Heat Wave

For the past 3 days Melbourne, my city of residence, has broiled under the Summer sun.  We have endured 43+ degree consecutive days, with overnight temperatures of mid 20's.  I really feel for the poor souls who do not have any form of cooling, and even more so for those that even if they do have cooling have been screwed over by the current Labor government.  A government whose leader chose to state last year that we would not be the victims of blackouts due to unfit electrical systems.  Wanker!!!  To him I & his party of fellow incompetents I say "cry me a river when I'm gone".

My poor puppies are totally blessed to have me as an owner... even if they wouldn't agree at times.  They are, along with me, lazing under the cool air of our airconditioner.  Occasionally I step outside to the drinks fridge and thank the lucky stars that I have the cool air inside.  I am continuing my watching of one of my favourite shows - 'The West Wing'.  Later on I'll hop in the car and go off to my friends house for a swim.  See best of both worlds - cool air at home and a private pool for my pleasure too.

Enjoy the heat wave fellow friends... and even more enjoy the cool change when it finally arrives.

EUReKA

I recently came across a new TV series called EUReKA.  It is quite bizarre but I've enjoyed the first 2 episodes so far.  It's about a man who's escorting his runaway daughter back to his ex-wife.  He's a US Marshal(Jack Carter) and on their drive back they run off the road avoiding a dog.  Stuck in this town where things are not 'typical' awaiting the repair of their car, Carter stumbles on what makes EUReKA unique.  Everyone in the town is a descendent of history's geniuses or a mathematical/scientific genius that work for a company that create for the US Government.

One of the things that I love about the internet is that you can search for alot of things.  The US floods their system with so many new shows that we often don't receive them until a couple of years later... if we're lucky.  This way if you find something that piques your curiosity then you can download at least one episode and decide if it is worth your while continuing.  That was the case with this show.  I have since downloaded the complete series one & two but haven't had a chance to watch much more as I've been busy.  tonight was going to be a night for sitting down and watching a bit more but I've had a reminder that we're off to a 30th birthday... maybe tomorrow then!

Let me know if there are any new TV shows that you've come across...

Home Sweet Home

It's great to get away from it all but it is even better to get back home.  We went straight to the hospital from the airport today and even though I went to bed fairly early (midnight), I am more than feeling it now.  My brother has been discharged!!!  So absolutely fabulous news for all of - him especially.  My parents and everyone have headed back to his house for dinner and to see him settled comfortably back in familiar surroundings.  I had my sister drop me off home so that I could change into comfy clothes and the opportunity to unwind in front of the tv.

Now I am about to have a simple dinner of maccaroni & cheese, veg out for a while then early bed... in my own bed, with my own lovely pillows... careful or I may start waxing poetry over a comfy bed!

G'night.

Fait Chaud! (It's Hot!)

I am currently in Mildura visiting my grandparents with my mother, although keeping in close contact with my Dad and brother whilst he is in hospital.  Richard started, finally, chemotherapy today and I'm sure when I speak to dad later tonight he'll let us know how that went.  

Well, I will never complain about heat waves in Melbourne again after being here for the past 3 days.  The day we arrived it was a hot 41 degrees celcius.  Definitely warm but felt more so because my poor aunt's car has decided that the airconditioning would no work.  Yesterday was a scorching 44 degrees celcius and it didn't take long for the heat topenetrate once you took a step out the door.  Today was, sad as I would describe it, - mild.  We had a top of 35 degrees, the coolest since our arrival.  The overnight temp for tonight is 23 degrees.... I plan to have a refreshingly cool shower and relax prior to attempting to sleep.

Our flight leaves here tomorrow just after noon... if it leaves on time that is.  The last time it was running an hour late.  With tomorrow's temp of 37 degrees celcius, let's hope the plane doesn't break down due to the heat!!!

Well, it's almost 7.45pm and my cousin Elizabeth is almost finished cooking us dinner.  Even with the heat we're having a hot meal - crazy I know but hey the Indians do it with their curries, so maybe it has a cooling effect????

Ciao!

Family

I'm sitting here in what is commonly known to all family and friends as our 'reading room' smiling and listening to the conversations flitting through the room between various family and friends.  The people visiting here today in celebration of my oldest sister's birthday are what I would call family regardless of blood.  I'm sure that many people would agree that there are often people that you adopt into a family because of the support, love and kinship felt.

I have 5 mums and love each of them for the support, love and laughter (as well as advice).  These marvelous women are beautiful for so many different reasons.  I thought that today's post would not wait for the 'official' acknowledgement of Mother's Day.  So, raise your glasses please to my mums:

Catherine

Barbara

Elizabeth

Margaret

Anne

These women mean the world to me, even if only one of them is my biological mother.  They are friends, mentor and true women to aspire to for many different reasons; all with differing strengths and weaknesses, but nonetheless are kept close to my heart.

