Right back at ’ya

A book came back to me today. One I dropped on a train (see Books…Nov2005) back in November!

I was standing in the Print Room at work and my eyes were wandering as they do when I have to wait for anything and I saw a book sat on the other bookless work top. So I flipped open the front cover and there was my sticker.

I asked the guy whose book it was (playing innocent) and he replied that he had picked it up on the train some months ago. I asked if he had read it. He said no.

So, I asked if he intended to, when a negative answer came again, I asked why he picked it up (it has a very girlie cover)

‘It was free.’

After a discreet roll of the eyes, I asked if I could have it and told him 'it quite clearly states on the sticker in the front to pass it on when it's finished with.'

'Yeah, no problem. I'm sure your'll enjoy it. It look pretty girlie!'

As tempted as I was to say 'well, i enjoyed it the first time, you bozo!' I resisted and thanked him very much. I picked up my printing and left.

Later in the day I dropped it in the Park. Hopefully, someone who will really appreciate it picks it up this time!

Moving On!

S is getting her own salon. I’m so excited for her.I maybe moving on too, but I’m off to Melbourne. So I won’t be able to support my friend in her new endeavour.

My move is caused by a job. A good job, working with people I have worked with before, so I know what I’m getting myself into.

Things that are putting me of are:
I’ve got family in Melbourne
The weather sucks
I’ve got friends in Sydney
The weather sucks

That’s it really, but the weather really does suck. I’ll have to buy a coat!

Car Update!

I picked up the car today.

It gets better - Subaru picked up the tab for the parts and the labour. A grand total of $1850.

The reason for this grand gesture, I hear you ask. My four hours on the freeway and the fact that the Belt tension bearing shouldn’t have failed in the first place.

Thank you Subaru!

Mastercard!

Cam/drive belt $150
Belt Tension Bearing $300
Idling Belt $300

The 4 hours on the freeway to find out how much these things cost – Priceless!

No Sun

PS... even though there was no sunn while I was standing on the freeway with my disabled car. I still managed to get sunburn on the V of my cleavage! I just noticed it.

Day (sorry, it's long)

6.45am - Sleep deprivation. My mum had rung me from Spain (where she lives) and I finally got to turn out the light at 1am, after much chatting and being told to look after myself. So when my alarm went off I wasn’t really ready to get up and face the day.

7.35am - EXTREMLY slow driver. I was five minutes out of the house and travelling a fairly quick clip when I came up behind a very slow driver. Now when I say slow, I mean SLOW. He/she was driving at a whopping 60kph in a 100 zone. Now granted it was a little foggy, unfortunately it was foggy enough that I couldn’t overtake safely. So I was stuck behind this w**ker for over 20km’s. Adding a lot of time to my carefully planned morning.

8.30am – Late. I was late for my appointment, however the news I received was good. Although I still have polycystic kidney disease (that will never go away) I have low carlesterol, my blood pressure is stable and my kidneys are working as they should be. Woohoo!

9.15am – Post office balls up. I had to lodge a large amount of letters at the PO. Now, as a volunteer, I edit a newsletter every 3 months. It is a lot of hard work, and seems to be getting harder. The committee insist I use the ‘account’ to send them out, but no one has been able to give information about this ‘account. So with work and some considerable investigation skills on my part I have done the best I can. Today I went to lodge them. Only the PO I went to (and had approval from the head office) had no record of me. I was there for 45 minutes, but the newsletter got posted. At some point today I was going to get to work. Just before getting back into the car to drive to work, I brought myself some food (California rolls) and a freshly made Carrot, Pineapple and Ginger juice.

