But I'm not quite this fat!  I did promise myself last night - silly woman - that I'd go to Curves early this morning, but of course, when Muffy woke me and it was cold and grey, I turned over and went back to sleep.  They have moved to new premises and I'm quite keen to have a look, but not keen enough, obviously.

     Interesting comment from Anonymous about the mistletoe - it's all right for you, if you've got someobody to kiss!  I did check it out on Google, after what you said, Michael, and it's apparently not just on Christmas Eve you can kiss, but anytime during the holiday season.

     Got an email from a lapsed e-pal just now, telling me about the freeeeeeeeezing weather in UK!!!!  Poor you.  And here we are, suffering from 38 degree heat (except for today, which is cool).

     Later this morning my Adelaide student and his mother are coming to visit.  That will be lovely.  Calls are coming in for new students, so I need to organise myself.

     I wonder, though, if kissing under the mistletoe on Christmas Eve is an international custom?  Is it done in Germany, Michael?

     What cartoonists can express with a few curved lines is nothing short of amazing.  I think this one is particularly good.

     By the way, I'm going ahead with my drawing/painting lessons when the teacher and I can organise a time.  Glad you enjoyed the site, Frank - Viv surely is one very talented lady.

     We've had several 38 degree days, which really did me in!  All I could manage was a swim in the early mornings and then I'd flop in front of the fan and the telly to watch the tennis in the afternoons.  Though I did somehow manage to get the November and December accounts done.  Tax preparation is ongoing...Today it's much cooler, so I'll have a walk later, after the hairdresser.  Massage early evening.  Am still waiting for a friend to help me get the bookshelf to the office.

     Took a booking the other day for an intensive week at the end of January, just before school goes back.  This will be my office initiation.

from inside her grandparents, flat.

     Was invited to the Great Moscow Circus this afternoon by some friends.  But it's the same old story - I planned to do the accounts today!!  So I'll stay home and do them.  After all, I've been thinking about doing my tax since July!!!! and the November and December ones need to be done, as it's already January.

     Discovered the other day that a woman who lives in my street gives drawing lessons.

Here's an example of her beautiful work.  Look at some others on                             http://drawingclassesnewcastle.com.au  (I don't understand why there's no www in her URL.)  I'll be having lessons, that's for sure!  What an opportunity!

     It really is quite beautiful swimming here - you have the feeling of actually being in the ocean.  People are taken by sharks now and then in parts of Australia and that frightens me, but most people bravely swim in the surf.  I prefer the safety of the baths.

     Another slow start to my day.  Lots of office work to do - can procrastinate no longer.

 Tim Wimborne , Reuters

     Not surprisingly got off to a very slow start today.  Did some emailing, sewing repairs and a bit of ironing before midday, then started on the dreaded tidying up of the study.  Baked a rice custard mid-afternoon, which I delivered to two lots of neighbours who frequently feed me.  Watched a bit of telly and am now off to bed at 10pm.    

     Just realised I have done two blogs on the same day!  Golly, I must be more confused than usual!

     In spite of my anti-social self, I made the effort to go to a friend's place in Sydney for the fireworks.  As you can see, she lives in a great spot, right opposite the Opera House and next door to the Governor General's residence.  It was a balmy night - didn't even need a cardigan.  I always feel fireworks are a great waste of money, but the official version is that they spend $5M but Sydney reaps $40M.  Anyway, I did have a great night.  Philip came with his new whiz-bang camera and took some terrific shots. Didn't get to bed till 4am.

     Emma's grandparents had a view without leaving their flat, and Philip took a wonderful shot from the outside, of her glued to the window in wonderment.  (They always have a 9pm display for the kids.) 

     I spent a few hours with Philip and family before coming back to Newcastle yesterday, by train.  Slept from about 8pm to 8am.  A day out like that  really exhausts me.

     Now, it's back to the workaday world, and all the things that waited for me while a had a few days' relaxation.

     Happy New Year to you all!

     I almost can't believe it myself!!!  Nothing short of amazing for me, but probably the everyday thing for all you normal people out there.  I started from scratch - bought the recipe book, the tart tin and of course all the ingredients and even made my own pastry.  I spent hours washing up and now, at 9:30pm, have just had a taste.  Absolutely scrumptious!!!

     If you're wondering why I did this, it's practising for 2009, when I plan to cook something every day, just like normal people!!!!  Yesterday I made fried rice, which was quite yummy, too.

