonds are getting strong again.
• Professionally I am very much on track (but very hectic).
• Romantically - not involved with anyone, but I am quite content at the moment.
• Socially I am having lots of fun.
• Financially - starting to get "control" for the future.
• Neighbourly - well they're the lowest point of my life BUT I am starting to sort this out.

So that's it. I love my life again.

Have a great Sunday.

FRIDAY ON MY MIND

I've pretty much had a great day. I taught all day without any student teachers watching me teach or asking me questions about why I did what I did. I did have a conversation with my student teacher about what I had taught to my year 8 class that I had expected him to teach. he didn't witness it but he thinks that the paper I wrote the lesson plan out for him is "gold". I think he is sucking up!

He announced to me at lunch that a university lecturer will be coming to 'see' him on Wednesday next week during the Year 8 class and that he was going to move onto something different. Two things went through my mind - "shit, that is the class he had when I was absent last Wednesday and he hasn't really got a huge amount of control of them." and "why does he want to teach something new...he hasn't finished the other topic."

I dealt with the 2nd thought first. "No, you haven't finished rhythm. Why do you think you are going to move on....." then going on to explain why he needed to 'finish' a topic so that he could regain some sense of control with the kids and then also giving meaning to each topic and not allowing them to become just time fillers.

I am still thinking how I will deal with the first thought. I think he should be allowed to gain some control with the kids before a lecturer comes out to see him. I will chat to the coordinator on Monday and see what he thinks. I think I will then contact the university lecturer and ask her to ring me to discuss this. I might have to explain why I am hesitant to have another visitor come into a class with him. Maybe the week later would be better.....

The rest of the day was full of fun and laughter. There was a lot of thought in the day as well. I started the day with a quick test with my year 11 class and they have done pretty well. Great work to them. I had a chuckle with my form group as we got through the footy tipping and finding out who wants to nominate for the junior school council. My year 8 class kicked bottom - they rock! Year 9 performance was great - even the bit when one boy told me "please don't be offended Miss but your shirt is distracting me as it reminds me of Rainbow ice cream." I haven't stopped smiling over that. He was very concerned that he might offend my sense of fashion (silly boy - he should know that I don't have a strong one....) Finally I got to work with my year 12 boy on Sculthorpe's "Earth Cry". Great!

After the teaching day I caught up with the Student teacher and then we had some drinks to say a fond farewell to another fill in teacher. I love the fact that I get to meet so many other teachers but I hate that they only stay for a short period of time.

Dinner with another group of friends - some in better moods than others. I saw the movie "Lars and the Real Doll" which was fantastic. I think this will become a favourite of mine. It is funny and thought provoking at once.

two days in one hit.

Did you miss me? I don't expect an answer to that as I might not like the answer.

Tuesday night I got my hearing checked. (What's that you say?) I found out that my hearing is still in the normal range and that I have no real loss at the moment. I was stoked. I have been practising as a musician for the last 25 years of my life and I have seen a lot of VERY LOUD bands. I was concerned that I might have lost the outer ranges of my hearing and I would be devastated if that was the case.

Once my hearing was checked I got fitted for 'musician earplugs'. That was a fun process. The audiologist got a piece of foam on string, cut it down to size and then inserted it into my ear canals. She then mixed two putties together which causes a chemical reaction that makes it set. She injected that into the canals and I sat there unable to hear a thing while it set. Five minutes later she withdrew the now set putty using the string. The feel was weird but the relief to be able to hear again was brilliant.

The audiologist was excited about the depth she got into my ear - the deep she is able to go the better for me and the plugs I will get made. We then had a quick discussion about the dB I would be getting cut down. Her recommendation is 25dB (the maximum) as I work with 70+ untrained musicians in a hard acoustic space. Each child has an instrument (brass, woodwind and percussion) and it is very noisy. If I find it too hard I have a week to decide and change to a lower level.

I thoroughly recommend that everyone gets their hearing checked and look at preventative measures to keep what they have.

Update on the student teacher - he is improving still. He has now realised that I have a huge impact on the classes that I teach. I was absent yesterday and the year 8s went VERY silly on him. They were not rioting but it was enough for him to feel frustrated, ineffectual and basically out of control.

