Pet Blog

"A blog is like a pet rock. You promise to always cherish and nurture it, and then you do not." This is a quote from David over at Lorraine Crescent. Anyway I've been thinking a bit (usually at about 4am when I can't sleep) about changing the focus of Marrickvillia slightly... so I can cherish and nurture it a bit more. The girly swot in me doesn't like not doing things properly and sometimes I just don't have time to do what I want on Marrickvillia by way of photos of places in Marrickville and interviews with people.

So I figure, it's my blog, and I live in Marrickville, so why not write about myself? I know there's nothing radical about that, actually it's what everyone does on their blogs! I am my own biggest resource, and I don't have to go out and interview myself to write something, so you can expect more about me from now on - including the two teenagers (daughter and nephew), all the pets, having had cancer, my gorgeous husband of nearly 2 years, my writing & research interests, my work at UTS, my clothes, what I'm having for dinner, my 10 month old godson (who is my husband's biological son and the child of our dear dear friends in London), my headaches, my garden, etc etc...

What's on my mind at the moment - I'm cross that Hugh's skateboard has been stolen. He left it on the front verandah. I forget that he's a country kid and we need to actually tell him stuff like "don't leave things on the verandah". Anyway it's gone now, along with the 2 phones, the ipod and numerous small amounts of cash that he's had stolen this year, mostly from out of his bag at school. Maddening!! The other thing on my mind - I did a word count for my book yesterday (it's a cultural analysis of cosmetic surgery) and realised I need to cut 13,000 words out of it. It's currently 103,000 and has to be 90,000 before I send it to the publisher next week. How to do this I'm not quite sure. Remove all adjectives? Delete entire sections? We will see, and back to it I now trundle...

Update - Various

Ok, I know I've been neglecting Marrickvillia a little lately. But I have a good excuse - the manuscript for my book about cosmetic surgery is due in on December 1 (actually I'm aiming for the end of next week) . So, a few updates, without photos I'm afraid.

Hugh recovered well physically from the attack but did suffer some anxiety about seeing the kids wot done it on the street. I can't write the details here but let's just say that one of them was picked up by the police and after a lengthy process "has been brought to Justice". There was also a completely unexpected and spontaneous apology - I think that was what finally put Hugh's mind at rest. We took him to a martial arts class & he did seem to be into it, but then wasn't keen to go back. I don't think the vocalising and bowing were really him. We thought a skateboard would give him a bit of speed and confidence in the streets of Marrickville so my brother sent him skateboard wheels (and something called a truck?) and we took him to Fox Studios to get the board (it's called a deck)... It was interesting for me to witness the very blokey business of choosing the design (some of them are amazing works of art).

Vegie patch - lettuces have gone to seed, cabbages got attacked by snails (the insides are still ok) and we have tomatoes galore. We put in a "Black Russian" which will be beautiful I think. Corm and sunflowers should be tall soon.

Beer!! The second batch was a huge success and we're planning the 3rd.

Chooks!! We're on a waiting list for 2 chooks and a portable chook house. This is necessary for protein as Ruby and I no longer eat meat or bought eggs (I wrote about it at Sarsaparilla).

Fish!! The sad and lonely goldfish has a friend at last. They swim about next to each other.

Ratties!! Getting tamer by the day. They come out of their penthouse & sit in my hands. Their long delicate whiskers twiddle around all the time. They have lovely round dark eyes.

Sailor!! Snoring.

Bless the Beasts & the Children

I heard on ABC news radio yesterday that a 14 year old girl had successfully fought off an abductor in Dulwich Hill in the morning. In Herbert St he had grabbed her around the waist and tried to drag her into his white utility vehicle. She escaped and ran to a nearby school. It turns out she is in Hugh's class...

Teach your kids, especially the girls, to fight dirty with whatever they've got - teeth, nails, fists, feet - and to go hard for his balls & eyes. Teach them to scream "Fire!!" and then scream and keep screaming. Teach them to be on the lookout. What else is there to do?

Robbery & Assault Update

Hugh has some blurred vision but the doctor says it won't last long. He probably had a mild concussion. He seems fine, he's a tough cookie. The thugs took his house key, and our address is in his phone, so we plan to change the locks tomorrow. It will mean a trip to the Marrickville hardware store, hooray! Hugh & I have had the day off together today. It's pouring with rain but we have a nice fire going. Hot chocolates, chats, & baked beans...

We've been watching daytime telly. A bloke who doesn't think his wife does a good enough job of the housework was told to get a life by Dr Phil, which actually surprised me. We got an interesting recipe for stuffed & deep fried olives off Ready, Steady, Cook. Judge Judy sorted things out between Jennifer and her ex-boyfriend Billy. The thing is, Billy just didn't understand things were over between him & Jennifer so he vandalised her new boyfriend's car - it was a moment of madness.

A man called Phil Chen came to the door & explained to me how we could save 5% off our gas, as well as getting a $50 bonus on our first bill, if we swap over to AGL. It seemed legit & I liked him so I signed the thing. But have I made a mistake I'll live to regret?

Robbery & Assault

I was a bit worried when my 15 year old nephew Hugh, who lives with us, didn't answer the home phone or his mobile after school yesterday. I usually call him at 4.30 from work. Then I knew something was wrong when someone else answered his mobile & I could hear train noises & thuggish laughing. I kept calling - the mobile would either ring out, someone would answer and hang up, or they'd just yell "What!!" I had to teach at 6 so Richard rushed home. He called me (unprecedented, I left my mobile on in class) to say that Hugh wasn't there and then I was REALLY concerned. We decided to call the police, and Richard was on the phone to them when Hugh walked in, bruised & bashed up, his mobile & wallet stolen.

He'd been walking up our street at about 4pm when he was hit from behind. It was two older & bigger boys; he didn't know them. One of them pinned his arms to his sides & the other punched him. They scratched his chest, tore his shirt & bruised his face. Richard & Hugh spent a few hours up at the police station & then we were visited last night by Constable Yvonne & Constable Josh, who were very nice. They took the ripped shirt away in a brown paper bag & took some of Hugh's DNA so they can separate it from any the attackers left behind. There's a chance they'll be able to track them down through the phone calls they will make.

Hugh is in good spirits but one of his eyes is swelling up this morning so we're off to see doctor Nigel.