26TH JANUARY 2004... AUSTRALIA DAY

Well, here we are January almost over!!

It seemed like only yesterday when we were celebrating the new millenium. What happened to the last 3 years????? Is it just me..
or are the days, months and years flying past for everyone???

Last time I wrote was the day Jason and Jared left for Holland. The weeks between that and Jared's return dragged. I guess because I had so much to do for the Artistry group I run with 2 great gals from the U.S. I finally got PSP8 installed and I curse Jasc for creating it! *S* Every single tutorial for both classes had to be converted. I hate re-doing tutorials... especially my own. LOL!!! So, I really haven't had time for much else since the lads left. Of course it also took longer owing to the fact that I also had to keep Mum company now that Jason and Jared weren't around to distract her. So my computer time was limited to nights and as much time as possible that I could sneak in during the day,,, which wasn't much ... I can tell you.
Every time I disappeared she was right behind me. *S*

The last 2 weeks in December were spent cleaning Jason's junk from the spare room
which was his computer room. We had to do it little by little because the heat and
humidity played havoc with our energy and interest. AND THEN.... you know how it
goes.... you're fixing up one room and the whole house becomes a mess... like a
contageous disease!!! Had most of it done by Christmas, just didn't have the bed put
back and the filing cabinet which is 'chock-a-block' with Jason's files, computer bits, plugs and leads etc., etc., etc. is still, unfortunately in residence. But every other bit of junk had been removed, bookcase cleaned, windows and curtains washed and marks on the white carpet removed. Some men are such slobs!!

Mum tackled the bedroom Jason was using... which is actually Jared's room. That took her a week!! By Christmas the weather was too hot to do anything.

Lots of phone calls to and from Holland over the month... have the bill to prove it..
even with the cheap rates it was huge. PLUS there were still calls Jason had made
during the last week he was here... every day to Chantal.... who seemed to be getting
'cold feet'.

The TV reunion went off without a hitch... Apparently Chantal's boss was in on the act. The day of the event was Chantal's day off, so her boss had to get her in to work that afternoon on some pretext. I've lost interest in it because I expected a copy of the show to arrive with Jared... didn't happen!!! I questioned Jason... "he didn't have the time to make another copy"! What a load of BULL!!! Even if it were true... all of Chantal's friends and her Mother and Brother taped the show.... you'd think one of them could have parted with their copy so we could see what happened, then 'when Jason found time' he could do a duplicate copy for them from his copy.

That takes a little thought.... obviously we're not important enough... at least that's the way I feel. Anyway... I should know better.... Jason never keeps promises.

Jared isn't too thrilled with Chantal... says she's different at home... not like she was when she was here on holiday. GET THIS...... He asked if he could have a little pet to play with since the weather was lousy. Of course whatever he got would have to be looked after by them until he returned to Holland.
What did SHE say???
"NO!!!" WHY??? "Because HE wouldn't be there to look after it and she didn't
have the time!!!"
GEEZ... pity she didn't think of THAT before she lumbered US with a bloody cat WE didn't want!!!!!!!! What a hypocrite!!!!!

No.. she doesn't read this journal any more... I wish she did.

I have reservations as to whether the union will work.... I overheard a conversation Jason had with her on the phone. I questioned him about it but he fobbed me off. I heard him say "Jared's part of the package...." Now... what would you read into THAT??? Same as me... she's happy with Jason but doesn't want a ready made family. She knew all this before they got engaged! Then ... she thinks Jared should go to a public school not a private school. Mind you... only the private schools speak English and Jared can't speak Dutch. He didn't pick up much either during the month he was there.

So..I'm just going to sit back, wait and see and say nothing.

You know... we came to Australia when I was 9. If my Mum and Dad had sent me back to Scotland until they got organised with jobs... I would have hated them forever. I love Jared and I can only imagine what's going on in his little mind. He won't say. I guess he's used to playing "second fiddle". His Dad spent 5 years with a neurotic witch while Jared stayed with us. He was always waiting and waiting for his Dad to turn up to take him out at the weekends. But now, he's too far away..... Don't get me wrong.... I love my son.... but sometimes I just don't 'like' him.