Today we unpacked the situation and I have set a very strong structure to how I want him to teach his classes - right from the first moment he walks up to the class to the time he lets them go. I am being a pedant over it and told him so but the idea, as I explained, is that the kids need strong structure to be able to be creative. I also explained that the sense of success that he will have with a strong set of guidelines is unbelievable.

I asked him to compare this thought process to what would happen with either improvisation or composition. There are strong guidelines and rules that are required for either - break them and you fall flat on your face. If you do break them, know why. I think he is starting to see what I am talking about. Today was the first day that he took notes in a meeting I had with him. HALLELUJAH!

One of his student teacher colleagues (not the one from the other week who had the 'conversation' with him) asked to see me teach. Once I got going in my lesson he was helpful with the kids and then quizzed me on why I did what I did. It was bizarre after my student. He told me that he wanted to see me teach as my approach in the staffroom led him to believe that I was a 'tough nut'. I pushed for a reason why. He said that the way I treat my student teacher was displaying a no-nonsense approach. He wanted to see this in the classroom but when he saw me work with the kids he felt a little disappointed.

I know the reason for this - my student teacher behaved like a dickhead and I am treating him with respect but that I will not tolerate any disrespect from him. I have to be rather tough with him. My students already KNOW that I can be quite tough if I have to be and that I will treat all others with respect. They understand the concept of 'shit me, I shit you'. It works like a charm. This guy who watched me teach today was surprised it didn't come up in the staffroom. He was also amazed by the discussion I had with them about to do group work or not.......Go figure.

100 and still going strong (?)

100! Woo hoo! I have hit 100 posts. I'm very excited. To be honest I didn't think that I would make it this far. I actually thought I would get bored, lose interest and not complete anymore. But here I am with 99 posts behind me and this one hitting 100!

Right, move on.

Finally I have finished the 3 nights of parent teacher interviews last night. I am now very tired. At least today I have only got a few classes to teach - but I have choir and a student teacher.

Choir will keep me entertained. 80+ kids in a room and me. I encourage their singing and listen for the harmonies. It is all good really. There is another teacher in the room but he is there for crowd control not real music teaching. We are preparing for a performance in a few weeks time.

Back to my student teacher. He finally taught a class yesterday and as I had thought, there is plenty of room for improvement. He has more presence than the one that Frogdancer had but we need to work on structure of lessons, engagement of the kids, tone and pitch of voice, and language choice when teaching. I am not sure I can be bothered today but, after his "I don't want to be here" moment last week, this is a major turn around and I might have to 'fake it 'till I make it.'

My apologies for a very lacklustre post - it is not what I had envisaged for the 100th. Please forgive me. I will try to increase my excitement level tomorrow.

missing text

There is something about telecommunications. This has happened a few times to me - someone has written a text message to me but it doesn't seem to get through.

The first major time that it happened was when this guy, who I had been interested in but then I discovered had VERY strange almost-religious beliefs, was sending me text messages. I didn't receive any texts from him and had no idea that he was trying to get through. The strange thing about all of this was the fact that when he and I spoke to each other in person he kept blaming me - as if I had got the text messages and was ignoring them. I didn't get any of them! It is hard to convince someone of this when they then 'test the theory' with you in the same space and lo the text appears! Makes you look dodgy! I still don't think he believes me.

Lately it has been happening with one of my very good friends. I send her a text to see what is going on - she replies and I don't get it. Again it does make me look dodgy but I am not getting the texts.....Take yesterday as an example. I sent a text asking where a group of people were meeting for lunch and then I heard nothing. I assumed that she was busy riding and didn't get the message but would respond later in the day when she got home. I was hunky-dory with that.

True, I did get a text message but it said "we missed you". I then realised that yet again someones text DID NOT get through. I should have rung her to say this but we had a text conversation instead - which can be a little scary as people can misinterpret what you are saying. Thank goodness that this didn't happen. We had a sort of chuckle with the lack of information that was getting through.

