A small happy dance

Yesterday’s plan of taking the day/afternoon off was a perfect one!  I did a lot of tidying up in my bedroom late at night, then today I’ve pulled out all stops and almost finished off the kitchen by packing away all the Tupperware and baking trays etc (believe me, the Tupperware in itself is a massive feat haha).  I also rearranged the lounge furniture today, and ironed the duvet and pillowcases to make Lisa’s bed up for her arriving tonight.  She won’t be arriving until about 8pm, after spending the entire day driving from Melbourne on her own, so at least she doesn’t have to worry about where she’s going to sleep when she arrives.  I’m also going to cook a roast chicken and baked potatoes with a salad ready for her arriving - and the wine has been chilling ever since the first day the fridge was switched on

Anyway, following is the sum of my stitching efforts yesterday - it was a bit hampered by the fact my threads were all over the place, so I had to ‘un-kit’ a project to find the DMC 814.  The only GAST threads I had were Flax and Raspberry Parfait, everything else was substituted with a DMC equivalent.  It’s stitched on 28ct mystery Cashel linen (in a light taupe colour) from my stash - which means I’m now up-t0-date with the Christmas Ornie SAL on the XSers Yahoo group - yay

“Fill With Love”
Designs by Cathy Jean
2007 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue

I’m unsure what the next project will be … I should probably finish the Sweetheart Tree needleroll I started last week, then I think a wee LHN or CCN project might be in order before I start committing myself to my CA Wells class pieces - now I (will soon) have my own stitching space again, I guess it’s time to start tackling those class pieces when I can concentrate on them properly

Hopefully next week I’ll also have time to start sitting down and catching up on everyone’s blogs again!

Another wishlist enhancement & Australia Day

Oh boy, I knew it was a bad idea to pop online and read a couple of blogs while taking a break from unpacking - have you seen the latest chart from Little House Needleworks?  This absolutely MUST go on the wishlist … I absolutely adore it!  (Mind you, I seem to love almost ALL of their designs at the moment - they’re like chocolate, one piece isn’t enough LOL.)

Home of a Needleworker by Little House Needleworks

OK, back to unpacking again …

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Actually, I just realised what day it is today - it’s Australia Day here in the land Down Under … so the very best wishes go out to all my friends in this beautiful country, however you choose to celebrate it!  I’ve actually just decided that I’m calling the packing quits today, and instead I’m going to curl up with a Christmas ornie to stitch - my energy levels have been really flagging over the last couple of days, and it’s taking me twice as long to do everything, so perhaps this is what the doctor ordered?  It’ll help to recharge my batteries anyway, and I still have tomorrow left for unpacking before Lisa arrives … the boxes that are still left to be done are tidied up in one or two areas in the ‘common’ areas of the flat (don’t ask about my bedroom, as I can barely move in there!), so now I’m off to make a special treat for myself for lunch … toasted bagels with cream cheese, capers and smoked salmon … I’m salivating already! - Then it’s time to kit up my ornie and start stitching with a DVD on the laptop! 

PhotoHunt - Old-Fashioned

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

My choices are some old-fashioned tins on sale by a street hawker in Acland Street, St Kilda …

… and an old-fashioned rickshaw at Victoria Peak, Hong Kong.

Focusing on the Positive!

The last few posts have been quite negative (perhaps understandably so), so it’s time to get back to seeing the positives.  Last night this is the view I had when I came into my new bedroom …

Yes, I actually found the screws etc quite quickly, and managed to put my bed frame etc together ready for bed-time.  It was an incredible feeling getting into a newy made bed (not just the bed frame, but the new sheets and duvet set I bought in the sales late last year - it’s unusual for me to have a light-coloured ‘girly’ duvet, as I’m usually into the brighter blue colours, but it’s a nice change) … I actually lay there in the bed just appreciating the feeling of being back in my own “things” again. It’s not intended that the ducks will stay there, but I don’t have anywhere else to put them just yet (there’s no room in that bathroom).

Another positive thing, is that I found out we can see the ocean from our balcony!  OK, fair enough, you have to squint hard to see it in the distance, but you really CAN see it! haha. See, we really ARE just a block away from the beach!

