Still Alive !

I have not fallen by the wayside!

I'm just really busy.. but I will return soon !

Here's something to keep you going..

Josie can say her alphabet! She says:

A, B, C, DEF, G, MOO, QUACK, WOOF !

Thats right isn't it?? ;-)

Its The Dreaded Table of Respondents !

I am laughing so hard at the moment that tears are rolling their merry way down my cheeks..

Some background: I have been working on a huge Aggregate Report at work in Excel for the last few days..

I came in to work this morning to find this email from Tony in my gmail:

To: Marianna Hill
Date: Apr 13, 2006 3:01 AM
Subject: One for the early edition

Hello Dear,

It is 2am and I have just come out to the living room from the bedroom
because I just HAD to get down "on paper" the wacky conversation we
just had that you will not remember in the morning.

Scene. The bedroom. 2am. Dark. Tony is coughing his lungs out (well the phlegm from in his throat anyway). Mari wakes. Her head shoots up as she blearily tries to figure out what the noise could possibly be [despite the fact that Tony has been coughing in this manner for days].
Mari: Do you want a drink. [Every time she wakes form Tony coughing she asks him if he wants a drink - she doesn't actually have any water on her side of the bed and he does but whatever.]
Tony: No, I'm 'right. [Tony is very stoic]

A few moments pass while Tony ejects some phlegm into a tissue.

Tony: I can't sleep!
Mari: Eruhgh?
Tony: I can't sleep with all this finances and selling flats and renting flats and crap running around in my head. So I can't fall asleep in between coughing! [Even Tony's stoicism has limits]
Mari: ...change the formatting.
Tony: What?
Mari: uhm... reset the table of.. respondents.
Tony: *pause to pee himself laughing* Ok, back to sleep baby. [Tony pats the crazy lady affectionately on the rump and makes for the living room to write down the particulars before he forgets and another of "Mari's midnight ravings" is lost to the mists of time]

AAAahhhahhahahahahahha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And It Gets Even Better !

Well, if you have been following my blog, you will know that we are very excited at the prospect of Josie starting at The School We Want Her to Go To next year.

WELL!

I got a call from them yesterday saying they were offering Josie a place in the Preschool next term! Thats starting from May 1st !

I confirmed today that YES we want it !

So my baby is starting real school in a couple of weeks ! We are just so thrilled! But also nervous!

Thats 5 days a week now, getting her there every morning by 915am. Its a big change for her, leaving her friends from The Other Daycare behind.. I let them know today that she was finishing with them on April 28th.

Becka is beside herself with excitement over the prospect of Josie starting at her school in a couple of weeks ;-)

We will have Granny picking her up some of the days of the week, and Vika and Becka taking her the other days.

This of course means that we have to speed up our move to the East. We need to organise valuations and real estate agents and put our place on the market. Once its sold we need to find somewhere to rent. Its about to get very exciting / hectic !

And of course I am getting busier and busier at work..

ack!

Typical Hill Phone Conversation..

This is a typical phone conversation between my husband and his brother..

Ant: eh
Mat: eh
Mat: Where are you?
Ant: In a shoe shop. Just got out of the doctor's.
Mat: And he prescribed shoes?

LOL

From The Desk of Uncle Mat..

And now for a story from Uncle Mat..

Ant, Mum and Josie turned up. I already had dinner in the oven and was in the bedroom playing games. So I go out to check on dinner, after setting Josie up with Shrek on the XBOX.

Now Josie decides she needs to go toily .. so off she goes. On her own, no need for daddy.

I come down the hallway and she's in the bathroom, still fully dressed but looking around curiously.

I stop to see if she needs any help.

"Where's the .. SEAT?"

"We don't have a special seat Josie, you just have to sit on the normal toilet seat."

"Oh. Ok."

(Josie peers into the toilet bowl. It's filthy. I've since cleaned it but it was really filthy.)

"Hey! Why is there poo in there?!"

"It's not poo .. it's just really dirty. I need to clean it."
"Oh ... ok."

She hops on up and pees. I wander off and come back when she's done. She's wiping herself like a pro. Sticks the toilet paper into the toilet. I point out where the flush button is and she flushes the loo.

Then she wants to wash her hands .. sink's a bit high. Fiona has a first aid kit in the bathroom that fits in a sizeable toolbox. Excellent thing for Josie to stand on so I pull it over and she gets up and turns on the tap. Looks around. No soap. I grab soap from the shower.

