Insert Title Here

I am trying out the new google based blogger for a bit - new blog, because this one wouldn't migrate for some reason, is Brisbane Male Thirty, pretty much what you get is written in the title.

The interface does seem to be easier, though that doesn't excuse the 'you can migrate your old one over now' messages that I continually got over on this one. Not sure whether I will migrate the info from this blog over to the new one, or just keep them separate at this stage.

Normal transmission will resume shortly, your call is important to us.

Pauly

I'm at a funny time of things in my internet life. I'm a bit, as they constantly say at work, over it as it were. I don't have that exciting a life to blog about, I am at one of those stages where it is a struggle to get motivated to write something on here.

I'm trying to leave behind the general leftish ranting in reaction to news pieces from the States, Iraq or Canberra - or elsewhere for that matter. I know I am not going to be hired for a prominent international newspaper or website for my opinion pieces, so when I do go off at Bush or Howard for whatever they are doing this week, it just feels like another whinge about things I cannot affect. Pissing into the wind may be an appropriate phrase - no one is going to care what this little visited corner of the interwebs is going on about.

And will Google please stop trying to get me to 'upgrade' my blog? I tried it once already and it didn't take this along with it, and the messages say we are now ready for you to switch over, like are you fuck. Scuse my French. I keep trying, they keep rejecting this blog going across with me - maybe it's because I took my links off the template perhaps? Maybe I will just give in and do a link from this place to any new thing I do set up. Wasn't it better when Google were the little new kids on the block?

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps - wasn't that a song?

And although I do love love love Flickr, photographs being a passion of mine, when trying to put some of my pics into relevant groups today, I just got sick of the amount of choices there were, and the fiddliness of getting pics into groups. Choice is overwhelming online, especially since earlier in the week I also signed up to that del_icio.us 'social networking' thing - if only the computer could read my mind and categorise the photos and websites from there, it would be most helpful. And don't even get me started on YouTube.

Broadband would help of course. Either I would do the stuff I wanted to quicker, and be able to listen to the hockey radio coverage clearly, rather than break break break, or I would do more stuff LOL. That's always the threat with broadband, but it would be so cheap for the lessening of all that frustration.

Or maybe it is simply too hot lately to put up with things. Isn't supposed to get below thirty in Briz Vegas all week, and, although we have had a mild summer thus far, and it has been much hotter in other parts of the country, well, above thirty is too hot for me. Wellington never got above 27 most summers. Yeah, get out the violins, I'm rambling.

I could talk about my work week and the huge amounts of negativity and cynicism rolling around the place, and the fact that the most negative and cynical of the people there are the ones that wander around the place, spending half an hour out of their desks at times, but that would just get me even more wound up LOL.

Was going to see Borat tonight, the movie has been out for so long that there are no afternoon sessions anymore, but decided to wait until tomorrow instead. Maybe will head into town, perhaps the Gallery of Modern Art or something, just to do the getting out of the house thing. Downloaded the Australia Day South Bank programme for next weekend's Something To Do, and the weekend after that am in NZ for that flying visit to the grandparents. Weekend after that, I may go and see the Brisbane International Car Show.

Would also like to go see Walking With Dinosaurs, but am betting that will go by the by as well. Trying to get my parents, read for that father, enthused in much is very difficult. Or maybe I should just ask for activity buddies across the internet? Nah, that never works, especially when emphasising activities only, blah blah.

Going through my email, the latest Borders e-newsletter has Nicole Ritchie writing a book. The apocalypse is almost upon us, obviously - with not one, but the choice of two covers 'for a limited time' - Oh Mi God, craptacular. Also advertising An Inconvenient Truth out next week - maybe I will get it to persuade the climate change unbelievers in the house to convert LOL.

Yes, my blog has gotten boring enough to review emails - I am going with the excuse that I was in shock that Nicole Ritchie could write or some thought similar. Her book is about a nothing type girl adopted by a rock superstar and the wild parties that ensue. Hmm, not going to comment on that at all.

