This has been my week since Tuesday morning.

Up at 5.30
At my desk by 7.00
Stop at around 11.30, have a smoke and {my 5th} coffee
2.30 and my stomach reminds me insistently{read loudly} that woman cannot live on caffeine and learning only.
I eat…anything…so long as it’s ready to inhale {today it was cheezels!} washed down with {more} caffeine
Around the 6.30 point, the little receptors in my head remind me it’s been a while since they were fed nicotine, so a quick smoke is the go
8.30, maybe 8.45 I’m done!
Time to drag my sorry arse go home.
It’s currently 10.30 here, I’ve just finished swallowing a bowl of soup while I’m doing this, I’ll visit a few people, and it will be time for bed before 11.30 because then it’s only 6 hours till the alarm goes off again.
Mark asked me tonight if he could take a pic of me with his phone so he could take a quick look now and then to remind him what I look like! {with a smile on his face i’ll add}
Yeah. Life is crazy, and you know what?
I love it!

Washing done – check!

Dishes done – check!

Beds stripped and remade – check!

Floors vaccumed – check!

All plugins updated – check!

Blog up to date – check!

Dinner ready to eat when we’re hungry – check!

Coke cold – check!

Lots of ice – check!

Bourbon bottle in a fit state – check!

Cricket due to start – check!

That’s me…time for the cricket and some bourbon and coke!!

I have a friend who constantly tells me drinking this stuff is the best fun you can have with your pants on, and now I believe him!! Not too sure I’ll ever buy any other as long as I live.

Yes ~m, I’m hooked and in official training for when we can share one {bottle that is!!}

Damn I love long weekends, but I always feel like a little kid playing hookey from school being home on a Monday!!

Shit happens though, so I can live with it.

My last post sent the stats nuts BTW. Must have been using the words nipples and orgasm together…seems lots of people are looking for both!!

Why is it that when I sneeze, you could hang Christmas ornaments on my nipples???
I thought a sneeze was like an orgasm for the nose, not the boobs!!!
Anyone???

There are 2 speeds in life.
Stop and go.
I live life at a frantic pace.
I’m on the go from the minute my eyes open until I go to bed, and even then I have trouble dropping off to sleep because my mind refuses to stop.
This week has slowed me down a little, but not a lot.
I’ve been tired because work has been extra busy, with much to be done and learned, but it’s a satisfying tiredness is that makes sense?
I feel as if I’ve achieved something and can look back on it with a smile.
To me that’s the object of the excercise. To be able to feel as if i’ve done something worthwhile.
Someone commented today, that my energy exhausts them, which I took as a compliment and told them just that.
The person concerned thought I was a bit if a nutter, but that’s their problem not mine.
On any given night, you’ll generally find me here, on the internet.
Reading, trawling, stumbling, chatting, 16 maybe 17 browsers open looking for who knows what, but here all the same, and I always know what I wanted once I find it.
I may not have known that’s what I was looking for, but I always know once I find it, and that’s what counts.
This activity on the net is after work, dinner, going out, whatever it is the day has provided.
I’ll admit to not a lot of commenting this week, for which I’m hoping you’ll forgive me, but it’s difficult to think of something intelligent or witty to say after a day that started at 5.30, saw me at my desk at 7.00 and eating dinner at 9.00 after walking in the door 5 minutes earlier, with a total of 20 mins in breaks all day.
I’m always, ALWAYS, “jonesing” for something to do with blogging or blogs.
Jonesing is a new addition to my vocabulary. It’s an expression someone used in relation to my liking for setting up new blogs some time ago, and I love it, so these days I’m always jonesing..apparently!

