Saturday Skinfest

Right, super quick as I'm knackered. Like you care - you just want the skin dammit!!! Me too...

This is for Miss WTF and all the Kiwis out there. Oh, and the rest of you can share if you'd like.

Greg Inglis is totally checking out Jonathan Thurston's ass in this shot. Not that I blame him...

Name this player! It's someone whom I personally adore, although he doesn't appeal to everyone. Not that you'd know it from this shot! I'll give you a hint - he doesn't play for the Broncos, has a predilection for bad hair and even worse moustaches when he grows them, and is dacked at least once a game (at least it seems that way).

The ever-so-attractive Gisele Bundchen bringing the sexy back... like it ever left her presence.

More skin next week!

Shout out to Hot Aussie Footy Players Shirtless and The Superficial for the pics, especially the former site.

Lighning

Here's my very lame and very long (6 minutes) video of a part of the lightning storm we had last Thursday. I took it with the camera on my mobile phone while I sat in my car waiting for Miss Thing to finish up at work. I also apologize for the commentary and the nasally sound of my voice, but it was a very impressive display from Mother Nature:

Photo Friday

Let's start with the easiest post first, shall we?

Snapped this at the Sydney International Airport. Who's up for a taste? Look it's even cloudy! Eeewwww...

Nearly There, I Swear It

I really am working on updating the blog and giving the details about Miss Thing's unexpected interruption in her journey to the US that cost me roughly $500 to deal with. I'm working on getting Photo Friday up, and extra-juicy Saturday Skinfest to deal with the fact I totally skipped out on last weeks. I know I promised storm photos and updates, and I'm getting there. Honest.

I'm just trying to squeeze it all in with 2 kids under 6 years of age who monopolize huge chunks of my time, a 13 year old who is currently under the weather but is receiving an award at school next week that I just found out about and so have to make sure I'm free to go to the awards night, working, a twitchy computer and mouse and trying to help Miss Thing deal with her overbearing father, aka The Bastard, from so far away, and a totally grotty shower that I have been putting off cleaning for ages. I hate saying this all the time - that I'm busy or tired and so this has to wait - because plenty of people manage to do it and probably still look awesome while doing it. But I am not one of those people.

And Clive needs a nappy change... ah, the smell of fresh pooh in the morning! Nothing like it.

Photo Friday

Didn't she look gorgeous:

Miss Thing before her formal Wednesday night.

Stormy Weather

I know I said I'd get the pictures posted, but I still haven't had much time for myself. Even now I've got a very squirmy Clive on my lap and am typing around him. Then it's swimming lessons, then a bit of shopping, then cleaning out the pool from Sunday's storms, and Wednesday's rain, and Thursday's storms... it just won't stop raining and storming!!! Here's what the radar looked like last night:


It wasn't nearly as bad as Sunday, although the lightning was impressive, and it was moving east/southeast so we only caught the edge of it. A few more cells moved through after that main one but they were smaller.

The area is still cleaning up after Sunday, especially in The Gap. The suburb, not the clothing store or the Thompson Twin's song. There are two YouTube videos I'd like to share with you, both from that battered suburb. The first is one taken during the storm; you be the judge of just what the hell we were hit with. I know it's not a "cyclone" but it was more than downbursts and wind shear! The second is the aftermath at Miss WTF's house.

Photo Friday to come later today after I find out if Miss Thing put all the pictures from my camera onto the hard drive as she keeps "borrowing" it for end-of-school stuff.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Sunday

I have an excellent reason for not posting since Friday. Saturday was the usual extremely busy so I was saving my posts for Sunday when Brisbane was hit with a monster thunderstorm. The type that turns the sky green. The type that turns roads into rivers. The type that looks like this:

Photos from The Courier Mail website, not my own!

Chez Mooselet suffered no damage. We lost branches off trees including one large gum limb at the top end of the property, which is all bushland anyway. My pool was flooded and is still in a bit of a mess. The neighbourhood as a whole was hit fairly hard, including one of my next door neighbours. The massive gum tree that snapped in half fell onto the road and took out the power lines. Unfortunately one of them, all 11,000 volts of it, landed across my driveway! Eeeek! We were without power for just over 24 hours, and it has been raining off and on - more steadily tonight - since then. Even so I was at the edge of the hardest hit area as indicated by the arrow:

Miss WTF's & Mumfies suburb was absolutely clobbered although they are fine, if a little soggy 'round the edges and lost power. Others were not as lucky, and there are thousands still without power as I write.

