Yes, I rushed out on Saturday and bought the shoes! They are made of wood, with soft brown leather straps … four inch heels … gorgeous! I am very happy … I do have an addiction that I obviously have to deal with at some point … but I’m very happy today!

Mind you, get back to me Sunday arvo after I’ve worn them all day!!!!

Breakfast on Sunday (or 2nd breakfast for the Tolkien fans … I can’t wait until 10am for brekkie!) was great … good food, good people, Rhys and Lemly are just lovely! Probably a bit overwhelmed by the Aussie impact … Deeleea, Orthodox Ian and myself are all fairly good at filling a silence! … but they are just so nice … I hope they had a great time at the Neighbours night that evening!

Ok, must dash, pretending to work remember!

For those of you who are not Australian admin-types … the above is the quarterly business tax bizzo that all businesses have to fill in and send to the ATO (Australian Taxation Office) …. covers tax in/out, as well as various other bits and bods including employee taxes …. it can be a real joy (gritted teeth here).

On the other hand, once it’s done, you don’t have to do it again for three months!

This month, however, I am doing two, due to various business rearrangements …. it’s actually not too bad, it’s just a big responsibility that I’d rather somebody else had … however I am clinging on to the fact that I will feel GREAT when they’re both done – double GREAT!

Shoes: black work thongs … BUT I did see a pair of wooden heeled brown leather stiletto sandals last night which are calling me ….. I’m pretty sure I’ll be giving in tomorrow morning ….. gorgeous new shoes ….. if I can’t hear those other "three little words" those will do for now!
Hardware: none, again …. but I am going to do gardeny, planty, rakey things this arvo and tomorrow so that’s kinda in the same ballpark … and I’m pretty sure there will be an excursion to the largest local hardware warehouse at some point on the weekend – it’s practically summer, you have to go to the hardware shop in summer, it’s the LAW!

I’ve had my hair re’done’ … my racing stripes are now back in order and all is right with the world!

It was hot yesterday, I think it’s going to be hot again today. i’m happy about that, but I’m VVV tired as we had MAD RING TAILED POSSUMS having arguments outside the window at 1am …. outside my window anyway, don’t think it bothered any of my flatmates!

For those of you who are not up on their Australia Fauna ….. The Ring Tailed Possum is a lovely little creature, sort of small cattish in size, with a long prehensile tail. They are marsupials ie have a pouch but can also be seen, once the kids have reached a certain age, walking along with a pile of little bubs clinging to their backs. http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/ring_tailed_possum.htm will give you all the info you need + a little picture.

Anyhoo …. one thing you don’t often get told is that, when arguing with each other (not mating behaviour!), they are LOUD! And because they know me, having often visited my balcony at dusk and eaten my flowers in front of me, they view me as just another part of the landscape ie i can go and wave threateningly and they merely give me an enquiring look, as if to say ‘yes? you have a problem? please go away now, we’re in the middle of something". A bit deflating to be dissed by a possum!

I am going out today to renew my bottle of ‘Scat’ (yes, that’s a real name – I would prefer to use Poss Off, but it appears to be unavailable at present) and will rampage about with my little spraybottle and spray with abandon this evening – hopefully they will take themselves off and argue in the ACRES of perfectly good bushland which is over our back fence – 10metres away!

Whew, it’s looking like it’s going to be a hot day today, 32C!!! Yippee!!!!!! Coming from me, that’s kinda weird, I’m not a real hot weather girl, Spring and Autumn are my seasons generally (yes, I know technically it’s still Spring, but I refer more to Spring-type WEATHER not dates …. Australia has ‘interesting’ seasons!) …. Summer has never really thrilled me that much, as I could sunburn for Australia at the Olympics. I do LOOOOOVVVEEEE daylight savings time however, and that comes in this week.

This year, for some reason, I have been really lusting after the hot weather, I don’t know why – and remind me I said that in a month or two when I’m whinging after a week of 40C+ days (which is not an exaggeration, it does happen!). My only problem this year is the lack of appropriate dresses for the abundantly endowed amongst us … by that I mean, all summer dresses so far are either knit (what on earth!), have spaghetti straps (excellent for those who need a bra – NOT), have deeply plunging necklines (yes, I have a cleavage, I like my cleavage, I don’t need people viewing my belly button from the TOP without an invitation!), or basically make you look like you’re heading off for a day at the races! What ever happened to the simple cotton shift? the pretty summer frock? The sleeveless linen dress? Come on designers, it’s SUMMER, it’s SYDNEY, and it’s going to be HOT AND SWEATY!!!! Even we admin types get out of the office occasionally, and we’d be liked to be able to walk around in a DRESS without dissolving in to a disgusting messy puddle … we’re chicks, we like to look hot in the sexy sense, not the meltdown sense!

