Spinning around

Vertigo might be a famous Hitchcock film, but it is also a particularly awful condition which has made me so sick this weekend I had to have an injection in the thigh so that I could walk a few metres without feeling like throwing up.

I’ve had occasional bouts of vertigo since my ears were radiated in 2007, and generally its been nothing worse than a slight loss of balance when standing up.  Last Thursday and Friday I noticed that when I stopped driving and started to get out of the car, I felt as though the car was rolling forwards, but it wasn’t.  Last night I started stumbling into walls, as though I was walking on a boat in a rolling sea.   Read more of this post

My problem? Your problem.

This has been such an exhausting weekend I don’t think I’ll be able to do it justice in this post, because I’m about to go to bed.  We have had a children’s birthday party, two open homes, two BBQ’s, a Christmas party and I’ve had a hair cut.  Which was definitely the most relaxing part of the weekend.

The girls have been treated to all manner of things, including a surprise appearance of Santa Clause at one party, followed by a special visit by Mr Whippy.  All I can say is the Higgins’ have raised the Christmas Party bar extremely high indeed, and if all their parties are like that one, I’ll be back every year.

Cornwall Park was the site of a family picnic lunch today, followed by a BBQ for Auckland geo-cachers.  It is such a lovely park.  I spent about two hours stretched out on a picnic blanket reading the Sunday papers, it was bliss.

Yesterday I found myself carrying Lulu (4 and a half) from one party to the car, and told her that really she is too old to be carried anymore, and just a bit too heavy for mummy.  She smiled happily, patted me on the shoulder, and  said “Well, thats YOUR problem.”  I was too surprised to find a witty come-back, and she’s still cute enough to get away with it.

A tent on the deck and a mouse in the swimming pool

This week we found our tent, which had been missing since we moved to Auckland, hiding inside Andrew’s dive bag.  We put it up and of course the girls immediately wanted to spend the night in the tent.  We managed to put them off camping on a school night, so last night was the big night.

But first, I was busy continuing my reputation for law breaking, by being refused service and having my drink confiscated at an inner city bar.  I seem to be attracting trouble at the moment. Read more of this post

The swimming pool is open for business!

Yesterday Andrew made an important announcement – he’d taken some swimming pool water to be analysed, dumped in a bit more water hardener, and in 24 hours the pool would open for summer 09/10!  Madeleine almost hyperventilated, and ran bubbling with excitement around the house.  So today the girls spent almost the whole afternoon, after school, swimming around in the lovely blue water.

At times this year it felt like the weather in Auckland was punishing us for having had such a lovely summer last year, so its a huge relief to to see beautiful hot days come again, and we are going to make the most of this pool while we still have it.

Which might be for a bit longer – we’ve had a couple of offers for the house but neither was quite enough, so we’re sitting tight for now.  Does work out pretty well the next month or so, because this house is really made for summer.

Now the Christmas parties have started in ernest, we have five this weekend alone, so one or two of those might slip by the wayside.  But, without wanting to sound smug, I have actually finished all the Christmas shopping, so thats something I can cross off the list.

Bare leg weather

At last summer has properly arrived in Auckland, it is officially summer because I’ve been in a skirt with no stockings both days of this weekend.  And the sunscreen is back on in full force. Give it another week and we may even be back in our swimming pool.

Might not be all good, I’m watching something on telly about ice melting on Mt Everest – in winter.  Depressing.  Please let world leaders reach some useful agreement in Copenhagen.  We’re all depending on you.

Madeleine has embarked on reading the Narnia chronicles.  She’s on chapter one of the first book, so she’s got a wee way to go.  Her grandparents bought her the box set a few years ago so its lovely to see her getting in to them now.  There are lots of words she needs help with so she’s put a chair next to mine.  Lulu is leaping around the room like a kangaroo, totally naked after her bath.  And thats about all for now, folks.