Moose Musings

11:59pm: You realise that you've set up the filter insert the wrong way up which explains the loudness of the past month!

Yes, indeed, after getting home from Mrs S's and Warriewood Square, I needed to get some more carrots and milk, I decided to fiddle around with the filter one more time before heading to a pet shop to try and find out if I was doing something wrong.

And yes I was...the motor of the filter belongs inside the filter box, not at the top! I had the thing compete mixed up! I have to wonder if the filter still works after a whole month of it's motor being unsubmerged. It seems to be OK? And now it's whisper quiet!

I'm so embarrassed. :OP

I've also missed out on updating on Halloween! Time got away from me because I decided I better watch the movie I rented from Mona Vale Library the other week Eddie the Eagle, but it was worth it because it was a great movie. I had no idea Eddie was so committed to becoming an athlete, he tried all sorts of things before ending up with the ski jumping.

Damn, I keep getting distracted here, I chalk that up to business as usual and the fact it's late, in fact it's almost 1am! Shit! I better hit the hay!

Ahem apologies for this scattered entry, but hey I fixed the filter!

Goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Filter

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

11:18pm: The Colour Rescue stuff worked on my stripped long-sleeve shirt. Last week I washed it with a red shirt and it the white stripes turned pink! I suppose it wasn't exactly a disaster, but it didn't right. However, I wasn't sure the Colour Rescue stuff would work...Dad used some on Mrs S's white jacket,and it didn't entirely work, although he got most of the pink off in the end after using two satchets.

And I'm sure you're not very interested in that, LOL. Although, it's pretty cool that only the colour you don't want is removed. I guess its because the dye isn't as completely soaked in...Makes me wonder if I could have rescued those green underpants my father ruined many years ago by putting them in with dark stuff.

Moving on! I think my IBS has finally settled down, which is good because tomorrow morning I'm supposed to meet my parents and little bro at a cafe for a belated birthday celebration. I did skip the ice skating though, which I'm a bit sad about, although considering my knees are sore right now it was probably a good decision. Plus i think I need to get my skates sharpened before I go out on them again.

Apart from that, not much else to report, except my friend Ben is visiting from Darwin - where he lives now - this week! We have to meet up! I wonder if I can get my other friend - who I keep forgetting to call! - and we can all meet up. Ooo! Perhaps for Mini-Golf! I hadn't thought of that, good idea me.

Right, better do a Meme or two!

Friday5

How Did You Learn to Do That?

1. How did you learn to throw a ball? Not well. Seriously, though I can't actually throw a ball, I'm like Mr Burns, I end up aiming it into the ground about a metre in front of me.

2. How did you learn to drive? My parents' taught me! Mum was really gung-ho about getting me onto real roads, she had me driving over the Harbour Bridge on like my third or forth go in a car! o.O

3. How did you learn to swim? I had swimming lessons at the public pool in Dubbo. I never got freestyle down, but I managed to do it well enough to get the certificate.

4. What is the most recent thing you learned how to do from an online tutorial? Make a plushy! It doesn't look quite right so I have to redo it, but close enough...

5. How did you learn most of your social etiquette? Mostly from M telling me off :OP i.e Don't put your elbows on the table, use that knife not that one etc.

The (Other) Friday Five

These questions were written by twinklette on LJ.

1. How many pets have you had at one time? Hmm, we did have a couple of gold fish and Frankie my canary at one point, so that's about it.

2. What is the strangest pet you have ever had? Well, I kind of considered The PLANT as a pet for a bit, LOL. But that's about it.

3. What is the coolest trick you have ever taught a pet? I got nothin'. I used to hold Frankie when Mum cleaned out his cage and he was very well-behaved! :O)

4. Real animals: What animal have you always wanted as a pet? A kind of always wanted a dolphin...although he'd be more a friend, because obviously he'd live in the ocean and I come visit.

5. Imaginary animals: Describe the ideal pet, an animal that doesn't really exist. Ah, hmm...I dunno, I've never really thought about it...maybe a penguin who can live in your house, LOL!

OK, time to hit the hay, gotta keep my sleep up!

Goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Laundry Rescuing

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

11:43pm: When I took the cushion off the chair today with the idea of taking it with me today to see about getting a new insert I noticed something...one of the springs on the actual wooden base had snapped at the point where it attaches and was hanging off, which means there was a lack of butt support, which undoubtedly explained the butt pain I've been having.