     I used to cook every day, but I then I completely lost motivation.  After buying several new cook books - I already have hundreds - and a sushi set, I am rearing to go.

      This is a bonus shot!  I think it's close to being my favourite of Muffy, who is curled up on my lap as I write this.  She's purring away very loudly.  She made the little nest for herself years ago, one night when I was in the kitchen.

     And some people are out there blowing themselves and each other to pieces.  What a weird world we live in...

     What, you may wonder, does air in my tyres have to do with this beautiful church?  We happened to pass near it this morning in North Sydney, as I took Philip with me to a local service station, to help me with this near-impossible job.  I only ever try to do it about once every three or four years and invariably let more air out than goes in.  Why they did away with this service is beyond me, and I'm sure all other women, as I've never yet met one who can do it!!! 

     I'd gone down yesterday to visit and set out about 9am to come home.  Got caught up in the heavy holiday traffic and it took about three hours.  (Should have been 2 and a half max.)  They're settling in well to the new unit and Emma was her usual cute little self.  She babbles away all the time, using some real words, in both English and Japanese.  She was taken to the zoo the other day:

          Next time they go, I'll go, too, as I haven't been for years.  It's on a magnificent site, just across from the CBD.  I used to live within walking distance, in one of my previous lives.

     The Sydney - Hobart yacht race started while I was in Sydney, but I didn't bother to look.  It was much nicer just staying home with Emma, and taking her for a walk in her new tricycle (complete with toy mobile phone, sunshade and various other attachments).  We didn't even see it on the news, as we didn't have the telly on at all.  The giraffes would have had a good view!

     Think I'll go and make myself a cuppa and have an early night so I can be up at 7 for my swim.

     If you're in the mood for a travel tour, have a look at this blog I just came across:

http://vanessarivera.net/RelativeAndFriend/2007_TripToSydneyAustralia.html

I don't know this person, but she seems to have had a fabulous trip to Australia.

      I have!  Well, yesterday and today I went swimming in the ocean baths at 7am!!!!  I hope Santa Claws - thanks, Michael - was watching!  Nearly froze to death, I have to tell you - this morning it was 19 on land and probably the same or a bit less in the water.  Not surprising my friend and I had the pool almost to ourselves.  Didn't make much difference if you were in or out.  This photo is from archives - I didn't actually take it this morning. 

     I had my coffee and roll when I got home this morning, then went to bed with a book.  The next thing I knew, it was 3pm!!!!!!  I'd fallen asleep almost straight away, I think.  I got up, had a bite to eat, then repeated the morning's performance and slept till almost 7pm.  Remains to be seen what will happen tonight...

     I don't 'do' Christmas - it's just another day to me, so I'll go down to see Emma on Friday.  I just think every day is Christmas here in the West.  Instead of giving people presents, I do something for a third world country - this year it is pay for a teacher.  Mind you, this doesn't mean I don't appreciate your thoughts and cards.

     Went to an 18th birthday party on Friday night, dressed as a bogan.  I bet nobody knows what that word means - I didn't myself, and had to look it up.  Here I am with the father of the birthday boy:

     I could't find a bogan wig (mullet), so made do with a blond hairpiece.  Notice the tattoo on the fat stomach - it's still there, five days later!!!  It's a skull and flames, which I unfortunately put on upside down. 

     On Monday I was picked up and taken on a picnic by two of my students and their dad.  Just lovely!  Poor mum had to work, so it was specially nice of the dad to go to all the bother.

     When you read this, Santa Claws will be getting very close to you!  Hope you get what you want!  A Very Merry Christmas to you and yours.     

       You're exactly right, Michael - Kangaroos are fine, but that cute look on a kitten's face  cannot be surpassed.  No wonder they are such a popular motif, and have been for thousands of years.

     How is everbody coping with the economic downturn?  Since I have such a minuscule amount of super left, if it disappeared I wouldn't even notice.  And I don't have any debts at all, so I can count myself very lucky.  Maybe we will get fewer students next year - will just have to wait and see.  Unless somebody steps in and does all the business stuff for me I will not take on any more franchisees - it's too much of a nightmare.  Yesterday I went to look at the new sign at the entry to the new office:

          As you can see, there are only four tenants - well, only four who are prepared to pay for the sign, at least.  Newcastle is a bit of a disaster area - lots of development round the harbour, but the old parts of town are derelict, with hundreds of empty shops and offices.