Only it's soap mixed with oatmeal. She looks at what she obviously considers some pretty freaky soap.

"Hey! This isn't .. SOAP!"

"Yes it is .. it's just got ... oatmeal in it. Sorta .. breakfast cereal .. in the soap."

She's now decided that we're all quite mad at our place but what the hell.

She washes her hands with the deviant soap.

Starts to head off ...

"Hey .. you need to put your pants back on..."

.. she gives an impish smile and bolts for the loungeroom at this point.

It's a laugh a minute ...

Definitely blog worthy.. ;-)

Save Me From The Almighty CARP !

OMG I am in hysterics..

george says: marina
george says: where is vika
Mari says: dont know
george says: why
Mari says: because i am not her mother?
Mari says: i was tlaking to her about half an hour ago
Mari says: maybe she's in a meeting ?
george says: marina we have problem with carp
Mari says: carp ?
Mari says: you have a problem with a carp?
george says: i talk to vika
Mari says: what happened, it refused to get on your fishing line ?
george says: later
Mari says: later? huh? what? I'm all confused..
Mari says: There are fish all around me..
george says: wait
Mari says: if i wait, the fish might get me
Mari says: I must run away.. hide from the carp!
george says: stoped
Mari says: im stoped.
george says: i cant talk with two of you
Mari says: you are tlaking to the carp as well as me ??
Mari says: how rude!
george says: i am talking with vika
george says: sorry
Mari says: ahhhhh now I understand..
Mari says: is the carp with Vika ?
george says: stopped please
Mari says: im stopped im stopped.. go talk to you favourite daughter, just because SHE has the carp..
george says: please................................................
Mari says: are you begging dad? are you?
Mari says: ahhhh see now you know how I feel when you drive me nuts !
george says: please...............................................
george says: noty girl
Mari says: that was SO much fun !

I don't have an update on the state of the fish.. so don't ask..

The other side of the conversation:

george says: vika
george says: we have problem to get carp
george says: vika
vika says: what can i do
vika says: i dont fish
vika says: u do
vika says: go to marrickville
vika says: where u buy fish
vika says: u can also go to Metro in marrickville they have a fish shop there too
george says: i was and bay a carp which is bad inside and i have it with me today to bring fish back
vika says: where?
vika says: at marrickville?
george says: yes
george says: so
george says: vika
george says: where you are
vika says: what can i say
vika says: take it back
vika says: and get fresh
vika says: and complain
vika says: and get refund
george says: i wand you to call to fish shops on east lake and east garden and find if they have carp and tomorrow i am going to buy it
george says: vika
george says: where you are
george says: tell me somthing
vika says: papa
vika says: i am at work
vika says: so r u
vika says: i cant call shops for the fish
george says: why
vika says: i have to work
vika says: be real
vika says: no can do
george says: no kiding???
vika says: no
vika says: no kidding
george says: ok
vika says: thank god
george says: no i need to now about fish
vika says: what do u need to know?
vika says: i cant call
vika says: u have to go and see
george says: why--just call them
vika says: i cant call
vika says: i am at work
vika says: go away
george says: no
george says: find
george says: marina is very surprise----you are working today???
vika says: if both of u leave me alone i will have time to work

Meanwhile..

george says: marina dont leave her alone
Mari says: lol
Mari says: why not ?
george says: i need fish
george says: she scould call top fish shop and find
Mari says: dad she is at work! she cannot be making calls to fish shops!
Mari says: be reasonable !
george says: ok
george says: marina
george says: find for me phone fish shop in east lake and east garden
george says: marina where you are
george says: answer me
Mari says: OH
Mari says: MY
Mari says: GOD
Mari says: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mari says: I ALSO am trying to work!
george says: try
george says: not kidding????
Mari says: wait!
george says: thanks
Mari says: Eastgardens Seafood Flag no.1263 Westfield Shopngtwn Eastgardens Pagewood NSW 2035 ph: (02) 9344 6806
Mari says: no GO AWAY!
Mari says: Hai Loi Fish Market, Shp 18 BKK Shopng Cntr Cnr Evan & Barber Ave Eastlakes NSW 2018 ph: (02) 9317 3218
Mari says: NOW go away!
george says: ok thanks

Ok NOW my eye is twitching..

Its Snot Gross.. Its Snot..

