Christmas has come and gone.

 Poor little Loki died last week. We had been looking in the yard and adjacent yards as he had not come in for his breakfast when I got a call from the local pound to say they had him but unfortunately he hadn't survived a run in with a car. A ranger had gone out and picked him up. 

Thank goodness he was microchipped otherwise I would not have known what became of him. We are devastated he was such a character and we miss him dreadfully.

LOKI

 

The old Bank of New South Wales now a hotel

 on the corner of Pitt, Hunter and O'Connell Streets, Sydney.

 My first job after leaving school  in 1968, I worked on the first floor as a Personal Loans clerk/Electro-file operator (early bank computer). No experience at all - just taught how to answer general loan enquiries and which buttons to push on the machine. Not like now I would have had to have qualifications and years of experience to get a job.

I left 18 months later after the manager of the department verbally abused a female clerk. I still remember the shock I felt listening to the tirade. I had school friends who were public servants and they encouraged me to apply for the public service as the conditions were more favourable to females there. 

I rocked up at lunch time the next day to the Public Service Board - Employment Office. I was asked if I was currently working and where, what qualifications I had. He then asked me why I wanted to work with them and told him I had friends who said it was a great place to work especially for female staff (I don't think I bought a resume with me.) I mainly was just sussing them out to see if I could apply. Next minute I was offered two positions - one in the middle of Sydney's CBD and the other down  near Circular Quay in Loftus Street I picked the later as it would soon move to O"Connell Street in a new building. 

I returned to the bank and handed in my resignation written with help from the senior female staff  so I could come back if I didn't like being a public servant. lol .  Then I had to go home and break the news to my parents - at that time 2 sisters and 1 brother were also employed in the banking industry.

I told my sister when I got home and she suggested I wait till after dinner - Mum and Dad were a bit worried when I ask if I could talk to them - Mum went ballistic when I said I had resigned but Dad said well I hope you have another job lined up.  I said yes and told them I start in 2 weeks - I was going from a 3 weeks leave to 4 weeks leave and also - from 1 week sick leave to 2 weeks sick leave -  and better pay and I didn't have to leave if I got married which is what happened in the bank at that time.

 Christmas is over for another year and for the first time in many years will not be going into the city, Sydney, for the Boxing Day sales.

This year we decided to have our Christmas lunch at our local bowling club. We haven't had any COVID cases  for quite some time but we're still practising social distance and we had helpers servicing the buffet.

I loved it. No mess to cleanup afterwards but my youngest son wants to go back to doing the lunch himself  at home.  I'm pretty sure he uses every pot and pan in the cupboards.

My son 36yr: Mum, If I put my legs through the sleeves of my dressing gown will it keep my legs warm during the night.

   Me: Ha Ha. just put an extra blanket/doona on your bed. 

 💤 😂 

++++++++++++++++++

My 2 sons moved back home 5 years ago 
for 6 months and are still here.

+++++++++++++++++

Not that I mind as they do all the cooking that
 involves roasting and slow cooking.

What a day yesterday was, up out of bed at 5.45am to catch the train down to Sydney and I find there is trackworks. So hop on the rail bus which takes you down via the F3 (now known as the M1) freeway. If you are like me driving on that road, then you have your hands firmly gripping the wheel with an intent look on your face as the road dips and swerves around hills and mountains, across bridges seemingly suspended in mid air and hugging the road as the juggernaut trucks sway past you. Fun, not.  So to sit back in a modern coach as it leisurely sweeps down hills on it way to Sydney is a pleasure where you can enjoy the scenery. You have time to chat to your fellow riders and a couple who will be going to the same market as you. (See paragraph below.)

I came down from the NSW Central Coast to help my daughter with her stall. There was trackworks on the Sydney Trains so I caught a rail bus down opposite me was a elderly lady travelling with her grand-daughter. The lady was dressed in full modern vintage clothes, I asked her if she was going anywhere special and she replied "We've come from Newcastle and are going to the Round She Goes Sydney's Preloved Fashion Market, we have been travelling for 3 hours now, do you know the way to Marrickville?. 

