rwrylsin

Bub slept through on Monday night, first time in ages. Unfortunately I didn't get to fully appreciate it, being kept up by a busy brain stressing about stuff. I hate my brain sometimes.

I think I mentioned here before, my original plan back when I was pregnant was that I would be able to use the handy casual occasional child-care place that was just up the road a bit at reasonable prices. Being able to randomly book in for a couple of hours a week or less in advance was pretty much exactly what I needed in order to cover me for coaching work.
Most school work is one-off sessions or up to 4 sessions on one day a week. Usually an hour or 1.5 hours, and a lot of the work I got was filling in for other sick coaches so often short notice. You go at a time that suits the client, they're not changing their whole school timetable just to get a fencing coach in. So basically full time child care is unaffordable, and occasional care that locks me into a particular time and day are no good to me.
However, that place got closed shortly before Bub was born. I was not impressed, especially once I realised all the other places closed by 5pm which was too early to cover after school work.

This year, I had resigned myself to the fact that there simply isn't any casual occasional care that runs late enough to cover after-school activities. Fine, I'd concentrate on doing stuff in school hours that would be covered in the hours of the other places.

But now I see that all the other places have been shut down. Literally, all of them, it's no longer even listed as an option on most council or search websites. No level of government here is willing to fund them, and I can see why it's not an attractive model for private centres.
In a 25km radius I can find only one place still offering casual occasional care, it's in Malvern so the opposite direction to most of my potential work, adding an extra hour of driving to each end of a 1 hour coaching job makes no sense at all.

Last year Bub was coming with me to primary schools and it mostly worked pretty well, but by the end of last term he was no longer willing to just sit in the pram and doze or watch the whole session, and now that he's crawling he wouldn't be happy in there for 5 minutes. I can put him in the sling, but I don't think he'll let me get away with that for a whole hour either.
David sometimes worked from home and kept an eye on him while I was out, but again, now that he's mobile and getting into things David can't just plonk him in a clear spot and get on with his work. Bub is only content to play quietly in the playpen for about 10 minutes or so, then he wants out. Bub wrangling is definitely a full-time occupation at this stage.

Paying a baby-sitter would cost too much relative to what I'd be earning (pretty much all of it). I can probably pull in a few relatives and favours to cover some commitments in January but I can't have that as a business plan.

After much late night wrangling, I've had to admit defeat. My coaching activities are going to be limited to what I can do at the club, so I'd better concentrate on getting paid for that.

This irritates me enormously. Mostly just because I thought it was going to be possible to be mostly looking after Bub and earn some extra income doing something relatively enjoyable where demand exceeds supply, and now that's been taken away.

So, Thursday was my last day at work, and a thoroughly rubbish day it was too. Let us speak no more of it.
Mostly, I just feel exhausted.

Friday began with a good 12 hours sleep. Then there was brunch and a Twitter catch-up, followed by some quality time with the kittens napping in a sunbeam.
A light lunch followed by napping with kittens on a chair, then I eventually stirred myself to go upstairs to the computer and print off some stuff I needed.

This triggered a small burst of activity as I actually managed to start the dishwasher and washing machine. Had a guy 'round to quote on removing a couple of the more virulent Pittosporums from the front yard. Looks like it will be in budget, just need to get planning permission for it. (We're under a particularly strict vegetation overlay).

Finished the day with some pottering in the garden, afternoon tea, and napping on the chair again until David got home.


Not a bad start. My problem so far is that I still feel like I only have a day or two off, so need to get everything done while I have the chance. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. In the meantime, being too tired to move is enforcing some rest.


Fencing today was quiet, which is a shame. For a while we had a good crowd each week, but looks like I spoke too soon about reliably breaking-even.
And now I've had two Fencing Victoria directors tell me I have to put in an application for the position of U20's coach for the nationals, so I guess I had better do it. But if I'm going to do that then I need to get the epee coaching paperwork finished. It's about 2 years late at this point...

Have I mentioned I'm not very good at staying unemployed?
Although I'm actually pretty unlikely to get the position assuming anyone else applies, it's more about getting my name out there.
Need to start sorting out school stuff on Monday. And do the tax return...