I love you all very much.

Allegra Jane Vatta

This pretty little girl is my brand new niece.  She is now 2 weeks old and has all of us figured out already into doing her bidding on every whim.  Lara had some professional pics done of her that are absolutely stunning, so when I get my hands on them I'll be the proud Aunt and display them for you all. 

Allegra has been a blessing in more than the usual way.  As her Daddy (my baby brother) was diagnosed suddenly with cancer, we have had her to focus on and thus manage to keep the worst of the despair away.  The good news is, that her Daddy will be beginning treatment in the next couple of days and with this begins the journey to a full recovery.

So, as promised, this is my 2nd post for the evening and even if you are very much like me and really are not that enthralled with babies, you have to admit that she is quite a sweet looking baby (the pic was taken when she was 8hrs old).

Raise your glasses & toast the next generation of Vatta's - Miss Allegra Jane Vatta! (28/12/08)

Ice Cream

I found this pic on the net and it reminded me of one of the best things I love about Summer - ice cream!  These ice cream sandwiches are a fantastic idea for lunch... who cares about a nutritional sandwich for lunch, have one of these instead.

I've decided to do 2 posts today and this one is focused on my all time favourite dessert.  I don't quite understand how anyone can have a favourite when it comes to ice cream.  I mean, I have preferences but in all honesty, all you need to do is put some in front of me and I just don't care.  It's ice cream, there's just no point in considering a favourite flavour, they're all enticing.

Okay, I have to say that when standing in front of a gelati case, where they are cruelly displaying 20 flavours for my taste buds to fight over, I then have a battle on my hands, in my mouth and in my head over which I want to either take with me or eat then and there in a cup or cone.  These decisions are placed before me to ensure that on some level I am not fulfilled and left disappointed.  Should I go for a chocolate base? pistachio? fruit? or exotic styled nougat?  ARGH!!! Not Fair! Time out!

Homer Simpson says "mmm donuts"; I am left in a puddle of drool over the grandness that is ice cream or gelati.... mmmmmmmmmm

Hard Times

I haven't, after being a fairly faithful blogger, written for a little while and there is a reason for it.  After the joy of my niece entering this world and our family we have been hit a blow.  My baby brother (father to newly born niece), has just been diagnosed very suddenly with lymphatic cancer.  So he and our families are in for a very tough struggle to fight what is considered one of the better cancers, over the next few months.  Needless to say I am very ambivalent at the moment.  To top all this off, a man that I was 'seeing' informed me after being told of this situation that I do not seem to have the same 'values' as he does and he was a little perturbed (his words) that I was so entrenched (another of his words) in my family's day to day lives.  Uh Huh!  I don't get it so maybe you can explain it to me?

So from all of this I have decided I don't give a fuck if I find someone or not.  No one is worth this and I am in total disbelief with my ability to find any fuckwit out there to screw me over in some capacity.  Anyway, enough of that.  I am however blessed with some very good close friends and know that I will be relying on them very heavily over the period of my brother's treatment/recovery.  Sometimes that reliance may even be when I'm not up to it and they have to dictate my social calendar.

Anyway, to you all out there.  I expect to write more of my story whilst sitting at my brother's bedside as well as touching base here, maybe not as much as I have been but definitely maintaining contact at least once a week.

New Finds...

I really enjoy when I experience what I consider a new find.  These moments then ensure that for a while my enjoyment is flooded as I must then collect everything that the newly found author or group or show has done so that my rampant need for that high is maintained.  In 2008 I "found" an author that struck that chord.  Her name is Nalini Singh and funnily enough my mum had a couple of her books sitting in her book case and I was bored so thought that I'd give her a go.  Well, let's just say that I then HAD to have the rest of her books and within the matter of a week I had read all of them that were available in that series. 

Another find for me is a little known group called Secondhand Serenade.  Their music is really quite lovely... alas they only have one album out but I do encourage you all to have a listen.  My new 'must see' TV shows found in 2008 were Merlin, a BBC production I have already mentioned in an earlier Blog and Sex and the City... I know an oldie, but to be quite honest I only bothered with the show if I happened to catch it whilst flicking channels.  This year, not only did I watch the entire series on dvd, I bought it then proceeded to see the movie & buy that too!  Not all of it is fantastic but my goodness ladies ***whoo hoo***, if you have not watched it before then please do so.  It is a very interesting adventure within the chick lit genre.

So, anyway, they are just a few little tidbits...there were of course many other authors, singers etc but I'd love to have some of your comments on what impacted you in 2008 and consider a "find".