This week's news

I have been very remiss in writing this week but it's been so busy at work that each night, I have come home with an empty head.  I can literally hear echoing in my skull as my last neurone pings around against my empty cranium.  It's been so busy that there have been moments when my co-worker (Cherry Blossom) and I have been in hysterical fits of laughter about ... nothing! So, my blog has suffered badly I'm afraid.  I am currently working hard at learning to relax and clear my head (voluntarily) but am finding it extremely difficult to A) find the time or B) remember to do my breathing exercises.   My little brain races along with thoughts flying about & these are the thoughts I have to cut off & try to remove from my head.  It's proving to be extremely difficult for me to erase 40 years of bad habits.  I've taken it upon myself to try to Slow Down in everything I do as well but again, the memory lets me down.  I need to set myself alarm clock reminders

Isn't this a lovely photo?  This is my cousin Peter's daughter Ellis, who has just turned 12 & lives in Texas.  She sent me this photo to show me her 30 second haircut & I really love it!  I also adore this photo of little Layla Rose, now nine weeks old.

So, speaking of Slowing Down, today I ran my first 1/2 marathon since last July.  It was hard work...  derrrr.  I found myself wondering WHY I was doing it.  However, I am now entirely chuffed because I did a PB (personal best time) & finished the run in 2 hrs and 5 mins, which is over four minutes faster than my last 1/2 marathon!!  Yippeee!  It's four weeks today until the next 1/2 marathon at the Gold Coast, so maybe I will get an even better time....  We'll see.  If my Slow Down & Chill Out Therapy has worked by then, I will probably come in at about three hours. Anyway, I am sitting in front of the computer now wondering if my body will actually be able to lift itself off the chair in about 20 minutes when I finish blogging & go watch a movie. It's a long weekend here (the Queen's birthday) so it's all about Vegging Out, which I am struggling with because I think I should be filing or emptying boxes or planting the succulents we bought at the Succulent & Cactus Show yesterday... 

Mum sent me this photo of a carpet python trying to get into her house.   She actually has some little animal ornaments on the inside window ledge & she tells me it was as though the python was trying to get at these ornaments, despite a sheet of glass between.  This "little" reptile will be great for keeping the mice numbers down around their house but we have been at mum's when we saw a brown snake of the same length right near the house.  As you know, a brown snake is a completely different kettle of fish & we quickly ran inside & shut all the doors.  Mum was all for trying to hit it on the head with spade but I am sure a deadly snake with a headache is never a good option.  

Leigh & Len have been enjoying their French Provincial (?) holiday - apparently!  No postcard yet but possibly the postal service is a bit slow...  Isn't that right Leigh??  Anyway, this is the farmhouse where they've been staying.  Doesn't it look magnificent??  I bet they don't have carpet pythons there - just baguettes, red wine, cheese & a brilliant boulangerie in the village. Oooo, I am so green with envy! 

I've really gone to town with the photos today.  I almost forgot to tell you about my Brilliant Babysitting Abilities.  This week I minded my old neighbours' kids, Mollie & Joe.  Well, the kids were excellent, going straight to bed after a story (& reading in bed until 9pm under the covers!) but while I was busy minding the children, the dog Bronte is ON the kitchen table eating Joe's leftover chocolate birthday cake!!!  Okay, so she only ate one corner of it but she did scratch the table up pretty well with her claws.  Oh heavens... no-one told me the dog was of that disposition!!  Needless to say, I was left a bit red-faced that I never heard a thing!  I'm off to bake a cake now - a lemon pound cake from Bill Granger's book.  D'you think I'm doing too much?  While I have been blogging (ie waiting for photos to download) I've hung one load of washing on the clothes line and put another load on while mentally eyeing off the filing pile & stripping the bed.  I will make the cake & then I will BLOB OUT!  I will, I will, I will...  I might even surprise you all and have a hot bath! 

PS:  did I tell you the neighbours children "play" trumpet AND drums?  They are practising right now, which is what reminded me because I was wondering if it was possibly a cat caught in my washing machine....