Anyone know a leather worker?

All my beautiful slippers (that are 10-15 years old mind) are dying and I cannot find anything I want to replace them with. Hence, I'm hunting down someone who could make me some. Here is one of the least workout pairs (I have 3)

Dr who

Just watched the special broadcast (which started at 6:50am)
It was good. Now to decide if I should go back to bed...

I can be reached at...

Google + have a new thing.  Custom urls.  I decided to claim mine....

it is: google.com/+LouiseSullivan
You can click that and find me on google plus.

Woo

What hideous shoes

Spotted on the bus

Does this make me an awful person? He he he

I want these!!

I will have to make some

Stolen from Facebook

I love my BBQ

I think it's one of the best things I have ever bought

Big Day Out - The Report

So 'the Plan' didn't go exactly to plan, but still a great day out was had by all.
We started out with a long drive to the Side of Mt Baw Baw (only one 2km detour in the wrong direction) then a long uphill walk to the first cache on the program.  We had a bit of a "RTFM" issue, but after we sorted that it was full steam ahead, with the target cache, a traditional and an EarthCache in the bag all for the sake of 125m altitude change (doesn't sound like much, but you walk it!!)

Yep, it's a rock

Cool beetle - we called him Ringo

-nirgal- on a rock

That famous track

We (-nirgal-, SirJ-Oz and I) had a snack and piled back into the car and drove to Sale, for the second voyage of the floating bathtub.  Lucky the cache in question wasn't too far from shore, that's all I will say.

The 'Floating Bathtub'

Last official stop of 'the plan' for the day was Lakes Entrance.  We arrived here around 7pm.  Ooops.  The first 4 puzzles that needed to be solved to collect the final were solved and ready to be picked up.

-nirgal- and me... it was getting dark fast

We managed the first two in daylight, then it was time to employ the torches.  Despite one of the caches missing it's clue, we were able to collect the prize and then get some dinner and start the journey home.  We started this at around 10pm and made it to the first persons house to drop off around 4am.  Yes we stopped for a few (ok 10) caches on the way home.

Big Day Out!

This is the plan for Saturday:

We'll have to see how it goes!! I'll report back on Sunday...

Fire Services Museum

It might have taken me 9 years, but today we finally got to the Fire Services Museum, which is just around the corner from work. When we moved into the 8 Nicholson Street building, we decided it would be nice to nip out for a lunchtime adventure to the Fire Services Museum. Hmmm it took me a while, but today we got there. It was quite good. Here are some photos.

A battery

Craig

Me

A painting

Me with a fire engine

Me in the old control center

The main clock

Tram vomit

new me

About 10 years ago, Kate and I got some photos taken and one of those has been my profile photo ever since. After a couple of false starts, I finally got some new photos done today. Here are some and if you look to the right, my new profile photo too.

arrrgh

Given that today is talk like a pirate day, I thought this was appropriate

My pirate name is:

Mad Bess Kidd

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

Big day of caching ahead

Starting in Ballarat and heading towards Smythesdale, 18km on a rail trail.  It was just going to be me, then one other.  Now there could be as many as 6 of us!  The geocaching Melbourne facebook page has been working hard.
The weather should be cool, but nice, so I'm hoping for a good day.
Report to follow

Australia, I love you but....

What's with you people?? why in the hell have you all elected these arseholes?!? I mean seriously, I didn't vote for them....
I'm disappointed in you all.

Restumping - Part 3

And I'm back from Canberra and the restumping is magically finished!! there are cracks in the walls everywhere, in most rooms.  The front room is the worst, but that's to be expected. Apparently it was 4 cm different to the rest of the house. At least I hadn't painted in there. There are a few cracks in the purple room, on the feature wall :( I hope I have enough to repair the repair.

Old stumps

New stumps

Next job has to be the guttering.  Apparently a lot of the water that should flow away just sits under the house.  Not so good.

OMG I have a suite!!

All for two nights at a conference....

Restumping, part two

So, apparently, most houses stumps are around 450mm deep.  Our quote was for stumps 650mm deep.  Now, after two days of digging, the guys doing our stumps have found all the ones around the outside of out house (the inside ones, ie most of them are fine) are best part of 1m deep.  This means the job is going to cost more.... I just get a bit of a sinking feeling.....

Hard life for Scottie's at this house

Conner

Clara

Guthrie, had to move away from the heater, as he was too hot....

Just booked the restumping!!

It's gona start later this week :)

Woo hoo!! (why am I excited about this?!? Oh yeah, that's right, the sooner this is done, the sooner I can get the double glazing)

Wash day

Today was wash day in more than one way.  Firstly, the other week and the Westie Rescue night, I bought in the silent auction, 5 free dog washes, which is great in principal, but a tiny bit of a pain, since they are for a place in Bridge Road Richmond (ie: not a place you want to go anywhere near on a weekend).
Today I was a 'bit late to work' and took the whole three disgusting little monsters down there and washed them.  The photo below is of 'after' when they are still a bit wet (man were they unimpressed with the hairdryer?!?!) and looking all miserable.  Actually Conner, the one in the front, doesn't look that sad, but her was, really.  Clara is at the back and looks particularly sad.  There was hair everywhere.  When the man came to change the water over after I washed Clara he even said 'yes, she was dirty wasn't she' and that the man in a dog wash place!!! I was completely soaked by the time I was done. I took them home and headed to work, a bit late....

