}

August 31, 2010

Progress (2010)


General

  • Dex
  • Aussie citizen


Teaching

  • A new lease on life.
  • Creating lessons, getting passionate again.


Blog

  • Blog my life memories
  • Inspire mum's memories


Finances

  • Foresight to open bank account for Ally
  • Getting Investment Frontiers out myself
  • Handling financial settlement.
  • Spdr fund with Brendan


Purchases

  • Bought i-Phone



August 26, 2010

I've never seen a Flow Chart described so clearly...



Of course to all my old Volvo friends, this doesn't apply to you! But I thought it was quite a hoot!
.

August 25, 2010

Lucas

I went fishing with Doug and Claudia off their boat. Lucas caught a fish within two minutes, I caught nothing in three hours. Go figure. I'm just not much of a fisherman. But its still fun. We got caught in the middle of a big storm so I kept my camera under wraps - but managed to snap a couple of Lucas. He's as adorable as ever .


August 25, 2010

Andreas and Ingrid's new house

I went round to see Andreas and Ingrid's new home. It is a wonderful family home in French's Forest that ticks all their boxes. They are delighted to be able to settle down into their own home without having to ask permission to knock nails into the walls or give up their weekends house hunting. I just can't believe how fast Anna is growing - she's already walking down steps - with a little help from mum and dad of course.





August 23, 2010

Rusty the Hunk of Spunk

Here are some photos that Russel had taken professionally for his dating profile on Cupid






Small Print: Only, joking, they were taken at work. Not sure, how they'll he used, maybe for their corporate site. I think they're wonderful. Capture's Russel's cheeky spirit!

August 23, 2010

Some lovely photos of the kids

Thanks for the photos, Jo.



August 22, 2010

Bitter Love

Unfortunately I don't think this story is original. I faintly remember reading something with a similar theme when I was young. Hopefully, it'll leave you hanging till the end.

Rupert was a very rich man. He had everything his heart could desire. A penthouse apartment in New York with a view of Central Park. A modern and stylish holiday house right on the coast. The choice of a Ferrari or a Porsche to drive between them. He ate at all the top restaurants. He went to all the right parties. He wore all the latest fashions. And he had a bank account so fat he didn't need to work if he didn't want to. He had all his heart could desire, except for one thing: the woman he wanted. Because the woman he desired and indeed, loved, more than anything else was already married. And she refused to leave her husband for him.

Every time they saw each other, he would beg and plead. It was always the same promise, "Marry me, Wendy, and I'll give you the world." And each time, it was the same reply, "You know I care deeply for you, Rupert. But I can't leave my husband. Since his accident, he's become totally dependent on me. It would kill him if I left him. And I couldn't live with that."

Rupert was used to getting his own way. Usually his money and his power made things easy for him. He felt frustrated and bitter. He loved and desired Wendy. And he knew she desired him too. If it were not for her useless, crippled husband, he could have what he wanted. For once in his life, it seemed, money could not buy him happiness. But, maybe it could. His mind started to work.

Rupert knew that Wendy lived with her husband in a double story house in the suburbs. He knew the house well because sometimes he hid outside and watched them through the windows. He realised this was a clear sign of obsession but he could not help himself. He needed her like he needed oxygen. He knew that Wendy's husband, a university professor before his accident, now spent almost all of his time lost in research in his study on the second floor . He also had a fair idea of Wendy's comings and goings. He knew, for example, that she attended Yoga classes on Tuesday nights from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. The plan in Rupert's mind started to take shape.

Two weeks later, on a Tuesday night, Rupert, dressed himself in old clothes. He wore a battered baseball cap on his head and several days of stubble on his face. He caught the train to the Bronx. It was a dirty suburb that he knew his rich friends would never think of visiting. He stepped off the train and walked to a crowded, seedy bar called "The Cock and Whistle." He sat at a table at the back of the bar and waited.

Ten minutes later, a small but muscular man sat down next to him. "Are you Mr Smith?" the muscular man asked with a quiet voice. Rupert felt a stab of anxiety pierce his chest. "Yes," he replied.
The man looked at Rupert with a calm stare, "Are you sure you want it done tonight?"
"Yes, I'm sure," said Rupert. "Do it like we said. Let yourself in at 8 p.m. Use these keys. You'll find him on the second floor. Do it quick. I don't want him to suffer. And make sure it looks like a robbery gone wrong."
"It will be done," said the quiet voice. "I'll meet you back here at nine o'clock. I expect you to pay me in full."