You can read all about the carnage on The Courier Mail's website. I will post pictures sometime tomorrow - Miss Thing has her formal tonight (woot woot) and so she has my camera. I have told her not to come home if she loses it as it not only has the storm photos, but her graduation on Friday (double woot woot) and pictures of her tonight. The CM has some spectacular photo galleries, Miss WTF has left this link in the comments section of my previous post (although you may need to be a Facebook member and friend of Miss WTF -give it a shot) and feel free to post your own link in the comments to your photos and/or blog post if you live in Brisbane.

More details tomorrow but we're all present and accounted for.

Photo Friday

It's not really a photo, but it sums me up so well:

I'm only partially procrastinating. That is to say, when I'm not running around like a headless chook I'm procrastinating. All about extremes, really.

Lest We Forget

Taken in Roma, Queensland mid-2007.

No doubt there is a similar one in a town near you, no matter what country you are in. Please visit it sometime and take a few moments out of your busy day to quietly thank those who gave their lives - and are still doing so today - in service of their country.

Lest we forget.

Saturday Skinfest

Not much else to say, other than if someone can invent a device for Clive that will get him to sit still for 30 seconds I will pay them one million dollars (picture me saying this with my pinky next to the corner of my mouth). It should go without saying that the something will not involve a large mallet or ropes of any kind.

Now on with the skin:

This one of Robbie Farrah is just for Miss WTF. I hope she likes it.

Matt Ballin is a God of Football. I'd go for that.

Joel Moon all shirtless and ripped and oh dear... is it warm in here?

Gisele Bundchen all shirtless and wild hair. I hate her for that stomach, which is to say I'm glowing green with envy. Same thing, really.

More skin next week.

Photo Friday

I spent most of the day yesterday sitting with Her Majesty trying to help her get over her constipation. Constipation + Drama Queen daughter = Really Shitty Day. Ha! Geddit!!! Don't let my comic genius overwhelm you. If I had neighbours Her Majesty's screams, which were horror movie worthy, would have prompted calls to the police or child services. It was that bad. Thankfully we got things moving yesterday so I hope that's the end of it.

See what I did there? I crack myself up. I did it again!!!

Right, photo:

Her Majesty and her gangsta bling.

Random Election Thoughts

With the randomness in my brain on the day of the US election:

- As of this very moment (12:42 pm Brisbane time) the BBC has Obama with 200 Electoral College votes and McCain with 124. It should be all over before I go to work tonight.

- Both the Hermit and I have fielded a lot of questions from our co-workers about the election. There is a huge interest in the election here, and I think it's safe to say that many Aussies would vote for Obama, if they could. There is a deep association to candidates with their party, and while McCain has attempted to rebrand himself as a different Republican than President Bush I don't think most Australians - who have little to no respect for Dubya - would buy into that. McCain = Republican = Bush.

- At least on my end, these questions from co-workers have lead to discussions in the differences in the two democratic systems, Australia and the US. I have agreed with them that the US campaign, with its fixed election dates, is long long LONG, and I've gotten a lot of agreement that not directly electing your head of state (even if it's through an archaic electoral college system) is bizarre. The official head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who got the position through an accident of birth, and our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, got the job through his party and not through a popular vote (except in his own electorate).

- Have you ever tried to explain the Electoral College system to someone? I wish they'd scrap it.

- In my own household, Miss Thing and the Hermit are two living arguments for/against the concept of compulsory voting, which we have here in Australia. Actually, let me clarify that point - you must turn up at the polling station on the day of the election and get ticked off that you were there, else you can be fined. What you do with that ballot is up to you. In anticipation of Miss Thing turning 18 next year, she filled out her paperwork to be included in the electoral roll. However she is not pleased about it, sees no reason why she has to vote, refuses to learn about the issues and will likely toss her ballot either into the trash or return a blank ballot. She is a compelling argument against compulsory voting. Then there is the Hermit. He's, well he's a few years older than me (he gets touchy about his exact age) and yet has NEVER voted in a US election. Had Hillary won the Democratic nomination, he would have voted merely to vote against her. He fully admits to knowing next to nothing about the current US candidates and their stances on various issues. Sounds a lot like Miss Thing, doesn't he? Yet in Australia he's been forced to the voting booth twice - once for the federal election last year and for the local council elections earlier this year - and has taken an interest in the issues. He's no political wonk, but he made an effort to get educated because if he was going to cast a ballot it was not going to be out of ignorance. He's a compelling argument for compulsory voting.

- I miss voting on a weekday. Voting Down Under happens on a Saturday and it annoys me to give up part of my weekend. That's my time. But my Aussie mates think it's odd to vote during the week.

- I'm thrilled to hear about the large turnout in the US. It has done a lot to shake off the misconception that Americans are apathetic.

