The things you see...

I was enjoying a run at about 5pm tonight when I came across this unusual sight

Four large fish lined up across the track.

Who caught these fish?

Who lined them up and left them there?

No-one else was around, it was cold and getting dark and I did I double take then kept going.

How bizarre.

edited to add:
Consensus amongst the facebook experts is that the fish are carp. Carp is not a nice fish. They are in the same family as goldfish were introduced from Europe & Asia. By feeding on the bottom of our waterways they destroy the environment and push out the native fish.

It seems that you can eat the fish but they are not popular, except in Asia, and if you catch them you cannot throw them back but should dispose of them humanely.

Not sure if lining them up on the track is humane or a warning to other carp to beware. Some of the jokes about carp-eting the track were well received but I like Marianna's comment about candy the best.



Lightning...

Last night we saw a spectacular light show in the western sky.

I captured some of it on video, which is not as good as the real thing, but as close as I could get.

We came in after a while and checked out the bureau's radar page to see that the activity seemed to be centred over Warrnambool. It was very intense and I was glad not to be camping out with that going on. No rain fell on us, maybe tomorrow we'll get some.

I can see a face in the cloud, can you?

October 18...

Many things were working against me that stopped my run of daily posting for October.

Firstly we had a very busy day at work.

Then I put in a run on what was a very hot afternoon, I thought my foofa valve was going to blow, and it took several hours for the red to leave my face.

Next I made a meal for the family including Cal's girlfriend.

I then settled down to read my favourite blogs and some days not many have updated but yesterday was very newsy with lots to catch up on.

By the time I had watched 'The Real Housewives of NYC' the laptop had a little melt down and shut down unexpectedly. With children of all ages using the other computers I just went to bed.

So I will leave you with a pic of a tag found on a recent purchase of Chris'

What the?????

Keep calm...

I see these signs everywhere

Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of World War II, intended to raise the morale of the British public in the event of invasion.

 

Like these some are really clever

I want this as MY sign

This is going to be my mantra from now on

(Good ol internet, this was surprisingly easy to make)

The vans...

Today I went for a walk in the sunshine and it was glorious.

We had a very cold night and this morning was frosty, it was just 3 degrees on our way to school, but when the sun came out it was just beautiful.

I changed my route for a bit of variety and went through the half completed new retirement village. The front of the village has a few homes with landscaped gardens, some of them are occupied already. This village will have an entertainment hub with hairdresser and other services etc. An unadvertised feature but a big draw card will be the 'van parking' area I found at the back of the village.

When I turned the bend and saw the vacant land with all the vans lined up waiting for the next adventure I laughed to myself.

The pepper tree...

is gone.

Shire workers came today and took out the pepper tree out of the front yard. They came up to the door, while I was at work and spoke to Erin who is having a week of Wii/DVDs in her pyjamas. She rang me at work and they explained the situation.

Pepper trees are common around this area, they grow quite large and I thought our front corner was the perfect spot for one. I planted it after unsuccessfully trying to grow a gum tree there and it had grown really well. The foliage and berries were just like this pic, I never got around to taking any photos of it.

 Because it had only been in about 2 years it looked like this one...again not my pic.

 It was quite thick right down to the ground  and not able to be seen through and being nearer to the road and we are on a bit of a bend there had been some complaints...apparently.

I had envisaged our tree looking like this

 But it never had the chance. The Shire workers chopped it down and took it away. They weren't prepared to wait for it to grow up any and didn't like my suggestion of a heavy prune to shape it from shrubbish to tree-ish.

I'll never know if it could have looked like this

I gotta feeling...

I like this song from The Black Eyed Peas and will have to put it on my running track, when I work out how. I have no helpful children at home at the moment so it will have to wait. I am yet to master the iStore.

We managed to survive the day the world is ending very nicely thanks.

I was able to get washing done & dried in the balmy warm wind.

I made a coffee cake and a delicious lasagna.

I had a cappucino with Hayley at a local cafe while Erin was at rehearsals for Beauty  & the Beast.

I finished my latest Jodi Picoult book 'The Pact' and am looking forward to the next one. I discovered a couple of avid Picoult readers at work and between us we have lots of her titles, a mini lending library has begun.

It was a nice way to spend the last day, not very exciting but satisfying.

I'm off to enjoy a cup of tea with my coffee cake!

Unco...

how to feel old, stiff and unco-ordinated...go to a Zumba class.

I tried a class tonight and it was not pretty.

Not sure if I can face it again, a girl can only take so much.

Polish...

This is the latest fad in nail polish

Polish that is cracked as soon as you put it on.

