Today’s Lunch – 11th April 2018

Published April 11, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays lunch 1104

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Another Wednesday dawns and much to share. Firstly, an apology for Monday’s post arriving a day later than normal. You might be aware I post Monday, Wednesday and Friday with an attention to promptness?

So, to explain. I’m sure you will understand my lovely Noelle my administrator who does all the magic to put my words live, mourns the passing of her mother. And she was put to rest Monday. While she lives in Sydney and I in Melbourne I finally got to meet her! Not the best of circumstances however after about six years of daily contact and a rare phone all. We actually got to meet! And yes, I made her try the prickly pear (it’s a very short season of which I bought only 12) Here is a picture of us.

Slumber party

 

Just a couple of kids

By the time I remembered to get a photo we were both in our jimmy jimmies (slumber party!) and very tired. Hence the above! No, it’s not us but I gave Noelle creative license to go crazy! Sadly, she was only here for one night! But I made sure to take her for coffee! Since MELBOURNE does have far superior coffee to Sydney!

Melbourne Coffee

But the excitement for the week was not yet over, what else could there be, I hear you ask? Monday early evening around 6.30pm, the fire alarm went off in the apartment block and we had to evacuate. Sounds a bit exciting right? Will Helens fantasy of being rescued from her second-floor balcony by a ‘hot’ fireman really happen? The block is six stories and there are lots of apartments and never an opportunity to meet anyone. Well, until there is an incident like this, after pulling on my cuff and collar, grabbing my bag and walking stick I left the building. In the lift, where it clearly states in case of fire avoid using the lift! (How else was I supposed to get out?) I later learnt there are two staircases I’m just hoping there is a handle on the right-hand side and in a serious potentially smoke-filled environment I don’t get pushed down the stairs? He sent fantasy? What! A girl can dream!

Fire Alarm

After standing around downstairs (wish I’d bought a jumper…..bbbbrrrrrr)  not one but two firetrucks came! People started heading back upstairs. I asked two firemen if it was ok to go back up? What had been the problem? He told me someone had been cooking bread rolls and they had caught on fire! And had it been me?

Fire truck

Hot fireman

 

 

 

 

 

 

How dare he! And on the lift ride back up having started a conversation with another tenant who provided me with some relief that this happens about once-yearly, she was going upstairs to find her cat who would likely be traumatised. One cat condo had appeared downstairs in the evacuation so seemingly good pet parenting there and if I had a cat I would have struggled to catch, shove in a cat condo and get it and myself outside, stairs aside! Again, fantasy prevails!

In the lift

In the lift, I noticed the only other people in the building I know. They swapped car spaces with me so I could access power for my scooter and they live two doors down from me, so have been initiated into my free food trade agreement. So, I asked him in the lift if he had been baking? Rightly he denied such action but there was a murmur of humour. I later messaged him apologising ‘bake-shaming’ him in public. He took it so well and that was just Monday, this is why I stopped writing my Monday Hot off the Press posts. They were while accurate, so busy.

Baking bread

Now, it’s Wednesday and with a grasp on calm today’s offering is another Ortolani quiche with a side salad. And my medicine.

Quiche

Latte

Muslims

Published April 10, 2018 by helentastic67

Sorry I’m late…

Muslims

Muslims

Here is my very simple rant on the topic of both Muslims and Terrorists and to follow a few witty stories.

It’s very simple, so I figure (and keeping in mind) I was raised a Catholic. Anglican mum, Catholic dad.

Muslims and Terrorists.
Muslims are Muslims,
Terrorists are Terrorists,
and I don’t like to presume one automatically means the other.

Muslims vs Terrorists

To be fair, I have one Muslim friend and we were friends while we did a course together, for a year or so, then life moves on and her life got busy and now we are only Facebook friends. When she hears my witty comments on her posts she tells me, she misses me.

Muslim friends

But here’s the funny part.

One day we were driving to another friend to meet for afternoon tea and I asked what her hair looks like? (she wears a scarf only), so her hair has never been visible, we did a deal.

Wearing a scarf

At the afternoon tea location, she would remove her scarf, if I would take out my hair. It’s become the norm to just wear a bun. Mostly since I was sixteen, with the exception of when I had NO HAIR.

Helens bun

The deal was struck.

