Moose Musings

11:59pm: OK, so I've slacked this week with the whole updating thing and though I'm starting this update before midnight I'm not gonna finish it before the day ticks over!

And I'm still behind on The Friday Five, but tomorrow is the morning tea at Mum and Dad's retirement village and I have to deliver my cupcakes by 9:30am (or possibly 9am!) so I no time to stay up late.

The weather has totally been all over the place this week, chilly outside, but my apartment is well insulated so I'm quite hot and need to turn the fan on so I can sleep. It's rather weird.

In other news it's the last Junior Grand Prix event and the menfolk are skating now, it's happening in China so I had hopes that the time zones would work out better for me, I did manage to see the whole Ladies SP, but I'll have to turn in before the menfolk finish so I won't know who'll wins until tomorrow. Ah well.

Apart from that not much else to report, except I've been playing Sims 4 all week, Alternate Lady Bigwallet has almost reached the top of her aspiration! Once she does, she and Shea the gardener can get married and have kiddies for the next generation. For all my attempts with Hill Valley in Sims games I've never actually had a full generation before, so this will be interesting. I am kind of missing playing my Woodstone Sims in Sims 3, I'm pretty sure season 4 of Ghosts premiered today, but just taking a quick look, it's actually next week. Phew! :OP

Also it's been busy at work, next week we need to do a Time and Motion Study because the Big Manager wants to know if we're working efficiently or something like that. I'm not sure what to think about that... Changes may be afoot, but our jobs are safe or at least that's what my supervisor says. Fingers crossed I guess!

Right, I gotta get moving. Goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Cupcakes

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

11:14pm: Which I put on quite late because I totally forgot about doing it while I was busy making cupcakes for the Old Folk's Get-Together at Mum and Dad's retirement village tomorrow morning. Fortunately, my washing machine has a quick, but efficient cycle.

However, I figured I better give a quick update before it gets way too late... Interesting day at work - so to speak - only me and one other colleague were in today! My direct supervisor doesn't work Thursdays and Fridays and the other three all took the day off. However, I feel like the two of there got quite a bit done with the quality checking the books from the delivery we got on Wednesday. The number of boxes are much more reasonable now, I think I mentioned before, but because of the end of financial year we don't order for like two months, so when July rolls around suddenly there's a surge! But yeah we've got a reasonable amount now.

Of weirder work news, two birds somehow got into the library today - I've worked there for like 6 years now and this has never happened before! Fortunately, they were small birds, but unfortunately they kept flying around and because of the big windows in the library and the height of the ceilings there didn't seem to be any way to get them out! When my colleague and I left the library manager and another one of the branch staff were still trying to get them out through the fire door. Hopefully they managed it! I wonder if I should have stayed behind, it would have meant getting the bus home, but it seemed a bit mean to leave them in the lurch!

Anyway, the cupcakes are frosted and in their cupcake carrier ready to go tomorrow morning, I also got a book that my mother requested I reserve for her so I have to make sure I take that along too tomorrow morning, although apparently Mum won't be at the Get-Together, I think she might be doing Chair Yoga or something.

Before I go though...

Friday Five

6/9/24

These questions were written by Dreamwidth user got_quiet.

1. What is the last shower thought you had (aka random thought in the shower or during downtime) I was just thinking - while watching the pairs free program at the JGP of figure skating how weird the concept of a throw jump is. Who came up with that? And how did they get their partner to agree to such a crazy proposition?!

2. What is the last thing you changed your mind about? Hmm...I have to say I'm rather stubborn and not apt to change my mind, LOL. Nothing comes to my mind right now!

3. What was the last low-stakes argument you were in about? Hmmm...probably something at work about my tendency to ask "What if..?" It's a rather irritating issue I have! It was all good-natured though.

4. What is an idea you have that you know would probably never work, but it would be cool if it did? An equal providing of food to the world, we do actually produce enough food to feed everyone, but it's not equally available which is a real bummer :O( Unfortunately, capitalism makes this idea impossible. Boo-urns.

5. Who is someone who has ideas you like, or take inspiration from?

Hmm...well, one of my co-workers always has good ideas for how to do work more efficiently and what not, which is much appreciated! Also Mum, she always has ideas about how to do things.

