Cat-rant

Weather has stayed cooler (joy!) So did some more gardening today. HERE is the link I put on Twitter the other day showing the vegies.

I currently have capsicums, chillies, bok choi, spinach, lettice, kale, endives, basil, parsley, coriander and fennel. On the way are cauliflower, broccoli and broccolini, and there are some broad beans coming along. the cape gooseberry bush is powering, and has produced several offspring this year that I am in the process of transplanting. It's so good to just go and get lettuce and herbs instead of having to pay a fortune for tired looking things from Coles.

That tall goldeny bush is Roman Wormwood, it keeps the insects at bay.

Most of the vegies and herbs were only put in a few weeks ago. Its amazing what cooler weather and rain can do. I also use a seaweed mix called "Powerfeed" which sounds more like a brand of energon, but the plants love it! I'm amazed how much difference it made - that and managing to stay on top of the weeds this year (yes, I pulled the ones in the photo out today!).

And HERE is the other end of the backyward, which is mostly native trees, shrubs and plants, also much happier with rain and Powerfeed.

The garden is one of the most positive things in my existence at the moment and something I would miss if I wasn't in Australia any more, because there is a lot of space here! But then as dellessa was showing the other day, great gardens can also be made in much smaller spaces - and one the size of mine is a lot of work. I'm pleased with it, anyway. The back yard was a wasteland a couple of years ago.

Can't believe I left the UK a week ago. Time has just seemed weird and totally screwed up the last week and now I seem to be unwell: headache, sore throat, swollen glands, hot, achy. Eeerrgh. Hoped I could avoid this on return this time - but noooo ...

Soooo - to continue with the trip blog - just over a week after getting to the UK I got the train to York. There I remained for the rest of the weekend, and got to spend time with the awesome ultharkitty and aniay. It was great wandering around the town again, having lunch and talking tranformers (lots of TFs.) And I got the most lovely presents from both my friends who are so talented at making things:

( moar and photos )

Can't believe I left the UK a week ago. Time has just seemed weird and totally screwed up the last week and now I seem to be unwell: headache, sore throat, swollen glands, hot, achy. Eeerrgh. Hoped I could avoid this on return this time - but noooo ...

Soooo - to continue with the trip blog - just over a week after getting to the UK I got the train to York. There I remained for the rest of the weekend, and got to spend time with the awesome ultharkitty and aniay. It was great wandering around the town again, having lunch and talking tranformers (lots of TFs.) And I got the most lovely presents from both my friends who are so talented at making things:

( moar and photos )

Recently, I went on a trip to the UK. I got back this week, had one day to recover before work, decided at the last moment I'd write a fic for robotbigbang and spent the last few days either working, writing, or tired as all hell! But the first draft of the fic got posted. It was a nice distraction which eliminated (mostly) the depression of being back. I made it to the weekend!

I try and go to the UK about once a year. I love it there. It is still my home. This trip was timed to culminate in AA - but I went other places first. I'll post photos etc in stages. Including AA ones of course!

The first week was spent in the south of England, where I grew up. I was in Devon for a few days, at a family party. There were over 30 family members there - none of whom I ever see normally, all of whom I get on with really well. My uncles had all his muso friends there too and had rigged up a stage in a field where everyone camped as well as partying. It was awesome - even if I was a bit hazy from the jetlag.

( moar and photos )

Many things in RL are keeping me busy, including the above. Which is what happens when it starts to rain and nothing gets done to the garden. But the BIG WEED began yesterday, and I shall tackle it gradually.

Other than that, have not been online much lately. Work continues to totally dominate about two thirds of my life and whilst I do enjoy the challenge, it leaves me somewhat 'flat' by the end of the week. I did just get a pay rise. Which made me feel appreciated, and as though my efforts were not in vain. With that comes more responsibility, however. You don't get anything for nothing.

And I now have a bad back for the first time in my life. It is a nusiance. I think it is from hunching over laptops too much :P

On a positive note, however, the UK trip plans are on track with, for once, most of the arrangements re trains planes and sutomobiles made already. This saves having to spend copious amounts of time hunched over more laptops whilst supposedly on holiday - in fact it preferably does away the need for the thing at all, though I will still take it from fandom purposes. I Phones are exhorbitant overseas.

I look forward to AA, meeting lots of new people, and seeing some dear friends again <33

Writing wise, I did get the zombie fic finished, with ultharkitty's superb beta-help. It is a parody of the Brit-com "Keeping Up Appearances." And it gets posted this week. It was actually really fun to write something totally non-TF and also very English - and now I do want to write in other fandoms.

Talking of which, I sort of made a start to the RobotBigBang offering. This will be a Star Wars and TF crossover and probably the most ambitious thing I've attempted. It may prove too much - we shall see.

Other than that, I have some Constructicon fic half written and must finish this, along with the next longfic chapters. I feel like I ought to read some more before I write though as I am SOOO behind (sorry folks) and also behind with RP (more sorries). I continue to love RPing on War Dawn however and will be able to do some more of that this weekend, yay!!