In other news, I've handed in my notice at work. My last day at Coles will be Sept 1st.

I feel better already. But I'm sure the midnight-5am change on Sunday, and one last week on-call will stop me having any second thoughts.

I've never been very good at staying unemployed. I need a break from IT, I'm burned out, but I'm lining up a little training and some work coaching Fencing at schools. I like coaching.
Financially, I've got about 6 months or so to figure out if I can make a living at that, before I have to consider getting a real job again.

In theory I should have a few relatively quiet weeks of R&R and prep-work before term 4 coaching starts, I have to remember not to fill it up completely with all the stuff I haven't had time to do recently.
Such an awful lot of stuff to do...

I seem to have fallen behind in updates again, it happens when work is busy. After spending all day on the computer, coming home to more of the same is very unappealing.

( Which means this is now a very long post )

I think that covers most things. Can't quite believe how quickly the last few months have gone. Seems like only a couple of weeks since we were skiing...

Today the laundry is being dismantled. Builder rocked up at 7am (!) and had most of the existing fittings out by the time I logged in for work. Plumber showed up not much later, now our laundry plumbing has been modernised. Electrician popped by briefly to reposition the power points, didn't take him long at all.

I'm grouching a bit because while I was busy with work the builder proactively loaded up all the old cupboard bits and sink+cabinet and took them to the tip. We had been planning to keep the sink, with vague plans we might add it to the workshop. Too late now though.

As expected, the cupboards concealed a gap in the plasterboard. Builder is back to cover that now, and we're sticking some insulation into the cavity while it's open. Not sure how much good it will do as half a wall, but given how cold the laundry tends to get it can't hurt.
Also slightly grumpy because despite telling everyone that there was almost certain to be plasterboard needed there, this came as a surprise to the builder.


Other activity for today is the car service. Dropped it off at 8:30, rode the bike back home. Forgot to pack helmet, oops, so spent whole ride back feeling paranoid I was about to get into trouble. Also tried to avoid small school kids so I didn't set a bad example.


And of course, there's work. Attempt number 3 for the early morning change from hell this weekend. This time for sure!
And apparently I've just picked up another change for tomorrow night. Joy.

We've been told we have to spend 2 days working in stores over the Xmas period, and this time it's not even pretending to be optional. I find these incredibly irritating, but I'm not sure why. I have no problem with retail work, it's a day (or two) outside the office, it's fairly easy stuff, it probably is a good thing for all staff to be personally acquainted with the frontline work. Nonetheless...

I can only assume it's my Liberal economic bias. Why pay my salary to stock shelves when someone else would do it for half the cost or less and be in more need of the money.
Or maybe I just don't like being told what to do.


Someone just SMS'd me asking me to quote on building them a fence. Considering sending them back a picture of a (sport) fencer. I am very specific in the descriptions to try and avoid this sort of thing.

I shall have some lunch first though, since I suspect I'll feel more charitable toward the world after that. I seem to have missed morning tea...

Spent last week at a training course. Course much the same as before Oracle bought BEA, but labs were less good. Presenter was a very bad fit for the course, I'm amazed my minion managed to get anything out of it.

New recruit at work seems to be my minion. I like it. Also like having proper work to do instead of the scut work that has filled the last year.

Last weekend we had several of David's family in town for a very nice B'day dinner. Alas illness halved the number we were expecting, but much fun was had and house tours given.

Someone rescued dumped kittens, but by the time I persuaded David we should adopt some they already had homes. However we are now largely agreed that once the Laundry reno is done we shall go and adopt a kitty or two from the nearby shelter.

Will know soon when the new laundry can be put in... Have to go buy a new mixer tap.

A Pied Currawong has become very comfortable in our yard. Not as fearless as the magpies, but it has taken to sitting on the patio and the bush right beside the lounge-room window when I'm inside.

Loving the arrival of milder weather, and rediscovering the joy of being able to dry clothes outside.

... There was other stuff, but I seem to have forgotten now.


Ride to work day on Wednesday. Plan for next weekend currently features a lot of not planning anything. May ride in to town to meet David after he rides around the bay on Sunday.

I crashed, but now I'm back. Right, where was I ...