I really hate this. I hate the fact that something or someone in the telecommunications is stopping important texts getting though. It feels that someone has got it 'in' for me. I know that this is not the case...... It makes me really frustrated. It makes me look rude as I am not responding. OR if I have sent a text out and I get 'no' response, it makes the other person look rude to me.

sunday sunday

I am having a really quiet weekend and I am loving it! I didn't plan on doing very little this weekend. I thought I might get up to lots but the opportunity to relax and refresh hit me and I took it with both hands and I ran with it as fast as I could. (well considering that I am trying to relax that is just a lie. I actually took the opportunity and vegged out on the couch).

I have done a few things that I wanted and needed to do - household shopping, some reading and lots of knitting. I have sat with the cat on my lap and I have looked at the seventh series of 'Red Dwarf' I have played with the cat in the sunshine. I have laughed at her while she engages the cat from next door - more like her belting it in the face.....

Today I might have to do some work for school but I might also catch up with a few friends for lunch somewhere. Just see how I feel. I will begin the day with a good walk and some nutritious food.

another one for today

Just come back from my long walk with great friend and child who live around the corner. It was great - we debriefed the week and she now sees the distance I travel each day to get to work. she dropped her husband at work, which is near mine, and now understands why I say it is far. It was also great talking through student teacher. Her reaction "what an idiot", in amongst a lot of other things as well.

Anyway I got home and I put a load of washing on and knitted a few rows in my zipper cardigan with hood (yes I am making a hoodie!). Up to the right front now. Left front all done - looks smashing. I thought that I would quickly catch up on the blog reading and found that Laura had done this meme and I decided to do it to as it was interesting. If you feel inclined you can do it too. I am not tagging anyone!

7 former jobs
1. Personal care attendant in geriatric care
2. Chef assistant
3. House Cleaner (although looking at my place you wouldn't think that right now!)
4. Nanny
5. Private music teacher in own studio
6. Pamphlet deliverer
7. Babysitter

7 places I have lived (I have only put in the places I was for a long period of time)
1. Chelsea (current)
2. Ashburton (nearest I have got to living in the city after moving out of family home)
3. Berwick (Melbourne outer suburb)
4. Lang Lang (country Victoria - near Kooweerup where I worked)
5. Trafalgar (country Victoria)
6. Launceston, Tasmania
7. Hawthorn (family home, in Melbourne)

7 favourite foods
1. Lasagna
2. Moist, roast chicken
3. Zucchini and bacon muffins
4. Anzac biscuits
5. boiled eggs
6. pad Thai
7. walnuts and Vegemite sandwiches.

7 things I say frequently
1. shit happens
2. Lets all move on now
3. um
4. ok
5. do you understand
6. basically
7. aaargh (in relation to neighbours)

7 movies I have loved
1. Shawshank redemption
2. Lord of the Rings (all of them)
3. Fried Green tomatos at the whistle stop cafe
4. Pride and Prejudice
5. Toy Story
6. Walk the Line
7. Jane Austen Book Club

7 things I did today
1. paid the lawn mower man
2. went for an hour walk
3. did a load of washing
4. had breakfast
5. caught up on the blog reading
6. played with the cat
7. finished the front left of my cardigan

7 things I can see from my current location
1. messy coffee table
2. sleeping cat on chair beside me
3. sunlight on the fence and plants outside the door
4. turned off television
5. 'An Irish Blessing'
6. Wool for my unfinished jumper/cardigan
7. Contents of my handbag spilling out everywhere

7 people I would like to have dinner with
1. Morgan Freeman - great actor
2. Dalai Lama (at the moment it would be interesting)
3. Kevin Rudd (current Prime Minister and talk about his overseas trip.....)
4. Schoenberg - the composer so I can ask him "why?"
5. Ella Fitzgerald - great technique that I could ask her about
6. Boadicea - it would be interesting to hear her views of the world and see if she really was a radical/revolutionary
7. Dr Hedley Beare - I loved him as a lecturer and would love to catch up.

I have never
1. been arrested
2. lived in a defacto relationship
3. had children (not sure if I do)
4. bought property
5. traveled to Europe/Africa/Americas
6. reversed a vehicle with a tow successfully
7. renovated my own place

7 things on my to-do list
1. Buy my own place
2. Have an amazing vegetable garden
3. Travel to Europe
4. Write a book
5. Fall in love for life
6. Be financially successful
7. Laugh, like there's no tomorrow

Go on and have a go yourself.

