Wednesday, December 31, 2008

These Days - Powderfinger

It's coming round again
The slowly creeping hand
Of time and its command
Soon enough it comes
And settles in its place
Its shadow in my face
Puts pressure in my day

This life well it's slipping right through my hands
These days turned out nothing like i had planned

It's coming round again
The slowly creeping hand
Of time and its demands
It settles in its place
Its shadow in my face
Undignified and lame

This life well it's slipping right through my hands
These days turned out nothing like i had planned
Control well it's slipping right through my hands
These days turned out nothing like i had planned

Soon enough it comes
Soon enough it comes
To tie us down

Who doesn't love Homer?

"Mmmm ... 64 slices of American cheese ..."

"So i said, 'Look buddy, your car was upside down when we got here, and as for your grandmother, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that."

"You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college."

"Extended warranty! How can I lose?"

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Zach

Zach and his family could use some love and support right now. Please stop by and say hi!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Mother of the Year

Overheard tonight at Safeway:

Mum: "Ethan! You are irritating the BEJESUS OUT OF ME!"

Someone is ready for the end of school holidays ... Too bad there's another four weeks before school goes back.

I have spread my dreams beneath your feet.
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

W.B. Yeats

Sunday, December 28, 2008

The Impression That I Get - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Have you ever been close to tragedy
Or been close to folks who have
Have you ever felt a pain so powerful
So heavy you collapse
I've never had to knock on wood
But I know someone who has
Which makes me wonder if i could
It makes me wonder if
I've never had to knock on wood
And I'm glad i haven't yet
Because I'm sure it isn't good
that's the impression that I get
have you ever had the odds stacked up so high
You need a strength most don't possess
Or has it ever come down to do or die
You've got to rise above the rest
I've never had to knock on wood
But I know someone who has
Which makes me wonder if i could
It makes me wonder if
I've never had to knock on wood
And I'm glad I haven't yet
Because I'm sure it isn't good
that's the impression that I get
I'm not a coward,
I've just never been tested
I'd like to think that if I was,
I would pass
Look at the tested and think there but for the grace go
I might be a cowards,
I'm afraid of what I might find out
I've never had to knock on wood
But I know someone who has
Whoch makes me wonder if i could
It makes me wonder if
I've never had to knock on wood
And I'm glad i haven't yet
Because I'm sure it isn't good
That's the impression that I get

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Another year over ...

I know, I know. Bad blogger. Baaaad blogger.

This is only my third entry for the month. How the hell did that happen?!

I actually had every intention of updating before Christmas, or at least on Christmas day to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I'm not sure what happened to those intentions, somewhere along the way they got lost I guess ...

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Christmas, anyway. I was at home, with the family and we actually had a great day. It was very low-key, but nice. There were no fights, I didn't break my brothers nose at any point during the day ... Yep, it was a good Christmas.

Things in the World of Snappz have actually been humming along quite nicely.

Christine and I have well and truly settled into the house, and are loving living together. We seem to have fallen into quite an easy, relaxed routine that leads to no stress, and no fights.

Jersey is still known as Devil Dog, and shows no signs of leaving his "puppiness" behind anytime soon. We are constantly saying "NO!", because he continues to do everything from dig massive holes in the backyard to pinch stuff from the bin inside to wreck stuff to whine incessantly when he's left outside alone for more than 30 seconds. Actually, the whining has toned down a notch, which is good, and we have managed to train him to sit and wait before he comes in the back door. Everything else though? He's driving us mental. The last few mornings we've gotten up to discover the concrete in the backyard covered in dirt, and holes everywhere. It's getting old. He actually dug out half a garden bed about an hour ago, and he'd only been outside alone for a little while. He's seriously testing the patience of both Christine and I.

The Buckley Bunny/B-Man/Buck-Miester/Buckster is doing well. He ended up at the vets again a couple of weeks ago, after he came out with big red spot type things on his back. Our first suspicion, since they looked like blood, was that Jersey had somehow managed to get to him, but it turned out to be a sun infection - something about the sun interacting with what he'd eaten, and upsetting the bacteria under his skin, which then turned bad. It was upsetting, and I felt guilty. I should have known better to let an all white rabbit live outside in the sun. So he's been an inside rabbit for the last couple of weeks while he gets better. To help him get better, twice a day I have to wash him with this brown stuff, then wait 10 minutes and put cream on him. He was on antibiotics for the first 14 days, but they've stopped now. I got some shadecloth to go over his cage, and probably at the end of this week I'll get some more to put on the fram at the back of the house. Today he went back into his outside cage - once it was properly covered, of course! Can't really afford another $150 at the vet! - and he already seems much happier. His cage inside is only small, so he doesn't have that much room to move. Hopefully by the end of the week his back will be all healed, and I'll have the rest of the shadecloth up for him.

