Mooselet Musings

Knickers In a Twist

2010-07-31T20:04:00.003+10:00

I have a heap of posts rattling around in my head, but I just can't get organized enough to do them. We've been back for two weeks now, and let's face it the first week was a write off. I went to work on that first Monday but by Thursday I had to ask my co-workers what exactly I had done on Monday because I just didn't remember. Fortunately I was smart enough not to do anything particularly taxing or needing a lot of thought. The rest of that week at work was simply terrible, but that's a story for another time - see my first sentence.

No, the crux of my problem is Miss Thing. I won't go into detail because I'm just too conflicted over the whole thing to lay it out rationally, but the meat of the matter is she leaves Monday for an open-ended trip to the US. She is going to live with Uncle Gabe (that's my brother for those who are new around here) and Mrs. Gabe to... well I'm not really sure. Get her head on straight. Go to school. Pursue new opportunities. Sort her life out. Reach for the stars. Pick an explanation because I've heard them all since this plan was first put forth by Miss Thing in April.

I was originally all for this plan. Girl needs to do something as she hasn't budged since she graduated from high school nearly two years ago. But things came to my attention last weekend that changed by whole perspective and now? I'm moody. Angry. Frustrated. Bitchy. Impatient. Distracted. I can't get organized. I'm wandering about my toy-strewn house and can't focus on picking up more than a couple of things before I'm off doing something else. It's been getting worse all week to the point where the tiniest thing makes me want to scream. I can usually let things go but I'm having a tough time with this one.

I think it's time to take some advice I got from a magnet I picked up in New Mexico:

Put On Your Big Girl Panties and Deal With It

Now if I can just figure out how to get them on over my fat ass, I'll be good again.

Tales From the Trip - Tweaking

2010-07-10T08:44:00.002+10:00

Ok boys and girls, I've finally found some time to play with my blog template. Don't bother frantically looking around to see what I've changed because I haven't done anything yet. I have a test site that I'm messing around with and I must say it's harder than I thought.

My current design is my third permanent one and it was never meant to last as long as she has. Life simply got in my way. I hate when it does that.

Oh, and I may change the name. I'm not really musing any more, or not so much, as I am living. See my previous paragraph about life getting in the way. I have two ideas in mind, but welcome suggestions. The URL won't change - still mooselet.com - so no fears about finding me or changing bookmarks.

And of course Her Majesty and Clive are now in Momma Mooselet's kitchen with me playing. An entire house to play in and they STILL have to be on top of me.

One thing that will not change is the tone of the blog. I've found my comfortable place and it makes me happy...

Of course I'm not really happy right now as I have been crowded into a corner of the kitchen table by Her Majesty and her multiple toys, and am being driven to distraction by Clive's screaming and Sparky's need to share the latest high score of some iPhone App.

See, nothing changes.

Tales From the Trip - Cape Cod Photos

2010-07-06T02:03:00.004+10:00

So I finally found some time to post some photos over on Facebook. Photos like these:

You can find them by checking out my Facebook profile page or going here and here.

We're now in New Mexico with Momma Mooselet and Shepster and still having a good time. I haven't slept in so much in ages.

More to come later, honest.

Tales From the Trip - Another Thing

2010-06-27T00:03:00.001+10:00

Ok look. I get that a lot of hard-core right wing Republicans don't like President Obama. He's not the guy you wanted for the job and you don't like his policies. And although I've only been here a short time I can see he has problems.

But will you stop referring to him as "The Anointed One"? Seriously... I'm sure you think it makes you sound clever and intelligently sarcastic or something but it only makes you sound petty and like a sore loser. The man was elected by a majority of the country to be its President. Sure YOU didn't vote for him, but your guy lost. Suck it up, buttercup. Work on a better choice for next time and stop wasting time and energy calling him childish names.

Thus endth today's soap box talk. Carry on...

Tales From the Trip - Conflicted

2010-06-25T23:58:00.002+10:00

OK, I admit it. I'm feeling a bit conflicted about being back in New England.

