The Aftermath of Cyclone Helen

Survived my 2nd cyclone! It was very windy and lots of rain. We went out for dinner last night at the Trailer Boat Club- Hmmm didnt think it was the smartest decision we have ever made as we were right on the water, yep a birds eye view of the winds getting stronger and stronger!

We were home by 8.30pm and by 10pm apparently the Police were closing all the pubs in the city down and making sure everyone was getting home.

I checked the BOM web site at 11pm and it gave me a bit more piece of mind by telling me Cyclone Helen has stuck to its course of heading east and had just crossed onto land at Point Charles (about 200kms from Darwin) Ahh not so nervous now, slept quite well knowing we werent getting the eye passing through Darwin. The winds were still pretty strong (catagory2) gave me a real taste of how much worse it can get if it hits!!!!!!

Lots of trees down, quite a few cars squashed and black outs but everyone ok

Here she comes!

All systems go here at Darwin, sometime between 10pm and 10am we could get hit with a cyclone!
At the moment its heading east inland where it will weaken over land but if it comes up north east it will intensify over the water and be straight inline to hit Darwin.
So its off home shortly to pull in the pot plants and get heady for a windy night ahead.

Xmas in Perth

Me and Rob spent Xmas with the folks in Perth this year.
Only 1 week here then back home. Has been nice. Xmas day was great lots to eat and eat and eat some more.
So far we have done lots of shopping and Rob has been lucky to escape the family stuff and go fishing with Dad.
Apologies to all that i have not caught up with as iv tried to dedicate some time to my Oma (dutch for Grandma) as she is in a nursing home now and well life is to short with living in NT i never know if this is the last time that i may see her. I took her to Myers today to go shopping for some blouses, i should have been wearing 'L' plates as my wheel chair driving skills are not the flashest, but she survived my driving.
Tomorrow im taking Rob sightseeing for the day, Sunday last day with family then back on plane first thing Mon morning.
Yes i know Blogs are far and few between lately but im hoping that this new year everything will be a lot more relaxed and less hectic and il be able to share more with whats happening.

Cyclone Season on its way

Thought id better get shopping and start the cyclone kit. We still have some of last years items in our cyclone cupboard so this is a top up on the food items, its good to be prepared. Last year when we went on cyclone watch the supermarket shelves were bare within a couple of hours- no batteries, no water, no canned food!!! ahhhhhhh nightmare!!

Tahlia's Graduation Formal

It is Tahlia's big night tonight! Bec unfortunately is in Tassie so being the proud aunty i am got her ready. It was all very exciting- hair, makeup and best of all the dress. She looked lovely. Oh did I mention my dress making ability!
Toni came over because she just brought a new car, so off we went in style. Much to Tahlias disgust we dragged her down to the foreshore before dropping her off for some pics, poor girl she was embarrassed as the foreshore is always packed with picnicers at that time of night.
Well i told her she must call me when Steve picks her up so i can get all the goss on the night.

The Wet is Here!

The temperature has just dropped about 10' and its about to pelt down.

The first pic i just took from my balcony at home.

The second pic i took a while ago at work.

The wet season is finally here. We have had a few good storms already with lots of thunder and lightening. You can almost set your clock to the fact that everyday at 3pm you look out and the storm is blowing over and by 4pm its pouring. Yep just when you finish work and need to get to the car. No umberella can save yo from these big rain drops.

Yay Its Friday

Well il pick up where i left off......

Had a big day in Sydney Tue, my arvo meeting got cancelled so damn it i had to shop all day!!! I started at Hourbourside in Darling Harbour then walked into the city. OMG shops, people, cars ahhhh it took me half hour to get my bearings and find my way back to the hotel. Sadly i walked away with a belt that was on sale for $7.95, Starbucks coffee and a piece of caramel cheesecake.

Wednesday was really full on. The Maritime Union Negotiations with our company. It consisted of myself and our company consultant representing Patrick against 3 MUA delegates (stevedores from our site) and the National MUA Delegate. Wasnt as heated as when they had the first discussions in Darwin but it was still a bit daunting at the start.

It was all over late arvo and then i headed to the airport. I had 3hrs before i flew home so our consultant Mick, who drove me to the airport got me into the Qantas Club. Saw no-one famous but it was nice all the same to relax and take advantage of everything free! Would have been more fun if i was not by myself.

Iv also taken on a new position in the company of Employee Relations Manager, it started effective of yesterday, funny though im still yet to sign the letter of offer, hmmm everything happens Darwin time. All is negotiated including my pay rise its just formalities now. It will be a challenging role esspecially dealing with the wharfies but i think il enjoy it.

