HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Monday 30 December 2002

One more day to go and 2002 will be over...
POOF!!!
Where did it go????? Huh???

Obviously we made it through Christmas unscathed *S*
It actually turned out better than I expected.

Jason was away for 5 days... so there was just Jared, Mum and I
until 2 days before Christmas. Jason worked like a 'trojan' before he left.... can you believe it!! We got so much done in just 2 days. We had a 'session' a week or so prior to his going and I thought nothing had penetrated from the 'discussion'. It may have taken a couple of days... but something must have sunk in.

I'd been in tears because I'm so damned frustrated at not being able to do things for myself. I had yet ANOTHER appointment with ANOTHER doctor, more blood tests... have to go back on 2nd January for results...
Grrrrrr!!



Finally got the Christmas tree decorated.. it's so hard when the hands and feet hurt.... took a whole day just for the lights. But everything looked pretty for Chantal and Jason coming home.

We actually had Christmas dinner in the dining room.... first time in 7 years!! It's usually too hot... last year it was 40 degrees on Christmas Day... this year it was 28 and there was a breeze all day.... Oh joy!!

There's more Christmas Pics here...
Christmas 2002
If you go to the bottom of this linked page
I've got a bunch of links to the different pages of photos.

This was the first time in YEARS that Jason actually spent the whole Christmas Day and week at home... thanks to Chantal!!
This is the first time it's actually felt like a 'family' Christmas in such a long, long time. Lord.... even the "CAT FROM HELL' got a Christmas mouse to play with!!

I chose the stuffing recipe for the turkey... hazelnut and cashew... (couldn't get chestnuts at this time of the year) Mum mixed it... Jason stuffed the bird. He also made some of the things to go with the meal.... unbelievable!! Jared had seen Jason stuffing the turkey early on Christmas Day and because he had used his bare hands (which HAD been thoroughly washed,, mind you) he refused to have any turkey at all....when it came dinner time!!!! He's a real stickler for germs this kid.... wouldn't touch anything (plate or glass) that anyone else has been using. We tried to explain that 4 hours in the oven would kill any and all germs... but he wouldn't be swayed. So, I can only hope he'll be the same when it comes time when he's offered drugs some time in the future and it's inevitable that he will be offered... unfortunately.

Jason made dinner on Boxing Day!!! Wahoo (fish) in tempura batter and a beautiful sweet chilli sauce... delicious!! Also tastes so much better when you don't make it yourself!!

Boxing Day, for those of you who don't know..
originated from the days when the 'landed gentry' (toffs!!) in Britain used to box gifts for the servants and tradespeople as a bonus for the year.

Jason has made dinner every night except one when I made croquettes out of the leftover turkey. I keep waiting for the bomb to drop... I can't believe all the assistance I'm getting. (I had to lie and tell Jared the croquettes were something other than turkey so he'd eat them *S*)
Jason and Chantal plan to decorate the pool area tomorrow for their New Year's Eve visitors.
I'm staying out of that... I hate New Year!! Especially when the past year has been a disappointment....He's promised to tackle the garage when they get back from Lady Elliot Island.

We've had quite a bit of rain these past couple of weeks...
pity the farmers aren't getting any of it. The price of vegetables and fruit have skyrocketed!! What really ticks me off is that one day you go to the supermarket and the prices are reasonable and 2 days later the prices are almost double!! Then a few days later they're back to normal again. Of course the 'drought' is blamed but that's rubbish!! If it really was because of the drought the prices wold remain high!


**************
TUESDAY 2nd January 2003

Up with the sparrows this morning! Jared, Jason and Chantal had to be at the airport at 7:40am! Jason had received a call changing their flight from 11:40am to 8:20am. We told Chantal that they'd be travelling in a little 6 or 8 seater plane ...she hates flying :-))) She was quite relieved to see the baggage being loaded into the bigger plane (GRIN).. We took some photos.. and you can check them out here if you like...
AIRPORT PHOTOS

FOUR DAYS OF PEACE!!!
Hallelujah!!