I didn't think this would happen as I didn't feel this way in the slightest when I came back last time in 2004. Maybe because I'm back in summer - or what passes for summer in New England - and it's a lot nicer than winter in New England. Maybe it's because Her Majesty and Clive are really enjoying their grandparents. Maybe it's because I'm older and am feeling nostalgic.

But when I get a whiff of the salt air of the Atlantic, or hear how much I can earn back at my old hospital as an oncology nurse, or see how inexpensive everything here is (dear Americans, stop complaining as you have no idea), or think about how close I could be to my family... and I haven't even been to New Mexico yet to see Momma Mooselet... I'm tempted.

There, I said it.

HOWEVER... what would I have to give up to come back to all that? A job I love. National health care. Schools I trust. University education for my kids that won't cripple us financially. A pretty sweet life.

And not everything here is tempting. There is little rational political discourse, at least none that I see. Of course my in-laws watch a lot of FOX News so my views my be coloured. I suspect that if I fully came out of my agnostic closet it would be more of a big deal here than back in Australia. New England winters suck. I don't have a lot of faith in the school system (and yes I acknowledge I come from them... what does that say?) There is more to life than cheap soft drinks.

But when I look up at the sky and the Moon looks normal to my Northern Hemisphere-raised eyes... man I'm tempted.

Tales From the Trip - Random Thoughts

2010-06-18T12:04:00.003+10:00

I've been back for a few days now and am nearly over my jet lag. Unfortunately I can't shake this sinus congestion I've been fighting since a week before I left. It's just the right side, so I'm wondering if maybe it's more serious than your typical head cold. Then again it's not funny colours so I'll likely put off going to a doctor a while longer.

Anyway, some thoughts on my first days back in the States:

Less than impressed with all the freakin' security checks at the airports. The initial customs/immigration guard herding people into lines was shouting at passengers like we were convicts. “Have your passports and customs forms IN YOUR HAND! Get with the program, people. LET'S GO!” Yeah, welcome to the United States. How about some signage on the long ass walk from the gate to immigration telling us to have our passports and forms in our hands rather than just you step into line? How about just being polite and having a pleasant tone of voice?

On the bright side, the customs guy checking our luggage was funny. He asked if we were bringing anything in and I replied “Just some cookies.” He must have looked at our form where I listed the TimTams and Mint Slices, because he said “TimTams?” I nodded. “Well TimTams are illegal.” What??? Uh... “Yeah, you'll have to give those to me,” he said, making smacking noises with his lips and giving me a sly grin. Ah... “You'll have to fight my mother for them then,” I answered. Sparky was most impressed that the guy had a sense of humour.

Flight from LAX to Boston was delayed for an hour due to mechanical problems. Something about a window... and the co-pilot not turning up on time. Good thing some window had to be fixed then, wasn't it?

Summer in New England? Sucks. I'm freezing. It's colder here than in Brisbane and it's winter there!!! I was watching the weather last night when they said it would continue muggy and warm, with temps in the mid-60sF (18ishC). That's not warm to me anymore. That being said it's supposed to warm up tomorrow and for the weekend.

I must admit I do miss the shopping here. Everything is so freakin' CHEAP!!! 10 2-litre bottles of Coke for $10? A kilo of chicken breasts for $4? And I haven't even been clothes shopping yet (I'm saving that for New Mexico), although I did check out prices today and was sorely tempted by the sale at The Gap (that's the clothing store, not the suburb back in Brisbane). Sparky was saddened by the fact the way-cheaper-than-Australia Xbox games won't work back in Oz.

We've become reacquainted with our cat, Junior, since being at Mother and Father Hermit's. They took her in when we moved for our initial 2 year jaunt to Australia... she's 12 now. Whoops. Her Majesty was a little freaked out by her at first, and Junior is a little schizophrenic, but they have reached a detante. Clive is not bothered in the slightest, and Junior has to good sense to still hide from him.

