Never Darken My Door Again

Today I saw Dr Taper, the Haematologist who treated my Hodgkin's Lymphoma, for a check up. He told me never to darken his door again.

This is a good thing.

It's 5 years since I was sick (well, almost 5 years since my diagnosis) and he thinks I'll do OK. He told me I would right at the beginning. He's a wonderful guy.

In a few months I'll see Dr JJ, the Radiation Oncologist, and hopefully he'll say the same.

Going to andy griffiths

30.3.09

TODAY I WENT TO SEE ANDY GRIFFITHS THE AUTHUR HE IS THE FUNNIEST AUTHUR

I HAVE EVERY MET. AND TODAY I GOT MY BOOK HE WROTE AUTOGRAPHED. OMG!!!!.

(OH MY GOD) ANDY GRIFFITHS IS MY FAVOURITE AUTHUR!!!!!!!

THE ILLISTRATOR IS TERRY DENTON

From Ishbel

On Friday, i received my first Award for this year. it says Ishbel Colquhoun for working co-operativly in science groups.

HMDS

Tiring weekend

We have three very tired firefighters in our house tonight. James, Robert and I did the second weekend of our Village Firefighter course. Friday night 7:30 to 10:30/11pm, Saturday 8:30am-5pm and today 7am-5:30pm or so.

Today we went down to a council depot at a place called Kemp's Creek where we did the 'hot fire' day. Instead of just pretending to fight fires, the RFS can use containers and an old car and have really fires to put out. It's exhausting work as we do the drills 2-3 times each, in and out the truck laying hoses, putting out fires and then packing it all up again. We need a lot of practice before we will be ready for assessment at the end of May.

It is a filthy environment at Kemp's Creek. I'm planning to wash our gear at least twice and then run the washing machine empty a couple of times before doing any other washing. There was oil and grease and kerosene and drip torch fuel and gravel and tar and, and, and . . .

Meanwhile Ishbel and Ian have had a quiet weekend just the two of them. Under Ian's guidance Ishbel has made the boys a chocolate cake for their birthday. We have to have it tonight because someone or two is out EVERY night next week until next Sunday!

Lipstick unstick

According to a news report, a certain private school in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs was recently faced with an unusual problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints.

Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally the Headmistress decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night (you can just imagine the yawns from the little princesses).

To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet bowl, and cleaned the mirror with it.

The silence was broken by a large number of gasps, a few girls vomited and apparently someone fainted . Since then there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

There are teachers . . . and then there are educators.

Medieval Help Desk

Here's a video that shows some of the work I have to do as Administrator for our Library Management System. As it has subtitles you don't necessarily need to have the sound on.

Ian on the injury list

Ian was knocked off his motorbike on his way home on Friday afternoon. Fortunately he was nearer home than work, just 5 minutes away, so when he rang I was able to go see what was what.

A motorist had pulled out from a side street on to the main road Ian was travelling along. Ian had seen him but the motorist says he didn't see Ian at all. He hit Ian who tumbled over and over. Luckily he tumbled towards the curb and not into the oncoming traffic on the other side. Ian says he remembers the car moving out - he was surprised it did and the tumbling but not the point of impact.

When I arrived the ambulance and the police were there. He'd come down heavily on his right hand and his wrist was very sore and he'd a 20c/10p sized gauge (down to the wood) at the inside of his left ankle but otherwise was ok, just very shaky. The ambos carted him off to Nepean Hospital for Xrays, the ankle looked like it might be broken.

Just as the ambos were putting him in their van, Ishbel's school bus came round the corner, Ishbel in the front seat. She had a wee panic at seeing who was going into the ambulance. I shouted for her to go home and she said the bus driver and the lady sitting behind her were very kind and reassuring when she said that was her Daddy. I rang home to let the boys know what was going on and arranged for Robbie to meet Ishbel off the bus and tell her Dad was OK. I saw Ian on to the ambulance then went home to sort the kids out before going down to the hospital too.

Ian, the boys and our friend, Steven, were supposed to be going to a rugby league match on Friday night. Ian had been given corporate box tickets by one of his suppliers. Steven was kind enough to take the boys himself and he arrived at home to collect them just as Ishbel and I were leaving for the hospital. Not long after I got down there Ian got a text message from Steven telling him what brilliant seats they had!!!!