Jason also left his car with us to be sold. We had plenty lookers and lots of offers but we turned down the offers.. they wanted it for nothing!! So we hung out and finally it went last Wednesday for the full asking price. So Mum got back the money she'd loaned Jason for his trip. We haven't told him yet.....

Before Christmas a very dear friend (Maureen) in Brisbane passed away. Her husband's sister had come from Scotland to help take care of her. Mum wrote to Phil and invited he and his sister to visit. They arrived the same day Jared got back.
Jared loves Phil *S* Phil loves kids *S*

So that meant we had to get the bed back in the spare room. I got all the pieces..
Jason and Chantal had dismantled it a couple of years ago so he could use the room for his computers. Guess what.... NO BOLTS!!! So I couldn't put the damned thing together. Now... if I had dismantled it I would have put the bolts in a plastic bag and tied them to the bed head. So ... in a panic I rang the store where we bought it.

The guy there was unbelievable..... I rang him on the Monday and he spent all week
traipsing around Hervey Bay trying to find suitable bolts... because he knew what to look for. By Friday he still had no success... he'd ordered bolts but we wouldn't get them in time.... so they had ONE bed in the showroom the same style.... they were going to dismantle it on the Friday and he was going to come Friday after work and erect the bed for us with the borrowed bolts which we could return when our visitors left. I couldn't believe there were people like this around any more!!!

I was having a cup of coffee late that afternoon... my day had been filled with other trials and tribulations to which I'll refer later. Got up to pile up the boxes with Jason's junk neatly in our Dining room until I can get the mess Jason left in the Garage/storeroom tidied up when the weather cools off. I happened to spy a plastic container in one of the boxes and just on a chance took it out and checked its contents... YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT... there were the bolts... large as life!!!!

I rang Craig at the furniture store.... was he upset that he'd spent all week searching for me??????? On the contrary.... he was so happy that we's found the originals. I offered to pay him for his trouble.... but he wouldn't hear of it. That.. restored my faith in human nature.

The day before, Jason had sent me an email asking me to confirm things at this end for Jared's flight home. So Friday was spent on the phone... 20 or more long distance calls. The reason.... Malaysia Airlines said they would not allow Jared to board the flight in Kuala Lumpur unless Jared had someone meeting him in Brisbane on Monday morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is an 11 year old child...... travelling unaccompanied!!!!

I even tried friends I've known for 30 years... but they weren't interested in being at the airport at 5am... not even if it was an emergency. This is when you find out who your friends really are! I just know if the situation had been reversed I wouldn't have thought twice about it. But that's me....

Between the bed hassle and this I was totally exhausted by 4pm Friday... another cup of coffee... because I was getting nowhere fast. I even phoned Jason and told him Jared wouldn't be leaving Holland!!!!!

As I sat and had the coffee... staring at the sheet of paper with the numerous phone numbers.... I spied one I hadn't tried yet. I thought I'd give it one last try. I spoke to a guy, Paul,from QANTAS Customer Service. I started relating my problem, he stopped me after a few seconds.... and said "Jamie.... your worries are over..."

I couldn't believe my ears! He told me they do this kind of thing all the time. I asked him why not one of the other 20+ airport and airline related people I'd spoken to didn't seem to know about this service. He said "Jamie.... they haven't a clue!!!!" Malaysia Airlines... the first place I called should have known about this service..... they use it all the time!!!!

You can't imagine the weight that was lifted off my shoulder. I was sick with worry thinking I'd hit a dead-end.

This Paul even rang me Sunday night (he didn't have to) to see if Malaysia Airlines were happy with the arrangements. I couldn't thank him enough.

When Jared got home on Monday.. he told us that the hostess that delivered him to us, met him at 5am at the International Terminal, helped him through Customs and Immigration and transported him to the domestic terminal where they both waited for the flight to Hervey Bay on which she was working. This meant she went to the International Airport 4 hours before she was to start work!! She was beautiful, and a CANADIAN!!!!