A 40 hour travel time helps with the jet lag. I was so disoriented when I arrived on Cape Cod, especially with having to stay awake for large chunks of that for kids and airports, that it no longer mattered. The little kids, who slept for longer periods (but never more than 4 hours at a stretch) have faired a bit worse than I, but then again I'm used to functioning on limited sleep.

Yes, it really did take us 40 hours to get here what with airport waiting times and the flights.

Air Pacific is a nice airline. The food was good as was the service. My only complaint is the movies only played a couple of times. With a 10 hour flight I would have thought they would be on a continuous loop.

Why bother to have 3 flight attendants on the American Airlines red-eye flight from LAX to Boston? The safety demonstration was done via video and the only service was beverages, which went down once at the beginning of the flight. The rest of the flight they sat in the back galley and talked. When I got up towards the end to use the toilet and asked for a glass of water I didn't even get a smile. Nice...

Clive's favourite toy at Grandma and Grandpa Hermit's house? The automatic garage door opener.

Massachusetts drivers still earn the title Massholes.

That's all for now. I've taken some pictures which I'll post to Facebook a bit later. I've had enough of trying to figure out how to interface with Father Hermit's Mac and why Blogger won't completely load on Firefox.

Tales From The Trip - Starting Soon

2010-06-12T08:19:00.003+10:00

Like this poor blog hasn't been neglected enough, we're flying out tomorrow for a month long visit back to the land that spawned us, the US of A. The journey to Massachusetts, our first stop to stay with Mother and Father Hermit and see Hermit's Big Sis, will be long with layovers in Fiji (5 hours) and LA (8 hours). We did it this was as it saved us thousands of dollars, which I hope will be worth it. Given the behaviour of Her Majesty and Clive this morning I'm starting to doubt it. And I'm trying not to dwell on the trouble Miss Thing will no doubt get herself into as she stays behind and prepares to head back in August.

After two and a bit weeks in Massachusetts, we head to New Mexico for two weeks with Momma Mooselet and Shepster with a visit from brother Gabe and Mrs. Gabe while we are there. Talk about a crowded house!

I am taking my netbook computer with me and am hoping to get some updating done on the blog in terms of redesign and more consistent posts. I did briefly consider taking some work stuff with me to get done, but then I came to my senses. The only other form of recreational distraction I'm bringing are some books I've bought and haven't had time to read. I'm sure the kids will keep me busy enough that I still won't finish them, but hope springs eternal.

A virtual wave to all you US-based readers as I fly over or close to your state. To all my Aussie friends, I will see you in 5 weeks.

Tales from the Trip starts now...

Match Report Monday

2010-06-07T19:18:00.005+10:00

Ok, so not really a match report like I used to do but I do have some great picture's from Her Majesty's game on the weekend.

Before I get to that, an update on how Sparky's team is going. In a word, fantastic. The Mighty Wests Panthers U15s are very competitive this year and it's nice to watch them FINALLY come together as a team. I wish I had some pictures but all their games have been on Friday nights bar one so far - makes for a long Friday for Yours Truly but on the flip side Sunday's are easier with only Her Majesty to worry about. Coach Thom does have some video which I may pester him for when I get back.

Her Majesty is indeed playing again this year and she's just a little legend. As a testament to her mad skillz, one of her team mates (all boys) decreed that she must be "half-boy" because she plays so well. Six is probably too young to explain the whole concept of feminism so we took the compliment in the manner in which is was delivered.

Miss WTF, photographer extraordinaire, came out to Her Majesty's game yesterday to take some pictures for me. That's a friend for ya, I tells ya. You can find the other pictures on my Facebook page if you're my friend, and if not then why not? What have I ever done to you? But here are a few for you here:

This is how you tackle.

This is NOT how you tackle... Her Majesty was hurt in this tackle when the young man choked her with her own jersey.

And this is what Clive thinks of those who hurt his big sis.

Westy Update - The Short Short Short Version

2010-05-27T04:53:00.003+10:00

I know I said on my Facebook update that I'd do a post last night, but it was Origin! Game 1 was on which Queensland won 28-24 and where at least 8 of the New South Wales points came off refs calls that the U7 refs would have caught.

