The Seven Year Itch

On Valentine's Day, 2005 I was single.  I went out for dinner with a friend and had a lovely time.  Later on that evening, I got a phone call from a guy I had 'met' on a dating website.  We'd chatted for a while on MSN, then graduated to SMS's and phone calls.  He called to invite me out for a drink as he had finished work earlier than expected.  I said yes.

I broke all the 'rules' of Internet dating.  No one knew I was going out with him or where we were going, I gave him my home address and he picked me up from there.  We went to the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy and we bought each other drinks.  We chatted and flirted and generally had a great time getting to know each other in the real world. I learned that he was a musician who was just starting to study to become a teacher.  At the time I had just embarked on a librarian course, something that I was never to finish, for many reasons.

As he was driving me home, I remarked that I felt quite tipsy, which was odd, as I had only had about four glasses of Kahlua and milk, which was not a lot for me.  He rather sheepishly told me that that ones he got me 'may have contained double shots'.  The guy was Chyken, and the rest, as they say, is history.  A year later we were engaged, two years after that we got married and now we live in the Castle surrounded  by cats.

Seven years.  It's certainly the longest relationship I've ever been in.  Perhaps seven years has to do with the fact that for the last week I have been itchy.  All.  The.  Time.  I've been to the doctor twice and handed over more money than I care to add up at the chemist in that time.  The doctors have no idea what is causing it.  There is no rash, and I haven't started eating anything new or used any new products.  The chemist and first doctor I saw suggested antihistamines, which cost a fortune, but did nothing.  The only thing that seemed to do anything was marinating in Pinetarsol.  Have you ever smelt that stuff?  It's like a mouldy Christmas tree has thrown up on you.  Not pleasant at all!  After using that I would get about an hour of relief, then I'd have to have another shower.  I went back to the doctor on Monday and she seemed to be the only one who has taken me seriously.  She arranged a battery of tests and put me on some hard core steroid tablets.  The good news?  They WORK!!  Well, kinda.  I'm still itchy, but nowhere near as much.  Hopefully the test results next week will tell us what is causing it, because I don't want to be taking these tablets forever.

So, given that yesterday was Valentine's Day, or as we like to call it, Anniversary Day, it is traditional that we do something to celebrate.  Chyken and I take it in turns to organise a surprise for each other on this day and our Wedding anniversary.  This one was Chyken's turn.

It started with presents!  A rather large box of chocolates and something I had hinted about for Christmas, but didn't get then...

I love it!

We then drove into the city and after much changing of our minds, settled on Lygon Street for dinner.  It was delicious!  We also had the first dessert of the evening there, Creme Caramel and a slice of cheesecake.

The big surprise of the night though was that we were going on a ghost tour.  Of the Old Melbourne Gaol!  This place is spooky enough during the daytime, so I was nervous, but it was really interesting.  They explain at the start that they are not there to convince you of the ghosts, they merely present the facts as they know them.  Lots of stories told by past workers at the gaol and lots of people who have seen/felt things over the years.  An aspect of the tour I was impressed with was that the guide carried and iPad with her and showed us lots of photos of past prisoners and photos that had been sent to them from visitors to the gaol showing unexplained images of what may or may not be ghosts.

Given that I had no idea where we were going, and Chyken is terrible at answering the 'But what should I wear?' question, I was reasonably dressed up to look for ghosts, but thems the breaks!

This is where 133 people were hanged.  Including Ned Kelly.

This is Cell 17.  Apparently  the most haunted area of the gaol.  I went in there and immediately felt sick, rather dizzy and felt that I needed to leave.  I tried to go in there three times, each with the same result.  I'm not what you would call a 'believer', but Cell 17 freaked me out.

They have copies of Ned Kelly's mask that you can try on.  Well. actually they have a sign next to them that says kids can try them on, but if the helmet fits....

I like to think Ned would have done a bit of this while wearing the armour.  