Moving reflection

I've started having a look for places. It is very frustrating. I really love the unit I'm in. It's just that I have dickheads for neighbours (I wont go into again here!) and that I am so far from work. This week I have really noticed the distance I travel. I am leaving for work at 7.20- 7.25 am and getting to work pretty much at 8am. Sometimes I might get there a little later depending on the traffic but I am over it.

I look at the pictures of the places that are available and I sigh as I realise that I am in such a BIG unit. Then I growl at the neighbours (who have been quiet but that is just spooky) for the fact that they seem to have forced my hand in this regard.

I have made this HUGE decision that I will not move until I have saved the moving money. I have finally got to the amount I wanted to save for my house deposit by this time. I am not touching that so I have to save again.....this should take me about 6 or 7 pays so I will look around and see what is on the market place and then move when the time is right. I feel quite content within myself.

I am lucky in that I have had people giving me lots of support in this decision. My singing teacher told me on Thursday night (while he was making me do vocal aerobics!) that I should engage the positive visualisation so that I don't end up next to more idiots. He is right and I am trying to work out what I think the 'ideal' neighbour is. What I should also do as part of this is picture what things my neighbours do that annoy me and then think the absolute opposite - or something along those lines.

I'm off on a walk now on an overcast Saturday where I will spend most of the day doing work for my Year 12 kiddy.

end of the week

It seems to be settling down everywhere - although the wind is picking up!

My student teacher seems to have calmed down a great deal. I found out that a teacher he had previously (and someone who supervised me) dropped dead earlier this week - on the weekend. This would have affected him greatly! But he is quieter, listening and he is really starting to sort things out in his brain. I have backed right off so he has to take some initiative himself and he is. yay!

I put a complaint in about my neighbours - yes I am moving but I need to make sure that the point is made to them too! I have complained to the local council - an environmental complaint. I have told the council about the TV and stereo and also about the wood fire thingy that they have against the fence line. The woman asked me about speaking to them. I laughed and said that considering the way that they speak to each other I will not go near them.... Now I am waiting for the person who will investigate to get back to me.

Have a great weekend.

quick updates

So he stayed. Just thought I would let you all know.

When he came in on Wednesday we had a deep and meaningful conversation - I pointed out my thoughts about what I had overheard and the fact that it was a stupid thing to have occurred and he agreed. He was rather sheepish but he did apologise!

Today he is much better. We talked through his lesson ideas and he was amazed about how much he would actually be able to get through, or more appropriately how much he would not get through in one lesson. Like most student teachers he is not aware of the learning capabilities of kids, especially considering the fact that there will be lots of behavioural issues to work through as well!

I think it will be ok. We'll see.

Neighbours update. (You have been waiting....)

Mother and daughter had the BEST argument that I have EVER heard them have. It was out in the backyard, there was yelling, there was swearing and there were tears! Great! This took place at 9pm and went on for a good 45 minutes. It also included door slamming and phone calls to others as 'witnesses'. Seeing I was bored by what was on tv at that stage I listened in.

Since I have decided to move I find that it is quite amusing. I realised that I just need to move from the bogan capital of the seaside suburbs of Melbourne. I need to move to an area where I will hear a more civilised argument! I have decided that 7 more pays should do it beautifully.

the trials of a student teacher

Oooh I have had a few interesting days. My student teacher started yesterday. I think he might finish today! It is quite an interesting process that I have been through with him in the last TWO days.

Yesterday he came in all smiles, everything sounded good, he was wanting to do what he could to work with the classes and I was given the responsibility of looking after him. This is his first round EVER and generally it is quite overwhelming to say the least. The concept of preparing interesting, well-thought out classes and taking control of a group of students who are not yours is a challenge to say the least. I have tried to help him make some decisions with what he is going to do and even set him up to see a couple of very young male teachers to watch so that he could see good practice. This is all part of what I understand to be my role as the supervising teacher.

