Update....

Because I'm sure you are hanging on the edge of your seat about my rodent issue(s) !!

The trap I bought from the hardware shop hasn't yielded any results......yet.

So my table is still covered with plastic ware.

And I haven't been into any of the cupboards under the kitchen sink.........

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

The other pest issue I am having has no resolved itself either.

She has also emailed another of my dear friends, Rose, after adding Rose to her friends list on fb.

I haven't seen Rose in a few years either - we talked for an hour and a half on the phone last night.

The pest asked Rose if she had seen me lately, and that we 'had a falling out a few years ago, and to this day she still doesn't know why, G just stopped returning my calls'

Yeah.....right.

I explained to Rose what happened and why, and she correctly pointed out 'We are too old for this crap -it's like high school'.

Exactly.

She didn't know about Small Man and his troubles.

Or me and mine.

She said it's no wonder I don't have time for trivial bullshit and false friends.

Exactly.

The good that has come out of this is that we will be catching up very soon.
Everything happens for a reason, and if it brings me back close to friends I love then good.

Rose is the friend I mentioned a little while ago, that I found on facebook.
I spent quite a bit of time with her family when I was younger (16 - 17).
We have so many memories of that time, we could talk for hours and hours :)

As for the other person I'm not taking the bait (a bit like Mr Mouse!).

Clearly she wants me to contact her and I'm not - she knows full well what she did, and if her conscience is so clear why didn't she front up here and ask why I stopped returning her calls?
That's what I would do.

Ha ha! I was thinking, the pest would look at my friends list on facebook and think WHAT?!
Who are these people - ha ha ha!
I have a few of my blog friends on my list :)
Big A asked me all the questions this morning, like have I got a link to my blog on facebook (don't be silly!).
The only way she could find this is if she is clever, and a friend on my list has a public profile that anyone can see, with a link to THEIR blog on facebook, and she finds me through their blog.
I don't think she's that clever actually.

I think most of you have me in your sidebar as 'Myst' or something anyway.

I'm not paranoid about it in the slightest, but I would prefer she didn't have any further info about me or my boys to use as gossip.

I was more concerned when the Almighty was on my case, and most of the posts referring to her I have saved to draft - her 'boyfriend' (lucky chap) works in I.T. - so may have a way of finding things.

So anyway, I'm off to check the mouse trap - and go with Lou's plan 'C' if it doesn't work today - a grenade!!!

G
♥X♥X

Nobody Likes A Smart.......Mouse....

And no....they are not cute.

I spent the entire evening last night removing half of the plastic ware from my cupboard - washing it in hot soapy water and disinfectant - because I found mousey poop in the cupboard.

Why only half?

Because rodent boy decided to appear when I went for the second lot.

I have an extreme, illogical, over the top phobia of anything rodent - dead or alive - in real life or on t.v. - yeah I'm that screwed up with it!

I put George in the cupboard - he had a sniff - then gave me a 'MMwwwoowww'.
This translates to 'Yes Mummy I know there is a mouse in the cupboard, I'm just not that hungry right now...besides last time I bought a rat in you screamed your head off".
Well maybe I did George, but this time you're allowed to catch it!

So I decided to construct a humane trap (mostly to avoid blood and guts all through the cupboard).
We have a square, see through plastic container with a tight fitting lid - in the side I cut a round hole (easier said than done) and then inserted a cardboard tube approx 20cm in length.
At the end of the pipe that is in the container I made a flap from thick cardboard and attached it with duct tape - so that it opens into the container but is bigger than the hole at the end of the tube.
I placed a length of duct tape on the edge of the flap so that when it closes it seals - I also placed a large piece of duct tape sticky side up into the centre of the container - the idea being that he will get stuck on the tape and not be able to get out - with some biscuit crumbs to tempt the mouse in.....

Nothing happened overnight so my table is covered in tupperware!

I checked the trap an hour ago - he has been in there - eating some biscuit - and managed to get back out!!!!!!

So I think more duct tape is needed - otherwise I'll have to go and get a few of those traps that catch the whole mouse - not the ones that snap shut and squish em.

I'm pretty sure he's in the cupboard laughing at me RIGHT NOW......


I'll have the last laugh....

I promise you that!!


G
xx

Get A Life!!!

Here's the part where I get shitty and have a rant.

I ran into an old friend Sal today.
We have been friends since we were 6 years old.

She told me she was going to call me tonight (?!)
I haven't talked to her in quite a while, but we are still very good friends.

SOMEONE - a person that I called a friend, who was with me when I was in labour with Z17 added Sal to her friends list on facebook - then immediately sent her a "concerned" message to ask if I was 'O.K. she had heard I wasn't well'.