And yet one more positive thing - I can’t get over being able to see proper TV channels again!!  We have a proper built-in aerial, unlike the other apartment in Elwood where I had to use bunnies ears and each channel had various degrees of ’snow’ … every single channel I’ve managed to pick up so far in the lounge is crystal clear … I’m so impressed!!

Of course, things are still a pig-sty here while I’m unpacking … unfortunately it seems in every box there is something else broken.  I started taking photos the other day to share (mainly to show Mum), but now it’s getting to the stage where there are too many photos banking up … and still a few more boxes yet to be opened.  Thankfully to date there aren’t too many things that are of sentimental value or well-loved items that have been lost.  About 6 pieces of furniture have been broken in various stages … but some are fixable, and some items are cheap and nasty anyway so they need replacing - some of the crockery in the boxes have been the biggest affected … one Pyrex dish smashed into smithereens (it’s like little mosaic pieces wrapped into paper), and one cappuccino cup and saucer from NZ smashed … unfortunately not of the same set - my last remaining blue pottery cup that was a gift from a friend, plus the saucer of my very favourite cup set.  At least with the cappuccino cup I can go out and find another saucer that will fit it, as it has quite bright colours in stripes, so that shouldn’t be too difficult :)  The Pyrex dish was a chicken roasting dish that didn’t really get used, so I guess that just makes more space in the kitchen cabinets

Work managed to give me the days off this week, which means I’ve had time to get over the emotional aspects of this move - my fighting spirit is also starting to return, and we’ve made the decision to definitely take our issue further.  I’ll be contacting the Fair Trading Assn again, plus checking to see of the Australian Consumers group have an area to report them to … but we’ve also found a website that gives product reviews of Australian companies, and we’re going to each write an individual report (including the other girl from work who had grief the week before us from the same company), which will give them an even worse rating.  I don’t feel angry or upset anymore, but I do feel that we need to let people know … if any of our feedback helps to cut back on the income derived by Dodgey Brothers R Us, then justice will be served.  Mum gave me a giggle yesterday when she said I should have known better by using a company with such a disreputable name … obviously that was a nickname I gave them myself - in due course I will fully disclose the company details!

The one thing I’m now having to reconsider is my birthday plans this year - originally I was looking at spending a day out in the Blue Mountains, doing the ‘touristy thing’, then finishing off with dinner somewhere … funds are now pretty thin, as I’m $400 extra out of pocket thanks to Dodgey Brothers, plus my mobile bill will be astronomical, so that’s probably an extra $300 coming … plus my car needs fixing … yikes!  Guess it’s back on the breadline again … anyway, if anyone has any suggestions for nice “cheap” things to do around Sydney, I’d really appreciate the ideas! I still want to have some sort of celebration making the most of what Sydney has to offer, just in case I don’t end up staying (although the thought of having to move again right now puts chills up my spine haha)

Anyway, ending on a happy note … even though I haven’t lifted a needle at all since all the troubles began, I have managed to finalise my Needleroll Tutorial for the Focus on Finishing blog - and I’ve decided to release it ahead of time, as my time online is up and down (I’m only popping on when I need a quick break from unpacking) … so feel free to pop over and take a look - and don’t hesitate to let me know if something doesn’t make sense! I’ll be uploading it just as soon as I’ve published this post

Hopefully by the end of next week there’ll some more stitching to share (in fact, hopefully by the end of this weekend!).

Thanks again for all the supportive comments - it’s truly helped me get through the last couple of days with sanity intact! {{hugs}}

Moving on …

Thanks guys for all your support - I didn’t document everything that happened yesterday in detail, but I can honestly and truthfully say it was one of the most stressful and awful days I’ve ever encountered, and I’ve encountered some in the last 1-2 years!