We got home to a messy place and I'm afraid it remained that way!! We'll tackle it tomorrow.
I had a doctor's appointment at 11:15, Mum was going to go with me but when I went through to get her she was asleep on the sofa... so I left her there. Just as well... I ended up in tears at the doctor's!

NO... the news wasn't good! Apparently whatever the 'normal' count (in the blood test) for Rheumatoid Arthritis is.... mine was over 700!!!! So, it will never get better. She sent me off to the chemist to get Methotrexate (I think that's how it's spelled) injections and when I got in the car I just broke down... crying some more.

My kidneys, Liver and other organs are just fine but I have to have an injection EVERY week and then every two weeks have to go for blood tests to make sure the drug is not affecting me in other ways (side effects),

Well... enough about that!! I guess I'll just have to get on with life the best way I can. There are people in worse positions than myself, medically. I have to stop feeling sorry for myself and work on the frustration of the whole mess.

New Year's was very quiet..Jason's friends turned up and I gave one a lift home about 9pm... he had to start work at 2am... YUK!!
I hit the sack about 10:45,,, couldn't last the distance.

Jason made dinner again last night and Chantal washed up. I didn't even ask... he offered!! Wonder how long this will last????

Even though he's spent months on a project for tourism in this area and done an excellent job on it he's having difficulty getting above the apathy of the tourist operators here. So, he decided to apply for a job that interested him .... a couple of weeks before Christmas. When I was out grocery shopping this afternoon Mum received a phone call from someone referring to the advertised position (she thinks). She told them he'd be back Sunday night and I think whoever it was is going to ring back. Lord, I hope so because the job would be ideal for his talents. Maybe 2003 is going to be a turning point for him. I tried to call him on his mobile but it was switched off :-((
So, I'll just have to wait and keep my fingers crossed.


Before I go.... Jared bought himself a new bike before Christmas, with his OWN money. Since then there's been no stopping him!!!! He has this NEW FOUND FREEDOM!! He doesn't have to wait for anyone to take him where he wants to go.

I have to give in.... he's beginning to grow up :-(

Fortunately.. he's responsible with it.... He went to visit a friend in Point Vernon, quite a way on a bike for a 10 year old.... BUT... he phoned when he got there to let us know where he was!!

He loves his golf and has even made friends with some of the elderly members of the club. One even spent some time one afternoon teaching him how to do long putts. He goes there himself with a couple of clubs and hits balls off the practice fairway or practices putting.

I went out with him... driving around in a golf cart and was truly shocked and amazed at how well he hit the ball... He hits an adult sized ONE wood off the tee and send the ball SCREAMING down the middle of the fairway!!

As for the Tennis... He had a game with Chantal and Jason and beat the socks off them!!!

God I love that kid!!!


That's about all for now, hope I haven't bored you to tears.

************

4th February 2003

Well here I am... Late as usual, already 4th of February here! But I'm still counting this as January news.

NOW the problems start... what the H... did I do this past month except suffer from memory loss!

OK... I have found myself a 'real' doctor! She jabs me every week and I get blood tests every second week but.... no more pain!!! The blood tests are showing no change in any of my other 'vitals' so far. So the medication she's injecting me with is having no side effects.. Hallelujah!!

I did get some sort of problem last Friday. I was working in the garden in the oppressive heat and humidity. I came inside after a while and lay down on the bed for "5 minutes"..... three and a half hours later Mum came to wake me in her usual 'gestapo' manner... *S*
But when I sat up I felt as if something was crushing my lower ribs!!
It lasted for about half an hour... I was in tears. I still don't know what caused it... haven't had a recurrence so am not going to worry about it.

Jason and Jared drove to Brisbane yesterday to see Chantal off on her trip home to Holland. Jared was upset about her leaving, he really loves her so... he got the day off school to go with them. Naturally we haven't had any decent rain in weeks but it began on Sunday night and teemed all day yesterday and is still pouring on and off today. We really need it but Jason had to be careful driving. He, Jason, was very quiet last night, he's already missing Chantal.