Yeah right.

No she wasn't being a concerned person I lost contact with - it was deliberate on my part.

This is the same girl that aborted her baby because she thought it might be ugly, she didn't think the father was as attractive as he could be.....shallow?

The same girl that would run me down to anyone that would listen, but be nice to my face (it appeared).

I should have known - she was running down all of her other so called friends to me at the same time.

She would throw in subtle criticisms and make me feel bad.

When Z17 was born I didn't know many people, and didn't drive, so relied on people turning up when they said they were going to - she would let me down....often.

She also gave Z17 CREAM on a beater to lick when he was only 3 months old - I could have slapped her. And guess what, to this day he won't eat cream.
I was VERY particular about him being introduced to foods at the appropriate age.
Hell why not give the baby egg and a few weet bix????

She has a son 9 months older than Small Man and constantly compared them - and he was a full on little shit - to the point where I didn't like his influence on SM.
And she couldn't see it.
No, I don't think my kids are perfect but this one was a shocker.

There is a lot, lot more but I'll only get angry typing it out (bitching and telling stories about me to two ladies that work for me is just a start).

I haven't seen her for many years, at least 8.
I don't wish to.
I made a decision some time ago to cut loose anyone that makes me feel bad.

She tends to bail up anyone that knows me and either puts me down, or tries to get information out of them about me.

I'm sick of it.

This is the last straw, she has added two of my other friends to her list - wtff??
I have set all of my stuff on facebook to private.
Hopefully she can't view my photos etc but I may even take the photos off.
I NEVER refer to my blog on facebook.....blog? What's a blog!

If she keeps annoying Sal I'll shut my facebook page down.

I just feel so...trespassed or something!!

I am no longer angry about anything she has said or done, I wish her well, I just want her OUT OF MY LIFE!

Grrrr!

G
xx

A MeMe Of The Moment First....

Meme Of the Moment.

1. What is your current obsession?

SLEEP! Ha ha!

Oh.....but closely followed by posting off annoying medicare forms - well it must be my current obsession, I'm always doing it!

2.Which item of clothing do you wear often?

Camo pants. Mostly just around the house.
Other times I pretend I have been renovating or gardening or something and wear them out....

3.What's for dinner?

Ricotta and spinach angotti with spicy bacon, tomato and mushroom sauce and a spot of shaved parmesan.

Well it was that or Dim Sims.......

4.What are you listening to?

The lifestyle channel on t.v. , rain

5.Say something to the one that tagged you.

Hey Michelle :) Thank you for tagging me....sorry it's taken me a while.....

6.Favorite vacation spot?

Hamilton Island was pretty darn good both times!

7. What I'm reading right now?

Blogs, emails....that's about it

8. Four words to describe myself.

Optimistic, more cranky (in a crazy way) in person than I come across in my blog,
patient, worn out.

I know, that's more than four eh!

9.Guilty pleasure.

Smoked oysters with spicy sauce!

10. What do you think you will feel about your life when all is said and done?

I always did what made me, and my closest happy - bugger the critical know it alls!

11. What do you look forward to?

Small Man recovering and resuming a 'normal' life (free of appointments and fatigue)


So now.........I tag........

Toni

Lou (LouCeel)

Tania

Evil Twins Wife

Vicki (NollyPosh)


Lots of love to you all,

G
xx

So....

Sorry I didn't get to replying to everyone's comments on my last post - thank you guys :)

My cardiologist appointment went well.

He is a lovely man, Indian or Indonesian, just like the gastroenterologist (?spell ha ha!).

He wants to try a few different things.

Next step is a stress echo cardiogram (where you run like a hamster on a treadmill and get your heart rate recorded).
The next will be multiple holter monitors (a 24 hour monitor that you wear).
I can't remember the next thing.....
The last option will be putting some sort of wire loop thing into my chest under the skin for 12 months that monitors or something.
Hopefully the first few options will give him the info he needs - the wire is around $4000 - EEEK!

He didn't say a thing about my smoking.
That doesn't mean I don't want to have a go at giving up later in the year (after Z17's birthday would be best).
I think he wants me to stay as I am for the monitoring.

He also didn't bag me out when I told him I have ADD.
I have had doctors virtually roll their eyes when I have told them this before.
Clearly they don't have it, nor do they have a child with it, or a close friend.
This guy was really nice, he said it was great that have sought treatment for the ADD and managed so well for the last ten years since my diagnosis.
I haven't written much about this before - but here it is :)
I do take medication that could be putting my heart rate up a bit - if I ever have to go off it it will be an extremely hard decision, because of the difference it makes to my life, especially as far as work is concerned.