On the way home we had Mr Whippy.  (Dessert Number 2 for those playing along at home).  This van is usually set up near the airport on warm nights .  Sometimes there are two of them trying to out-light each other, but there was only one and he was almost out of sherbet, but had just enough for two ice creams.  The perfect end to a perfect Anniversary Day.

I would like to thank Chyken for seven amazing years.  Neither of us could have known this was how that date would end up, but I am so glad it has.  I do not know what I would do without him.  He takes care of me, he picks me up when I am feeling down and he makes me laugh.  Oh how he makes me laugh!  He also  makes the best toasted sandwiches and is the greatest dishwasher-stacker that has ever lived.  I love him much more than a lot. xxx

How do you spend your Anniversary Day?

I Understand...

 

Dear Construction Men,

I understand it is your job, I really do, but must you do it when I am home sick?

I understand that there is gravel that must be delivered, at last count six semi-trailer loads.

 

I understand that there are holes that must be dug.

But do you have to be so bloody NOISY about it?

Admittedly, the cats are fascinated.  The most movement they usually see out the kitchen window is the local family of magpies.  But I'm not fascinated and neither is my headache.

I understand that you need to have a port-a-loo, but does it need to be up against my fence?

Yesterday when one of you dropped something I seriously thought the London Riots had come to my sleepy little town.  What WAS that?  It was LOUD!


You are using a very large ORANGE digger contraption.  If you can't keep out of the way of it without All.  The.  Beeping.  Then you have some serious issues with sight and perhaps hole-digging is not for you?

I understand this is just the beginning of the construction of all ten units and that this will be going on for quite a while, but is there any chance we could do a deal if I am ever as sick as I have been this week?  You could take holidays then maybe?  Or go dig holes next to someone else's Castle?

Love,

Jo 

P.S. I'm a bit over the rubbish from your work site ending up in my yard, is there any chance you could use the orange monster to dig yourself a bin?

Argh!

I really wanted to write a long post tonight talking about how excited I am to be going to the Blogopolis on Saturday and what I hope to get out of it and how I spent hours and hours trying to find the right handbag that will fit my itty bitty baby laptop and rather large camera in it and still leave my hands free to to hand out my snazzy business cards and about how much I am shitting myself about being in a room where I know NO-ONE!  Are you going?  I would love to meet you!  I want to meet everyone!  I am so excited!  And scared.

But my brain thinks my body it is coming down with the flu.  So I went to the chemist and purchased all this...

... and I'm putting myself to bed.  Please send positive vibes my way.  I have work tomorrow from 2pm-10pm, then all day Saturday at Blogopolis and then work on Sunday from 930am-7pm.

I just simply cannot be sick this weekend.  No way.  No how.

Five Question Friday

I haven't done this in a while, but today I decided it was time.

I've currently got broken sinuses. I spent yesterday in bed and this morning as well. I'm starting to feel a bit better this afternoon. 

Click on the button, link up your blog and join in the fun!

1. Do you and your spouse go to bed at the same time?

Depends, but usually not.  I usually go first because I need more beauty sleep.

2. A question for the ladies...What kind of facial hair do you like on your man?

I like his goatee.  He looks creepy when he shaves it off, but he also looks creepy with a full beard.

3. What's the worst vacation you've ever taken?

I do not believe there is such a thing as a bad vacation.  Any sort of holiday is good holiday!

4. What's the first-ever blog you followed?

Two Bad Days.  Stunning photography.

5. Do you enjoy amusement parks?

I like the idea of them, but I don't like rides.  However, they usually have fairy floss and I do love fairy floss.

How Eleven Days Became Thirteen.

What a week!

With two days left of my glorious eleven day weekend, I woke up early on Monday morning with gastro.

I had the vomiting part, Chyken had the shitting part. Then I got the shitting part as well. NOT happy. I have never been more glad that the Castle has two bathrooms.  We spent the day catching glimpses of sleep in between bathroom visits. 