But ANYWAY... I digress. Westy came home yesterday afternoon! He's cut upon from just under his sternum to his pelvis, shaved on either side of his belly, has a skin tear on one of his front paws, is bruised on his belly, has a few other sore spots on his limbs from IVs... but he's so much better. He had a trot around the yard when I brought him home, was out several times during the evening, tried to pinch the bags of chips and lollies that were left out at halftime when I put Her Majesty and Clive to bed, ate all his dinner, is licking the barrier cream off his wounds and was totally loving the painkillers at dinner if the look on his face was anything to go by.

He needs fattening up - the tumour and kidney alone weighed over a kilo so he still lost weight while hospitalized - and check ups. Going by the pathology the tumour is looking not quite as deadly as it could have been and his lone kidney seems to be functioning okay. It's probably taken a few years off his life but not as many as first feared.

Will try and get some photos up. Thanks for all the good thoughts and comments. We're very glad to have our boy home.

Westy Update

2010-05-23T22:15:00.003+10:00

I've just had another chat with the night shift vet looking after Westy so I thought I'd give you an update.

He's doing remarkably well for a dog that's just had a kidney removed and was bleeding into his belly. I've been told he woke up very rapidly after the anesthesia, had the IV pain meds taken down this morning and is on a pain patch, is eating and wagging his tail and is just doing fantastic for a breed of dog more known for its slow recovery times.

There are a couple of concerns, however. One is his clotting factors were all used up during the bleed out and have been slow to recover. He's had 2 units of very pricey fresh frozen plasma and may need another one tonight. In for a penny, in for a pound I suppose. I mean, I can't very well go and save his life with surgery only to let him slowly bleed to death because he can't clot his blood. And then it seems he is almost producing too much urine. This seems to be the most puzzling - is he producing so much because he's getting plenty of IV fluids, or do they have to give him IV fluids to keep up his hydration because he's peeing so much? Hopefully I will have an answer to this tomorrow.

Thanks for all the kind words and thoughts for Westy. Like a lot of pet owners, we feel he's more than "just a dog". He's part of the family.

What About Westy?

2010-05-22T20:37:00.006+10:00

Poor Westy. He's had a lot of trouble lately that I feel I should update you on, as it's one of the many things that have been chewing into my time.

About a month before Easter, Westy started to lose his appetite. Well, not all at once. He'd go off his food for a meal or two and then would eat again. At first we thought he had a virus, and then that he was just sick of his food. We tried different things, all of which worked for a while and then he'd not eat for a day or so. He started losing weight, and in a greyhound they don't have a lot to lose in the first place. But otherwise he seemed himself, if a little tired. Nothing we could put our finger on.

So off we went to the vet. His heart murmur had gotten worse, but all his bloodwork came back okay so we tried him on some medication. That seemed to work for a bit, but then it was right back to what he was before. Back to the vet and some more medication with some talk of ultrasounds the next week, but nothing glaringly obvious.

Well after lots of back and forth to our vet and the vet specialists, we finally found out what was wrong with our furry child. And it was exactly what I didn't want to hear... you know what's coming. The 'c' word - he had a tumour on one of his kidneys. The solution was to run a few more tests to make sure his chest was clear and that his other kidney was good before doing surgery to remove the diseased kidney.

Fuck.

We did the tests last week and all was looking good. I had a friend lined up who has two greyhounds of her own to look after Westy when we head to the US next month. Surgery was scheduled for next Thursday. On Thursday night Westy was pinching Clive's chicken nuggets.

But last night Westy wasn't looking so hot, and this morning The Hermit saw blood in Westy's morning wee. Westy was clearly in pain, something which up until this morning hadn't been an issue. I grabbed the phone and The Hermit took him in. It was decided the surgery couldn't wait, not even until Monday.