Is this not what life is for?
Doing the things that make you smile, be it work, or blogging, or trawling, or even “jonesing”?
If and when someone can give me a reason that I should slow down {other than the obvious age bullshit} then I may, just MAY, consider it.
We moved to Townsville for a lifestyle change. A step back from the responsibility of being a national or state manager, even just a branch manager, with a multitude of staff below looking for direction.
It didn’t work.
It wasn’t enough.
Guess where we both are again?
Yep, bosses. Managers. Responsibility is back in the vocabulary, being called sir and ma’am is back, as is the pace involved with all of the above.
I knew, within 12 months of being here, I wanted to go back into management. Mark took a little longer, but I knew all the same.
I love the challenge, the pace. I love everything about it.
I bounce out of bed every morning with a mind full of plans, and smile on my face.
Life is for living and doing the things able to give you that deep seated, satisfying feeling in the centre of your heart and mind.
As tired as I am, this week has given me exactly the feelings I describe.
And I couldn’t be happier about it.
You’re a bloody long time dead.
That’s when I’ll sleep.

When we had family here in September, there was need for a portacot given we had 2 littlies in the house.
Anyhow, Mel bought hers in, Tasha set it up and all was well.
It was set up in the spare room where it was needed, and this is a room we don’t use on a daily basis, so there was no hurry to fold it down and put it back in it’s carry bag.
Enter a friend returning from W.A after being there for 2 years. He needs somewhere to stay, and of course, being friends, were the first to offer somewhere to put his head until he got himself sorted.
Here for a week to 10 days, then off down south for Christmas, and he returned on Friday night.
Let’s set the scene here. Stay with me ok?
Mark is a very intelligent person, of that there is no doubt. He’s a sparky by trade, can turn his hand to anything that needs fixng, well educated, sharp as tack. Been a manager for years. I’m sure you get the picture?
Our friend, also named Mark is equally as intelligent. This man is a senior shot firer for the mines. In short, he blows shit up! Works with explosives, can calculate complicated formulas to bring down whatever needs to come down, and do it very efficiently, all in a well organised, systematic way.
2 very intelligent men yes?
This morning we decided TOM {the other Mark} should have maximum use of his room so he can set up his computer on the desk and make the bedroom his own private space.
Enter one portacot that needs folding down and storing.
I shit you not, I have never seen such a performance in my life!
Here we have 2 of THE most intelligent men I’ve ever had the good fortune to encounter, and this porta cot had them flumoxxed. 100% flumoxxed!
They had NFI what needed to be done, how to do it or even where to start.
First they stood and looked at it for all of 30 secs, discussed how to go about the task, then decided to apply male logic to it.
“No worries! She’ll be right mate! We can do this! We’re smart guys right??”
Now, I’ve heard people refer to male logic as an urban myth.
After this morning, I believe them wholeheartedly!!
Of course it stands to reason that these 2 KNEW how to do it {according to them that’s just logical!!}
I should have gotten photos, I know, you don’t need to say anything.
I merely stood there with a stunned expression on my face while watching 2 grown men fight, literally fight, with this damned thing.
They turned it upside down, around about 3 times, stood back, looked some more, turned it upside down again {because of course, so much would have changed since the LAST time they turned it upside down – all of 40 secs earlier!!} and STILL it stood ready to be used.

:roll:
I ask you a couple of questions at this point.
How long to get this damned thing folded down?
Answer: 20 mins!!
How many times did I offer to ring Mel and see if she could swing by and do it for them?
Answer: at least 5 times!!
How many times did I get asked, do you know how to do this?
Answer: the same amount of times I answered in the negative…8!!
All this while turning it upside down, around and almost inside out in an attempt to make it comply!!
Needless to say, by the time they worked it out, I was almost hysterical with laughter at the confused, why the fuck can we not work this out look they had on their faces.
All this confusion was not helped by the comments from the peanut gallery {MOI!!}
“2 grown, intelligent, I can fix anything men, being fucked over by a portacot!!”
“Do you know how funny this is guys? Watching the 2 of you turn redder in the face by the second in pure frustration at NOT being able to do it??”
“I can ring Mel and ask if you want??”
“You know Mel and Tash can put these things up AND down with their eyes closed right???”
I think it was the last one that made them more determined than anything.
I mean hell! There’s no way 1 man could possibly admit women are better at some things than men, let alone 2 now is there????
Not too sure about you, but my weekend has been full of laughter, and the week to come will be spattered with the odd crack about portacots now and then!!
It’s gonna be a hoot!!

Now don’t you other boys be feeling sorry for them cos I’m making fun of it either! They had numerous offers to get it done properly and they refused them because it’s logical isn’t it???

