Getting Organised

I am on another sorting out cycle. These come and go with me and things have sat rather still in the last 12 months or so but suddenly I feel able to move on things that have been sitting in the to do pile – perhaps it is turning 40 or that bizarre ritual of getting things done before Christmas. Maybe it is because we are moving office at work and so organisation rules the day. Most likely it is because I have sold the house I shared with my sister after Gaye and I bought this place and so – although not actually in the money yet! – have a sense of having some actual cash to do the things we have needed to do. Whatever it is in the last month between us we have:

• Organised for the builders to finish our deck this week (Gaye)
• Organised for the new doors to go in this week (Gaye)
• Organised Gaye’s brother to come and paint in January while we are away (Gaye)
• Booked our holiday (us)
• Booked a birthday party (me), made (us) and sent (me) birthday invitations
• Organised the dog for the holiday (me)
• Sorted out myself into one bank with all of Thomas’ accounts and mine streamlined – previously I had four! (me)
• Done my tax (me)
  
• Got ourselves all on one Medicare card (us)
• Put my old super into the new (and much more stable!) super of my current employer (me)
• Got my work mobile handset fixed and the simcard re done (me)
• Got the last lot of work signed off (Gaye) and forms in to Council (me)
• Got the dog final registration organised (me)
• Done a huge health insurance and Medicare claim (me)
• Ordered new lounges and chairs (Gaye)
• Ebayed the old chairs and tv cabinet (me)
• Ordered new built-ins for the bedrooms, tv cabinet and office cupboard (Gaye)
• Sent in all the documentation to GET the documentation so I can go on Al’s birth certificate (me)
• Transferred a whole lot of payments and refunds from our credit cards or individual accounts to our joint account (me)
• Organised my Dad to get the letter about his illness earlier this year so I can claim on insurance the flights we had to cancel for our delayed holiday (me)
• Transferred our photos from my work computer to our new computer (me)
• Sorted through our junk draw (me – about once a month) and our bedroom draws
• Put the old internal doors up on freecycle.

The thing about all these tasks is they have a flow on effect. They all need you to do step one and two before you can actually get to the task. Most frustrating! So I am feeling very virtuous to have done all these tasks. MOST VIRTUOUS!

I still have lots to do thou!

• veggie garden to fix
• photo albums to complete
• send in documentation once I get it to get Al’s birth certificate changed
• sort out the dumping ground that we call the attic
• do Gaye's tax
  
• ohh and get organised for Christmas…

shopping experience

Yesterday I was in town for work and I snuck in some clothes shopping.

I used to work in town and so visited the shops there regularly when (a) I was bored or (b) had time. But now days a trip 'in to town' is a irregular event and usually means a trip to a place with lots of escalators and people, sometimes with a kid in tow and usually by the third floor and the first change room I am over it already.

The other sort of clothes shopping I do falls into two categories the stores along the shopping street which is near where I live. There are lots of nice shops along there and a couple of really nice designers that I like. That shopping is usually done when I am desperate for something and they never seem to have my size or the colour that I like. The third kind of shopping is at the outlet stores for decent quality t-shirts etc. Which Gaye usually does in bulk once a season. Last years become the PJ t-shirts and then the gardening/painting gear and then off to cotton heaven.

Yesterday however I ventured - purposefully - into a designer store in the QVB building in town. On the weekend Gaye and I had seen some of this designers clothes when we had been away on Sunday and really liked the look of them.

It is worth noting at this point that I have struggled - since putting on weight in the last couple of years in particular - lately to 'find my style.' Every now and then I come across something that I like - I have a long wrap vest, a scant, a poncho and some linen things that I really love and so end up with multiple copies of - but it is rare. I like unstructured clothes, with yummy materials, largely in monochrome colours, linen and natural fabrics. I like things that are easy to look after and not to fussy in terms of ironing.

My 40th birthday is coming up - I have declared it the year of the accessory and glamour - and I want something that I feel comfy but also fabulous in to wear for that event. I also want clothes for work and casually that I feel comfy in but also stylish without being overdressed. I am not a heels girl (apart from boots). Really I want to look like Dianne Keaton always does in films...

