Melbourne

It's my birthday so that means seafood and cheese platter day.

Guys, my newly adult daughter is on an overnight bus with her friend on the way to Adelaide for a few days. I am sad but I'll be ok.

Welp, I may feel like my thesis is complete shite and that doing a research project was the worst decision ever that's dredged up an unrelenting blast of old trauma, but because nobody fucking applies for scholarships in my school, I did... and guess who just got $3000 for filling out some forms - when I'm weeks away from graduating 😂

Sadly, it is taxable as I'm a part-time student, but hell, at least it'll be in this FY where my taxable income isn't as high due to having worked part time

I have a very dear older family friend that is in early stage Alzheimer's. We travelled together about 18 months ago but she is really past it now and we kinda knew that would happen (it was a bit of a last harrah family visit). there's a family event coming up and she would love to go. I have told her that I can't manage to find accommodation that will suit us (true) and I also think she is a bit past it (true and said and received with love). But she wants to and is a little bit past reason (keeps saying 'I will let you know if I can come') and it breaks my heart. I am gonna zoom her into it (someone in her home can help).

But fuck this getting old business. She was the strongest most capable woman I knew growing up. Always a real rock for me. Aaargghh.

What are you peasants eating?

Well it's official.

Hambam is now confidently an off leash walker.

I have waited for this moment for a long time.

Trick was to take him to the same park several times a day so he got over being hyper stimulated / fixated. It worked. Now he doesn't give two shits about anything.. other dogs / kids. So I have upgraded his braincell count to 3, from 2.

Has CEO invited you all to their party tonight or just me?

yay, I went to the beach with my new gum boots. The tide was out and I was adventurous and walked right out across the sand flats to the far rocks that are usually well underwater.

here's a pic looking back at the shore 😊

I wish I'd taken annual leave tomorrow so I could have a 4 day weekend. Ah well.

Step 1 in life admin day complete:

I have a desk

It is much more solid than I expected for the price, and a touch bigger than I was envisaging. It mostly went together easily too, with only a few bolts at the end which were tricky to position and in a place that didn't allow you to turn the allen key fully. I think I've only got three more bits of furniture to assemble now, the two bedside tables and a small shelf.

Edit: and I now have a working computer too! The important peripherals have all been installed: mouse, keyboard, speakers, and cat sleeping mat.

Hullo

I survived work. Must make tea

Am meant to transfer to a new department at work next week, but the new team didn’t initiate the transfer correctly - so my old role couldn’t be backfilled..

..now there’s a fight brewing over when I should actually transition. It’s good to be wanted, but I feel like a kid who’s divorcing parents are fighting for custody!

Mickey crawls into my oodie and has the audacity to grumble (literally, it's so cute!) when he dutch ovens himself (and me 💀). Of course I trapped him so he had to experience his stank - it's the least I could do to repay his fart to my face.

Aaaaaaaaaaaargh

Blended the 1st chilli ferment last night. 13 day ferment. The one w/ homegrown apricots, raspberries. Surprisingly it's actually very good. Can taste them through the heat. Never had a hawt sauce like that. Raspberries made it a nice deep red. Was going to turn the last of chillies into powder but instead going to start anothery of that today.

I think taking the chilli seeds out before the ferment (usually don't bother) really made a difference and let the sweetness cut through. Bit time consuming but worth it.

Dream 1: Outfit competition with the band Oasis. Woke up before final verdict. Dream 2: was my birthday with people I didn't know (but knew in the dream). Had a good time.

I'm excited for 28 Years Later, arriving in two weeks!

omg, I think I had a dream/nightmare about edna everage

I made hash browns. It just ain’t the same. Maybe brushed potatoes aren’t the best for it.

Ah yes, a Victoria St tram that smells of cigarettes. Smells nostalgic in an old pub kind of way.

I was hoping to get a little bush hike in this long weekend but the forecast is not awesome. What can I do instead that's warm?

Miss Meow is finding her wooden climbing frame a touch high to jump on (and she shuns the little ladder designed to help). I've put a plastic container there to give her a step and she's happily using it now, which is good as that's the access to her food platform and the window hammock (which she is snoozing on in the morning sun right now). I've ordered a set of little steps as a more permanent solution.

Today's goals: life admin and getting the computer set up.

Edit: getting the computer set up has a bonus feature of letting me access the vacuum cleaner, which I put in a cupboard and then put the computer stuff in front of.