Rupert sat in his seat in the bar. Time stood still. He felt too anxious to eat or drink. He sat, lost in his thoughts. Apart from his anxiety, his emotions felt stifled. He felt like he was in someone else's body, somehow dissociated from himself. He stared at his watch, wishing time would pass.

9:00 came and went. Then 9:10. Rupert felt the anxiety writhe like a snake in his stomach. Then suddenly the short, muscular man was back in his seat. And he heard the quiet voice say, "It all went fine. He died quickly and painlessly."

Rupert's shoulders dropped and he breathed out slowly. His relief was tinged with a flickering of elation.

The short, muscular man looked at Rupert with his calm stare and said, "But there was one little problem. After I killed the guy in the study, some woman suddenly came into the room . Said something about coming home early because she was feeling ill. She was pretty surprised to see me, I can tell you. But don't worry, she won't cause any trouble. I killed her too."

August 22, 2010

A brand new kitchen for the family

Joanne, Antony and the children have been through a hellish 6 weeks while their kitchen was totally gutted, their floor in the dining room, kitchen and corridors was torn up and a gaping hole (to make a door) was smashed through their wall. Dust. Dirt. Mountains of rubble. Workers coming and going. Loud hammering. No kitchen. That was their constant lot for weeks on end.

But, I think you'll agree the final result - a modern, stylish, open plan kitchen and a much lighter and airier dining room - have been well worth it. The kitchen has now been christened with their first dinner party and all their friends were very impressed. But I don't think the Botings will be in a rush to do any more large renovations for a while. They are enjoying their new kitchen and some much needed peace and quiet.


During





The result!



August 21, 2010

Just Good Friends

This is a story I remember reading as a child. I hope you enjoy my interpretation:

As usual, I wake up early and I gaze at the man who is sleeping next to me. He has such a kind, loving face, even when he sleeps, and I feel deep affection for him. It will be some time before he wakes. I let my mind wander and I remember back to how we met.

We met at a pub called "The Cat and Whistle" which I visited often. I was first attracted to him, not because he was good looking, but because he seemed kind and gentle. Every night, he used to sit at the same table alone and drink his beer and watch people playing darts.

Then one night, a blonde woman came and sat at his table and started talking to him. From then on, each night, they sat together. To be honest, I felt very jealous. Then after 20 days, they had an argument and she went away. I felt extremely happy. The next night, I went straight over to his table and I sat beside him. I fluttered my eyelids and he smiled at me. There was no need to talk. We were just two lonely souls connecting. Spontaneously, he put his out his hand and caressed my cheek. Later that night, it just seemed natural to leave with him. And we have been living together ever since.

We have never spoken about our pasts. And that is a good thing because life was very hard for me before we met. I am one of four and our father deserted us when I was very young. I had two babies of my own, but they were taken away from me. It is a very painful memory.

My attention comes back to the man sleeping next to me. I cannot imagine life without him. Suddenly the alarm goes and he wakes up. I pretend to be asleep and through closed eyelids, I watch him get out of bed. As usual he puts his foot into the wrong slipper and he groans. Then he turns round to me and says "Wake up, lazy bones!" but as usual, I roll over and lie in the warm hollow that his body has left. "I suppose you want me to get you breakfast in bed again, do you!" he says.

He walks out the bedroom and I can hear his footstep as he goes to the kitchen. Then, I can hear the clinks and clanks of him making breakfast. It's time to get up, I think. I leap out of bed and I go to join him in the kitchen. He is at the table, eating cornflakes from a bowl. "Nice of you to join me!" he says. He pushes my bowl over to me and I lap it up happily. It's not true that we cats only swish our tails when angry.

August 12, 2010

Sam's Poem

Sam has been studying about Pirates at school and she wrote a poem. Pretty fabulous considering she's 10 and wrote it in ten minutes flat. Must have the Sorrel genes!

I am going to tell you a story from long ago
about a pirate, our enemy and foe.
It all started that night
when I was in bed wrapped up tight
and then I heard a noise from the door
I looked down and saw a letter on the floor.
I picked it up and I read "you shall be
DEAD DEAD DEAD"
That noise again I heard from the door
I dropped the letter on the floor
And then it came in and it wouldn't go back
"Oh no", it's Calico Jack!!!
Clicky