Ola! It’s Me and Mister C…

This week, we say hello in Portuguese with the formal hello- ola and the informal Hello- oi. The beautiful country of Portugal is renowned for its port wine, Pastel de nata (dessert), football, golf, Piri-Piri chicken (one of Husband’s favourite), cork and Azulejos tiles (so nice) to name just a few; it is certainly a wonderful place we would love to visit one day. Now week nine of our local ‘lockdown’, most restrictions have now eased, but we need to still wear those (itchy) masks indoors and show our Covid vaccination certificates at local shopping outlets and venues (better than nothing really?). We look forward to having a family meal out and catching up with family very soon (so exciting), and further restrictions easing with all state borders opening up soon.

School finally went back for all students this week (Yay!). Mister C was excited to see all his classmates again, after only seeing a select few at school (on the few days he did attend during lockdown) and via his home-school ‘Zoom’ sessions. Flossy was also excited to see her friends, but felt ‘blah’ about actually heading back into the classrooms, particularly with the ongoing restrictions (and mandatory mask wearing). Widy was grumpy and stated, “I don’t want to go back to school this week, Mum, I’m not ready just yet!” I was understanding about her situation, but then replied, ‘Well, you’ve had eight weeks to think about going back to school, my love!” (It was unavoidable). Me and Mister C wish to say a big thank-you to all of our caring teachers, both at primary school and high school; it has been a tough school term and we have risen above it all to get back to semi-normal classes.

As I write this blog today (I am so happy that), the old beige eighties’ splashback tiles that were in our laundry, are now all in the bin (small things, I know). The tiling job is finally being done today (yay!); our kind builder and his apprentice is helping out (thanks again). I had rung several tilers in our local area over the past few weeks; no-one was able to come out to do a smaller job at present (too many new homes being built?). I reluctantly, but diligently agreed to remove the old splashback tiles, with Flossy’s help (who was a great helper- thanks sweetheart!); boy did it (we) make a mess, bits of tile and grout stuck in our hair and everywhere (was quite satisfying though!). I had a full box of shiny red tiles (were my fit-it Dad’s, to also mention) left over from the kitchen renos and splashback work, that been completed back in 2018. I was wanting to match the laundry with the same colour scheme (wow I just sneaked a look, how I love red!), and also remember my dear fit-it dad, who was a wonderful tiler. The tiles are now all in place and I have to admit, it does look amazingly bright (by-bye old tiles, hello new ones).

After the bad hailstorm, we experienced last week (yuk), our new extension bedroom for Widy, had unfortunately sprung a leak! (Oh no). Widy called out the following day, that there was a wet patch of carpet near her bed. I managed to find the issue and ran to Bunnings (love this place-a great Aussie hardware store) and grabbed some flexible (storm) silicone. I was able to quickly fill the small gap to the side of the wall (when it was dry), where the flashing sat over the old half stone wall. The (huge) bits of rock hail had filled up against the whole are area on top of the half wall, slowly melting its way down into the room (water only needs a minuscule hole to get in!). Sadly, on Friday Widy called out again for her room, saying there was another leak and the carpet to the other side wall was (quite) wet as well. Oh, no I thought, not again. I won’t even mention the swarm of bush bees (so beautiful, but also very annoying), who were trying very hard to get into the house (again), to inhale the scented flowers that are blooming on my crazy (and very healthy) hoya plant (named Harry by the way). The trusty silicone also worked on that hole at the top of the gutter near the roof too (I will grow a moustache soon- I said to Husband these are ‘manly’ jobs I am undertaking).

Husband and I investigated the issue and worked out it was most likely the tap had been leaking near the wall over the past few days (someone didn’t turn the tap off!). I managed to tighten all the hose fittings and moved the hose reel away from that area too. I rang our builder and he was able to pop by to check the area (thanks heaps P.S), also agreeing with us about the leaks. luckily, I had some silicone left and sealed the entire wall as well. About ten towels mopped up and some warmer days later, the carpet is thankfully dry and we can now build Widy’s new ‘Ikea’ cupboard (more work?). Our items did finally arrive from ‘Ikea’; luckily, I was still home before heading off to work, when the delivery truck arrived (thanks). I had asked Husband to check all the items off the list, to make sure the items were delivered correctly. I ended up checking the items; I’m glad I did; the two cupboard railings were not in the (high) pile of goods. I asked the delivery driver and he checked the back of the truck, thankfully the rails were tucked behind another box… We’re still waiting for our electrician friend to come back and complete the install work in the new room- hopefully next week? (Good things come to those who wait, I keep saying to myself).

Back to 2020… Now mid-June (over half way and nearly there?!). Life was proving to be quite stressful at home with the ongoing ‘lockdown’ restrictions and home-schooling, let alone the bitter cold weather too. Along with these added home pressures, my workplace was also proving to be further stressful with troublesome rostering and relieving to other locations in the facility (which added to the extra day-to-day stress). I wanted to take some of the unnecessary stress out of our lives and away from the family, deciding it was time for a workplace change. After a few chats with Husband (thanks- always my rock), I decided it was a positive move out of public (health) nursing (which I had worked in for most of my nursing career) and into private nursing (later finding out nursing rates were better too!). I spend a few hours working on my C.V (curriculum vitae) and applied for a few jobs around our local town area. It didn’t take more than a week or so and I had a few job interviews (Husband was quite impressed!). Husband commented, “Wife has been in her current job for more than three years and has grown quite tired of it all. Wife rang earlier quite excited, saying how she had just dropped her C.V off and apparently has a job interview in a few days!” Husband also commented, “Promising news re Wife’s new job; she handed in her resignation a week ago and only has two more shifts left! Wife has had a few interviews and now has to undergo a physical, which means new employment shortly- very proud of her!”…

The girls and Mister C were our ‘happy glue’ over this trying time, without the kids I don’t think we would have made it through as best we did. Mister C (as quirky as he still is) brought us both such joy (and still does- like the girls today). Husband commented, “This morning Mister C and I had more special moments while driving him to school. He first told me how pencil and pen companies don’t like each other, then put on my sunnies with his beany on. He also claimed I read his mind to turn right, instead of going straight to get him to school! Last night I read a ‘Marvel Avenger’s’ book as usual with Mister C; I stood on his bed ladder in my ‘ladder shoes’; wow! I reckon we have been reading those books almost exclusively for about two years now, so we probably read each one at least forty times- I think Mister C knows a lot of words off by heart!”…

A Word From Mister C…

Dad and Flossy were sitting at the dining table and Mister C walked in with a black tank top and long soft PJ pants on. Flossy looked up smiling and said, “Why are you wearing that top, is it new?” Mister C looked down at his clothes and replied, Oh, it’s new and I like it!” … “You look like you’re sunburnt!” Flossy then said giggling. Mister C looked at his arms and shrugged his shoulders, then started dancing around in the kitchen area, to the funky music playing from the radio. “I might be a bit crispy, but I can still dance as good- just like ‘Mister Crabs’ from ‘Sponge Bob’!” Dad looked up smiling, “A bit cooked like ‘Mister Crabs’ too, Mister C!” All laughed… 😁

Stay tuned…

I have four pages left to complete the illustrations for our fourth book- yay! I am working hard to complete the images in time by the end of this week! We are excited to be able to see the printed copy of the book very soon and share it with everyone too. I also can’t wait to finish blogging about all things from 2020 and hopefully work in real (current) time shortly. Me and Mister C wanted to say a big thank-you to everyone for continuing to read our blogs, it means so very much! Hugs to all and night from Mister C… 🤗