Sleep no like me. Brain fall out.

I have had about 2 hours sleep, maybe less, and whatever sleep I had was littered with weird dreams. A lot of them were about living on a farm in Italy, cos I was reading a Tuscan cookbook to try to get to sleep. Of course, part of living on that farm included killing and butchering a sheep to eat. Awesome images at 3:30 in the morning. o_0

I am now sitting in my office, wondering what job it is I do here.

What hospital is this?

La la la la la.

According to the BOM, it's 36C at Sydney Airport.

According to my oven temperature gage, it's 100F in my backyard. What's that in real money? 38C? 39?

There is no breeze. I am melting and loving it.

Our toilet is indoors, but is essentially a shack with a tin roof. It is the hottest room in the house.

In other news, I don't have any brown sugar, so I can't make banana bread. This makes me sad. I might as well make the stock I have been meaning to make instead.

Or, I might just lie down flat and think cool thoughts.

I just embarassed myself in front of Maeve O'Meara. AWESOME.

I walked into Dymocks, and they had all their cookbooks on displays at the entrance. I was halfway through saying, "Oh, why do they have all of these right in front of me, when I have MONEY," when I turned to see Maeve O'Meara signing copies of peoples' books. I involuntarily yelled, "Oh my god, it's Maeve O'Meara!", to which she burst out laughing.

I bought a book. She signed it for me, of course. I guess that's one less cookbook Brian has to buy me for Christmas

Of course, because I was flustered, I completely forgot what I was there to buy, and walked out with only half of what I went in for. *facepalm*

That 'good news' thing I was waiting for, came in. Centrelink gave me a 'tax return' of sorts. It's taken a load off my mind - it means Christmas is sorted, at the very least.

I am excited for Christmas - both sides of the our (mine and Brian's) family are going to be under the one roof. It's going to be crazy-good. Yippee!

You know that feeling you have when you get told something really good is going to happen, and you're a bit worried it won't, so the wait over the next few days is agonising until you find out for sure?

Yeah.

Anyway, weekend was good. I had my sister's baby shower on Saturday afternoon. That was very fun, indeed. I suck at the baby games, though. I only got a prize in the end because I 'won' by being the only one who stuck their hand up to say they didn't win a prize. It was a bottle of sparkling wine. As my sisters (not the pregnant one, obviously) and I had already cracked a couple open as it was, it didn't last long.

I am never, ever, going up the coast with Roisin by myself again, though. It is a total pain. She was good for the most part, but got tired, then cranky because I wouldn't let her wander around the carriage by herself. She was also seconds away from having a snooze in my arms, then would suddenly get up to inspect my bag, or some such. I was the same when I was her age, so I can't fault her, but SHEESH. I was SO glad whe I arrived and my brother-in-law said he was going to drive us back to Sydney after the party. *high fives self*

This also meant that my sisters and I bought a bottle of sparkling wine for the trip home and demolished it in the car. I can only imagine poor Lee's ears at the three of us drunkenly yapping all the way down from the coast.

Sunday was a tentative plan for Sculpture by the Sea, but due to being slightly hungover and the weather threatening to be super hot, I decided against it and did some gardening instead. I have now pulled up most of the spinach, and have left some which has flowered and ready to seed, for collection for next year.

I'll also have to pull up my rocket, and possibly my coriander, as they have all bolted and started to flower. They go bitter after flowering. Luckily, they grow easily and I have plenty of seeds left. I've also got carrot, broccoli, rhubarb, warrigal greens, dill, eggplant, capsicum and... I dunno. I ordered a whole bunch of seeds, based on what we normally order as a family from our organic veggie place.

Also, tomatoes! I have lots of tomatoes turning bright red at the moment. I have picked the ripe ones off and put them in the fridge. I think I'll make a tomato and basil (picked from the garden, also) sugo shortly. Unfortunately, I'm starting to get tomato grub and fruit fly, I think. I bought a bunch of exclusion bags, so I'll have to put them over the flowers and ripening fruit quick smart.

My tomato seeds just won't grow, bar 4 plants. I dunno whether to keep trying to sprout them first, then plant them, or just direct plant the seeds and hope for the best. The latter worked for the Surprise!Tomato Plants, so I don't see why it won't work for the ones I actually know I have.

I get no love from my chilli seeds, full stop. They refuse to grow from direct planting, or sprout when soaked. Beligerent so-and-sos.

Whoops. My weekend report turned into a garden report. Ah, there's no real difference.

I had a dream that Ramona had some kind of terminal disease and I was going to wake up one morning to find her dead. Lovely.

Then the dream went to me desperately needed to buy a necklace before the shops shut. Even in my dream, I was thinking, "You won't have time to use it now. Might as well buy it tomorrow," but even in my dream I wasn't listening to my logical brain and was determined to buy it then and there. I have no idea what I wanted to 'use' it for, though. Possibly to heal Ramona, or bring her back from the dead?