10.30 – Road Rage. On the F3 freeway, travelling south bound for Sydney. Travelling at 110 – 115 kmph (110 speed limit) in the inside lane. Got a twit on my outside who is pacing me, but when I’m behind, slows. So I try to overtake. Still pacing me. Guy in the car behind speeds up and gets so close I can see his nose hair in the rear view mirror. I put my foot on the pedal on the right to speed up and …NOTHING!In fact, I start to slow!I press the hazard light button and quickly indicate to go to the hard shoulder (breakdown lane). Nosehairs, starts shout and waving, I behave out of character and give him the finger. Pacer, speeds up and takes off and I slowly drift over the shoulder.Once there I try look at the dash, all lights on; engine, battery, petrol, heat, everything! I turn the engine over. Voom Voom Voom.But it doesn’t start.I get out and nearly get swept of my feet by the passing B-Double (very f**king big truck), the car shakes. I start to walk back the way I came, towards the emergency phone. I get there, a police car stops and the driver ask if I am OK. I say ‘Yeah, just gonna call NRMA.’ He offers to stay and wait while I find out how long it will be. After the phone I tell him, ‘I have to wait for a tow truck to come and move me to a safe spot, them NRMA with come and look, them what ever happens after that.’‘OK, be safe, and wait behind the car, not in front.’ He waves and is gone.
I walk back to my car, open the boot and get out my book. Then I retrace my steps until I am about 20m behind my car, in a dip in the rock wall and have somewhere to escape to in case of a car or truck leaving the carriageway.I open my book and start to read. For a Sydney summers day it is surprisedly cool, and I thank the sky for keeping the rain in the clouds. I wait and I read. I read a true story about a 23 year old and his time in rehab. It is touching and for someone how has never taken drugs, humbling. The tow truck arrives fifty minutes after I lost power and as the boy in the book cries for the first time.The tow truck is only allowed to move me and my car to a ‘safe place’, in this case, about 7 km further down the freeway. He drops me off and tells me NRMA should be along soon.I get out, I read and I wait.

1300 – Drive belt buggered. NRMA arrived, just as the boy in the book realises he is ‘f**ked up and out of control’. I’m busting for a pee, gagging for a drink. It still hasn’t rained, but the clouds are still thick and threatening. I explain what happened, tell him about conversation with my service centre (which incidentally the car spent Thursday and Friday with). He tested the Alternator, not that. Then a bit more poking and prodding until the drive belt was revealed to be shredded.
‘Your cam belts stuffed.'
‘Can you fix it?’
‘Nope, got to be done in the workshop, good 4 hours work, gotta take out the radiator to get to it.’
‘Ohh, that’s not too bad.’
‘Well, not if that’s the only problem. If the pistons carried on moving after it went, they could have touched the valves, if they did, you could have more problems.’
‘Ahh!’
‘You’ll have to wait for the tow truck to take you.’
‘Ahh!’
‘I’ll call him and let him know to come and get you.’
‘Thanks!’
We said our good-byes, and I read and I waited.

1415 – Hello Again. The same tow truck arrived as the boy in the book revealed he doesn’t believe in God and never will. I tend to agree with him.

1430 – Service centre. I stand in the service centre, my car in the background having a man looking under the bonnet and shaking his head. That can’t be good. The guy on reception tells me they will have to have a detailed look before he can give me a price or ETA. I give him my contact details and leave.I walk to the train station and the ticket machine is out of order. There is a queue with about twenty people in it and my train is sat on the platform. The next one in 15 minutes, I join the back of the queue and open my book.

1500 – A long ride. It’s the middle of the day. That means all trains stop at all stations. As the train clatters over the sleeps and tracks, I read more about James and his addictions.

1550 – Food. I realised, I haven’t eaten or had anything to drink since ten this morning. I stop between the station and the office. Yeap, I’m still heading for the office! I get a Tandoori Chicken salad and a lemon, lime and orange fizzy drink. As I walk out of the shop I slip and land on my knees. Bam! I scrape my arm on the pavement.

1605 – My desk, really late. What the f**k I am doing!

1610 – Blog. I write it, I post it. On the plus side of my day, I have learnt pretty much all women drivers get sacred when they breakdown on the freeway (the tow truck driver was impressed with my fortitude), the train takes an age to travel 20kms during the afternoon, people do help you when you fall arse over tit in the street and the boy in the book got clean and stayed that way.

1744 - After looking busy for just under two hours i'm going home. I've had a horrid day!

Bruises

Went and saw S today. I have bruises under my arms from the other day. Her comment was, ‘serves you right for straying!’ I know it was only meant in jest, but never a truer word…

She tidied up my eyebrows for me and gave me a pedicure. I now have beautifully painted toenails and smooth heels!