We were required at the Adam Hills In Gordon Street Tonight taping at 6:15pm. I'm not going to lie, there were SEVERAL moments during the day that I thought we weren't going to make it there.  But when I realised that the only thing that would stay down was water and stopped trying other things (you do NOT need to see what happens to a gastro-fied green icy-pole, trust me!) I seemed to be OK.  Well, f you don't count the  'I still feel a bit queasy and I have less than zero energy' feelings, then I was OK. So in the car we got and headed to the city. I figured that if it got too bad I could sneak out, cos last time we were there they sat us up the back. Oh no, this time? Front freaking row! I kid you not! (All the seats are allocated, and there are cameras EVERYWHERE in that studio so they can play pranks on the audience!)

The show was great, Chyken pulled a beer bong on national TV. Don't believe me? Don't know what a beer bong is? I shall show you....





Excuse the shots of me where I look a bit out of it, I was just trying not to vomit, remember?  There was also some really entertaining guests and an amazing Gospel Choir that got us all up dancing.  We made it though, drove home and woke up the next morning with no nausea.

But... (and this next part is kinda gross and probably too much information, but whatever, it's my blog and I'll gross you out if I want to!) when I vomit, it is fairly um... err... shall we say 'violent'?  It's very loud and it hurts. I have, in the past, burst a blood vessel in my eye due to the pressure build up when I was vomiting.  There is no way I could be bulimic, because everyone in a ten kilometre radius would know what was going on. So, I vomited for a whole day, pulled a heap of muscles in my body AND did some damage to my throat in the process. In the words of the oh so wise Amelia, I have a squeaker what has a broken. Chyken is thrilled, cos now I can only nag in a whisper. The Guard Cats are confused. If I wasn't in such pain from all the sore muscles it would kinda be funny I guess.

I was supposed to be back at work yesterday, but as I work in a call centre, that wasn't going to happen, so I went to the doctor instead. She listened to me squeak for two minutes and promptly wrote me a certificate for yesterday and today, thus giving me a thirteen day weekend, but not really in a good way at all.  I have to go back to work tomorrow, but I'm still a bit squeaky, that could make for an interesting day!

And the WORST part of all of this? We got Singstar last week and I can't use it!!!! Hmph.

Today I am grateful for the existence of Roast Pumpkin. 

Wordless Wednesday - Tools of the Sick

The Week That Was...

What a week!

I spent most of the week in bed with migraines.  Do you get migraines?  I hope not, for they suck!  I'm not talking about headaches, for migraines aren't just 'bad headaches'  This link might help explain it.  In case you were wondering, I get the full shebang, with 'aura' and nausea.  And I spent two days away from work this week with two separate migraines.  Fun times.  The upside of the migraines was that I got to spend the days with these two gorgeous creatures!

Nutter & Sausage

Nutter has almost given up her hissing campaign and seems to accepted that Sausage is here to stay.  I'm not saying she's happy about it, but she seems to have accepted it!  Still the occasional hiss, but for the most part they play together reasonably well.

My best friend has returned this very day from an almost three month European adventure.  As I am writing this she is on her way here so she can regale me with tall tales from her trip while we eat food that is a billion Weight Watchers points per mouthful.  I'm a bit excited!

I'm also a bit excited about the state of the Castle grounds.  Today I removed the protective bunting to stop people walking on the front yard, because we kinda have lawn now.  Check it out!!!

Now, yes I did run this picture through the Instragram App on my iPhone, so the grass isn't quite that green in real life, but it's pretty close.  Those long grass things along the front are not weeds, they are agapanthus!  Next summer they are gonna look grouse!  Mark my words!!!

I'm catching up with some work mates tomorrow afternoon, and I'm really looking forward to it.  Given the nature of my work (have I ever mentioned what I do?  hmmmm perhaps I will write a post about it!) there isn't a lot of time for chatting at work, so every now and then we need to get to together after work for a catch up!  Tomorrow night we have an engagement party to go to, then I am working on Sunday morning.  Sunday arvo I have a date with Chyken and the couch and then another week will begin.

