The Unflappable Man

My Hubby.
Never phased. Ever.


Yesterday a simple trip to the bank somehow went down the road of refinancing our entire mortgage and all the accessories that go with.


As my discussions with our personal banker (and Magoo's newest personal fan club member) became more serious, I thought I'd better give Hubby a bit of a courtesy call before le bank and I totally rejigged his single biggest investment.

Exceptional customer service - for the record.

So, Hubby answers, listens to my spiel about how a discussion about our compromised credit cards, ineffective access to our own money and need for an unplanned major expense in the near future somehow led to a never discussed total restructure of our financial situation, a reevaluation of our current mortgage, increased repayments and the creation of new accounts.


Hubby says
"Cool. All good. Go for it hon."
That's it.
No question and answer session, no checking my identity (or today's pharmaceutical consumption), no "are you out of your mind woman, can't we talk about it tonight?", no qualms at all.


Let me ponder the situation reversed...


Hubby calls me from the bank.
I can hear Magoo in the background sweet talking his personal banker friend into giving him more stickers and more of that lovely bank paper.
I smile.
Hubby explains that out of the blue he's about to sign documents scrapping our current contract and increasing our debt.


I shake my head to aid comprehension.
I recoil with a frown.
I hit the roof.
Expletives tumble out of my mouth as I race for the car keys to get down there STAT.
Something similar to "over my dead body you'll refinance without consulting me, you loose cannon." may be heard by the neighbours as I put my foot down.


Not Hubby.
"Cool. All good."


This is why the man sleeps so well at night.

Shar :-)

An Ode To Dumper Friends

I think most of us have one of 'those' cherished friends.

The best kind, really.

The ones who quite appropriately gift you the fridge magnet stating

"You'll always be my friend... You know too much."

I feel for my dumper friend.
She's the (un)lucky one who receives those unedited, not a moment's hesitation texts full of blasphemy and rage - that are really directed at someone else, but sent to her so that I can vent without suffering any repercussions.

She also the one who knows a remorseful, ten-deep-breaths-later follow up call, text, card or gift is imminent.

She's (un)fortunate enough to know way too much about Hubby, my family, work, my post baby body and Magoo..
But, it's okay because she'll love (tolerate) them all anyway. Defend them even!


The Dumper friend is the one who contends with all the to-ing and fro-ing.
The one who knows all the options considered and every thought process that leads to a decsion.
Dumper friends know that a light hearted phone message about trying again later means "Call me back. Now. I need you. Quick."
The person who it's okay to forego the niceties with and start a conversation with "What the _________..." or "Hey, am I overeacting_________...?"


Thankfully, it's a two way street.
It warms the cockles of my heart to hear my dumper friend say
"I was going to clean up/cook,/vacuum/shower,/dress/brush my hair, then I remembered it was just you."
Is there a bigger, sweeter compliment than that?
Or the rescue call you get immediately after the stuff has hit the fan.
Or while it's still flying around the place.
Talking through crises and decisions, talking down panic attacks, talking up the positives, laughing at all the rest.

Dump and let dump!
Do you dump on a particular one or two in your life?

Shar
:-)

**
In celebration of dumper friends I'm releasing whole range of construction machinery themed friends.
As well as the
Dumper friend - who you dump all your baggage, problems, issues, frustrations, celebrations and trivial bits on - in the healthiest sense of the word,
there are;
Forklift friends - those who lift you up when you require it,
Crane friends - who share the highs and hang around as long as you need,
Excavator friends - who can dig deep and get you dishing the dirt,
Loader friends - those who take dumping too far and load every last insecurity, problem or issue on you and make them your fault,
Mixer friends - those who stir trouble for the fun of it - beware,
Roller friends - who steam roll you with their opinions, views, beliefs, advice,
Tractor friends - who always pitch in, lend a hand and get the job done.

Most are appropriate for leaning on in times of trouble or making a big, happy mess with when the sun shines.

I shudder to think what kind of huge, old, dirty machine I am.
I do know I'm a tough, thirsty one though!!

Pont + Shoot : Park + Play



Saturday 4.30pm



We braved the cold (well, my & WA's version of cold) to let off some steam at beautiful Rotary Park.

We slid, climbed, spun and swung...

and found a snuggle spot to warm Mummy's heart.

Her Daddy may not think it quite so cute.

Note to Dads :

When the children on the spinny tea cup thingy yell "faster, faster",

 they don't know what is best for them.

You should.

And don't wear that white jumper if you intend to spin those

chocolate ice cream eating babes "faster faster".

