Sick and Injured.

This week brought the bug of whatever's going around at the moment, with Yaz having 2 days off from school and myself feeling particularly unwell, but still plodded on working. Yaz was getting over the flu which she caught on the weekend, and I had a sore throat/fever thingy. Bailey has non-stopped coughed all week also and Ian is just fine and dandy!

I can't believe how close we are to Xmas again. Tomorrw is the first of Spring, the beginning of the official countdown and I can't believe just how fast this year has gone...although I'm sure I said the same thing last year?! Fathers Day is just around the corner so I'll deal with that first before wondering what our festive season plans are this year.

I sat the hardest exam ever this week, whilst having the stupid bug, so I went into college Tuesday night feeling like I had failed even before I had begun! This exam has sent me into a nervous spin as I have never felt so uncertain about my results before. We still haven't got them and I just really hope that I don't have to re-sit it. I studied my heart out as I do with all of my exams, but this just didn't seem to stick, so I am just hoping for a pass this time around. I only have 1 more weekend at college left which is in a fortnights time so I am counting down the days to free weekends again, family time, beach time, chill-out time!

Yaz made it to the Regional Athletics carnival this Thursday, although at the beginning of the week we didn't think that she would be well enough. Unfortunately after leading the 400mt race at a good rate, as she came around the second bend, she kind of twisted her ankle which nearly put her at a complete halt, but she managed to finish the race with pain on her face and a tear in her eye. She hobbled off the track and had to be supported back to the school tent, so after icing it, we took her home where she rested it for the rest of the day. Later on that day Yaz was also complaining of a sore back which we didn't think was that much of an issue. The next day, she walked to school with her ankle feeling obviously better yet she still complained of her back playing up. Anyway a couple of days has passed and I came home from college yesterday to find her hunched over in her room in agony with her back! I put her on the floor in the lounge room and put her through a couple of stretches and gave her a quick massage and afterwards she felt alot better...a couple of hours later she was back to square one, in tears, in agony and in a hunched over position. We put heat on it...made it worse, we put ice on it which numbed it and made it bearable for her. After a couple of pain killers she was able to get a good nights sleep. When I came home from college today, she is still in pain, although she seems to be more mobile, so I'm probably going to end up taking her to the Drs. this week to get it checked out. You just don't mess around with back injuries...way to delicate and precious! Will keep you informed. Hopefully it's just a strain or something, that's what it feels like to me as for a thirteen year old she has quite a bit of tension in her body, but being a massage therpaist I'm not allowed to diagnose anything so a visit to the Dr.s is the sensible thing to do.

Bailey has now officially signed up for the cricket season, so he has been practising his bowling etc today ready for the season ahead with the neighbours copping a few balls in their yard.. Another smashing season ahead and he is very excited about it!

Bailey also had a masquerade disco to attend this week at school and a 'book week' dress up parade.The theme for him in both of these was wrestling of course. I tried to get him to dress up as a variety of characters from the books he has, but he had a wrestling book and he wouldn't budge from that...made it easy for us though as he had the gear...normal clothes!

The coming week brings my car getting fixed. I have to take it in tomorrow and I'm not sure how long I will be without it, although I will get a courtesy car to putt around in. That's all that's on the cards at the moment, hopefully a nice quiet week with no more injuries or illnesses coming our way. There are so many people ill at the moment, always is this time of the year! Hopefully Spring will flush out the winter lurgies and bring on health and happiness...and snakes! Apparently our neighbours have had a few in their yard already, we haven't seen any yet but will definitely be very wary from now on.

Happy Birthday to Jake for this coming Saturday...have a great day! xxx

IN OUR OWN LITTLE WORLD!

We are literally living in our own little world, where without our cars and our jobs and schooling, we would be obscure to the outside world. Why? Because we have the crappiest connection with our phones and our computer and it frustrates me to tears! I had already done this post believe it or not, but as I went to publish it, the connection dropped out and I lost everything! It just seems to be getting worse and I can never get through to our provider and they never answer my emails so I don't know if or when this problem will get fixed. Hopefully before every hair on my head turns grey from stress! Sorry, just had to air my grievences...apparently it's very good for you!

