Hot off the Press – 29th May 2017

Published May 29, 2017 by helentastic67

Hot off the Press 1

This weekend I’ve been considering if you went to an Elvis Convention with that many in the one room would they be Elvis’s or Elvisi? I was considering this after checking out a new show. Called Big Little Lies. It’s actually a miniseries. 7 episodes, an hour each. Sometimes a short and sweet season of something that doesn’t continue can be good. If every show I watched went on forever I would need to be much choosy about what to watch. Ok, House with Hugh Laurie could have gone on forever, but it is what it is.

Elvis Convention

Big Little Lies in short is about parenting and marriages in a small close-knit but often bitchy area. Themes include domestic violence, bullying and the balance between parenting and career. At the start I was convinced, “The Butler did it!” there is NO butler, but you watch every episode wondering what this big secret is? But the first character to raise my suspicions is guilty of something, but you have to hang in there with an open mind and you finally find out in the last 10 minutes. It’s also about Nature versus Nurture. And how woman can communicate so much with a few simple glances and woman’s intuition is a powerful force. Lastly, the one character, the protective mothers saw as a husband stealing hot chick, they all hated was the one that had the independence and sense of survival instinct and came in, saved the day and took care of business for the sake of all woman-kind.

Big little lies 1
If that doesn’t sell you on 7 hours of TV I don’t know what will. Also, ladies, don’t forget domestic violence is wrong. It’s not the answer for anything.

Also, I do not get all the running! Too much running! And so many familiar faces, too many too mention but a must watch! It’s definitely the location of where I’d want to live in a completely different reality. Very picturesque.

Also got a little Criminal Minds, Blue Bloods and, Mindy Project in this week.

Criminal Minds Blue bloods The Mindy Project

Yes. I’ve still been rather busy but I skipped my single girl date night film, commonly referred to as Saturday Night! To wrap up Little Big Lies.

Oh, and I should throw in Alexander Skarsgard ‘butt’ makes a brief appearance in episode 2! And no, I didn’t replay it…….if you are not familiar with Alexander think True Blood and Generation Kill. At least he is age-appropriate for a change.

Alexander Skarsgard

If you decide I’m sounding a little pervy, what I have to say is; “I’m broken! Not dead!”

And maybe because I left the house today, Aunty Christine took me out for lunch to meet her hubby I had 2 coffees! So, I’m catch up on admin, email and even managed a second comic to the smaller pile today!

Side topic; I broke my coffee pot this week. Things will be dire by hump day if I can’t come home with a new one…….big day Thursday coming with an adventure to report on next week!

Coffee machine

After great discussion from last Fridays Postcards Post I thought since it sounds like I’m not the only one who misses a good postcard found in the letterbox, to my trusted followers (You know who you are?) email me your address & I’ll send you a postcard.

Postcards

Published May 26, 2017 by helentastic67

Postcard

Postcards

Everyone relax! I think I’ve discovered the method of solving the Greek economic problem. No really, hear me out, I’ve only traveled overseas once and that was 100 years ago, in 1994. I loved it. Admittedly I didn’t pay for the flights and it was a bit of a Cinderella story.

Cinderella

And yes, it ended in tears and heartbreak, mine. But still, I sent many, many postcards in the three months I was away and because I don’t get to travel or holiday, I confess I love a Postcard!

My request for a postcard from friends and family who have the luxury or the cash to travel usually falls on deaf ears and when I get one I’m so chuffed…

Postcard 1

A friend recently had a six-week adventure in Europe and I asked for a postcard, I even pushed for a postcard from every capital city she visited.

I know, I offered her a cheeky smile and a snort. She did post me a postcard from Greece and she told me how hard it was to find a post box.

Postcard 2

She’s been back a month now and still no postcard.

Last week I went to my appointment with her and reported still no postcard and then I announced “Oh my God! I’ve just solved the Greek Financial Crisis”

Greek tragedy

They should create jobs in the postal industry.

Reboot postcards and bring them back to former glory.

Your welcome!

Where’s my damn Postcards???

Postcard 3

Breaking News – 24th May 2017

Published May 24, 2017 by helentastic67

Last week, the last very Auntie Christine, (previously mentioned) asked me a question. ” Have you had a visitor?” Emphasis was on the word ‘visitor’ I knew what she meant and replied happily ” No, no visitors?”