As a matter of fact... so am I.... I had to do the dishes last night.... damn!! :-( Ha! Ha! It seems strange today knowing she's not here. Jared loves her to death and she is so good at keeping Jason on the right track that I hope it's not long before she gets everything sorted out.

It's Chantal's birthday next Thursday so on Saturday I made her a birthday cake and we all got her presents. Apparently no-one has ever MADE a cake for her before... it's always been bought. So she really appreciated me making it. It was chocolate. soaked in Kirsch, with chocolate cream, cherries and chocolate flakes.. mmmmm.
Lotsa carbohydrates!!!!



I've been really tired lately, I guess it's the heat and humidity. So I haven't been online as much as I would like. Then when I do find time during the day my mother manages to find other things for me to do.
A friend and I have been creating a tutorial site for PSP7 lessons so in between dealing with, or trying to avoid, all the other crap in my life I've been busy creating tutorials. Ann and I have worked our butts off and we should be ready for the big launch some time in March. So if any of you out there want to join us and learn the ins and outs of PSP7 just let me know.

I also took some time off from a couple of web rings I belong to when I was feeling lousy. I was going to quit them because I couldn't give my best at the time but they wouldn't let me quit... so I'm slowly getting back up to speed with them as well.

Like I said... Jared's back at school.. a new one this year, only 14 in his class.. much better than 25 to 30 huh!! He's settled in really well, so we're thankful for small mercies. All the kids were really nervous the first day... since every one was new to the school including the teachers. They got tests last week to see what level each of them are at and so the teacher knows what work is ahead of him. Sooo hopefully there won't be any bitching in my Journal this year. *S*

Jared spent a couple of days with his brother, Hayden over the holidays, so I relented and invited him over here for the day. Jason and Chantal did take them out, but the next day I discovered that all 3 floats for the pool were damaged!!! I've had them for over a year with kids jumping all over them but all it takes is one day with Hayden and they're useless!!

Mum and I took Jared to McDonald's for breakfast one morning, just for something different to do. I think this is the second time we've ever done this.



Mum and Jared had pancakes,,, me... no imagination... a bacon and egg McMuffin *S*

Mum and I managed to get to the movies this month... saw "Analyse That"... disappointed by the filthy language throughout the whole film. Why do they have to use the "F" word ALL THE TIME?? It spoiled what could have been a very funny film, I'm no prude, but I almost walked out before the film finished. I'm a huge DeNiro fan but if they come up with "Analyse The Other" I'll be giving it a big miss!!

We also saw was "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" which I enjoyed immensely, "Two Week's Notice" and "Catch Me If You Can" which were fun. We're looking forward to "Chicago"... I can't wait to see Richard Gere singing and dancing!

I've uploaded 4 more pages of photos for those of you who are interested. You'll find them HERE NO... I don't feature in any of them :-(
Too busy taking them.

Cyclone Benny is reforming and is heading for the central Queensland coast, I live in South East Queensland so we can expect lousy weather for the next few days.... Lots of rain and high winds!
It's either bushfires or floods .... never a 'happy medium'.

The Challenger disaster was a shock, my heart goes out to the families left behind. What a sad and sorry world we live in.
A looming world war, devastating bushfires, floods, earth quakes, active volcanoes, train accidents, chair lift accidents, rising prices.... one wonders where it will all end.


On that note I think I'll finish for this month.


I forgot one thing...
the Cat from Hell
scared the wits out of Jared's rat...
it died 2 weeks later!!!
Yes... it's still here Chantal!! *S*
******

A gentleman, fresh out of gift ideas, bought his mother-in-law a large plot in an expensive cemetery. On her next birthday, he bought her nothing.

She was quick to comment, loud and long, on his thoughtlessness. The gentleman said only one thing -

"Well, you haven't used the gift I gave you last year."

We must seek, above all, a world of peace; a world in which peoples dwell together in mutual respect and work together in mutual regard
John F. Kennedy. 35th president of the United States, 1917-1963

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