At least I have someone that hasn't written me off in the first appointment, AND he had a gown for me to wear during the examination.
The last cardiologist I saw (once) didn't - and he had a student doctor there.
For a female seeing a cardio it's quite embarrassing, especially when you have a 38DD bust, and feel grossly overweight to begin with.

So we covered everything and I go back for the stress test on the 15th May.


So we'll see :)

G
xx

Back to it....again!

Another busy week here at BlackstoneMyst.

I'm feeling boring hence the repeat post title!

Extreme migraine yesterday has knocked me flat.

Last week we had NF (new friend) over to stay for 3 nights.

What a lovely boy, I hardly knew he was here!

They played guns outside in the dark (as you do!), watched movies, played xbox, played on the computer, played with some CB radio thingys (non technical name), went to the movies....

I seem to have spent a lot of time online paying for 'stuff' this week.

Not spending huge amounts myself but organising guitars for Z17 - a major purchase for him - the guitar is costing half the amount he paid for his car!!

Also one of his front indicators lost the outer casing sometime this week - we rang around the wreckers with no luck - we were going to go to the Honda dealer here but I decided to look online first.
Ebay - $44 including postage. Gotta love eBay!!

Small Man and NF ordered a few jewellery items from eBay as well - since neither of them are allowed to get anything pierced they have settled on some magnetic studs to try out.

I did order a few things from Deals Direct last weekend too - they had free shipping if you paid with paypal - I saved quite a bit actually.
So a new mattress topper is on it's way for Z17, along with a meat grinder to make mince (I have wanted one of these for ages).
I also.......gee this is getting long isn't it!....found some Diesel Green deodorant and aftershave for Z17 - probably for his birthday but maybe not if he runs out before then.

The last few years were such an extreme battle financially, there have been a lot of little things that I have put off getting, and a few big things.

Right in the middle of Big A's apprenticeship I had to replace my car.....Ouch!

General things like needing new bed sheets/doona covers, curtains in Z17's room, a mattress topper for his bed (got it!), plants in the garden, clothes myself.......
These are all things I have managed without, or grabbed at the op shop or eBay where possible.

I think we have done fairly well considering.

I have maintained the garden we already had (well, sorta!) and managed to strike quite a few cuttings just to fill it in.
It still looks half landscaped but anyway - we'll get there.
I have always cut and coloured my own hair ( I tried going to the hairdresser once for a colour - it looks exactly the same as when I do it - and for $80 - uh nah thanks!).

I learnt a lot about budgeting during all of this, so did the boys - although I have always been careful with money.
Example of this - I still have birthday money in my purse from Grandma - my birthday is January - ha ha!
Big A is more spend than save - so the four years were probably harder for him than me ;)

For the first two Christmases I had all presents purchased (for the family) and in the cupboard by November.
When the third Christmas rolled around we had finally convinced Big A's family that we don't need to buy for adults any more, my familywere totally fine with it right off the bat.
By the fourth Christmas we had convinced his family that we should stick to childrens birthdays only - and they agreed.

Naturally home loan interest rates drop AFTER he'd qualified.....hmmm!!

Well, this is not what I should be doing.

My boss is coming over tomorrow from Victoria - the house is a bit messy and I haven't organised lunch for tomorrow yet.....the migraine I had yesterday/last night has put me so far behind it's not funny....

G
xxx

Back to it....

So......life is back to abnormal here again!

Just the way I like it :)

The Big A is home from his fishing trip...and now has a few days off

I have my laptop back!

SM's (Small Man) new friend came over to stay Saturday night,
then had Easter Sunday with us....Easter Bunny is a clever bunny indeed as he knew new friend was here and remembered him.

SM was due to go and stay at NF's (new friend) Sunday night,
but by Sunday afternoon he wasn't looking the best,
so they have called it off for later in the week.
Camp, along with having a new mate here to stay, along with his first therapy session Saturday morning set his chronic fatigue into overdrive.
It is good that he has learnt to pace himself.
I think NF may have been a little disappointed, but he did understand.

Z17 kept a low profile while NF was here - I think he was afraid the boys might suggest wrestling or something - SM and NF's combined weight is 200kg heavier than Z17..........
I think he was wise - ha ha!

I managed to get out in the garden for a while today.
I was surprised it actually wasn't as bad as it was in my mind :)
My roses needed a bit of a trim, a few weeds but really not many and a few dead bits needed pulling out/trimming, that's about it out in the front garden...................
but gee I need some plants out there!
I'm thinking at least 5 roses, and about 10 other lavender (I want some pink or white ones!), daisies, wallflower or whatever.