I have a letter written to send to the top brass at QANTAS thanking them and lauding the service and the people involved.

So my day of stress ended on a happy note... but I was exhausted. As I said before... My faith in human nature was restored by Craig from the furniture store.... now for a second time by Paul.

You're probably wondering why Phil (who lives in Brisbane) and his sister didn't pick Jared up at the airport... since they were coming to Hervey Bay anyway.... They were already in a place called Maroochydore... about half way between Brisbane and Hervey Bay on Monday. They spent the weekend with his daughter, her husband and his grand-daughter.... otherwise he'd have had no qualms about making sure Jared was OK.

So on Monday we had a full house once more... it was great! Jared went off to visit his other Grandmother and spend time with his brothers. He saw his mother..... she didn't even ask if he'd enjoyed his holiday.... BITCH!!!! He's so lucky he has us.

We'd had a lot of wet weather, so we were lucky it stayed fine while Phil and Nan were here. Talk.... we talked endlessly... and as for Nan... it was as though we'd known her forever..... we did miss Maureen though.

Towards the end of the week I went over to collect Jared from Grandma's... (I'm Nanny... she's Grandma *S*) and while we were waiting for the kids to come back from a friends place Grandma and I got to talking. You're not going to believe this......

When his Mother gets his brother and half brother off to bed at night....... she locks their bedroom doors from the OUTSIDE so they can't get out! She did this up to the first week of the school holidays last year. Grandma was horrified when Hayden told her... what if they had to go to the toilet during the night????? WORSE STILL... what if there were a FIRE????? Well Grandma told Hayden to plant the idea that if there were a fire.....
what chance would they stand. She finally woke up and stopped locking their doors.

This woman is a lunatic!!!! Thank God Jared doesn't live with her!!!!

Grandma and I didn't see eye to eye for years... but I'm not one to carry grudges. She is so kind to Jared... loves him so much... I couldn't stay angry with her. She says you can see the difference in upbringing between Jared and his brothers. Jared always treats her with respect... the other two always want their own way and give her lip. Even with this she loves them all but Jared is her favourite. She's always giving him personal things of hers or Eric's (her late husband) because she knows he'll appreciate them and look after them.

NSW.. the state south of Queensland and south east Queensland have had horrific electrical storms these past weeks. Three people have been struck by lightning and lost their lives. One car was struck... the tyres blew and the driver was lucky to escape with his life. One homeless person was sheltering under a tree yesterday when it was struck... had he been millimetres closer to the tree he'd be dead too. He's in hospital recovering from the shock. A couple of nights ago on the news we saw scenes from Sydney with the hundreds of bolts of lightning striking all over the city. It was as if we were watching the millenium celebrations all over again... awesome!!!

My computer was disconnected when we had a flash of lightning last night while I was working on it. I looked out the window and saw 'sheet' lightning so I figured I'd leave it off and just go to bed.

Well ... it was panic stations this morning.... my heart sank! I turned it on....
NOTHING!!!! I tried over and over.... NOTHING!!!! Then I remembered the same thing happening while Jason was here and he fiddled with the plugs under my desk... so I did the same. Eventually after much turning off and on it sprang to life. Thank the Lord!!!!

With classes starting next Sunday I couldn't afford to have it die on me. Jared went off to a friends place today... giving me time to catch up on what I couldn't do last night. I asked him to phone me when he arrived at Luke or Troy's place so I'd at least have a contact number since I hadn't a clue where they lived. He did call me.... but from Grandma's... not from his friends place. The gist of what I'm leading to is that I think he thought he was too old to have his Nanny phone his friends parents to check up on him.

About 5pm this afternoon we got a storm warning on the local radio station. I began to worry since Jared wasn't home yet and I didn't know where his friends lived. I knew the general area... but that was all. The clouds were building up... black and threatening..... and rolling in fast. I was picturing him coming home on his bike dodging lightning. I just got into the car and was backing down my driveway when my mother said he was on the phone. He phoned from Grandma's so I tore down there without going over the speed limit. As we were loading the bike into the boot the sky was getting darker... it was scary!! I didn't want to be driving when it hit.