Today I overheard him tell another student teacher that I am babysitting him! He didn't realise that I was in the room at the time that he said it. I pretended I didn't hear what he was saying but it did affect both him and I. I backed right off. He started treating me with kid gloves. I didn't broach this subject with him all day. I spoke to the other person that I am sharing the student teacher with and said that he would need to talk to him as I was not ready to deal with him just yet.

I overheard part of the conversation - my partner in this basically TOLD him what he expected from him: dress (no jeans), preparation for classes needed to be done by Friday and that we would not put him in front of the classroom until that was done and finally that a timetable for observation needed to be organised by the end of today. By the end of the time the spoke my partner told me he thought the student teacher was coming across as quite arrogant.

I ignored him for most of the day - he obviously doesn't really want my help and I have plenty to do without him. (I know it was not the most professional thing to do but he made me very cross and I had to get on with my job.)

Today was a crazy day - my normal teaching load, choir and parent-teacher interviews at the end of the day. On top of this I have a huge pile of correction to do and then a student teacher who is trying my patience.

After I took choir I had my final class for the day and my student teacher watched me deliver the class. He had seen me teach the same class to another group of kids earlier in the day so his job was to observe how things change with a different group of students. We were discussing what was the difference between the classes and he dropped the line "you are an awesome teacher but I am not sure that I want to be here." So I unpacked this statement - was it the school or teaching in general? He thinks that it is teaching in general. He stated that he will "talk to his counsellors" from the uni and let me know tomorrow.

Whatever he decides I will discuss the comment and that he needs to own it and that he also needs to think through what he expects from others who are paid to 'look after' his interests etc.

freaking the cat

I have freaked the cat out completely. Not hard when you rearrange your room and have the bed in a different place to where she sat on it earlier. Even after two days she is a little wary of the bed being in a different position. She sneaks into my bedroom and then just stops and looks at the bed with wide eyes and then sits. It has made me laugh a lot.

I know she is really freaked. I woke this morning and the bed was surrounded by her small stuffed toys that she has brought to me during the night. You have to be prepared if you get out of bed in the middle night for a toilet stop. You stand on something soft, squishy and it squeaks which freaks you out completely.

With these thoughts in mind I will now get ready for work and the first day back of term.

This is it

I have just read Joh's blog and Frogdancer's blog. Funny how all us teachers run on the same line. I was going to write about how it is the end of the holidays and that I have done this, not done this and that I feel that I should've done that. They seem to have covered that pretty well so I might have to go on a slightly different tangent.

I woke up this morning and realised that I was all out of kilter. I put the clocks back an hour before I went to bed and rolled over this morning to look at the time and thought 'Huh?' It looked like it was 7am outside (the time I have woken up most mornings - which is a sleep in for me!) but the clock said 6am. At least I know that I will be able to wake in time tomorrow morning.

I rearranged my bedroom yesterday. I just turned the bed around so that my feet are not facing towards the door. Apparently that is really good Feng Shui the way that I have my bed now. It was a little disconcerting waking up this morning and facing a different wall. Good thing about this was the fact that I could roll over and open the blinds without actually getting out of bed - lazy thing I know but it was a novelty this morning.

I decided that as it was early I would have a lie in and watch the world go by. I got up and fed the cat, also opening the back door so she could escape and do her thing, then made a cup of coffee which I took back to bed. I lay there looking at the world through the window and realised that you really don't see a lot when you are in the back unit in a large group of units. There isn't a cloud in the sky so I couldn't even watch the changing patterns of the clouds. So I read for a bit - 6 chapters later I got up. It was more the impact of watching the lady in the unit in front of mine weeding her garden. When my bed faced the other way I never saw such industrious people - that's the thing with vertical blinds, you can hide the working world.

As I have a student teacher starting tomorrow I think I might have to do some preparation for tomorrow. I have to look prepared. So that is my plan for the day - as well as a walk along the beach later this afternoon. I might sneak a little bit of knitting in and maybe even some more reading.

Enjoy your day - the weather here in Melbourne is glorious.

I love shopping.

Yesterday I went shopping and spent more on the new wool than the clothes I got for work.

I went to my favourite shop for jackets and skirts. That's all I buy there. I spent a whole $20 on two skirts - fully lined, and two fully lined jackets that are nicely tailored.