She had helped me take off my bed sock from my left foot as I’ve had some trouble since my Physio mangled me two weeks ago and I’ve had trouble getting my left foot up onto my right knee.

she told me the bruise I had failed to notice looked like a hand print?

My GP once asked if I bruised easily? I didn’t know how to answer. The purest definition of bruising easily he described as you discover a bruise but don’t recall how you got it or when?

I get bruises all the time, as I presume most people with a disability would also. But I can generally tell you how I did it after the bruise appears. This one took a few days.

Bruises

I think this is my hand, when I have been lifting my left leg into the car……Front passenger seat is on the left in OZ. Right leg in first…… go figure………

On the other hand, I did get a second take at seeing the film Snatched Snatched (2017 film) the Westgarth today. Palace Westgarth | Palace Cinemas Jane (not her real name) this session had twice as many people and all went smoothly. Good thing I stopped eating the popcorn when I did or my laughter would have caused me to choke to death.

palace_westgrath

Please follow the links for a look at a nice independent cinema in Melbourne, and if you haven’t gone to see Snatched with Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer get to it.

Happy Wednesday!

Hot off the Press – 22nd May 2017

Published May 22, 2017 by helentastic67

T-birds and Purple Trees

Published May 19, 2017 by helentastic67

Thunderbirds

T-Birds and Purple Trees

T-Birds and Purple trees! My Case Manager told me to quote that when I have my NDIS assessment tomorrow. He suggests it emphasises my (how best to say it?) “Numpty-ness?”

Purple tree

He rang me a week ago and asked what I was up to and I was quite literal as I was reading a post from one of the bloggers I follow. The post was about T-Birds (Thunderbirds the car) and a beautiful purple tree that was about to be cut up. One of my followers will recognise this from her blog.

My point being, sometimes I’ve got to get my “Crazy” on! Because I manage to appear so competent, I almost self-sabotage and I don’t mean to.

Crazy lady

I am competent in many, many ways, but it doesn’t change the fact that physically I struggle and the things I manage to do all comes at a cost.

I mean, try peeling a carrot one-handed. That should be today’s challenge.

I promise you it’s do-able. It’s just such a complete “brain fuck” if you manage it you will need a good stiff drink afterwards and I need a lie down.

Brain fuck

Fingers crossed I don’t have to get the “Crazy” out too much tomorrow. That also requires a lie down because I really hate having to dumb myself down.

I am my best advocate, but if I do it a little too well, I shoot myself in the foot.

Ridiculous!

Ridiculous

Filing Cabinet

Published May 17, 2017 by helentastic67

Filing Cabinet

The lovely man came to mow the lawns today. Yes! I know, I’ve got actual lawn. He’s been here before and he replaced the front lounge blinds, but I’d struggled to remember his name.

I stuck my head, OK all of me clad still in my PJ’s and bed socks to offer him a coffee.

I thought I’d remembered his name. So, I said;

‘Is it Erin or Arron?

To which he replied “Jack”

I was never going to win, was I?

“Damn it”

He smiled. So, all is forgiven.

But funnily enough I remember he came out to Australia from Holland and now I’ll remind myself he’s a Jack of all trades and I’ll remember his name in the future.

Jack of all trades 1

So, I’m using name association to recall his name and it just goes to show the brain is like a filing cabinet. It’s all in there, you just need methods of filing them away.

I think that’s why I managed so well in the Case Management role I worked in. There were plenty of systems and everything has a place an uncluttered space, means an uncluttered mind.

Uncluttered

Look around you right now.

What do you see?

If you see clutter?

Organise,

Organise

Organise!

Organise

Hot off the Press – 15th May 2017

Published May 15, 2017 by helentastic67

Here is the news 150517

Wow! What a painful week! And here’s where I struggle to tell it in dot points so I’m still motivated enough to unpack the shit that was in an actual post you can read in well, some time from now…….

Painful week

Same as last week really, Osteo/Mio/Remedial/Chiropractor/Acupuncture….& Physio!

And when I got to the Physio it was she that was opinionated enough to tell me I was doing too much and how was I to know what was helping?

Hear from the NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency) this week they couldn’t justify a review to help pay for my Shrink (sorry, Psychologist) or my Chiropractor or my friggin’ shoes!