Will see how blog inspired I am tomorrow
Paul

Title today is because I went to the third therapist in my life on Monday. Version 1.0 was the child and family psychiatrist who I'm sure I tormented a bit during the suicide watch year, 1993 - being the typical teenage pain in the backside, adults don't understand me schtick. Second attempt was for about four or five appointments after coming back from Train Wreck Canada, but I wasn't working then, and didn't want to spend too much of my parents' money.

Therapy 3.0 has started because of the fainting spell or seizure or whatever you want to call it last month, and because the doc suggested it may have been anxiety. Am willing to get some help regards the anxiety stress and all the rest, and had a good session the other day. I just totally opened up about everything, which, even with my best friends and family, I am somewhat loth to do nowadays - if loth is the right word, and the right spelling.

From the whole falling over at work embarrassment, to my avoidance of commitment in any current relationship, to suicide watch 1993, to the whole Canada thing, which, to be honest, I try to blank out, to being teased as a short, bespectacled foreigner at high school, to the fact that I have never 'dated' anyone locally. And only the briefest touch against the whole adoption thing, and no mention at all of what my mother suggested as an issue, That Internet Thing.

The psych seemed nice enough, probably my age or perhaps a bit older or younger, and prodded me occasionally with questions to make me think of issues from a different viewpoint - not too often because I was off and away with venting central. He said I wasn't as mixed up as I liked to think I am, and also that I have put a lot of thought into what I think my issues are - failure, rejection - always thinking, never doing, as I have been accused - and for the past twenty years in some regards - and that short term we could work on coping mechanisms for anxiety, longer term we could work on that self esteem of mine.

He will need another session to fully flesh out an assessment, and give some recommendations, but that is okay with me - next one is February 12, but they will give me a call if someone else cancels. Which would be nice.

Went to the movies in the first time like forever after the therapy thing on Monday - went and saw Babel, which a day later (remember, Golden Globes are on Yankee time) won best dramatic picture. Good film, I enjoyed it, Brad Pitt looked old - going into the elder statesmen roles, a la Pacino and de Niro perhaps - although the whole Japanese connection was a tad weaker than the other three stories in it.

And have booked travel back home to see the grandparents - grandfather has been going downhill fast the last few months, if anyone can recall I have mentioned it before. Just a short, sharp visit 2 to 5 Feb, not too long to bore or overwhelm or anything - in on the Friday night, out on the Monday morning, although with the international connections will be almost a full four day thing.

More later
Paul

So, the holiday logs are over, and back to real life real time fast breaking blogging - yeah right. But at least with references to yesterday and tomorrow and stuff, you know that I actually mean those days. Back in Brisbane, and the big thing of this week has been my sister moving down to Melbourne.

For her final weekend - last weekend I am meaning - she had made the choice to go to Currumbin Sanctuary. The rest of my family still have not been to Australia Zoo, in all the time we have been in Oz, but eh, it was the sister's choice. We hadn't been there as a family since about 1987 or 88 - I had gone on a school camp there in 89, but still, it is pretty much a generation since we have been. Wow, it is scary to say that it has been a generational change like that...

Anyways, saw some birds, snakes, kangaroos, koalas and other animals - kept us entertained for most of the day, and only $30. Overcharged for the burgers for lunch, but that always happens - the only disappointment was not seeing a Tassie devil, I guess they were sleeping or something. No camel rides either, like the last time we were there, but yes, it was just a nice family day out - and with my sister in the driving seat of where to go and what to see, it was a bit of a change from me always seeming to organise everything on tourist days out.

Then yesterday it was fly out of Queensland day, and, even though it was a mid morning flight, and therefore an early morning wake up call, on a weekend and everything, I decided to head down to see her off. I thought about it, and whenever I have visited or come to Brisbane, she has usually come out to see me in as well - hardly ever talked to me, it is fair to say, but she was usually present.

I realised as we were parking that my parents have never been on a domestic flight in Oz, and therefore have not needed to go to the domestic terminal - even when we went to Sydney in 1990, we took the train instead of flying. And I had to remind them that they could go through security to see my sis off at the actual gate, they were initially thinking they would say goodbye before the security checks. And my sister asked if there were going to be any hugs and that there better not be, she got one from Mum but no one else - geez our parents are so lucky to have three such non huggable children LOL.