So where do I shop for these bargains? Savers. I have always been an op shop type of girl. I love going in and reclaiming articles of clothing that look like they really need an airing. I go to this particular shop (which supports groups like the Diabetes foundation) once every few months. I don't go more often as the 'unique' items don't come in frequently. I flip through the clothes looking at the same box shape and colour/texture material jackets/skirts until I come to something that is different. Yesterday it was a fully lined Perri Cutten jacket, single breasted and olive green tweed. It was marked at $7.99. A bargain I thought. I kept looking through various items and finally picked up another jacket (a pink one) and two skirts.

As I was moving to the counter an announcement came across - For each green tagged item (all the clothes have a colour tag which represents when they came in) that you pay for in full you receive another coloured tag at half price! This is why I paid no more than $20. That jacket I badly described I got for $4! SUPER bargain.

Now I will just get them dry cleaned. I might go across to other op shops today.

walking in the wind

It's Thursday and I have 3 1/2 days left before having to go back to work.

I have been walking pretty much daily for about an hour each day. I will catch the train four days a week from Monday onwards so that I can get an hour walk in still. The feeling - especially in the wind - is sensational. Today when I walked along the beach it was invigorating. It was amazing. With the crazy winds that we had yesterday the tide came RIGHT in - I mean right up to the sand dunes. It was on the way out as we walked along the beach. The wind was blasting in and we struggled to walk the 500m along from the strand to the yacht club. The wind chill factor was out there - it felt like it was about 9 deg cel. (I will learn how to put in the superscript at some stage on here).

While we were pushing along the beach we talked to a crazy man and his dog. I call him a crazy man as he was in shorts, bare foot and was walking along in the water. We said that we thought it was amazing that he was walking without shoes on. Gruffly he replied "What's five degree difference between being in the water and out of the water? It is really refreshing and it makes you know that you're alive. There are some people who really want to be out here but they're not brave enough. I couldn't imagine not being out here in this." His dog did not look happy to be out there - in fact the dog was excited that there were a few others out in the weather with him...... strange. We left him to wander along in the wind, cold and tidal waters.

I might go and do some preparation for work now.

lighten the day

My goodness it is windy here! There are gusts of over 120kmh at the moment. I feel like I should have ruby red shoes on, have a white dog named Toto (instead of my black cat) and be calling for 'Auntie Em.'

The great thing, I think, about these winds is that even if the neighbours make it outside I wont hear them!

With the help of a friend from round the corner, I have taken the bamboo blinds down and taken all the lighter objects inside. When I move the bamboo blinds are ready to go. Another positive.

I seem to have come through the anger stage of my existence. I feel much lighter in energy and spirit. I think allowing yourself to feel the emotion is a great thing to do - sometimes you should leave it well alone, but this time it was worth it. I went with the feeling of anger, and a lot of good seems to have come out of it.

A very good female friend of mine suggested that anger is often a catalyst to sorting things/events/other emotions out. I agree. After the last few days I am feeling that I am getting things sorted out in my head. I have also realised, thanks to the newly named Foo, that sometimes you have to reevaluate your goals and look at the smaller goals along the way.

I will not move hastily but will find somewhere that is what I want to move into.

Thanks to my friends and family who have been there while I have felt like a real grump. Apparently I don't show the grump obviously but I do say some things that I wish I could open my mouth and change feet. It can be rather embarrassing at times when you realise that what you have said and the tone that you have said it in is rather abrupt and offensive. Face reactions of others can be a good indication that you might have crossed the line.....

Also - had a hair colour and cut today. Amazing how a simple hair cut can not only lighten your hair but your mood. I look brilliant - but there will be no photos for you, you will have to trust me and hope that I am not exaggerating.

Reflections

I am thinking at the moment: do I move or do I stay?

My neighbours have been seriously annoying me for the last two years. They moved in two years ago and they have started affecting me greatly. In the first year that they were here they were only outside late on a summers night. I was frustrated with their loud yelling, loud television etc but once the colder weather hit they moved inside.

I had 6 months of bliss when the cold weather hit and the fact that they were not that noisy.

October last year they appeared outside again - with an amazing crash! We started October with a party or two for someones birthday, the mother and daughter had an argument over the daughter's boyfriend and then there were just daily stupid things that they happily yelled to each other about.