Now the story has a happy ending for the time being, so don't worry. Westy made it through the surgery; as of 6pm tonight he was awake, if very groggy, and doped to the gills on painkillers. The kidney had ruptured and he was bleeding into his "retroperitoneal space". It's always at this point in conversation with medical people, be they of animal or people variety, that I interrupt with the point that I am a nurse so they don't need to explain a lot of terms. Saves time. Anyway... he was bleeding internally. He will be there at the hospital for the next 24-48 hours, perhaps longer, depending on how he does.

I keep looking for him in the house, expecting to see him on the bed or the couch. I want to go to the vet hospital and physically touch him. I know he's in good hands, but they're not my hands dammit.

I will keep you posted on how he recovers.

In Just a Few Minutes...

2010-05-17T22:08:00.003+10:00

That phrase? Has become the bane of my existence. Really.

I've given it a lot of thought and decided that the sheer number of things I have to do that take "just a few minutes" add up to several hours a day. Sure it only "takes just a few minutes" to make the kids a healthy lunch, make a fruit salad, make a garden salad, fold the laundry, wash the floor, vacuum the floor, clean the toilet, go for a walk, shave my legs, shave under my arms, condition my hair, cut the kids nails, read a story to the kids, make a decent dinner, eat breakfast, make breakfast, hang up the laundry, do a blog post, take out the garbage, clean out the fridge, make a shopping list, make a dinner list, make a cup of tea, feed the dog, wash the dog, wash the kids, take a shower...

Sure there are other people who can do some of these things. And sometimes they do. But I have to spend just a few minutes nagging them and/or guilting them into doing it.

Plus I have to squeeze in work and sleep. And everything else I haven't named because it's 10:19 on a Monday night and I've been up since 4:30 this morning and I just can't think anymore.

So don't tell me the thing you want me to do will take "just a few minutes". I just might deck you. That only takes a few seconds.

What They Meant

2010-05-08T21:18:00.007+10:00

Very often you'll hear people, usually Fundamentalist Christians, tell you the US is a Christian nation. It's what the Founding Fathers really meant.

Really?

More information on this campaign from the Freedom From Religion Foundation can be found here. I don't care what religion people are, or are not for that matter, but I do expect them to keep it to themselves. That, I believe, is what the Founding Fathers meant.

Saturday Skinfest

2010-05-08T08:51:00.000+10:00

It's here! And on time! Because I'm doing it the day before! It's not cheating, it's taking advantage of technology and time that I have! Oh shut up and just get your eye candy...

Shirtless Bunnies never looked so good... or so inky. Not a fan of so many tatts but I will do my best to ignore.

Hubba Hubba Halatau. So says Miss WTF.

Does the sun not shine in Canberra? Some Raiders need some sun, or a good fake tan.

Ok, ok she's gorgeous. Bitch.

More skin, I hope, next week!

Photo Friday

2010-05-07T08:45:00.002+10:00

Clive and The Hermit. What else is there to say?

Just for the Day

2010-05-07T07:57:00.004+10:00

Before we get to Photo Friday, I should tell you why I'm home on a Friday blogging instead of being at work.

I have to have surgery today.

Ok, so now that we've got that out of the way let's get to Photo... Wait, what? You want to know just what's going on? Surgery? Today? And I'm only telling you NOW?! At least that's what I can hear Momma Mooselet saying.

So here's the deal. You may remember this post back in '08 where I had a huge spray about the monthly bloodletting. Well mine's been a real bitch for the last 2++ years and this surgery will hopefully sort that out. I'm not having the uterus removed - I don't have the time to recover from that sort of thing, nor was it offered right now - but what I am having done should fix my problem. It's strictly day surgery, scheduled for 2pm this arvo. I didn't bring it up sooner as I only saw the doctor last week. When he said we need to do this procedure I certainly didn't expect him to say "How about next Friday?" A quick couple of phone calls to my boss and my husband and we were in. And since then... I've just been too busy. Story of my life.

Fingers crossed it all goes according to plan, and that I'm home curled up on the couch by dinner. I promise to find an easier way to have a day off work next time.