     Out of curiosity, I googled 'Acumon' and look what I came up with:

Reviews

         Soon I might even be able to get to the beach myself.  It is, after all, the summer holidays. 

     This morning I did the usual chores round the house, then cleaned up an extra bit because the cleaner is back today, after having missed a few weeks.  I popped down to do the banking and get some cash, bought some plums, and, as soon as she goes, will have a lie down with a magazine.  Don't feel energetic at all, but that's not unusual with me.

     Opened a huge stack of mail that's been waiting for me for weeks, and sorted out some papers and found the Christmas cards.  Still haven't actually written on them, but I'm getting close!  I just discovered piles of info on the Picasa thing, so will study that later and try to understand it all.

     Yesterday I Skyped a friend who works at the Institute of High Performance Computing in Singapore - he tells me they're always having problems with their computers, so that made me feel much better!  If nerds with PhDs have problems, then so can I!

     Philip tells me I get more emails than anybody he's ever heard of, so I am at the limit of the PC's capacity.  I've therefore starting deleting away merrily.  It's a good idea - no point in keeping everything forever.  Sometimes emails I send are not delivered, and I wonder what's happened - is that person still living or what???????  Please arrange to have your next of kin notify me when you pop off this earthly coil!

     This is really the first day of my holidays - no students, no parties to go to and wish I hadn't.  If there weren't any cats in the world, then I really would have a reason to be miserable.  But they are ever so entertaining it almost makes me glad to be alive.  (Though I did tell Muffy she could go and live somewhere else the other morning when she woke me up at some unearthly hour.)

     Some of my disappeared Skype photos have re-emerged - god only knows from where - and this is one of the most interesting.  And that's not all I've been able to do today - I've spent hours putting all my Sounds of Reading books together and into archives and deleting some.  I'll eventually have my PC all neat and tidy.  Like the rest of the house and garden.

     Philip, Mana and Emma came up on Sunday and Philip spent hours sorting out the computers - both this laptop and the old PC.  He couldn't get rid of the evil bug, so took the old PC back to Sydney.  But I'm happy to stick with the laptop, as he's transferred most of my files for me and things are nearly back to normal.  Well, now that might be a bit of a stretch of the imagination!  Were things ever normal???????

     Yesterday three of my franchisees (one had to work), my PA and I had a Christmas lunch and ate and drank too much.  I'm invited to a birthday party on Saturday night and our street party will be on Sunday evening if Denise and I give the invitations out in time.  That's all I intend doing - the rest of the time is for relaxing.

     Sorry about the Christmas cards being late - I still haven't sent most of them.  It's not as though I didn't know Christmas was coming.  It's just that there are so many piles of stuff on top of them and I want to work through everything in an orderly fashion.  And I feel really lazy and just want to lie about and do lots of nothing.

     I could've worked things out all by myself years ago, without getting into a frenzy!  I don't know what it was that did it, but the other day when I was in the paper shop, I happened upon this magazine - The Complete Aussie Guide to Windows XP - and stood there for ages wondering whether I had XP or not and whether I should buy it .  I knew - well, I thought - I had Windows, and that was the sum total of my PC knowledge.

     Can you believe I can now tell you that 1GB = 1024 MB, have learnt how to ask technical questions through Google - and be provided with answers - and have even downloaded some fonts from CDRoms all by myself?  In fact, I have printed off a whole page of kibibytes, terabits, exabits, etc equivalents, which I will stick into my new alphabetical computer notebook (of the pen and paper variety) when I buy one, along with the many notes I am going to make.

     I even found the missing files - haven't got round to the photos yet.  When I find them I'll send yours to you, Winfred!  Fancy them going off together like that - naughty!  Maybe they've frozen to death in the minus 5 degrees Bristol weather.  Goodness, gracious me!!!!! 

     I truly thought all those clever nerds learnt by osmosis - it never occurred to me once that all they needed to do was read a magazine!

     I can even enlarge a whole web page, by changing the number at the bottom right, (for elderly people when their eyesight goes.)

     Just wait until tomorrow!  I'm not going to that Christmas party tonight, but will stay home and learn some more.  I'm on a roll now...This is so exciting!  

     I got your Christmas card yesterday, thanks, Winfred, and posted mine to you.  I bought my overseas cards months ago but didn't send them because it was too early and now I've left it so they'll all be late.  Sorry...