The title of the post says it all.
Day starts at 6.00 when the alarm goes off, at work by 7.30, not home until 6.30 or 7.00, eat, glance at the blog, run around the reader, have a cup of tea and go to bed.
That’s been my life for a week,and shows no sign of slowing down until mid February.
I’ve now responded to all comments, with my apologies for taking so long.
I’m going to try doing the rounds tonight, and maybe even leave some comments!
BTW, I’m not complaining, really, I’m enjoying the pace because I normally only have 2 speeds anyway.
Stop and go, go, go!
Lots happening behind the scenes too.
I’m currently creating my own header because I can’t find one that grabs me for the theme I’ve been working on for 3 weeks.
Add that to hopefully setting up a new blog for a friend soon {which we all know I LOVE doing} and I hardly have time to breath!!
Poor Mark is organising dinner most nights, and doing dishes to boot God love him, and all after a days work himself.
Thank you sweetie!!
Not this weekend but the next we have a 3 days off for Australia Day so I’m looking foward to that no end.
For those who know what I’m talking about, 6 months!!! That’s all. 6 months.
Where the hell has the time gone???
Finally, my balance is back to normal. The odd bout of dizziness, but that’s it.
So nice to be able to have a shower standing up instead of sitting in the bottom of the bath let me say!
Seems the pills and excercises have done their job, and only time will tell if it’s going to happen again, so please keep your fingers, noses and toeses crossed for me if you would?
That’s me. I’m off to do some badly neglected visiting, reading and commenting.
Shit I hope I don’t get mugged!! I don’t have time to be telling the blog police what happened!!

ETA: Happy 2nd birthday Isaac! Cannot believe you’re 2 and we’ve spent such little time with you
:-(
We both love you very much
{{{hugs}}}

Don’t tell anyone, but I have a serious romantic streak.
Yes, it’s true, I’m a romantic at heart, as hard as that may be to believe.
So, I was trawling through the listings on cable this afternoon to see what was on. Hey! It’s a lazy Sunday, Mark has decided to go for a poppy nap. What can I say??
Anyhow, the one that jumped out at me was Notting Hill, one of my absolute favourites. I love Julia Roberts {who can forget her in Erin Brokovich??} and whilst I’m no big Hugh Grant fan, he did grab me in this and Bridget Jone’s diary {he plays THE best cad!}
I do have it on DVD, but never like to miss the chance to watch it at any time.
I’m watching the movie and Ronan Keatings When You Say Nothing at All came on in one scene.
I’m a huge Keating fan, and this song makes every hair on my body stand up, it really does. It’s my favourite of all love songs, and has been from the 1st day I heard it, and don’t see it changing any time soon.
Listen to the words. They say so much. They reach inside and touch my soul, and that’s an expression I keep for only special things, and people.
This got me thinking about what you consider the best of love songs. I’ve posted links to my 2 favourites here for you, the 2nd being Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing {yes, Steve Tyler is one ugly, ugly man, but damn he can sing and didn’t he just produce THE most beautiful daughter..I could turn gay for Liv Tyler..in a heart beat!}
One of my daughters used this as their wedding waltz song, and it destroyed me. I cried like a baby then, and still do every time I hear it. Tonight was no different. I went looking on You Tube, found it, played it and cried.
Your turn. I’ve admitted I enjoy love songs, and I’m thinking you need to do the same. Don’t leave me hanging out here with my heart of my sleeve…..please???

