My new rule is that when it gets below a degree in temperature, I huddle in bed with Gibson and listen to audiobooks.
Nothing of value can be done at this time lol
Ted the Fluffy Gargoyle is looking quite comfy
spoiler
I got some news about the other kid. Apparently they are actually fully decided on moving him elsewhere. Their original plan was to move him out tomorrow, and have me move back in later tomorrow, but that didn't end up happening because their plans fell through. So instead I'm staying in another hotel until Tuesday morning, and he'll be leaving on Monday night.
Also, kind of ironic, but the hotel I'm now staying at is the same one I lived in for a few months in 2018 after getting kicked out of another place in the country. Ironically in those days I was being moved close to every week and basically toured the entire west and south west of the state. Then I moved into this hotel and things started to settle down.
I'm in a different room on a different floor, but it's really interesting seeing it from a different perspective. 6 years ago I was still me, but so different it doesn't even feel like I was. I was never expecting to come back here. I'm also loving the irony that despite how many places I've been at, and how much has changed in the world, system, and me, I'm still moving around every week. That doesn't really make me sad though, because at least this time it's a mutual thing and I have some say in where I'm going and when. Last time I was here I was only here because somebody declared that I would be, and that was the end of the story. Also I could've chosen somewhere else, or another Airbnb.
Was mentioning this is the first house i've lived in that hasn't fucked me on a cold snap, and how when i woke up it was 20c and it stays 20c!!
Coworker overheard last part and tried to oppression olympics snipe me. Nosy bitch got a short, sharp lesson on exactly what growing up in a holmesglen concrete prefab special was like.
I ain't wearing guilt, i've done my fucken time and then some.
All those cold swims paid off last night.
I'm in a house built in 1910 with no insulation, sisalation etc. Slept with the windows open and felt nothing.
Would've burned through a lot of previous midnight snacks it's basically cheating.
So in this weather we switch from steamed dims sims to deep fried dim sims because it'd be a health hazard if the blood wasn't loaded up with stuff to burn.
So the science is true: Get in cold water = can deep fry shit.
I know our cold tolerance is all different but maaaaan people watching is insane today. The battle between fashion and function. Cool guys who chucked on a vest and went “that’ll do” or insisted a cap is good enough over a beanie. The Middle aged professional looks great in her business gear, but I’m questioning pants that are basically 3 quarters in length cause she’s gotta be regretting the amount of skin exposed on her legs. Then sensible ones who layered up, people who tried to make the puffer jacket cool (largely successfully I must say) and then there is those of us who went “fuck it, warm is more important” and just threw something together. I don’t think my gloves are even the same colours, if anyone asks I’m just gonna say I can tell which is my left and which is my right.
Waiting to pick up the papou, having a mental bet if his social club is off and they forgot to tell me.
Edit: seeing a few of the usual suspects. Looks like it's on and he's still in there being social. :DOh man I thought today was gonna be cruisey, and I did finish nearly everything by 1pm and stretched out my time at uni a bit, but being the conscientious idiot that I am, I decided to do one last work task when I got back to make up a lil bit of the 2 hours I was away (even though the deadline isn't due for ages and nobody's keeping track of my hours at this job)...
...what was supposed to be a quick half an hour jobbie spiraled into hours because there was a fundamental issue with the entire thing - like, someone's property boundary might be so off that either they or Council are in big trouble. It's way beyond my experience or pay grade, but I just can't let a bit of good problem-solving go...
At least it wasn't outrageous, I came home around 4:15pm and wrapped up around 8pm. Dinner, shower, bunch of tidying up, and now bed.
Also bloody hell, I think I do need a new chair, or at least reevaluate my seating height; my neck and back haven't responded well to wfh today. Alright, NO overworking the next two days.
I have COVID (I blame you Melbourne!) and while I am feeling better I am still a little foggy brained and I have to do a CASPER test tonight for my uni degree and I am stressing big time because I don't do well with scenario based questions at the best of times and with my practise I've been doing my thoughts aren't concise atm with covid brain.