As Dad said later as we hit the shopping centre, one down and one to go. Well, whatever happens this year I will not be living with the parents at the end of it, unless things go stupendously pear shaped with my life. And then this place would feel almost empty I am sure.

Other news from the past couple of weeks - the weather has been fucking weird the last few weeks. Not only was there that huge iceberg in the Canadian Arctic that broke off in the middle of their freaking winter, but the (European) Alps didn't get any snow until after Christmas, and even then there isn't too much of the stuff.

The eastern seaboard of the USA over Xmas and New Year was positively balmy - the cherry blossoms are out in DC about three or four months early, and parts of Victoria, in this part of the world, had a white Christmas - this partially in the same areas which have had the worst bushfires down there. Nuts.

But still the skeptics, including my parents, still aren't convinced on a possible massive climate change - oh, but it's global warming, why are some places getting colder? Is it man made or is it just a natural pattern? I tried to explain the severity of it all to V the other day, if we get less snow there will be less water - or put another way, can Australia imagine the consequences if this drought sticks around another five to ten years? And then I had to stop because I was starting to feel dizzy, stress related or something perhaps.

Wally Lewis, former rugby league player who works for Nine News and had a seizure on air a couple of days after I had my last one in fact, is back at work. Well, he is working as a sports reporter rather than a live presenter for the time being, reduced duties I guess, but I heard on the radio some comments that he and his wife gave the night that he 'returned'. The wife was saying that he wasn't the man she married anymore, and he was saying himself that looking back into the past there are times where he has forgotten entire days. Makes it sound like epilepsy is a hell of a lot worse than I have experienced it - maybe it is the seizures that are making me grumpy lately LOL.

Although I do still prefer to say I have seizures rather than the E for epilepsy word.

Now that I have my MP3 player which is also an FM radio, I can actually listen to the news on the way home on the bus or train. Which is nice - apart from when you hear about murder suicides. A father killed his two kids and himself while the mother was out shopping in Perth - they had emigrated from Afghanistan back in the 90s - and a real estate receptionist got shot at work in Logan, just south of Brisbane, after arguing with a tenant who was looking likely to be evicted. The tenant she had been arguing with then topped himself.

Why those stories should come to the top of my mind in amongst all the mayhem of crime in Australia, I don't know, but I think Andy Warhol would need to amend his saying about fifteen minutes - nowadays it seems to be that everyone is known for only fifteen seconds before being forgotten. Though don't even think of getting me started on the inanity that is Paris Hilton.

Pauly

As the trip comes to an end, am on the Tas to Melb leg of the trip - have a window seat but have two giraffes of teenage boys trying to look through me to the window, is all Bass Strait blue at the moment though.

On 2 January, which would have been Tuesday, which was supposed to be my climbing Mt Thomas day but V's workmate who was due to take me up had family stuff that came up that was OK, just will do it next time I guess.

Instead went driving up to Devil's Gullet - Tasmania always seems to have the hellish names of any Australian state, doesn't it. We were told it was a bit of unsealed road to get up the top, which turned out to be 14 kays - the last 4 kays of which was also to be on the look out for falling rocks. Since it was my idea to go I was very quiet on the way up, averaging 25 to 30 kays an hour, just turning the Abba tape up louder while V gritted her teeth, drove the claws into the steering wheel tighter, and was looking for any excuse, any, to turn around. I didn't want to give her a reason with one of my trademarked smart comments. Was very quiet on the way up.

Then a 500 metre bush walk up the top seemed to be 500 metres vertically, and it seemed to take forever. Glorious views though, but going up in winter could be a mistaken idea - could see across to Cradle Mtn, about 65 kays away - was the slightest bit hazy though.

It wasn't until the way down that I mentioned the caution falling rocks sign, but yes, V had seen them on the way up. Averaged about 40 to 45 kays on the way down, which was good - the recommended speed was between 60 and 100 though, and I don't think even the 4WDs would have attempted that - would be a good rally track but. Oh, and the car was covered in dust.