In the end of the dream, she turned into Fordie.

I guess this is what happens when every single thought in your head tries to come out at once. o_0

Even British comedians know uncouth I am.

Roisin is Internet Famous!

It's all happening on Friday night. We've got special guest DJ Ben Drayton on the decks, as well as regulars Chris Lego, Ringo and Earley Curley.

It's a new name, but the same club, awesome DJs, rockin' tunes, relaxed atmosphere, friendly venue and fabulous queer crowd. You won't want to miss it.

See you then!

I am procrastinating - I should be either sorting out doctor stuff or, failing that, studying for my exam on Friday - but I would prefer to write about my weekend, instead.

It was relatively boring but exhausting, which just isn't fair. I think it was partly boring because I didn't have much more energy than to sit quietly and nod occasionally.

The weekend actually started Thursday evening, when Ruby came over for dinner. I cooked Linguine alla Genovese with brocolli and bacon. For those not in the know, alla Genovese is pesto and potatoes. Carb on carb. Yum.

I broke out the wines my brother had sent me from the Coffs Coast region as a belated birthday present - a Chardonnay (of which I can't remember the name of, and I've thrown out the bottle. It was either Kia Ora or Two Tails) and a Raleigh Wines Dry White. Despite the fact that I have declared a dislike for Chardonnay, I have discovered that it must be American oaked Chardonnay I don't like, because the one he sent me was delightful (and was French oaked).

Ramona and I both utter the famous last words of, "Ah, tomorrow's Friday! We don't need to function tomorrow!" *throws down vodka*

Needless to say, we weren't particularly on the ball the next day. I was meeting up with Lou for a free lunch, so I forced myself out of the house.

The free lunch was courtesy of Brasserie Bread, who invited their followers on Twitter to come and grab a free sandwich and a fruit mince pie.

Oh. My. God. The fruit mince pies. I have long held the belief that I don't like fruit mince pies. I've now realised I've just never had a good one.

Friday night was spent agonising over what to get for take away dinner, then not eating the very thing I was adamant needed to come with my meal - the potatoes. Then early to bed.

Saturday involved getting up early with the intention of getting to Everleigh Markets at a reasonable hour, only to have the morning get away from us and arrive at the markets around 45 minutes before they closed. We still managed to get my knives sharpened, buy organic steak and spatchcocks, gourmet breakfast rolls (I'll have the chorizo and onion with tomato and basil sauce, thanks) and get sub-par coffee that made Ramona and I both incredibly wired and dehydrated. Ick.

Then there was grocery shopping, where I finally bought big glass jars to make sauerkraut with. Have not yet made the sauerkruat. I will this week, I SWEAR.

I was supposed to meet up with a high school friend from Melbourne who is currently on a home visit from Ireland (it makes sense to me), but she got a bit drunk in Potts Point and time got away from her. Oops. Not to worry. She had already made the effort to come to my daughter's Christening in the Middle of Nowhere, Ireland, so I'm not too fussed.

Besides, it was an excuse to have a cider or two in the Carlisle Castle, of which I've walked past, but never been in. Two thumbs up from me. I'll be going there, the Court House, or the Rose of Australia from now on.

Speaking of that, I am never going to the Townie again. I was in the bottle shop, buying a gift for the birthday girl of the party that was our last stop before home, when there seemed to be a tiny altercation at the counter. I didn't hear it, but a woman, older than me, dressed fairly plainly, purchasing a can of Jack Daniels, apparently called the other girl at the counter, younger than me, who was going for a Bettie Page look but failed, a 'fucking slut'.

I didn't hear her say that, nor did I hear the younger girl apparently say something to her, which was the older woman's defence at the time. All I heard was the guy at the counter demand that she leave, then make a big show of getting the manager to tell her to go and get the security guard to escort her out.

Why did this turn me off? It was the show of strength to the potential mate by the bar staff, essentially. The young girl and guy at the counter were flirting, and, if the young girl DID say something to the older woman first, then it was a case of 'You're not pretty enough for me to care', and preferential treatment for someone they considered attractive.

Even if the girl didn't say something, the effort the bar staff went to to prove just how manly they were in front of this girl was really off-putting. The guy really didn't need to get involved, and he didn't need to throw the woman out. She wasn't shouting or making threats. She was fairly quiet, to the extent that I couldn't hear if she had said anything at all, 1 metre away.

I've seen bouncers do that and, sadly, it's almost become something you don't notice. When the bar staff start doing it as well, you know a place has gone downhill. Yes, it took me fucking ages to realise, but I get it now.