Playing Point + Shoot with Lou at Sunny + Scout

Shar :-)

Post Library Depression

The zoo and the local library.


These are two places I have rediscovered since Magoo graced my life with his awesome presence.
I have rekindled my love for these places because I no longer just go there with thirty odd small, unpredictable people, a bunch of their even more unpredicatable parents and a whole sack of responsibility.
(Gotta love school excursions.)


Now I go with Magoo in tow, maybe catch up with some friends and as all those parents with more than one child know all too well (and love to tell me)- one on one is sooo manageable.


There's something I absolutely love about wandering around Perth Zoo.
The place chills me out completely.
Maybe it's the animals in all their 'got nothin to do today' glory.
Like the otters - they've got quite the life.
Bit of swimming, some sunbathing, back in for a dip, have a natter, another dip, bit more vitamin D...
A coupla cocktails and they're living the dream, baby.


I'm also partial to a hour or so at our local library, where they have an area specifically allocated to jumping and rolling around on large cushions.
Well, that's what Magoo seems to think, anyway.
Who am I to argue? It's not my couch and most certainly not my cushions.


Something about the library puts me in the chill zone too.
I move slower, talk quieter, sit lower (damn little people chairs) and breathe (nice and quietly too.)


So, last week the rains came and one afternoon we headed for the refuge of the library.
Aahh. It was dry, warm, not home.


While I picked a couple of books for myself
(shock, horror - sorry. I know I'm a Mum and should do NOTHING for 'me' anymore)
I told Magoo he could choose a few books for us to read together.
He was stoked to be unleashed on the picture book area after graduating from the baby board books department recently.


So, I returned to hear Magoo chattering excitedly about the 'airpwane' book he'd chosen for us.


What the??





































Delightful choice.
A non fiction chapter book chronicling in full detail, with images, the happenings of September 11.
I gently persuaded Magoo that there were much better aeroplane books to be found on the shelves and he moved onto his next book of choice...


A melancholy picture book titled 'In My Pocket'.
This book told the story of little Jewish children evacuated from their families in Germany prior to World War 1, riding the kindertransport and crying at the unfamiliarity that greeted them after their travels to the U.K.
Once again, I gently persuaded Magoo that there were much better train books to be found on the shelves.


After finally reading a true children's book about some cheeky monkeys and their hi jinx, we high tailed it home.


Slightly depressed and heavy hearted.
Wondering how terrorism and the holocaust got all up in my face in my 'chill zone' on this rainy afternoon. How had my library escape become so heavy?


Shar :-}

I Interrupt This Broadcast To Bring You A Community Service Announcement

Ha!
A win for undiagnosed O.C.Ders.

I check Westpac online compulsively.
It's probably a deep seeded control issue thing. Whatever. :-)
(We bank with Westpac, so I do have legitimate business being on there. I don't get my kicks from frequenting random banking sites.)

Tonight, my weirdo-control-freakness has paid off.
I checked our credit account this evening (primarily because money's often too tight to mention in this household and some $$$$ shuffling is required at particular times of the month! Yes. Our finances seem to have their own menstrual cycle - and they're a cow to live with some weeks.)

I noticed a small, most recent tranasction that I hadn't made and Hubby assured me he hadn't made. The transaction was followed by an international exchange fee, which also seemed unusual.

The use of our credit card for 6 pounds 80 pence in the UK sat wrong with me all evening.
(When Hubby and I misspend we do it properly, on a much grander scale!)
I rang Westpac before heading to bed tonight.

Turns out our card has been 'tested' in the UK and also in a US hotel this evening with small trial amounts.
I was probably in for a serious shock the next time I logged into Westpac online (let's face it, tomorrow!) had I not rung.

So, our cards are cancelled and we're false cashless for a week - but I feel powerful... and a tad violated!!
I stopped those crooks in their online credit thieving tracks with a swift cyber kick to the cyber groin!!
Hi-ya!
So traditional crime fighting superheroes like Wonder Woman look all hot, leggy, busty and hot some more.
Welcome to Beyond 2000- where crime fighting heroes are all frumpy, pyjama-ed, bed socked and frumpy some more.

Shall I go by - Super (organised) Girl  or  Cat (hating) Woman  or  She ( runs and blogs) Ra  or Wonder (bra) Woman???? Now, where's my bed cape at?

Go on - check your banking, citizens of Wherever you live.

Shar :-)

Marathon Mad

If you are contemplating your first marathon - beware.
No, go for it. Isn't this what bucket lists are for?


