Neighbours

All posts tagged Neighbours

Eggs

Published March 16, 2020 by helentastic67

Eggs

We think money makes the world go around, but I think EGGS can build a community.

A carer started buying me eggs, I would get a tray of thirty farm fresh eggs for $14.00, then I would give a dozen of them to my masseuse as I don’t otherwise pay her.

I have other ways to pay her which I think she appreciates. The carer who would bring me the eggs had a collection of egg cartons. I started decorating them with a thick black texta in the hope that other people would join in. Add to the drawings, answer the question and posted inside by announcing what they intended to make with the eggs.

Mine stated “Destined to be Carrot Cake or Omelette or Bread and Butter Pudding” (Which needs eight eggs)

After a time, I found my own supplier which was two less things for this carer to do for me in her own time. I do like to be self-sufficient, but my contact has trays of twenty eggs for the same amount ($14). And again, free range and ‘Picked’ that day at 4am.

You should realize eggs don’t grow on trees, but are laid. The eggs are rather big, 800g and ‘twins’ or double yolkers are plentiful.

The issue is, I need to order two trays for my egg guy to deliver for free.

So, I asked around my neighbours and my ‘people’. My first order was two trays, one for me, one for a neighbour. My second order was five trays.

And this is how I’ve been trying to create a community.

Birkies – Part 2

Published January 20, 2020 by helentastic67

 

Birkies – Part 2

Now, you may ask, did we ever work out who this neighbourhood passive/aggressive carpark stealer was? With the red Barina and the nickname for a company on the side?

Why yes, we did and I worked it out because I’m the cluey one in the house at the time. The following conversation I had with B is why I loved sharing with him.

I didn’t think of the name, but I knew he would tell me if I prompted him, this is how the conversation went.

“What’s the name of the women’s shoes?”

I know that didn’t actually help much and he answered as any self-respecting straight man would.

“I’m not good with women’s shoe brands.”

Turns out that was a lie.

“What are those shoes that German/Lesbian backpacker tourists wear?”

Before you get all OMG Helen, you didn’t. He replied swiftly.

“Oh, Birkenstocks.”

Yes. Oh, we laughed.

We had neighbours who were German (No offense) they had a house next door that was originally two houses, they bought that, had been renovated to make a bigger house. Eventually, after we moved out and our house was sold, they bought it and renovated it after four years and merged it into theirs.

They had family live out here for six months every year to be with their family. Ok, that’s done. Now the reason I had to give you that context?

 

View

Published September 30, 2019 by helentastic67

View

When I was a kid, well teenager, also had a bedroom along the side of our house. My sister had a bedroom with a view of the backyard.

Yes, this is a second child syndrome moment because, it is what it is.

My view was of a grey fence that actually also had racks added so my dad could store his extra timber, metal and god knows what else. Like the double garage wasn’t big enough.

The neighbours loved to work late into the night over the fence in their carport on their cars. So, bright lights and late nights aplenty.

I recall a brief time, my older sister and I slept in a caravan behind our Aunt’s house, mum and dad were on a mattress in their big back room. My parents were building the house I grew up in. I lived in that house until I was nineteen.

In that bedroom that was view-less, having moved out of home to move to Melbourne to be a poor art student. I’ve moved many times. Have I counted? Yes. I’ve got to find my list. Then add a few places to it. But I hate moving and I finally have a reasonable view.

Ok, now I can see other people on their balconies and other apartments. But I have a view.

Blessed.

 

Apartment Living Past

Published June 28, 2019 by helentastic67

Apartment Living Past

Definitely time to throw in a post about apartment living. Late 2017 I moved into an apartment. It’s my fourth move since my diagnosis back in 2007. While I’ve not done any big distances between each place I’ve lived, this is the most ‘new-build’ I’ve ever been in. The last place was a unit, my address was Unit 1 at 111. No really, it was a great number to live in. It was only two minutes drive from where I now reside. That move was prompted by ‘sleazy’ landlord concerns. Because he just didn’t get it, he could not put his hands ‘ON’ me and tell me he loved me and wanted to have sex with me.

Did you, just throw up a little in your mouth? Exactly! So, I digress, apologies.

Apartment Living.

I have a carer every morning, maybe only for an hour, to an hour and a half and I keep them busy with tasks while I’m in the shower, doing a few dishes, putting buckets of water out on the balcony for my plants or taking down my rubbish and recycling. On Sunday morning my carer came into the bathroom and I polished a circle near my face on the shower screen door, so she could see my face.

 

This is what I said to her; “While you were out, I TOOK a call from S blocks that way. Stop slamming the door” She asked if I’d really received a call?

The apartment doors are rather heavy, I guess it’s for good security and sound proofing. I can’t hear what’s happening next door. Well, they might hear me, but my surround sound died, so it may no longer be an issue for them. But I often hear laughing and people running past my door to the lift and I really wish they would stop.

Apartment Living

Published May 27, 2019 by helentastic67

 

Apartment Living

It’s noisy, but quiet, it’s a very odd contradiction, so I shall need to explain. When I moved into my apartment (I rent) over a year ago, I was concerned about if it would be noisy or smelly or if I would never see my neighbours.

Once you are inside your apartment, you can’t really hear loud TV’s or dogs barking or loud thumping music from your neighbours. Once you close the heavy front door, you don’t hear anything from your neighbours. I sometimes hear people race past my front door to get to theirs or heading to the lift.

