Woohoo I have been allowed to pat the fluffy belly of Phoenix. We got him as a rescue in January and he has finally let me pat him on the belly. Image is of a ginger cat on his back with a white fluffy belly and dirty paws.

He is always watching me.

Got the news from the bosses yesterday that, due to business being so quiet, they’ve made the decision to close the factory on Fridays. This is hopefully a temporary measure until things pick up again later in the year, as they usually do before Christmas. Some of our wholesale customers have gone bust and some looking like they’re barely hanging on. So it’s a drop in pay for me but will give me a weekday at home to get the shit done that’s just not being done atm. I’m trying to see it as an opportunity rather than a problem. Also I sat down with the fam last night and made a list of our monthly expenses and discussed what could be cut. Lifestyle creep is a thing and I’ve had to explain to them that we’re just gonna have to suck it up for a bit. The kids agreed to think carefully and talk with each other about how likely I am to say yes to a thing before they ask me for something. Mr Peeler was told don’t even think about it!

On the plus side, my bus driver looks like Jimmy Giggle.

Holy shit, it’s all coming up Bananafungus right now! Just got offered another job…

I’ll still be taking the one I mentioned earlier, but absolutely wild times are being had.

So update on that ghost from yesterday. They never came out. I checked all the rooms, no one.

It was so bizarre.

I did discover a former worker here died last year. They worked on the floor above me…

Bill Cat ate Ted’s dinner. Ted has new dinner and Bill Cat’s fave food has been put away. Bill is a bad boy. 🤨 Bill is looking for his dinner. 🤭 ( it’s in the fridge )

Rates and Rego due on the same day.

Boooooooooooo!

Landed. FARKEN

Even the airline crew took a bit longer to open the cabin doors and you could hear them on the PA system crying “it’s COOOLD” and laughing at the same time - I don’t think I’ve been outside more than 5 minutes and my hands are icicles.

E: I am sorry to disappoint the canned seafood enthusiasts but I changed to Fancy Baked Beans at the last minute

A few months ago there was some kind of mantis/stick insect in the garden. She laid an egg pod and disappeared. Well apparently today the egg pod hatched and there’s about 30 tiny baby mantis crawling up the wall. I’ll try and get a decent photo to post.

Does anyone in here do Yoga? How is it for mindfulness?

I’m wanting to ‘get in tune’ with myself once I’m in the new place and starting the new chapter of my life. I feel like over the past 10 years I’ve become a worse person so I want to be better and reset my mind so to speak with meditation and journeling and even Yoga.

I accidentally wasted all of yesterday playing a video game (The Witcher 3) and have decided there are two aspects of video game life I wish happened in the real world.

If time worked like it does in games life would be so much simpler. Make an appointment to meet up with someone at sunset, spend 40 years travelling the world and doing other stuff, still make it to the meeting on time! Or rushing urgently to the monster infested cellar with the house owner? They won’t mind if you spend time rifling through all of their possessions and looting everything that’s not bolted down on the way.

The second main aspect is the incredible lifespan of food. Kill the reanimated corpse of a plague victim buried in a cave for the last 300 years, find they were carrying a ham sandwich, still good to eat! The real world I make a ham sandwich and its starting to get a bit sus by lunchtime.

Finally completed the bikini abs 30 day program. I don’t have bikini abs (that’s just not gonna happen in 30 days given my current physical state and fitness level), but my waist is a tiny bit less wobbly and my posture seems to be better. Except when I’m tired. At least I’ve found some exercises I like in there. Made a curry for Mr P and homemade “nuggets” for the kids. Sent some curry in to my MIL. I’d decided I was sick of Colesworth for meat and went to the butcher on the way home. I got 4 large chicken breasts (over 2kg) and well over 2kg of beef mince for $40. Portioned up what I didn’t use and froze it. I know I should do this sort of thing but I just never do it. There often isn’t the room in my tiny freezer. Bought veg and fruit from the international grocery store. It was much cheaper than colesworth, so I’ll definitely be doing that again.

Our fluffy cat now considers the act of cutting anything is a sign that there’s food.

So he meows loudly, and the next moment, everyone’s gathered in the kitchen begging for tomatoes, bananas, and other vegetables. When we hold it in front of them, they would all take one sniff and walk away.

I’ve been a lot more active the last few days than I have been all year. Between bike riding and walking and then an 8km hike yesterday with some steep sections my butt muscles ache. Oh well, back to hibernating tonight when I return to melbz.

UPDATE: Oh crumbs. One of my hosts has tested positive for covid. They’re older people who haven’t had it before but at least they’re fully vaxed etc. I’ve had to cancel my plans for today though as I would’ve been hanging out with someone immunocompromised. Am hoping I don’t get it either. Hermit time starts now I guess. Mask on the flight and all that

I am made of snot and aches.

Edit: i love you all so much 💜💜💜