Anyway...let's get on with the real world...

The whole working week was pretty mundane, just your average week for both Ian and I and nothing too exciting with the children either. I have been studying as much as possible as I had an exam today and I have a major one on Tuesday, so will be sticking my nose in the books for another two more days yet. Today at college however, we didn't have our usual lecturer and the guy that we had, we also had yesterday and he told us that he breeds snakes. So me being the excitable animal lover ,pestered him to bring in one of his pythons...so he did! 'Breddie' was her name and I don't know exactly what type of python she was but she was adorable. I just couldn't leave her alone and another colleague, Shannan and I kind of hogged her to ourselves. Some of the other students on campus weren't really that keen by the looks on their faces, where as others were quite content just having a feel and a pat, but we had her wrapped around us, hissing in our ears...apparently that was her talking to us as the owner said?! We let her go on the grassed area and she just kept coming back to us for a cuddle so we just loved the whole experience. It certainly took the stress out of just sitting an exam that's for sure!

Last night I had the absolute joy of meeting up with a dear friend of mine, whom I haven't seen for around 16 years! Kristin and I were fab friends in high school and when we left we just drifted apart as some of us do and I never really knew what happened to her. I knew that she would be either writing books or teaching English as this was her forte BIG TIME in school, and that is exactly what she got into, except she is a poet, one of Australias leading ladies apparently too! She also lives in Queensland, a few hours further North from us, but was in Brisbane for a couple of days on a poetry convention as the opening speaker and guest of honour! Pretty impressive!!! I was so nervous about meeting up with her as we have only just found each other again through being on facebook and have sent a few emails here and there. We had a great time together. I picked her up from her apartment and we found a small pub where we sat out the back so that we could have a quiet chat and we didn't stop! How do you sum up 16 years in a couple of hours, which is all I could unfortunately spare as I had the exam today which meant that I had to come home and do last minute study. We ventured to a gorgeous Thai restaurant and just laughed our way through dinner, remembering this and that of our lives in the eighties. It was only then that she realised and put two and two together and worked out where Yaz's name has come from...my obsession with Simon Le Bon, and his wife is called Yasmin! Kristin thought this was hysterical and she nearly wet her pants when I explained what Yaz's middle name was...Siobhan...for those that don't know, it's really not that hard to figure out, just another obsession with another band in the eighties! Her two children had no meanings behind their names what-so-ever, which made me feel like a sad eighties hang-on. Oh well, I wouldn't change Yaz's name for the world and I am proud of the origin and proud to still be a huge Duran Duran fan! At the end of the night, she gave me one of her poetry books as a gift with a little something that she wrote for me and I was just so thrilled and I will cherish this forever. Kristin has invited us to stay with them for a long weekend at her home, over looking Great Keppel Island, at the beginning of the Great Barrier Reef...think I might just take her up on that!

Well the winter sporting season is all over for Yaz and Bailey with Yaz finishing up last week and Bailey having his final game yesterday of Union. He apparently scored a tremendous try with people commenting on it, with one person saying that it was the best try all season. He was a big beamer when I came home last night as he was telling me about it. Ian had unfortunately forgotten to take the video camera but one of the other parents captured it, so hopefully we'll get a copy of it. His next big event is the Bledisloe Cup where his team are the Guards of Honour and will be running out with the Australian team...so keep your eye out for that match, he'll be on t.v. and Ian and I get tickets to the match too which is sooo exciting! A once in a life-time opportunity for him. Cricket is just looming around the corner and Yaz and Ian are actually talking about getting some surfing lessons in for Summer. I will be quite happy to watch from the sand capturing it all on video, although from the way that both Yaz and Ian are, I'm sure they'll both take to it instantly!