Back to Devonport and I was wanting a pub lunch, but didn't get in until 3pm, so Maccas it was again. Bought a Tassie statewide UBD book and then dropped off the cheap cargo pants I had been thinking of wearing when bush walking, back to KMart and then headed back to home base.

Had a home cooked meal of steak, potato, pumpkin and carrots - V said there should be some green and not two orange vegetables but whatever, and then watched Walk The Line on DVD - V liked it, although it is a yee ha country story. Although I had caught a cold that morning, and the combination of watching a movie until midnight, some medication and a nice hot bath, I couldn't get to sleep until 1.30.

And we had to be up at 7 to drop a couple of V's friends at the airport. 10 o'clock flight, but they wanted to be there before 9, so we left Mt Thomas just a tad after 8 - for a holiday a 7 ayem start is too early.

But from the airport we went to Evandale, an historic town, which wasn't as pretty as I had hoped and we got stung big time for morning tea - 2 sausage rolls, 2 party pies, 2 drinks for $16. The bakery if anyone wants to know, and they weren't big sausage rolls either, or very nice tasting - V said they were the worst she had tasted in ages. So the rest of the time in town we didn't even ask or look at prices and didn't buy anything for fear of being stung cost wise again. And apparently at the bakery there is a difference in cost between eat in and takeaway, so for some manky salad, a smattering of sauce, cutlery and a napkin we paid an extra dollar each or something - not quite sure because it was V who had the price menu.

Went out to Clarendon House in the countryside, an example of an early 19th Century estate home - no pictures allowed inside, but should have, there was only one disinterested volunteer glooming around - she did look like she would give a good telling off, but there was only one of her across three floors and about twenty rooms - you'd have to be unlucky to a) get caught and b) have the woman interested enough to confiscate the camera - all this in hindsight of course - no photography allowed signs scare me sufficiently for about half an hour or so.

Then out to Longford, another historical town - had a good pork roast pub lunch at the Queens Arms Hotel, and won $40 on the pub gaming machines, after putting in $5, it was up to $49.80 but didn't quite break the $50 barrier. Wandered around Launnie for an hour or so, headed back home, started watching Sweet Home Alabama, but between the cold and last night of the holiday emotion it didn't get finished.

Had a lovely ploughman's lunch at the local deli - four types of cheese, chutney, pickled onion and wonderful butter and bread - and picked up some Tassie sausages, before going home, watching some cricket (don't ask) and then heading out the airport...

New Year's Eve, it was going to be a quiet one, we got up and out for lunch at about 12.30 - half distracted by Cleopatra on the TV, went to the local bakery, picked up a pie and sausage roll and then down by the river to eat it. Chased by the obligatory ducks for a bit, and a bit of chasing ducks back.

Then kind of found ourselves at a loose end wondering where to go that we hadn't been before - there isn't much locally that hasn't been done the last four trips and this one. After a bit of umming and ahhing, it was off to Lake Barrington, where they have a rowing course. Went to the racing course and the boating ramp entrance which were a few kays apart so two rides down into the deep valley where the lake is.

Dark dark water, and you could feel the drop in temperature even - was an overcast, cloudy day, which made the atmosphere of the place even better, in a teen slasher flick type way LOL. Was very nice and peaceful and quiet.

Then headed up to Tazmazia, the largest maze in the world apparently - takes a minimum of one hour to get around the place and I was sure we had two hours still left - silly me though, it was only one hour. Didn't get around the whole thing, and got out with three minutes to spare - the woman said she would have shut up shop with us still inside - only because it was New Year's Eve and she obviously had a hot date or something. Every time it was mentioned thereafter, V had to add bitch to any comment she made.

Had tea at the local pub which was barely inhabited - we were the only two in the Dining Room, and there weren't many more in the casual dining area. Fireworks in Launceston, Devonport AND Burnie this year, so maybe the local pubs, of which there are four for a town of less than 2500, lost a bit of custom.