About 5 minutes after I got to work today, my new permanent standing desk frame arrived!! YaY! This mean I had to rearrange my desk and computer and about fourteen tones of shit to put it all in place in a permanent sense.  So I spent most of the day sorting out shit on my desk.  I haven't done it for a while so to say there was a back log was an understatement.  I even found some spray and wipe and cleaned the actual desk!! Whilst tidying, I found a few (alright 8) soy fishes.  Not sure what to do with them, to chuck them seems a waste.

POP!!!!

tinkle tinkle tinkle.....
and the projector lamp died.  I mean it's not like we have been ignoring the little message about replacing the globe for nearly year and it has had done more than 2800 hrs for thing that was only surposed to do 2000 hrs.
Oh well, no TV this weekend.  We might have to have a conversation.

Motivation

So I have none right now, seriously none, for work anyway. I can't be arsed going, I don't want to do any of the things I have to do there, no one seems to care about any things do when I am there and essentially I think it's coming down to I have no real responsibility for anything so who cares?

I keep thinking I just need to take a break and I'll get my care factor back, but I have had breaks (1 week in WA, 2 weeks in NZ, along weekend in Tas many many days off just cos I can't be stuffed going to work)  I'm just not sure what to do from here.  Ideas accepted, my dear Internet.....

cleaner

So I have been thinking we should get a cleaner for a while now, but it I am a but of a tight arse and that has been competing with my inner lazy.
In the end, I was finally able to find a justification.  We both work full time and that more commitments than we really need (and sometimes want).  We don't ever seem to get time to clean the house cos we are off doing our extra 'non-work' activities and then if we do dedicate a day to cleaning the house, once every blue moon or so, then we are both missing out on stuff we'd rather be doing.  Then the house gets dirty again anyway and I just feel bad all the time about how messy it is.
So I finally got around to ringing a friend of mine from work's cleaner.   The deal seems to be quite reasonable, so we'll give it a go and see if it works out for us.  So everyone, come and visit us (in a fortnight after the cleaner has come) and the house should be much cleaner than normal and you buddies that have allergies should find out house more pleasant :)

Yum-o

I won some of these at a westie rescue trivia night the other day. I just have to say they are posable the yummiest chocolate I have had in ages  

To mega or not to mega

That is the question.

http://coord.info/GC3X0X4

All westie rescue

Went to a trivia night tonight, it was great.  so well organised, they had 3 times more people then they expected. They had TONES to prizes. Really great effort, and I hope they raised a shitload of money. We got a blanket and some dog washes from the silent auction and came 2nd. Go us and the other people who's table we joined, cos the whole Scottie club left me in the lurch and there was only Neil and I there....

today a year ago....

Today a year ago, I was lined up to go under the knife.  It was supposed to be a day procedure op, but I ended up being operated on for 4 fours and in hospital for 4 days.
There was so much nastiness inside me that the surgeon had to cut a proper hole in me and pull bits out of me to do the whole job.  He ended up being very happy with the job he did and has remained positive that everything should work properly.
I was lucky enough to be involved in a pre and post research project to check how the surgery affected me. The results of this showed there was an effect, as expected, but not a totally detrimental one (ie: a pretty good result given the mess they found and how invasive the surgery was)  Regardless of these positive (ish) results, not everything has gone completely to plan.
I feel very ambivalent and conflicted about the whole situation.
Life, why is it not easy?

The stargate

Today I happened to be up and Melbourne Uni closing a bank account I not longer use and they wanted to charge me money on. I went past this

It's a stargate

it reminded me about a cache I did that used this art installation as part of the clues. I'd had Neil drop me off at this end of town. It was, from memory, a fairly cold and wet day, I know I had my rain coat with me.  I collected this cache and some there's in the area and made my way south, picking up caches all day in the city.  I ended up down by the Yarra, I was completely soaked and totally exausted. I'd been caching all day.

A few weeks latter I realised I'd managed to loose a travel bug somewhere during the day. I know I'd had it at the start of the day, as I had a photo of it at the final to this Stargate cache. But I couldn't find it anywhere. I was dreading emailing the owner to say I'd lost it, so I just pretended I still had it, and randomly visited it to caches.  

