Rescue Remedy!

Last year had applied to course in Creative Writing, which was very excited about - and pinned all future hopes on. In the end course got cancelled.

They are offering it again this year.

Will I apply?

Possible upsides: Meeting interesting people; becoming successful author.
Possible downsides: Meeting tiresome eccentrics; not becoming successful author.

Hmm. Hmm.

Have noticed some indecision in myself recently.

Luckily, there is a cure. For everything. Had not previously heard of miracle that is Rescue Remedy.

According to Wikipedia, Rescue Remedy has never been proven to have any efficacy at all beyond the placebo-effect. This does not worry me at all, as have long held belief that most medications work in this way.* So, Rescue Remedy is bound to work better than most medications - given that it contains brandy.

Just tried if for a headache. Gone!

Will have some later for indecision.

Then some for hearing scratching and shuffling noises in roof (could, admittedly, be possum).

Then some for becoming hysterical at mere sight of tree-snake (not a sustainable situation given location of house and size of garden).

Then some for insomnia.

This really is fantastic. Have found the hippy version of Valium! Which is nice because did not feel like going to doctors again lying about being afraid of flying and needing something for a long-haul flight - oh-valium-really-well-if-you-say-so-yes-I-know-it's-addictive-now-hand-em-over.

You know.

--


*Not, however, Nurofen. Nurofen is bloody great. Unfortunately it may no longer be part of ones life once one has decided to take a more, shall we say, mindful and enlightened, path. No drugs for me, no thanks. Hand me the bottle of Rescue Remedy instead!

Rain, and a Step towards Enlightenment

Rain.

Cricket.

Rain... Cricket... Rain.

Somedays it's just like Could it get any worse???

Decided to try something new and adventurous.
All in the name of exploring different ways of reducing stress; increasing happiness; eradicating roadrage - and so on - whilst continually taking steps towards enlightenment.

So...

Chinese cupping - a form of massage - followed by acupuncture.

Very in tune. Very Byron Bay!

Very, very sore...

The road to Enlightenment is sometimes bumpy!

Speaking of bumpy roads - the road between town and highway is now full of exciting new potholes thanks to downpour! Hurrah.

Minyon Falls - Wildlife

The Awesome Snake:

Goanna:

And a... chicken..?

Minyon Falls

Sister-in-law and boyfriend are here for a few days so have been doing touristy things that one can do around Byron; hubby and I have realised that we should probably leave the house more often - Byron is nice at night! Stuff is actually happening! That is why we moved here! It's been good to revisit the Buddha Bar, Treehouse, Beachy, Poinciana (Mullum) etc.

Yesterday, decided it was time for some hard-core tourism. No more cruising around the Bay: time to explore - Minyon Falls... The falls are out towards Lismore somewhere - drive around on small roads filled with potholes for a while and you shall eventually arrive. Fortunately for me, hubby has a compass built into brain.

Hubby kindly did some research prior to departure - came back with the message that it was likely an easy walk, thongs -

(In Australia these are thongs, in case you thought we went bush-walking in string-undies)

- should be fine.

Said and done, all hopped into Commodore wearing shorts and thongs envisaging a serene stroll through forest and cooling dip at the base of waterfall. Such as in the film the blue lagoon.

Five minutes into walk through bush hubby casually mentions that his research had suggested an abundance of leaches present in these parts. A leach is a disgusting worm-like creature of no use to anyone - its primary purpose in life is to attach itself to an animal or person (preferably me) and latch on - whereupon it starts to drink blood and grow larger. They may attempt to crawl into difficult to reach area and try to hide out there.

Yes. Am not kidding you. It's every bit as frightening as it sounds.

Naturally embarked on mental breakdown almost immediately and contemplated refusing to walk any further making hubby arrange airlift out of leach-infested-hell, strangely though; nobody else seemed worried - and in fact seemed to be of the opinion that I was acting like a princess.

Acting like a princess is Australian for being incredibly unreasonable and generally being a baby. This is very bad. You do not want to be accused of being a princess, in Australia. Particularly in you are a man, but even so - decided to swallow my anxiety and tread on.

The base of the falls was nothing like the blue lagoon - had to death-defyingly climb over rocks to get to a point where we could view it, at which time nobody felt inclined to proceed down to water to swim-with-leaches.

In saying that - was a pretty spectacular sight.

One which I will never see again - except from the viewing platform up the top...

This is from the platform up top - recommended viewpoint!

From the base.

We also saw an awesome python snake, will borrow someone else's photos and upload next time!

Art

Created this beautiful artwork for bedroom wall - it is Tallow Beach, you can see the Byron Bay Lighthouse on the hill in the middle one.

