I know not of this cold basking in 22C and full sun out in Bestern Australia. 29C tomorrow, then a Melbourne-esque pivot to 19C and rain on Friday before I head home.

I’m not really that keen on going back to work at one of my jobs after this…

Sometimes, if I’m feeling low or lonely I’ll have some jazz on, especially if I’m cooking or it’s cold or I need to motivate myself to clean. About 40% of the time I’ll have some atmospheric/ambient music on when I’m trying to fall asleep. I’d be less likely to if someone was around I guess

I love everything about this picture. Teddy looks so beautiful and mysterious

Started off my holiday with an evisceratingly bad case of the runs on Sat am and I’m just coming a bit better. Not cool, body - not at my aunties where there’s a billion and one delicious goodies 😭 and I want to go on walks and everything and have energy… have been sleeping for long long hours. I need to just let myself thoroughly rest. Taken a while for my mind to uncoil itself

My aunt has really slowed down a lot in the last 18 months though, physically and even mentally a bit. It’s a looming reminder that she won’t be around forever. I’ll feel rather lost when that happens.

Ugh, I hate that feeling when your ears don’t pop after a flight… but I’m glad I got some shut eye even though the person next to me had no concept of personal space. I generally avoid night flights for this reason even though flying during the day “wastes time”. Good night 😴

This is some very good mood, I approve. Desktop background worthy

A glass of wine would’ve been a great idea! Didn’t think of that.

If the weather had been better I would’ve definitely taken Skybus but I figured I would rather buy myself some peace of mind after a very overwhelming week.

Seems busy enough but not disgustingly so. I think a lot of the families with younger kids would’ve gone by now. Weather has caused some delays here and there. I’m ready to fall straight asleep once I board - hopefully soon… It’ll be 1:30am Melbourne time when we land so I’m taking all the sleep I can get

Yep, got here about 50 minutes before boarding, plenty of time for a burrito and unwinding before I board. I’m glad I wasn’t dying of anxiety trying to will the Skybus to go faster. I actually missed my flight back to Qld because of Skybus delays way back in 2011 or so and have never trusted it since…

Ugh, I really wanted to take PT and the Skybus to the airport and save $30 on an uber but… in this weather, I don’t trust PT to get me to the city on time, and fuck schlepping it in the wet. I got paid today, I’m taking the uber. AND treating myself to a schnacko at the airport if I get peckish. I can take the Skybus on the way back.

Off we go! No panic and anxiety. There are some things I appreciate having a job that pays money for

Same re: traffic, I’m guessing private schools ended a day early (there is an unholy congregation of them in this area).

I’ve sold myself to work, can I also avoid insurance for myself?

I’ve already had about half a cup of rice but I’m about to chow down on some chips… definitely craving the carbs tonight as well.

Okay I’ve definitely had way too much caffiene and too much work time because my eyes feel very googly and I got that wired/tired thing going on. Someone make me dinner and take out the rubbish and put away the clothes and pack my bags for me please…

…wait, that someone has to be me? Bummer. 😮‍💨 Gotta remind myself of my trip, true rest and recuperation is around the corner…

e: somehow made it to the finish line, plus the dishes and a shower. I can’t wait to just do nothing

There is some real fascinating shit buried under layers of creaky old historic bureaucracy. I totally dig it.

The top hat survives in Australia as a piece of paper over one’s head in Parliament… though I’m not sure if anyone still does it. :D

I try to freeze as much as I can, but my bout of flu in July wrecked my stores and I’ve not been able to catch up since. I’m hoping to do some mega cooking over Cup Day weekend, maybe - if I don’t end up spending most of it asleep…

Whew… Finished up at 7pm, well past when I’d hoped to finish at 5pm, and there’s a couple of small outstanding but non urgent items. But I got through the worst of it - all the yucky stuff that made me renew my deep dislike for humanity and was very much due. Dobby is free!!!

…From one job, at least - next two days are gonna be real candle burners as well with the huge backlog from work trip last week and my not being available the next two weeks. I love that place though, so I’m kind of looking forward to getting stuck into it to help the team out.

48 hours to go before I’m on the way to the airport, yippee. For now, is dumplings time (swapped from lunch), and this week’s episodes of OMITB and Slow Horses :)

I recently learned about fasces too! Its a bundle of sticks and the iconography goes back centuries (to the Roman Empire at least). And some allegedly non fascist countries continue to use the fasces in official iconography - the wiki article has heaps of examples from the US.

I went down this rabbit hole after watching some videos on the silly antics in the UK parliament including someone trying to walk off with the mace and learning the mace evolved from the fasces and why it’s a symbol of power.

Unrelated but did you know until 1998 if you wanted to make a point of order in the House of Commons, you had to wear a top hat? (this was so you could be easily distinguished by the Speaker amongst any chaos. In fact, just before that clip the Speaker actually said “get the hat, I’ll hear him. Otherwise I can’t”, in an already thoroughly farcical debate on banning the use of French in Parliament as a response to the French trying to ban the use of English derived words in their Parliament… how did I get there, I think it was about learning that vestiges of Norman French still remain in the formal parliamentary process. From the 1400s!!! Okay, I’ve digressed significantly…)

I’ve definitely been cooking a lot less from scratch over the past 6 weeks or so because of the labour involved. I am most definitely grateful for frozen veggies, sauces/pastes and the like! There is something very very satisfying about it when you do get around to it though.

Hahaha, I only have myself to blame for this backlog (procrastinating on the unpleasant stuff - bandaid being truly ripped off today). It’s much more frustrating when the delay is caused by others!

And that does sound like a very sumptuous meal to look forward to (succulent, even) - I definitely hear you on the food coma though! Leave the easier stuff to after you get that in your gullet :D

I am infinitely grateful to be wfh on a gorgeous day like this, ngl. Blasting the music and regularly getting up from my chair when I’m bored/frustrated has been helpful. How are you going with the work? I’m making progress, bit spotty but I’m 30% of the way through the shitty reports. If I can get all the worst done by 2pm leaving just banal easy work for the rest of the day, I’ll be winning.

Also what leftovers are these?! I love a good lunch that you can look forward to.