But be prepared to do uncharacteristically destructive things.

Exhibit A - oooohh.

Like treat yourself to a beautiful, new, expensive  (even on sale) pair of 2XU running tights.

Going back a coupla years, just wearing a pair of any tights in public would have been uncharacteristically (self) destructive - but pah -  I'm over that one.







Exhibit B - cause a woman can never
have enough accessories.



Like treat yourself to a hydration belt to wear over your lovely, new, expensive (did I mention?) tights.

And then realise that the said (financially challenging, for something different) running tights and the handy hydration belt don't gel. They hated each other at first rub. In fact they were doing everything in their power to get as far away from one another as possible.


Seeing as the tights were pretty much stuck to my legs, the hydration belt shimmied it's way up over my hips, around my waist and then ventured as far up my torso as it could manage.


So I pulled the belt back down to it's possy on my hips. Ran a hundred metres or so and the tights/belt feud and subsequent walk out began again.

Run, pull belt, run, pull belt, run, swear, pull belt....


I have a blister on my thumb from continuously pushing and pulling the belt back into position for three hours last weekend. (Whilst simultaneously counselling the two to make this belt / tights relationship work).


So, maybe I should have given up on the belt idea, or the tights.
But I love them both. And I don't see why they can't love each other. If they just got to know each other, you know? I've thought about taking them out for a drink, to loosen up, get them talking...

 Anyway, so this week after considering a number of idiotic (velcro) and even idioticer (rubber) ideas I have spent 80c (hey, big spender) on some 12mm black elastic.


The plan was to create loops very much like belt loops on my beloved tights.
Yep, I took my brand new 2XU tights and hand sewed elastic onto them - along the seam lines to try to minimise the damage from my uncoordinated, pudgy fingers. It looked ridiculous and ugly.

Exhibit C. Tea pot pants.

But, whatayaknow, by Jobe it damn well worked!
About five minutes into my run on Sunday, I realised I hadn't touched my hydration belt once. Two and a half hours later the thing was still in place. I didn't take it off until I was literally home and hosed - including the car ride.

A win for me. And a giant leap for tense tight/hydration belt relationships the world over!

I'm available for comfort minded alterations anytime. Drop me a line.

Also - it seems that a 'mob run' as I referred to here is in fact simply a run with a mob of people. Runners, not gangsters. There was fair amount of handshaking going down after the run though and many of us were walking as though we were certainly 'packing' something.


Shar :-)



Dear June

Dear June,

I feel I need to apologise if any offence was taken when you took me by surprise early this morning. I know your arrival has been imminent for months, but I was still taken aback to see you here so soon.

I see you have brought your partner Winter with you again.
I ran in the rain with him earlier.

Look, I know some people sing his praises and it's very unPC of me, but I just don't know what you see in him. He just seems to bring a bit of a 'dampner' to things, really. He pulls the reins on lots of fun activities and gets in the way. He certainly doesn't help at all with the laundry or any of the chores around this place.

He brings with him wet sneakers, muddy footprints and bugs galore. Winter brings the dreaded  'cooped-up-child syndrome' to my home and workplace along with the subsequent 'carer of cooped-up-child condition' which is a particularly aggressive affliction.

I fear he will, no doubt, overstay his welcome as he does each year and hang around long after you have been and gone.

Anyway, it appears you two are a done deal - so let's make the best of it.

I have lots planned for us this year.
As usual we have loads of celebrating to do - for all those gorgeous people you have brought into this world. The presents are piling up in the study as you've probably seen, ready for your party season.

We will welcome a brand new nephew into the fold too. I can't wait to meet him - and get a newborn cuddle fix. Oh - that smell of spanking new life!!

We have lots of socialising to do and quite a few dinners out - so that's always lovely. Even if Winter does make things a little awkward at times. We have family photos booked so should try to scrub up a little if we can.

There's reports to be written for school. I love any opportunity to write, so we'll enjoy those. Night after night after night. There's also our class assembly, an excursion, sundowners, duties and meetings galore while you're here.

Your stay will bring me one step closer to seeing my family again and hopefully see my Mum begin to draw even just a sketch of her 'picture of health' again.

Oh - and I nearly forgot - I have booked us in for a massage marathon!
How fun, hey?!
I hope you have been training because it turns out it's actually a fair bit harder than it looks. If you could leave Winter to his own devices for this particular day, I'd be most grateful.

So, welcome June. Make yourself at home and be kind to us, hey?

Shar :-)