And by "created" I mean we sent a photo off to someone who made it cheaply for us and delivered it to our door.

Do you know what you would have to pay for almost any type of artwork that size..? Too much, is what.

Do not understand art, really. Never have.
Pretended to briefly - during arty-intelligent phase (after communist-rebel phase, prior to alco-partygirl phase).

Bird Dramas & Thinking of Food (as usual)

Our little pet-bird is sick: entire life revolving around looking after him, cannot put him down at all to attend to things like bathroom cleaning etcetera.

Poor little birdie - going to try another type of antibiotic than the one he is on now, and hope he pulls through. He is already at an advanced age for this kind of bird, and has been ill since Christmas. Still, you have never seen anything so sad as a bird which cannot fly, perch or eat...

Have got visitors coming this week! Hope weather cooperates and stops being crappy, like right now. Am bit nervous as to what food to prepare. Mother is expert at cooking for millions of people at once - but honestly I do not know how she does it. At a stretch I can manage four people, beyond that am like "let's order pizzas!"

Said to mother I might make a large batch of pasta and tomato-sauce with delicious garlic-bread. Mother was horrified. Apparently is unacceptable hostess-behaviour to serve spaghetti and sauce. Do not see why!? Everyone loves pasta - although they like to deny it.

Was going to buy a BBQ, alas all BBQ's in town sold out until end of month. Typical.

Though, atleast, this will spare me the task of explaining to a bunch of aussies why we do not permit meat on our barbie...

Garden, Dogs and a... BUSH TURKEY BABY!

Lots has happened over the past couple of days. As have mentioned, life is like one big party.

Yes, am foreseeing a couple of hours of wrestling with laptop, cursing and crying in order to upload all the photos that I would ideally like to include in this post.

Does not matter anyway. And I will share with you why it does not matter : The Cricket is on telly. Refer to previous post about Cricket for further clarification.
So laptop - do your worst! Am in this for the afternoon...

Firstly, some new additions to Garden:

Lettuce, Dill (please do not die) and Marjoram.



Spent yesterday Dog-Sitting in Bangalow, these dogs (names cannot be revealed) have figured in this blog previously:

So cute!!!



Finally... the moment has arrived.

Have previously written extensively about Bush Turkeys. About our WAR with a Bush Turkey in which we reclaimed our Garden and Veggie Patch which they had destroyed. Well... it is the time of year when the baby-bush-turkeys have recently hatched, and are out and about scanning Gardens scheduled for future destruction. The babies are, needless to say perhaps, even dumber than their parents.

Behold what found its way into our living room this morning (and was frantically trying to get out by crashing its head repeatedly into a window - instead of exiting the same way it came in - through the open bi-fold doors).

Check out the foot!!!

Stupid and annoying... but CUTE! (the bush turkey, not hubby)

Blog Award

Blog Award!

Till för att spread-the-word om coola bloggar.

När man får utmärkelsen ska man göra följande:

1. Tacka den som gett dig utmärkelsen och länka.
2. Skriva ned de fem bloggar som man vill lämna awarden vidare till och låta dem veta det genom att lämna en kommentar hos dem.
3. Till slut hoppas man att de utvalda vill lämna awarden vidare…


Tack till Boel, svensk tjej i Sydney!

Får bara säga att mitt eget blogg-läsande låg på is under jul och nyår, det var så mycket att stå i - men nu är jag tillbaka!

Så...

1. Fucking Impossible: Har just börjat följa denna tjej som nyligen flyttat till Sydney - kul att läsa, en tjej med åsikter - ofta helt olika mina egna!
2. Anna i USA - helt klart för att vi har samma namn...
3. Smurfen som aldrig kommer undan. Ni vet alla som tjatar om sina barn och hur det är att vara nybliven mamma medan man sakta somnar in? Denna blogg är inte en av dem!

Sen vet jag faktiskt inte - de flesta andra jag följer har jag också nominerat flera gånger, ska lägga till några nya snart!

A Little Spring Cleaning

Got told the other day that I look very tanned. Immediately became paranoid and assumed was probably halfway to melanoma. Is not like when someone thinks you are too thin - and you are delighted - being too tanned DownUnder is equal to being suicidal, old-fashioned, uncaring, unhealthy and so on.

May as well give up right now, open a bottle of wine and light up a ciggie?

No. Anyway - therefore decided it best to avoid sun for a few days. Naturally, weather is displaying clear blue sky, sun and 35 degrees.

Solution? Spring-cleaning.

Yes, realise is middle of summer. But better late than never.