On that note, I shall be off, that laundry won't hang itself unfortunately!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Laundry

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

8:31pm: I was looking at the bottom of my laptop today, trying to figure out what exactly why the hinge was going weird and I realised what the problem was. Several screws are missing! I have no idea how that happened! Do screws unscrew themselves? I'm vaguely remembering unscrewing the laptop, but I'm thinking that might be an incorrect memory because why the Heck would I do that?

On the plus side this seems to be something I could fix myself, except I don't have any of the same screws, I was thinking I could go to Bunnings tomorrow to find some, but I feel like computer screws would not be available in a hardware shop. Plus, I wouldn't want to do the wrong thing and end up stripping the screws or mucking up the holes, so I guess I'll have to go to the computer shop across the road after all.

The thing is, I'm not sure I'll have tomorrow afternoon off work after all, my parents are going down to Wollongong next Sunday and have invited me to go along with the idea I'll take the train home the next day. After the success with flying to and from Cairns (the latter by myself) and other train-ing this would probably be a good idea. Buuut having had most of last week off sick, so I'm wondering if instead of doing my half day tomorrow I do it next Monday so I can come into work in the afternoon when I get back from the Gong. Hmmm... On the other hand I'm not lacking in leave either soooo...

I guess I'll ask my boss about it tomorrow.

I am slightly concerned that my nose still seems to be stuffed up and I did wake up a few times last night coughing. I do feel OK now so I think I should be good to go tomorrow (fingers crossed!). I'm wondering if I should take a COVID test, although I did take one on Thursday morning before heading to the doctor's and it was negative... on the other hand when I did get COVID last year the first test I took was negative and only when I needed to go to the doctor's a few days later did I have to take another test which proved positive.

However, I think all my COVID tests are actually out of date...so I'm not sure if taking one is of much use.

In other news, I went to the parentals for lunch today, bringing along the roast chicken - Mum had made the veggies and there were only two cupcakes left over which we had for desert, along with berries and dollop cream. I'm not a fan of berries, but any chance to partake in dollop cream :OD

Then I came home I did my laundry, which is now hanging up to dry in the winter garden.

With a lack of anything to report on, I'll do some more Friday Five Memes, because even though it ain't Friday there's a whole backlog of 'em!

Friday Five

21/6/24

1) What's an area where you're not perfect, but trying your best?

Uh...all of them :OP In all honesty? Having a tidy apartment, I'm like the Queen of Turning a Blind Eye when it comes to mess, like I swear I can just block the untidiness like a champ. I notice when I come home from work, but once sit down and start doing stuff on the laptop it just fades into the distance. Of course, this means it gets reaaaally bad and if I want to invite anyone over it's a mad dash to clean it up. But! I've been endeavouring to get on top of it. I'm supposed to have my Aunt and Uncle visit and play some boardgames, this has been planned for like three years now...still hasn't happened though.

2) Who are you proud of?

Hmm...I dunno, haven't really thought about it! My family members I guess? For being cool.

3) What makes you feel appreciated?

When (almost) all my cupcakes are eaten! Admittedly I like to have some left over so I can eat them, but when there's only 2 left out of 22, well I must have done a good job!

4) What would you like to make more time for?

Friends! Thing is, I do actually have time I'm just lazy as Hell and thus haven't seen them for ages - one of them for nearly 6 months! Yikes... Gotta work on that.

5) What can you re-arrange?

Uh...my wardrobe and cupboards? I feel like this is a question that asks for a deeper meaning, but eh...

Righto, I'm off to play Cities Skylines, my current obsession, I'm making a Hill Valley, but I've downloaded a heap of things since I first started playing the game a few months back and thus am half tempted to restart my city, but maybe not... Heh, maybe that's something I can rearrange :OP

Ta-ta for now.

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Laptop Screws

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

9:45pm: So I always forget that when I have a cold I feel shitty in the mornings, so I'm super glad I have those Doctor's Certificates! No way would I have wanted to go to work this morning. I'm also taking tomorrow off as well to make sure I'm good to go for Monday, which will be a half day, so I'll be easing back into it.

