Cuh-raziness with the in-laws

Last week, I led a campaign aimed at Luke, to go away for the Australia Day long weekend. I didn't want to just sit around at home, as per the long weekends over the past... well 2 years. However, with such late notice, there weren't many options available to us, so we decided that we wanted to go and stay at his Dad's beach shack up at Ledge Point - about an hour north of Perth, just outside Lancelin.

There was just one catch - his Dad and de facto and her daughter were going to be there. Hmmmm. There was a lot of umming and ahhing before Luke assured me it would be okay - we'd just go up for one night, and there was plenty we could do without them if we needed.

It wasn't that I don't like them - it's just that I think I've spent about 8 hours in total with them since I started my relationship with Luke - and it's always a bit awkward. I tried to view it as an opportunity to get to know them better, but deep deep down I had this funny feeling in my stomach - what if I do something dumb and they don't like me, what if this, what if that, what if the other. There's not a lot to do in Ledge - apart from the beach, fishing and the pub, that's it!

But I had nothing to worry about in the end - we had a lovely lovely time and everything was fine!

We were meant to get up there on the Saturday at 5pm, but Luke finished early (it was an anniversary miracle) and we managed to get up there by 4pm. We did a little exploring, then installed a ceiling fan in the main room for them - fun fun!

Then we played a little wii (tennis is always a good ice breaker) and we went to the pub for dinner - chinese buffet and a lot of wine loosened me up big time. Then it was home for a movie, I fell asleep on the couch from a little too many Oyster Bays and that was that!

The next morning I woke up at 6.30am raring to go (very unusual for me!) I sat outside in the glorious morning sunshine on a beach chair and read my book til the rest of the house started to stir. Everyone was up and we went to the beach at about 9am - I didnt swim, but I put my feet in and went exploring on the sand. Luke then gave me a tour of Ledge Point, which took all of about 2 seconds, and he pointed out places where his friends used to stay and told stories of the mischief he used to get up to as a kid when he would come on holidays with the family.

We got back to the house and Luke's dad was nearly finished cooking us Bacon and Eggs - bliss! After that was all done and cleaned, we went on a little trip to Lancelin, went to the lookout, the dunes, the pub and the bakery, then back to Ledge for some more relaxing in the sun. 4pm came around - when we were supposed to leave - but we were having such a great time that we stayed for dinner and BBQ was great! Then we left at about 6pm, and I spent the journey home with my eyes peeled for kangaroos while Luke fell asleep in the passenger seat watching the Simpsons in the car DVD player. Hmmm.

I had such a lovely time, and can't wait to go again. I can't believe I was worried for nothing about the in-laws!

Product Plug

I'm not one to usually plug too many products, but I've recently started using Al'Chemy hair products and Oh.My.God sooooo good.

I have been looking to change over for a while, and I had two important pre-requisites: 1. product must help me break my scalps apparent addiction to head and shoulders and 2. product must come in a pump pack for ease of use when fumbling around in the shower early in the mornings.

And so I found Al'Chemy in my local priceline. Now I'm not into organics and all that rubbish, I figure if harmful chemicals didn't affect my grandparents quality of life, I may as well save myself some stress wrinkles and just get whatever, but i don't know what they put in Al'Chemy but it's good! Apparently, they don't put anything in it at all! I think that's the point of organics, right?

My hair is glossy, healthy and (shock horror) my natural wave has made a reappearance! I feel like I'm doing a pantene ad, so I think I might stop now.

But to swiftly change the subject, I remember when I was in early high school, and I wanted my hair to be shiney so much that I once put one of Dad's beers in it. Oh it gets weirder - I remember also washing it in vinegar, and another time putting a whole, beaten up egg in it. I also once put lemon juice on my head and sat in the sun, cos apparently that lightens your hair - not. Hmmm, I was a confused kid! I'll stick to Shampoo and Conditioner now I'm growned up, I think!

Credit to purist.com for the image

Different Perspective

Luke and I are lucky enough to celebrate 3 years together on Saturday.

While discussing this with a friend the other day, she commented that we must be really special to have lasted 3 years.

I went away and thought about it - and I've come to the conclusion that we're not even a little bit special, and in fact, it's our total utter ordinariness (is that a word?) that has kept us together.