Two things came out of this, as far as I could tell.

  1. When people don’t see your hair you really don’t care what condition it’s in and I suspect you can’t pamper yourself by going to a hairdresser to get it done. (I get mine done once a year and I’m overdue by months now) But more amusing.
  2. She told me, if I wore mine out I’d get a ……… wait for it…. A HUSBAND

Hair down

Does anyone else feel the irony?

Find husband

Religion

Published April 6, 2018 by helentastic67

Religion

Religion

It seems to come up a lot in blogging doesn’t it? People talking about God, Jesus and ‘Whatnot’ and this will put me into my Religion/Muslim/Terrors topic, but we shall see. As previously stated, I went to a Catholic School for nine whole years.

Talking about God

However, I lost my faith in this ‘Holy Go-Thing’ early in life. In brief, I lost my sister when I was nine years-old. She had been born on my 8th birthday and died fifteen months and a week later from cancer. She was sick for a month, then just gone.

Questioning God

Is there a God?

Does God do this?

Why would God do this?

God takes innocent little babies?

But while I question this and don’t believe in this ‘Concept of God’ the all mighty, that’s OK. I believe more in this Higher Being, The Universe, Karma, Buddha, whatever that is.

Higher power

I believe in doing the right thing, largely based on the 10 commandments, sure. Because it all makes sense, it’s common sense, right!

10 Commandments

But I also believe in reincarnation, because really, we’re born, we live, we die. That also can’t be it surely? Because I think some people really don’t get it right the first time and I like to imagine, if we suffer in this life, maybe we get better looked after in the next. Then again it scares me to ask what horrible thing or atrocity I’ve committed in a past life to be dealing with this ‘Shit’?

Reincarnation

Today’s Lunch – 4th April 2018

Published April 4, 2018 by helentastic67
todays lunch

KITTEN WITH BLUE BLANKET

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Well, last week I visited Neko Cat Lounge in Melbourne. Prompting me to email a photo to my property manager with the sentence “Can I have her?” Accompanied by this photo.

Jody

And an assortment of others.

Two cats were adopted that day.

Bruce here, would have gone home too but he wouldn’t come out of his tree! This was all you could see of him and I confess I took advantage and gave his head some pats, he was baby-soft! He was a 3.5-year-old rag doll. Both Ms T and I wanted to see him come out of his tree so we could see all of him. While he didn’t come out another cat climbed into the cat condo awaiting Bruce I suggested “2 for 1?”

Bruce

Waiting to hear from my property manager.

And just because my carer and her hands-on Monday.

Hands 2

 

So, while I enjoy lunch, today’s offering, Pancetta quiche with side salad and my medicine.

Quiche

Latte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, inhale and haul ass to chiro. Sigh.

Cheers,
H

Happy Wednesday

Hot Flushes

Published April 2, 2018 by helentastic67

Hot Flushes

Hot Flushes

Went shopping today with one of my regular carers of the last four years and our adventures are always a highlight of my week. Despite when you read this, it’s mid-January now and Summer.

My carer and I walked out of the shopping complex and because it’s important I did an instant commentary of the weather. First an assessing frown and “OH?” It’s a little humid, but a cool breeze and a little light rain. To which ’T’ (let’s go with that) responded with something about her hot flushes and an advisement, that you should be able to flip a switch and opt out of Menopause.

Menopause

And the banter had just begun.

“Well, I think your well past that option.”

T, still in fantasy land, so I tried again.

“OK, what if you sacrificed one of your children?”

She has three sons and one of course is the problem child. All adults now, but she loves them all the same.

My Three Sons

She made a little sound like her decision would be easy and I told her she could not choose. I suggested, if she didn’t paint some of her husband’s blood above the front door, she would lose her first born. She did not like that suggestion and it wasn’t the part about blood-letting her husband.

Blood Letting

She enquired where this has happened and when? Accompanied with the query “Does that really happen?”

“What?”

I looked at her and told her where I had taken some of my inspiration and imagination from and declared nine years of Catholic School, such influence. I emphasised the “nine years” and pointed my thumb to my chest and I thought Catholic School has been a waste of my time.

Catholic School 1

Good Times

Published March 30, 2018 by helentastic67

Good times

Good Times

It was a hot day last Friday and I’d gone out with Ms Tina to do my weekly shop. On the way a short distance, I received a text telling me I had not escaped my third rent increase. Hence my previous post where I needed to vent about housing and all that, that entails.

