It's becoming a habit

It really is getting to be a habit.  I searched back through all of my photos and found one of Huey, my dwarf hamster, in my parents' bed (while my mother was on holiday - much to her consternation).  My dad posted it on Facebook, which makes him complicit.  This was about five or six years ago.

Then, probably around the same time, my cat Tig, in my bed in Swords.  This was just after I had moved from Galway, and she couldn't stay in the rest of the house as my housemate's cat would attack her.  She wasn't the best "bed cat" as she had a horrible habit of sleeping on my legs which was really annoying.

And finally, here is my Lily, posing under my new quilt cover that I bought at the weekend.  She only got to stay a short while as she sleeps downstairs in her own bed, but it was cute while it lasted.  I had to scoop her up and carry her downstairs as she apparently had no intention of ever getting up.

I have to say, as far as actual sleep goes, I much prefer them all being in their own beds, however photogenic they might be.  (future pets beware)

It's barely 0900 and I've already flown home, put laundry on, and cleaned my car.  I feel incredibly useful, but it's all downhill from here. 

It was a gorgeous morning in R, somewhat warmer than Brisbane at 15 degrees, with Brisbane hovering at just 12 when we landed.  It's getting to that time of year where I prefer to be on late shifts, but at least the sunrises are beautiful.

Some wally in the staff car-park opened their ute's door into the door handle of my car, so I need to get the paint repaired - hence washing my car before it goes to the shop (although let's face it, it was long-overdue for a clean anyway).  I haven't yet booked an appointment, as I'm away a huge amount at the moment and it's hard to think of a time when I don't actually need my car!

Lily is at the dog-sitter's, a last-minute arrangement this week as I wasn't rostered to do the overnight last week.  Unfortunately I can't pick her up until tonight and have to drop her off again tomorrow night for my next (3 day) trip.  I'm looking forward to cuddling with her even for just a day, and she has her booster vaccinations tomorrow (wow is it already a year?)

My calendar tells me that next week is my one year anniversary of being checked to line as a captain.  How time flies!  I definitely feel a lot more comfortable in my role than I did then.

I seem to be spending a lot of nights at the same port at the minute, although next week I will stay at my friend's house and claim the hotel allowance back - reasonable spending money for dinner out for us.  I have a reserve day away and we plan to go to the beach with the horses for a watery swim...

There's really nothing particularly interesting going on right now - as far as the house-building is concerned, I'm waiting on the contract to come back (hopefully at the end of the week) and am starting to save towards spending money for my Ireland trip in July - which is coming up soon but not soon enough!

And now I'll leave you with a picture of my puppy-dog, simply because she is so very cute.

Home day + 2 ratbags

They've been fighting all day.  Sometimes over toys (because God knows, there aren't enough to go round) and sometimes just because they want to, and apparently it's a lot of fun to fight over nothing.  Lily's also learning to bare her teeth to go "RAWR!" although Gatsby rarely (if ever) listens. 

fighting over a stick

I started out with a nice clean floor this morning, which is always a mistake, because you know dogs.  It didn't take long to fix though, and by the time I blinked...

my floor...

OK, I thought, I'll clean the floor.  I can deal with this.  I'll lock the puppies outside, and sweep and mop, and have some peaceful time to myself while it dries.  It took about thirty minutes to dry.  Thirty minutes of L&G standing (and scratching) at the screen door begging to come inside. 

my beautiful clean floor (the sheet on the couch is G protection, as he is still learning not to jump up there)

Finally, I relented.  The terrible two came galloping in... and then decided that as the door was open now, they would much rather play in the garden.  Seeing that they were about to start tracking mud back and forth again, I decided it was time to go for a run.  Managing to untangle the mess of leads in the midst of their excitement, we set off for the park.

I started off keeping Gatsby on a leash like last time, but he obediently loped beside me so once we were in the far field (fenced) I let him off, with strict warnings (I don't think he could understand me) that he would be straight back on the leash if he ran under my feet.  Thankfully, it proved to be a success, and after running myself weary, I sat on the grass and watched them gamble.  They play so well together, until G gets over excited and L gets upset that he won't leave her alone and goes "RAWR" and I have to intervene.  *rolls eyes*

And then we came home... and... *cries*

I swear this was only just mopped

After that, they were locked inside with no more access to mud.  I did feel slightly sorry for B when he came to pick up his puppy and Gatsby left dusty smears all down his suit trousers... The feeling was short lived as it's his own fault for letting him jump up :-P

At my house we're working on no jumping on me or on the furniture - a long and slow process but we're getting there.

