Goodbye 2005...Hello 2006...

You know, it had never occured to me to write a retrospective about my 2005 - not until I saw various other people put something in their blogs. I have seen a few different formats; from covering each month of 2005 - which personally, I have no idea whether I could remember each month! I guess I could try. Let's see...

January
We had just come back from two weeks leave over Christmas. I had spent Christmas with my mum and was flush with money, thanks to my new whizz-bang job. However, as soon as I arrived back to work, it became quite busy. I spent a whole week in Canberra, away from Glen and my normal life.

February
Work was still hellish busy. We were starting to work nights and I was getting home at 3am on average, once/twice a month. During this time, we had to move from our townhouse to the current rental house. It was a very positive move for us, because the new agent was happy to have our cats. The old place didn't know they existed and with the threat of renovation and potential uncovering of our pussy-cats, we had to leave. (Ed's note: The townhouse is yet to be renovated! Go figure!)

March
We, well I made a decision to get a labrador! I desperately wanted a dog, so we did some research and discovered a breeder in an inner suburb of Melbourne. We waited, we visited. Glen also celebrated his birthday in March and we sold both of our cars within the space of a week. We were carless, but with motorbikes. Incidentally, I was ramping up at work, working long hours for a week at a time. It was starting to wear me out and my manager and I were not seeing eye to eye.

April
It came and went in a blur. We were still stalking labrador puppies and were close to picking one. The lady was a total ditz and you could tell she was in it purely for the money. Work was getting worse and at points, my manager was flipping out at me for no reason, except that she was unreasonable and disorganised.

May
We picked up Clio from the stupid breeder, vowing never to deal with ehr again. Having said that, we have an adorable black labrador whom we'd never give up. May 13 - a Friday, I tore 2 of my 3 ligaments in my ankle and it would be months (even now) until it would heal. It was also this day that I picked Diana up from the airport. We hadn't seen each other in over 10 years. It was surreal and felt like home. It was like we were never apart. End of that month, we purchased our new car. Towards the end of this month, work was becoming intolerable and I was already setting up interviews to find a way out. My manager went into meltdown and into a screaming fit at me for something which wasn't my fault. Thankfully, she did it in front of my colleague, who finally understood what I was crapping on about. I started to get depressed and sick.

June
Not much happened. New car, new dog, looking for a new job consumed. Working until 5am on a Monday morning after working an entire weekend, putting up with my manager's shit. I stopped putting effort into my job end of this month. I was also in the midst of interviews for a job which offered less stress, less hours and less money. I was desperate to get out, close to calling it quits, but knowing I couldn't. I was lucky to have organised two weeks off during this month and was able to schedule some of these interviews.

July
I told my shit, bitch manager to stick her job - I was diplomatic and nice about it. I gave 2 weeks notice and was out of there end of July. I was thrilled. Life felt like it was getting better. I had another week off in between jobs. Incidentally, I had lasted just 9 months in this ridiculous job. I wasn't proud of myself for making such a bad career move. I should have listed to my instincts.

August
I started my new job and never looked back. August was also the month that Glen and I realised how close we were to not reaching our goal to move out of this house to a house we own. We start searching for a house. It is depressing, but we're serious. We are told to wait until I have secured three months employment in my current employment.

September
Not much happens. Job is becoming busier, but I am enjoying it.

October
Itching to be done with my three month probation. Saving like a mad fool, living off the smell of an oily rag. Work gets busier and I am enjoying it.

November
FINALLY! I get a glowing report for my three month probation. That weekend, we apply for our loan, we get confirmation. We go out house hunting and end of November, I think, we sign a contract on a house which we both love. It's not the taj mahal, but we can see potential in it. We get it for a bit of a bargain, so we're happy.

December
Work starts to quieten down. We are busily organising our home loan stuff, speaking to building inspectors and conveyancers and generally dreaming about our house :) Clio is also desexed, after months and many vets telling us she has to have a season, due to a disfunctional 'girl' bit! *laugh* We see another vet, who is recommended by a friend and he gives us that measure of comfort we've been looking for. Work stuff is interesting. A colleague recommends me for another position within the organisation and I submit my application. My current manager is flabbergasted and I am concerned. I feel like I am letting her down. BUt she supports me and I pursue the position. so far, I've had two interviews and am scheduled for a third in the early new year. In other news, our organisation offers all sorts of wonderful thigns to its employees, including three paid days off at Christmas, a christmas ham, an $80 gift voucher for Myers, movie tickets and an all-expenses paid Christmas lunch. Oh yeh, my friend Margie and her partner, Dennis moved to Stockholm for two years.

If I remember more, I'll add it to the entry, but this is pretty good for my swiss cheese memory.

Quick update...

It's on its way to 36 degrees here today, but thankfully I get to spend the majority of it inside.

Yesterday, I had my second interview for the job. It was the first interview with the organisation (the first was with the recruitment company). Anyway, I kinda felt like I babbled and carried on a bit. I kinda thought that some of the things I said rambled on a lot. But then we spent a lot of time talking about the politics of the organisation. So, who knows. Anyway, I got a phone call today. I have been offered a second interview when we return in January to work! Woo! I was a little shocked, but rather pleased. I'm still having mixed emotions about it. I love the team I work with now but the opportunity is really difficult to say no to. Anyway, I have all of Christmas to get used to it. Right? right...

Ok. The dog is inside with me, because it's starting to get ridiculous outside and the poor pet is black, so feels it more. I've closed the shutters on the front windows to keep the sun out. Now, I sit and wait.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone.

Btw, why is it, EVERY year, they play Chevy Chases' National Lampoon Christmas Vacation? Honestly. They'll still be playing it when the guy is dead!

