doing my best impression of a piece of wool cloth!

Yesterday was meant to be the day after which I could relax, leave stuff lying around my place, and start packing for the big move.


... however ... after a fair bit of interest there were no bidders and therefore no sale. After the auction, 4 parties wanted to be kept informed and still held interest knowing the reserve price. If they haven't expressed their interest (by way of an offer) by now, I reckon they have a plan A that may very well be auctioned next week, and I'm their plan B.


So now I'm on tenterhooks. Which leads me to ask, what is a tenter, and why does it have hooks? Well, a quick trip to Wikipedia and a cross reference to my Latin dictionary tells me that it's from the Latin tendere meaning 'to stretch'. A tenterhook dates back to the the textile industry, and refers to hooks attached to a frame on which woven woollen cloth was secured while it dried. As those of us who have washed a fluffy jumper in warm water know, wool shrinks, so a tenter (with attached hooks) was used to hold newly woven cloth in place while it dried.


Now I'm off to Mater's place for a Mother's Day brunch. Croissants & champagne all around! Today's task is to use a conjugation of the latin verb tendere in conversation ...

security matters

I think I just moved into the high tech world! I logged on to my blog, using not a password, but a fingerprint!

My new laptop has cajoled me, ever so gently, into the current millennium, and all I have to do to log on is swipe a single finger. How amazing is technology?


In other news, my lovely neighbour, Lady Magpie, expressed just the right level of regret that I am selling my unit and moving. In her caring way, she passed on a recent article in the local rag, highlighting a robbery at a home that was open for inspection. Apparently someone inspected said property and unlocked a window. At a later time, they then accessed the house through that unlocked window, removing valuables.


When I arrived home after a lunchtime open for inspection today, I discovered that while closed, my back door was unlocked. I'm sure that it was an oversight by my agent, but it did activate me into a frenzy of checking in cupboards and drawers before I sat down with a well needed glass of wine.


I'm very pleased to say that you, my fancy new laptop, were still hiding in your secret place and nothing was touched.
Just as well, I would have been out tracking fingerprints faster than Sherlock Holmes!

I'm back!

It certainly has been a while, and so much has happened!
(sorry for sounding like dear diary)

Basically it's like this ...
my computer broke and as the great corporate master has blocked all blogs, I couldn't even log on at home through my work laptop.

see, it's sort of a 'dog ate my homework' story, and with my swift (?) decision making ability, it took me a while to diagnose the terminal illness in my last computer, shop for a new one (and ask BM Roogirl to shop for a new one for me), buy said computer, transfer data from old to new etc etc. Yes it's prevaricating, but it's me and I'm fine with it!

Anyway, after a few days of beautifully fine autumnal weather, it has clouded over and is about to rain ... off to collect the washing.

Stay tuned to see if I record any secrets, secret crushes, dramas or angst - believe me, there's a lot going on!

Urgh, the heat!!!

It is now well into March, and while I subscribe to seasons by the sun rather than seasons by the calendar (ie Autumn starts at the equinox, not March 1), it is still unseasonably warm in Melbourne. Yesterday it topped 37, and it is predicted to be the same again today, with the same trend continued all week. (I hear Adelaide is hotter ... I feel for you!)

I suppose this is a good thing - it reminds the footballers that it still cricket season, so rack off until next month ... or something a bit less aggressive. But forgive me for snapping like that - I'm hot and bothered!!!

As we in Melbourne recognise Labour Day (you know, 8 hours of work, eight hours of play & eight hours of rest), I've just logged off my work computer after a few hours of preparing presentations. Yesterday was the analysis, today was the pretty-ness. Yeah, I know it's analogous on Labour Day, but remember that this is the same corporate master who flew me to London 1st class last year.

I have done little but work, sign forms (the less joyous part of buying a lovely new house), and sleep of late. Hence no blogging.

Today, despite the heat, I've made the commitment.

I have seen a movie and a new DVD of an Austen adaptation (sort of) recently. Back a few weeks when the weather was cooler (when it was definitely summer by any one's calendar) I saw The Jane Austen Book Club. Right up my alley and a definite 'thumbs up'. I also visited My friend Delamare's house and was privileged to view the inaugural screening of her new Sense & Sensibility. But rather than me relive it, just visit her very astute observations on her blog, here.

It is that busy time of the year for me at work. By Easter it should settle back to a steady pattern, with fewer peak workloads. Maybe then I can settle down to regular downtime!

Maybe the heat and heavy workload has also been contributing to Andrew Symonds' apparent anger management issues

OMG! OMG! OMG!

I finally did it!!!





On Saturday, I bought a new house!

This is now mine, or it will be on June 2 if I sign all the right bank forms.

It has 3 bedrooms (yes, I'm taking bookings); is 10 - 15 minutes walk to the MCG (past some lovely cafes & shops!); and has room to park my car off the street.

Now I just have to put the 2 bedroom unit that no longer has a leaking toilet on the market.

So much to do, so little time.

Home sweet home ...

... where the floor is messy and the toilet leaks (a new discovery)

Yes, I arrived home late last night after an 11 day sojourn in sunny Adelaide (it really was).

The list of enjoyable events was long and included:

• the wedding of number 2 nephew
• watching the surprisingly familiar antics of 23 year olds with great nephew no. 1 (familiar to me, not him)
• discussions about world domination with nephew no. 3 (just remember to occasionally listen to things other than a singular driving ambition)
• nervously observing M&D while the the words to Pink's 'Leave me Alone' pass over their heads
• playing backyard cricket with nephew no. 5, watched by the fish, the birds, the dog, the guinea pig, the frog spawn AND Jonah the statue
• wineries and back roads of McLaren Vale
• more (or fewer) fish at Vale Park
• crosswords, sudokus and target words
• churchbells at 10am
• spacious seating!

Watching test cricket in the heat can be tiring, and paradoxically for me it is also relaxing. Listening to ABC radio while watching the play, crowd and surroundings is eminently peaceful.

Now I'm back home, with a couple of lazy days to wash, shop, (get back into) exercise, house hunt, bank, doctor etc, and also apparently find a plumber. Work for February and March will (as usual) be frantic, but at least I have the memories from a tiring, relaxing and invigorating cricket holiday to sustain me.

So long Gilly - I can understand how a realisation can hit you between the ball hitting your gloves, and hitting the ground

sorry, my fault ... make that 16 going on 14; or even 43 going on 41

Yes, both the Australian team's and my self-belief in discussing the possibility of breaking the record of consecutive test wins BEFORE it happened has lead to the current position ... we fell to 5/61, chasing India's respectable 330. Perhaps it was also the relaxed position of the Australians, not just my words that tested the gods of superstition.

The Australians do look discombobulated (thanks Kirst). Is it the extended time between test matches (10 days); or is it their reaction to the criticism of the aggressive Australian approach; or is it the confidence gained by the Indian performance in the previous test match?

We're now 165 behind, with only 4 wickets in hand. Brett Lee is batting well before he deserves to. Not because of his level of skill, but because his big heart was on display in the big Perth heat, as he took the lead in the Australian pace attack. He deserved at least a day off to rest his tired body.

Perhaps I should focus on my dress/jeans size, or my golf score?