Luke and I haven't really had the fireworks - we started our relationship, and two weeks later, he started his business and spent a lot of time there. The first two weeks were amazing, there were butterflies in my stomach every day and every time I saw him my heart jumped into my throat and I thought "wow". But then his business started, and he worked 18 hour days, 6 days a week, so he was tired, and stressed and etc etc. Don't get me wrong - I still look at him and go "wow" and I still get butterflies, but everything changed in a major way, before I was ready for it to change.

BUT he made the effort to spend every night sleeping next to me, right from the beginning, no matter how tired he was. He made an effort to listen to me when I missed him and got angry. And when I was upset that he was working so hard and we were missing out on a normal relationship, he'd wait til I calmed down and he'd outline why he was working so hard - because he could see himself doing well, that he could see a future with me, and he wanted to do retire early and work hard now so he didn't have to work hard when he was ready to have kids.

In the same way, when he was dog tired and disheartened, I would wash his clothes, cook him a proper dinner and always make sure there was enough chocolate in the house to keep him going. I'd give him advice on his employees and business decisions, while I'm no expert, I'd like to think that my view from the outside helped. I would come with him when he had to work on Sundays and hand him screwdrivers on jobs, or do his filing in the office, and just be there so he wouldnt have to worry about me at home. After 6 months, I made Sundays a mandatory day off to spend together - some Sundays we just watch movies on the couch, but it really helped us grow.

When I tell people how Luke and I started out together, they often say that it must have been a hard time. It was hard, and sometimes I look at his friends and their girlfriends and think "why can't he be like them - they're so happy together, and they only have to work 9 to 5". But on the other hand, I think it strengthened us - we got through it, and I think we can get through just about anything. I dont think I'm so fabulous for sticking by him, and I don't think he's so great for taking a risk on a business - I think finding Luke was a blessing, and that you cant choose the timing of your blessings.

I think that love works when you have common goals you're both working towards, and you focus on the little ordinary things - sharing a meal together, catching each others eye when you're out and smiling, catching the other looking besottedly at you when you're driving in the car.

Well at least I hope so.

Another one of these things

1. What time did you get up this morning
6.58am
2. Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Seven Pounds
4. What is your favorite TV show?
Law and Order: SVU, Home and Away, Australia's Next Top Model, All Saints...
5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Toast with vegemite and avocado
6. What is your middle name?
Elizabeth Francesca
7. What food do you dislike?
Eggplant blech
8. What is your favorite CD at moment?
CD? Pfft are you kidding? I'm an ipod girl
9. What kind of car do you drive?
The barina
10. Favorite sandwich?
Meatball
11. What characteristic do you despise?
Self righteousness
12. Favorite item of clothing?
My pj's
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
Paris
14. Favorite brand of clothing?
Hmmm Tokito
15. Where would you retire to?
Somewhere near the beach
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday?
23rd (it sucked)
17. Favorite sport to watch?
Tennis
18. Furthest place you are sending this?
London
19. Person you expect to send it back first?
Surprise me
20. When is your birthday?
13 December
21. Are you a morning person or a night person?
night
22. What is your shoe size?
8.5
23. Pets?
none
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?
my air con is getting installed soon!
25. What did you want to be when you were little?
a doctor
26. How are you today?
sleepy and i have a sore finger
27. What is your favorite candy?
Peanut M & M's
28. What is your favorite flower?
tulips
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to
26th January Australia Day Public Holiday
30. What is your favorite pastime?
Sleeping in on Sunday mornings
31. What are you listening to right now?
You Found Me by the Fray
32. What was the last thing you ate?
Red apple
33. Do you wish upon a star?
no i make my own fate
34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
I'd be the brightest crayon in the box
35. How is the weather right now?
Sunny and warm but not stinking hot
36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?
I haven't spoken to anyone on the phone yet, how awesome is that?
37. Favorite drink
Paul Conti Fronti
38. Favorite restaurant?
Balthazars
39. Real hair color?
I don't die my hair, it's brown, what you see is what you get!
40. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My books
41. Summer or winter?
Summer
42. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs
43. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate
44. Coffee or tea?
Coffee
45. Do you want your friends to email you back?
Of course
46. When was the last time you cried?
Umm on Sunday when I was watching Seven Pounds
47. What is under your bed?
Nothing it's an ensemble - too low
48. What did you do last night?
Watched the first ep of Home and Away for this year Wahoo
49. What are you afraid of ?
Being broke
50. Salty or sweet?
salty
51. How many keys on your key ring?
7
52. How many years at your current job?
1
53. Favorite day of the week?
Sunday
54. How many towns have you lived in?
Sydney, Carnarvon, Kalgoorlie, Perth
55. Do you make friends easily?
I think so!