Making sure my hands were clean I made the cupcakes for my parent's retirement village's get-together tomorrow. Vanilla ones, which is not my usual MO, but Mum asked if I could make them and I said I would, it went pretty well until it came to add the milk. The last few times I've made cupcakes I've made a double batch which means one cup of milk...this time I was doing my usual batch which only needs a half. You can see where this is going...

Queue the cake batter practically turning into a liquid and me going O.O, then adding a whole lot of flour to make it become solid again, before realising that might be a bad decision and looking up the internet to see what if anything I could do to rescue the situation (I didn't want to have to throw the batter out). The first suggest I saw luckily said to add extra flour, but it also recommended adding an extra egg, which made sense... I once got a recipe from M for a one egg cake, which didn't work when I tried it...I guess egg helps bind all the ingredients together, because when I baked the cake it wasn't properly solid and just fell into a puddle.

Long story short, I managed to get the batter looking right again and got to baking the first batch of six. They looked pretty good when I took them out, but I decided I better taste test one at which point I realised that cupcake was rather...flat. Also, because of the cold my sense of taste is kinda off right now, so I wasn't even 100% sure they did in fact taste OK.

I decided to call Mum at this point for advice, thankfully she had some which was while adding the flour and egg was a good idea, I needed more baking soda to help it rise. Duh. The net did say to just double the recipe and I did add extra vanilla as well, but totally blanked on the baking soda.

Unfortunately, I'd put the second batch of six in, whoops, so in the end half the batch had the appropriate amount of baking soda and the other half didn't LOL.

After all 23 were ready to go I packed them up and headed over to Mum and Dad's so Mum could decorate them - she had dollop cream and wanted to butterfly them and add a little decoration on top. Unfortunately, I'd kind of forgotten what the roads can be like at 3pm on school day...took twice as long as usual to drive to my parents place, lucky for me it usually only takes ten minutes so it wasn't THAT bad.

I hung around while Mum decorated the cupcakes, they look really good! With any luck if there's any left over I'll get to enjoy some! In the end there were 22, because Mum had to test one as well which met with her approval. Wipes brow, lucky me!

In a blast from the past look what's still around on LJ...

The Friday Five

28th June 2024

1. Have you gotten everything done that you had hoped to do during the first half of 2024?

Hmm, sort of? Once again I've been failing at the keeping up with IRL friends, but I have managed to take four short flights on an airplane (having not flown for more than 20 years), and otherwise facing some of my anxiety issues, so go me.

2. Did anything exciting or unexpected happen to you during the first half of 2024?

Well, I visited Cairns u in Queensland Australia for the first time, that was pretty exciting! Considering how cold the weather has been this winter, having a short four day visit to the tropics was much appreciated :O) Plus, the flight up and down went quite well for me, so that was a relief.

3. What big plans do you have for the second half of 2024?

Well, in about three weeks I'll be heading to Fiji with Mum and her friend - this will be about a five hour flight. I'm pretty hopeful that I'll be good for it, plus more tropical weather and a place I haven't been to before, huzzah!

4. Have you taken, or are you planning, a vacation this year?

Heh, see above. Mum's a bad influence on me :OP I've already gone to Cairns this year and soon Fiji!

5. Have you ever wanted to be one of the people writing and posting these questions?

I feel like this might be a request for questions to be sent in...and maybe? Depends if I've got any inspiration, which I currently don't. I probably should send in some questions one day though...

Well, it's almost 10:30 so I should probably haul. Le Tour de France is on tonight, but alas it's the time trial and that's not nearly as fun as having a peloton to watch.

Goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Health

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

11:02pm: Yes! I was most disappointed when I looked through my emails this morning after going swimming with Dad (well, he worked out on the treadmill first so more like swam by myself while he was on that LOL) and saw that the lady who's Thursday shifts I've been doing is coming back to the library. So all those shifts I had are now cancelled. This is bad news because as Mum points out the bank probably won't want to lend me the money for the apartment if I'm not working enough hours. Plus I won't be able to save as much money for the stamp duty if I lose four hours worth of money.