Playhouse Disney FAIL

2010-04-25T19:35:00.002+10:00

This afternoon I sat down with the family, minus Miss Thing who was in the other room watching her own movie, to watch Toy Story 2 on Playhouse Disney. For those who don't know, Playhouse Disney is the preschool Disney channel on Foxtel, our cable provider.

So I was very disappointed when they cut the "blooper reel" out of the credits at the end of the movie! WTF? While it is an awesome movie, the bloopers at the end make the movie what it is and I can't understand why Playhouse Disney cut them out. So courtesy of YouTube, here they are:

The Tackle That Started It All

2010-04-13T21:16:00.004+10:00

And it was with that intensity that I fell in love with rugby league, with Gorden Tallis and the Brisbane Broncos (which is who Gordie played for at the time - damn lucky that).

Bubblegum

2010-04-12T21:44:00.001+10:00

I absolutely fucking LOVE this movie:

Saturday Skinfest

2010-04-10T09:46:00.000+10:00

I'm only a day late with this week's Skinfest. Although if you stick me in a different time zone I'm still on time! Hey, at least you have it this week:

Even from the back Willie Tonga is niiiii-ce!

Is it too much to hope that Billy Slater will hit his head on something hard, knocking some sense into him so that he'll stop being such a ratbag when he plays and I can go back to perving on his bod without feeling dirty about it? Yeah, I thought so... damn.

I'm pretty sure I used this one last year, but my files are in a bit of mess. Are you complaining? Nah! Personally I think all games should be played with this look.

OK, so this week's cheesecake has a side of beef with it. Sue me - I have nothing snarky to say about her either. I will do better next week, m'kay?

More skin next week.

Photo Friday

2010-04-09T09:32:00.000+10:00

From last year:

Her Majesty and her fourth place ribbon in the 6 year old girls 60 metre sprint final, after coming first in her heat for her house (hence the blue shirt) at her school Sports Carnival. She may be small, but she's speedy.

Saturday Skinfest

2010-04-04T20:46:00.000+10:00

I promised this sooner, I know. Just got busy with the little kids, Miss Thing, laundry... oh the list never freakin' ends! Anyway here it is:

Feleti Mateo goes for a bit of a swim... don't they all?

Nice legs on these Broncos. About the only thing nice about my boys these days.

Hey look, Count Chocula... I mean Anthony Minichiello!

Gisele Bundchen and her hair extensions again, hiding her girls from view.

I'll try and be on time next week, m'kay?

Quickie

2010-04-04T06:42:00.002+10:00

First off, Happy Easter everyone!! It's Easter Sunday here in Brisbane, and Her Majesty woke me up at 5:15am to tell me the Easter Bilby had come. It's been the Easter Bilby since her Prep class went to a bilby conservatory last year, and who am I to argue? I got her to go back to bed til 6 but she and Clive, who woke up about 15 minutes after she did, didn't go back to sleep. Neither did I, but I got to lay in bed til then.

I hope to get caught up this 3 day weekend. A lot of people had a 4 day weekend, but I had to work on Good Friday. Since it was the first holiday I had to work since I started the new job last year I can't complain, and it wasn't very busy at all. I'm about to put some more laundry on and will tackle the bills sometime today.

Before I get to my real life chores, I want to say I will get to the Skinfest later today. And I have gotten several emails from new readers with various questions. I have read them and I will answer you this weekend! Thanks for all your kind and generous comments about the blog - I still find it amazing that people enjoy my posts. So thanks ever so much.

Right, the laundry is calling my name. Times like this I wish I was deaf.

Photo Friday

2010-04-02T23:10:00.000+10:00

Photo Friday

2010-03-27T17:48:00.004+10:00

This week's Photo Friday's credit goes to Mumfies:

Chez Mooselet's leading try-scorer Her Majesty, with 3 tries from 2 games so far this season, and one of Wests newest refs, Mumfies eldest son Fuzzball. The source of his name should be obvious.