Hot day

I suggested we sit on the bench just inside the entrance to take a moment to cool down. We found ourselves sitting in front of a Travel Agents, Flight Centre, something or other.

Travel Agency

Now I don’t get to holiday or travel and apart from two nights in Tasmania about six years ago, when my boyfriend was still faking that we were still actually together. I’ve not been in an airplane ‘overseas’ since 1994. So I looked up and discussed with Ms Tina. “Wow look at that!”

No Holiday

Next month I can pay for rent or I can go to ‘somewhere else’ for eleven days.

Ms Tina suggested eleven days away and some drinks. Now, you know I don’t really drink, but I think I could learn.

Should have holiday

I imagine life would be a little easier to deal with if I drank. Pity I don’t like the taste. Or the ones I like I can’t afford.

Holiday end

Today’s Lunch – 28th March 2018

Published March 28, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays lunch

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Well, midweek in a short week. This Friday is Good Friday, so if you were planning too many things this week and will struggle with only a 4-day week. You can blame Jesus! And strap in, next week is a short one also!

Good Friday

Here’s something a bit different and, well I think interesting? This was breakfast! You know those days where you think this will not make a very good photo?

Prickly Pear
This is the Prickly Pear and no, I can’t describe it but it tastes delicious and despite only touching tongs and the plastic bag I still had annoying thistles in my ONE GOOD HAND! File under weird Wog food. Your welcome!

Today’s offering, is an Zaffarino Arancini with side salad. (Saffron rice, mint and peas) With my medicine!

Zafferini

Latte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you should know this is not what I would cook at home.

Cheers,
H

Happy Wednesday

Grumpy

Published March 26, 2018 by helentastic67

Grumpy

Grumpy

I need to have a grumpy rant!

So, if you can’t cope, skip this post now, but if you can hang in there, it might give you some understanding of why I swear in my posts so much.

Grumpy rant

That said, you should be prepared for some F*** Bombs. I’m currently house hunting, AGAIN!

F Bomb

I know, I know, I’ve lived here for four years, which in the last twenty-five years is my limit and I’ve only lived in four houses for four years each, so you can imagine the rest of that time I’ve bounced around a bit.

Four years

I‘ve been meaning to write about how I’ve been preparing to say goodbye to my friends. My friends being the five or so carers. I’m about to lose because I’ve now got the NDIS and I’ve got to start using my funding through an Agency and then there’s the painful process of “Training” new girls.

Saying Goodbye

I’ve had to implement “Grumpy Helen” to do this, I am hating the “System” I live in where, if you fit some particular criteria, you get funding and assistance thrown at you.

Let me give you an example:

Are you Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander?
Are you a refugee?

Hear me when I say, I appreciate why refugees need assistance, however, WHAT ABOUT ME?

What about me

I mean and they advertise assistance for these groups and so on. I have been told by people (carers) that they have other clients who live in private rental and when I ask how, they can’t tell me.

Expensive housing

I rang a few places a few years ago that were recommended to me and no one could assist me. Today I sat with my CM (Case Manager) Dave and he told me of a “thing” for want of a better word, it is an organisation and acts similarly to a Real Estate agent and they have properties cheaper than the private rental market.

Housing

Ok, all the properties are miles from me or anywhere I need to live, however maybe I can have my property added to this program? Who funds this scheme? DHS

This is another Government Agency – called already. Department of Human Services, who manage Public Housing.

Public Housing

So how come, if they find all these other agencies to deliver programs and dole out assistance – how come no one could would tell me about this scheme?

I noticed with some regret, I am yet to swear in this post, that I promised or suggested it was likely I would swear. So, allow me to remedy that.

Swearing

FUCK! FUCK! FUCKETY! FUCK!

Fuck

Sigh, that feels better.

And I’m back.

I’ve found something fun to do in my neighbourhood, that is an evening thing. In my neighbourhood and I can’t find anyone to go with me. It would seem everybody else gets funded to do ‘fun-things’.  I can’t and I can’t even find a friend to go with me, am I going to have to pay a carer to go?