     Bits and bytes to you all...

     A spot of retail therapy cheered me up yesterday (thank you all for your comments!) so I was going to be very positive today.  I'm not going to let such a minor inconvenience as having lost my entire written and photographic past upset me for a moment.

     I picked up my Kenzo glasses and what a difference it has made, being able to see!!!!!  I went into the shop next door and spent hours trying on gorgeous and very inexpensive Asian clothes, and came out with five new outfits.  And a book on dyslexia, one called 'Complaints' by a fabulous fellow called Julian Baggini and a pop-up Christmas book for Emma.  (This shop has books, clothes and all sorts of stuff from India and Nepal.)  Have you heard of this fellow, Winifred?  He's a philosopher and seems to be well known in UK.  His work really impressed me, so I might fall in love with him, since Steven Pinker has run off and married yet another wife.  Julian doesn't have long curly locks, though, which is disappointing - he has a shaved head, which I think is not a good look.

     I've asked an interior designer friend to come to my office (which I'll be renting from 5 January next year) tomorrow and choose 'a look' for Sounds of Reading AUSTRALIA.  I rather like the colourful Indian/Nepali cushions and bits and pieces from the above-mentioned shop, as they will suit both children and adult students, and liven the place up.

     Now I'd best get ready for a dermatologist's appointment at 9:10, then my delightful little student at 11.  She is making rapid progress after only five sessions with me, and arrived yesterday with a book she'd read the night before, plus a big smile.  Last year her mother had to take her to a psychologist for months because having to read a book - which she couldn't do - traumatised her.  Poor little sausage was made to repeat Kinder.  If only her mother had come across me two years ago.

     From the best night of my life to the worst week of my life.  I've been in a deep, deep depression since I last wrote, almost unable to get out of bed.  The technician brought my old pc back on Monday - exactly one week ago - saying it was old and had lots of problems.  But he assured me all my files were safe and started to transfer them to this laptop.  Philip rang while he was here and you probably heard what he said in London, Berlin and New York.  And the North Pole.

     When I need an electrician, a plumber, a builder, a tiler, a cleaner, a phone technician, a gutterer, an arborist, a concretor, a carpet layer, a painter, a lawn mower, a gardener, a fencer, a white ant man, a man to do the door and window locks and put the fly screens on, to put a ventilator on the roof, to recharge the car battery, a bookkeeper, a business manager, even a printer technician, I ring up and hey, presto, the job gets done and I pay the money.  But when I have a problem with my pc, the technician is an incompetent nincompoop who deserves to be abused over the phone till he starts shaking and disappears out the door with the transfer of my files incomplete.  Maybe he deleted them in revenge.  Can't say I'd blame him. 

     I don't want a pc anymore - I simply can't cope with all the stress.  Apart from having withdrawal symtoms on the personal side, the business will fall apart because I can't print the books.  I will be flung into prison for misrepresentation.

     I finally managed to drag myself out of bed yesterday and started to do some gardening and wash the walls of the toilet down with sugar soap.  I then went food shopping and actually cooked a delicious meal, one of Nigella's:  pork chops in cider, grain mustard and cream, with gnocchi.  Yummy!!!  The salad was snow peas and watercress with a dressing of olive oil, lime juice, sea salt and wasabe.

     This morning I got up at an ungodly hour - 4amish - did some washing and ironing, had a coffee and roll in the garden with Muffy when the sun came up, unpacked the dishwasher and now have an hour before a student arrives. (Even though I'm on holidays, I agreed to take her for one hour each day this week.)  Might as well start tidying the study in readiness for doing my tax that I didn't do last week.

     Wow! and wow! again.  The concert was everything I expected and more.  After three hours we didn't want to let him go, and clapped and roared for encore after encore.  I don't know how he and the orchestra have so much stamina.

     The concert was held in Sydney's Olympic Stadium.  For three nights in a row, 30,000 people filed in for the night of their lives.  Philip, who believes that at 38 he was the youngest member of the audience, enjoyed it as much as we oldies.

     Now I can die happy.

     I should be having my last lessons this afternoon, but, because of the computer problems this week, have had to transfer this Tuesday's students to next.  Then I will be as free as a breeze.  Well, free to do the November bookkeeping, get 2007/08 tax things ready to give the accountant, update the complete set of books, liaise with the designer re 'look' for my office next year, do new business cards and brochures, update the website, together with the business manager do the Franchisor Operations Manual and the PA Operations Manual.