Here is some evidence of what I consider step one of a proper house-clean: Throw out everything that can be moved in order to clear space and gain easy access for cleaning:

(that is the bird in the middle - he enjoys being outdoors, also hates vacuum cleaner)

Step two: clean. Step three: watch Dr Phil, feel exhausted thanks to heat, and wonder why you just dumped entire contents of house outside.

Gardening Again and a Lizard

Interim stage in veggie-garden:

After being away for couple of weeks, everything had (gardening-term:) gone to seed. Am lead to believe this means it has become useless, and you are better off digging it out and starting again. Again. Starting again, again.

Thinking perhaps growing your own veggies is over-rated activity, and there is a reason we created shops.

Herbs however, are going quite well.

If you are considering veggie patch, and would like my opinion, here it it:

Yes-List:
Mint
Basil, all kinds
Rosemary
Thyme
Celery
Lettuce (unless planning to be away, might go to seed)
Chilli
Parsley
Lemongrass
Japanese Greens
Native Plants
Marigolds

No-List:
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Coriander
Leek
Eggplant
Spinach
Lavender
Chamomile
Most things that flower

Criteria used: is it easy to grow, and requires NO maintenance or nutrition? Yes-List.
Is it difficult to keep alive and requires any attention at all post planting? No-List.

The following guest in Garden yesterday..:

I Bloody Hate Cricket!

Every so often, I attempt to take an interest in what Hubby is doing. This promotes a happy and harmonic relationship which can thrive as both partners share the same values and interests.

Have learnt to say things like:

"Was it a busy day at the Shop - was the swell up, what was the vis like?" This is scuba-diver-speak for "Were the waves too high, was the water clear?"

He thereby knows that I take an active interest in his day; and what he enjoys doing the most. Nevermind would rather wrestle a polar-bear than go diving.

Another great example: Rugby League. Know what team to like (the Tigers) and which teams to hate (all others), know the key players and and at which point during games to yell "Off-side!!!" or "That's a penalty!" or "They would have been even if such-and-such had converted the last two tries."

All this is very good for peace-keeping.

But one thing, every year the same - trips me up and ruins my every good intention.

Cricket.

I bloody hate cricket.

The minute cricket-term is spoken, cricket comes on TV or on Radio - even during evening news: Brain instantly switches off, tunes out, goes on holiday. Try as I might: CANNOT under ANY circumstances remember the tiniest bit of trivia concerning cricket. No phrases. No rules. No nothing.

Just did it again (tried). Said to Hubby whilst walking past TV during seemingly endless "game" -
"How is the cricket going?" Only to immediately realise my mistake adding "Don't answer, I am not listening."

Cricket would have to be, without a doubt, the dumbest and most boring sport known to man.

My personal hell would have nothing to do with fire. In my personal hell we watch cricket - all day every day for the rest of eternity.

Coincidentally, this is the actual length of a game.

An exciting moment in a cricket-game...

Scary Future? & What the Day Held

My horoscope according to local news ragthe Echo:

"Those to whom evil is done do evil in return. Behind the lady who dances and the man who madly drinks, the attack of migraine and the sigh, there is more than meets the eye. We must love one another or die."

...

...

Oh dear.

Dare I attempt an analysis?

So here is what I reckon it means: You will have a brilliant year with lots of sunshine and days on the beach, your wishes will come true, all your friends will come to visit, and also you will continue to be loved by your husband.

Sound about right?

Busy season here in Byron right now. Arrived in town this morning just on time to witness arrival of Sydney - Brisbane overnight bus. About 30 backpackers wearing pyjamas stumbled out of bus with confused looks on their faces. Probably looking for the YHA. Oh the good old days..!

Main Beach imitating Bondi:

New favourite cups (which do not contain coffee, no longer - am quitting caffeine, was addicted, was getting ugly - is still ugly, I dream about coffee):

Parcel arrived from SWEDEN!!! Always a source of great joy.

Finally bought some very exciting flour (from the White Shop) for hubby so he can bake some bread. Yes, our lives are one big party.

Lånad Lista (2011)

1. Gjorde du något i år som du aldrig gjort förut?
Blev sjösjuk. Och såg ett par stora vita hajar. Det var nytt. Tyvärr var jag alldeles för sjösjuk för att bry mig. Ett tag kändes det som att det kunde kvitta om haj-jäklarna åt upp mig.

2. Höll du några av dina nyårslöften?
Nej, givetvis inte. De var i vanlig ordning: gå ner i vikt, dricka mindre, inte röka, och så vidare.