Today Yaz woke up not well at all. She couldn't move as she was all achy and had the worst headache, felt extremely nauseated and just generally unwell. She actually had a friend that had stayed the night, so she had to leave first thing. I just hope that her friend doesn't come down with it or that any of us do! There are so many bugs going around at the moment, there always is this time of the year though and they seem to be the hardest ones to get rid of too. So Yaz is hoping that she gets rid of it over the next day or so as she has an excursion on Wednesday and is in the Regional athletic carnival Thursday and Friday. Fingers crossed!!!

So I think that's it, hopefully if you are reading this then the computer has been favourable to me and has had enough connection to publish it.

Not for the faint hearted!

For those of you who read last weeks entry, you would know about my rather interesting college excursion that I was anxiously awaiting, which came around on Saturday 16th. I shall leave this story until the end of todays entry as it is probably going to be more in-depth than what some of you may want to know, so I'll fill you in on everything else that's happened...

Monday was a day off...for some...not me or Ian though, but the children had the day off due to 'The Ekka'!. The Ekka for those of you who aren't sure what this very 'Aussie' sounding thing is, is basically a week and a half for those around Queensland to attend an over-priced, over-hyped fair. Full of rides, with some reaching $40, show bags, gross fast food that should not be served in conjunction with peolpe going on stomach-churning rides, and side shows, displays etc and then the nightly fireworks. I have just realised what a hum-bug I sound like about all of this, because let's face it, take me to Dreamworld or places similar and I am one of the biggest kids there! I just can't see the point in paying an admission price, having to pay for every ride, plus all of your food and show bags etc... Yaz went down with a friend of hers on this Monday with $60, and it lasted her about an hour. She went on a couple of rides and picked up a show bag for her and Bailey and that was it! She messaged me about 1pm asking if I was at home because she was on her way...I expected her to be home in the late afternoon, and she said it was quite boring with alot of 'freaky' people there...I do apologise to anyone that was there on Monday, obviously she wasn't including you in the 'freaky' category! Wednesday was also a day off for the students, still to do with the 'Ekka'...I am yet to work out why? It's great for the children...defintely no complaints in that area! Ian also had this day off and I worked just up until midday and then again in the evening.

Friday was Mrs Tracy Kings birthday!!! Happy birthday to you luvvy!!! Hoping your day was a fab one!

During the week we had news from our dear friends about Dave being back in hospital, so again our love and thoughts are with you and just know that we're thinking of you 24/7.
We also booked flights for our two children to fly back home in September to spend a week at Mum's, who was very excited when I confirmed the details with her. No doubt they will be very spoilt during that week. Bailey is very excited as they are flying without us so this is a huge adventure for him, where as Yas is very blase about the whole ordeal...happy to be heading back though.

Yesterday was Yaz's last football match for the season, unfortunately they lost and this season wasn't as triumphant as their undefeated season last year, but she is fulfilled that she was a part of being in her element doing what she loves most for the past few months.

Today we had a 'day tournament' for Yaz with her and her touch football team. It was a general knock-out type tournament, but it was all the way in Toowhoop-whoop,(also known as Toowoomba, 2 & 1/2 hours south west. We had to be there at 9.00am, so Yaz, Bailey and I were up at 5.30am...something that I don't do! It was freezing too, but we got there in time. It was a lovely drive actually and alot of it reminded me of home, very pretty country side...apart from the enormous amount of road kill!... As soon as we got out of the car, the wind just blew straight through us and chilled us to the core! I had on jeans, a t-shirt, wool jumper and a fur-lined jacket,(not real fur of course!), and I just froze all day. I had to go to the car a few times just to sit inside with the heater on to thaw out. In between games, Bailey and I ventured into the local shopping area and all the shops were closed! So we just made the most of the day, trying to keep the circulation going by kicking Bailey's rugby ball around etc...and getting hot milos from the canteen. As it was, Yaz's team didn't win one game, so didn't make it through to the finals, so we got out of there earlier than expected and left around 2.30pm. Ian didn't come with us as he had his own football game to play, which they won 3-1, with him scoring 1 goal!