Apparently, none of these things are from my original diagnosis: WTF!

I don’t know about anybody else but I didn’t have the need of a Shrink! (I know, I prefer to call her that as it sounds more like I’m crazy?) or need my weekly Chiropractic appointments until my body decided every little thing I took for granted before it wouldn’t do without paying me back in weird ways….. Like reaching and closing the car door puts my ribs out?

Or the underlying migraine I’ve had for the last week?

And by Friday, the Physio was proved right! I hate that so much….. because it hurt to weight-bare on my left leg. As in sharp pains shooting up from my foot to everywhere in my body. And I do mean everywhere! By Friday evening I had booked another appointment with my Chiropractor on Saturday….Need I remind everyone Saturday is my Off-Grid day? No email, no social media….no adult, no responsibility, no bra or shoes! And therefore, I rarely leave the house on a Saturday…. I did all of those things including spending $50 the NDIA doesn’t seem necessary just so I could only late today (Sunday) move around my home without my walking stick for short periods of time!)

Sore body

I did implement Single Girl Date Night reasonably successfully, I watched two films I had recorded on my Toppy.

Single girl

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topfield

In simple terms, it means I can record two channels at once on live TV while watching something previously recorded.

Good to record films & comedy….. Then watch whenever you like, while skipping the ads.

I didn’t watch anything ground-breaking this week, the films were “The Longest Ride” and “Cowboys & Aliens”. If you haven’t heard much about these films there is good reason. The first was a love story. The end! The second was what you get when you are a beautiful actress, retired 007! And Harrison Ford. My point is none of them (beautiful or not) no longer need to work and it seems they thought, let’s do a cowboy and ‘What the Hell’ film because we don’t need to make money…….or I’m being very cynical. In short.

Cowboys and aliens

Finished 13 Reasons Why finally proving to be a tough week!

13 Reasons Why. Really well done. Challenging to watch but well worth it for anyone still undecided.

13 Reasons Why

13 Reasons Why (stylized onscreen as Th1rteen R3asons Why) is an American drama-mystery web television series ba…

Started watching season two of Billions with Damien Lewis this week also. I have a habit of not watching some shows until I have the whole season.

And to update, I actually read a whole comic today in one go! Ok, considering migraine all week this was a win. And there was the added pressure to report I’d read at least one considering I still head to my comic store once every few months to collect my order. I’ll try to read one tomorrow since I’ve decided I need a long weekend.

Reading comics

So, finally I guess I did do too much last week so I’ll be skipping Physio for a few weeks to give my body a break. And it didn’t help she played Devil’s Advocate suggesting the NDIA shouldn’t need to buy me shoes when everyone wears and buys shoes. Which was fine when I could wear my Adidas Gazelles at the cost of $130 a pair and I bought 2-3 pairs a year……But now I need medically approved shoes at $460 a pair and should have the option of two pairs, it shouldn’t be too much to ask I can’t and don’t buy my own shoes…..

Shoes

If all goes well by this time tomorrow my food parcel will be safely in Sydney in Noelle’s hands.

Food Parcel

I shall save my brush this week with a famous chef for a full-blown post. Stay tuned!

Charge!

New week charge

Life

Published May 12, 2017 by helentastic67

Life

If you’re not living; You’re just waiting to die. I’m often forced to re-evaluate what life is all about.

My dreams

I used to think life would be about having my own family, my ideal picture more recently being a husband and cat and dog. A mortgage (likely) a career, a business of some sort and enough freedom to afford a holiday to foreign shores every now and again.

crazy disability

Since my diagnosis and then my disability, some of these things have faded from being possibilities or a reality?

In many ways, I do feel like I’m just passing time and I’m not sure what life is meant to be about, in the big scheme of things. I’m still trying to make a difference every day with the little things I do and the everyday interactions, but right now I’m wondering what I should be doing differently so I’m not found months or years after I pass away, unnoticed by the world in my armchair as an old lady surrounded by 20 hungry cats…

Cat lady

Who You Gonna Call?

Published May 10, 2017 by helentastic67

ghostbusters_who_you_gonna_call

Who Can You Call

No, it’s not Ghostbusters, if you’re feeling down, who could you really call if you need talking off a ledge? If you were to really think about it, I have both parents still. Not complaining, they are still around and I have two sisters, an older, who lives an hour away and a younger sister who lives with our mum again, 3 ½ hours away.