Tony says: I meant to tell you something that happened this morning in the car on the way to your mums
Tony says: Josie sneezed
Tony says: and I could hear that it was a wet one
Tony says: so I got a tissue for her and when I turned around..MAN
Tony says: lucky we were stopped at lights
Tony says: her WHOLE lower face was covered in a thick layer of snot-phlegm
Tony says: thick
Tony says: like placenta
Tony says: thick
Tony says: she couldnt even breath
Mari says: ewwwwwwwwwww
Tony says: she was a bit concerned until I made a joke out of it
Tony says: I could see she was not sure whether to laugh or freak out for a second there
Tony says: I just wish I had time to get my phone out and take a picture
Tony says: but she needed to breath so...
Mari says: into my blog it goes..

hehehe

HUGE News !

Well, it really is all about Becka !

We have had confirmation that Josie has been offered a place in Pre-School at The School Where We Want Josie To Go !

We are just thrilled and have been walking on eggshells waiting for the news.

There are ups and downs to this, but the ups far outweigh the downs. The school is fantastic, and while it is a Jewish School, this is not why we were so drawn to it. We were very impressed with the atmosphere, the teachers, the technology and their system of teaching. It is a very well run school which starts in the Pre-School and runs all the way to Year 12. This was one of the reasons we were so drawn to it. There is no changing schools, friends, locations. Its all on the same grounds, your entire school life. It offers security and confidence and routine.

We are thrilled to bits ;-)

Of course Josie's cousin Becka has been going there since Kindy, so it will be a huge buzz for them to be going to the same school (although they will only have about 4 years together as Becka will be in Year 8 when Josie starts Pre-School).

This of course signals the end of our living in the North Shore. It will be very very sad to leave our new home. We have only been there for about 9 months, and it is just the most perfect apartment for us, but increasing strata fees, petrol costs and road tolls have meant far more spending than we can handle.

So we have started tentitively looking in the Eastern Suburbs for a place to live. Its so hard though.. very expensive.. but we have time to look..

Our parents are especially pleased because they have been trying to convince us to move to the East for years and years. Particularily my dad..

Mari says: hello
george says: hi how are you today
Mari says: im ok, started coughing though
Mari says: but ok
Mari says: guess what ??
george says: what
Mari says: guess
george says: you win on lottory 1000000 dollars
Mari says: almost as good
george says: i wish
george says: so ?????
Mari says: both your granddaughters will be going to the same school as of next year !
george says: my Good , my congratulations!!!!!!!!!
Mari says: i havent told mum yet so dont say anything!
Mari says: and i havent told becka yet!
Mari says: we are SO excited !!
george says: ok
george says: me too
george says: when you say to mum
Mari says: yes well, I am a bit scared now too, its big money ! But we will manage ! We have to But we are just so relieved!
george says: she will be very, very happy
Mari says: Yep I will call her shortly
george says: how much you will pay
Mari says: well
Mari says: its around $7.5K for the first year
Mari says: and then increases every year
george says: just to save more money i have a good suggesting for you
Mari says: and whats that ?
george says: just be very sirious only
Mari says: yes in the last couple of months we have cut our spending dramatically
Mari says: we know
george says: i suggest you may be not this year but probably next year move to uor area and dont answer me today ---only tomorrow
george says: ok
Mari says: yes we know
Mari says: we have already started looking
george says: perfekt ---this is even better news today
Mari says: we spent last saturday looking at open places..
Mari says: havent found anything yet
Mari says: and we need to speak to our mortgage people to find out what kind of position we are in financially
Mari says: ok im gonna call mum and do some work
george says: you are today very, very good girl!!!!
Mari says: I am ALWAYS a very, very good girl !
george says: but today--the best
Mari says: ok

And then I got this from my sister..

george says: hi
vika says: hi
vika says: whats up
george says: give me aminut
vika says: ok
george says: so did you read!!!
george says: so
george says: so
george says: so
george says: vika
vika says: i am very happy that you are happy
vika says: i knew it all
vika says: we were just keeping it shush until it was all certain
george says: ok-i AM VERY HAPPY
vika says: it was all confirmed so all very happy now
vika says: and she is looking too
vika says: in our area
vika says: good day today ?
george says: VERY GOOD!!!!!
vika says: i know
vika says: rebecca will be pissing herself she will be so happy
george says: thanks God
vika says: the letter from school was supposed to be sent on monday but they did not send it until yesterday so we are not sleeping for the past several days
vika says: actually since 30th
vika says: when they went to school
vika says: and were told
vika says: but were waiting for the letter
george says: now i am have not any tensions --everithing is going to be ok
george says: thanks God and you two for good news
vika says: i am happy too

Its lovely to see my family so happy, but its going to be very hard leaving our home.. but we will, for Josie's sake. I cannot think of a better school for her.

