[monday memorandum...]

Blogging is a funny thing - it's like a private journal that you write knowing others will read.  You know that they read it, but they often don't sign the visitors book or give you any feedback so it's hard to know if you're doing a good job...  at writing a journal for yourself... that you aren't supposed to care about others reading anyway...  Odd.

: :  the encouragement...  Just talked to an old friend who without knowing that I was thinking of pulling the plug on this blog as a public forum, gave me some encouragement and let me know she'd been reading and anticipating every post.  So I'm still here (for now).

: :  the maternity shows...  Love them.  How miraculous is birth?!  Those perfect wee kids who start off as a sperm and an egg - a key and a keyhole which fit perfectly together to make a person.  Even when things go wrong (I see that a lot in my job), there is still a miracle that occurs.  Love it.  Cry every time (during the shows of course - not at work.  That would just be unprofessional).

: :  the italian delivery...  Italian delivered right to the house - how freakin' awesome is that?  I don't think there was the option in New Zealand, or if there was I never knew about it.  Well, pizza hut I guess but that is so not the same thing.

My Guy and a calzone.

: :  the mom...  My housemate is American.  So American.  My Mama is coming in three sleeps (!) and there has been a lot of talk about 'the mom'.  Funny as.  Can't wait!

: :  the paralympics...  I am really looking forward to the paralympics.  There is something awesome about people who (in some cases) have a good reason to give up on life but choose instead to make it extraordinary.  This weekend we went to Stratford Westfield (which is next to the Olympic park) and we saw heaps of Paralympians.  I felt so honoured!

: :  the local...  I'm not much of a drinker but I love heading to the local.  We're lucky enough to live just on the edge of the Thames, which (although quite revolting really) looks gorgeous in the sunset.  It gets busy out there and there is a super cool atmosphere.  Only thing, if I may be permitted to say something negatory.  Three times that we went there, they ran out of food.  I repeat, they ran out of food.

From my seat at the local.

: :  the library etiquette...  As I write this, I am at the local library.  It is a really nice, brand new library overlooking a lake with some really awesome spaces and services available.  Then a girl ate two bananas.  You read right - she sat behind me and ate two bananas in a row.  Is that etiquettely acceptable (firstly two bananas in a row - too much potassium, and secondly can you actually eat in a library?)  Also there was a water leak so they have an area blocked off, with big signs saying that you can't go in there.  So people climb over the couches and signs and go in there anyway.  Huh?!

: :  the care package...  A dear friend (who is going through her own troubles at the moment) sent us some special New Zealand lollies this week.  What a sweet thought!  My Guy opened the jaffas before I even got home, and we ate the pineapple lumps (frozen, of course) during a movie we watched.  What a treat!

Jaffas being consumed.

: :  the haircut...  My friend K and I had haircuts this week.  Thankfully she came with me, because it is at a friend of a friend of a friends house, and the last two times I've been I got hopelessly lost.  One time I expect I was going to be murdered by gang members but I managed to escape.  Anyway, the haircuts are nice and the hairdresser is nice so it's a win all round.

: :  the tax department...  I suppose I had better not say what is in my mind to say about this department for fear I will be banned from re-entering my home country.  Suffice to say that I expect to get a large sum of money in my bank in return for my time and effort, and the copious amounts of incorrect information leading me up many dead end garden paths.  Too much?

: :  the rain...  I love a good thunderstorm, and we sure got one this weekend!  Not long after we arrived home from Stratford, the rain came down (hence the leaky library, I guess) and there was even thunder and lightening.  Awesome!

Out my lounge room window - the ominous clouds!

Sheesh, that all feels a bit negative - I have had a great week really.  I'm enjoying chilling out at the library on a sunny Sunday afternoon.  I'm going to pop downstairs to the cafe and get a pain au chocolat and an elderflower cordial now.  Cheerio!