What about you?  Got exciting plans this weekend?

Wordless Wednesday - Home Sick

Are We There Yet?

So much has been going on, and yet at the same time, so little has been happening.

About six weeks ago, I had a complete breakdown.  (Around the time that Chyken was in hospital with pneumonia.)  The stress of 2010 finally took its toll on me and I have ended up exactly where I didn't want to be, taking happy pills and seeing a shrink.  I'm having huge trouble seeing any light at the end of the tunnel.  While I'm fairly confident I wouldn't actually do it, I have found myself thinking how easy it would be just to drive my car into a tree on my way home from work.  I'm tired of life.  I can't seem to focus on the fact that I have many wonderful things in my life, I can only focus on the shit things.  I AM going to fix this.  It will NOT be easy, but I can do it.  I am a strong person.  It will get better.  I will enjoy life again.  (Perhaps if I say these things often enough they will become fact?)

So, apologies for the crap-ness of the blog of late.  I just haven't had the energy.  It is taking everything I have just to get out of bed in the mornings.  Some mornings I can't even do that.  While I thought I was just having a hard time coping with the loss of Dad last Christmas, the shrink thinks it is much deeper than that and that this is probably Post Traumatic Stress Disorder all over again.  For many reasons, and maybe I will explain that further in another post.  Perhaps I never got rid of it last time?  We'll never know.  All I know is that I have to get rid of it this time, this is no way to live.

It makes me sad that mental illness is misunderstood by so many people.  If I told people I had diabetes or a broken leg, they would be super sympathetic and make loads of concessions for me, but because my illness is mental, I am supposed to just 'get over it'.  People don't understand that a mental illness makes you feel unwell physically as well. 

I.  Am.  So.  Bloody.  Tired.  No matter how much sleep I have, it is never enough lately.  There are so many things to be done around the Castle, and I want to do them, I really do, but I'm so TIRED.  And while I'm really not looking forward to Christmas at all, I am looking forward to the nine wonderful days off work it is going to give me.  I need them, oh how I need them!  In truth, I'd love to skip straight to at least February, but as I don't have a time machine, that's not going to happen.

While I'm here, if you know me in the real world, and I've seemed a bit 'off' lately, (ie: bursting into tears at children's birthday parties) then hopefully this post might help explain it.  I find it a hard thing to talk about to my friends, for fear of them not understanding, and perhaps judging me. (As I typed that, I realised how ridiculous that sounds, my head KNOWS that's not true, but it's taking my heart a while to catch  up!).  Please accept this world wide web version of an apology.

If you, or someone you know is struggling with depression, PTSD or any kind of mental illness, I urge you to go to Beyond Blue. Or call them on 1300 22 4636. You also might like to check out Mood Gym.

There IS help out there, you just have to ask.

P.S. For anyone else like me who is struggling with the current holiday season, please read this post over on a blog that I love... Marriage Confessions.  Katie is a beautiful writer, and this post struck SO many chords with me.  Admittedly, not so much the God stuff, as I am still undecided about God, but the stuff about loss and change.  Her entire website is wonderful!  Check it out!

***edit*** P.P.S Thanks so much to the people that have sent me facebook and sms messages since I put up this post.  Please don't worry about me, I will be OK.  And I love you guys too!

Remember The Bucket List

Cracking on with the 30 Day Blog Challenge then.. orright?

Question 18. What do you feel has been one of your biggest accomplishments?

I'm sitting in it.  We built a house.  Well, actually, that's not exactly true, we didn't actually BUILD it.  We went to a bank and asked them for some money, and then we took that money to a builder and THEY built the house.  We did get to choose the tiles and paint though, and we get to pay it off for the next... umm... I dunno... Forever!  I'm well chuffed.  I'm also pretty proud of myself for finding (in ALL the world) my other half.  My Chyken.