I think V wanted to go out and see some fireworks and last until midnight at least, but I'm not a big New Yearer and went to bed about 10.30 - turned the TV off while V was out in the kitchen and that led to a bit of an argument, but the less said the better.

New Year's Day, yesterday, itself was very quiet. Had bacon and eggs for brunch, stuck around home most of the day, watched bits and pieces of Lawrence of Arabia, headed out to lay flowers on V's parents grave, and headed into her work for watering the plants there - was online for about three quarters of an hour reading NY Times, Washington Post and the Guardian about that Saddam thing. Yes, give me the internet and it's Iraq Iraq Iraq LOL.

Had tea at V's sister's place - more cold meat, more Xmas pudding - the kids all hugged me goodbye because they might not see Uncle Paul again before I fly out Thursday.

Oh, and the PM wants to install 25 nuclear power plants in the country in the next few years, and Channel Nine, or WIN as they call it down here, did a show called Goodbye Warney last night - what on earth would Nine have left if the cricket went?

Was going to be another day of laziness yesterday, but by about 11am we were thinking about heading out - and Devonport was the lucky choice of destination. We headed up, and first port of call was Harvey Normal, to see about getting photos developed - went to the local photo shop earlier in the trip, I am sure their network was on dial up, it was that slow to upload the pics, and then the next day they rang to say they had a network fault and had lost my photo info - lucky I don't delete things until I have them in my hot little hands.

Anyways, Harvey Normal had photos for 29c a go, and the photo assistant said even with 400 pics, it should only still be an hour for developing - and said she would talk to the boss to get a discount, 3c a shot discount, that paid for the CD thing, and got to talking with the assistant quite a bit, she had 1200 pics from her last month long holiday, the place was recovering from the Xmas and Santa photo rush, as was Santa's knee - good to have someone both helpful AND enthusiastic in a chain store - Traci was very helpful, and thinking of writing one of those thank you emails to the company - LOL, that I never get around to either, but will try in this case.

V said she could see me in a photo processing type job.

Then onto K Mart, where I got some nice jeans and cheap cargo pants - because V thinks I will ruin the good jeans I brought down if I go bush walking later in the trip as planned. Then downtown for lunch - I was thinking pub lunch but then I thought cost, and V was feeling like Maccas anyway, so Big Mac and cheeseburger later, did a bit of window shopping.

Then across the river to East Devonport to the best bakery in Tasmania, All Things Nice - we won't talk about the waterfront park I decided to take pics at, apparently it was the wrong one.

On the way home - to home base rather - heard that Saddam Hussein had been executed. My first thought was as if that will solve anything - celebrations in Dearborn Michigan, Shepparton and Auburn in Sydney - the Aussie ones looked a bit put on for the camera, John Howard and Dubya sounding tough and as if another death will lead to victory and makes Iraq a stronger democracy blah blah fair trial like whatever blah blah.

And then second thought is that I hear this type of major news in strange places - the invasion in Saskatoon, the execution in Devonport. Will I hear of the victory or withdrawal of troops in Masterton or Toowoomba or Norwich? And looking at the news this morning, doesn't look like much has changed, 77 dead in Kufa and Baghdad overnight, mainly by car bombings. The civil war has not got much to do with Saddam or Saddam's legacy anymore.

With Pinochet dying the other week, it's not so much having trials against former dictators I'm against as the friggin death penalty. Oh, by the way, when is David Hicks having his trial? And Bush says he needs more time to figure out his Iraq strategy, fuck, isn't almost four years and almost 3000 American soldiers dead enough time, blood and don't mention the treasure, aka cost of it all.

Got home, had a home cooked meal of Atlantic salmon, and finished off watching Top Gun. OMG, up to date with my journal. Lucky I have plenty of reading material with me...

Headed up to Shearwater to drop off the last of V's Christmas gifts, via one of the rustic rural roads around these parts. Very scenic.

Spent the time up at Shearwater basically watching the cricket - let's not talk about that - and saw where we could do the driving around the Tamar Valley, which was one of only two must dos I had on my agenda this trip - two things to do over eleven days, I thought I was holding myself back this time around LOL.

