A Good Night Out

Mrs.Nev & I went out for the evening last night, leaving the kids in the very capable hands of Christine, our no.1 babysitter. We went to a Games Evening, put on for parents of Mainly Music parents; there was Pool, Darts, Pictionary, and Sing Star....I was the keenest one to play SingStar on PS2, and I later got the prize for the lowest score!!! Margaret beat me every time. However, I enjoyed the experience. *** Today, I met with Chris in town at the new Ballantynes Cafe, and after telling him about the SingStar experience, he said it was just the thing I need to help me to learn, to sing In Tune....so I think I'll (in a little while) start saving for a PS2, and the SingStar '80s package! :) *** I also bought a very nice two-piece Pool Cue today, and a case to carry it in. It's SMOOTH.............!

Sunday...

Well, Sunday was a bit of an anti-climax, after looking forward to it (the Big Audition) for 2 months... my song didn't go quite as planned; when the pianist said "We'll just have a practice," I sang as if I was warming up...and the Music Director took it as my audition! ::) oh, well....never mind; I've learned a valuable lesson. Moving on; the Director asked me if I "Had anything for him," I said yes, and promptly got up on the stage & reeled off some Peter Kay jokes; I got some laughs! :D) ...so there's hope yet. Oh, I might not have mentioned it...the Music Director, and the Show Director auditioned people separately, for either Singing OR acting roles....and Dancers auditioned separately, too! Not like last time, when we all did everything... I'll keep you posted :)

Saturday

Well, yesterday was interesting; the day started with my going to meet my pianist, who was going to play for me tonight...only to be told she's been rushed to Hospital, with bleeding teeth...so after our nightmare of a visit to the supermarket (when M. and I decided to shop WITHOUT the kiddies in future), I started a search to find a NEW pianist...luckily, I found one; I look forward to meeting him...

...Jamie's party was in the afternoon, so that meant I had to take the Twins to a friends' house, while Jamie got his presents...then, rushed back to our house, to cook tea for 6 yelling boys & one girl....go & get the Twins back; then dash off to work...it's all go here!!!

Very busy night last night at Pizza Hutt; I did 16 deliveries, though I forgot to take a bottle of bubbles to one place....grrr! I'll get it just right, on Wednesday!

My audition is tonight; thanks to those sweet & kind peops who've wished me luck, and believe I can chirp like a bird (& I don't mean a Pelican).

"Sing...Sing A Song....."

I've been taking singing lessons the past few weeks; and it's all been leading up to this Sunday...!!! Yes, ANOTHER audition....I envy those who don't need to...ie, "What are you gonna sing?" "Oh, she doesn't have to," gushes the Director, "We know SHE can sing!" :) ...here's hoping my lessons have improved my singing.....

My Latest Employment.....!

I began a new Job last Wednesday, after not having regular work (well, what I would call regular work, anyway) for over seven years! I'm delivering warm food to punters, for Pizza Hutt! It's sort of the opposite to the joke Army recruiting lines...you know, where they say, "Join the Armed Forces! Travel all over the World...meet Lots of interesting people...and Kill Them!" ::) With me, it's more like, "Join Pizza Hutt! Travel all over Timaru...meet loads of hungry people....and Feed them!" :D) It'll mean I can pay my debts faster, buy more DVDs, and be out of the house when the kids are at their NOISIEST! ;) ...plus, we Drivers often get free Pizza....hey, boys! More sour cream....whaddya mean, it's just 4 the customers!?! ;)

New "Kittenpuss!"

Last Saturday, we got a kitten from a litter in west Timaru.....Jamie has named it "Slinky-Malinki," after the character in a NZ children's book. It's a tiny little ball of fluff, full of energy, pounces & bounces! :) He is all black, except for a very small patch of white on his chest; and he has Blue Eyes.......it sure is good, to have a Cat in the house again. I affectionately call him Kittenpuss.

Apology to my Regular Readers...

...I've not had much time to Blog lately.....and when I had time on Tuesday, the silly system wouldn't let me Blog! :( Still, there's lots to tell you all.....

ABBAsolutely fABBAulous!!!!!!

Tonight, I took a friend of ours to see ABBAsolutely fABBAulous, an Aussie tribute band; they were dead-good! My friend's Dad passed away last week, so I took her along to cheer her up. The girls in the group changed costume at least four times, and all four of them really looked just like Abba! So...yes, I admit it....I'm a closet Abba fan! ::) :D) They even played ROCK ME, which you'll be hard-pressed to find on their albums! One of the very few songs where the guys sing lead vocals.....

Happy Anniversary...to Us....!

Well, we've been Married now for Fifteen Years, as of yesterday; we've survived some hard times...and come through....by helping & supporting each other...OK, I've esp. had support from Margaret, I admit it!...but also, she'd find it very hard to get to sleep without me...so I guess it evens out...right?

We went out to a play to celebrate; it's called Steel Magnolias. One of the actors in this play, is the woman I'll have to impress with my ability to sing, when I audition for the next big Show I'd like to be in...at the end of next week!!! I'm hoping & praying I'll be good enough...

Today!