My plan was to get a U-shaped nail so I could reattach the spring - well after considering taking the chair to a furniture repairer and then nixing the idea because that looked like it would be way too expensive. But I could only find U-shaped nails in packs of 100, I briefly considered buying the pack, but my cheapskate tendencies overcame me, plus I thought perhaps the landlord might have such nails, since he's a mechanic. As it turned out he did! So I've now hammered the spring back into place - although I should probably buy myself a hammer...I thought I had one, but I don't and the hammer I borrowed was a bit wussy so the nail hasn't actually gone all the way in.

However! The seat cushion is still too flat, which I've realised by swamping it with the other chair's cushion - they're pretty much the same style of chair - and having sat on it tonight I can confirm there is no discomfort in the butt area.

Still don't know what to do about the cushion though...there's no actual seam to rip so I don't see how I could put a new insert in...but maybe if I take it somewhere they'll be able to help.

But I certainly couldn't do that today, because I ended up staying a lot longer at the info booth at Mona Vale Library because someone was sick and hence there wasn't anyone to relieve me from my shift at noon. I ended up staying until 2:30, which I guess means more pennies in the bank which is hardly something I can turn my nose up at.

I did have more to report today, but I let myself get distracted by other things and now there's hardly any time left before midnight! Suffice to say, it involved Plushy plush, but I shall tell you tomorrow.

For now, though, goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Chair repair

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

11:02pm: So today was the day of apartment searching, the first place with the LUG (lock-up garage) turned out to be a bust, the place was rather dingy, up two flights of stairs and smelt weird - although the latter was probably because it was empty or something?

After that I headed home planning to do some cleaning, but I feel down on the ball with that, because my lower abdomen is still being a little bitch. So rude. But I did at least manage to get to the gym - although I didn't go swimming because I only just washed my hair yesterday. Plus I wouldn't have had enough time, as it was I had to skip the upper body ergometre and my cool-down.

After that it was off - in the bus - to the second apartment, I was on the bus partly because of abdominal pain, but mostly because I wanted to make sure I got a parking spot in that very narrow street!

The second apartment was teeny tiny and also dingy not like Newtown at all, plus no parking spot so that wasn't much of a goer either.

There is an apartment in the same street that has a carport, and I actually called up about it only to find that the agent was on holiday and nothing could happen until tomorrow, so it looked as if it was over for today.

Although, Mum felt that I should look at Granny Flats - since they're much cheaper and perhaps something furnished - I could have sworn she told me not to look at furnished stuff, but whatever. So I decided to check Gumtree, where I knew there was a place available, or there had been...I called up about it, but a tenant had been found that very day, boo.

But...I took another look and found another Granny Flat available semi-furnished and the ad said one could call after 5pm, which it was at that point, so I did and the man said to come on over and take a look.

This Granny Flat is a bit off the beaten track, but it's closer to Mrs S and the Mona Vale Library, so that's good. Plus it's a really nice place! The kitchen is nice and big with a proper oven and lots of cabinet space, the bathroom has a nice new shower and an interesting little alcove that I can put some of my bathroom stuff in and there's even a rocking chair included, LOL! Oh and a really nice patio! I can totally have friends over.

The man was nice and seemed to like me, although he's got a wife so he needed to discuss the possibility of me becoming a tenant with her before any offer could be made. But I didn't have to wait long! She got back to me, although I missed her phone call because my mobile is being an ass - but we exchanged SMS's and I'll be meeting her and hopefully getting things started on Friday. Although...things'll be a little tight there because I forgot about the fact I'm working that day! Mum assures me I'll have enough time - she's coming with me, and will drive me to the mall so I don't have to rely on the bus or pay 9 bucks for parking.

So yeah, turned out to be a busy afternoon/evening, but everything seems to be coming together because I spoke to the Landlords here and thankfully it wasn't as awkward as I feared...and they even agreed to let me have the big TV in exchange for the air con (that was Dad's idea, good one, Dad!).

Of course, now I have to start packing up and also figure out what other furniture to get...so the busyness will continue.

For now though, I need sleep!

Before I go...good news, the Navman started working again! Although it looked as if it wasn't going to, but after pressing the reset button a few times it came back to life...without wiping all my data. Weird...but i shan't complain.

On that note, Goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Accommodation

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

10:31pm: I give this warning because this morning when I went to get my milk out of the fridge to pour it on my cereal I noticed something...namely, that it wasn't cold! It wasn't warm since it's bloody cold at the moment, but it definitely wasn't cold. I looked at the water jug - since if I don't put it in properly it tends to result in the door not closing properly, but no it was fine. So then I opened the freezer and horror of horrors...pretty much everything in there was defrosted! Fuuuuck!

