Well it’s been a while since I’ve updated on this thing so thought it was bout time I did!

Work’s been crazy with the person who was meant to be replacing me resigning last week!  She leaves before Xmas so I’m gonna be super busy sharing out the workload over a couple of different workmates so that when I leave in Feb everything’s covered.  What with Xmas in the middle it’ll be skeleton staff on which won’t help but if it’s like what it was last year it shouldn’t be a problem… I can handle anything!

Yeah so work’s work but in terms of my UK plans I’m in two minds as to what I should do when I get there – what brought this about was that my Mum was talking to my Grandad (who lives in Newcastle) and his health is getting a bit questionable so I’m thinking I might head up to Newcastle as soon as I get to the UK, instead of heading to Oxford as I’d planned.  This way I can see what my Grandad is like and put my mum’s mind at ease, as well as having a place to stay for a week or so while I get my bearings.  All of my family is up in Newcastle (except for an Aunty near London) so it makes sense to go up and see all them first.

I still haven’t sold my car yet but my parents may be able to help me on that front so that it doesn’t get into a desperate situation.  Time will tell.

My friend Amelia arrives next Friday and I can’t wait. I haven’t seen her for almost two years so it’ll be good to catch up – plus her wedding is on the 21st Dec which will be a good night I’m thinking.

On the home front my dad’s back is mending up nicely – he had an xray and checkup at the hospital last week and they are happy with how it’s progessing.  He was cheered up heaps last Friday when he got a wee sail boat to potter on with.  He’s not one to sit in front of the tv at nights and weekends and needs something to occupy his amazing mind so Mum got him this boat as another project to keep him occupied while he’s off work and beyond.  ETA back at work is thought to be another couple of weeks tho.

Ah well best get on and get some panadol cos I’ve got a cracker of a headache to go with this stupid hayfever today. Not good and I’ve been sneezing non-stop – I hate this time of year in NZ cos the pollen and hot winds always get me grumpy.

Til we meet again…

L.L

Well I was stumblin round online tonight and found this cool website with some cool poems etc and just had to put one on here…..

http://elenann.euro.ru/eng/Love/index.htm

After a while…

by Veronica Shoffstall

After a while you learn
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn
that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t always mean security.
And you begin to learn
that kisses aren’t contracts
and presents aren’t promises
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
and you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow’s ground is
too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down
in mid-flight.
After a while you learn
that even sunshine burns
so you plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
you really are strong
you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn
with every goodbye, you learn…

OK so so far I haven’t had any firm takers on my wee beautiful car but I have had one girl and her dad take it for a test drive and they seemed keen… also had a couple of other calls for details but we shall see. It’s listed on Trademe with a closing date of Sat 15th November so this weekend I’ll have to re-think my plan if there’s no takers.  Currently we are sitting at 3 x Watchers and 127 views but NO BIDS!!

It’s parked out on the street outside work during the day with a For Sale sign in the windows and so far all the interest I’ve had for it have been from people driving / walking past….

Right so there’s 91 days left for me in NZ and to be honest it can’t come quick enough for me at this stage!!

Work is crazy and I’m doing things that I don’t usually do which makes it even more confusing haha.  I’m seriously gonna miss the people at work (well some more than others of course!) but I find myself becoming quite impatient and wanting the time to fly… in saying that I know it will come around soon enough and I’ll look back and wish I’d made the most of my last few months here! Hindsight is a brilliantly flawed thing that way…

Had a weeee bit of a hiccup in that I was meant to go to STA travel in town last Sat morning to organise getting a YHA membership… alas my brain was having an old lady moment (they are getting more frequent I must say!) and I totally forgot until like 4pm Sat arvo! I had loosely arranged with Natalie @ STA that I would come in so I immediately emailed her to apologise and used my nana moment as an excuse – to which she said was quite normal when planning a trip such as this…. now I won’t say I am normal cos everyone who know’s me know’s that’s just absurd!!

So yeah I’ll be attempting a second time this Sat – they are open til 5.30pm weekdays but as it’s a bit tricky to get into town at that time I’m gonna endeavour to remember to go Sat morning again…. then I must get my A into G (an old persons term I’m told but WOT-EVA!) and book accomodation as I have this funny feeling in the back of my old brain that the single room at the Oxford YHA is booked up now… but I will double check that and hopefully NOT confirm my worst fears! 

Hmmmm what else is happening… oh George and Mildred are now making constant appearances under my temporary-offices’ window quacking for some bread- of which I dont’ have cos I’m on a bread-free diet at the moment! May have to bring some in espeically or something cos the look of disappointment in their cute wee eyes is just too much!

Just heard today that our wee GG has landed herself a wee job! ohhhhh how the youngun’s grow up so fast these days…. it seemed like only yesterday I was saying goodbye to her with a minimum of fuss (if I remember rightly I walked out the door and said “Seeya in 5months or so dork” haha)  Here’s hoping it is a brilliant job that will enable her to secure us the mintest bachelorette pad in the universe!!!! Possibly named “Che Dork?” or “The Lair of GG & Rossco?” hmmm needs some work methinks but we will prevail!

On a shittier note my dad’s recovering from his fall at home – his crushed vertabrae are now no longer his only problem it seems as his vision has also been affected by the fall and he’s going to an eye specialist tomorrow to see what’s what. Basically he’s seeing spots in front of his eyes which is not good at all… will keep any keen Rossco Readers posted.

Must dash… I have an chicken in the oven that is in need of some basting…. ok so maybe not but it was the randomest thing I could come up with at 4.44pm on a Tuesday… yes the dreaded 4pm hour strikes again!!!!

Later losers,

The Lyttelton Loser xxx

At the start of the new millennium the Dalai Lama apparently issued eighteen rules for living. Since word travels slowly in the digital age these have only just reached me. Here they are.