Then back to V's sisters for tea, aka more Xmas leftovers - the niece who headbutted me was saying chonk whenever I spoke to her, so lesson probably not learnt LOL. For the first time all trip OMG I didn't have my camera with me, but would have just been more photos of family members. With the meal, unlike at Xmas, all the salads and bread were on the table so for the first time in a long time I had a real 'big family aka Waltons' moment of passing everything up and down the table - didn't help the narrowness of the room, where I was sitting cut the table in two, people would not be able to get around me to the other side of the table.

Got home, watched Criminal Intent and went to bed.

Next day was a lazy start and then a drive up to Exeter through more rural back roads - less scenic than to Shearwater but still OK. Had a sausage roll at the Exeter bakery and a quick look through the information bureau before heading up to Beaconsfield. Yes, THAT Beaconsfield. The on the nation's media 24/7 for however many weeks Beaconsfield was top of the pops.

The gold mine museum was better than I expected, well worth the price of admission ($9), and also had a look over the actual mine shaft itself - supposedly it will be reopened shortly, which will be nice. The museum has been very busy since that whole episode though - was a good T shirt that I was considering buying, listing great cities of the world, London, Paris, Rome, New York, and Beaconsfield.

Then went up to Beauty Point, where there is a Platypus World and Seahorse Farm. There were platypus being fed and swiming around and that you could take photos of, as well as some echidnas wadding around, aww they are cute LOL. The seahorse thing wasn't quite as good because it was just a farm basically - although the seahorses were cute, it lacked a bit of oomph due to not being allowed to take photos.

Then had fish and chips at Beauty Point - the fish and chips store was a general food store and DVD rental place as well. With the backyard, or front yard, cricket happening in the residence next door, and the Bubble O Bill ice cream for dessert, it was like I had been transported back to Waihi or Mahia in the mid 80s. Seemed to be a few vintage cars from the 50s to 70s as well - very restful to spend time there. With the head of the Tamar River next door it did seem to have a beach resort feel to it, nice sunny day, a bit windy but.

Then drove back past Beaconsfield to go across to the east side of the Tamar over Batman Bridge - named after the person who left Launceston to found Melbourne in 1835, not any Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson connotations. Drove back home and had a quiet night in, just finished watching The Break Up.

Yesterday it was visit former workmate day - now a NSWelshwoman, who was donw for New Year - met the mother and sister while shopping Boxing Day and I already apparently got their approval before V's friend got into the state. Thumbs up as the text to V came back. And also the friend had a baby back in July so it was fuss over baby time for umm hours - I got about ten minutes kid on my knee time, but did the usual staying quiet and absorbing the conversation thing that I usually do when around new people and it seemed to impress well enough - I got a hug on departure. And the kid threw up on her aunt just as we left.

Headed to Grindelwald for lunch, a fake Swiss village about 12 kays from Launnie, basically doing the touristy thing around a mini putt and real golf course. Had potato strudel and German cheesecake for lunch, and wandered around a bit. Did the back road way back, and had pizza for dins - tried watching Top Gun but fell asleep even before Goose died...

Headed to the Fifties Diner for lunch - every other trip to Tas for some reason when we have through of going it has been closed. Glad we decided to visit this time because it is a good set up - lots of old gass station stuff, the usual American bumper plates, the diner booths and the milkshakes and burgers - decided to be a glutton and go the Super burger - beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, egg, beetroot and sauce I think it was - had to cut it in two to get a handle on getting it in two hands without major spillage - even then it was sometimes a battle to keep it under control.

Only twice the price of a Big Mac or Whopper and probably about five times the actual food - hmm, that was supposed to sound better than it came out, like five times the calories LOL.

Found V again after five mins, but it was a long and quite stressful five mins - followed her around through Katies and Rockmans and Harris Scarfe, before being the packhorse back to the carpark, KFC for lunch and then off to more women's stores before I had a turn in Colorado and Roger David - bought two T-shirts in Colorado, $20 each, and there was a nice suede jacket in Roger David, $80 down from $200. fawn colour, but I got the frown from the company I was keeping, and well, let's just say that by the time I actually wear the thing my taste will have changed.