- If Obama wins I'm afraid my brother Gabe is going to burst a blood vessel. Can't wait to read his pre-scripted rant on his blog tomorrow. Maybe he should start drinking now...

- No matter who wins this thing, the world will keep spinning on its axis. Please remember that if your candidate falls short.

- And now at 1:26 pm, the BBC has Obama with 207 Electoral College votes and McCain with 135. No wait... make that 138. Hurry up and decide Florida and/or Virginia already!

UPDATE: Ask and ye shall receive. It's now 2:25 pm and it's all over red rover. Obama has 333 Electoral College votes to McCain's 155. Congratulations President-Elect Obama.

Random Thoughts

It's too muggy today for me to think coherently. So here's a bunch of random thoughts rattling around in my brain:

- I was jealous looking at all the various blog posts on blogs that I frequent about Halloween. I think I will have to take the kids to the Manly Halloween parade next year.

- We caught the edge of a thunderstorm last night but I was the only one who was woken up by the light and sound show. Well me and Westy, who retreated to the kids' room in fright. There was a lot of lightening, little thunder and a bit of rain. And it's left behind the muggy day that's muddling my brain.

- I just had a phone call from Sparky's home-ec teacher, telling me he forgot his assignment that was due today. If I had the energy I'd bang my head against my desk. She reminded them all week, told them to write it in their college-provided diaries and he still forgot. If he gets it in before 9am tomorrow he won't fail. Guess who's not renting anything from Blockbuster tonight?

- It's Tuesday, and it's one of the most important days in the country. In Queensland alone, roughly $16 billion in bets have been placed on the winner of this most important race. No, not the US Presidential race, the Melbourne Cup. A horse race. I'm committing sacrilege here, but I just can't get into the Melbourne Cup. I don't get into horse racing in general, so one in which really silly hats are de rigour just leaves me flat. Although I hope Miss WTF has a win this year.

- I really need a new computer mouse. This one is clearly dying as it quadruple clicks, or doesn't click at all, and routinely freezes. Making me insane.

- Since betting on just about everything is legal in Australia, I thought I'd check what bookies say about the US Presidential race. Centrebet has Obama at $1.06 and McCain at $8.50. Them's long odds for the Senator from Arizona. If it means Palin disappears back into the never-never from which she was pulled, I will be happy.

- Miss Thing's last day of school is Friday. Odds are that she will pass, but it's not in the bag. I will breath a HUGE sigh of relief when she has her Senior Certificate in her hands.

- I have found a silver lining in this current economic climate - any monies Momma Mooselet gives me to do her Christmas shopping for the grandkids is worth a hell of a lot more now that the Aussie dollar is in the toilet. I still fail to understand how the US dollar is stronger, but it makes my head hurt to try and work it out so I merely accept it works in my favour in this instance.

- My manager transferred to another store in the chain of Large Grocery Store That Employs Me... and no one cared. Myself included.

- My back is nearly 100% again - it tightens up at the end of the day and is still a bit sore, but nothing debilitating. Given I've had an awful back injury I'm very glad not to have a repeat.

- I found a website that will home deliver a half side or a full side of beef, or even a "whole beast", fully cut, for less than $8 a kilo plus $10 delivery charge. I'm getting more details for the Hermit, but I think we may do this given the prices of meat. I wonder if I can find one for chickens (sorry Mumfies).

OK, that's it. There's more there, but this humidity is just sucking the life out of me. I feel so listless...

Saturday Skinfest

Gotta make this quick (there's a joke in there, but I'll leave it alone). The Hermit has the little ones out in the pool (no, Clive isn't swimming. He hates the water as much as Her Majesty loves it) and the vacuum cleaner is calling my name. I hate it when it does that.

Here's this week's helping of flesh:

My haphazard labelling has this as "Carter", but I can't place him in a specific team or even remember his first name. But really, does that matter? Nah...

Test football, or in this case the World Cup, allows hotties from different teams to be captured on film together. From the looks on Thurston and Inglis's faces I'd say the water is wee bit chilly.

The Gods of Football calendar has been officially launched, so expect lots of pics from it in the coming weeks. I wouldn't not say no if anyone wanted to get it for me for Christmas... either the players or the calendar. Whichever.

I know I posted Marisa Miller last week, and I still don't know who she is exactly. But I'm a bit rushed and she looks hot so that meets my requirements!

And not fast enough... everyone's back inside. Ah well, must vacuum anyway as the floor is just too nasty. More skin next week!

**Thanks to my new favourite site, Hot Aussie Footy Players Shirtless for the Thurston/Inglis pic. God Bless You!