19. Take a photo today and share it with us.

See the blog post below this one and you shall find the photograph you seek.


20. What are 5 things on your bucket list?

I've never really thought about a bucket list.  Here's one I made up, just now. 
In no particular order I want to:
a) Get to my 'goal' weight.
b) Have kids.
c) Go back to Austria London Scotland France Belgium Europe.
d) Learn how to use our fancy pants camera.
e) Own a holiday house by the sea.

21. Share a random high school memory.

I remember lots of things about high school... I remember being excellent at English in Year 8.  There were a few of us that were better at English than the teacher was, so much so that he used to get us to teach the class.  I also remember Mr Hawkey having the scariest sneeze EVER.  If he sneezed in the classroom next to ours everyone would jump.  I remember all the fun we had doing the school plays, which, on reflection, were terrible and I'm sorry I made my family come and see them.  I remember lots of stuff about high school, and most of it is good.


The Author and her Chyken on Honeymoon

In pneumonia news, Chyken is doing much better and went back to work today.  He is very tired, but on the mend I think.  I am still coughing up things all day and night and I have hardly any voice left, but I think I will live.
 
What's news in your corner of the world?  Leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you!

Stylishly Sick?

So, I went to the doctor today and the good news is that I don't have pneumonia.  Yet.  He's put me on some really strong antibiotics and told me that I should start to feel a lot better by tomorrow afternoon.  I hope so, because I haven't feel this awful in a really long time.

Now, onto the next question in the 30 Day Blog Challenge!

Question 17: Go to http://www.shopstyle.com/ and make or choose an outfit that best represents your style. Post it.

Without further ado, I have come up with this...

Now, I am the first to admit that I have zero style, so I have no idea if these things work together, but I like them all so they are what I have chosen.

What would you choose if you could run amok at http://www.shopstyle.com/?

Musical Memories

OK.  Life has calmed down somewhat.  Well, enough for me to have aenough time to answer the next few 30 Day Blog Challange questions...


Question 13 - What is the best piece of advice that you have ever received? 

"Never try to grow your hair, and stop dying it at the same time."  Thanks to Claire the Hairdresser for this one.


Question 14 - What is the worst advice that you have ever received? 

"Your fringe would look brilliant if you let me perm it!" Thanks to Frances the Godmother and Hairdresser for this one.



The Author, possibly 1992
 Hair not shown actual size



Question 15 - Some songs bring us back to a moment. Share with us a song and the moment it reminds you of.

It's hard to go past the songs we had at our wedding.  I walked down the aisle with my Dad to "You Were There".  Originally performed by Southern Sons.





While we signed the register, the beautiful band Chyken put together for the ceremony played a John Farnham song... 'The Reason Why'.





As we left the church the band played 'Come Back Again' by Daddy Cool.  There is meaning behind this, and one day I will explain it, but I think it deserves a post all to itself.  Soon.





This is our first dance as married people.  It's not the greatest footage in the world, but you'll get the idea.  The song is 'My Baby Just Cares For Me', in this instance it is sung by Nina Simone.





Chyken is home from hospital (he had four sleeps in there) and on the mend.  He's on some pretty scary looking tablets, but they seem to be doing the trick.

I had a complete meltdown last week.  The doctor said I was completely exhausted and severely stressed and told me not to go back to work for at least a week.  So I am at home this week too. 

We'll both be OK... Eventually. 

We have to be, right?

We Interrupt Transmission...

I've had to take a break from the 30 Day Blog Challenge. 

Chyken was taken to hospital yesterday with severe pneumonia.  He will be OK, but it means a few days in hospital for him and a few days of running around and worrying and sitting in the hospital and not much sleep for me.

I will finish the challenge... Eventually... I promise!

In the meantime, here is a picture of the sign above his bed in the hospital...

We THINK it means, 'High Risk Of Bad Dancing Here!'.  But we're not sure.

Transmission will resume in the not too distant future...  In the meantime, go and read some lolcats, that ought to keep you amused.