Nap time

Wednesday:

On Sunday we had family over for Dungeons and Dragons as usual and dinner. I managed a quick 10 min dip in the pool before they arrived, it's the first time I've been in the pool all by myself. Peaceful. I would have stayed in longer except I had cleaning and cooking to get done. It wasn't really a hot day (but the water was warm) which is why no one else came in.

Sunday night Tim came down sick, and was home all Monday. I'm not sure if I had a touch of the same thing, my tummy has continued to be a bit upset since the antibiotics, despite drinking Yakult (fermented milk drink, sounds horrible but tastes like melted ice cream). I'll try more home-made yoghurt. Anyway, Tim is fine now. He's been very overworked lately and needs the upcoming Christmas break.

I've done a couple more Christmas shopping trips and have now (I think) finished getting presents for Tim and our kids as well as the other children in the family. Just a few more things to get, now; father-in-law, brother etc. I feel very organised this year. We have also already sorted out who is bringing what food on the day. And the least-reliable person is bringing things I don't like anyway, so that is perfect! I don't care if they forget. My part, the turkey and roast vegetables, is no more than I do most Sundays anyway. I'm feeling very relaxed about it all.

I've also spent time organising my study notes and I've started writing a summary for one of my subjects that I did in first semester before I realised it was the aspect of library work that I wanted to pursue. The manual we were given is good, but for other important subjects I've already written detailed notes that have been invaluable in exams and I think useful for when I get a job. I haven't bothered for subjects like Event Management or Promote Literature, but a ten-page summary is a very useful resource when you need to assign a Dewey Decimal Number.

One thing I plan for this two-month holiday break is to make a start on the novel I've been thinking about. I still like my first book, it's my first-born, but I can see now that it has its flaws. I sent it to a couple of places ages ago but I don't think I will continue to try to get it published, at least not at the moment or in its present form. Maybe I'll revise it one day. I'm not sad about shelving it, the work was not wasted if it makes me a better author. And I don't really want publishing houses to associate my name with anything other than my best work! I've been thinking about a completely different story for a year or so, too busy to write during term (and I get all the computer time my RSI can take while studying), it would be good to get a start on writing it down. And my last semester will be a much lighter workload, only three subjects plus placement (work experience) instead of the six subjects per semester I had been doing.

Our garage still has a pile of boxes that don't seem to have anything essential in them, I want to finish going through them (two years after we moved!) and we have also accumulated a bunch of other stuff filling the space - children's bicycles too small for them, broken wheelbarrow, rolls of old carpet. So I've organised for a charity to come and pick up the good stuff like the bicycles and then booked in a council clean up (we get two a year as taxpayers and haven't used the service yet) where they pick up a pile of junk from your curb. We're supposed to have two-car garage here but have never fit in the second car!

Aside from all that, I've been resting! Nothing can send me off to a peaceful afternoon nap like watching the cricket on TV. The commentators drone along about how this is the highest score by a red-headed Englishman on a wet Tuesday and I nod off. The short forms of the game are exciting and I love the Big Bash (three and a half hour long matches) but the original five-day Test matches are long hot summer day dozing material. It's pouring outside at the moment - even better for a nap!

Waiting for the bank

Monday:

We're now waiting to hear back from our loans officer about whether we can make an offer on our favourite house. Apparently it is a big deal if the house has "unapproved structures" and they wouldn't lend us the money if so, so they like to check every potential house before we make an offer or bid at auction. The loans officer told me horror stories about people bidding at auction then the bank refusing to lend the money which left the buyers with real problems. I hope there is no problem with this house. There was a tiny structure housing the BBQ/grill by the pool, and the pool itself wasn't fenced. If we get the house, fencing the pool would be our first priority, with our own children and toddlers in the family.

Today I bought a repeat for my antibiotics, another five days. I don't feel like the first series did me any good at all - if anything I've got a bit worse - but my doctor told me to take two series so that is what I will do. I had quite a bad night; the discomfort is enough to keep me awake often even after taking Panadol. I can't change position at all, I've had to lie on my left side all night for the past three weeks. Any other position and the pain rapidly triples or worse and I have to carefully move back. If you've ever had something that stops you thrashing around in bed or changing positions you'll know how annoying it is to not be able to move.

I haven't exercised at all over these three weeks, just when I was getting into a nice walking routine before that. Even doing the shopping brings on the ache. Today I had to sit down and rest for five minutes in the middle of shopping. That's as much walking around as I can do. And I should be in a whirlwind of packing instead of only a little each day, while trying to keep up with other household tasks. It is really frustrating me.

I'm also not eating particularly well. Just getting myself through the day. I haven't weighed myself for a while. My pants still fit, so that is a good sign. I just have to hope that this second course of antibiotics helps, otherwise it's colonoscopy time!