Work is going well - really well. Devil dog and I sometimes go for walks at night, and we walk up past work - about a 50 minute walk all up. Last week I found myself smiling and laughing as I walked past work, unable to believe how happy I am there, and how much I love the place. Honestly, it's just awesome. Somewhere, somehow I must have done something good to get this gig. The office is closed for two weeks over the holidays, but I'm working right through in the nursery part. The best news I've heard lately? That they're considering taking me out of the nursery, and putting me in the office full time. I don't know if it will happen, but I think I might actually bust with happiness if it does :-)

I'm hoping to spend some time on here tonight, updating this page and making it look a bit newer. It's all a bit same old/same old. I haven't changed much on here in months. Might have to update my links and fix up the "Currently Reading", as well as find some new quotes for the page. Maybe some song lyrics ... Maybe some new pictures ... Hmm, we'll see how I go.

Ok, before I go, I have two things to share ...

Pictures of 2008: This is our world. Amazing. You can find Part 2 here, and Part 3 here.

And ... Some song lyrics.

I love Christmas. These two songs I've been playing non-stop all week, simply because I find them beautiful.

*****
Snow's falling down as you step out of your car
Presents in your arms and you've traveled far
Someone opens the door with a smile on their face
And you know you've come to the right place
Family nestled by the fire
Christmas hopes to inspire
Loved ones by your side
You know you'll kiss your babies goodnight
At Christmas, Christmas
No matter who you are, how far you've come
This is where you belong
At Christmas
Memories 'round the Christmas tree
Are the sweetest ones that remain with me
It's a comfort deep inside, though you can't stop the race of time
To know that Christmas will always be
Family nestled by the fire
A Christmas hope will be inspired
Loved ones by your side
You know you'll kiss your baby goodnight
At Christmas, Christmas
No matter who you are or how far you've come
At Christmas
Can't you feel it changin'
Sense the anticipation
You can tell we're almost there
Precious time we're takin'
Memories we're makin'
There's a Christmas in the air
Now this is what Christmas means to me
Being together with your family
And the wise men who have followed that star
To where our baby Jesus lay
Family nestled all around
Baby Jesus asleep so sound
And His star shined so bright
On that very first holy night
At Christmas, Christmas
No matter who you are or how far you've come
this is where you belong
At Christmas, Christmas


*****

Everything's different
But nothing has changed
Are we going in circles
It's Christmas again
Can't you hear the sleigh bells right
All our voices unite
And look up the the heavens
See the stars shining bright
Everybody needs a little lovin'
around Christmas time
Somehow you got to know you're going to be all right
Do you remember how it used to be
Sitting under the Christmas tree
In your heart you'll
Find the season
We've been blessed by the children
black, yellow, and white
They believe in the things
we try to deny
So throw down your weapons
But continue the fight
And let's love one another
On this Holy night
Everybody needs a little lovin'
Around Christmas time
Somehow you got to know you're gonna be all right
Do you really remember how it used to be
Sitting under the Christmas Tree
In your heard you'll
find the season
O reach down inside your heart
and see all the love
O in your heart you'll
find the reason
Everybody needs a little lovin'
Around Christmas time
Somehow you got to know you're gonna be all right
Do you really remember how it used to be
Sitting under the Christmas tree
In your heart you'll
find the season

*****

Sunday, December 07, 2008

...

How silly for me to punish myself in the present moment
because someone hurt me in the long ago past.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Just the highlights ...

... Here goes ... Fastest update ever.

Work ... Busy. Flat out, actually.

Finally have more than a single day off at a time ... At the end of this week, I'm going to Melbourne for 4 days to see my sister and nieces.

On Friday, my nephew turns 4. It kills me that I can't see him, give him a birthday hug, or even talk to him on the phone.

Buckley-Bunny is good. Loving the new house, the bigger cage and the freedom to run around in the backyard for a while each night.

Speaking of the new house, things are still going really well. No fights so far, having heaps of fun.

I hate hayfever. I haven't been able to breathe properly in weeks. It's getting worse. My specialist appointment isn't until January.

It's 12:23 ... Have to be up at 7 to get ready for work ... Should go to bed. Peace out.