3. Blev någon/några av dina vänner föräldrar i år?
Ja massor.

4. Dog någon som stod dig nära?
Nej.

5. Vilka länder besökte du?
Sverige.

6. Är det något du saknar år 2011 som du vill ha år 2012?
Ja. Typ lite mera action..? Jag har vilat upp mig nu. Återhämtat mig från diverse pärsar. I'm back baby.

7. Vilket datum från år 2011 kommer du alltid att minnas?
Inget, har mycket dåligt minne som jag säkert nämt? Känns nästan som att 2011 blev lite av ett bi-år, om man säger. Tiden stog stilla. Fast gick samtidigt väldigt fort...

8. Vad är det bästa som hänt dig år 2011?
Jag hittade hem.

9. Största misstaget?
Dricka litervis med vin kvällen innan en longhaul-flight. Det var verkligen dumt gjort. Gör inte det. Speciellt inte om ni beställt den vegetariska / veganska menyn. Ång-kokt paprika..?

10. Har du varit sjuk eller skadat dig?
Nej, bara sjösjuk. Men det var illa nog.

11. Bästa köpet?
Noa Noa baddräkt.

12. Vad spenderade du mest pengar på?
Resa hem till Sverige!

13. Gjorde någonting dig riktigt glad?
Mitt hem, visiten till Sverige och syrrans student.

14. Vilka sånger kommer alltid att påminna dig om 2011?
Kate Miller-Heidke, Caught in the Crowd.

15. Var du gladare eller ledsnare i år jämfört med tidigare år?
Både och!

16. Vad önskar du att du gjort mer?
Varit mer social. Men var sak har sin tid. Jag behövde nog vara lite ensam.

17. Vad önskar du att du gjort mindre?
Nojjat.

18. Hur tillbringade du julen?
Med makens familj. På stranden, i havet.

19. Blev du kär i år?
Neeeej.

20. Favoritprogram på tv?
Tittar inte på TV. Reklam-pauser gör mig mycket irriterad.

21. Hatar du någon nu som du inte hatade i början av året?
Haha, nej. Det hade varit tragiskt i så fall.

22. Bästa boken du läste i år?
Eating Animals.

23. Största musikaliska upptäckten?
Kate Miller-Heidke.

24. Något du önskade dig och fick?
Åka hem till Sverige. Ett högt bord med två tillhörande bar-stolar. Dem fick jag kämpa för ska jag tala om.

25. Något du önskade dig men inte fick?
Ja, men det säger jag inte.

26. Årets bästa film?
Red Dog.

27. Vad gjorde du på din födelsedag 2011?
Drack vin med auntie Mia i Bellingen.

28. De bästa nya människorna du träffade?
Louise, undercover hippie bosatt någonstans norr om Byron. Och grannarna. De till höger. De till vänster tycker nog inte om mig efter att jag skrek åt deras ungar att hålla tyst och försvinna från min driveway. Whaaaat...?

29. Hur skulle du beskriva din stil år 2011?
Bikini, sommarklänningar från H&M och flipflops. Funderar på att köpa ett par skor i år. Men det är bara en tanke.

30. Vad fick dig att må bra?
Huset, maken, yoga.

31. Vilken kändis var du mest sugen på?
Colin Farrell kanske. Kollade på en ganska kass film med honom i, efter att filmen var slut sa jag till maken "den var väl sådär..." Han förvånade mig då genom att säga "Vad som helst med Colin Farrell är väl bra?" Jaha...interesting...

32. Vem saknade du?
Familjen i Sverige.

33. Favoritmånad?
April och Juni.

34. Finns det någonting som skulle gjort ditt år ännu bättre?
Ja.

New Years Eve in Byron

Very romantic last night, just hubby and myself enjoying lasagna (vegan), garlic bread (vegan) and chocolates (vegan) at home, candles lit etcetera.

Reflected on fact that was two year anniversary. Did not spend most of wedding night together - apart from ceremony itself - and even ended up sleeping in different parts of the house (passing out, sleeping - same thing). Last year was also a massive party, so this year: Romantic year.

Also, had loads of people cancel plans on us for various reasons of varying degrees of believability - so decided we do not like people anyway. Took little trip to town though...

New Years Eve in Byron Bay;

Beachfront Portaloos...

Amusement ride??

What is surely the most revolting food of the amusement-park-selection: the Dagwood Dog. Puke.

Beachy allegedly charged over 100 bucks for the pleasure of paying through the nose for beer in plastic cups.

Hubby with very important, and famous, celebrity. Here in Byron one mingles with the in-crowd, see.

Now heading in to town to peruse destruction, passed out backpackers, abandoned footwear - and so on.

Going to grab an LSD. As am sure blog-followers are aware: this stands for Latte-Soy-Dandy. Nothing else.