So.
Apparently I have benign positional vertigo.
How do I know I’ve been fucked over blessed by this bastard thing impressive sounding condition?
Well, after almost head butting the wall when I got up to go to the loo at 4.00am this morning, and still being extremely dizzy and light headed when I got up at 5.50, I decided perhaps I should go to the doctor and find out what the hell was going on!!
This was after doing everything I normally do in the morning while I get ready for work that is.
The one small difference is, this morning I was doing it all whilst looking like some sort of deformed drunk on crack!!!
Mind you, I only walked into 3 walls and a kitchen chair once, so it wasn’t too bad. I may have broken a toe on the chair, but that can happen when one’s foot connects with solid timber I guess. {and not one drop of tea did i spill I might add!}
I originally thought it may be my blood pressure, given when I took it, the display read 101/51.
Hmmm, thinks I. That could be a tad lower than is perhaps healthy, maybe I should have it investigated?? Yes self, that’s a damned good idea says I in my head.
Off to the quack this afternoon. Blood pressure is a healthy 130/80. WTF????
After numerous questions, little dances to do, being poked and prodded, laying down, sitting up and generally being put through the 3rd degree, that long winded description above was the prognosis.
Life threatening? No
Am I in pain? No
Treatable? Yes, but it could be ongoing
Cause? Maybe something out in my neck, or perhaps little bits of floating debris that have settled on my inner ear.
Still able to work? Do I breath?? I just need to drive a little more carefully than normal of course, however I do have pills for the dizziness and some excercises to do.
P.A.I.N I.N T.H.E. A.R.S.E??
Absofuckinglutely!!!!
I don’t have time for this shit! I have a new job that’s stringing me out and far too much on my plate to be worried about minor health hiccups!
Sheesh!
:roll:

Annie did this meme.
Now, ordinarily I’m not into memes, but after a couple of happenings last year, one of my girls made a comment about them not really knowing me as a person as opposed to their mother, so when I spotted this I thought it was a good opportunity to perhaps get a little of me out there.
Now, when I say “me” I mean “me”. Not Anonymum, Moe, nothing but Maureen.
{that being said, the daughter in question had best be commenting!!}
That you guys get to learn a little as well is good too. But don’t be getting too used to the human side of me. I do have an image to uphold you know!

Having said that, if there is anything else you want to know, you have but to ask. If I don’t want to answer, I’ll say so.
Righto, let’s get this show on the road shall we?
1. Were you named after anyone? Yes, my mothers youngest sister. Maureen is her middle name.
2. When was the last time you cried? Christmas day. For all the right reasons
3. What is your favourite lunch meat? Cold meat loaf
4. Do you have kids? Yes, 5 girls, and feel sorry for me here. Imagine that melting pot of hormones should they all be in the one place at the one time!! That’s some scary shit let me say!!
5. If you were another person would you be friends with you? Absolutely. I’m not easy to befriend, but once you have I’m loyal to a fault, no matter what
6. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Well duh!!! Not only am I female, I’m Australian!
7. Do you still have your tonsils? No, and nor do I have my appendix either, just fyi
8. Would you bungee jump? When hell freezes over and even then it would be doubtful
9. What is your favourite cereal? I don’t eat a lot of cereal, but if I had to choose it would be porridge with honey
10. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Always
11. Do you think you are strong God yes! I’ve had to be, for most of my adult life. I’m the one they all turn to for strength when things turn to shit. Becomes quite wearing after a while, but we do what we must
12. What is your favourite ice cream? Other than vanilla with raspberries? Old English toffee
13. What is the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes
14. Red or pink? Red
15. What is the least favourite thing about yourself? My skin. I have THE worst skin in the world
16. Who do you miss the most? This was hard, so I refuse to choose. My Grandad and my Mum, not neccesarily in that order.
17. What colour shoes are you wearing? Currently barefooted
18. What was the last thing you ate? Beef rendang
19. What are you listening to right now? Fox sports
20. If you were a crayon, what colour would you be? A mixture of them all. Anything other than a colour that is even the tiniest bit like fucking beige!!!!
21. Favourite smells? Fresh cut grass, rain, jasmine, puppies breath, Mark and Angel {the only perfume I ever wear}
22. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? Melissa
23. Favourite sports to watch? Anything other than synchronised drowning and curling {wtf is with THAT??}
24. Hair colour? Mid brown naturally, but normally with red and blonde streaks
25. Eye colour? Green with brown flecks
26. Do you wear contacts? No
27. Favourite food? Anything hot and spicy
28. Scary movies or happy endings Happy endings. The concept of willingly having the bejesus scared out of you eludes me
29. Last movie you watched? True Lies
30. What colour shirt are you wearing Khaki {my favourite of them all}
31. Summer or winter? Summer
32. Hugs or kisses? Both
33. Favourite desserts? Not a big sweet tooth, but I can’t resist pavlova at any time of the day or night
34. I’m most likely to..Give away my last 5c to someone who needs it
35. I’m least likely to..Suffer fools in any way, shape or form
36.What book are you reading now? Eragon and Cross Country {James Patterson}
37. What is on your mouse pad? I don’t have one. I use the pad on my laptop
38. What did you watch on television last night? Volcano and True Lies
39.Favourite sounds Rain on a tin roof, the ocean crashing against the shore or rocks, the laughter of my family and friends, children playing
40. Rolling Stones or The Beatles? Beatles. Can’t stomach Mick Jagger and the post {zip} code meant to be his lips!
41. What is the furtherest you’ve been from home? Perth, W.A {soon to change though!!}
42. Do you have a special talent I “see” things, with startlingly accurate results. Quite scary at times.
43. Where were you born? Yallourn, Victoria. Now an open cut mine by the way