So that is all of the weeks news...oh, apart from little Gracie breaking her wrist! Wishing you a speedy recovery in your pink cast!

Are you ready for the gory details then? My trip to the 'Wetlab'...a morgue! It was actually in a Uni in the medical department, for those studying in that area obviously! I must admit I didn't know what to expect or how I would handle seeing dead bodies and dissections etc...but it was the most amazing experience. To begin with we went into a museum type exhibition where there were plastinicised body parts, award-winning dissections kept preserved in glass tanks, preserved embryos from all stages...that was amazing! The details from such an early stage were incredible! There were also numerous skeletons and bones, with a childs skeleton there which took me back for a while looking at it. Then after handling these 'pieces' and studying all different causes of death in relation to these 'pieces', we headed downstairs to the 'wetlab'. First we had to put on aprons, safety glasses and gloves and then the exhibits came out of their jars and bags...there were a few hearts, kidneys, lungs, livers, limbs, torsos, spines etc...all embalmed and in great condition. We got to handle all of these and looked at cancers, pace-makers, felt gall-stones inside the gall baldder, looked at the different layers of muscles...which I couldn't help but check to see if there were any adhesions...I wasn't the only one using massage techniques either by the way! Just to be able to see the muscles, the very thing that I work with everyday, just put everything into perspective and I suppose gave me the greatest insight to the human body possible! We got to look at the insides, pull things out etc...and it was just the most remarkable and educational experience I could ever imagine! The room next to us was full of bodies that had been embalmed and were ready for dissection from medical students, all laying in their body bags on the stainless steel tables, some hands or feet hanging out. I actually wasn't creeped out in the slightest which I don't know if that's disturbing or not? Then, we had a body brought to us, of an elderly lady, who had been partially dissected, but basically we could lift up her rib cage and check out underneath all of the organs etc... and then got to look at the rest of her. They kept her face and privates covered which was a good thing, but everything else was there for us to examine and touch etc...The whole time we were studying this lady, I couldn't help but wonder who she was and how her family feels about her donating her body to science. She was someones daughter and possibly Mother, Sister, Grandmother etc...and I felt sad in regards to that side of things. We then covered her up and were then shown the 'freezer'! This was stuff from horror movies...there must have been about 100 bodies in there, in there own bags, some heads in bags, limbs in bags etc...and it made me realise just how many people are so selfless by donating their bodies! Really, this is the ultimate sacrifice! We were told that sometimes they have to even turn bodies away because they have too many! WOW!!! We then moved on to the embalming room, where there were four bodies waiting to be embalmed, still with the catheters in their hands from hospital and their name tags on...I tried not to look at these as it just puts it onto another level, one that I don't think I could deal with. The whole time, the bodies and body parts are referred to as specimens, and if you know their names, it just turns it personal. I walked out of there, glad to be in the fresh air as it was quite pongy and I felt slightly chlostrophobic, but in awe of the selfless people out there because without them, we wouldn't have our medical professionals and our education would be so limited. The Uni has a thanksgiving day each year for those who donated and their families, and where possible, they send on the cremated hearts to the family. It is all done with the utmost respect and honour. Truly amazing and something that I will obviously never forget and will hopefully only benefit from in my new-found knowlege and understanding of the human body. Hopefully if you have read all of this you don't think I have lost it and can understand the importance of this excursion. If you've read on and are totally grossed out, don't say I didn't warn you. I didn't write down the details to make you squirmy, I just wanted to share this amazing experience with those who were interested and who have wondered about what it would be like or have experienced it themselves and have an understanding with me on this.

So that was this week, news from all areas, nothing boring in the slightest! Back to normal, everday entries for a while I would presume, so hopefully I haven't lost any of you because of this weeks detail. Love to you all xxx

SURPRISE!