We were five hours down at the hospital while they Xrayed (no broken bones), stitched Ian up and gave him a tetanus injection. The wound on his ankle was perfectly circular and I couldn't see how the edges were going to be brought together. Indeed, the young intern dealing with Ian went off to get advice from a senior doctor who ended up doing the stitching for him. It all looks pretty gross. They sent us home with a stash of dressings and a pair of crutches, although the crutches aren't easy for Ian because his right wrist hurts more than his ankle does so he can't weight-bear on it.

Yesterday I rang to make a GP appointment for Ian but was told they are all fully booked for next week and I'd have to ring first thing on a morning to try and get a cancellation, or come in for the walk-in clinic (GP coverage in the Blue Mountains, especially out of hours, is very bad). So down to the walk-in clinic we went and were told there was a two hour wait and that we could go home and call in an hour or so and see how the queue was going. It'd been such a struggle for Ian to get there at all though that he decided he'd wait it out so I went off to get him his anti-biotics, a cappucino and something to eat then Ishbel and I did a grocery shopping. By the time I got out our GP, Sue, decided to get the nurse to take down the dressing so she could have a look. She's told Ian he'll likely be off work for a fortnight - that's how long Nepean have said the stitches should stay in. (If it doesn't heal well Ian may have to see a plastic surgeon). We've to go back on Wednesday for the dressing to be redone (luckily I was already booked in to see Sue for my Pap smear, etc. that morning so they'll tag him on to that).

So I've been running around all myself. I was up at 6:20am yesterday to take Robbie to work by 7. He's got a job at the McDonalds at Blaxland. Then back home and put several loads of washing out. Then the guddling about with the GP, shopping, etc. At 2:30 Jamie had to be down at Penrith for his AFL match (they lost) then back home, cook dinner, clean up after dinner, etc., etc., etc.

I am going to close now. I am going out this morning to do a bit of extra RFS training with another brigade. The boys and I are doing the Village Firefighter course which involves tackling house fires (from the outside)/property protection and motor vehicle accidents. Glenbrook are doing some extra MVA practice today and they said we could tag along. I'm going to collect one of our brigade members who is coming with me. Better go and brush my teeth.

See how the puppy is growing

Amazing dogs

For the dog lovers . . . this blog post on Oddee gives the stories of 10 of the most amazing dogs.

My favourite is the one at No. 6 about the Border Collie - go the Dereks!!!!

Christian the Lion

We were told to check this story out when at a State Library of NSW seminar a couple of weeks ago. I've only just got around to looking it up.

Christian was a lion originally purchased by Australians John Rendall and Anthony 'Ace' Bourke from Harrods in 1969 and ultimately reintroduced to the wild by conservationist George Adamson (of Born Free fame). One year after George Adamson released Christian to the wild, his former owners decided to go looking for him in Africa to see whether Christian would remember them. Surprisingly, he did and also 'introduced' his new partner and cubs to them. Read the full Wikipedia article on Christian the Lion

Here's a video about Christian. Soppy music alert.



(I fear Josie will get to about Christian's size!!!!)

Here are John and 'Ace' being interviewed on Australian TV years and years later.



After you have looked at this video clip you should be able to choose to watch the second half of the interview. (Update: Actually, on further examination you are better to look at the interview PART 3 - what says it's Part 2 is mostly a repeat of Part 1)

It's a wonderful story.

Kabooooom!

Bit of excitement at work yesterday.

I was upstairs doing my weekly desk shift when Sarah, the branch manager, came through with hard hat and high-visibility vest on, shouting that the library needed to be evacuated. Thinking it was just a drill, I began to do the same to help her. It took us quite a while to get people out, they just carried on with what they were doing and Sarah had to get quite stroppy in the end. Still thinking it was a drill, I thought, "gee, she's assertive!"

Out in the bottom carpark we learned that Larry who works in the Council offices which are down on the lower floor along with the Library Admin offices, had taken a call saying there was a bomb in the building. Larry was so surprised (as would anyone be) that he had to get the caller to repeat himself. When Larry asked which building the caller just said, "you'll find out."

Vicki, our boss, and Larry had us out quite quickly although I was annoyed that although library staff were stopping people from entering the library, they didn't stop people from going down the lane beside the library, including children, and some staff were very close to a building that might have a bomb in it. They did eventually get the idea and the Police when they finally arrived, said they were pleased with how the library had handled the matter.

It took the Police and Fire folk a good 20 mins to get to us. They checked the building but meantime staff had been told it would be a while before we could get into the building and that we could go home if we wanted. Unfortunately, because I'd been up on the desk I didn't have time to grab my bag and keys so I couldn't go anywhere. We did finally get in about 4:30pm and I was able to complete the last 1/2 hour of my shift.