I can't wait for next year !

Its all about Becka !

Ok so we're driving into Kindy this morning:

Josie: {cough, cough} See, I am sick! I coughing!
Mari: Yes, Bubby, I know.
Josie: Becki is my friend, but she is not coming to fix me.
Mari: Oookay.. no, Becki will probably not fix you no..

and then..

Josie: Can we go catch fishies with Zaki? Can we?
Mari: Uhhh I don't know honey, I don't think Zaki knows how to catch fishies..
Josie: Yes he does.
Mari: Ok, when Zaki goes fishing next time, we can go with him.
Josie: Becki is going to come catch fishies with me and Zaki.
Mari: Ok, we will see if Becki wants to come catch fishies with us.

and then we were listening to "Walk The Dinosaur"

Josie: Babble... babble.. open the doooor...
Josie: Babble... babble.. dinosaaaaur..
Josie: lacka..clacka... ackaa.. boom
Josie: clacka.. acka.. blackaaa... booom..

hehehe..

Druggie !

Josie has had a cough and the sniffles for a few days now so we have been giving her some benadryl and some dimetap. The dimetap is purple and tastes like grape, she loves it.

Before we left Baba's house tonight she had her medicines.

In the car, she started coughing a bit..

Josie: I need my medicine!
Mari: You have had your medine, you can't have any more.
Josie: But I'm coughing!
Mari: I know you're..
Josie: Look! Look! I show you, {cough cough}, see, I coughing!
Mari: I know sweetie, but you had your medicine before we left Baba's, so you can't have any more till tomorrow morning. ok?
Josie: {Sighs} Fine! Tomorrow Morning then ! {Gesticulates with her hands} But you remember, I coughing !

LOL

I have a druggie in the family !

Do You "need search on russia lenquich" ?

AGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!

george says: marina
Mari says: yup?
george says: I need search on russia lenquich
Mari says: on russia what ??
george says: russia lenquich
george says: read properly
{Cause I wasn't reading properly the first time !}
Mari says: ok dont just retype what you typed, I didn't understand the first time, and I dont understand again.. ?
Mari says: type it in russian
george says: language
Mari says: oh!
Mari says: geez
george says: so
Mari says: what do you mean? russian font?
george says: no a
george says: i need find somthing on russin webs
Mari says: what ?
Mari says: you want a russian search engline ?
george says: does not metter
Mari says: I still dont understand
george says: I need find somthing likepoem or what ever
Mari says: in russian ?
george says: we have search on english and I need on russian
Mari says: right, so you want a russian search engline
george says: eys
george says: no where can I find russin web with search
Mari says: thats what I mean.. you want a russian search engline
Mari says: like google but in russian
george says: yes
Mari says: ok hang on
Mari says: http://www.zhurnal.ru/search-r.shtml
Mari says: I dont know what this says
george says: what is engline
Mari says: tell me if its what u want
george says: i will call you
{Oh god please no !}
Mari says: sorry, I meant to type engine not engline
Mari says: an engine is like a program
Mari says: http://www.aport.ru/
Mari says: try this one
Mari says: http://www.yandex.ru/
Mari says: or that
Mari says: http://www.rambler.ru/
Mari says: or that
george says: stoped please
Mari says: thats all i have
george says: thanks
Mari says: from what i saw, those last 3 are russian search engines
george says: ok i will try

Ok so I was mistyping engine.. but come on!!!

Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking ?

We had an funny conversation this morning on the way to kindy..

Josie: Are you thinking what I'm thinking ?
Mari: I don't know, what are you thinking ?
Josie: I'm thinking I'm going to Kindy this morning !
Mari: Well then yes, I am thinking what you're thinking..

What a hoot.. its so funny the things she picks up from Kindy..

I dropped her off this morning and Francis-Lea (her best friend) comes running up to her with a book of some sort and hugs her and starts showing her stuff from the book. It was so cute..

Everyone was outside playing on the equipment when we got there, and they have a little basketball hoop. It was so funny, and Daddy will be so pleased, she went right up to the kids playing at the hoop and joined in putting the ball in the hoop. We'll make a sporting hero out of her yet, Michael Jordan watch out !

She has been a bit sniffly the last couple of days.. probably coming down with a cold..

Its gotten so chilly lately !