You need to understand how close they are. I live in high density housing. It is all part of the push where large properties are being subdivided and units are going up on blocks that once had a large house and HUGE backyard. I am lucky in the fact that I have a larger backyard. The width of my back yard is the same as the depth of my lounge room. I share less than 2metres of fence line with these neighbours and they are the depth of my lounge room and double that distance away. In the scheme of units they are far away from me - but they behave as though they are living on a farm.

So back to their behaviour. November hit and I was marking papers for the final exams of Year 12. The daughter and her boyfriend spent many a night outside listening to the dulcet tones of some really boring music that is popular at a very loud volume. This is the only time that I have yelled. They reacted and it was better - for a while. The weekend of the federal election my nephew stayed here and told me of the all night party they had (I was away on a school camp) - it went to 4am complete with slamming doors etc. On the night I came home (Sunday night) mum and daughter had one of the best arguments I have EVER heard at 11pm. I was not so worried but I had been asleep for 2 hours and they woke me.

December there were many a party and often late night watching of movies on the patio - I think that they have surround sound set up. They also had another late night party with doof-doof music. I complained to the police at 2am when the man behind ran outside and yelled for them to stop (he is in his 70s). I discovered that they loved the 20/20 cricket and cheered along with that as they drank the summer evenings away. My favourite time has been listening to them having some very in depth discussions about life, the universe and everything. It dawned on me that they are like most main stream Australians - they are VERY heavy drinking, racist, sexist and completely consumed with their own self worth.

January was not much better, but by this time I had put in a complaint to the real estate agent and they had rung around the various places and found out that they were quite disgusting so a noise complaint was issued. This was received with a great deal of laughter and mirth over the fence.

One of the big issues that I had was the fact that I could see them - they were there all the time, but I had put fence toppers up and a creeper along one topper which had blocked them somewhat. I also put blinds up outside the main windows, one to stop the heat but two to stop me being able to see the neighbours.

January was awful - worse than the last January. The first January they were there I discovered that the man who was the mother's boyfriend, was an alcoholic. He was disgusting (swearing at the top of his voice - and I learnt new combinations!) but because he 'lived' outside the daughter and the mother didn't come outside that often. I think he moved out during the 6 months of bliss. But this January there were two new boyfriends (one for mother and daughter) and they spent the whole time outside. They had a new kitten and a bird in a cage.

February came and a new fence went up - except for the section I share with them?!!? They put up the fence toppers and then installed the spot light, the wood burner and started having later nights outside. This was the month I discovered their joys in football. They watched the pre season matches and sang the victory song of whatever team at the top of their voices at 11pm on a Friday night.

March. They were quiet over the long weekend and Easter but had three days of partying this last weekend. I decided that the worst part was starting up at 9am on the Sunday morning. There is nothing you can do as a neighbour. They are legally in the right time to make noise! The wood fire was going and my lounge room smelt of smoke for 2 days.

So having had a good whinge about them for the past 6 months, one of my sisters who reads my blog rang me and said I think it is time you moved.

This has been in the back of my mind for a good 6 months. The reason why I ha vent decided to move straight away is the fact that I want to purchase property. I want to get into my OWN place before I am 40. I decided that it would be better to stay and save then move and spend more in rent etc.

I threw this argument out there and I have had it knocked down a few times - look at the interest rates, look at the price of housing at the moment. Do you really want to get into this just now? Some excellent questions which has made me stop and think a great deal.

I decided yesterday afternoon that I would start looking at properties closer to work because in the scheme of swings and roundabouts I would spend more in rent but less in petrol and car wear. Suddenly I have had handymen turning up at the unit to 'fix' things that I have talked about for the last few months. I could be cynical and suggest that the estate agent have registered that I am very unhappy and now are doing all they can to make me happier so I will stay, but I wouldn't stoop that low.

So I know that I have answered my own question. I think I will move. But "Where to?" I now have the new task of finding somewhere that is nice, close to work and QUIET! As my sister also pointed out - if I move to an area near where most of my single friends live my lifestyle will also change somewhat.....

I will keep you posted.