Today, I went downtown, & checked out a CD/Clock/Radio, that we're looking at...to replace my portable CD-Stereo, and our rubbishy Clock Radio! Y'see, both of us are a bit fed up with the static that the Clock-Radio regularly serves up...and I'm a bit tired of the fact that it's hard to manage the volume slide control, of my portable CD Stereo! Oh, I admit, I'm still rather attached to the old Stereo; I'll definitely hang onto it....I bought it in Shrewsbury, for 70 pounds, back in '96....on the flight over here, a big sharp object was (somehow) thrust through it, and broke the motherboard in half...Daddy-O (my father-in-law, who's a bit of a boffin) kindly fixed it!....so it has some sentimental value for me. However, I like the idea of listening (on headphones) to CDs on a CD/Clock/Radio; so I went to town, asked for a demo, popped a Dr.Who CD in it, and listened in on my headphones....and....YES! It passed the test!! I've ordered one, on the 'Net! :D)

Tues. Evening....

...I had another Singing Lesson! I've had three so far, and my teacher, Chris, says I've definitely improved! I hope to succeed at the audition at the end of next week, to get into another Show... with God's blessing....

Last Sunday....

...I paid a visit to my friend, TV! :) He was a bit better than he's been for some time, so that's good. We watched half a movie, and had a good chat. I also took the opp. to write a letter on his parents' computer & print it, as it's rather noisy here, plus our printer isn't working...

Weekend...Hooray!

Haven't had much to write about lately; now it's the Weekend, so time for Leisure...took Jamie to Soccer this morning; bought a new torch for Ben, as Jamie wouldn't share his with our youngest in the car...now, of course, Jamie is insanely envious of his younger bro, as Ben now has a Cars torch, which is rather trendy at the mo...Sigh! Hard to please some people...still, I get to watch more & more of my new DVD box set, MONK Series 3, which is crazy, entertaining & very funny. :)

Watching Music...

This morning, I went 'round to our mates' place to watch Russian Music Videoes.... they were Pop vids from 2004/05, and they were...well, fascinating, and gorgeous! I liked the girl groups the best. There was a group called "Sparkling," which had a song all about New Years, and a beautiful girl singer, with a song called "La La La" :) ... also, a band with a male lead singer, & a really cool video entitled "NOTHING WORSE" - all about how rotten it would be, if we were all the same! Quite right.
I also learned how to say "Yes, please" in Russian! Hard to write it in English, though.....!

Growing Up Fast...

Well, today I took the Twins to Kindy for the first time; they seem to really enjoy it...it seems just such a short time ago, that they were little babies...Zoe really loves her new Dr.Who duvet; and Ben thinks his die-cast Dalek toy is great, so their birthday presents are a hit :)

Party Time! :)

Well, Saturday was the Twins' birthday party; twelve children were here including our own), and we enjoyed sunny weather...an answer to prayer! Five cousins travelled down from Christchurch city (156 kms away); two Playcentre kids (plus baby siblings) attended; - and they ALL enjoyed the Animals! Yes, we had Miniature Horses here! They came complete with supervisor & two Pony Girls. The kids had rides up & down our driveway, much to their delight...& ESPECIALLY to our Zoe's!!! She loves animals. We gave Ben Dr.Who toys - a diecast Dalek, and a plastic Cyberman. Zoe got a new duvet, and a Doctor Who duvet cover & pillow case!

Margaret's Dad cut down the tree that had been damaged in the Snow Storm; and I went next door to make sure their side of the fence was all right...they said, "It's fine - would you like a big TV?" I said, "why not give it to your sons?" The neighbour said, "THEM? He's got a 29", & the other one has a 42" one!" So I now have a 29" telly! Woo-hoo!
...just to explain a little: my neighbour gave it away, because his daughter gave it to him, but there was no Remote...so he couldn't tune it in to a VCR, or DVD player...I'm going to give my neighbour two dozen for it D)

Thursday..."Sisters..."

Yesterday - Thursday - I watched a DVD I'd hired, "Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants," it was pretty good. I like chick-flicks...this one was a good yarn; though I didn't realize the Girls in it, were, well.....girls! I thought they'd be Women! Ha,ha! ::)

Wilson Philips

Well, it's Official (in my world, anyway) - Wilson Philips have the best song EVER, to cry to! I went upstairs last night, & cried & cried & cried, thinking of my dear Pantherpuss, while listening (3 times) to You Won't See Me Cry, from Wilson Philips....

About our Coins...to Explain.....

Hmmm....I feel perhaps I haven't quite explained myself well enough, about Our New Coins - though Ally seems to have got it! :) ...if you look at the pic of the Coins...the Old Ones are on the top; the New Ones are on the bottom...the New Ones will completely replace, the Old Ones...the $1 & $2 coins aren't shown, as they will stay as they are.....and if you've been wondering why I invited criticism of the new small change...the coins are all a similar size...& having felt them, well...the new 20c coins, isn't just half the size of the old ones - it's also only one-third the weight! ::) If you've wondered, dear reader, why we used to have two different 20c coins (see pic), it's because when the new one was released, it wasn't popular, so it did not replace the old one. *** Getting back to the brand-new ones...we have 3 months to use up the old ones, and then they'll be Legal Tender no more, on the 1st November.

Re: New Coins...

OK, I make no bones about this; if anyone wants to razz our new coins... please feel free...they've come in for a lot of stick over here, esp. from the toy manufacturers, who say they're too similar to the toy money they're making (hey, I didn't say all me jokes would be gems, did I?! Excuse me folks, I've been watching Peter Kay on disc), - but seriously, all comments, no matter how disparaging, will be posted about Our New Coins. Might even put one on meself... ;)