     I only got this far this morning when the business manager arrived straight after a student.  I fiddled round a bit and now it's almost 3 o'clock, time for three more students.  At 6 think I'll crack open a bottle of sparkling wine!

    Am wandering round the laptop, trying to get the hang of it before I go out and jump off - yes, again! - a bridge of my own here in Newcastle.  On Sunday night my browser was hijacked, making it impossible to use my regular pc.  Philip tried vainly to fix it by networking from his home in Sydney.  He didn't respond to a phone message I left for him on Monday morning, so I found a technician in the Yellow Pages and he came in the afternoon and ended up having to take it away with him.  (On his way out the door with the pc tucked under his arm, he noticed this laptop sitting on top of a cupboard.  He asked me why I wasn't using this fabulous piece of equipment - the very same as his own - and I told him I didn't know how to, so he set it up for me and here I am, with Muffy on my lap.)

     When Philip did respond to my phone call, about 26 hours later, of course I was in trouble for having called someone in.  (I had even asked this chap if I could hire him by the hour, which brought the wrath of Philip down on me, as he thinks I should have asked him.  When I told him he doesn't have the knack of explaining, he told me I don't have the knack of remembering!!!)

     Of course I can't remember if I don't understand what I'm doing.  And I understand exactly nothing about how computers work.  In spite of this, on said pc I have managed to write a series of books to teach illiterates to read, from which five people (including me) make a living.  So there!!!

     I actually have a legitimate reason now for not having done the biz plan!  A bit less original than 'The cow ate my homework,' which teachers heard over and over years ago.

     This is the one similar to yours, Michael.  No doubt about cats - they're definitely the boss!

     So the answer to my washing machine query is intelligent European washing powder!  Gee, thanks, Michael.

     It's 9:30am and I'm still procrastinating.  I went as far as open the Biz Plan file yesterday and thought, ah that won't take me long - will easily knock it off over the weekend.  But if I don't even get started, I'm heading for trouble.

     If I'd been asked to design mankind, I'd have given people ear flaps so they could cut out noise they didn't want to hear, and would never have invented procrastination. 

     Hang on - I just have to hang the washing out, put another load in, have a shower and iron something to put on, take my tablets, then I'll be back.  All of  this is procrastination, as I should be writing the business plan for my Women in Business course - graduation next Wed night.

     By the way, Michael - you haven't answered my question on how washing powder knows the difference between a top loading washing machine and a front loading.  Maybe in Germany they are all front loading - here we have both types.  Since I bought the wrong powder the other day, I'm using it in my top loader and the clothes have all come out clean!

     And yes, Winifred, tomorrow is a new day, and I'm over my fit of the frustrations and miserables.  But it does make me feel better when I know I'm not the only person struggling with life in C21.  In fact, I've had a productive week - I've rented rooms to have as my headquarters next year.  I know I said I wouldn't do any more tutoring, but I will.  Through natural attrition my numbers will drop, as now my sick franchisee is back on deck and any new students can go to her, so I won't be overburdened.  I'm going to concentrate on selling franchises to people in other towns and cities, and for that I can use the board room.

     And you don't have to try very hard to convince me about dogs, either.  I love them, too - just as much as cats, really, and had one most of my life.  It broke my heart to leave Holly behind 15 years ago when I was dumped by my partner, as I had nowhere to put myself, let alone a dog.  I've got her photo in my bedroom.  I also left my horses behind and have not ridden since.  And my piano - have not played a note since.  All very sad.  May he rot in hell is the kindest thing I can say about that man. 

     It's past 1 o'clock and I'm still procrastinating.  Opening my mail from past days...Medecins sans Frontieres, World Vision, Vision Australia, Salvation Army, Oxfam, Save the Children...do they think I'm married to Bill Gates, for heaven's sake!!!!  I'll pay $126 to train a teacher somewhere, through World Vision (instead of giving Christmas presents) but most of my money goes to St Jude's school in Tanzania.  Came across a bank statement I couldn't find when I wanted it a couple of weeks ago and still can't find two important letters I must answer or I'll surely have my head chopped off!!!  Also came across some old letters from Medicare telling me I'll be on the safety net if I take some receipts in to show them.  Does this mean I have to go into town and delay the biz plan even longer?  At least I've got it out and it's now at the bottom of the letter pile on my desk.