So, I called my mother because I didn't know what else to do, she told me that I could borrow their bar fridge - although it doesn't have much in the way of a freezer - just a tiny compartment - but in the meantime I'd have to bring over my frozen items to their house - actually she suggested I take them to work first, but I felt that'd be a bit awkward... I was pretty distressed at the thought that the pre-frozen fish I bought had gone to waste, but as it turned out I'd all ready eaten it (why'd I leave the packet in the freezer?! Don't ask me.) But my chocolate ice cream was a total loss. :O(

I left a message with N about the fridge and then packed my frozen stuff, milk and left over lasagna into a freezer bag, hoping it'd hold up until I could get to my parents house.

As it turned out, C was leaving as I was so I told her about the issue and asked if I could store my stuff in her fridge, which she said was a good idea, and that she would talk to her husband (that's N) about my fridge.

So off to work I went, running a few minutes late, but I managed to get to Mrs S's in time by taking a bit of a short-cut, I'm kind of lucky it worked out to be honest! I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get to the main road by taking the turn I did, but it all worked out. I spoke to Mum on the way about where I was storing my food and she mentioned that Aldi has fridges for sale, but that sh wasn't going to buy anything until the landlords figured out what to do etc.

For all that drama, work went rather well, go me.

After I left though, I headed straight home instead of going to Mum and Dad's, whoops, but it was a good thing I did, because upon arriving back at the flat I discovered the fridge seemed to have come back to life! I'd left my cheese in the fridge and I opened it to have some at which point I realised it was cold... And then checking the freezer I could feel the cold air coming out of it. I suddenly saw what had very likely been the problem, there are vents in the back of the freezer and after I bought that extra packet of frozen chips I'd kind of stuffed everything in. I must have blocked off the vents! Well fuck me.

To make a long story short (hah, probably too late for that!) N wanted to come up and check everything out - and Mum who I called up about the fridge working again would also be stopping by so it was time to clean!

I managed to get to the place looking pretty respectable, by the time N came up to take a look so that was OK. He looked over the fridge, fiddled with a switch in the back and also took off and emptied this tray in the back which had become full of water, weird. Anyway, since then the fridge has been fine.

Of course, all this derailed my usual gym plans for today, boo! However, when N left it was just before 2pm and I decided, what the Hell, I wouldn't be able to workout and swim, but I could at least do the latter (and catch up on the workout tomorrow) and wear my new swimsuit! I was a little worried actually because I tried the swimsuit on the morning and as always my hips seemed too big for it! But maybe the elastic just needed a little stretching because it seemed fine at the pool.

So! Swimming and hair washing was done and I came home and did some more cleaning in time for Mum to arrive and declare it was looking pretty tidy, but alas not clean. :OP We had to bring out the paper towels and spray because the skirting boards were covered in dust. But after much hard work and rearranging the place is clean phew!

Now, I've said this before, but once again...I must keep it this way! C sometimes comes up and what's to drop in, and if it's messy up here she get pissy.

And on that note I have to get my butt to bed so I can get enough zzzs, not to mention this entry has gone on quite long enough.

So I shall bid you all goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Fridge

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

11:06pm: Because I'm worried I might have messed up my chance to get an interview with the Management company that my aunt gave me a contact for and with it an opportunity to get a job in information management type jobs. We've been playing email tag to set up an meeting all week, originally the asked me to meet them today in the morning, which of course I can't do with the new job so I sent an email back asking if we could meet in the afternoon some time next week. Well, little did I know the guy would send an email back saying that we could meet up on Friday afternoon - I'd been under the impression that he and his partner would be busy in the afternoons - and I didn't see it until like 7pm today!

Suffice to say I wouldn't have been able to meet them even if I had seen it because Mrs S needed me and the other care worker stay an extra hour because the new kitchen has been put in so we had to assist in putting everything back in it.

I did send an email suggesting Monday afternoon, but man, I hope I don't look like a complete flake.

In other news, the nice man at the Mr Minit fixed my green watch buckle for free, yay! Especially because there were no watches left at Aldi so if I'd returned it I wouldn't have had a nice green watch. He did show me how to fix it, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to manage it because it was pretty much what I tried to do and I just wasn't strong enough.

