A year to the day …

Given my busy schedule, with the baking/shopping/working, and of course Skyrim, it’s hard to believe that I actually had time to notice that a year has passed since that fateful afternoon I spent with Ms L. But I did. In truth it’s hard not remember, given that it coincided with my brother’s birthday. Well technically it was the day before. The fallout started on his birthday. 

So, a year on, where are we? Nowhere.

Whatever friendship there might have been is long since dead. Sad, but such is life. I’ll be honest, part of me is still disappointed at how things turned out. I extended the olive branch more than once, but got nothing back. Given that we are in the same profession, and in the same city, I had hoped we could at least have parted amicably. Nothing makes a conference or industry event more awkward than being introduced to someone who would quite happily scratch your eyes out (I know this from experience, but that’s a story for another time). While the situation hasn’t presented itself yet, I am aware of the possibility, and have prepared a response accordingly.

Long ago I mastered the ancient art of civility. I don’t often practice it outside of work, mostly because my friends accept me for the cranky bastard that I am, but it is a skill I possess. I harbour Ms L no ill will. So if our paths cross, I will smile and nod, engage in polite conversation (if the situation calls for it), and then be on my way.

But I won’t be offering gingerbread. That’s only for my peoples.

Getting sorted

I am amazed that I can even move after this last weekend. I have eaten a lot or food. Well, when I say food, I mean cake. There was certainly more than one point that my body was at least 50% sugar. Luckily I don’t tend to suffer from the usually inevitable sugar crash that claims so many others. I did however have great difficulty getting out of bed yesterday morning. But, as we all know, I’m not much of a morning person.

At this exact moment I am task avoiding. Miss R has left me a list of chores to get through this week. The biggest of these is to file all my uni stuff, and clean my desk. I’d like to state for the record that my desk is not that bad. It may look like chaos, but I know where everything is. Miss R remains unimpressed. So once I’m finished blogging I’m going to have to make a start on it. I should point out that I have no issue with putting everything away, I would just rather do it without the nagging.

Realistically, this burst of chores is my own fault. Miss R is not prepared to have people over unless the house is spotless. Hence the cleaning frenzy. The fact there are still 11 days before the birds is beside the point. I have done the most important stuff. I’ve ordered the bird, and told all the test subjects volunteers where and when. Really it’ll be fine.

With all the food I can’t imagine anyone will be looking at anything else.

I’m free, I’m free

It’s official. Uni is over for the year. To celebrate I sat down and read a whole book in one day. How I have missed reading for pleasure. That is not to suggest that I haven’t enjoyed most of what I read for uni this semester, just that it is nice to read a book written for adults, not teenagers, and non-fiction.

I’m up to date with the new series of Dr Who. The new Elder Scrolls game ‘Skyrim' is released in just under 3 weeks, so I’m afraid I’ll be useless for about a week (must game). The last two books in my Robotech series finally arrived. I can now read all 21 in the order they were intended. I’m driving Ms P and friend to the airport on Thursday. Other than work, I won’t be doing anything for the rest of the week. Instead I will be using the time to prepare myself for the onslaught of November. Busy month ahead.

I’m looking forward to the gatherings, but there will be heaps to do. I’ve been asked to make my killer coconut ice for the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, in rainbow colours no less. I’m thinking of being ridiculously creative, but won’t mention it to anyone on the off chance I get too busy and don’t get time to follow through.

Miss R is making her eggplant dish for the BBQ, but I haven’t decided what I’m going to make yet. I have to work that morning, so I’m limited to making something that will be fine to eat the day after making. I’ll have to spend some time with my cookbooks. And of course there’s the Turducken.

I should make it very clear that I am baking because I want to, not because I have to. The Italian in me is all about expressing love through food. Miss R is the same, even if most of what I make is sugar related. 

We all know I’m not sweet enough on my own.

Burst of popularity

November is going to be a very busy month. It looks like I will be busy just about every weekend. This is what happens when uni finishes for the year. The fact that a few of us also have our birthdays this month isn’t helping. 

One of the most important events this November will be the Turducken & bake-off. I have spoken with the nice butcher man, and he will make this mythical beast for me (provided I give him a few days notice).

Now November is looking fairly full already. I've already got a bbq/engagement on the 5^th, a Mad Hatter’s tea party on the 6^th, and a birthday party on the 26^th. This leaves us with two options the 12^th or the 19^th. Personally, I always think Saturdays are a better option, because it leaves most of Sunday to recover. Given the amount of food this is likely to produce, we’ll all need that extra day (and possibly some baggy pants).

I’ve never made one of these before, so I have no idea what it will taste like, we may end up with pizza and cake. This is very much the test run. If it all goes well the Turducken will be centre table christmas day.

The girls from Uni have all volunteered to be my guinea pigs, so I’ve sent an email out. Depending on their availability I may end up cornering some of the girls from work too. Given how busy things are this time of year I won’t be offended if people can’t make it.

I’m sure I’ll be able to find any leftovers good homes.

coma slice

My biggest complaint with study is the homework. I love the learning, but the homework sucks. When I think that I've got another 12 months before I finish my Masters ... well, I try not to think about it. While everyone (mostly) was enjoying their break I was fighting with my archiving assignment. Going back to work on Wednesday it soon became apparent that I was the only one who hadn't spent the break in a sugar induced coma.

So to address this I decided to spend my Sunday correcting this. Thus the coma slice was born. I've put all the photos on flickr, so if you really want to know what went into it you can go there. I will put one pic up here. There are more on Facebook.

 

Don't ask me how much I've eaten. Most of it is gone now. I'm taking the last of it to work and the bloodbank. If you see your local librarian zooming around the library they may be running on coma slice. Just don't make any sudden moves. :)

holiday

Miss R and I are off on holiday. Red Hill market has been on my mind since last easter. That was the last time I went anywhere that wasn't family related. There will be food love. There will be a trip to the hot springs. There will be a beach (provided it doesn't rain on us) and lots of salt water. Mostly it will be a great deal of time for Miss R and myself, without much of the stuff that has been having a less than stellar impact on our everyday life. In short, it will be time without the cloud of Ms L hanging over us, and I for one am looking forward to that.

With just about everything off my old laptop, there will be nothing left to remind me of the brief friendship, or the resulting fallout. When it goes, so does all trace of Ms L. Hopefully my stupid brain will follow suit, and I can go back to the life I had before this cluster-fuck went down. But that will be a job for when we get back.

I have to pack in the morning, but that won't take long. Picking books to take with me is always the hardest part. One for each day is usually safe. For the next few days Ms S will hold down the fort, and feed the cats.

As for the library: if Wendy calls, I'm not here.

further perils ...

She called again, my little old lady with a thing for 1950's Australian fashion. This time she has a name: Wendy. I had though being at a different branch today may act as a buffer. I was wrong. Not only did she find me at AN but she kept me on the phone for 15 minutes. If it had been a new enquiry I probably wouldn't have minded, as it was I spent the time looking for more informaiton on Bobo Faulkner. There wasn't anything new since Friday. Wendy said she'd call the State Library to see what else they could do, so she may end up coming across Miss A. Gotta share the love after all.

For now I have to brave "knifepoint" to get a birthday card for Miss T. She was 31 yesterday. After working together and sharing a house for two years, it is still strange not seeing her everyday. I also have to find something for Miss R's birthday between now and the 9th. It is always possible that I may find something while we are away, it I don't get distracted by the food. Red Hill market has awesome food. I'm still dreaming of the little japanese cakes I had last time; macha and red bean. So good. 

Must remember to pack the baggy pants.