Anyway, we got home around 11pm, sat on the couch for 10 minutes, then went to a birthday party. Most of the party went to a club after we arrived, and I had every intention of going to bed after I had finished my Lemon Myrtle Witbier, but I ended up drinking some wine and not going to bed until 5am. Whoops. No wonder I still haven't kicked this 'flu.

Sunday was spent eating and snoozing, and studying while Brian took Roisin out to the shops. I also purchased some White Peach Nectar by Alain Milliat and some verjus with a $50 Visa gift card, which was also a present from my brother for my birthday. The idea was that I bought something food related and frivolous or expensive, that I wouldn't ordinarily buy. Now I am dreaming of White Peach Bellinis over summer. Nom.

Long post is long.

Pleased to be telling me everything that's on for the next few weeks/months. I'm putting them into Google Calendar.

Facebook on my iPhone is giving me the shits and not telling me the correct date and time for things (I think it's stuck in a different time zone, tried to fix it, it's not listening). I can't tell if events are supposed to be on a Friday or a Saturday. Help with this would be much appreciated.

In other news, I'm almost too tired to go out and get lunch. Blargh. I think the idea of standing around, waiting somewhere for someone to give me take away is what's putting me off the most. I think I might get Pho, because I can just walk up, sit in a comfy chair and not move until my Pho is all gone.

Anyway, HALP me with events. Go!

Ramona: (to the TV, as you do) "Stop saying Salt Peter!"
Kitty: "Why?"
Ramona: "Because it's Potassium Nitrate. Only Americans call it Salt Peter."
Kitty: "Oh. I've always called it Salt Peter."
Ramona: "Dunno why."
Brian: (in a German accent, as you do, pointing at Kitty) "She must be an American spy!"
Ramona: *spits out the mouthful of tea she just took*

WTF? Am I missing something...?

After two weeks of going into work while I feel really sick, I am sooooooo looking forward to the weekend, which starts tomorrow for me.

I barely felt the working week when I first started. I think, because I've been feeling like crap, it seems to have dragged lately. I hope that changes when I am fully recovered. I still like being at work, but the length of time at which I need to sit here seems to be far longer and far more boring.

Anyway, this post was about nothing, but you people never post any more, so someone's gotta.

Also, TOTALLY heading out to the pub when I am well again. Mark my words.

I took two tags off the gift tree at St Vincent's - one for a 4 year old girl and the other for a 16 year old girl.

They are labelled with the associations that look after them - 'Gunawirra -Mugindi' and 'Task Force Redfern' respectively.

The 4 year old I think I have covered - books and a toy. But what do you buy a 16 year old girl from Redfern? I'm actually at a loss to think of what to buy. I know what I would have appreciated at that age, but I don't know if the same applies.

Suggestions? Smart answers will not be appreciated, nor tolerated.

Dear Person Who Runs the Air Conditioning at St Vincent's,

Please stop turning it down to below zero just because it's humid/hot outside. Some of us have not been anywhere outside since arriving this morning and are FREEZING OUR ARSES OFF.

And I know you're probably a computer, but this is on my LJ, not a real letter, so it all makes sense.

In fact, you're probably a spy computer that can read this as I type!

ARGH THE COMPUTERS ARE TAKING OVER! SKYNET! SKYNET!!!11!!

Love Kitty.

I am really looking forward to not being sick, so that I can do stuff. Birthdays, pubs, lunch; without wanting to faceplant my meal or having to skip it entirely.

Anyway, I'm bored. That's part of the reason I'm looking forward to having less mucus.

I'm buying my lunch today. What should I have?

I got first and second in the Melbourne Cup. I bet on them singularly, not as a quinella, so I only won $70. Still, that's better than nothing!

GO ACCIDENTAL IRISH HORSE!!

I know a song about Cup Day.

I like Cup Day. I like putting a bet on once a year on a couple of horses I've chosen either because I like the name, I like the odds, or because they're Irish. This year I accidentally bet on a Irish horse. I also like being a part of the office sweep, cos I normally pick the winner. And, of course, I get excited about watching the race to see if my horsies win.


What I don't like about Cup Day is the idea of joining in. I love pissing off to the pub, but I hate being forced to socialise with people I don't see outside of work. Occasionally I work with people I like having a drink with, so that's different.

This year, I am the only person in my department, really. The specialists I work for are all off doing procedures or running clinics. I thought I was getting to escape all the crap I hate about Cup Day, but miss out on the fun stuff too. Luckily, the nurses on our level ran a sweep and came around to my corner office to ask if I wanted to join in. They also told me the race would be shown on a big screen around here.

Yay! I get the Cup Day I always dreamed!

Oh, I also think it's funny that people in Sydney piss off for half a day. After living in Melbourne for so long, where the day is a public holiday, I find it odd that people in Sydney don't realise that it's actually a normal working day. Tee hee.