I'm sure I change tastes once every three months or so.

Then back through Best & Less and Target, where I got dropped off at the TV section to watch the Boxing Day test - and the less we speak of that disaster the better - and then waited about half an hour for the other shoppers to come out of Target.

Then drove off to K-Mart, where I should have gone and seen the monkeys. V said that I was moping around behind her at K-Mart all through, I was just tired of shopping by that stage and she wasn't being clear about what she wanted and needed until after she and I got out of the shop and then didn't talk to each other for about ten minutes, both eating our own supply of lollies. Sorted it out as per usual, but I stayed in the car at Spotlight.

Got home, had a lazy night in, watched half of The Break Up before someone kept falling asleep. Yesterday, 27 Dec, was supposed to be a lazy day and had a good sleep in, but after about half an hour luxuriating around, someone was asking me to plan the day.

It was supposed to be a solely Mt Thomas day, down by the riverside and have some lunch and do some cemetery photography. We went out to the cemetery first and got a burst of local history and some good photos down there - then heard back from one of V's friends we had the last Xmas pressie delivery for, so teed that up for the afternoon and headed to lunch.

Many Xmas cheer was had, and then after those mad ten minutes, it was like the aftermath to a battlefield, eerie silence and all the casualties of war, in this case, shreds of wrapping paper, scattered across the floor.

V and I left for a bit, to firstly collect flowers for the cemetery, to drop the nephew back home, to head out to the cemetery to place the flowers on various graves - primarily V's Mum and Dad - and then head back to home base for about 45 minutes of blobbing. Oh, and getting potato salad, and whipping the cream for dessert.

Then onto round 2, aka Xmas dinner at the same place with different cast - oh, I got Xmas presents from the family, choccies, Milk Tray from one of V's sisters and brother in law, and a $20 book voucher, that will work on the mainland from 4 of the kids that call V an aunt, whatever you call a collection of both nieces and nephews.

More food, this time cold meat, salads and similar desserts to what we had at lunch. One of V's nieces gave me a headbutt, doing some silly thing of you give me more money than I give you, which escalated to plain extortion in exchange for a Glasgow kiss. It didn't really hurt, it more surprised me than anything, and I don't think she actually meant to connect - remember, this is an eight year old girl who likes me heaps - most of V's family seem to think much good about me.

When I got the headbutt, V was in hysterics for about five minutes straight. She couldn't shut up, and this after she had said I didn't seem to be in any hurry to protect her from flying babies or anything. Hmmph.

And also on the evening meal section of Xmas, the eldest girl of that family, eleven years old, seemed to follow me around a bit. I could understand where she was coming from in her socialising, being the eldest myself, trying to slot herself into the adult conversations, trying not to get too involved with the kids play - with her, I was trying to treat her as an adult, and not avoiding as I was mainly doing with the other kids.

Was talking to V about it later, how the kids seem to adore me, and the adults give me how best to describe it, due consideration - they seem to think I am a good guy or something. V said I totally undersell myself, and that it is totally understandable how I am treated down here - hmm, whatever, my fave saying of the trip so far LOL.

After dinner we waddled into the car and went around town to take photos of the Xmas lights out - there have been some good ones around town. Though there doesn't seem to be any official council sponsorship for it or anything - if you listen to the locals I have been around, the council does sweet FA altogether.

Then slept, setting the larm bright and early for the Launceston expedition for Boxing Day Sales 2006.

So was up at quarter to 8, earlier than the alarms had been set (8am), and then out and about to pick up the others at ten to nine. Had been offered by the girls at Pick Up Point One to play PS2 all day with them, and had seriously been considering it, and only made up my mind at the last minute to go into Launnie, I could play Playstation later i n the holiday.

Of course, a smaller car with five people in it, was squashed during the travel, though V and I were fine in the front LOL.

Got into town at 10, and rushed up to Myer to see one of V's workmate friends, to get the opinion on a half price nativity scene, and to figure out whether the blonde girl who had thake Mary and Baby Jesus off the thing would get away with it. Waited ten mins while the blonde was in the queue to pay before she was told she had to take the whole set, not just the best bits - and then it turned out that they would shop around for nativity scenes anyways.