Blergh

Because I have nothing of real value to post on this blog and because I feel blah, I've copied Mark's blog and taken this evil quiz. I'm particularly amused by my Pride. Hrm.

Btw, sorry for the lack of posts. I just can't be fucked at this point. Interview was today. I think it went ok, but who knows. It's always a bit nerve racking, but then I've never really interviewed for a job within the same organisation.

Greed:	High
Gluttony:	Medium
Wrath:	Low
Sloth:	Medium
Envy:	Very Low
Lust:	Low
Pride:	Very Low

Discover Your Sins - Click Here

Plead the 5th...

Blergh. Ok, firstly sorry for the silence. It's just getting a bit crazy here with all the Christmasy things happening, the busyiness of work etc. So, secondly sorry to anyone who is waiting for my Christmas card to arrive. I just didn't get the chance. Really sorry :( I'm making it up to you guys.

My reasons a kind of silly. A combination of really sore wisdom teeth, a dental appointment which went ary, work peaking on Wednesday and then many functions at work etc.

To top it all off, my dream job came up in another department at work, and I have been experiencing hert palpatations, wondering how I was going to break the news to my boss that I might be possibly interested in putting my hand up. Can anyone say, "Barely through my 3 month probation"? Hrm. So, the conversation went ok, my boss is a little upset and possibly annoyed at me, but I took the plunge regardless and sent my application in. You see, I didn't go looking for this job. I was happy to sit where I was. I was looking forward to the challenges of next year. However, a colleague approached me and asked if I would be interested. It's a field I wasn't able to get into before because no one would take me. You see, many didn't see my skills as easily transferable. This person does and convinced me to give it a go. We'll see. It's not like I am losing my sleep over it. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I might cry if I get it, for I will be leaving a fantastic team of people.

Anyway. I'm really sorry for being quiet, but I suspect that the time until Christmas will be a bit crazy for me. I'm so looking forward to my days off. Bring on Christmas!

PS: My dental appointment was extremely annoying. Picture a dentist who has a thick swedish accent, barely audible in normal circumstances and ridiculous behind a mask. The dental nurse was translating for me and all I knew at the end of the torture was that "You had 3 holes in your teeth. You got good teeth!". Hrm. Turns out he'd drilled a huge gap in one of my molers, so it's likely that if I bite into something hard on that tooth, the thin piece created will snap off. Hrm. I'm just hoping that I'm overreacting and that in fact, he's a good dentist who knows EXACTLY what he is doing. Hrm.

The washing is ready. Bye guys. Email me! It seems I am fairing much better at that than updating this page.

Queen Clio...

Mine baby girl has been snip snipped. She got desexed today and has arrived home very groggy and sedate, sporting a stylish Elizabethan collar. It's very disconcerting to see her so groggy and 'un-animated'. She's been sleeping a lot and at one point, relished her favourite meal - two wheattie bix and goats milk. MMMmm Mmm! We have now collapsed on the doggie mattress for another long sleep. Poor little girl. Of course, I have suffered in her misery and photographed her sleeping with her big conehead! As soon as I can find the cord for the digital camera, I'll shoot them over to flicker.

In other news, we got our Comm Games tickets in the mail today! yay for us!! Many fabbo tickets. We have gymnastics in lower floor, row B - not bad! Others aren't so hot, but what can you do?

Anyways, I'm about to start my weekend.

Und update...

Yes, my diary entries are sporadic, at best I humbly apologise, but then, I often get the impression that no one's really reading.

Anyway, my week in bullet points:

• We have handed over our cheque to the agent - so, now we're basically home owners. Settlement is end of February and we've been sent confirmation that the nasty tenants have been given notice. We had an issue late last week where we realised the agent had ticked the wrong option on the contract - the one which says "vacant possession"/"rental receipts". The agent ticked the latter. Obviously, we are seeking to live in the house and the agent knew this, but the moron reckons that's how they do it. My conveyancer hit the roof, told him he was a fool and set about trying to get confirmation that the vendor had issued notice to the tenant. We have received it, so we're covered.
• Clio has had a whole mess of "little girl" problems. Basically her bits haven't grown as she has grown. So, we've seen a few vets, the last one was so patronising, that I wanted to slap him! None of these vets wanted to desex her, stating that she had to have a season before they would. However, we saw a friend's vet who was so lovely and had such common sense, that he has volunteered to desex her because he doesn't see it as being an issue. So, she's booked in for Friday morning for the big snip snip!! The vet basically said it's a common condition, she's not suffering and desexing her won't be an issue. The only issue in the future could be dermatitis, because she has such a build up of folds of skin around her little girl bits! Hard to convey, but you get my drift.
• My friend Margie is leaving Australia next Tuesday, so we're catching up one last time on the weekend for a movie and dinner. I will miss having her around, but am excited for her as she sets off on her new journey over to Stockholm.
• We're in non-ratings period on TV, so I am suffering!! I've been watching a lot of rental movies (I have a hankering for Cocktail this weekend!) and hanging out, cleaning etc. exciting, I know.
• We bought a christmas tree! I shall take some photos this weekend and put them on flicker. It's our first tree as a couple, which sounds a bit odd, but when you've spent the last 5 years traveling from one in-laws to the other, it gets a bit old. Suffice to say, some of the in-laws are far from pleased that we won't be seeing them, but tough shit, I say!

Ok, tired of the bullet points. My wisdom tooth is acting up and I need to gargle some listeri-ne. grr.
Btw, not feeling the love for the christmas card exchange. So far, Sonnet and Verbs are the only ones who've responded! Also, Buzzaroni and I are exchanging, god love her!

Christmas Card Exchange!

Alright, idea borrowed from Margie over in the US. Anyone wanna do a Christmas card exchange? Would be nice to hear from you all!!!

Leave a comment, or send me an email.