University Open Day

Helen and I went to the open day for Melbourne University and looked at the music department. We took these photos with our new camera :)

On our way we passed the National Gallery of Victoria.



Here is the sign for the Open Day.



When we arrived, we saw students protesting against the government's decision to change the VCA (Victorian College of the Arts), which is the arts section of the university.




The open day was an interesting and educational experience. We took an iconic Melbourne tram back to Flinders Street station and went home.

Where I have been

I haven't been commenting as our computer got a really bad virus and we had to buy a new tower. First it went to be cleaned at a computer shop and within 24hrs of getting it back we had the virus. According to the computer guy it was choking the windows and was well and truly damaged.
Not only that but when this PC guy was due i tripped myself up our back step and trying not to fall had no where else to go but into the back wall where i hit the front of my head. I was wearing my reading glasses and managed to cut the top of my eyelid as well. So i have a technicolour bruise on my arm and knees and a big lump on my head. The PC man arrived five minutes later to be greeted by me looking bloodied and a throbbing head. Suzanne when i fell i thought of you with all your falls you have had occasionally.
I am putting in for holidays for September school holidays so Helen and i can go to Sydney for a few days. Helen wants to go back for old times sake as she went with my father and stepmother when she was young and wants to go on a ferry ride and other things. Also my birth mother has invited us to visit her at a place called Halidays Point which she tells me is about a 2 hour drive from Newcastle. I haven't seen her since Helen was three years old although we keep in touch. I'm just waiting to get approval for my leave and then i will start planning. Mark will stay home to look after the cats and i can't afford 3 of us to go. I was missing not being able to comment on your blogs. It is strange how you want to keep up with what everybody is doing.

UPDATE:
Each time after i visit the "Moaning and Mournful" blog i lose the sidebar on my Blog, "Joyful Jo" for a while and then it re-appears. Does anyone else have this problem and what did you do about it. As you can see i just choose another template and hope for the best.

Illness in the family

Sorry i haven't been around much lately. Helen has been on the computer and i couldn't be bothered asking her to get off. although i did ask her to let me check my emails.
Also Helen is still recovering from the influenza plus swine flu. We went to the doctor to see if she might have glandular fever. Results are in but it is no. she has borderline iron deficiency, thyroid levels are down and are being further tested.
I was getting panicky as her operation is 29Th June for her wisdom teeth.
I have applied for two days Carer's Leave. I wanted 3 days but work is having accreditation done on the 1st and 2ND July. I was told they might want to speak to me about how we clean the rooms and infection control. The other cleaner is Greek and her English is not always good enough so I bet it will be me. As i also clean the dementia unit i have to be careful with the infection control. They probably won't approach me. Needless to say the charge nurse got excited when i said Helen's op may be cancelled as she wanted me in the two days before. Of course my leave has been posted on the board for someone to fill in but of course no one wants to do it.
Adding to all of this Mark's blood pressure is high and he is on the highest dosage he can be on. Last week he had to wear a 24 hr blood pressure monitor. He started going to Gym every night this week which was a worry as i said that he should wait until the results came back. I said if you want to have a stroke or heart attack go right ahead.

Getting Older

Hi everybody,
I was reading the obituaries notices last night and there was the surname of one of my first boyfriends. I looked at the initial of his christian name and thought yes his was an 'L'; so went looking on further into the notices and sure enough it was him. He was just 56 years old.
My feelings was this is so weird to think one of my first boyfriends has died. I was about 19 or 20 years old at the time. I discovered he had never married and there wasn't any partner.
I feel so old now. argh!!
This afternoon i went to the doctors for a routine check for ( well all you women know what for) It really hurt!! Then was told that as i am now over fifty i am entitled to a free mammogram. So now will have to ring and find out where my nearest clinic is.
We have a new C.E.O. at work who has already sacked the kitchen manager/cook and bringing a few changes to how shifts are going to done. Down the track i have been told that we are going to be taking out furniture of residents rooms and cleaning their room entirely. Today a man came to give a demo of a steam cleaner that does shampooing and vacuuming. I was asked my opinion of it and i said it was a bit big to which i was told you can still move it on its trolley. I thought why ask me you have already made up your mind to buy one. We will be given more time to do these extra rooms but i was happy with the hours i have already let alone more.

That was the week that was.

Well Easter has come and gone. The 4 days' break that i was hanging out for since Christmas were pleasant. Helen was going to a Planet Shakers conference that was from Monday to Thursday. Unfortunately, she only lasted 1 day. She started shivering at the conference and went to the first aid office where she saw out the rest of the night and got back to her friend's place at midnight and woke the next morning feeling terrible. She stayed the morning at their place with her friend's mother until i got home. She walked in with a flushed face, showing she had a temperature and was unable to attend the rest of the week's conference. On Wednesday she made an appointment for the doctor to be told there weren't any appointments available until for 4pm Thursday! I was livid! I told Mark when he arrived home from work on Wednesday evening. Mark rang the Clinic to complain that Helen was sick and that Helen have to wait to see someone until well over 24hrs after she rang. The receptionist spoke to our doctor and said he will see her at 11.30 next morning. It turned out to be a throat infection and she is now on antibiotics and feeling a lot better.
Helen goes back to school on Monday and is glad she was sick in the holidays rather than during school time when she would have to catch up.
I now have a very sore neck that started last Monday. I went to a physiotherapist on Wednesday who manipulated my neck and i came out in more pain than when i went in.
This morning,(Sat)I made an appointment in a nearby suburb to see a doctor knowing we wouldn't get in at our usual doctors. I was told it was muscular and he gave me a script for panadeine forte and a doctors certificate for Monday and Tuesday. This is the first time in two years i have been unable to go to work! I have been employed for two years next month but only 6 months as permanent part time so i am now able to get sick leave and holidays but i feel i have to start all over again with getting sick leave.

Well here it is a cottage repaired with new weatherboards. As we thought, the carpenters found things that needed repairing. Three stumps replaced as they were rotten, and also a rafter in the roof as well.
Polo,our cat, enjoyed the new space that was under the house and was watching the world go by.
All that is left to be done is the painting!

renovations (finally!)

These are before photos of the front of our house which are going to be replaced starting on Tuesday morning. The carpenters expect to be here for about three days. I will give you updates on the progress later in the week. The power lines and internet cables will be taken down on Wednesday for a day.