Well today we got the news that the finance for the townhouse that Rob and I applyed for came through today. Settlement is on 21st November.

Its 2 story, living room and kitchen upstairs, 2 bedrooms and bathroom downstairs. Courtyard off the main bedroom and courtyard out the back-with spa, balcony off the lounge room also. Its rented out till March 08 then we will move in for a couple of years then rent it out again- well thats the plan anyway! Our own little love nest!!!

Its all very exciting.

Viva Las Sydney!

Arrived in Sydney last night, beautiful weather here, lovely and warm!!
Staying at the Crowne Plaza, lovely hotel. Excelent freebies- 1800 parcel comingyour way
I dont have a meeting till after lunch today so il be maximising oportunity and time and going SHOPPING!!! Theres a massive complex across the road, im sure il find a bargain.
Well im off to live life like the rich and step out of my hotel and swan through the shops (in my case more window shopping than the rich!) all before my stressful day im sure il be having tomorrow!
Arevaderchi

Rob POP'D the question!!!!!

All very exciting!
Rob took me out for dinner last night to Pee Wee's on East Point, prob Darwins only posh restuarants that is secluded out at East Point and seating is on timber decking right on the foreshores waters edge.
He proposed after dinner with a really beautiful speech to me- oohhhhhh! Yes brought a tear to my eye.
Well so many things have been happening in the last weeks, Im a signature away from accepting a new position of Employee Relations Manager at work and we have possibly brought a townhouse together will know for sure early this week.
Im off to Sydney on Monday arvo for work im sitting in on the final Union negotiations in preparation on gettign the new Certified Agreement sorted. When i get back on Wed night im sure il have some more exciting news to tell.
Well must go off to cook the new fiance breakfast (see what happens when they put a ring on your finger ha ha ha )
Stay Tuned :-)

Feeling Guilty

Well im on my lunch break and just checking out everyones blog page.
Read Jennafinas and how guilty do i feel, shes just started Tony Fergusons weight loss program so im writing to her being encouraging and meanwhile tucking into my lunch- toasted banana and brown sugar sandwich. Im the one who will need the encouraging words if i keep eating this kinda stuff; but like Jen i love my food!!!!!!!

Its been a while between blogs as iv been so snowed under at work, there hasnt even been any time for idle chit chat emails lately :-(
Hopefully this will all change soon and il be on top of everything when i maybe take on a new role- will tell all soon.

Anyhoo im thinking of you all and will speak soon
Over and out

Rainy Brisbane

I got to Brisbane on Monday night. My flight was 2.5hrs late getting in as the air hostie got sick before we boardered the plane in Darwin and the ambulance had to come and take her away so we had to wait for a replacement.
Got into Brisbane and settled in the Motel about 9pm, luckily when i got off of the plane at Brisbane i got in the taxi q and it was about 1km long so i had a hunch that Lisa our National ER Manager was flying in from Sydney so i rang her thinking she was already at the motel but yeeha she was also in the taxi q so i hunted her down and jumped the q so we could share a cab together.
Up bright and early today and met downstairs for breaky then off to Allocation Training at Fishermans Island. Was really interesting as i got to see the auto straddles loading a container ship, its the only one in the world of its kind and the ER Training was interesting as well. Back into the classroom again tomorrow than fly home tomorrow arvo.
Update again soon

Show and Tell

Hmmm a nice cool dip in the pool was not so nice when Rob scooped these buggers from the bottom. Aparently Male Mouse Spiders come out looking for females in the build up to wet season. Nasty critters! not ones i want to see again.
No more night swims for me!!!

Glad this Weeks Over!

Well this week has been so full on!

I sat in on 2 days of negotiations between the MUA and Patrick to get the new Certified Agreement up and happening, that was so tiring listening all day, but great experience.

Thursday i finally got home from work at 6.45pm to be fronted with a notice on the stair well door advising that there had been a burst water pipe under the building and the plumbers were onto it but the water has been cut off and wont be fixed till next day Grrrrrr!!! so of course everything i needed to do involved water!! Rob got home 15 min after me and covered head to toe in iron ore, Hmmm a clean with wet ones was definately not going to cut it! So off we went to a motel for the night. The only upside to the whole thing was that we got up in the morning early and went to the casino for breaky before work Mmmm pigged out all you can eat for $12.95.

Needless to say i didnt need lunch.

Today i babysitted Molly for Toni till lunch time while she drove a golf buggy for a corporate function at her work.

Molly is getting more and more character every day and well babysitting is easy as she just loves the pegs and peg basket, hours of entertainment. Hopefully when i have kids they will be as easily occupied.

