Just Nicky

On the up October 27, 2007

My list of woes has improved a bit since Thursday - thank goodness.

Finn’s behaviour has been a bit better. He’s still being very annoying but we had a better day yesterday than we did on Wednesday.

Leila is on the mend, although she did vomit 3 more times yesterday. Other than that she’s generally brighter and less prone to grizzliness. She’s currently exploring the joys of squishing banana and cheese stick, while working on a pooey nappy.

Em has been to the vet and, fortunately, her eye isn’t too bad. She has to have an anti-inflammatory tablet once a day and ointment in the eye 3 times a day and go back for a check up on Monday or Tuesday. She impressed the vet with her sweet nature and the strength of her eyelids - once she clamps her eye shut it takes two people to open it - but I think she wrenched my lower back out when she attempt to bolt out of the room at the end of the consultation.

I haven’t even attempted to look at that report. I’m hoping to get to it tomorrow evening and then do some intense work through the week to get it done. I must check the guidelines for extensions, though, just in case.

This afternoon we’re going to a family party for The Mavis’ 80th birthday. It’s just the immediate family, so it should be fairly quiet. I might see if I can get away with parking myself in a chair out in the back yard for a while.

Just me and my list of woes October 25, 2007

I’ve found a new definition for PPP (usually known as Public Private Partnership) - Personal Pity Party. That’s what I’m having today. Please join me in feeling sorry for me.

Leila is home from childcare with her cold. She has coughed so much that she’s vomited on 3 occasions. The first of those resulted in a complete change of clothes for her, me and the couch (thank god for slip covers). She’s now out of clean, dry sleeping bags and her bed sheet needs changing but I can’t find the other cot sheets yet - they’re in a box in the garage … somewhere.

I’ve had 2 phone calls from childcare about Finn. The first was because he bit another child and broke the skin. There will be a terse discussion about that this evening, but the second incident is going to make it difficult to be tough on him. Another kid (I don’t think it was the bitee) threw a hula hoop and hit Finn in the mouth. He’s going to have a fat, cut lip. The good news was that he ate all his lunch. That’s the bright spot in my day so far.

Emmylou’s eye is still bad and she needs to go to the vet. I would have done that today, but there is no way I’m attempting to wrangle a dog and a pram in the vet’s office. I shall have to see if I can get an evening appointment today or tomorrow, or maybe one on Saturday morning.

It’s raining. I have a growing pile of clothing and bedding that needs to be washed and dried. I need to go to the supermarket, but I can’t in good conscience take the sick baby out in the rain.

I have a 2000 word report to write for one of my subjects. I was going to do a first draft today. I cannot form a coherent thought about strategic planning or controlling, Fayol or Mintzberg.

I know it will all sort itself out. And I’m not really feeling all that sorry for myself. These days happen. I just wish this day hadn’t happened today.

Got out on the wrong side October 24, 2007

Today feels like one of those days.

Finn is being difficult.

Leila is grizzly with a cough that’s starting to worry me.

Cosmo has a sore leg.

Emmylou has a sore eye.

Do you think that if I went back to bed and got up again it would make any difference?

Feel the burn October 19, 2007

I’ve been very good this week. I’ve been up every morning at the same time as Mark, or shortly after (thanks to some prodding) and I’ve walked Emmylou each day. Except for this morning when my back was hurting and I couldn’t face wrestling with her. Instead I hopped on Mark’s exercise bike for 15 minutes and got acquainted with the lactic acid in my thigh muscles. Ouch!

I kept a pretty constant rhythm for 10 minutes and then slowed down for the last five. The last bit felt so much better than the first 10 that I had momentary delusions of doing a bit more, but they passed very quickly. I have no doubt that it was good for me - I certainly feel like I’ve done a bit of exercise today - but I didn’t enjoy it. Bikes of all kinds and I have never been friends. This will be something I’ll save for the times when walking the dog is too daunting or I can’t get out of the house on my own.

More chuffedness October 17, 2007

The week didn’t really get off to a great start, what with seeing that big number on the scales and receiving the scary wedding invitation, so I was just a bit apprehensive when I spied a university envelope in the letterbox yesterday. I was on my way out and considered leaving it there until I got home, but I just couldn’t. I opened it in the car before I left.

I was very pleased indeed. I scored 23 out of 25 for it (it was the one I outlined on the blog with all the referencing tasks). As this represents 25% of my overall mark, it sets me up rather well for the next assignment - an essay - and the exam in November. I need only to pass each of those to be assured of passing the subject with a reasonable overall mark, which takes a bit of the pressure off.