Will come back to the election day later, and try to resist the urge to rant about our idiotic media coverage of the results. The world still appears not to have ended.

( Around the house: )

I am looking forward to the day when the house isn't littered with tools and sheets of newspaper...

Worldcon next week. At the moment I seem to have no solid plans and have not heard from any of the things I've volunteered for, so shall proceed on the assumption I'll do whatever seems like a good idea at the time. The programme presents me with the potential for a full schedule without too many agonising clashes, so is clearly a work of genius. Well done to the Programme organisers.

Someone has organised a mobile bike service here at work next Tuesday, which is very convenient. Also incentive to get back on my bike after another slack period.

( More work stuff )

It's been one of those weeks.

Each morning is a battle to wake up, public transport is a mess and my TramTracker app has become unreliable, and I have a software patch at work that just refuses to install. Another co-worker has handed in his notice. The only real surprise is that he's off for a 6 month hiking holiday rather than a new job elsewhere. He looks more relaxed already.
So yeah, we're looking for another Senior Systems Engineer. WebSphere AppServer/Portal/Commerce and Tivoli Access Manager/IDM experience all desirable.

Heat pump on the hot water service has been doing intermittent red 'attention' lights. Apparently it's able to recover on it's own, and has done so each time I've checked so far, but it makes me nervous. What's going on in there? I know too much about Technology to blindly trust. Plus one of the undead climbing plants grew up into it during the summer, the plant was removed with prejudice as soon as we saw it poking out, but it can't have been good for it.

A while back part of the cycle path I use was closed, when it reopened and the mud eventually washed off it became apparent they had fixed a lot of the rough patches, which is good, but also that their heavy machinery had damaged other sections in the process.
Returning in the dark Monday evening I found they'd closed it again, presumably to fix the damage, or maybe the bridge, and the pedestrian detour was even less cycle friendly than previously.
Other surprises include finding out that people actually still walk their dogs on the shared paths after dark, I had been thinking I'd have it to myself. Joggers too, visible only by the reflective stripes on their sneakers. One dog owner had fitted their 2 little dogs with blinking bike lights on their collars. The first approach was very confusing, but it's a good idea, those fluffballs were at no risk of being squished.

Dead possum on the path to work was curled up like a sleeping kitten. So sad.

This morning we have ants in my nice kitchen! And after we finally filled in the holes in the wall, too. I ran late(r) to clean the bench in the probably futile attempt to convince them there was nothing of interest and they should just move along. Better make sure we leave everything clean before we leave for the weekend.

So yeah, no disasters or anything, but it has seemed a long and tiring week. To be followed now by a mad flying trip to Adelaide (I will probably sleep), David fencing on Saturday, Sunday currently unplanned.

In my previous role with a large financial company, people got something like UKP1000 for every person they successfully referred for a job.

Current employer needs lots of people to staff their new store. The individual who refers the largest number of successful candidates will get $250 worth of groceries.

I can't say I'm feeling hugely inspired to rush out and persuade my friends they want to work in retail...


Meanwhile, we have curtains! In our bedroom, the guest room, David's office and the library. Photos may follow later.

Managed to sell everything I put on eBay. $100 for the cabinets & sink, $91 for the dishwasher, and $265 for the stove. Well worth doing.


The day outside is truly glorious, why am I stuck inside doing work? Our yard smells so nice...

Let's see...

Work is busy. It was my turn to work on Saturday, which I'd normally complain about but the extra money will be useful right now so I don't even mind that things ran overtime. Again. As always.

Once that was done, David and I set out to inspect potential kitchen handles, the went shopping for Lego storage solutions. (These will allow him to sort out his Lego, and have a slightly better chance of getting it out of the way for the window installation).
While David busied himself moving Lego into it's new homes, I spent quality time shooting things on the Wii. A sudden power failure tested our memory on where torches were currently located.

Valentines Day saw David head out for more Lego storage, and a visit to the local Lego user group. I did a little garden tidying, moved more stuff away from windows, then more Wii shooting. Knocked out a couple of David's high scores so it was a weekend well spent.
As concession to the date we shared some very nice steaks and pear cider for dinner. Then David returned to his Lego, and I mostly flaked out in front of the TV for the evening.

( Veggie Growing Update )