Long day. And how!

Yesterday morning, when Neville came home from buying the Saturday paper, he asked if I would like to go to Adelaide to look at a good second hand car. As I have been having a torrid time with my leg, and not feeling like doing much, it was a big ask. It meant hours cooped up in the little car, and I did not relish the idea at all. It also meant I would not be able to move around much all day, and that would mean much discomfort, not to mention possible pain. I said I would go if we went to see my mother who is in hospital, and very ill. He said we would not go to Adelaide and not see her.
We finally found the home of the man with the advertised car. It looked very good at first glance. He had said it was a clean, neat car. We thought it was a white 1998 EL Ford Falcon. Had only done 123,000.00 kms. Paul was asking $5,000.00 for it.
We took it far a short test drive, and Neville said he would see if Paul would take $4,500.00 for it. They discussed the sale, and Paul said he had wanted $4.600.00, but he did not want to be stuffed around with it, and, as we had come all the way from Bordertown, he agreed to our offer. It turns out it is a January 1997 model. There are, as one could anticipate, some minor things to be fixed, but Neville says it is still a good buy.
I can tell you dear reader, it was a loverly feeling driving down the street this morning in a decent car!!! It has air conditioning, a CD player, blue/grey mottled/plain upholstery, keyless entry and lots of leg room. Neville is not used to these new fangled gadgets, but he will get used to them. I will buy a dashboard mat so that does not get cracked from the sun. He will need to buy stronger head lamps, as they do not show up well on high beam. He will also need to fix the old Ford Fairlaine and sell it so we can put this one in the shed!!

Here I am once again.

Hi folks, I have returned. I have been in hospital having had knee replacement surgery. I have been home nearly two weeks, but have not felt up to blogging until today. My leg in still a little stiff, which makes doing the exercises difficult to say the least. One must persevere, as this is the only way to loosen and strengthen the muscles.
I am still using a walking cane and am still very slow on my feet. No doubt as I improve so will my confidence. The new joint is working very well and does not hurt, but my whole leg aches so much I could scream! It is getting better, though.
We went to Naracoorte on Tuesday, to do the grocery shopping. Hadn't done a big shop for four weeks. I was not ready for such a big task, but the driver said I did not have a choice. Bah! Humbug!
I did overdo it, and my knee was swollen up like a balloon, but what the hay, he couldn't feel it.
The swelling has gone done considerably in the last two days. Thankfully.
I bought myself a new pair of shoes on Tuesday, as the old ones I have been wearing are too long, and I was afraid I would trip on them. I can not afford to fall over!
I bought a pair of Kumfs. My mother has been wearing them for years and swears by them. They are VERY expensive! I tried on a lovely pair of black ones with inlays of patent leather strips. It turned out it was crocodile skin.Yuk! I thought they were priced at $79.00. After I decided to take them, I discovered they were $179.00! Too rich for my budget. I told the sales assistant I am legally blind and did not see the one. I asked if she had any others at around the $79.00 mark. She brought out two pairs of two tone shoes. One had pale blue and cream uppers, and the other, navy and cream. I chose the navy and cream. They were half price, but still cost $87.00. Very comfortable though.

Houston, we have a problem!

Well folks, we have lift off, of a sort. My Home Help cleaning lass came a few days early today, to give the house the once over, as her next day to come would be Monday, and I will be in hospital then. She had nearly finished, when we all decided it would be best if the new cupboards were installed, so she could clean up the kitchen after that. We didn't reckon on 'Murphy' showing up, but come he did! The man about the house had had some trouble getting things level when he was making the cupboards, as he has about six spirit levels and none of them are accurate. You guessed it. For all his attention to detail, the b****y thing didn't fit! He also had to pull it out so he could use the cut off wheel to cut some off the quarry tiles. The only problem with that was, I had just wiped all the bench down, and Kristen had just cleaned the house. Neville tried to keep the dust to a minimum by closing the doors, but the stuff seeps through every crack and crevice. Consequently, everything was covered it a thick layer of red dust. Bugger it! The cupboard fits the space now, but needs to to be pushed in hard.
Then when Neville brought the wall oven cupboard in and put it in place, we discovered another problem we had not foreseen. Because the thing is higher, it covers the double power point which is behind it, and we can;t plug anything in to it. We scratched our heads and thought of several solutions, but none terribly satisfactory. Then I had a brain wave. As he has to make a small cupboard to put the drawers in, I suggested he move the wall oven to where the stove is now and put the drawers in it's place.None of the cupboards are joined together. That way we do not have the expense of an electrician moving the power point, and I will have somewhere to put the microwave. It will also be better not having the cook top right next to the wall oven, and it will not get too hot and will be easier to keep clean.To my great relief, he agreed with me. He then started to revamp the cupboard that had the drawers in it, so he will not have to start from scratch. He asked if it would matter if he left the maroon Laminex on it. I vetoed that idea damn quick. He just has to replace the top with the black and it will not look like a bodgey job.
Keep your fingers and toes crossed folks!

Jokers.

The man about the house and I went down town this morning, as I had some errands to run.
I recently 'found' a Velour beach towel my daughter gave me some time ago, that has cats on it. I had decided I wanted to make it in to a wall hanging. Neville said he had some dowling in the shed. When he got it out, I was not at all enamoured of it, as it was very dirty and greasy.
There was not enough, so we went to the hardware /timber store and I asked about their stock. The young guy and I climbed down some steps to the back of the shed, and he showed me what he had. While I was deciding which was the better size for the job, a bloke came in, just as I asked the lad how much a metre it was. I do not know this man from 'Adam', but he cheekily said as he walked past, $25.00. I said, as lightheartedly as possible, "If bulls**t was music, you would be a brass band." He just roared laughing and went about his business. He came to the counter with the dowling he wanted, just as the lad told me the length I wanted would cost $4.00 all up,and said something else cheeky, but it escapes me.
I have also rearranged the linen cupboard so I can have my tea towels at a height so I do not need to bend. They were in a drawer, and it is a real pain in the back when I need one.
I now have to find a home for all the meat bags and sundry other stuff on the bottom shelf.
We should be able to put the new cupboards in place tomorrow. I hope the cook top and wall oven will be connected before I come home from hospital.

NOT a happy little vegemite!

For the uninitiated, Vegemite is a dark brown, yeasty,very salty spread that comes in a jar. We in OZ use it for flavouring soups and the like, and on our breakfast toast. Yum! It is however, an acquired taste. The Brits have only recently got a taste for it, and can't get enough of it. It is now being exported to Britain. It is laden with vitamins and minerals and is reputed to put a smile on the consumers faces. Hence the term, Happy Little Vegemite. It is therefore used to describe one's mood. I am not happy at the moment, because channel 9 has been bought by the television mogul who owns channel 7. This now means, all my favourite programmes are now obsolete, and have been replaced by channel seven's guff.
The Today programme has been replaced by Sunrise with David Koch and his female sidekick. Now, the only person I will miss on the Today show is Steve Jacobs, the weather man. He is funny, and refreshingly entertaining. I think he is the best weather presenter in the country. I will not miss Richard Wilkins, gossip monger extraordinaire. He is boring in the extreme and so full of his own self importance, he makes me want to throw up!
We no longer have Temptation or A Current Affair. We now have Deal or No Deal, and Today Tonight. I will watch them tonight and see if they are worth watching long term. There will no longer be my favourite C.S.I. shows. Apart from a couple of Law and Order shows on 10, and a couple of shows on ABC, there is nothing we will be watching.
I love Temptation, because I like to pit my wits against the competitors and see how many questions I can get right.
A.C.A was getting a bit beyond the pail, but they still got results for the Aussie battlers.