L is now fast asleep, refusing even to wake up for dinner - her loss - and I'm off to bed.  I have a busy day tomorrow: G will be dropped over at about 0630, I then have a brekky date (+ puppies) at 0900 and cycling with Hana at 1330.  Yay :) 

My MacBook just died.  I am grieving it's loss already, although I do have a Genius Bar appointment this afternoon to hopefully find out why.  I'm not inclined to spend $$$ on its resurrection, however, as it's been dragging its heels for months, and probably needs upgrading.  And (cover your ears, Mac lovers) I will probably choose a PC this time, not only for price but also as I've never fully understood my Mac.

I was checking my Facebook when the screen went black, and now it won't progress past the start up screen.  I feel very blessed to have backed up my files only a month or two ago!

It's my day off today, having got back from Emerald yesterday morning on the first of my days off (also the perfect timing as I obviously needed an extra payment this week!).  Lily stayed home alone for her first unsupervised overnight, as it was too last minute to plan anything else.  I started at 1530 and then H thankfully came over last thing with her puppy to let L out for a runaround and a bathroom break, and then I was home by 1000.  She was happy to see me, but no more enthusiastic than she usually is when I come downstairs in the morning!

Tomorrow, I have my dogsitter's dog for the day. Gatsby will be dropped off first thing in the morning and I presume picked up in the evening - which is going to be interesting as he has zero manners or training.  I have decided to put a sheet over the new couch until I can be sure that he knows he's not allowed to jump up there.  The upstairs is gated anyway so no risk.  Maybe I can start training him for them.  It's funny though, when Lily goes over there she jumps up on the couch and the bed etc because she knows there are no rules - and then she comes home and is a good little puppy dog.  

I tried making flapjack yesterday using the recipe my sister sent me a couple of years ago.  It has turned out way too buttery and an absolute disaster, I now have a mess of sugary buttery oats, and no flapjack.  It doesn't help that my oven doesn't cook at the correct temperature, but I'm pretty sure the recipe is completely wrong.  Sorry, Sarah.  At least I have the rest of the tin of Lyle's Golden Syrup to enjoy... (From the British section of the supermarket).

Today, I have very little planned, which is nice - I should probably clean the house and do yesterday's dishes - so probably a lot of Netflix, a little running, and some puppy-cuddling thrown into the mix!  

No work until Saturday when I just do two flights.  In fact, I have no more overnights for over a week, which after a month of 3 & 4 day trips, I don't know what I'll do! 

Yesterday, my fridge died, and today it's working again, so that's weird.

I don't think I can ever trust it again.  It let me down, and it let me down hard. 

I've got a friend bringing over a bar fridge for me tomorrow.  I think I shall relegate that to the garage alongside the chest freezer, and use the resurrected fridge for daily food... with the bar fridge for emergencies.  As a penalty for its dramatic death, and also the drama it gave me with its self-opening door over the last couple of weeks, the freezer compartment has been sentenced to death and duct-taped shut.  I'm sorry, but I'm over you.

Am I crazy?  Perhaps I am, but the longer I can keep going with this Ancient Beast of Doom and the bar fridge, the longer I don't have to pay for a new one, and that's enough for me.

In other news, Lily enjoyed her first lamb bone here yesterday.  She was somewhat disappointed that I didn't want her to eat it inside.  She would cry at the screen door until I let her in (sans bone) and then cry again at the screen door until I let her out again to said bone... this quickly became trying. 

Then the Great Fridge Drama of 2016 began, and my friends saved the day by sharing their fridge space with me until I get back from my trip on Monday, and then I dropped Lily off at the dog-sitter's.  She seems to enjoy herself there, and I don't have to worry about her being home alone, so that's good.  Also, she's allergic to the new flea-tick stuff I bought, at great cost, so I have to sort that out on Monday.

This morning, Sunday, I'm chilling out in the quiet with no small dog (sad), and have to go to work in ten minutes.  I'm all ready and have nothing in particular to do with my time, hence writing this blog.  It's not a bad trip, I operate two sectors today and then pax (ie travel as a passenger) to my final destination, and then tomorrow morning I simply operate home, and I'm finished for the day - at about 0800! 

It will be interesting to see whether the fridge is still running when I get home.  And yes, it's currently empty, I'm not that stupid.