Nearly a year latter, I found it!!! It was in the pocket of my rain coat, but over summer I'd had no cause to use it, so never found it.  What a relief.

weight

so, I'm a bit fat and, like most of the rest of the world, trying to loose some weight (boring)
Anyway, I got this cool pedometer (on speed) and it's matching set of scales (cos I'm an uber nerd). Go here and investigate if you are interested, and let me know if you get one, cos then we can be friends!!
And on to the reason for this post.  I'm feeling a bit better today, so I decided to weigh myself and guess what!!?!? Feeling awful and not eating very much for a day or two is a great way to loose weight! (sort of joking)

Ah har!! I took the numbers off so you don;t know exactly HOW enormously fat I am!! (you are meant to be looking at the big down at the right hand end of the graph)

Also, just a note for people who are interested, trying to loose weight when you essentially can't exercise, like me, is really a bit hard.  You have to do it the boring way, by watching what you eat, generally eating less and by drinking less (I have been doing two of the three).

And in a fantastic bit of universe karma, I think I have worked out what has made me feel so awful.  It's the only thing I can think of that only I ate.  Peanut M&M's.  Which I bought while I was at officeworks and SHOULD have been at work, that I shouldn't have bought anyway (see graph) and that might be WELL past their used buy date (it's a bit hard to tell the number could be a 1: bad or a 4: fine)

*sigh*

I have to make these

I found this photo on (bleh) Facebook, and needed to remember about it. These are totally for my birthday this year!!!

They came from here originally. 

bleh

So, some how, I managed to get some sort of 'stomach thing'.  I was fine when I left work and wet out for a few ciders, I was fine when I got on the tram and came home.  I was sitting in front of the tv and realised my stomach was really quite sore.  I decided a small dinner was in order and Neil was heating a sausage roll, so I just had one of these.  It didn't help, I still felt awful, so I went to bed.  I had a shit nights sleep, cos I was uncomfortable, no matter how I was lying.  When I work up, I still felt awful, and that had been the continuing theme for the day.  About three I decided soup would be a good idea.  It wasn't.  Back to bed, still feeling awful.

Without going in to too many revolting details, things are slowly moving down and I feel like I'm slowly improving.  I got so brave, I decided to have plain dry biscuits and lemonade.  These went down so well, the after a while I decided to try the soup again.  There was nearly a set back, and I had to have a quick lie down, but in the end. I think it went down ok.  God I hope I feel better tomorrow.  I've already cancelled the day of caching I had lined up :(

86 tram

I don't think I have ever told you my favorite 86 tram story. I mean technically I have probable told each person who is likely to read this blog the story, but I don't think I've told it ON the blog, to that counts.
Once upon a time, I was heading home on the 86 tram. This tram travels from right outside my work, up smith street, then high street and eventually all the way to bundoora, where at the end of the line is a 'mental' home. Now I'm sure there is a more PC term for this, but I have had two pints of cider, so at this point I don't really care.
Anyway, half way along the smith street section, two fairly merry seeming 'ladies' got on the tram. They were talking loudly and generally behaving like the usual crowd you get on the smith street tram. Anyway, not long after boarding, just before the next stop, one of the two quietly threw up in the stairwell. Her friend, full of sympathy, as they were exiting the tram was heard by me, and most of the rest of the tram, to exclaim: "I told you you shouldn't have had that stollie* before your methadone!!"
Ahhh, what a nice story. For me, personally, this story totally sums up the 86 tram. Kind of drug addicted, a bit fucked in the head, but mostly friendly and harmless.


* alcoholic white wine spritzer.

FINALLLYYYLYLYLYLYLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYY

Can I just say...... I have been looking at this puzzle since just after I started caching back in 2009.  At that point there was less than 300 active puzzle type caches in Victoria (there are now 915 of which I have found 151 and own 4).
My obsession with puzzle caches started with the second puzzle cache that I found, which was a 16*16 sudoku puzzle (as apposed to the usual 9*9), I'd been working on solving it for WEEKS.  I even had neil helping.  One Sunday afternoon in August 2009, Neil and I were both sitting round working on this puzzle when I finally had a breakthrough and got the co-ords out.  It was fairly late on a sunny but cool day.  I was able to persuade Neil we should go out and get it straight away.  It still remember the excited feeling!! I had solved it, we rode to the location, took a stroll, hunted around and found the cache, all that work paid off, it was sooooo much more satisfying than a 'traditional' cache.  I was hooked.
This first puzzle success had me looking at others around Melbourne, and I found the one above.  I had no idea what to do with it. I looked at it again and again over the next little while (few years).  I was given a tiny pointer a while ago, which didn't help.... oh no!! What to do!! A cache 51 other people have been able to solve (or have had the answer told to them) and 48 of those had been since I have been trying to solve it.
Today, I finally found the tool I needed on the interwebs (had to use the way back machine - accessible!!) and with some stuffing around FINALLY got the answer.  I want to go now and get it!! Oh well, add it to the list of 70 odd other caches I have solved and are waiting for me to visit!
Yay!

My path tags have arrived :)

ooops. So accident prone

I might have bought some things.

Look, geology at work

I saw this today, it's a bank collapse.