It was MASSIVE

You may need coffee (preferably in a flask) and possibly a light snack to get you through this.......haw haw!

I have survived yet another epic week.

It was a huge one.

Monday saw an email arrive with some news,
Small Man has been approved for the Xenical trial - good news.
Hospital in Melbourne has decided that because we live in Tassie the Xenical should be locally funded.
So now we need to get approval by the powers that be at the LGH.
Dr Matt was reasonably confident after talking to our Paed here that it'll be fine.
It's still another delay.
Just for the record - Small Man has gained around 35kg in the last 2.5 years since he first caught glandular fever to now. He has fatty liver. His liver function is 'out' and has been for the last 2.5 years - still yet to have a 'normal blood test'. We are trying to get his weight down, to try and relieve his body of the stress - and for his self esteem.

New Boss came over Monday - we met for dinner Monday night. We finally finished up at 10.30pm.
Z17 was called into work monday night - and Big A was on day shift, so I took Z17 to work, lit the fire/dragged the wood in, cooked his dinner, supervised Small Man's dinner, then went out.

Tuesday morning I had a dash to the health food shop in the morning, and to buy my brothers b'day card - I then met with new boss CM here from 11am til 2.30pm - it went very well, very easy company - and nice to hear that I'm the only one 'over budget' - some are close/just on target - others are struggling. Team Awesome strikes again!
Usually I pack my order Tuesday, so I was a day behind.

This week I had double the amount to pack for my team on Wednesday.
It took me a while!
So then onto the usual - Wednesday night delivery/Z17 at work til 11pm - two deliveries Thursday morning, two Thursday afternoon (half an hours drive away) - with a break to meet Z17 for lunch in between.

Friday was a catch up on work reports/emails.
Urgent washing to catch up on.
Damaged stock to be broken/smashed/seperated from original boxes (so that scum bags can't get it off the tip and try and return it again - cos they will try anything).
Sort out a few other things for Big A to take to the tip.
Chocolate Ripple Cake ingredients purchased, a dash to Rivers to see if they had something for Small Man to wear to my brothers 40th b'day (they didn't).
Z17 to work.
Ripple cake x 2 to make. They turned out perfectly (yay!).
I'm feeling a bit tired by this stage.
Bit of a sore throat (which is often a warning to slow the hell down).
A few messages to and from my brother, and a few mates getting organised for the next day.

Saturday morning was - getting Z17 ready for work, ironing clothes for the party, washing Z17's uniform for tonight (Sunday), packing up cooler bags with Small Mans Pepsi Max, cheese for the food platters I was putting together etc etc
A few messages back and forth - work related - we had ad's in the paper yesterday...
Z17 decided to have a shower before work - and used up all of the hot water.....
Luckily we didn't have to be at my bro's until 3pm - very lucky.
I managed a quick one - then Big A took his turn - hot water ran out altogether.
Small Man waited until the last minute - soaped up in the bathroom sink - then dove under and rinsed off. tsk tsk.
Ha ha! I better get Z17's shower timer back out I think!

So anyway, he was tucked away at work at midday, we were all scrubbed up and on our way to the party....on time.
We were early, to help out - my brother raced off to pick up PB and children, ice, etc.
Big A and Small Man set up the DJ machine (Small Man's) out the back on the verandah, I washed up and re-arranged the fridge - otherwise the place was immaculate!

The guests arrived in a slow steady stream - around 40 people in the end - so nice to catch up with some cousins, well you know twice removed and all that but still family is family.
Also a lot of my brothers friends I hadn't seen for up to 20 years. There were quite a few I didn't know though.
I busied around, and must have looked like I was in charge cos everyone kept asking me "can I put this here" and "where are the knives/cloths/etc" to which I'm all "Go for it" and "Err...dunno..have a look in the cupboards!".
I really didn't have to do much.
Put the platters together, then actually wandered through the groups of people offering the food (I know, me, in a crowd, who knew!). I usually find being 'busy' in the kitchen a good way to hide.
I eventually enjoyed talking with my 'Uncle' (actually my cousin, but was best mates, cousin of Dads - also the ONLY one that helped me when Dad died and we ran into all of the legal issues).
There were plenty of kids of all ages, so my niece had a fabulous time, she has been so excited about Daddy's birthday.

Z17 finished work at 7pm - so I took PB's kids for a drive to pick him up.
When we got back the caterer had gone - and left all of the leftover meat and salad - he comes back the next day to collect empty bowls. The food was delicious, plentiful for sure.
Mum bought a few cheescakes, and a gorgeous vanilla birthday cake for the birthday boy, plus the two choc ripple cakes I'd made.....

