Fence

Thursday:

The pool fence is in!

The oven repairer also came, that was less conclusive. He turned on the oven, horrible burning smell again. He didn't seem to be able to smell it - but he was obviously a heavy smoker and emitted a horrible burning smell himself! He said I must have a very sensitive nose. I was quite annoyed about that - how can he do his job probably? I felt quite ill from the stench (from both sources). He left the oven on very high for a while, it did heat up successfully and the smell stopped after a while (still filled the kitchen, but no new fumes being generated). He thinks it was probably just something spilled on the element (it didn't smell like food burning to me) but it is a very old oven and it could be a loose wire somewhere that will require replacement parts - if he can find them for a 20 year old oven. And to call him if it happens again. I suppose he can't fix what doesn't seem broken but it was frustrating. I guess I will try using the oven and see what happens.

Not tonight though. I'm still feeling quite sick and I think Aiden has come down with it too. I'll grab take-away when I pick up Jasmine from gymnastics. I made her walk there so I didn't have to go out twice but I'll pick her up as it will be dark then.

It's been weird sitting at home doing nothing all day. Felt very purposeless. Computer games are boring when you are just killing time. Nothing on TV. I did manage to have a nap after both tradesmen had gone. I must be really be enjoying my studies if I'm lost when I can't do them! Of course feeling sick doesn't help my mood.

Tim has been away all week, home this evening. I hate when he is away. Be glad when he is home and I can just crawl into bed and sleep.

I haven't told him about the fence being in, they only called on Tuesday to say they could install it this week. I thought it would be a nice surprise. Except it will be dark when he gets home... maybe I'll tell him in the morning.

Full marks

Thursday:

I got another exam result, full marks which will count for 40% of the total for that subject. So that was exciting. I have one more exam on Monday, and I've handed in three assignments but don't have the results back. Four people in that class got full marks and it was the people you'd expect - the ones who studied! I was amazed to learn some students don't even do their homework let alone revision... I thought that as adults everyone was there to get the most out of it but I guess they are doing that in their own non-swotty way. Its all pass/fail in the end - but I want to work in this field so I want to learn as much as possible and master the subjects so I know what I'm doing when I get a job.

I am loving the website I am designing so much I could burst. I am writing snarky little bits of text for it and using all my own photos instead of taking them from creative commons websites. I still have to ask plenty of questions in class - I've never even used photoshop before to shrink a picture. But I ask, and I write down the steps.

There is one subject that is NOT a joy - "Industry Knowledge" where we learn about the legislation that relates to libraries, annual reports, budgets, staff hierarchies and career paths, all that stuff. The career path stuff was ok but the rest is both boring and difficult!

The pool is about a quarter full of water we've had so much rain. Not great as we'll have to pump it out so they can surface it. But that is still weeks away. The permanent fence has to be up first. We've had so much trouble with that. Getting a couple of companies to come out and give quotes; one never called back, one wouldn't do what we needed, one wouldn't lower his high price, back and forth. Finally nailed things down for the pool fence today but got someone coming out about raising the side fences tomorrow. Crossing fingers he will ask a reasonable price. The other drama is the heat pump - the one we paid a 50% deposit on was sold from the warehouse to someone else before it could be delivered to us! Apologies and all that but now it will be 2-3 weeks before they get more in stock. Meanwhile we have pipes full of electrical cables still lying on top of the ground everywhere. One day we'll look back on this whole process and laugh... or just keep telling everyone "If you want a pool, move to a house that already has one!"

Lunch

Saturday:

Tim went over to his father's place to help him pull down a fence while I took the kids shoe shopping. It was a successful expedition, but there was a moment I found myself in a shoe shop sitting in front of the mirror. And realising (yet again) that I am so much more overweight than I think I am. I know I am overweight, but in my head it's maybe 10 kg, not 25! Mirrors at home somehow aren't as blatantly cruel as the ones in shopping centres. Or photos.

It didn't stop me having doughnuts with the kids.

We joined Tim for lunch with the family at his dad's place. It used to be that my sister-in-law Ping and I took it in turns to cook Sunday lunch (or dinner, depending on schedules), and for a while I was cooking every week because of Ping's early pregnancy all-day sickness, but now extended family are joining in and it's a much bigger gathering, and everyone is taking a turn. This is sometimes a problem for me as I don't always like what they cook, I was glad when it was bought rotisserie chicken and salad today! It's not just that I am a fussy eater (although I am) but several times the food has been inedible and not just by me. Burned, or curdled, or a huge pile of stone-cold mashed potato. Some can cook, but some can't. Or maybe they can cook for their little family but can't co-ordinate for so many people - that takes practice. Which I suppose they are getting now! Oh well, I can enjoy the company and pick at my food and try not to worry about my children starving. They are usually filling up on sugary fizzy drink.

I didn't get out for exercise today, I'll make sure I do tomorrow. My foot is no longer an excuse! It has turned colder again with sporadic rain but if I can't get out to walk there are plenty of active games at home on the Xbox or VR.

Dogs and rain

Friday:

We have been waiting for our backyard fence to be finished so we can get a puppy. The fence has been done but another couple of weeks before the guy has time to do the gate. Our dog will live inside most of the time but I want to be able to put her in the backyard on nice days when I'm out shopping or something. We are planning on something smallish and cute and fluffy, probably of the spaniel x poodle variety like a Cavoodle or Spoodle. Today the gardener was trying to sell me on the idea of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, apparently he has two-week-old puppies just opening their eyes. If you don't know Staffies, they are little balls of pure muscle. I'm sure they have lots of lovely qualities, but they also have the highest attack rate in Australia. So I was diplomatic, but no. Not quite what we want.

Our little girl is away at school camp this week, I hope she is having a great time. Unfortunately I think it has rained a lot where she is (here too). I hope she has enough dry clothes. We are going to a family wedding tomorrow (more rain) and then coming up we have a few days at the beach booked - not to swim, but it's a lovely area - and it's going to rain and storm there as well the whole time. Sigh. I don't mind a bit of rain, but when you are clambering over slippery rocks to see the famous blowhole or sitting on a wharf eating fish & chips you really don't want to do it in chilly windy wet conditions. Oh well, we'll make the best of it. Hopefully the tiny cinema has at least one kids movie. And at least we are not camping!

I've been sleeping much better, I think, starting to feel almost normal. Although I did fall asleep in my chair again yesterday afternoon. But I no longer feel like I really shouldn't be driving a car. I'm keeping the CPAP on basically all night now, or at least until 6am - then I have a short time without it so I can lie on my tummy. The new mask stays on my head much better. It's the older model (the new model that I tried first has only been out for about 6 weeks) and it is not as good in most other ways - it is noisier, and bigger so it makes my face sweat all around my nose - but I suppose staying on is most important. Why they took away the adjustable straps on the new model I don't understand! I might give the other one another try later, next time I go back they'll fiddle with the air pressure settings so I'll have tried a few different things before I have to decide to buy.

My husband was just offered a work trip to America for two weeks. But he's decided not to take it, two weeks (plus travelling) is a long time away from his family. And on my part, I'd be a bit scared for him. America seems so dangerous, everyone has guns and they have a murder rate 4.7 times higher than here (I just looked it up) and I don't know if I'd ever dare go there. I'd worry about him the whole time he was away. And I'd miss him of course. He's been overseas for work without us before but not for more than a week.

Last day of term before two week Easter Holidays! Yay for holidays. And Easter.