The removalists finally left here at 7.30pm, after arriving after noon.  I tried contacting the Australian Furniture Removalists Assn, after being referred there from a lady at the Fair Trading Assn the 2nd time I called - but it did no good, as they aren’t members … which surprised me very little!  It did get really nasty yesterday during the phone calls to the trucking company … and I need to document everything in full before Lisa and I decide which way to tackle this.  We did discuss the option of working out any way possible to widel and publicly advertise their appalling behaviour without being up for slander, and we’ll still probably go down that track (good idea about the website Susan).  Lisa was so angry she was tempted to take legal action … but I’m out of pocket as it is, and I can’t afford to do that - plus, in some ways I just want to forget the whole thing - but then the other side of me wants justice … which means the stress will continue … it’s a catch-22

Today I feel totally drained … but I must say it was incredible to sleep on my very own mattress, even though it was on the floor!  I’ve managed to pack my bed screws etc somewhere very safe, never to be found again … well, probably until I unpack everything else, which might take a couple of weeks to go through every single box - ho-hum, but at least I got a good night’s sleep last night, well 6 hours anyway, which is good enough - my mattress is a wonderful back care big thick scrumptious mattress, and it was exquisite having it back in my possession again, on the floor or not! 

The guys who delivered the goods were really nice and very sympathetic … at the end of the night I was told the company would send me a receipt later and they didn’t have any paperwork documentation to give me, which I said wasn’t good enough after being literally held to ransom myself and being demanded to email them a screen dump of the bank transfer … another phone call to the “boss” at the end of the night and I ended up losing my cool - I burst into tears and Dion (the main removalist here) spoke to him.  I felt like such an idiot, but it was just the last straw in a truly dreadful 24 hours.  I’m just so very very glad it’s over for now … I just feel like crawling into a corner and sleeping for a month

Anyway, that’s enough of my misery for one day - I know I still haven’t put all the finer details into words here … I just don’t want to sit and rehash it all just yet … but it will happen, and it has to happen, especially if we do decide to take it further via the Fair Trading Commission or some other avenue … for now I just want to forget that b*stard was born, and try to get out of this funk I’m now in.  I’ve called up work an left a message requesting the last two days of this week off, and got all teary again leaving a message … I don’t think I’ll get the time off, but I really need it for my sanity and emotional sake if nothing else.  But at the end of today I may have shaken the malaise off and be okay again … my stitching chair is in place with my Ott-lite and floor stand, so a spot of stitching later tonight may help to ease the tension

Thanks again for all your words of encouragement - I really really appreciate it!  I think the thing I hate the most about all of this is that I was in such a wonderful frame of mind, really positive and excited about everything, and this whole affair has knocked the wind out of me and taken that away … I know that feeling will return once we get settled in here, and once Lisa arrives next week I’ll have some company face-to-face, which will help - anyway, this isn’t getting my stuff unpacked, so I’m off to have my morning coffee and have something to eat (I only managed to eat breakfast yesterday during all the stress and drama, so I know I need something in me to keep the energy levels up) … then I’ll start facing the day properly.

Updated to add something that is WAY too much information - but I learnt something new today … apparently there is such a thing as stress-induced diarrhoea!  Go figure!!  The griping tummy pains I started getting 30 minutes ago has nothing to do with food intake, ‘cos there hasn’t been any yet … so it looks like Dodgey Brothers R Us really HAS given me the ………!!!  Sorry, but I couldn’t resist it … maybe that was a good thing to happen, as it’s given me a spark of my sense on humour back

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But wait, there’s more … I’ve just gone out to start the car to drive in to work and pick Lisa up to sign the lease and bring her suitcases into the flat, and my car won’t start - I’ve tried everything possible to get it started, and it’s died a horrible death.  I knew it needed to get looked at, but now I can’t even drive the bl**dy heap of scrap metal to the mechanic.  It’s like Groundhog Day Year!!!  Mutter mutter mutter …  So now I don’t even know how I’ll get into work myself if I have to work Thu/Fri … I’m sooooooo over this day, like you wouldn’t believe!!!  Sorry for whining on here, but it helps to get it off my chest 

Fair Trading Commission

The heading shows who I’ll be raising a dispute through very very shortly - I’ve just had my goods help up for ransom by the thieving bastards who were delivering - they’ve been sitting outside for the last 2-3 hours while I’ve been spending up large on my mobile phone calling Fair Trading, the thieving bastards company, the ANZ, and Lisa … I’ve had absolutely no choice but to pay up front for extra costs $400+ or my goods were being removed and put into storage, and I was going to be charged for storage. 