Well, got that off my chest (sorry), now on to other more delightful topics …. the Wunderkinder (pardon my odd German) ie nephew number 2 has achieved a milestone this morning … he has crawled from his room all the way across the loungeroom! I think his parents will really know they’re alive now! FYI in a family of brown haired brown/hazel/or green eyed people, the Wunderkinder is a throwback to either his blue eyed Spanish great grandfather or his blue eyed German/Irish grandfather’s sides … certainly does not take after his dad (brown hair brown eyes light olive skin … the BroBoss) or his mum (Chilegirl … dark brown eyes, dark brown hair, olive skin) … but he does look a lot like me (if you change the blue eyes to green and the blonde hair to light brown … the GORGEOUS white skin is the same though!).

Bro2 and The Amazon (ie other brother and his wife) are rampaging around with Nephew1, the Sheriff, as they wait for the arrival of the Sherriff’s Deputy in late November … The Sheriff is a real trick of a kid, he’s just hilarious mainly.

Okay, shoes …. beige work thongs … comfy! …. I can feel a minor niggle which is telling me it’s time to go shopping soon though … stand by for a shoe binge!
Hardware …. i think a new 19" flat screen LCD computer monitor counts, even if I didn’t pay for it … I look at it every day!

i feel better now.

yes, I am back … can I go back on leave again? I actually feel really good after my week off (more on that later) but have hit the ground running at work this morning and have not yet stopped, 4 hours later …. oh well, I guess the more i get done today, the less I have to do tomorrow!

Talk later …..

Yes, I have reached the vast age of ….. wait for it ….. 35!!!!!

Actually, by the fact that I’ve just put that out there I guess you can work out that I’m not exactly bothered by turning 35 .. I’ve really never understood the dramas some women seem to go through about a) letting people know how old they are and b) actually getting older …. as far as I’m concerned it’s basically something you really can’t do a thing about so get over yourself and stop annoying the rest of us!

That would probably count as my rant of the day …. may have to get used to that … i do tend to ranting … it’s quite relaxing getting stuff off your chest …. and when you’re classed in the realms of ‘voluptuous’ …. well, you work it out!

I guess I’m less bothered by that age of 35 than most because I come from a fairly long lived family … all grandparents lived well into their 80’s .. and that’s with various health problems hard lives etc etc etc … so looking good for 93, which is an age I think I will aspire to (rapture aside and all that!)

Boy, I’m really letting you know it all today aren’t I!

Anyhoo, Chilegirl, my first sister in law, rang me recently to ask me who i wanted to invite to my ’surprise’ birthday dinner …. I know, not a surprise then … but the surprise would be the fact that it’s being organised for me! So, that’s tonight, at a local Bavarian Biergarten … in Manly …. well yes, Australia is a multicultural hothouse! Looking forward to it greatly, should be a good night!

Shoes: Beige strappy 1inch heel work thongs – v comfy!
Hardware: nothing really … but I did buy a bubble blowing set for my oldest nephew … I think that counts!

I am ever so slightly EXCITED!!!!! Those of you who are not Admin types may not understand (though as you’re all computery types you probably will) … I have just had my new monitor installed …. 19" LCD flat screen ……… cannot TELL you how much better it is than the circa 2000 big old monitor I have had taking up room on my desk!!!!

Thanks to all the lovely greetings sent my way oh wibloggers and readers , very welcoming, makes me feel all gooey inside

well actually, not as bad as it sounds … I’m on a countdown! 1 sleep to go (+ 2 days of working) …. and I’m on holidays! The doom part comes in when I have to get organised enough so that the office doesn’t fall apart when I’m not here for a week – because of course I am SUCH an excellent office manager that nobody can manage without me … right, yeah, okaaaaayyyyyyyy….

I am looking forward to this break greatly, even though it is just down at the Family Resort ie mum and dad’s house in the country! … they’re away so I have it to myself which is great. The last week I had off BOTH my wonderful siblings decided that the time had come to move house – so guess who volunteered herself to help pack? well, you can’t NOT volunteer really, not if you want to continue to have some sort of familial relationships … but I would have really loved that week off ….

not to worry, looking forward to next week, have already book the haircut/colour and the facial and made a list of the local wineries I’m going to visit (because of course you never visit things in your own area when you’re growing up) … should be fun

Shoes: pale pink diana ferrari slingbacks, pointy toed, SO last season but still incredibly comfortable and good looking … it’s all in the attitude …
Hardware: glue. Yep glue … huge excitement from all I’m sure … but a girl really can’t have too much glue (especially when, just quietly, three of a girls four flatmates are not hugely talented in the handyman area …ssshhhhhh)

Well, one small step for me, one giant leap and all that …. just a little one to get things started. V. busy in the old office, BroBoss is out on a photo shoot for the day after having 6 days leave, designers are in a frenzy, my desk is 3 metres deep [at least!] in old archiving files … and I am SO ready for my 5 days off next week!

All that aside, life is pretty good, my birthday on Friday … can you guess how old? Promise not to be offended .

Shoes: no purchases of late, currently wearing ‘work thongs’ … ie strappy, black, 1 inch heel, very comfy, go with everything.
Hardware: does potting mix count? I did buy it at the hardware store … and there’s LOTS of it …. I wanted to buy a huge extension ladder but $400 was a bit much for this weeks budget!