Saving V Waxing

I’ve only shaved a few times in my life., always in cases of emergency. For the most part I wax. My Mum introduced me to waxing at the age of 8 when she ran my hand up her stubbly leg and said, ‘Don’t shave, or your whole body will fell like an old mans five o’clock shadow.’

I’ve been a waxer ever since.

Yesterday I had a hairy emergency. I dressed for work, black slacks, red sleeveless top and strappy girl shoes. At lunch time I realised my dressing error. I’m due to see my beauty torturer at the weekend, so my underarms were not fit to be seen in sleeveless. D’oh!

So I popped into my nearest place (3 doors down from the office) and asked if I could get an underarm waxing. The receptionist pulled the waxing girl of her lunch break! I should have run away there and then, but my brain-waves didn’t reach my feet quick enough. She didn’t talk to me at all, she put the wax on really hot, and then she pulled the wax off without holding my skin taught. She hurt me!

Never in the many years I have been waxing have I ever had bruises, until last night. My right underarm looks like it’s been punched.

My regular beauty lady, (I'll call her S), although I call her my torturer has never hurt me, even when pulling out vast tracts of hair. I really must remember I get hairy near an appointment. Ohh…and keep a razor handy if I can’t get to S!

Which Whip…?

I learnt how to crack a whip this week. My good buddie Miss Eudoxia showed me how, then with a little practice and aching shoulders I can now crack it every second time I do it!

I’m not proficient enough for a full on Bull whip, I’m learning with a lunge whip. It has a long handle then a whippy bit, not a short handle like the bull whip.

Better go practice…butts awaitin’.

Happy New Year!

I got in just in time to wish you all a very happy new year. I’ve been very slack this year with the seasons cheer. Although for the first time since moving to Australia my Christmas cards reached their intended recipients in time for the big day.

I don’t know what you all have planned to do to bring in the New Year, but I pretty sure that what I have planned will blow you away.
NOTHING!
For the last couple of years I have tried to celebrate in a spectacular way. It has fizzled each time. So this year, I’m gonna do nothing. I’m gonna try again next year, but for now, I plan on watching a bit of telly, reading my book and sleeping.

I hope you all get to celebrate new year in a fashion that makes you happiest!

Here’s a run down on the last few years of New Year celebrations!
2005 – Luna Park, Sydney. Went to watch the fireworks from under the bridge, we went with a large group, we got split up, the beer was expensive and took an age to queue for, as did the ladies loo. Had picture taken with Policeman! By 12.30 everyone was bored, so we went our separate ways.
2004 – Taronga Zoo, Sydney. The first attempt to watch the Fireworks from a ‘Vantage’ point. This place was WAY to family friendly. Should have known it was my own stoopid fault!
2003 – Home, Bucketty. Watched telly.
2002 – Echo Point Motor Inn, Blue Mountains, NSW. Crusty mildewy motel room, bad telly, no alcohol!
2001 – Home, Teringie, South Australia. Watch the Adelaide fireworks from the balcony of a neighbour. It was OK, but I had to remember it from the deepest recesses of my mind, so not that memorable!
2000 – Hamilton Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Wasn’t too bad, but there wasn’t enough people. Had Lobster for dinner, followed by wine, wine and more wine. Had picture taken with Policeman! Went on a GBR cruise and snorkel trip on New Year Day, was horribly hung over but they were only about 12 others on the cruise. TIP: if you want to cruise GBR, do it NYD, there is no one around ;-)
1999 – Waymouth, Cornwall UK. Went dressed as Poison Ivy from Batman Returns. Great time!
1998 – Waymouth, Cornwall UK. Went dressed as a Hooker in black PVC dress, red wig and long red boot. Had my picture taken with policemen. Heaps of people, great time!
1997 – Waymouth, Cornwall UK. The first year we went to Weymouth. The whole town goes out in Fancy dress. All the pubs have a competition, and you can go from pub to pub and meet lots of like minded funky, happy people. That year I went dressed a 50’s chick, with pink skirt, with poodle on front, white fluffy jumper and pink tie in my hair. It was -35 with wind chill. Alcohol deadened the pain of cold. Great time! On New Year Day went to Seaworld (still not legal to drive) and became a Shark Cadet!