Anyway, the fight isn’t over … my goods are finally being delivered, but they have broken their contract in a couple of different ways - even after the fact I’ll be taking this further - I don’t know how, but we’re not going to go quietly!  Quite frankly I’ve had the day from hell … I’ll put all the details on here when they’ve gone … I just needed to type this up quickly to vent a bit and get it off my chest

Final Update to the Moving Saga … hopefully

I didn’t write anything in a post yesterday, but there was an additional drama late yesterday afternoon with Dodgey Brothers R Us … they turned up at Lisa’s place without calling her and just picked up what was in the hallway at the time, leaving the items that were still inside her flat right where they were. They were supposed to call Lisa ½ an hour before pick-up so that someone could be there to let them in (Lisa is at a 5-day conference at the moment). To say that Lisa was ropable was a huge understatement!!

By the time Dodgey Brothers answered her phone call, they were 2 ½ hours outside Melbourne and refused to go back … there was a bit of altercation between the driver and Lisa and the driver apparently lost his temper and said he’d had enough of our sh*t and he was just going to put it all in storage and have nothing further to do with it … OMG, is all I could think when Lisa was telling me the story …

I decided not to push things further than they already were, and waited until mid-morning today to call the driver up – to say he had calmed down could be a fib … he was still incredibly angry and ranted for a wee while. Eventually I managed to calm him down a bit, and tried to explain a couple of things that he brought up … and managed to get him to agree that he would be likely to be dropping the stuff off tomorrow morning. I’m trying to stay calm and collected and not wind him up, until the goods are physically in my hot little hands (and in my hot little apartment), and then we have to negotiate the price – ie I have to pay for the little truck, and he has to knock off the goods that he didn’t bring of Lisa’s. That part of the day I’m really not looking forward to. I’m just in a really mellow mood, and don’t want to have a blood-boiling argument … but we’ll see what happens. At least he’d calmed down enough by the time he finished speaking to me that he’s back to delivering the goods again, and not putting them into storage … Nothing in my life is ever simple haha

Anyway, my stitching stuff is still all over the place, and not unpacked yet, as I’m waiting for my storage containers and drawers etc to arrive … so I’m just starting a new needleroll or two in the meantime – I’m nearly halfway through a Sweetheart Tree one (Wildflowers Needleroll), then I’ll be starting Shepherd’s Roll by Shepherd’s Bush for Dragonfly Dreams … which is perfect timing as I’ve just spent 4 hours today finishing off my needleroll class ready for next weekend … I worked on it for 3 hours this morning then lost the whole lot when I hit “publish” … an hour later tonight and it’s all back in again (and I remembered to take a copy of the HTML version before hitting “publish” … just in case

Rightio, time to settle down and sit in my very expensive $9.95 chair from Big W and try to stitch for an hour while watching Night at the Museum … it was killing my back (and backside) sitting on the floor last night, so I decided to get something cheap and nasty to sit on for tonight. My table will be a suitcase and empty box for my laptop to sit on … ah, such luxury hahaha.

Hopefully when I post tomorrow, I’ll be sitting among a disarray of furniture and boxes!!!

Just another day in … Paradise?

Well, I wish I could say that today was better than yesterday, but it’s had its moments!  I set off relatively early from Brenda & Nigel’s place, so I could go shopping for a shower curtain etc, do the property inspection, and try to pop into the airport to see Auntie Enid and Don - my first stop was to a shopping centre I hadn’t been to before, but it had a Big W, where I thought I’d get a nice cheap shower curtain and rubbish bin for the kitchen … which I did … but …

When I got back out to my car it was dead … not a screggin of life left in the stupid pile of metal!

After calling the storage unit to make sure Dodgey Brothers R Us actually turned up (the good news is that they had taken a couple of loads already in the smaller truck, so at least I know it’s on its way at some stage today!), I called the NRMA which was going to take about 1 1/2 hours to come to see me - the great thing was that I had absolutely no idea where I was, other than I ‘thought’ it was Winston something shopping centre.  Anyway, after just about bursting into tears, I called Nigel up just to vent my frustrations … then eventually I decided to start looking for the intersection the mechanic was going to meet me near.  I opened up the car door, to get some ventilation in and the inside light came on very very dismally.  I don’t know why but I decided to switch the light to the “off” position just to preserve any last legs of the battery, and as soon as I did that the car started beeping!