Sometimes if I’m heading to the lift and hear a door slam behind me, I’ll hold the lift door for anyone behind me. Then we proceed to have a brief awkward conversation about good timing and never seeing anyone else. So, yes I rarely see anybody from my floor.

I’m in an apartment block on a very busy corner. There is a main street where at my corner it forks off in a slightly north/eastern direction on the tram line and at the middle of the ‘bits’ (not sure how to best describe this) there is a pub. Across the street are more apartments. In my block, we are six storeys and across the street they are even higher.

The noise from the traffic, the trams, the pub. It’s ridiculous, the cars and motorcycles, the service vehicles, I can’t tell anymore, is it an ambulance, police car? I hear several of those every day.

One morning my carer arrived after I’d woken early and attempted to get back to sleep. An alarm of some kind had started and been going for about twenty minutes. My carer was with me for about ninety minutes. You tune it out after a while and the silence between seem to get a little longer and we looked at each other. Hopeful? Did it stop? No! Damn it!

I heard noises before, but never been able to workout where it was coming from or what it was to alert us to. I presume it was the apartment building across the street. I don’t know what it’s to alert or for what. If I could call someone, I wold but who would that be? If that person knew already, why weren’t they doing something about it?

My carer left and ten minutes later after a migraine had set in and taken hold, it stopped. Posing the question, WHY? And of course, can it stop?

 

1/111

Published April 20, 2018 by helentastic67

111 Mansfield St

1/111

Oh, that was pretty terse right? Just wondering as I’m contemplating having to move again after four years at 1/111, I know, seriously. When I moved here it was obviously destined that my life should be all about me. Living by myself.

Living Alone

Not prioritising anything of myself or my money to another, but not my point today. If I move, how long do I need to wait before I start blasting out my tunes at a level to piss off my neighbours?

Loud Music

I mean, I have the doors and windows open as I love fresh air and music always makes me happy and motivates me and it’s probably not great that my neighbours have a baby, but they deserve no remorse as they think it’s acceptable to use their washer and dryer overnight and when it’s 40 degrees outside and they have the mistaken belief that they are hippies. WFT!

Hippies

But seriously, I don’t play my music loud enough to tear paint off the walls, but I generally play some loud music within a week of moving, so my new neighbours aren’t lulled into a false sense of security.

Fasle sense of security

When I moved here, I heard some KLF from the back unit, only the once, sadly but still they didn’t play any Bitchy Sneers! (you heard me) or Mariah Carey, so we were all good. They had a DJ Club set up though so, it was any wonder after I moved in. They are not music people so I told them I would ‘TRY HARDER’.

DJ

Oh, what’s that you wanted to know, what I’m listening to? OK, you may not recognise any of these but, a little VNV Nation, Covenent, Apoptygma Beserk and some The Knife. Oh, don’t forget Nine Inch Nails and some Assemblage 23.

Assemblage 23

Oh, lastly whoever took my Apoptygma Beserk T-shirt with ¾ length sleeves with the red body and black sleeves, I WANT IT BACK.

Apoptygma Berserk

You know who you are!

You know

Today’s Lunch – 4th October 2017

Published October 4, 2017 by helentastic67

Todays lunch 0410 1

Today’s Lunch

Well,

A brief Hot off the press moment! Unit 2 have left the building! A huge truck was in the driveway this morning……I am sure the truck might have been half empty. (Unit 2 is smaller than units 1 and 3)
You may recall, I didn’t hate the tenants in unit 2, I just intensely didn’t like them?
Ironically, the energy is different already.

Moving 1

I attempted to bring you a different …….foodie offering.
But it hasn’t happened.

Today, is a different Arancini. This has pumpkin and spinach. Still with the side salad.

Pumpkin Arincini

And the medicine, might need two today. Feeling like a zombie.

Cafe Latte

It’s a nice day today in Melbourne. I’m hoping I don’t regret wearing my merino wool cowl neck vest over long sleeves. I just wasn’t ready to go full scooter t-shirt! (yes, I have one!)
To be continued………

Scooter

Cheers,
H

todays lunch 0410

Advise

Published October 4, 2016 by helentastic67

advice

Advice

Some people have great advice for me on what I can and should be able to do. I appreciate they’ve given it some thought. However, their advice is based on them NOT HAVING TO DO IT ONE HANDED!

Wonder if I made my point? Wonder if anyone’s still reading this post? It’s hard to tell.

Last night, Easter Sunday my neighbour bought me down some cake (Yum) and 6 prawns. (I don’t get it) We have a thing. I introduce her to foody goodness and she brings me treats, soups, I have given to neighbours and friends over the years in the hopes that it will express to people who I am and what I’m about. I finally have a neighbour who thinks to return the favour. Love her!

Anyway, the prawns, I know she meant well and I realise it didn’t occur to her I’d struggle to take the shells off. I wasn’t thinking of Megi (yes that’s her name – love her) so the prawns I gave it a go. But after all the effort I had a nibble and understood this rubbery concept even less. And then I gave them to the cat! No one can say she isn’t looked after.

Here are some pictures, before and after.

Whole Prawnsattempt prawnsfinal result

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do like a good challenge.

Jamima and prawns

 

 

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