Feather Stitching

Just to say I cancelled my Unwired service today, so after I move out of here I’ll be going back to using internet cafes to keep up to date.  I’ve been unable to connect to my Unwired modem since moving out from Bentleigh – I assumed I wouldn’t be able to access it in Seaford, as it’s out in the boondocks, but I figured Ringwood as a major suburb will have no problems.  Today when I called up to see why I couldn’t get a connection here, I found out in Melbourne their service is really limited to the CBD area … which means I’m lugging around a very expensive ornament each month for nothing 😦

Anyway, I told them very politely to cancel my subscription, and I may instead look at connecting with Telstra or Optusnet or somebody else … while their prices are pretty much double what Unwired charge on a monthly basis, they’re a helluva a lot more portable – and obviously much more reliable … what a waste of $200 for this stupid brick of a modem 😦

At the moment I’m able to access the internet via Daniel’s PC (while I owe him no thanks whatsoever for teaching his kitty very bad manners, I owe him a huge vote of thanks for setting me up as a separate user on his PC so I can at least access my emails via the webserver).

Due to the circumstances, though, it might be wise for anyone who wants to contact me directly to drop me a line at work … depending on my shifts sometimes it can take a short while for me to reply, but it’ll be a darned sight quicker than waiting for a response when I can’t access the internet down the track … ho-hum …

Rightio, that’s all I wanted to say … I’ve just got in from work very very late, after driving straight to a friend’s place for coffee and a catch-up … and ended up watching most of The Illusionist movie before driving home at 9.45pm (the movie was OK, even though I abhor Edward Norton as an actor), and having to pick up a Red Rooster meal on the way home, as I hadn’t eaten since lunchtime … now it’s time to hit the hay again.  By the way, Mum, it was Dawn and Phil I caught up with – not sure if I’ve told you already, but they’re back together again.  Next Tuesday we’re catching up for a night out at the movies as well, which will be fun.  And I came home with a pile of new trousers tonight, compliments of Dawn who’s lost oodles of weight, so she kindly handed over her good ‘fatty clothes’, which fit me perfectly! She’s going to go through her wardrobe before next week and see what else she can find that will suit me too … woohoo! 😉

In fact that was this pay-day’s big splurge … I went out and bought two new tops and a new pair of bras.  And boy, oh boy, it felt so good!  I’m trying to treat myself each pay-day to something I’ve been putting off buying because I couldn’t afford it, and it’s been just wonderful!  I’ve been doing a few things as gifts for dear friends lately as well, while I’ve had the funds to be able to do it, but now I’m back in the mode of pulling my horns in again, and getting some money put aside … but I’m still going to have a fortnightly or monthly treat, regardless.  First of all my treat was the little stash splurge, then the last one was a new watch in the sales (my old one was battered and disgusting), and now my new bras … I wonder what next pay-day will bring …

Mind you I might not have chance to go shopping next pay-day, as it’ll be a very very social week next week – Monday night is Trivia night at the local pub near work with about 8 work colleagues (and after 4 months of not getting my hair cut yikes, I’m getting it cut and coloured beforehand), then movie night Tuesday, then Friday night I’m off out to dinner and perhaps drinkies afterwards with Fraze and my ex-work colleague Jason … then I’ll be in dire need of a rest, me thinks, as will my wallet! haha.

Rightio, enough waffling (so much for a quick note) … time to remove the Red Rooster carcass, de-poo the kitty litter, and hit the hay for the night 😉

I could shoot Daniel, is all I can say!  Before the boys left (when I came to pick up the keys), I met kitty Sean and all seemed well – we hit it off, and he seemed to be a very friendly kitty.  Jason (Daniel’s partner) said, though, that Daniel teaches and encourages him to hiss … but so far I hadn’t seen it for myself … until later on into my first night here!

Sean likes to not just sit on your knee, but to lay sprawled right UP your body, with his head on your chest, and his paws (and claws) sitting right on your neck or shoulder … I was trying to read my book, so moved him slightly so I could get to turn my page comfortably, and he turned around and hissed … I nearly died!  I have to admit at that close quarters it freaked me out a bit … then he crawled up onto the top of the sofa behind my head and continued hissing at me hmmm.  I have to admit, I didn’t let him sit back on me again that night, and just sat forward on the sofa hunched over, as his hissing made me feel uncomfortable.

Last night I came into the computer room, and he followed me in and jumped up on the desk – when I tried to move the mouse out of the way he started hissing again … after a few minutes I have to say I got sick of the hissing and I shooed him out of the room and shut the door on him!  He spent the next half hour jumping up and hanging off the door handle meeowing his head off – so I let him in again only to have him start the whole rigmarole over again.  In the end I got fed up and went through to the bedroom to have my shower and an early night to read my book in bed …

Tonight I have to admit my patience is wearing a tiny bit thin with him … he’s been hissing at me all night – I’ve filled his food bowl up with biscuits, checked he has water, checked his litter tray doesn’t need cleaning, and held both outside doors open to see if he wants to go out … no response to anything, except more bl**dy hissing.  When I went to take the rubbish bin out to the kerb I left the wire screen open to see if he pops outside, and he eventually did … so outside he remains for an hour or so while I get some peace and quiet and he gets some much-needed fresh air!