Rob is still suffering the hangover from hell as he went out for a few beers after work yesterday- well maybe a few more than just a few! hee hee no simpathy for self inflicted wounds. He hasnt been out for a night on the town for months and i dont spose he'l be in any hurry to go out again real soon. Iv only ever seen him this sick once before.

Dont know what tomorrow will bring yet, prob some mundane house hold chores im sure!!!

Lotsa Crap n Stuff!!

Well iv finally after 3 or so years i have all my furniture under the one roof.
Iv been busy all weekend going through boxs and chucking the old stuff and keeping the good stuff. It was a little like xmas as there was lots of stuff id forgotten that i had and other stuff i just looked at and thought wwwhy did i keep this??????????
Im a glutton for punishment cause i cant just to the job at hand and that is sort through the boxes and exchange it for stuff in the cupboards that needs chucking out..... No not me i have to then start to go completely through each cupboard and pull everything out, wipe all the cupboards down wash everything that hadnt been sitting for ages, put new cockroach and ant baits down and then put it all back in. Hmmmm once i start i cant stop, think i must have some sort of obsesive compulsive disorder lol.
Did i forget to mention Rob conveniently was at work- prob lucky for him!
Today i thought i deserved a break so i picked up Molly from Cams this morning and met Toni at the Casino for breakfast yummmmmo pigged out then went Crazy Clark shopping to see what bargains and crap we could buy that we just didnt need!! Then Toni came back home to pick through some of my junk that i didnt want. Took Molly for a swim and then they went home.
So like a good girlfriend iv got the yummyest dinner on - a reciepe out of my new slow clooker cookbook that i got on sale at the book shop. Im cooking steamed lemon chicken, how easy! put the chook in a oven bag put sliced lemons over the top and underneath of it (i also put some wedges inside also) mix up cornflour and soy sauce and tip that ova the chook, tie up the bag and put in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours presto. Smells yum already.
All ready for when the boy gets home from work. But of course il say that i slaved over a hot stove all day preparing lol.
Anyhoo time to hang the washing out.
Speak soon, Over and Out Rubber Ducky.......

My Week.....

Well its ben a while since i posted a blog message.

Cant say iv been up to anything superduper interesting.

The later part of this week has been really really quiet, im well and truly ready for Rob to come home, the walls in this house must be getting bored of my constant dribble to my self ha ha ha.

Iv done a bit of sewing. Gearing up for the wet season iv brought a heap of cheesecloth material and made myself some cool throw on dresses for after work and around the house, for $3.50 p/meter how could you go wrong! considering me and Toni were shopping last weekend and they were on sale for $39.00. I did a small experiment to make myself some skorts, i had some years ago and they were great for girls like me who arnt quite as lady like as you should be when wearing little mini skirts. Very chuffed last night at my accomplishments i have decided to made a coupla pairs to wear to work.

Iv been pricing up how much a holiday in NY would be and seeing if the bank account will allow!

I be speaking to you soon 1800!

Lets have some humour

BonVoyage Rob!

Well today has been a sad day as Rob left for UK in the early hours of this morning :-(
Im excited for him going but i know that by next week il do anything to have him back home. Wellll who can i nag now? no one to complain to, no one to winge at, no one to laugh with or pick on- hurry back home he he he.

We get along so well considering we live together, work together and spend all our free time with eachother. Theres never a dull moment in our house, we are always laughing and mucking around. Happy travels Rob! Dont forget the gifts hee hee heee

Catching Up

Graeme, Dalma, Robbie, Sue, Alexis & Brett were in Darwin for the Darwin Cup and gave me a call to catch up. Toni and I met them at Ducks Nuts for a couple of drinks and dinner.

For those who dont know who Toni is; she was in Leonora working at the Central she left in 1998, so it was great for her to see all the old faces again (and beautiful faces they are hee hee hee. ) And little Alexis (once a spring chicken) looks great, all grown up and cant believe shes expecting a little bambino at the end of the year, her and Brett look so happy. Then there is Dalma, ohh she cracks me up, always a laugh to be had when she's around, gota love her! Uncle Graeme such a cool dude, good to hear hes still keeping the town in check. and Robbie & Sue great to hear the low down on all the local yocals, oh did i forget to mention him poaching our Darwin barmaids hmmmm !!!

What a great night we had, plenty of reminising and laughing by all!!

Another project finished!!

Iv finally finished Toni's dress! After following the pattern to the tee, the dress just didnt look right so i unpicked the majority of the dress and re-sewed my way, all went to plan and finally the dress is finished. Now paired up with my suade beige CFMB's Toni has something to wear to Steve and Liz Wedding at the end of the month. Thank god for the overlocker, what a god send- now that i know how to use it.

The New Do!