So I was totally bummed out about all this, but later on when I was at work I took a quick look at my emails again and there was one from the roster person at the library offering me some Friday shifts. I'm not sure if I've got the same number as I had before, but yay!

Anyway, I've been very productive this evening - except on the fanfic writing front, do'h! - both Mum and Mrs S needed me to do some sewing, which I got done. Mum also asked me to make some cupcakes for tomorrow, which I've done although I screwed up on the oven temperature so they're sort of burnt on the bottom. Hopefully when I put the frosting on tomorrow it won't be so noticible, since these cupcakes are for some other people and you kind of want to do your best there.

Not much else to report, except I've gone to a few second hand shops today and no sign of a red shirt to replace the one I have that's getting a bit long on the tooth. Man, it's so hard to find a decent looking shirt these days, they've all got ruffles and no collars and shit, very annoying.

But yes, best be off, I should probably try and write a bit of my fanfic! Keep in the grove and all.

So for now, goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Library Shifts

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

11:03pm: One of my teeth is hurting, I think I might need some new filling stuff put on it (I'm not sure what it is exactly, it's more a preventive type thing, I don't have an actual cavity), last week it felt like something chipped off said tooth and now it's kinda sensitive and stuff.

Only problem is I still haven't figured out which dentist to go to! I saw one that said they give rebates for private health fund members aka me, but it doesn't appear on the preferred providers list on the fund website. Also they didn't have any appointments for Monday or Tuesday and I can't really do Wednesday or Thursday and I don't think I should wait until Friday. Although the other place didn't have online appointments so I'll have to call tomorrow to find out when they can fit me in.

Sigh, and this is why you have to keep your teeth well-maintained.

In other news, my mother asked me to make cupcakes last night for my old landlady's concert today and you know I never turn down a chance to make cupcakes. However, I somehow managed to totally screw them up! They're all hard now. I've made frosting to go with them now, but obviously I couldn't let them be used for the get-together. So now I've got twenty-four of these tough cupcakes to eat. LOL fail.

Oh well, at least I went skating yesterday, which was heaps of fun! And I also made lasagna for dinner tonight which was super delicious. I even did a tiny bit of writing tonight, LOL. Well, every little bit helps!

Now, it's getting late and I've got to get my zzzs so I'm gonna wrap this up here.

Goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Teeth

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

11:29pm: The Fed-Express! He's at Wimbledon right now, playing for what could be his 8th Title! Of course, I'm not gonna be able to watch the whole thing because it's only just started and I suck at staying up late even if it's only for one night.

He's just broken serve, but who knows what's going to happen because he's up against a tough competitor! Not Nadal, but a super tall guy from Croatia who has beaten him once. So fingers and toes.

So, I'm here at Mum and Dad's place so Mum and I can watch the Final together, Mum suggested having a Wimbledon inspired supper of finger sandwiches, vanilla cupcakes with jam and cream and strawberries and cream. Very elegant! Mum took a photo of me, but it's not my best angle, LOL! I'm also wearing the Tennis T-shirt I got many years ago, hopefully it'll be good luck.

Anywho, I better make this entry quick as time is getting on and having done my Russian yet (I forgot yesterday and lost my eight day streak, boo) and my tablet battery is getting rather low.

Plus, it's not like I have much to report, I went to church, went to work, made the cupcakes and came over here.

And whoot! Fed-Ex has taken the first set, come oooon you can do it!

And now I shall wrap this up, goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Tennis

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

11:08pm: Yep, I've been making up a batch after last week's mix up when I thought my friend's house warming party was on! Had to eat most of those cupcakes myself, which could well explain why - according to the scale at the gym - my fat content has gone up. However...my actual weight has gone down, WTF? That doesn't even make sense...or maybe it does, fat weighs less than muscle. Still seems weird to me though.

Anyway! I gotta make the frosting before I go to bed, which is soon!

I've just remembered though that I forgot to call my other friend about coming to the house warming party! Fuuuck, it's probably too short of notice to do it now, but I guess I'll send her a text tomorrow and see if she's interested in coming.