Now, the caller probably doesn't realise a few things:

1. Larry answered the Call Centre phone - it services both Katoomba which is the Council HQ and the Springwood Office. We reckon the caller thought they were calling Katoomba.
2. We have caller ID on our phones so Larry could see the mobile number being used to make the call - it's now with the Police.

It reminds me of the story of the two Aussie guys in America who held up a bank. They were caught because they were still wearing their name tags from where they worked! And talking to a friend this morning she said the Credit Union at Blaxland was held up years ago and the teller said the thief would have to fill out a withdrawal slip if she was to give him any money. And he did. With his correct name and membership details!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Granny Di

Jamie, Robbie and I are at Village Firefighter training all weekend (7:30-11:30pm tonight and 8:30am-5pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Will try and Skpe you over the weekend.

Hope you are enjoying your holiday and have a lovely day on Sunday.

Dog school newbie

Josie had her first lesson at dog school last night so it was quite apt that this photo was on the FAIL blog yesterday. (Take note of the title of the book.)

She went quite well, a bit too more interest in the lovely new sniffs (other dogs and ducks and runny babbits) than in learning how to sit and heel but we'll try and practise regularly at home.

There were, as you might expect, several other puppies including a gorgeous little Border Collie pup who reminded us very much of Derek Dog. She is 4 months old, so about the age Derek was when we got him.

Lost in translation?

Our new library poster

Last week my colleague (indeed the Boss) sent me this joke in an email:

Voted Best Scottish Short Joke

A bloke walks into a Glasgow library and says to the prim librarian,

'Excuse me Miss, dey ye hiv ony books on suicide?'

To which she stops doing her tasks,

looks at him over the top of her glasses and says,

'F**k off, ye'll no bring it back!'

I'd seen it several times before so read it, smirked (again) and deleted it.

Said colleague has just been in to my office to ask me what the joke was about. She said she'd been trying to work it out for days.

Was it the Scots she was having trouble with? No. It was the rudeness of the librarian's answer!

Not like a Blue Mountains City Library staff member at all!!!!!

Dust storm

A scary view from a car approaching a dust storm in Australia:

Jamie arrived back in one piece

BUT I am not happy to find they were up, out and on the beach by 6:30 one morning - all the media reports about the shark attacks have emphasised that dawn and dusk are NOT good times to be in the water!

An email to the school tomorrow I think!

Sharkbait

Jamie has gone down the coast for a couple of days with the school. They are attending surfing classes.

There have been several shark attacks over the summer, more than we are used to - read some of the stories here - unless you are squeamish.

I told Jamie he was to make sure he was last in the water.

He said he thought it would be 'cool' to have a shark bite.

I said I was sure he wouldn't find it all that 'cool' hurpling about with no legs.

I reiterated that I wanted him to go in the water last.

"What if everyone does the same?" he asked.

"That'll be fine," I replied, "you can all sit on the beach and make sandcastles."

Ian and Jono's trip to the World Superbike Races at Phillip Island, Victoria

The road trip was planned, booked and paid for in October. You need to pay ahead to make things happen.

The opening round of the World Superbikes coincided with Jono having two weeks leave to move house from Kingaroy to Roma. Fortunately Narelle is a capable woman who didn't need him for that. He arrived on his new bike, ZX 1400, Wednesday evening, we packed my bike and headed off not so early on Thursday morning.

1100km mostly avoiding the highways, through Oberon to Goulburn, transport stage down the Hume to Gundagai, then through Tumut into the Snowy Mountains to Cooma. Bum fatigue was relieved by bike swapping on the ride from Cooma to Cann River in Victoria. The last 30km into Cann River is a joy of smooth 60kph sweepers, the best form of fatigue relief known to bikers.

We finished the day in transport mode to Sale where we had the only accommodation prebooked for the trip. Friday morning we hooked up with Jonos mate Rosie and his travelling companions for the run into Phillip Island. By lunchtime tents were up and bed rolls unrolled?, then we headed out to trackside for the first days practice sessions. The bikes racing were world superbikes, world supersports, Aust superbike and supersport, superstock and historical. Missed a class or two there. Friday night a cold front with very cold and strong winds drove the whole campsite to bed about 8.30pm. Saturday were more practice sessions for all classes and superpole for the superbikes.

To be continued.

Here is a slideshow of the trip:

Dogs in training

They'll do anything for food . . .

and stuff all if you don't have it!

We've finally booked Josie in to dog school. Went last month but they rejected her (our baby!) until she'd had her last injections. We'll start the classes next monday evening.