Ever so slightly freaked October 15, 2007

I have butterflies in my stomach. I want to find a corner to hide in. I’m quite freaked out. I need a good stiff drink - except that I don’t drink any more.

A wedding invitation arrived in today’s mail. Mark & I have been invited to … ahem … someone’s wedding and I’m scared.

There are all sorts of scary things about this wedding. The couple themselves. Their guests. The venue. But the thing I’m most freaked out by is, WHAT THE FUCK AM I GOING TO WEAR!!?

Today. The day I joined Weight Watchers because I weigh more than I ever have before. This wedding invitation arrives. Today.

Maybe I will have that drink…

Friday in the Funhouse October 12, 2007

I’m not sure whether what I have is another cold or the one I had a few weeks ago just never went away. Either way it’s shitting me. I don’t feel quite as crappy as I did last time, which is a good thing, but I look absolutely awful. My eyes are bloodshot and my face is puffy. I’m getting my hair cut tonight and the prospect of looking at myself in the mirror the whole time is even more daunting than usual.

My plan for today is for Finn and I to do the baking for his birthday bash tomorrow. I’m not aiming for anything too huge. A packet mix chocolate cake, some savoury muffins, and a potato tortilla to cut into pieces. Along with soft drink, lollies, fairy bread and packets of chips I figure that’s a pretty good birthday arvo tea. I wanted to avoid too much sugary stuff, but looking at that list and considering that the cake will be covered in Smarties, it’s looking pretty sweet.

Mark and I are eyeing the weather and wondering if we should change the venue for tomorrow. It depends, I suppose, on how much it rains today and how much it’s likely to rain tomorrow. A picnic on soggy grass isn’t going to be a lot of fun. Then again the reason the zoo seemed like a good idea is that there’s heaps to do, even in poor weather. If we do change venues we’ll just have everyone at our place. (Mark will ring people if that’s the case) Much less fun and much more noise. Lets hope the weather gets better. The sun’s out right now so my fingers are crossed.

Leila has caught my cold, which is hardly surprising given the number of times I’ve been unable to avoid sneezing on her. She didn’t finish her bottle this morning because she couldn’t breathe and drink at the same time. I shoveled some baby cereal into her before I put her down for a sleep, but I’m expecting her to wake up quite hungry and annoyed. I’ll never get over the sight of a bubble of snot coming out of a baby’s nose. It amazes and revulses me at the same time.

Hanging out on Wednesday morning October 10, 2007

Hanging out on Wednesday morning by Nicky P

We’re having a bit of a slow morning here. What I thought was persistent hayfever seems to be a recurrence of the cold I had a couple of weeks ago so I feel a touch crappy. Finn is very snotty too and disinclined to do much other than play on the computer, which is fine with me for the time being. We will venture outside soon, though, because it’s a lovely day and sunshine is the best medicine for pretty much anything I can think of.

Finn was lying on the floor with Leila for quite a while this morning, just hanging out. He played a bit with her toys and chatted away to her a little, but they both spent most of the time lying with their feet in the air, gazing out the window. It was a lovely sight.

Just a bit chuffed October 9, 2007

I got my first assignment back today and I’m a wee bit pleased with myself.

I got a credit for it. Not a stellar mark, but a perfectly respectable result for my first essay in a very long time.

The marker’s comments were very useful and constructive which is nice to see and based on them I’m flattering myself that I scored at the upper end of the credit range. So maybe I only just missed out on a distinction … I can dream, can’t I?

One would think that being chuffed with my success I might get all gung ho and launch into the next assignment straight away. Yeah … no. I’m sure there’s something I wanted to watch on the telly first.

A list is a Good Thing

On Sunday night I wrote myself a To Do list for this week. Nothing too ambitious. Just a few bits and pieces that have been on my mind.

Writing the list gave me a lovely feeling of accomplishment. Ticking some of the items off yesterday was also kind of nice. The list is done and the week has only just begun. Admittedly the items that are done are the easy ones, but still they’re done.

The list:
Make haircut appointment - Done.
Make optometrist appointment - Done.
Get second etag sent out - Done.
Check out kinder dates & fees - Done.
Plant onions - Will do later in the week (weather permitting) with Finn.
Plant potatoes - ditto
Tidy up front yard - ditto
Bank coins in kids’ money boxes - Will aim to do this on Thursday.
Organise to get roof checked - That scritching noise is making my skin crawl, but who do I call?
Worm and deflea dogs and cats - Long overdue. Might have to wait for the weekend so that Mark can help wrestle with dogs.
Check delivery time for Finn’s new bed - Done.

Not on the list, but still needing to be done, is organising the cake and snacks for Finn’s birthday zoo expedition on Saturday. I might apply my mind to that after I’ve had my shower.