Cigarette Smoke

I like to think I am a tolerant person. I'm not a racist, I admire anyone who lives a life that some consider 'abnormal' and I generally don't mind people doing things in public that impact on my enjoyment of life.

But today, I came to the conclusion...smokers suck!

I was minding my own business, walking at lunch time when the woman in front of me lit up. My already mildly polluted air (I was walking along Castlereagh Street in Sydney, city) was replaced with a cloud of white cigarette smoke. The sun was shining and many were out for walks, so I was unable to get around her, so every few seconds, another puff of smoke filled the air around me. This is not the first time this has happened, but for some reason it really got to me and made my blood boil.

Finally, I was able to scoot around her, dodging the oncoming flow of people. I got to a set of traffic lights and waited with many others to cross.
While I was stand there, a man came to a stand still next to me (invading me personal space, somewhat). He lit a cigarette. After a few puffs, he put his hand to his side, then side stepped to get out of the way of a slimmer, taller, blonder woman.

Where did he side step to? I hear you ask. Well, right into me, burning a hole in my trousers. When I moved and exclaimed a massive 'What are you doing?' He looked at me as if I was mad. When I further explained that he had burnt my trousers, he shrugged and walked away as the traffic lights turned green for pedestrians.

I was left gapping like a goldfish on the sidewalk, with his fellow smokers parting around me like a stream around a rock.

I would like to offer my apoligies for this post to those smokers out there that are aware of the distress their habit causes others.

Online...

…Part 2

As mentioned last, I been an online chatter for quite a while, but I had a first time thing happen today. I was the victim of a potential crime. Yes… you heard right, I wasn’t actually taken for any money, but I could image a more innocent person would fall for it.

This person chatted casually for a while before telling me he had a new job in Aussie. But he needed me to cash a cheque for him and wire him the cash. I told him I wasn’t an idiot… for some reason he drifted away ;-)

I reported him to the Aust. High Tech Crime Center (www.ahtcc.gov.au). Hopefully he will be caught.

Online...

...chats are fun, but time consuming.

I have been a Yahoo messenger user for getting on ten years. I enjoy meeting new and interesting people, and over the last few years I have met allsorts. Yesterday I met a new fellow who live fairly close to me. The conversation was kept clean (surprising but refreshing) and we talked about sick relatives and a desire to explore the unknown, both physically and mentally.

Over the years I have met a wide and almost scary amount of people and talked about everything from the love of God (I won't talk religion anymore...too fraught with the dangers of being misunderstood) to politics and mild toe sucking to hardcore BDsM scenes. I have over fifty contacts in my Yahoo list, some I speak to on a regular basis, others once in a blue moon. All I enjoy speaking to as I always seem to learn something new and I'm not afraid to step out of my comfort zone.

However... it is amazing how hours rush by when chatting online. One second it is 10am then the next time you look it's 2pm, you've missed lunch and done no work for the last four hours! This happened to me not two days ago when I was 'working' from home.

So be warned... I love chatting, but if I cut you off, it's not 'cause I don't like you (I'll tell you that) but it's 'cause I'm supposed to be working ;-)

You can find me at jodiesorrell2000 on Yahoo Messenger.

Puss...

…is fine and dandy. He has now been home for three days and is back to his usual grumpy self. He nips toes when he wants feeding, Scratches legs when he wants a brush and buggers off outside when he want to be alone.

But we love him and am really glad he didn’t die.

Paralysis Ticks…

…What is the point of them?

I spent many hours last night in hospital with my good friend and vet Miss Eudoxia (misseudoxia.blogspot.com) and my pussy cat ‘Puss’. He had a nasty case of tick poisoning and just as a nasty reaction to the anti-serum (rare).

Today he is in a stable condition, but has to stay in hospital for a while longer. I’ll keep you posted.

Anyway, back to my point:

Paralysis ticks are unique to the middle and northern part of the east Australian coast. There are nasty little bastards that climb the grass in damp warm weather (most of the time) and latch on to, then suck the blood of passing mammals. Whether it is a cat, dog, possum or human (I’ve had a few). The trouble is, native animals rarely react to the poison they pump into a victim, cats and dogs however, and in fact most livestock, can react very badly. Symptoms include wobbly legs, laboured breathing, increased heart rate and even death.