I'll get there.

There is a good wholesale place that is open Thursdays and Sundays, plants are CHEAP.
So may pay them a visit.
With quite a few changes planned for inside the house over the next 6 - 12 months I'd like to keep up with the outside too.
New carpet/floor coverings in the living/lounge/kitchen/laundry/hallway and bathroom.
New curtains/blinds/drapes in the living areas and bathroom.
The heat pump.
Removal of the woodheater..........
Painting the lot too!

I have a cheap idea for freshening up the kitchen too - all we'll need is a new benchtop a tin of paint and some new handles for the cupboards!

So, that's it for now :)

G
xxx

Some Easter Pooh...

I couldn't resist the title.........




Or the pics.........!

How did my boys get too old for Pooh Bear?



Happy Easter - I hope you have an awesome weekend,



G
♥x♥x

A Summary....

The boys arrived home from camp (just) - there was a stuff up at the last minute and SM almost had to leave his friend in Hobart - after some panic stations and frantic phone calls, and SM sitting on the bus freaking out for his mate, and not allowed to get off again he managed to get a seat....phew!

We went for lunch at HJ's after the bus trip. Z17 popped in for ten minutes on his lunch break from work experience.

The boys filled me in on their camp antics, and there were many ☺
They had a ball.

They are both so upfront and honest about their issues - and spent a lot of time discussing these at the camp.

Finally someone who understands.

His friend has lost contact with all but one or two from his high school as well.

They want to go to the movies over the Easter break (at least).

☻☻☻☻☻☻☻☻☻

Big A has taken off fishing for the weekend - with my laptop....tsk tsk.

I don't find it as easy to write in here (computer room, boys computer in here too + boys).
It feels a bit shut away or something.

Today I have spent in bed until 2pm - the sweating and fatigue thing is back - and an annoying cough. I am so over it I can't begin to tell you.

I had planned on getting out into the jungle formerly known as a garden this weekend.

I haven't even fully unpacked SM's gear - and that is one thing I usually HAVE to do straight away - I have washed the clothes, but there is still stuff sitting around - tsk tsk!

Z17 has some great hours over the weekend - he managed to score tonight, tomorrow night , Easter Sunday night and Easter Monday night - 3 shifts are double pay because they are holidays - he loves it ☺

So just SM and I for tea tonight.

If I had bothered to get fish out of the freezer this morning I could be having flake, albercore, blue fin, calamari or striped trumpeter for tea.....maybe I still will.
SM doesn't eat fish so none for him ☺

G
xxx

A Happy Heart

I'm feeling happy tonight :)

Small Man has made a new friend at camp!

It seems the universe had plans to put them together.

I saw his friend at the doctors surgery the other week,
I'd seen him once before at one of the get togethers for DET (Distance Ed Tas).
They were on the bus together to Hobart.
When they arrived they were in the same room (just the two of them, two to a room at this camp).

They had both selected the same activities to do at camp.

He is a big boy too.
Tall and heavy for his age.
He has food 'issues' as well.

There were a few other parents at the bus terminal, and it was his mother I just happened to start talking to.

And they live fairly close by.

SM has lost contact with all but one or two of his friends from the local high school - even then it's electronic communication - not social.

He has made two good friends with DET - but one lives in Devonport, the other in Hobart.

New friend would like to catch up with SM next week.
And both boys would like us Mums to have a 'coffee' tomorrow when we meet them at the bus terminal.

This is definitely what he needs, also to have a mate that understands is terrific :)

I haven't heard much about the food situation at camp - but I guess having a new mate is a pretty good distraction, and helps the confidence too.

Another busy day tomorrow - four ladies to deliver to then off to the bus terminal to meet SM - then home again for another of my ladies later in the afternoon.

This week has been busy in general, I have just now finished for the day.

Gee - I may even get a day 'off' over Easter!

G
xx

A hiccup

I'm trying to stay positive and 'everything will be fine' again tonight.

I was messaging Small Man back and forth from camp (his first night).

None of his teachers are there at the moment.

It was meant to be tea time - and he was sitting in his room.

He was told that the kitchen is too busy for him to be in there.

So everyone else was eating while he sat in his room.

He has taken his own food which I was assured was o.k.

I mean all the child needed was a plate and a knife.

After more messages and I could tell he was getting upset...

I rang him.

I eventually got the teacher I spoke with the other day on the phone.

Small Man 'didn't want to make a big deal of it' and was going to just sit in his room - no-one noticed he wasn't there for tea!!!!

This teacher assured me the other day (after first telling me no-one was to take their own food, then me telling him that would be a problem because SM has an eating disorder and wouldn't be able to attend if that was the case) that this would be fine.