Anyway, I was feeling particularly unstylish yesterday. I had my period my belly ached and my hair went flat. But something in me said 'do it' and so I did. I went upstairs to the cool quiet of the second floor of QVB and walked purposely into the store.

As soon as I walked in I knew I wouldn't walk out without something - there was the white shirt we had spotted on the weekend but also I felt like I had come to almost 40 and not skinny heaven. It was filled to the brim with clothes and accessories I loved. That were funky and had really clean lines. It was all layers and textures.

And then I met Liza. Liza has been working for the designer since he started up she told. She was so nice to me. And not in the nice sucky pressure way assistants often are. In an interested - lets work out what you want way. She asked me what I liked to wear, what occasion it was. She asked me how much of my body I liked to show and then she showed me some things. She was present without being pushy. She 'styled' me a couple of times - push your sleeves up with this or pop that over there etc. She understood my 'mumsie' complex right away. She told me about the designers desire that women not be having heart attacks when they get dressed in the morning. Sigh ... I had walked into heaven - all be it a rather expensive heaven...and I felt lushed.

I rang Gaye and said "oh my god I am in this shop and the clothes are fabulous but so expensive"(we are meant to be saving mind) "Don't hold back" I was told. I walked out with four beautiful things. Each one I love. Two of them I am wearing today and I feel completely fabulous ... very lush and stylish. All the (in my opinion) well dressed women at work have commented on my clothes... I am just dying to get back there...

five things about Al

that are especially cute at the moment.

1. He loves trucks, planes and lights and gestures madly with his whole arm in the direction of any that he sees or hears. This is accompanied by a "ooohh" sound and very pursed lips.

2. He walks a bit like a penguin. Arms down by his side legs quite straight head moving about

3. He can climb up the stairs on the slide at the park, turns himself around and pushes backward until he reaches the top of the slide, holds on, grins and lets go. Thrilled with his achievement and the joy of the slide

4. When he had his final jab at the doctor with me last week he didn't cry but gave the dr what we call 'the tragic look.' This look is shared with us any number of times a day and involves his eyes half closed looking through the slits at us a frown and a down turned mouth. Any perceived slight (changing his nappy, holding his arm while he gets the jab, saying 'No' about going in the cupboard) is greeted with this particular look. It is so cute some of us like to bring it on!

5. He can't say NO yet in words, but he waves his arms back and forward in a sweeping motion to indicate it very very well!

A picnic with friends

Another weekend, another lovely picnic. This time with dear friends who date back to high school in terms of me knowing them. We were celebrating their 10th anniversary of marriage. They brought together many of us who had been at their wedding, these are people I only ever see at get togethers with these friends and so plenty to chat and catch up with. We ate cheese and drank champagne and reflected on the changes that the 10 years had brought. Lovely.

Tomorrow we are driving to meet up with my family to celebrate my Mum's 65th Birthday. Thomas is so excited to see his cousins and I am so looking forward to showing off Al's new found skills and growth with my Dad especially.

oh happy day

I feel ridiculously uplifted by the election of Obama. Ridiculously hopeful. Suddenly the world seems a more friendly and open place. A place for hope, peace and real potential for change. A real first step away from fear. Silly no doubt to put all this on one man's election...

And (although this is not a driving issue for me) given he has Rudd like policies when it comes to same sex relationships (ie discrimation is not okay but neither is getting married) it is sometimes a bit dulling to think that this is as far to equality we are likely to get.

But still it is hopeful I feel cause lots and lots of people obviously felt the same as me ... time for peace and hope...

celebrating

This weekend we have been celebrating Halloween with sugar and costumes including a Halloween disco at school and a small Halloween picnic with friends on Saturday night. We had so many lollies in our house that we threw out the ones leftover from last Halloween! (Thomas really is very sensible with sugar food!). The nicest bit was the picnic - hanging out with a few friends in a local park with yummy food. So simple and easy and yet fun.

Thomas got one over me by deciding to be a pirate for both celebrations. Which meant buying a sword and a pistol (plastic ones previously not had in our home) he admitted after that was why he chose said pirate costume - clever boy!

This weekend have been celebrating Gaye's graduation from her Masters. With another - much longer but equally enjoyable picnic with friends in Centennial Park. Cricket was played, yummy food was shared and champagne drunk - clever Gaye!