I wish now I had taken her photo.

After arriving at Central, it's onto a city train (yes, some were running just not on the northern or some inner city lines) trundle out to Marrickville then a brisk walk up the hill to the town hall. I bypassed all the hopeful shoppers to the front desk. "I'm here to help my daughter with her stall" I say and am ushered into a hall in utter chaos, people rushing to and fro with armfuls of clothing and dodging racks of handbags and coats.

I finally track down my daughter who is serenely setting up her stall, everything is labelled and tagged, and whom also grabbed some chairs as its going to be a long day. 10am to 3pm.

The doors opened to the general public and it was on for young and old, we took turns to go out and grab a drink and some lunch and then back into the fray again. FUN. We were packed up by 4pm, with not so many journeys to the car as pre market so that was great.

Natalie dropped me off at Strathfield for the journey home. I arrived home at 7.45pm after having to catch two buses, one to Hornsby to change for a coach to the Central Coast. All I wanted was a banana roll and a coffee for dinner, a catchup on twitter and facebook to see what every one else had been up to during the day and then off to bed. 

Today has been Wash Day, getting ready for work this week.

A Merry Christmas to all 

from my family to yours.

Today I head down to Sydney to spend the next two days with my sons

 and my daughter and her family.

Then on Boxing day I travel 500km car journey north 

to spend a couple of days with my older sister, Cathy and her family.

Then back home for New Year Eve.

Best place to be on a cold Autumn Day

I went into The Entrance today to see the

huge display of Chromefest2011 cars and activities.

The Rock'nRollers were enjoying the music

Loved the colours of these two cars.

Darcy is lounging on my work folder.

He is always on it.

As I carry it around all day

it probably has 'Aroma Frances' on it.

Tonight, I am staying over my brother's place and tomorrow we have an appointment with the Palliative Care Team of Westmead Hospital. I live 100klm away up the coast and it takes me about an hour and half to get through city traffic/freeway to get to his place.

As he lives alone we need to set up some care services for him - an emergency telephone bracelet, on-call nurse. He prefers to live alone and so we need to let him decide how things are managed.

The pizza man has come

and I have been told to eat it before it gets cold. lol.

Still recovering from a bout of flu.

In my third week.

Up to the coughing stage now.

(I sound like Muttley}.

Rest, rest, rest ... I have been told ... with plenty of fluids.

Recovering from a very stressful week

so will be having a quiet Saturday.

Tomorrow, I will be writing work reports to be sent into office.

My little grand-daughter feeling the heat.

My new guest room

otherwise known as the second bedroom.

My sister, Cathy and brother-in-law, Greg were on their way down the coast to see The Eagles at Acer Arena at Olympic Park, Sydney. They stayed for a couple of days and the room got a tick for comfy.

I may not have got the mowing done today

but at least I have made a start on painting the second bedroom

-classic cream-

I'll also be getting rid of the carpet at last.

Mila spending time with her Grandma

on a lazy Saturday morning.

Update:

Blood tests etc, came back negative -Phew- but Doctor still wants me to still go to Gastrologist, I mentioned I was not able to get in before mid-November so he has given me a list of others in the area to phone around and see if I can get in sooner also gave me a repeat prescription for stomach upset and pain killers among other options to try to lessen the constipation caused of the stomach spasms.

Wow! Its been a while since I last posted. I'm presently sitting up watching a delayed telecast of the 2010 Emmys, loving all the lovely dresses worn by the ladies and Jon Stewart doing a great job of presenting, its moving along at quick pace.

Tomorrow afternoon, I head off to the doctors to find out the results of blood tests etc , hopefully I'll find out why I'm getting stomach spasms this has been happening since the beginning of the year and am fully over it. Doctor said the good news is if it was stomach cancer I would be dead by now. WTF.

He gave me a referral to a gastrologist !! but wanted to get the results back before I book a appointment. I booked an appointment anyway and can not get in until November. :+[

I went down to Sydney to have lunch

with Natalie and Mila, today,

on the Newcastle to Sydney train

passing through Broken Bay.