2008 Visitors' Honour Roll

These are our friends and family who travelled up to visit us last year. Some came more than once and from as far away as Albany and Dunsborough. We're hoping for more visits from these people this year as well as others who are yet to make the three hour trek (if coming from Perth).

First up were Duncan's parents in May (we didn't get a photo though).

Then my parents in May/June.

Jill in June.

Dave, Walker, Clayton, Fang and Lucy in June.

Dunc's Uncle Doug, Auntie Jen and his parents in September.

The twins cutting the birthday cake I made for them

Craig and Sarah in September.

Getting ready for our annual tennis match.

Sarah pulled out injured and Craig beat us all on his own.

The scoreline was 6-3 :(

Rianna in October.

Sarah in October/November.

Alison in November.

Then we had Clayton and Dave again.

Who will be a part of the 2009 honour roll? We will wait and see......

Down Down Down....Then Slowly Up

I've written about being down before but last weekend was the pits. I really did feel like I was in a slimy pit and every time I'd try to climb out of it, I'd slide back down again. It was easier to just give up and wallow in my misery.

I don't know why but perhaps my surgery being cancelled was the last straw and I spent most of the weekend in a rage or constantly crying....then I'd distract myself and then cry again. I couldn't stop and I didn't know why.

The last place I felt like going was church so I stayed at home, especially since it was a combined service at the Anglican church and all the creed reading and 'peace to you and you and you' greetings really get my goat. It's so fake and ritualistic and I didn't want to be somewhere where I felt like I had to wear a mask.

So for the whole weekend I was angry and sad, then sad and angry and frustrated that it wouldn't stop and I didn't have a concrete reason for being this way (such as someone dying). I couldn't sleep, I couldn't breathe properly (it just felt like I was panicking for no reason all the time) and I couldn't concentrate on a task. I felt so spiritually dry and annoyed at God so I was even considering cancelling my registration for Cornerstone this weekend because who wants to be among a couple of hundred happy clappy young Christians when you're down? I'm hoping I can be really happy happy joy joy by this weekend because I was really looking forward to the camp.

Yesterday was a much better day. Today was a good day too. I'm grateful that we worship a forgiving God who's not ready to give up on me.

Get On Your Soapbox #12

I am so flippin' mad right now, I am trying my hardest not to use really bad language in this post but I am sorely tempted....

Today, Duncan and I travelled down to Perth for a day trip because I was booked in to have minor surgery on my face at 3pm. I saw a dermatologist in December about a cyst near my right ear which is growing and causing numbness and a tingly feeling off and on down the right side of my face. Last month I made the appointment to have it removed, was clearly told 3pm and I wrote it down in my diary straight away.

So today we rock up only to be told by some snobby admin chick that I missed my surgery because the appointment was booked for 2pm. I said no, I was told 3pm. I had to tell them that about three times for them to get the message, they kept acting like it was my fault. Then they said that the surgeon had gone home and I wouldn't be able to get another appointment for another month!

To say I was pissed off was an understatement. I repeated that I was clearly told 3pm and that we were from the country, had travelled down especially for this appointment and can't just go to Perth all the time. They didn't even apologise, they just said that a 3pm appointment never existed! I mean, what if I was from Broome and had paid hundreds of dollars to fly down only to be sent home again with nothing and they didn't even give me a cruddy apology. We had no choice but to go home and I was so angry I really wanted to strangle that stupid chick behind the desk because she didn't seem to care that country people keep getting crapped on. The day was a waste of petrol, time and money. We can't even say we had a good time during the day because we didn't. Our time was spent running around doing a few errands before heading to the appointment. Duncan had to give up a day of work to take me down.

I am so sick of incompetent admin staff! Lately I've been double booked or given a wrong time a few times now and I'm tired of just putting up with it. As soon as we left the medical centre, I burst into tears and cried pretty much all of the way home. I really dread any kind of surgery and had been psyching myself up and praying about it for weeks, knowing I needed to trust God and the surgeon and that I needed to be brave. After all that, I'm no closer to getting the jolly thing removed and now I have to wait another month before going through it all again.

I want to take this further. We don't live five minutes down the road and I want to let them know I'm not happy with the treatment I received and that I want to make an official complaint. But how do I go about it? Do I just write a letter? Is there any organisation you can go to to demand compensation? I mean, I think I should get a discount off my surgery because of the inconvenience. But how do I know whether I'm entitled to anything?

Hobby Horses and Secret Struggles

Rodney from The Journey blog has written a good post in which he links to another blogger who reckons the things we are most passionate about are the things we are secretly struggling with. You can read it here. He uses several high profile preachers as examples of how often the topics a preacher most regularly preaches about are those that they are dealing with in their own lives. Do you agree? Are your hobby horses and rants the things which you wrestle with?

I agree partly. I think some people do this...but I'm not one of them. The things I've most passionately ranted about on my blog such as RSVPS and money management are not things I'm struggling with. In fact, I find them easy. I rant about those things because I've been hurt by those who are bad in these areas. I'm reacting out of hurt and a hope that if they listen to me or read what I write, they might know that it's a big deal to me because they sure don't seem to think so.

Get On Your Soapbox #11

Grrr it is time for a rant!

We have had no power for the past 22 hours and it's only just come back on. During that time we have called Western Power or whatever they're called now relentlessly to report it only to be told that there is no problem. Well duh! Don't they think we know we notice when all our labour-saving devices and electronic creature comforts suddenly come to a halt? Then we were told it'd be fixed by 11am today. Then they said midday. Then 5pm.

It's not only our house, both our neighbours have been without power too, including Brad and Hayley who are away on holidays. So Dunc had to set up the generators to keep the fridge and chest freezer going.

Yeah I know we're too dependent on electricity. Yeah I'm grateful that it's back on. Yeah we didn't suffer apart from a sleepless night cos it was so hot without aircon. Yeah I know people did it tough before aircon was invented. Well, good for them!

But the whole time we were contacting Western Power, we were getting the vibe that we weren't worth their worry because we're out in the country. They probably think that if we're a bunch of hobos living in woop-woop then this is what we can expect. I bet if it were a few city slickers whinging their pretty little butts off, they'd jump to help.

Friday Funny

This is the funniest video ever. Sorry Kiwis....but it is hehehe :)

Wedding 7 2008

This was the last wedding we attended in 2008. Number 7 for the year. Number 14 for me over the past two years. This time it was David and Brooke's turn on the 22nd November at Subi Church of Christ and it was followed by an afternoon tea reception at Matilda Bay. David is friend of Duncan's from Busselton. Unfortunately there was some rain but it cleared just in time for their professional photos.

It looks like we will be going to NO weddings this year! We hardly know of anyone who's even dating at the moment. But then things can change in the blink of an eye. I hope so. What on earth would I do with myself if I didn't go to weddings? ;)

Brooke and her stepdad coming down the aisle.

Vows.

Kiss!

Signing the register.

David's dad's speech.

The happy couple.

Brooke's bouquet.

The couple's speech.

The wedding was during Movember ;)

Leighton and Hannah from Wedding 1 with their honeymoon baby, Joshua.