Work

Old books and old friends

by Cellobella on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 · 2 comments

If you see me commuting by train this week – oh yes, I’m a train commuter now – you’ll spot me reading an ancient book my mother owned.

Billabong’s Daughter by Mary Grant Bruce.

I love the Billabong books but these days they are a bit politically incorrect.

Make that very non PC and I think the newer editions have been… sanitised.

It’s about a station in northern Victoria (I think) just after the First World War and the story is about the squatter Jim Linton and his family.

They act like the upper class might in England, dispensing largess to the lesser well off or should that be ‘orf’.

Far different to squatters of today who (for the most part) are the lesser well off.

There’s lots of cattle mustering and you do get a feel for the country back at the turn of the last century.

They are… quaint… I guess and part of the attraction to me is the fact that my mum used to love them when she was a gel.

Commuting with Billabong has been great so far, although the walk home can be a bit warm.

The five day liquid only diet has come to an end.

I’m not sure I’ll willingly do it again.

It hasn’t been too hard in terms of keeping to the apple juice/ginger root three hourly drinks (bleah) but it is boring drinking liquids all the time.

And I don’t think I’ve lost any weight which I’m disappointed in. I rather hoped I might kick off my new year a bit slimmer. Sigh.

Work has been busy but I must confess sitting the heat out in office air-conditioning has been pleasant.

On the last Sunday before I had to go back to work I went out for drinks at Salt, down at Port Beach with some friends.

The liquid-only diet doesn’t preclude alcohol but I did limit myself to just the one beer. :)

We met this couple nearly ten years ago in Bali – we scabbed a lift to Club Med with them – and since then we’ve become close friends.

Salt is great on a sunny Sunday afternoon. They have someone singing… the food is (looks) great and the beer is cold.

They style themselves as a nano-brewery and I tried the wheat beer – the Heifweisen (or something like that).

I enjoyed it.

Next time I want to try the pizza.

Disconnected

by Cellobella on Friday, December 4, 2009 · 2 comments

phone

I’m on holidays.

For four whole weeks.

And this year I want a real holiday.

But.

I’m not very good at turning off.

I like to keep across my work emails.

I like to feel connected.

This year I’m trying something different.

I’ve left my Blackberry at work for my replacement.

I’ve set my emails to delete as they hit my inbox.

I don’t want to know.

I’m pretending I’m the one trekking in India with no way of being contacted… by work.

…

It feels weird though.

My new phone feels too small.  Too slim.

I feel “out-of-the-loop” and it’s only been a couple of hours since I left work.

I feel… disconnected.

Hellooooo is anybody out there?!

…

…

So I have a new phone and if you want to ring me – send me an email or use the contact me form.

Oh and I’m hoping for a good handover note when I get back.

Shocked that I care

by Cellobella on Tuesday, November 3, 2009

cup

I was in two office sweeps this year at a total outlay of $7.

I feel I got away lightly.

I was a bit bah humbug about the cup today. 

It felt like an interruption.

I resented the distraction.

Of course I tried to contact someone in Melbourne for work and it was a public holiday.  Sheesh!

I’m sure my horses did their best.

The highlight?

Watching the trainer realising he’d won.

It brought a tear to the eye.

Maybe I do like the Melbourne Cup after all.

Hand me the new Dick Francis novel and a champagne darling!

New habits are hard to make

by Cellobella on Friday, October 23, 2009 · 1 comment

accesssign

About a month ago Property at work changed the swipe point to gain access to the building.

It used to be right next to the door, now you have to stop about 3 metres before the door and swipe your ID card.

But old habits are hard to break.

Every day this week I have walked up to the door only to have to double back to swipe in.

Arghh.

Even today – after taking this photo – for the sole purpose of THIS post, I walked to the door to swipe in.

Double Arghh!

I know we are talking four years of habit versus four weeks but when will it become second nature?

And do you have any tips to make it sooner rather than later?

Just saying yes at the moment

by Cellobella on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 · 8 comments

groover1

This is a photo of Groover at the top of the overbridge that we walk on during our weekend’s walk.  He nearly always beats me to the top.

These days I find it hard to find the time to exercise.

Yes I know it’s an excuse.

Yes I know that if I really prioritised properly I would find the time.

The fact is my life is full and exercise comes a long way below family time, work, sewing, bridge, twittering, blogging, reading… just about anything in fact you care to mention.

I’m playing in two competitions at the moment – State Swiss Pairs – first night last night = epic FAIL, and the Interstate Women’s Selection.

Well I’m practicing for the latter.

I’m playing with two different partners with two quite different styles so it is quite interesting.  One seems as steady as a rock, but can be quite intuitive with her bidding – in a good way, the other follows the rules strictly.

As I’ve also been described as intuitive (but not in a good way), it makes for erratic scoring. :)

If only work didn’t get quite so in the way…

As far as sewing goes, I’ve made Dippity an outrageously short bubble skirt, which she of course wears ALL the time because it is so revealing – and not with leggings as I suggested.

And I ran up a pair of black pants to wear with the black and white overskirt Mum picked up at Freo Markets.  They were surprisingly simple to make.

Reading – well I’m taking an age to read the library books I’ve got out and have already had to go back and renew them.

Work is insane at the moment – I seem to be filling in for several people all at the same time – and I am so over fire season!

Family – yes they still seem to be occupying the same house… Hugamuga gets his lower braces tomorrow…

And so to exercise. LOL.

At least giving up alcohol seems to be helping control the weight.  17 days and going strong.  You never know I might even make it to the end of the month.