I ended up buying this twin set at Aldi, a gray knitted tank top and gray cardigan, while I do have a gray cardigan - courtsey of my mother who gave me one that had been left in the church and never claimed - it doesn't have buttons, which is a serious pain in the butt. So hopefully this new one will fill in the gap.

Anything else to report? Not much, although I really need to do my washing up, I've let it slide again because I suck. :OP And I don't think I'll do the memes because I'm sleeping and the internet is so sloooow right now I probably wouldn't be able to get them done by midnight anyway.

I shall close by wishing you all a Happy Friday the 13th! :OP

Goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Email Awareness

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

11:16pm: Indeed! I was quite in despair! It wasn't working this morning, but since I was going to the library I didn't really have to worry about that, however when I got back after going to the gym and everything and couldn't get it to work, even after going into the main house and fiddling around with the router and the wi-fi extender I really started to worry.

However, all of a sudden it just starting working...through the wi-fi extender, which I haven't managed to get working for like a month or two, I have no idea what I did do it, but praise the Lord! Fingers and toes crossed that these trends continue.

In other news, I had trouble getting to sleep last night because an idea struck me about the Graduation and getting there - what if I went with Mum and Dad, but paid to stay in a different hotel from then for the Monday night so they could enjoy their anniversary in peace. :OP I thought it was a great idea, and I was pretty annoyed I'd only just thought of it at nearly midnight and wasn't able to call Mum about it until this morning.

However, apparently Mum had all ready thought and discounted this idea! Apparently she'd rather I'd not accompany them down to Bathurst at all. While I appreciate the general idea of facing and conquering my anxiety about trains, but...generally to do that you start small, like going a stop or two on the train with a safety person, and working one's way up to going by myself. Now, it could be argued I should have got a start on this ages back...but it's too late now.

So, I really don't know what to do. I guess the bus is the only option...or perhaps I could try to catch a train a stop or two this weekend - but honestly, the very idea of going to a train station makes me tense let alone get on a train with the doors closing and everything. It does beg the question...why is their only one bus that goes to Bathurst? What's with that? And why does it get into Bathurst at nearly 9pm at night? Total bullshit if you ask me.

Anyway, I suppose I could do the Memes, bu I'm short on time as one can see, only twenty 'til midnight, so I better leave that until tomorrow.

Tomorrow is actually wide open I was supposed to get my IPL treatment, but alas the machine has broken down (it seems to do that a lot) so that's called off. Rude, I hope my face can past muster at the Graduation Ceremony.

Actually, I know what I need to do, make my Christmas cards! I'm totally cutting it close this year...I hope they'll get to my oversea's buddies in time...

For now though, I bid you all goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Trip Plans

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

11:07pm: That's what I'm doing, but not on the Acer since it's at the repair shop (still cheaper than having to buy a new laptop), instead I'm back on old reliable, the Green Machine, the Dell. It's a bit weird, but hey the keyboard works! I also noticed that the volume is a lot louder on this thing, interesting...

Anyway, I'm currently at just of 38,500 words which isn't quite as many as I hoped, since I was trying to get to 40,000 before the day is out, but I'm not sure if I can make it. Hope springs eternal though...

In other news, I had Mum and Dad over for dinner tonight! Alas the place was perhaps not as clean as it should be, but the lasagne was delicious and I even had chocolate mousse for dessert. Mmm yummy! Plus there's some lasagne left over for me to enjoy tomororow, yay!

I also went to the library for volunteering this morning, before dropping the Acer off, and it was rather weird because I felt terribly nauseous for a lot of the time, WTF? All I know is that when I got home and ate my left over cupcakes - I gave three away to the Home Library Co-ordinator, the Inter-Library Loan Co-Ordinator and another Home Library worker - all of whom proclaimed them as delicious, which left me with two - I felt better. How does that make sense? Very annoying.

Anywho, I best get back to NaNo-ing at least for another half hour or so until bed. My NaNoMetre at present though stands at:

38547 / 50000 words. 77% done!

Ooo, 77% niiiice.

Wish me luck!

Oh and I managed to fix the other keyboard...so thank God for that :OP

For now, goodnight!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Parentals

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

11:16pm: I wasn't going to name my entry that, but oh my God I'm watching a documentary here and they've just shown a news report from 1985 and it's like "Oh my God, why would you even wear that outside the house?!" Or inside the house for that matter...shocking stuff.