My older sister, I won’t even send a Facebook request because it would hang in limbo.

My mum and younger sister, I can’t call when Masterchef is on, or Survivor, or even Bachelor. I can’t call before midday and I can’t call certain days of the week after 7pm. They work odd hours and sleep worse hours than me and there seems to be an all-round they don’t want to hear from me, so I don’t bother.

Masterchef

Had a call with mum today with my Case Manager here and the call went surprisingly well. I was eating my breakfast at the time so had to be very patient. We were collectively discussing my application for the NDIS. Occasionally when my mum got distracted by the “problems” and couldn’t get to a solution, I found my words.

Phone conversation

I finished the call with my usual sign-off “Love you and leave you” and my mum gave me the phone equivalent of a “whatever”.

Hanging up I shared a moment with my Case Manager that he understood my pain and yet, if I need “talking off a ledge” my mum would want to hear from me.

My advice to anyone, if you’re feeling down, if you’re having a hard time call someone.

Feeling down

Don’t do anything stupid, just call someone. Start a conversation and if you’re that person someone calls and you don’t know what to say? Just say something.

Sometimes, it’s OK if you don’t know what to say, just talk, give them company.

Having said all of that, there is a rare evening the phone rings after midnight and I laugh when I answer. She asks “is it too late?”

I laugh again.

It’s often a very prompt, matter of fact call. Which is fine.

By that time, I’m trying to wind down and arguments don’t help.

Midnight call

Hot off the Press – 8th May 2017

Published May 8, 2017 by helentastic67

Hot of the Press

Ready! Set! Go!

Osteo Remedial/Mio. Chiropractor/Acupuncture. (B.T. Dubs, it’s called Wednesday, commonly referred to as my Punchy/Stabby Day!) Physio. Completely missed lunch 2 or 3 days this week. Mum was down from Monday Night & 2 nights we were up doing ‘Someone else” Job so late I got to sleep around 3am.

Chiropractor

Gave mum her early Mother’s Day gift. A cute little teddy bear I hid between her pillow and the doona in the spare bedroom. It has a little button on its Tummy and when you press it a child-like voice says “I love you Mum!” She was very coy but I think she really liked it because that night I thought she would wear out the battery. Totally worth it!

Mothers day

But we got there. Even made a decent frittata this week, haven’t made one in years and visited the local pet shop. The only furry beast in residence was Vigaro, a somewhat friendly young male with black and white fur, some cute black marking on its mouth. The pet shop always has one cat from Maneki.Neko Cat Rescue Neko.org.au. (Check it out)

He loved a good head rub from me and Mum even had a cuddle. This visit came about because it looks like I’m not moving any time soon. Not much around and none of it very nice in my price-range. so, why am I waiting to get my new In-House Mental Health Care Provider?

Black and white cat

Well, I could afford the $120 cost of a fully vet-checked fur-child but, not the cost of the food & kitty litter as I returned or gifted every bit I had 6 weeks ago. Meanwhile Vigaro bit my Mum…..Hope he finds a nice home all the same. I have also created the very short Pro’s (versus Con’s) list of not having a cat! I only spent $50 on people food last Friday.

Managed to catch up on some admin today. Even read a comic. (only one this week) in the constant battle to clear my couch which is more like my in-tray. Received some emails from some blogger colleagues this week which was lovely, wondering who is responsible for the T-Birds & Purple Tree’s posts from some time ago (You know who you are!) and when I might see another?

At the age of 40 my mum finally got around to making her second daughter a quilt! My mum is a Mad Quilter. Ok, she says passionate, I say Mad! Same/Same! That was four years ago it’s finally been on my bed for the last 2 nights! Couldn’t have had the quilt on my bed with Jamima……she was a scratcher, when it came to bedding.

Quilt

Have been watching Homeland and 13 reasons why, the second reminding me of the painful years of High School. Not quite finished, so no spoilers please! Would be a great soundtrack.

Wondering if these Hot off the press updates work for people? I enjoy the routine & that it works out to be current for everyone however I find as life is always busy I make the excuse not to prioritise some time to write down other ideas into actual laid-out posts.

Feel free to comment & provide feedback? Please keep it positive?

It’s the start of a new week all over again!

New week