The other thing I’m trying this month – in the spirit of open-mindedness – is Bettina Arndt’s just say yes policy in the bedroom.

It raised my hackles when I first heard her talk about it.  It struck me as a blow for feminism and the rights of a woman to say no.

But.

But.

Okay perhaps I’m not entirely living without exercise at the moment.

How I get to work

by Cellobella on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 · 3 comments

The last thing I do before leaving home every morning is fill my coffee cup for the drive to work.

I love my coffee machine.  If Groover and I ever split up I think custody of the coffee machine might be a contentious issue.

And today I’m back at work.

I’m not unhappy about it. It’s going to be 38C today and I get to sit in air-conditioning ALL day.

I’m wearing a dress I made over the Christmas break from material my friend and colleague gave me – she’s the one I did sewing lessons with.

It includes several of the features we did in sewing class – pockets, darts, set in sleeves, invisible zip, so I enjoyed putting those lessons into practice.

It’s a bit short though. I think I’m going to add a border to the base of it.

Photo will come soon.

It’s kind of nice being at work over the Christmas break – a relaxed pace and because everyone is on holidays – no annoying phone calls!

Oh and while I have you – check out these photos of my recent lunch with The Food Pornographer. She takes such delicious photos – mine were rubbish!

Yes of course you have to take photos of food when you’re with TFP!

Not acting anymore

by Cellobella on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 · 6 comments

Isn’t it interesting that when you let go of something, the something happens!

I’ve been appointed to the job I’ve been doing for the last year (after acting for two years in a similar position the years before).

My boss wrote a lovely affirming email and sent it to my colleagues and today has been very pleasant getting lots of kind supportive emails congratulating me.

The thing is about a month ago I decided that I didn’t care anymore. 

The acting thing, which used to frustrate me, I turned around in my brain as my “get-out-of-jail-free” card. 

You know, if it all got too much I could say “I want to go back to my old job” and walk away.

I dropped the “acting” from my signature.  I figured that I was actually doing the job.  It had been over six months.

It’s not like you see the actors on stage whisper to the audience now and again – don’t worry I’m just acting – in a dramatic moment do you?

And then I was appointed.

It occurred to me that I did the same thing way back in 1992 when I was living with Groover in Subiaco.  (that’s where today’s photo comes in *wink*)

We’d been going out for a couple of years and it seemed to me that he was “the one” but as yet he had not raised the subject of marriage or future commitment.

Again, I decided to turn that into a positive.  My get-out-of-jail-free card again!

The next month he came back from a holiday with his mates and proposed.

A life lesson learned?

What else can I apply it do…

Surprise! I’m behind you…

by Cellobella on Thursday, November 20, 2008 · 2 comments

I nearly wet my pants when I saw this guy outside my window!

He and a mate were cleaning the windows at work on these dinky little swing things – very athletically it must be said.

But I must say I did feel a little exposed.

btw – that little cone thing in the foreground is part of an Artopia exhibition we had in the foyer at work. Artopia was this great program where artists created installations in various workplaces in Perth. Unfortunately it has been discontinued. :(

The birthday rules

by Cellobella on Monday, October 27, 2008 · 20 comments

Dear Hugamuga and Dippity,

This is what I expect on my birthday.  

Be aware this is the minimum requirement of you, feel free to exceed expectations.

1.  I expect you to enter my bedroom (after knocking) and wish me a happy birthday before I get up.   Cup of black tea optional but welcome.

2.  I expect a card, handmade or bought, with a loving wish.

3.  I expect not to have to nag you all day to clean up after yourselves or to contribute to the general tidiness of the house.

That’s it.

Love,

Your mother

x

Yes, it’s my birthday.  Groover somehow managed to find a dress that fits me perfectly with the perfect hemlength.  Totally impressive, especially because I really didn’t want to have to iron on my birthday and some serious wardrobe gazing was before me had I got the pool lounger I asked for.

I also received a lovely pair of silver earings, an ipod nano and a voucher for a facial and product from Jurlique, lots of text messages and phone calls and generally I felt loved. :)

I do like having to work on my birthday. First of all we have a thing where the birthday person has to bring in a cake.

This is a fine thing.

It alerts everyone that it’s your birthday and you always have a cake YOU like on your birthday.

When I came home my little darlings had rallied and I was greeted with a clean(ish) house, another charm for my Pandora bracelet and a homemade card.

Then we all went out to dinner.

All this and I’m STILL in my early 40s.

Knobs on it!

by Cellobella on Monday, October 13, 2008 · 15 comments

Warning: Rant ahead.
What is it with young people these days?  Do none of them learn to drive properly?

Twice this year so far I’ve come up against people – both in their early 20s – who can’t drive the work car because they don’t know how to drive a manual.

When I was a young lass everyone learned manual gear changes.  

In fact, I’ve never owned anything other than a manual car.

Now I don’t know whether manual 4WD’s are better than automatic ones – possibly it makes no difference – but that’s not the point… 

It’s just laziness!

And it’s soooo irritating.  

Honestly it’s not that hard to learn – my 13-year-old can drive a manual car – and it means that you can drive any car.

It’s like never learning to ride a bike when you were young. What’s up with that?!  I did in fact meet someone who had to hire an enormous tricycle on Rottnest Island because they couldn’t ride a bicycle.  

Yes.  They did look like a big knob.

I’m over it.

Get with the program people and spend the time to learn how to drive manually.  Do us ALL a favour.

Jeez Louise!

And I can tie a proper Windsor knot too, but don’t get me started.

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