I explained to him that Small Man needed to go into the kitchen briefly to make his tea, and that he was already feeling self conscious about eating different food to the others, and that this was creating anxiety.
He said it would be fine, and escorted SM to the kitchen while I was on the phone.

They must have staff there because when he told them one of the women said "Ahh rr-ight" - so they obviously didn't know.

The teacher was quite brusque and sounded a bit hurried on the phone - maybe a lot going on at the time I don't know - but still.......

I thought the whole thing was better set up than this, that is what they led me to believe.

I spoke to SM again then hung up.

But now I feel terrible.

Issues around food are one of his main problems - something like this could set him back.

I really hope his own teachers will be there tomorrow night and he will feel better.

I have asked him to msg me if he needs me to ring back.

I'm not totally OTT but I won't leave him somewhere if it's going to damage the shreds of self esteem he has left.

At the same time if he's o.k. I'll leave him to enjoy himself.

For another child this wouldn't be a big deal at all - but when you have a child that's different......
and the school is supposed to be set up for this type of thing - the kids are there for many reasons similar to this......

I told the teacher very directly that this will need to be better organised tomorrow night.

And I'm usually not direct.

At all.

*sigh*

G
xxx

**Added at 7.45pm** Big A just came home - he told me if Small Man isn't happy there he can come home.....I feel relieved now.

p.s. It's our wedding anniversary today 13 years! We have been together for 19 years though :)

P.S.

Just as I hit 'publish post' last night, and put the kettle on to boil.....

I heard his car in the driveway!

Home safe and sound :)

I will get used to this....eventually,

G
xx

That 'thing' mothers do....

Yes, that's me at the moment - doing the 'I can't sleep because my son is out driving around town with some mates from work' thing........ You know the one!
Actually I'm more relaxed because it is Z17 driving, than I would be if he was in someone elses car, and they were driving.
He is a careful driver, I'm sure there will be a decent amount of 'silly buggers' going on (if nothing else I am a realistic parent) ......but hopefully not too much.

He received a VERY nice surprise last night - checking his pay online we thought he'd been overpaid (about 5 times) - the plan was for him to go into work and speak with the boss first thing this morning (he has one class then a break of about 4 hours).
When he got to college he asked a few of the other guys that also work at HJ's - it seems it was a 'back pay' situation and everyone got it = bonus!
He can now spend $2000 on a guitar and still have plenty left in his account.
He is careful with his money too - another blessing.
I often remark to him about him being 'on his way to his first million $'
It would not surprise me in the least.

Small Man is off to camp again next week - lets just say this one came around rather quickly! I think being 'off' for a week has thrown me out with dates etc! This time I'll be putting him on a bus to Hobart - where one of the teachers better hope they remember to collect him or they'll have me to deal with will be there to meet him at the bus terminal when the bus arrives.

They have some great activities organised one being guitar lessons which he is keen to do, Z17 has taught him heaps, but it will be good for him to have a more formal lesson.
There will also be orienteering, puppet making and drama, photography - it sounds like fun.
On Thursday one of the teachers will put him on the bus from Hobart to here and he'll be back Thursday afternoon.

I finished my antiobiotics Tuesday and have gone back downhill a bit.

Yesterday was a busy day with 5 of my people for me to drive and see (by 1pm) then two that came over after 1pm - I was asleep on the couch by 3pm - slept til almost 5.30pm - struggled to cook tea.....
Then today - oh the fatigue.
I got up with Z17 this morning, saw him off to college and then went back to bed and slept until nearly 1pm.
And the sweating has returned - it went away for a whole 3 nights - and was back with a venegance today.
I think I might pick up my antibiotic repeat.
Or something.
It's getting ridiculous.

We have been measured up and quoted for a ducted heat pump - we have only been wanting one for about ten years - he he!
But it wasn't an option until now (it was the whole $10,000 thing that was the issue).
The heat pump guy decided to call in and drop off our quote THIS MORNING!
It was bad enough when he was here the other day the house looked like it had been burguled - but the robbers didn't take anything.
I'm not good with short notice for these things ESPECIALLY when some guy is going to be going into the hiding place for crap that's lying around when visitors call in unexpectedly walk in wardrobe.
So today he turns up at around 9.30am - I must have just gotten into a deep sleep when he knocked at the door.
So I answer it in my dressing gown and he got that 'Oh crap I've woken you up' look on his face.

Oh dear.....!

Anyway I shall be off to make a milo and try and get some sleep, therapist for Small Man at 10am - then I have my guys around for a meeting at 3pm.

Hopefully my curly haired son will be home soon,

G

xx