Oh well, it is Halloween I guess...although no parties or anything this year, I was supposed to go down to Mum's friends house to sit on their front porch to see Trick or Treaters, but I came back up here with the intention of doing my assignment...the less said about that the better! :OP

However! I did get into the Halloween spirit a bit trying out my new hair chalk I got from Aldi a few weeks back. I think I look pretty sharp. Although I probably should have combed my hair before putting it in, fail. And I've just realised I'll have to wash it out before going to bed otherwise it'll get all over my sheets.

Oh! And got my shoes back this morning! Or afternoon rather because I wasn't able to pick them up at 10am because the bootmaker hadn't finished gluing them when I got there so I came after I finished volunteering. And just as I hoped they're very comfortable! :OD The only issue is my left foot is smaller than my right, and I guess I need to tighten the strap on the left shoe a bit more than the right. At least I hope that will work...it's not a huge problem if it doesn't, I guess, my foot doesn't slip out of the sandal or anything.

Anything else to report? Went to the gym, rescheduled my IPL appointment - because going at 10am was a pain in the butt - cooked sausages for dinner, ate some and procrastinated on doing any work on the assignment. Hell, I really need to think of something and get on that.

But, let's do a few memes before I wrap this up:

Follow Friday Four Fill-Ins

The statements:

1. During a long car ride, I usually fall asleep at least once.

2. Enjoying a good book is a great pleasure of mine.

3. Listening to old school pop music is something I do without shame!

4. Answering the phone can be fraught with peril, especially if you trip over your words and it's someone important on the other end!

Friday5

Web=Good

1. What’s a recipe you found on the Web and actually prepared? The Betty Crocker one for chocolate buttercream icing, turned out well let me tell you. Yummy!

2. How has a photograph you saw on the Web influenced the way you shot a photograph of your own? Uh...can't actually think of one, unless it was the web that finally showed me that you need to lift your chin in photos so you don't end up looking like you have an enormous chin, LOL! I think that was my mother though...

3. What’s a cool trick you learned on the Web that has made your life easier? Uh...tying my shoes left over right, LOL. Although I still haven't figured out if I was doing it the right way before reading that tip on the net.

4. What’s the most useless thing you’ve ever seen on the Web? You'd think this would be a really easy question to answer, but...there's just so much! I guess some of those so-called "news" websites could fit the bill.

5. What’s a totally silly but endlessly amusing thing you’ve discovered on the Web? Heh, I like that website where you can play the Boom boom ching! noise whenever you want. Here you can enjoy it too!

And that's pretty much all I have to say about that, I better go to bed because I should do laundry tomorrow which means not getting up too late! Plus I need to rinse the green chalk from my hair and dry the strands.

Hope you all enjoyed your Halloween, goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Shoes

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

11:33pm: I know! Very shocking! But the cheese cubes still tastes funny and tonight when I opened the bag of carrots I bought they were starting to go kind of icky and tasted like ass. This is uncool and now I have to go down to Aldi tomorrow to return them and ask WTF? Aldi for shame, what would my father think, you're his hero. :OP

Anyway, moving right along, as I've been surfing the net - as usually - and time has slipped way - tonight One repeated the Sochi 2014 Closing Ceremony, which I decided to watch, some interesting stuff there and to think people mocked our kangaroos on bicycles. :OP Also good fireworks display at the end, I wonder if they got some Aussie guys in, because usually only Sydney can produce such kickass displays.

In other news, the Foxtel Box seems to be working again, which is great because otherwise I would have had to go over there tomorrow to try and fix it...Interestingly and somewhat annoyingly it seems the call I made where they reset the box's signal from their end has fixed things up. Geeze, if I'd known that I would have called aaages ago, having to turn the TV up to 100 is very annoying, especially if I forgot about it and changed back to the free-to-air channels and almost got my ear drums blasted out!

So yeah, good news there. Work was good, although there were a few periods where it was absolutely dead, but then the uni students have also gone back so it's probably going to be much quieter. Hmmm, hopefully still enough for me to do! I'll be back on Thursday.

Man, I'm thirsty, so I'm going to do the Meme I didn't get to last night and then I shall be off:

Unconcious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. White House :: President

2. Coffee break :: Tea

3. Retirement :: Golf (LOL)

4. Lipstick :: Red

5. Department :: of Environment

6. Blinds :: Venetians

7. Diploma :: Uni

8. Communication :: Technology

9. Budget :: Planning

10. Things :: Rocks, and trees, and birds, and... (love that song)

Right! I shall be off now.

Goodnight all!

Hunger Comfort Hygiene Energy Fun Social Bladder Room Olympics

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