I thought that was a strange thing for it to do, as the car only makes that sound when I’ve opened the door with the car key in the ignition (which had just happened), but only when the battery is working.  Sure enough, I turned the key and the heap of s*** kicked into life - and I tried the inside light and it burned as brightly as ever.  Go figure!!

Anyway, I’ve made a call to Brenda and Nigel’s mechanic, and I’m going to have to take it in to check out all the wiring … yet more expense that I can’t afford right now, but I can’t take the risk of putting it off any longer.  Oh well, c’est la vie - I’ll wait to see when the furniture arrives, and see if I still have time to drive it over this week some time for an estimate.

The good news is that I’m here in the flat … the power is going nicely so I’ve made myself a lovely big mug of coffee … and the greater news is that my internet modem works perfectly out here, so I’m all set for the night.  I’m very disappointed I didn’t get to the airport in time to see my relatives before they flew back to Vancouver, but I’m very grateful I’m here now and can settle in and be a vegetable for the rest of the day (after wiping the surface spray off the benches and disposing of the dead cockroach bodies, and doing the site inspection.  Fingers crossed the furniture will arrive tomorrow … and fingers doubly crossed that we can get the garage door open tomorrow!!!

Rightio, I’m heading off to put some music on (bless my laptop, you were worth every cent!!!) … Mum I still don’t have a phone line connected yet, but I’ll give you a call as soon as I have a landline number for you to call! xxx

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Ooh, before I forget, though … one awesomely fantastic thing did happen today to put a smile on my face! :)  I called into the PO Box on the way home, and inside was a lovely envelope full of threads (well, actually two - but one was an order I’d made with Dragonfly Dreams) … KarenV was extremely generous and sent me some threads off my wishlist - thank you so much Karen, you truly made my day - it was a nice bright spot is a seriously grey one :)  Now it means I can kit a few more projects up woohoo!!! :D 

PhotoHunt - Important

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

My choices for this theme are a bit ‘lateral’ … I think it’s important in life to take a step back, and take time to smell the roses … enjoy some peace and tranquility, and allow the time for your soul to find calm. I found the gardens behind the Sik Sik Yuen temple in Hong Kong to be extremely peaceful and tranquil - a place to breathe deeply and feel at one with the world … I love this photo with the hustle and bustle of the city so close at hand in the background, but a place of serene bliss amidst all of that

Also, it’s important to appreciate and enjoy the small things in life … like this sculpture in the Enchanted Maze Garden, Mornington Peninsula - I loved the tranquility of the whole setting around this sculptural piece, as well as loving the caring pose of the girl herself, totally engrossed in the caring of the wee frog

Just a tad speechless …

After spending the day at the flat unpacking my latest car-ful of belongings, washing all my new 12-setting cutlery set etc, and killing cockroaches in the kitchen and bathroom (only one in each, so not like an infestation!), I start driving home in the pouring rain only to be told via mobile phone that Dodgey Brothers Removals can’t get their stupid bl**dy truck up the driveway and can’t get to the storage unit … so it’s our responsibility to go hire a smaller truck from Hertz or Thrifty or somewhere and bring the stuff to the truck … bless Lisa, she told him to ‘get nicked’, and he’s looking at hiring a truck himself (which we are now having to pay for apparently) - not happy Jan!  They haven’t managed to fix it by closing time tonight, so the delivery may now be another day late … (I think I’ve spent more time on my mobile phone in the last two hours than I have in the last two months haha)

As for me, my blood pressure was soaring just a tad (not helped by taking a full 3 hours to drive home again ‘cos people don’t know how to drive in the rain ho-hum) … so I called into the supermarket on the way home and sat and ate an entire 100g chocolate block in the car … choccie is without a doubt the BEST comfort food EVER!!!  Now I’ve just had a nice warm shower, and I’m about to sit down with the largest and strongest Jim Beam & lemonade in history … {{heavy sigh}}.

Anyway, regardless, it’s my official moving day for me personally in the morning … only time will tell when the furniture will be moving in!!!