It’s really disheartening – I adore animals, and I’ve housesat for two lots of kitty families before (2 belonging to my friend Rox, and 3 belonging to my best friend’s family), and at no time have I ever had any problems with them.  I was sooo looking forward to having some furbaby company, but this lot have got serious psychological issues!!!

I have to say, as well, that it’s really taking the edge off the fun of housesitting too – I hate to think I’ve got a full 4 weeks of this hissing lark left … Daniel has a helluva lot to answer for, the mongrel 😦

I have to admit I got so fed up last night I started looking online at rental properties – considering whether I can get a smaller 1-bedroom place somewhere, or a 2-bedroom place a bit further out of town, that’s cheaper than what I was living in before.  Maybe the next place’s animals won’t be feral like this lot, and maybe I’ll get back to enjoying it a bit – but at the moment the shine has definitely been removed, and I’m dreading walking in the door here … mind you, I’m also on early shifts which might be affecting my mood 😦

I was tempted to pick up some stitching yesterday, but I don’t think sitting in the lounge with the cat having a hissing fit is going to be particularly conducive to any quality stitching … oh well, at least my book is a huge one and will keep me out of trouble in the bedroom for a few more nights/weeks 😉

Anyway, nothing else to report – just felt like getting that off my chest before I let the feral one back in again …

Actually, I’m not entirely sure how much time I’ll be spending online – I’ve just logged on to a ‘normal’ PC at my new housesitting job, and there are 1400 unread feeds in my feed reader … yikes!!

This is just a really really quick post to let you know I’m in the land of the living – I didn’t have any internet connection at all in Seaford, and have only just arrived in the latest place today so haven’t tried to plug in my laptop and modem yet …  Daniel has kindly set me up as a new account user on his PC so I can at least access the internet – I can read my emails through a webmail server, but it won’t let me reply for some strange reason.  It will take me a while to catch up anyway, whichever way I manage to get it working …  In the meantime if you need to reach me for anything, it might be wise to send to my work address.

I still have 5 more Photo Hunt posts sitting ready to go in the future (I love, love, love that facility of WordPress) … but I guess that means I’ll have to start snapping away again at the end of the month.  I took a walk one day last week on the beach at Frankston in the freezing cold and took some photos – plus I took a few photos of the kitties at Ali’s place … they’re ‘interesting’ personalities to put it mildly …

Hugo, the male, is exceptionally territorial and doesn’t like anyone in ‘his’ home other than Ali, so he was a challenge in himself – Alice is the total opposite and runs and hides if someone new enters the house … although she jumped up next to me the other night and actually let me stroke her briefly, which was lovely.  She’s a real sweetheart, and I wonder if she would come out of her shell a bit more if Hugo wasn’t such a bossy breeches!

My new ‘home’ has Sean living here … and he’s totally different again – another black and white male moggy, he’s spent the last hour following me around the house, and craving attention and cuddles the entire time … yup, we’re getting along just fine! 😀

No stitching to show – I haven’t had the inclination to pick up a needle whatsoever of late … I’m hoping to get a spot of finishing done while I’m here at Daniel’s, but don’t hold your breath haha.  Instead I’ve been watching a TV series on DVD with Ali about a UK Chef called “Return of the Chef” – it’s been wonderful to watch, although now I want to watch the French series as well later in the month.  I’ve also been reading – and I’m almost finished with “The Memorykeeper’s Daughter” – normally not my usual reading style, but I have to say I’m really loving reading it, and can’t wait to see how it all ends …

Anyway, time to pop out and get some bread and milk, and work out what to sleep in tonight … Daniel was aware I have my own sheets etc for the bed, but he’s kindly taken the duvet inner away so I have a bare mattress … and I left my duvet inner in storage, thinking I don’t need it ho-hum.  It took me over an hour to drive from the storage unit to here with no traffic, so it’s not an option to head back over there again, as it’ll be closed before I get home again.  Luckily I’ve packed a sleeping bag in the boot of the car ‘just in case’ or for when I’m washing the bedding at the end of a housesit etc … I guess it’ll be coming in extremely handy this week!!

Rightio, off I trot to starting thinking about dinner for both Sean and I … then it’s time to snuggle up in the lounge with the TV on, and a kitty keeping me warm while I finish my book! 😉

I hope to catch up on all your blogs throughout the coming fortnight (there’s too much to read in just one week, me thinks!)