During our time watching, making sure Puss was going to be OK, we talked about the point of Ticks. They don’t eat carrion or decaying matter, we couldn’t think of anything that eats them. All they seem to do is kill mammals and breed.

So as you see we couldn’t find a decent reason and thought, maybe, just maybe, someone who knew about ticks could enlighten us to their purpose in this world of ours.

Books...

Today I gave away 10 books, Sci-Fi, romance and biography. I took some of the books I have read and will not read again and gave them to the people of Sydney. It's something I like to do. I left some on the train in the morning and some in Hyde Park at lunch time.

Why do you do that, I hear you ask.

Well... it started when I got fleeced by a second-hand bookshop ($20 for over 50 books, I read a book and don't crack the spine or fold the pages) and told by a charity shop that they didn't want anymore books. When neither of those avenues wanted my books I gave up and now I just give them away directly but anonymously.
By the time I have dropped a few off and am on my way back the way I came, the books are normally gone. Whether it is an office worker lacking something to read or a homeless person I see that my taste in reading material is shared.

Actually it's a funny thing to watch one of them be picked up. I have seen it often. It goes a little like this:
• Person sits on bench and see book.
• Person looks around suspiciously.
• Person picks up book and reads the back blurb.
• Person looks around suspiciously again, just to make sure Candid Camara isn't going to jump out at them.
• Person either put book back or puts in bag or starts to read it.

I leave the erotica in my bookshelf; they get read over and over again ;-)

Eww...

I had the thing of erotic stories happen to me on the train this morning. I would never do the half the stuff I read or write about, but this one has to be the basis of a story!

I had almost completed my journey to work when i had to change trains. The train I was getting onto was packed, 2 got off, 10 tried to get on. I had to back up into teh vestibule to avoid being trodden on a second time. I took my ruck-sak off my shoulder and held it in my left hand and down by my leg, my right arm was strected to the ceiling to get some purchase to stop me falling when the train lurched to a start and stop.

Soon, after the train pulled out of the second station I could feel the man behind me, get closer. I had seen him briefly when I got on, and he was less than fantasy material, a short pulp guy with 6 o'clock shadow at 8am. Not my 'thang' at all. He was pushing his cock into my butt cheek. It was hard and he was breathing faster than i would consider normal for the morning commute. I couldn't get away, I was trapped by a rather large lady standing directly in front. So I made the best of an awful situation and pictured it was my dream guy! The guy I picture when I write my stories.

Thank Christ he got off at the next station, got off the train I mean!

The Weather...

...was just like Melbourne today. Four seasons in one day. The day started out a balmy 14 degrees with rain, not drizzle, full-on rain. Throughout the morning the rain eased up into a nice drizzle with wind. Turning into the type of rain that get in everywhere.

Lunchtime saw some sun, almost the only sun us Sydneysiders have seen all November. It didn't last long though, it was soon howling a gale and making the pavements wet again.

So much for wearing swede shoes!

Ohh.. I wore swede, 'cause I had an interview...I'll let you know how it went when I know!

Sydney...

...had more lovely rain today. Lots of it, so I was forced to seek refuge in a lovely little Japanese lunch spot where I overheard a conversation while eating my bowl of rice and chicken, it went a little like this :

1st man : So how old were you when your dad died?
2nd man : 23, but we were close so I wasn't too sad.
1st man : What'ca do last night?
2nd man : I was at bible study last night and talked about Mum dying.
1st man : Ahh...
2nd man : I don't believe in heaven or anything, but I reckon she's there and I think she would god's advisor, she was so righteous!

After I left, I got to thinking, surely a man who went to bible study would believe in heaven, either that or he just goes to meet girls. Then I thought righteousness can be a form of Pride, isn't that one of the seven deadly sins.

I came to the conclusion that he was talking out of his backside!

Be Gentle...

...it's my first time.

I'm new to blogging and find the idea fascinating. Having kept a diary of some sort all my life, it only makes sense that it would go online at some point. Here it is, my life for all to see. I'll try not to edit out the interesting stuff!

I hope It isn’t too boring ;-)


Jodie