What a lovely surprise I received on Monday at work. I had just had two very difficult clients and thought that my day had been a very negative ordeal, when I walked downstairs ready to leave work when the girls behind the desk pointed to a rather large box and told me I had a delivery. I had no idea what this could be and racked my brain for a moment, wondering whether I had ordered anything recently which I hadn't...and when I went to open it I got a wonderful surprise...it was a bouquet full of the largest strawberries I've ever seen, half natural, half dipped in chocolate and it was from my brother Dale and his wife Cass! After phoning him later on that afternoon trying to find an explanation to this gorgeous gift, I found out that they sent it to me just to let me know that they're thinking of me and how proud they are of where I am and all that I have achieved. I was so stoked and it just blew me away. Very unexpectant and one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me. I can't say thankyou enough, not only for the lush gift...which got devoured within 36 hours...but for making me feel like all of this studying and working is all worth while.

The rest of the week was the usual stuff...I had a couple of days feeling slightly unwell with a tummy bug and nausea, (no it wasn't from too much strawberry consumption!). I had to miss college on Tuesday night which always sends me ito a panick! Bailey had a game of rugby on Saturday in which he scored another one of his weekly goals. Yaz had no football this weekend and only has one game left to play next weekend then she is free for the rest of the year weekend wise anyway. Bailey is just about to sign back up for cricket so we will still be running around after him on Saturdays. I have nearly finished college...I went this whole weekend, and have three more weekends to go that carry out until 14th September. It's all too much at the moment and I am having to miss out on social events because of it. I know however that all of the hard effort I am putting in to my study will pay off and it will all be worth it.

We have just come back from the Hankins residence after a 4th birthday party...which somehow always turns into an adults drinking party...Edie and Daisy have reached the ripe old age of 4! I was late due to being at college all day and when I arrived, everyone was pretty tanked up and in full swing. Yaz didn't come with us as she wasn't feeling well so we didn't stay late as she was at home, but it was a good night and great to catch up with everyone that I've been invisible to for a while.

Next weekend I have my 'wetlab' tour,(the morgue!). I am really looking forward to this, not for the sick reasons, but for educational reasons only! No doubt I will have a small write up about it on next weeks blog.

That's about all that's happened this week...just an ordinary week with a beautiful strawberry surprise! Tune in to next next week if you dare to hear about the wetlab....

Time for a Change...

Welcome to my new blog...same old stuff, just different site. I have changed over because I was having problems with my old site and it was just getting a tad frustrating each week trying to fix problems...me trying to fix technological stuff...it never worked, so I bit the bullet and got myself a new one!
Things are good all round. I have not long gotten out of bed, it is now 4.14pm...I know, you must all be horrified, but I self inflicted myself into not feeling very well by having a few drinks last night with some friends. Apparently they are feeling just as rough so that makes me feel a little better. We had them over for dinner for the first time and stupid me thought that I would try a new dish...one that I have never tried or tasted before and it was disasterous and I was highly embarrased which is why I think I drank that one too many...everybody ate it...except me...but it wasn't good. That'll teach me for trying something new with guests over...I never learn. Ian had warned me too that morning, saying..."stick with something you know", but since it was a Jamie Oliver dish, I thought I couldn't go wrong. All of my Jamie Oliver cooking turns out a treat...I don't know where I went wrong!
Since my brain isn't fully functioning I have to think about what happened this past week...the only thing out of our everyday life was getting a phone call from my brother Dale who has booked a trip up here in October which we are so thrilled about! Unfortunately it is only for a few days but it is still time I can cherish with my dearly missed family! I shall have to organise maybe a dolphin cruise over to Moreton Island or a day trip to Australia Zoo, Montville,(for Cass), and ofcourse, to our favourite place...Mooloolaba! So much to do, so little time but we will squeeze in as much as possible...maybe I'll make a nice Jamie Oliver dish...one that I practise first!!!
Well I'll make this short and sweet, seeing as I have slept the day away and have wasted so much time and there are of course a million and one things to do.
Till next week...XXXXX