One of Life's Only Sureties - Taxes

I was talking to somebody the other day and they had an interesting point of view on Australia's Tax System.

He said that the system doesn't make sense to him - if you do the right thing, and work very hard, the Government takes heaps of your money. If you do the wrong thing, the Government rewards you by giving you money for free (the dole).

In the same way, if you do the right thing, and work hard during your life, and put money into your superannuation, the Government won't care, and taxes you on it. If you do the wrong thing, and don't save for your future, the Government will reward you by providing a pension.

Food for thought huh?

Clumsiness

About a week ago at work, I was walking out to my car, and there were a bunch of people crowded around.

It turned out that one of our IT guys had fallen over the wire cable gate to our staff car park and was seriously injured.

Cristian is okay, he broke both (!!!) bones in his lower leg, and has had to have an operation, but work is being very understanding, and he's all health covered up. But he can't drive to work, and his wife doesn't have a license and they have a small child.

It made me think about all the terrible accidents I've had, and I've had many:.

• Dislocated my elbow joint. Elbow hung out of joint (causing excruciating pain) for about 8 hours in a Sydney hospital before they could operate on it. Did they knock me out when they were manipulating my joint back into place? No - they gave me a drug that gave me temporary amnesia, however, as I get older, I can remember more about this fantastic time, including a fat nurse sitting on my legs to stop me from trying to jump off the table and run away, and seeing my parents crying in the window to the observation room adjacent to the theatre.

• Swallowed a bobby pin. Another great time. Don't ask how I managed to swallow it, but apparently, as it can puncture the bowel, the bobby pin had to come out the same way it went in. I was knocked out for this operation, but they ripped the bobby pin back up sideways and scratched all down my oesophagus. I still can't eat very fast because of the scarring. The bobby pin in my stomach made for some very interesting xrays though.

• Ripped half of my big toe apart. At the Kalgoorlie town fair. Let's just say there was an incident with a dodgem car. My entire toe nail fell off and the nail bed was very damaged. Then the nurse put the wrong dressing on it and the wirey dressing had to be ripped off to where it had become embedded in the raw, tender skin underneath the nail. Took about a year to get back to normal.

• Broke my ankle. I was wearing high heels, and stepped down a 5cm high step at work and rolled my ankle. I had managed to convince my mother to let me drive to an adjoining town from Kalgoorlie (about 60km away) and stay there the night so I could attend a friends 18th (FREEDOM). So I was convinced my ankle was just sprained, I was fine, let me go already. My boss insisted on taking me to the hospital where it was revealed I'd broken the damn thing. No 18th for me. And as I'd recently got my P plates, even more painful was that there was no driving for me. And as I was doing a lot of house sitting at the time, I had to live back at home with the folks which meant complete and total freedom fail. Also, the hospital set the cast on my ankle wrong - so my foot was at an angle to my leg instead of 90degrees on. This meant it healed improperly. Now I'm like an old lady - my ankle can feel when there's rain coming. Also, as I was a contract worker, there wasn't even a workers comp payment for it - expensive medical bills meant having to go back to work the day after you've broken your ankle = super awesome times

And there's many more smaller ones. So there you go. I'm a clumsy clumsy girl. Touch wood the next few years are my non-clumsy years.

In the meantime, I'll keep hoping Cristian comes back to work so I can give him a big hug and tell him how much I hope his poor leg heals fast!

Recipe: Potato Salad

Ingredients:

550g potatoes
5 rashers bacon
3/4 cup of mayo
3 eggs, hard boiled and chopped into 8 pieces
3 spring onions, chopped
salt

1. Cut potatoes into four and boil until soft. Remove skin if you want.
2. Fry cut up bacon until browned and crispy (the trick is not to remove the rind)
3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl
4. Serve! Will feed about 4 as a side dish

There is nothing I love more in summer than cooking up some steak and serving it with this. It's tasty, nice and easy