Saturday 29 January 2011

Strange happenings at Chez Fork

Odd things have been occurring over the past couple of days.  My usual morning routine is to get out of bed, take the furbabies downstairs then come back up to start making breakfast.  When the furbabies bark at the jogger who runs past, I go downstairs, yell at them, take them back upstairs to eat and all is right with the world.  Except last Friday when the furbabies barked, I went down to get them and instead of being inside barking at the jogger, they were outside loping along after him!

Turns out, somehow, the side gate had gotten open and they had taken the opportunity to escape.  I ran inside to get slightly more decent than just my nighty, let Mr Fork know, and took off after them.  10 minutes later, I returned home to get my mobile and the car and continue looking.  We found them, 3 blocks away, after we saw a car swerve to avoid hitting them.  The fluff balls were ok, and were chastised, punished then cuddled in that order.  How the side gate got open, we don't know.  To open it, someone would have needed to come through our front yard and then through the gate.  Needless to say, we didn't see or hear a thing.

A few days later, I was out on the deck for some reason and noticed something spilt on the floorboards.  Mr Fork and I cleaned it up... and this mysterious liquid also seemed to eat away the paint underneath.  Neither of us remember dropping anything there, and it goes without saying that we don't use anything in the house that would be so dangerous, especially with all the pets we have!  Mr Fork suggested that it might have been some sort of animal marking it's territory overnight, but I ask you, what sort of animal has spray that dangerous and corrosive ?!



I don't know what's going on, but we've padlocked all the gates and we're keeping a close eye on things out at the ol' homestead.

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Happy Australia Day

While the rest of the country:

a) sits back to watch the cricket
b) basks somewhere on a beach
c) laze in a blow up pool in the backyard with JJJ hottest 100 on full volume (thanks neighbours)
d) has a BBQ and throws back the beers
e) all of the above

I sit and try to do my assignment.  The assignment that I asked for an extension for because the floods destroyed my assignment mojo.  I know, karma will bite me.

It's too hot, I can't concentrate and Australia Day is not made for assignments dammit!

At least, now it is afternoon, I can relax with a drink.  I'm still trying to get through all the engagement champagne (Mr Fork is no help), and in the absence of strawberries, I improvised with fresh Tasmanian cherries.  I quite like the way they turned my drink pink and the bubbles make them float and dance around in my glass.  Delicious!

Friday 14 January 2011

Flood Update

It's all so sad. We're ok because we're high on a hill, but some friends have evacuated and some have houses underwater.  My best friend went back to check on her place to find the water was up over her lawn but didn't reach the house.  She was lucky; her neighbours not so much, and her driveway became the boat ramp for vessels trying to get back to homes to see the damage.  We had house guests for awhile as well, a hound we doggy sat so his parents could go back to their house, and a friend who was on 'The List' of places to be affected.  


As for Mr Fork and I, we're fine but its hard to see places that are so familiar looking so different. Its harder than words can say actually, and its horrible to think that I'll have to go to work on Monday and brave the smell of sewerage throughout the city and the sight of all that devastation.  On a personal, selfish note, I have tickets to Wicked on February 5th, and I'm hoping like mad that QPAC is able to re-open.

Of all things, we ran out of toilet paper, and when I went to get more, because of all the panic buying going on, the shelves were bare! I mean honestly, I expect the bread, milk, fresh produce, pasta, eggs etc... but the loo paper? Merde!!



Wednesday 12 January 2011

City under siege

For those who don't know, Brisbane is currently under floor warning.  This morning, 75% of QLD was declared a disaster zone.  In the aftermath of Toowoomba's flash flooding yesterday, the Brisbane forecast is not great, with predictions that we could equal or exceed the flood waters of 1974.  The heavy rainfall which has lasted over a month, in conjunction with high tides and the full dam capacity means flood releases will be constant.  The death toll is currently at 10, with 90 missing.  


I was told to leave work yesterday while the leaving was good.  As I left, the river broke it's banks at West End, and crossing Southbank, had just covered the bike way and was en route to the grassy knoll outside QPAC.  Ipswich and Caboolture were on evacuation alert.