And it's also freezing cold so my fingers don't work.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
Got the lenses in my glasses replaced. They made really unpleasant dashes above and below strong light sources like headlights. It got to the point I almost didn't want to wear them when driving at night.
Turns out the transition coating is quite heat sensitive. I did some driving back in November when it happened and it must have gotten really hot in the car when it was parked because it was alright when driving. Well, I'll just keep these glasses on me when not in the car
Cold, snafus
It’s cold af. I thought it’d be fine with the electric blanket alone but I wasn’t in the bed, wasn’t dressed heavy enough and had opened the door to grab my plants. Was not prepared.
I put door snakes and a rolled up towel under the doors. The casing on the blanket ‘curtain’ I use to block off the other room was unraveling and the fan heater I had out broke… fortunately I had a spare one, and did a really quick rough sewing job.
Then I put trackies over my leggings, a second pair of socks and slippers. I would have been smart to layer up first but didn’t expect the snafus to take so long.
This is the first time I’ve turned a heater on this year but it’s going now. The cat hasn’t emerged yet, hopefully it warms things up a bit before it’s time for her breakfast.
Edit: Kitty brekkie has now spilled on the doona. I just washed the other one so giving it a quick dry to be sure and will change it when she gets up
So I'm officially creeped out. Tonight's my last night here and 10 mins or so ago I heard something. Chalked it up to old house + cold weather (and warm heater). But when I went for my final dunny run, I opened the bathroom and the manhole thingy is halfway down and it has a staircase built into it. The noise I heard definitely didn't sound like a clunk, which is the noise I'd expect it to make
This is the sort of thing that's too concerning for me to be able to just go to sleep and act like everything's okay, but at the same time not enough to actually call the police (who are pretty much the only people I could call at this hour). It's also a lot colder in here than it has been any other night, kind of like a door was open. All of my doors are locked and have been all night. I checked all the spare rooms, nobody's here. But I can't even close the damn thing because it's too high to reach.
It looks like it has some sort of latching mechanism which should've prevented it from coming open by itself. And of course every little creak is freaking me out now
Edit: I did about the most balanced thing I could think of. I grabbed a knife and barricaded my bedroom door (there's no lock). I'm getting a lift out of here at 9:30, in the meantime I'm staying here. It's probably an over reaction and just an old house being an old house, but I don't fuck with this kind of shit. I don't feel safe, but I don't have any confirmation of anything, so I'm staying right here
This local RE agency calls me once every 3 or so months about "amazing results in the area" and asking if I want to sell. I say I'm not interested, thank you, and then instead of getting the message to end the call, she keeps asking questions. I just said I have another call coming in and hung up. Go away.
It's done, all the terrace and balcony gardens are tended and don't need anymore attention until early spring
Movie Review. Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror. 1942. Youtube.
A blatant WWII propaganda movie, adapted from the WWI propaganda Sherlock Holmes short story.
The purpose of the movie is to tell the working poor and underclasses of Britain why they should support the government in the war against Germany even tho the working poor and underclass are abused and exploited by the British capitalist class.
The reasons given were culture, we are also defending working class culture, Justice, the British justice system is worth defending against fascism, Home, London and by extension the rest of Britain is home to all. IMO these were good and true reasons.
The working class did support the war effort and as a reward they were given the National Health Service and social housing.
America made a similarly motivated WWII propaganda movie called "The Negro Soldier" by Frank Capra.
The reward was the Civil Rights Act.
The working classes had "Why We Fight" and the reward was the GI Bill and School Lunches.
Australia and India et al, being colonies, needed no reason to fight and were given no rewards.
It's too cold to do anything productive so I've resorted to playing this fantastic MMO: https://onemillioncheckboxes.com/
If this shit impacts overwintering of my chillis I'm gonna write a stern letter. To someone.
frost pretty