Well, there's been some interesting developments re: the apartment situation, it would seem that we are going to buy one in the building we were originally looking at, as they've offered to sell a studio apartment that's in it at the same amount as the one in the 'Highline'. I'm still wondering if this is a good idea...I sure as Hell hope the builders aren't a bunch of shonks, I don't want to have to frig around with leaky bathrooms and whatever like Mrs S is right now (I have to come in early on Monday for this very reason, grumble grumble.) Hopefully it'll work out.

Not much else to say...although I had quite the busy day! I went to the mall after work and finally got around to buying some new gumboots, there was however a complete lack of Easter eggs, damn those things disappear so fast now! Sucks.

I also got to the gym, which I'm quite proud of since I've been slacking, plus there's probably going to be a fair bit of junk food in my weekend. :OP Plus there were still some eggs at the IGA across the road so I got some of those.

And there was also dinner at Mum and Dad's place, which the little bro also attended, Mum, Dad and the little bro had quiche while I had left over lasagna, delish! The parentals and I also watched Family Feud it was pretty hilarious as Dad kept ragging on the carry-over champion family who not only ended up winning the car, but finally getting the $10,000 Final Feud amount, LMAO. I told him I'd tell you all about this, so there you go. :OP

OK, the dishwasher which I put the beater whisks in has finally finished its washing so I gotta haul and get the frosting made! And then bed!

And uh...I'll get back to those Memes one day! :OP

Goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Cupcakes

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

11:49pm: t-shirt when I saw it in K-Mart this evening! Because, how could I not! Especially since I seem to recall seeing the same shirts last year, but not getting one only to find them all sold out when I went back!

Anyway, it's a men's extra-small, because apparently K-Mart doesn't have BTTF shirts for ladies, which seems quite the rip-off, they have plenty of Star Wars themed t-shirts in the women's section, so why not BTTF. But it fits pretty damn well, so yaaay.

Moving on, my busy day when very well! Although for some reason that may or may not be related my right thumb hurts when I bend it, I have no idea what I could have done to it. I guess I could have picked up some heavy books at work today...Man, I need to figure out some exercises for it, I've been working on my other fingers at the gym with weights, but I have no idea how to get the thumb involved.

Anywho, as you can no doubt see I left it quite a bit late to do this entry so I don't have time to say much more, but my bank card still hasn't arrived! It better come tomorrow otherwise I'm going to have to ring my mother up so she can pay for my hair to be done over the phone (although I've just realised, she's doing so relief teaching tomorrow so she may not be available, shiiit) Plus I haven't actually paid for the reunion! So you know, that'll be kind of awkward.

But, there's still tomorrow! So fingers crossed it arrives! And that my cupcakes turn out well, I got the green food colouring today, must remember not to put too much of it in, last time I used red food colouring it was a bit overkill, LOL!

And now, I bid you all goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room BTTF-ness

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

11:33pm: Yes! Although it was looking a bit dicey at around 10:30am when I noticed a message from the little bro saying he hadn't received the deposit from the Canadian girl yet and time was running out! He said he'd call her during his lunch break, but I prepared myself for the news I'd have to move.

Then just as I was about to get a phone number of a removalist Mrs S used when she moved last year I noticed another SMS had come in, it was good news! The Little Bro must have checked his bank account and the deposit was there! The move is off! :OD

So, that's a huge relief! Although I did briefly think maybe I should have moved in, because as I did tell Dad I sometimes do get lonely, but I'm more comfortable here. I just have to do more cleaning.

In less happy news, I made cupcakes tonight, but I must have done something wrong because they came out dry and tasting like crap. This hasn't happened to me in forever! They're pretty much unsalvagable too, like even if I slathered them with frosting they'd still taste icky. I'm a bit concerned the eggs might be off, I sure as Hell hope not because as I usually do when I make cupcakes I ate quite a bit of the batter. I guess all I can do is cross my fingers!

And make cupcakes tomorrow morning...since I really want to serve some up for Australia Day and just because. :OP

For now though, I better be off, although it's my day off and a Public Holiday besides I didn't get enough sleep the last two nights and that's sure to quick my ass if it continues.

So for now, goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Cupcakes

Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!