Fortunately we arrived home just as the rain started and were safe inside when the thunder roared and the lightning flashed. It was over in half an hour. We were so lucky it was a fizzer after seeing the damage caused by storms all week on the news.

At least now Jared knows why it's important that I have some way of contacting him when he's out and why I need to know where he is at all times.

Jason rang last Saturday evening... he rang again tonight...
Finally got his computer fixed and is connected with DSL... lucky so and so!!
I didn't say anything.... but I get the distinct impression he is a little homesick.... just by his voice.... it's a dead give-away.

I hope he gets a job soon... or takes up the Canadian offer....
I'd hate to think I'd have to undo all the work we did after he left. (Grin)

Jared starts school tomorrow.... that means no more sleeping in for me....
damn!!! *S*




TUESDAY 3RD FEBRUARY

WELL... I thought I was going to meet my Maker last night!!!!!

We had gale force winds and thunder and lightning. I couldn't sleep. It looked like a mini cyclone from my bedroom window. Fortunately we had 2 huge Gum trees removed a couple of years ago otherwise we'd be in BIG trouble. But everything else was bent over almost touching the ground, I was terrified! I don't think I've ever prayed so hard in my entire life.

Today there were dead branches all over the place (small ones), parts of a dead tree broke off at the side of the house... but not big enough to do damage to the house..... just a lot of work ahead of me since I don't have anyone to help me any more. No point in expecting any help from Mum... she'll get eaten alive with mosquitoes... she attracts them like a magnet. BUT she's good at deciding what I should do and how I should do it! I turn myself off these days and pretend I don't hear her, otherwise we'd end up in a perpetual screaming match.

I spent time out by the pool today cutting off the bent over limbs of the small trees we have... I got about an hour in before the rain started again. I got soaked of course because as each branch fell it was water laden. There's no way I can put all this stuff in the trailer to take to the dump.... I'll have to get someone to pick it up.. what a mess!! The pool was remarkably free from debris... but we have it covered, so that was a big help.

I found a poor little tree frog in the pool... unfortunately it was dead. That upsets me because this one has been around since Christmas. It was about the size of the palm of my hand... not very old :-(

This has been the worst January since 1974 for storms here where I live.
In Sydney according to a show I saw on TV tonight they had 46,000 lightning strikes in 12 hours... no... it's not a typo.... 46,000 is correct!!!!!! The whole east coast of Australia has been copping it these past 2 weeks.

The Cat From Hell decided to stay indoors last night.... maybe she had a
premonition????? *S*

I can only imagine how people who lose their homes in fires, earthquakes and storms must feel. What we had last night was petty in comparison BUT nonetheless... I was terrified.

Mum told me earlier in the evening that she'd heard on the radio that a cyclone was heading for Fraser Island (a few miles to the east of us).. I thought...
"Right... the 'voice of doom' is at it again.." I listened to the radio while I was on my computer... nothing about any cyclone.. not even anything about an approaching storm. So I figured she'd heard it wrong... as usual. Then about midnight it began... off went my computer... wasn't taking any chances.

Jared and I were talking tonight while he was doing his homework. Said Chantal and his Dad made him go to bed at 8pm every night while he was in Holland. The fact that he was on holiday made no difference. I also found out that he really doesn't want to go back.. he'd rather live here in Australia. What a pity his Dad doesn't take the time to find out how Jared feels.

The PSP Classes have kept me busy these past weeks... preparation.. that is...
We have almost 300 registrations this time! I can't believe how quickly it's grown.
So... my friends... if you haven't heard from me in ages, I hope you'll forgive me.
Having to shut down my computer regularly for hours on end because of the storms hasn't helped the situation at all. Then when I get back online I have to sift through junk email before I can answer the legitimate ones. I was so far behind the other day that I spent 8 hours off line answering the ones in my inbox and deleting the rubbish.

So... I better get online now and check how the classes are going...

I hope you all had a better month than I've had *S*

Until next time...

Hugs
Jamie


A couple of pics

FEBRUARY 2004


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