Our house is fine; we're on a hill and suffered only a little soggy yard.  And smelly puppies.  So its extremely unlikely that we'll have to evacuate - which is good as I haven't bothered to prepare anything. 


This morning, the river flooded over the Yeronga Corso.  Much of the CBD was shut down and power cut.  Some of my friends have left their homes in search of higher ground, others have been flooded already.  There has been a run on grocery stores as some areas are now isolated and others expect to be without power for up to 5 days.  Fresh fruit and veg, bread, eggs and milk are in short supply.  I'm Asian, so I do like to buy in bulk and we're fine, although our loo paper and bird seed supplies are a little low.  


To those who have offered thoughts and prayers for us, thanks.  Its going to be a tough couple of days - while we're fine, I have friends and family who aren't as lucky and my thoughts are with them.  This is a picture of Eagle St pier.  Somewhere under that mass of water is a bike path that I often ride on, and restaurants I frequent.



Thursday 6 January 2011

New Year's Reflection

I know, it's well into the new year now, but I came across 20 questions here to reflect back across 2010, and I couldn't resist.

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
Mr Fork proposing.  He showed off his romantic side for a change!

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
The fall out with my mother.  There was a big gap in my year without her around.

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
My furbabies give me joy every day.  It was unexpected to get them but I wouldn't have it otherwise.  Unconditional love and snuggles; who could ask for more?

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
It was incredibly hard sometimes to realise that I can't control everything and other people can do things as well as I can.

5. Pick three words to describe 2010.
Fabulous, challenging, more!

6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2010 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).
Be [the] bigger person.

7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2010 (again, without asking).
Stop spoiling surprises!

8. What were the best books you read this year?
Book? Please. Mostly repeats last year, textbooks don't count. I'll fix that this year when the degree is done.

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
My fiance, my friends, my furbabies, my bicycle, my dad, my uncle.  Not necessarily in that order.

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
I went from having a family to having fractured parts. It was a big challenge pulling myself together after the fall out from that one.

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
I learnt that there is a time and a place. Sometimes you need to take time for yourself, and there is a lot of time for thinking when you're off cycling.  Just don't think too hard - buses are big and look like they'd hit hard.

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
When someone close to you dies, you start to see them in places you'd least expect.

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
Technically I shrunk physically.  If we're going to be literal, my thighs are more muscular and my left ring finger developed a sparkly attachment...

14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
Again, when a door closes, sometimes a window opens.  I may have reduced time with some people, but as a result I developed closer (and new!) ties with others.

15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
Branching out and taking on some new challenges.  Moving in with Mr Fork and learning to share our spaces.  Shared responsibility with the furbabies.

16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
Branching out and taking on some new challenges.  Taking a step back and realising I'm not always right. Learning to let Mr Fork take care of me.

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
Facebook.

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
I am *this* (holds fingers apart) close to another degree instead of a couch potato specialising in TV series.

19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
People can surprise you.

20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2010 for you
Glad its over, and bring on 2011!

Saturday 1 January 2011

Welcome!

I thought I should get back into this blogging thing.  New year, new blog, new attitude, new me.  I think 2011 is going to be a big year.  2010 was big, don't get me wrong: Mr Fork and I bought a house together, we got engaged, we now have two furbabies to care for as well as the feather and scale-babies, not to mention the now notorious familial dramas.

2011 is going to be the 'new me' year!  I'm finishing the degree, we're getting married, I'm going to start blogging more and I'm going to be positive and fabulous about it all.  On that note, I'm not one for resolutions, but it is a new year and all and so:

  1. I aim to ride 2000km over the year (Mr Fork thinks I'm aiming too low and so this figure will be reviewed mid year)
  2. I will be more experimental with food and blog about my experiences
  3. I will not be bridezilla
  4. I will be the bigger person (figuratively not literally, natch, as I have a wedding dress to fit in to)
  5. I will maintain a healthy diet and exercise
Why the fork? It's a bit of an inside joke, but I do like to cook, and eat.  So if it's vegetarian (even better if it's vegan) why yes, I'll be there with a fork!

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