Quickly looked through Myer menswear section, without buying anything, and then got lost in the cards and wrapping section - V had asked whether I was stressed at all on Xmas Day, but geteting lost for five mins in Myer on Boxing Day was the first stress moment there - I had a thing with crowds yesterday.

Screaming kid the aisle next to me, and next to me were a couple that stuck their head out the window as much as they could, and even though I'm not a Taswegian, the way they were saying there's no lights, lots of trees - they just came across as mainlander red necks on their first plane trip ever, let alone Tasmania.

Got in about five minutes earlier than scheduled, but the luggage took an extra fifteen than usual to come out. Felt like KFC for dinner, but got talked out of it because town (Launceston) would be so busy, on the turnoff to Mt Thomas the road to Launnie was clear as anything - I had been talked into going to the 24 hr pie place - the pepper steak was very nice, and went within three minutes of getting back into the car. Also bought a burger, but left that until we got home.

Drove around town, looking at the Xmas lights, while my camera was in the boot, before getting to home base. Stashed the pressies under the tree - apparently has never been up in that house before, too crowded in the past when the parents were around, and then not much holiday spirit since or something - living by oneself I mean, not because of any particular meaness or anything.

Looked up at the clock and it was 11.45 already - damned different time zones in the same country. Went to bed to await Xmas Day.

Woke up at 6 and went back to sleep, then woke up at 8 proper. Opened pressies, V felt very spoiled, and I did quite well - an MP3 player with FM radio, T shirt, shorts, deoderant and aftershave. Was a good Xmas morning under the Xmas tree, and had ham on toast, rang Mum and Dad to say Merry Xmas and started on potato salad - well we started the potato salad - and went to pick up the nephew.

Whose mother goes to work at her bottle store job on Xmas Day and doesn't wake up to open presents with the son at all. Very hmm and all. So in years past the mother has just dropped her son at V's to figure out Xmas Day with. The nephew got a digital camera for his main present, and he and I bonded while taking many a picture, while V was trying to organise us LOL.

Went around to Mt Thomas Xmas Central, at least for 2006, with 7 kids and various adults, the 7 kids including 2 toddlers, and at various times they were all screaming. Had a sit down meal, Xmas crackers and all, with five types of meat, turkey, chicken, lamb, pork and err another chicken, stuffing and veges all over the place - and then dessert - the best plum pudding in Tasmania apparently, along with custard and cream and ice cream and trifle which was YUM.

Then the chaos of the family gift giving, all the wrapping paper going flying in that mad ten minutes - the shy toddler at the start of the time, jumping into my arms after about half an hour and then shoving her baby doll in my face - 'show me, show me' she said afterwards to take photos.

Well, kept well enough immersed in my Economist on the flight down, avoiding the other people as much as possible - there was someone who had a seizure or black out and all the cabin crew congregated around him or her, put their trolleys away and even got the oxygen out - wasn't used though, and we didn't have to divert or get delayed or anything.

Also had the family in front of me asking every twenty minutes which part of the country we were over at the time, when 90% of the flight was cloud cover - the cabin crew were guesstimating as best they could. Twenty minutes later were were over the Victorian border or over King Island etc.

Off to Tassie again, on a packed Xmas Ever flight, kids all around. Ah well, at least I was able to find the festive Economist on the umm fourth attempt at the airport newsagent.

Quiet day thus far, most exciting thing being the packing and pressie wrapping. At almost the last minute remembered to do the internet banking - oh damn, I forgot to get the grandparents' number for the hoped for phone call tomorrow.

And why can't people follow instructions, if you are seated towards the back of the plane, and there's a rear entry to the plane, and the instructions say to go to the back - never mind the thing that Jetbus is doing the normal airline thing of allocating seats - why oh why do there continue to be bogan morons coming through from the front by the dozens? Really annoying - as well as the babies and toddlers - who seem to always be fascinated by my glasses or something. I can fake smiling at the kids well enough, though.