I know for many of my readers it’s currently winter, and some of you are almost buried in snow, however…
It’s summer here!!

Next to spring, summer is my favourite of all seasons, and means many things, particularly when you live in the tropics as we do.
Here are just some of the things that represent summer in the tropics of the southern hemisphere.
Ice cream. Preferably vanilla with fresh raspberries squished all through it.
Yes, we have ice cream all year round as most people do, but in summer it just seems to taste better. Finish work, come home, get changed, have dinner, then go down to the best ice cream place in town. Place your order, watch them put together whatever you want with a skill that makes you smile, then head over and sit beside the water spooning it into your mouth, all while watching the kids run up and down the beach or swim, with an energy that would leave the Energiser bunny breathless.
Close to heaven!
Swimming. Again, after a long, hot day at work, put your cossie on, wander down to the local rock pool, drop your towel on the grass, then dive straight in. The feeling of the day draining from your body is one like no other. It’s refreshing, energising and cooling all within the space of 10 secs.
It does not make you inclined to get out at any point before you start looking like a prune.
BBQ’s. Thick T bones or rump, cooked to perfection, accompanied by a crisp green salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing. Add one {maybe several} very cold beers or scotch/bourbon and cokes and you have the makings of an experience not to be missed in this life.
Whilst it may sound like I’m stating the obvious, the temperature is a bit of a give away too. It may sound silly, but being the tropics, the average temp is around the mid 70’s, with an overnight low in the low 70’s. In summer, your overnight low is close to the mid 80’s with the daytime in the mid to high 90’s, with the humidity enough to seem almost like a wall you need to move through.
When you get out of the shower in the middle of summer here, you do as others do, dry yourself. The difference here is by the time you’ve finished drying the bottom half of yourself, the top half is damp again.
Many hate it when the humidity is around the 80 mark. I love it!! It’s a sure indicator that summer has arrived when you struggle to keep your body dry after getting out of the shower.
The wet season. Man you know it’s summer when the rains hit! It can be blue sky ans sunshine one second, and have a deluge of 2 inches inside 10 minutes. By the time it’s finished your house can be like a little island in a sea of water. Thus the reason many people build high set houses. God help you if you live in an area where the water doesn’t drain away quickly and you DON’T live in a high set/
There are times when it continues for days and weeks on end. I’ve actually seen mildew form on walls because the air is so full of moisture. Naturally, with the rain comes the higher than normal humidity.
There are other ways to know summer has arrived that aren’t quite so theraputic.
Seat belt buckles become the branding iron from hell if you’re not careful!
The soles of your feet cannot stand the concrete or bitumen for longer than a nano second before the skin starts to peel from them.
You learn {quickly} to cover your steering wheel with a reflective cover, cos trying to drive with the tips of your fingers is not a safe way to drive, and more so when everyone else is trying to do the same!
You hear people physically exhale with relief as they walk into a shopping centre because they’ve been struggling to breath in the thick air.
Sunburn appears within minutes should you be foolish enough to not put sun screen on before you go outside, even if it’s only to the local milk bar for bread and milk.
Even for the bad things about summer up here, I wouldn’t change one thing.
In fact it was for all the above reasons we moved to the trpoics.
So, how do you think you’d do?