Nail polish is not really my thing. I think it looks OK on longer nails or on slim fingers, but not on short nails and stubby older hands. I don't like the fake nails and think the acrylic coverings look thick and chunky. I also dislike black, dark and chipped polish. I will put it on my toes during summer but need to keep it maintained constantly. I don't comment on my girls wearing dark nail polish and gave in to Erin's latest request of this nail polish, it gives a crackle finish to reveal the colour underneath.

My worst nightmare!

I'm packing my sombrero & I'm off

Aah the school holidays have begun...

Restless...

I was having quite a vivid dream last night. When people tell you their dreams it is pretty boring so I'm not going into detail but I woke up with the clock radio in my hands!






I don't recall that being part of my dream but I did think what am I doing?

I put the clock back and went back to sleep, not back to the dream, and had a giggle this morning looking at the clock askew on the bed side table. Chris said he wondered what I was doing in the middle of the night, I wondered that myself.

It must be really hot in the U.S. at the moment for them to need one of these!

What the???? I hear you say.

It is a portable watermelon cooler courtesy of a Japanese gadget company.

I don't think I need one just yet.

Bad timing...

Couldn't have a shower this morning...the hot water service gave up the ghost after 17 hard years. Many baby baths & teenage showers have been enjoyed. Loads of loads of dishes, dog washes & some laundry have been completed until now.

A much bigger & more efficient hot water service was installed during the day & we look forward to many more years of steaming up.

Too bad the old one passed on just 4 weeks before Christmas, but I suppose there never is an ideal time to replace an essential appliance is there?

The garage sale...

I popped in on a friend after work yesterday & she was showing me the bits & pieces she has collected together for her upcoming garage sale.

'Have a look through' she says 'to see if there is anything you want before I put it out'

Have a look I did & found about 6 school books she had 'borrowed' off me!!!

The rain came down...

As I left work tonight the sky was very dark, as soon as I got into my car the heavens opened & the rain came pelting down. The strangest part was as the heavy rain made driving quite difficult the sun was shining as it set in the west. When I drive home at 5pm the sun is usually directly in my eyes & today was no different, water was sheeting over the road & the sky was glowing orange!
The freeway was busy, the roads slippery & dangerous & the whole way home I kept thinking how bizarre the whole scene was.

Score!!!...

Erin told me tonight that Mr R had given her a score for her big project... a fantastic result of 81% - thats an A don't you know Mum.

I told her how proud & pleased I am with her effort, thank goodness the pushing paid off. I asked her if she would leave it til the last minute again & she responded with 'Yeah, I work well under pressure!' I don't think so!!

Work today was really hectic, I am totally wiped out tonight. I need a bit of TLC right now. Yesterday was International Nurses Day & the hospital had arranged some pampering for us to celebrate. I went over to have a lovely foot spa, hand massage & a short session of Reiki. What is Reiki you ask??? It seems to be a nice way to spend 10 minutes laying back & relaxing with your eyes closed while you wonder if anything is actually happening. A bit of hocus pocus, non touch technique & then its all over. Hop up he said, go back to work, take a bit of cake with you as you go.

Right-o, was that it?

Busted...

If you don't want your mother to know what you are up to you shouldn't send her a text message with "Don't tell mum....."
That just shows that texting & drinking don't mix.

Stimulation...

I've been stimulated!!!!

Thanks Kev.

But wouldn't you know it, when a $900 bonus comes in one hand it wants to go straight out with the other.

I went to open the fridge door & it came off! One of the hinges at the top just sheared straight off & it was hanging on a pivot point. Its only about 17 years old & has had many many openings & closings. The motor works really well despite a thick coating of dust behind it, & the top houses wallets, phones, pens & gum. Perhaps it was the weight of all the notices, bills, lists, artworks & reminders that adorn it that took its toll. Maybe it was the responsibility of keeping us all updated on where we should be each day but I just thought it would keep on keeping on for ever. The whole unit has been so reliable I was a bit shocked when it let me down. It has been more than a place to keep things cold or frozen, it has been a central, reliable part of the family.

I don't want to spend the stimulus package money on a new fridge so we'll see how long Chris' Mr Fixit job will last.
Hopefully another 17 years.

Tremor...

Did the earth move for you last night????

Well it did for me, at about 9pm, we had a small shakeup which made us turn to each other & ask 'did you feel that?'

This morning's news reports a 4.6 earthquake shaking up Melbourne eminating from Leongatha way.

Heatwaves, infernos, droughts, floods, plagues of locusts.....what next?

And again...

Another post tonight to make up for being too hot & bothered to do it yesterday...

You'll never know when you should have your camera ready

because you never know when a helicopter is going to land at the end of your street!