Finally! An accomplishment or two.

The first software release I was totally responsibile for at work was completed this week. I'm proud of it, but it's hard to feel excited as I'm still a little fatigued from the long hours I did last week to get it all developed, and there are other big issues I still need to take care of at work this week. We are quite understaffed at the moment due to a bit too much work and a number of people who have left but have not yet been replaced. There's another great developer leaving at the end of this week, so it's going to get worse, but at least we are coming up to the slow period over Christmas when everyone goes into code freezes. That does of course mean that the next few weeks are going to be hell as every customer wants their work done before the freeze, but it's only for a couple of weeks. I also got a bit of a compliment on my work this week so I'm feeling pretty happy about that.

Plus, I worked out a design for my Christmas cards and so far I've got 11 of them done. Only 20-30 or so to go. !

Oh, and the Christmas gift knitting is going quite well. I'm not happy with the handles on the first of the booga bags, but I did do them on the clover wonder-knitter rather than a 5-stitch i-cord as recommended in the pattern so they're a bit thicker than designed. I will need to work out an appropriate replacement for the bulky knots on the handles, but that should be easy. I might try actually doing the proper i-cord for the second bag..... what? actually following the instructions? How novel! *grin*

Another year gone

Yesterday was the third anniversary of Doug's death. I felt pretty distracted and sad in the last few weeks but yesterday was quite a good day - I lit his candle and thought about him a bit, but I'm feeling a lot happier. It's quite strange to think that three years have already gone and that so much has changed. But nothing can change how much I love him and treasure the time we had together.

Nothing to see here

From the fact that I haven't posted any knitting pictures for aaages, you might think that I haven't been knitting. Well, you'd be wrong. I've been knitting like crazy, I just can't show you any of it. Partly because I forgot to take photos of my boss's baby's cardigan and pants (she loved them by the way, but the timing was so rotten that poor little Cooper would cook in them if he wore them now, in our Brisbane 30+ degree temps. Oh well, I hope the thought counts for something). But mostly because I'm knitting Christmas presents at the moment and the recipients are occasional readers of this blog. What I can say is that the knitting is going really well, the only tricky bits are of the "what colour to use next" variety and I'm really pleased with the results so far.

Frankie says Huh?

Waiting to cross the road yesterday, I noticed that the young woman next to me was wearing a "Frankie says Relax" t-shirt. The shirt was black and of a style and quality which clearly identified it as not being an original.
Now, I can imagine a market for a new run of such shirts among die-hards like me who fondly remember dancing to Frankie Goes To Hollywood in the Rock Eisteddford in year 10, whose music taste is mostly floundering somewhere in the 80's and who still have Relax and Two Tribes on their mp3 players. But young women who would be young enough to be the daughters of Frankie fans?
I wonder whether young people will wear t-shirts with anything written on them nowadays, or whether Frankie's having a comeback?

A little bit of catch-up

Oh, and since it's been a month since I last posted, here are a few little messages of catch-up.

1. Uncle George is doing well and is back home from hospital. Grandma and Grandad are having a little bit of trouble moving him between the bed and the wheelchair but they are all managing reasonably well and are lots happier for him being at home.

2. I'm off the 6-MP, with both my Doctors concluding that while it works to fix the Crohn's symptoms, the side effect of my ending up with a drastically hobbled immune system is not worth it. I'm now experiencing the unmitigated joy that is once-weekly blood tests, and have to see the Haematologist again on the 30th.

3. Nicky is pregnant again, and valiantly keeping up the effort to prove herself again worthy of the "Queen of Spew" award given to her by workmates during her first pregnancy.

4. Went to Bryce's book launch on Monday. Had fun, was amazed to find that he remembered me, and read about half the book as soon as I got home. I'm now almost finished the book and it's a good read. I might write a review if I get around to it.....(I'd say "stay posted" at this junction, but considering the fact that I've only managed one blog post a month for the last few months, it's probably more like "don't hold your breath"!)

Why, yes, I'd love to pay you more money.

I got a nice, polite letter from my mortgage provider yesterday, advising that due to "significant increases in capital market costs", they have put my interest rate up by 0.25%. Of course I realise they have costs, but what's next? "Due to a significant increase in the cost of those blue business shirts with white collars that all of our financial staff like to wear..."? "Due to a significant increase in the cost of sending you nice letters to inform you that there's been a significant increase in costs..."?

Coincidentally, today's the first Wednesday of the month - so in a little under an hour, the lovely people at the Reserve Bank will announce their decision on the cash rate for the month of October. Analysts have predicted that it will stay steady and I hope they're right. The wobbly house of cards that is my personal budget doesn't really need another rate increase at the moment. There is expected to be another rate rise before the end of the year though.

And, yes, I know that the economy is going gangbusters. How could it not be, with all the money being pumped in by my mortgage repayments!

Hey - I know someone sort-of almost famous!

Last week, when I was reading a brochure for Mary Ryan bookshops, a face in a photo caught my eye. "I know that face".....and I knew the name too. - The brochure was advertising an Author Event for a new book by Bryce Corbett, who was the older brother of one of my good friends, and was a couple of years ahead of me at school. I think he worked for the milkman and delivered our milk at one point.

Anyway, he's written a book about his life in Paris, where he now lives. It's called "A Town Like Paris" and I don't actually know if it's any good because I don't think it's available for sale yet and in any case I will wait for the author event to buy mine. The few reviews I've been able to get hold of online indicate that it's funny and well written, so I recommend you get out and get it when it's available, so that you can support my old friend's brother. If you're in or around Brisbane on the 1st of October, you might want to get along to the event at Mary Ryan's at Milton - give them a call to book.


On the crohn's front, the 6-MP I've been taking is causing more bone marrow toxicity so my immune system is again suppressed more than it should be. I'm having more blood tests (I've had so many now that the nice lady who collects my blood samples knows me by name when I come in the door) and I have to see my Haematologist again. I can't get an appointment with him till the 25th of September so it's all a little up in the air at the moment. He has suggested that he might need to take a bone marrow sample which sounds like not much fun.....but we'll see....


Music recommendation of the day - Canadian Indie Pop band The New Pornographers.... With a name like that I dare you to Google them at work tomorrow!

Oh, and thanks to the lovely and talented Bonne Marie at ChicKnits for the link to this comic. I laughed so hard....(The Man thought I was nuts, so maybe you have to be a knitter...)