Fun things

Oh that “event” is Midge nMe from Ultravox. For those who need Google and Wiki, I’ll help by sending you back to the 80’s and mentioning Synth-Pop and if your parents don’t cope with your music taste, they would probably cope with Ultravox.

Ultravox

OK, feel like I’ve maybe mentioned this before, but just in case, caught up with a Numpty-friend late last year. That translates to another friend with an ABI.

I mentioned another Numpty-friend had gotten into Public Housing in my old suburb. This is when I get livid to the agency of Public Housing in that neighbourhood. I outright call them liars, as I had been opposite some Public Housing and I knew there was new Public Housing this other person had been accepted to. The friend I was with told me the lucky person had been bragging a few years ago that they’d bought a house. So how did they qualify for Public Housing?

Numpty

OK, I miss “cable internet”, I don’t know if I need to say anything else on this to pick. The house I rented before here, I was offered Cable Internet as it was available in that area. Is that a stupid question? So, I got it.

Cable internet

I lived there for fourteen months, beautiful house. Needed a housemate who could pay half the rent and I held in there as long as I could and that’s why I moved here. No housemate required. I’m sure you feel my pain.

Feel my pain

After going out to my kitchen to cook dinner at about 10pm, I noticed a huge light in the sky. OMG it’s a full moon.

That Mother Nature has a lot to answer for.

Mother Nature

 

Chocolate

Published March 23, 2018 by helentastic67

Chocolate 1

Chocolate

Again, another post that is telling on how long ago I wrote this. For me, this is possibly the best thing that happens at Christmas. About fifteen years ago, I went to the Melbourne Flower and Garden Show. It’s been running annually since 1995 and I distinctly recall the first time I went because of a purchase I made that time. I’ve maybe only been once since because all the soil I own is in pots and I’m always feeling too poor to go. Paying an admission fee is one thing, but if you don’t have some spending money it’s just easier not to go.

Flower-Show

So, a long time ago I went with a college friend, let’s call her Jane (it’s been a while since we used Jane, right?). We wandered around outside before venturing inside into the Melbourne Exhibition Building. It’s a beautiful landmark as it’s Heritage listed, it’s in Carlton, close to the city.

Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne

https://museumsvictoria.com.au/reb/ (Royal Exhibition Building)

As we wandered around we heard a voice calling out ‘Hot Chocolate’ over and over again. It was monotonous. We kept wondering around down stairs, before venturing upstairs. We kept hearing this chant, ‘Hot Chocolate’.

Hot Chocolate

Seriously, when we found him, he stood at an exhibition stand with tall posters made of plastic fabric. We asked him what he was going on about. “Hot Chocolate”.

Their was a spectacular lily with a rich velvety colour and variegated leaves. The product came in a white plastic tub in the shape of a coffee mug. The packaging came with a bag of soil and another bag with a bulb in it. They were $50.00. We both walked away from that stand carrying one each. And he was still alive.

Growing Calla Lily

We were promised we would have flowers the first year. We should have killed him because that didn’t happen. After, I think two years I re-potted it into a bigger pot and some years later, I re-potted it again into an even larger pot.

Repotting

That $50 really was an investment because I think it took about five years just to get foliage and about ten years to get flowers.

Even now, Christmas 2016 I got three flowers the first year I had flowers the requests started from family and friends alike for a part of the bulb when it multiplied.

family

They stopped asking…

At the start of Summer, the pot, a large plastic pot in the corner of my back yard, that I start to water religiously in Spring, starts to get little spikes in it.

I’ve found Jamima nestled on top of the pot and I’ve had to shoo her off.

The spikes become too tall here, leaves open and stretch upwards and around a week before Christmas comes the best reward.

Tell me if you think it was worth it?

Hot Chocolate Calla Lily

Today’s Lunch – 21st March 2018

Published March 21, 2018 by helentastic67

Wednesday

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Good Mental Health Day

Another Wednesday creeps around, this week so far less stressful.

Although the usual drama organising carers to get organised to get out of the house (paraphrasing, I now live in an apartment) and get to an early appointment then home again in time for my 2pm carer. Does this ever end?

Organised

Today’s offering is Fungi Pizza with the side salad and my medicine. I’m not big on mushrooms but on a rare occasion maybe I’m feeling a little mouldy. (Get it?)

PizzaLatte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,
H

Happy Wednesday 1