'Uncle' R made a speech for b'day boy - known for dragging up the most embarrassing stories EVER when making a speech, somehow my brother escaped nicely - not sure how that worked!

Have promised uncle R we will go and visit - he has a son the same age as Small Man - he was a 'surprise' baby - Uncle R was in his 50's - with a new younger partner (she was 40) - he also has two older sons one is early 40's the other 34.
It would be nice for Small Man to get to know his cousin.
We live in the same town - we must do it.
Uncle R has done well for himself, he has a million dollar house looking over the city, several businesses - well a chain of them actually. He is as busy as we are - and admits he's hopeless with visiting, but we are welcome any time.
I would like to ask him if Small Man could use his pool (during the week) for physio - I'm sure it'll be fine - they were really concerned to hear about Small Man's health problems

Later on, my brothers little girl stood up and spoke over the microphone - to the effect of "And I like to congrat-u-late Daddy about his birthday...and I love him...and he got a very special day" - Awww...so adorable.
And she's usually shy too.
Bless her.
Then she sang Happy Birthday.
She's only 4.....

By 9.30pm we were down to half of the guests - the people with little ones had gone.
A few others needed to leave early.
It was cold by then, quite cold actually.
The bigger boys were inside watching tv.
There were groups under the verandah, and some in the garage.
We listened to Neil Diamond, U2 and Queen...my brothers taste.

Mum decides she must get on my brothers Harley - I got photos!! Ha ha!!

By 11pm we decided we were ready.
My brother had half a dozen of his oldest mates by his side - ready to keep partying.
One of the other ladies and I did the whip around, putting leftover salad into smaller bowls (quite the job when your brother has like two tupperware containers - ha ha!), covered up cake (he seems allergic to cling wrap - he has it, just doesn't use it). We cleared up all of the used plates etc. Then I loaded up again with stuff to bring home.

Big A says to brother "Are you sure you don't mind us taking this salad Pete?"

Brother says "Yeah mate - you can take 90% of it"

Big A "So what will you do with the 10%?"

Brother "Oh I'll probably chuck it out"

Ha ha ha!!!!

Small Man was stuffed.
Z17 was stuffed.
Big A was freezing.
Me, I was actually o.k.!
I checked on the little one, she wasn't asleep.
Brother assures me she would be fine.

We come home and unpack all of the gear, put our electric blankets on.
Big A's doesn't work, so he fills up a hot water bottle.
I unpack and stuff around a while - the boys were taking funny photos - especially for my blog - so I'll post those for you asap (once I work out how to get them off the phone onto computer - not my phone!).
Anyhoo - it must be bed time it's well after midnight.
Big A goes to jump in.
Hot water bottle had leaked - all through his side of the bed - bloody outh - went down well - NOT!
So I'm getting towels down under him and so on.
That's fine, we fix it up and get into bed.
I'm so warm by then, and comfy, and tired.
Then it soaks through the towels and stuff I have put down.
So I get up AGAIN.
And strip the sheet off, and put more towels down - and another sheet on - BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER!
Finally - it must have been 1am.

Sleep!!! ZZZZzzzzzz........

This morning I thought I would sleep in - didn't - woke up at a decent time.
Lots of washing to do today.
Big A vacumed the floors - I know!!! - he got sick of waiting for me to find/make time to do it.
Brother - who I shall call 'Pete' - mostly cos that's his name (har har) arrived with pyjama'd daughter in tow - to see if Big A could fix his computer - and to report on his big night - they went on til the early hours - I was pleased - there is often a bit of a 'low' after such a big night - especially as he's on his own.
Mum and SF came over later in the afternoon and stayed a while - then it was time for Z17 to go to work - again. Big A to the rescue again this time - so I lit the fire and tidied up a bit more.

I finally checked in on my blog somewhere in the middle of all of this - after being missing in action for two whole days - if I let myself on here - I would never have made it through the last few days without panicking/forgetting something/being disorganised - cos I know what I'm like. Easily distracted.

5.30pm and I crashed on the couch for an hour - *bliss*!


So I realised I haven't posted in over a week - so this should make up for it!
I will post the photos the boys had me take last night - they saw the photo I posted of Z17 holding Small Man when he was born, and have done a 'nearly 14 years later' version - funny boys!


G
xxx