I finally saw 'Prometheus' last night. [spoilers here] I actually quite liked it. But I could see why some were disappointed. I didn't like the characters much, and wasn't sorry when most of them met with their fates. I always think that is a pity. I liked the android, however. I'm glad he made it. And soooo clever being able to pilot the alien ship. And the newborn alien at the end was CUTE CUTE CUTE!!

Many things in RL are keeping me busy, including the above. Which is what happens when it starts to rain and nothing gets done to the garden. But the BIG WEED began yesterday, and I shall tackle it gradually.

Other than that, have not been online much lately. Work continues to totally dominate about two thirds of my life and whilst I do enjoy the challenge, it leaves me somewhat 'flat' by the end of the week. I did just get a pay rise. Which made me feel appreciated, and as though my efforts were not in vain. With that comes more responsibility, however. You don't get anything for nothing.

And I now have a bad back for the first time in my life. It is a nusiance. I think it is from hunching over laptops too much :P

On a positive note, however, the UK trip plans are on track with, for once, most of the arrangements re trains planes and sutomobiles made already. This saves having to spend copious amounts of time hunched over more laptops whilst supposedly on holiday - in fact it preferably does away the need for the thing at all, though I will still take it from fandom purposes. I Phones are exhorbitant overseas.

I look forward to AA, meeting lots of new people, and seeing some dear friends again <33

Writing wise, I did get the zombie fic finished, with ultharkitty's superb beta-help. It is a parody of the Brit-com "Keeping Up Appearances." And it gets posted this week. It was actually really fun to write something totally non-TF and also very English - and now I do want to write in other fandoms.

Talking of which, I sort of made a start to the RobotBigBang offering. This will be a Star Wars and TF crossover and probably the most ambitious thing I've attempted. It may prove too much - we shall see.

Other than that, I have some Constructicon fic half written and must finish this, along with the next longfic chapters. I feel like I ought to read some more before I write though as I am SOOO behind (sorry folks) and also behind with RP (more sorries). I continue to love RPing on War Dawn however and will be able to do some more of that this weekend, yay!!

I finally saw 'Prometheus' last night. [spoilers here] I actually quite liked it. But I could see why some were disappointed. I didn't like the characters much, and wasn't sorry when most of them met with their fates. I always think that is a pity. I liked the android, however. I'm glad he made it. And soooo clever being able to pilot the alien ship. And the newborn alien at the end was CUTE CUTE CUTE!!

Well, the garden might have been hard work this year but it has paid off. I am SERIOUSLY proud of the head of broccoli under the cut. And it tasted better than anything I've bought in a shop :-)

On another topic, I rode my friend's horse today. Which made me very happy, as horses are beautiful creatures, and very good at restoring sanity. I will be stiff tomorrow, however. It had been a while :-)

( Anyway, the garden .... )

So here's what's happened with my AA booking.

I send off the payment, and get a response back: 'Thanks for the money. No problem - but we just need your full name and DOB to finalize the booking. Apparently I didn't give them this. Wherever it was asked for.

Me: 'No worries. Here are the details you require.'

Them - SILENCE

Me, about a week later - "Uh - hello? Is this in order now? As I need to book a hotel - and I want to book the hotel the convention is at, and I know you can't do that without a valid booking. So can you let me know ASAP. Please ...."

Them - MORE SILENCE

Me - having whined to friends on the weekend - another email: "Um - could you PLEASE let me know whether you have finalized this, as I am traveling 12,000 miles to come to this event and I really would like to book this hotel! Smiley face.

SILENCE SILENCE SILENCE.

So here's my Q's: 1) Did anyone else have similar difficulties, and 2) If so what did you do about it and 3) Does anyone know the email address of an actual  PERSON  (rather than a general address) that I could ask to sort this out?

Eternally grateful to anyone who can help me here! You get tons of cookies etc when I get there, if I can 1) get in and 2) don't have to sleep on the streets :-)

So here's what's happened with my AA booking.

I send off the payment, and get a response back: 'Thanks for the money. No problem - but we just need your full name and DOB to finalize the booking. Apparently I didn't give them this. Wherever it was asked for.

Me: 'No worries. Here are the details you require.'

Them - SILENCE

Me, about a week later - "Uh - hello? Is this in order now? As I need to book a hotel - and I want to book the hotel the convention is at, and I know you can't do that without a valid booking. So can you let me know ASAP. Please ...."

Them - MORE SILENCE

Me - having whined to friends on the weekend - another email: "Um - could you PLEASE let me know whether you have finalized this, as I am traveling 12,000 miles to come to this event and I really would like to book this hotel! Smiley face.

SILENCE SILENCE SILENCE.

So here's my Q's: 1) Did anyone else have similar difficulties, and 2) If so what did you do about it and 3) Does anyone know the email address of an actual  PERSON  (rather than a general address) that I could ask to sort this out?

Eternally grateful to anyone who can help me here! You get tons of cookies etc when I get there, if I can 1) get in and 2) don't have to sleep on the streets :-)