Hammer (& Nail) Time

We are having a good clean up around here today.  I'm toiling in the kitchen - wiping out cupboards, cleaning all dishes etc., whilst Lyndon is clearing out the dead plants on the balcony from their lovely huge ceramic pots.  We have a lot of tenants living here we didn't know about, both in the kitchen and in those outdoor pots.  (Can't believe I slept soundly knowing there was a baby gecko lurking in the lounge too last night!)

It is break time here.  'Kid shows' are on the telly and Lyndon has gone down(?)/up(?)/across to Bunnings with a list as long as his arm.  

Friday's night 'gig' for Lyndon was great.  Everyone turned up and a great meal was had by all.  The restaurant owner was very pleased we were all there.  I imagine the bill at the end of the night was quite big.  

Here is Miss Monet and I ready to go out on Friday night (gee two photos of me in the last few days!  What's going on??)...  Notice the new dress for Miss and my new bangle?  *grin*

See those smiles?  Well, mine anyway.  They are genuine.  Can't believe that the ball is rolling with Lyndon finishing up work, with real estate agents we have chosen for the management of this property and the removal company pencilled in from our quotes we sent to the Lyndon's new employers - we could be out of here before we know it!  

*scared*

*excited*

And because any excuse will do, last night the three of us went out for tea and had a lovely meal.  We got 10% off the total bill price, just by mentioning we were locals.  No proof of ID needed either.  Email me if you want the name of the restaurant.  *wink wink* ;-)

Guess I better get back to it.  This place doesn't clean itself you know.

Snippets.

It has been a few days since my last post.  I just thought I would write down some observations from late...

Monet and I are more alike than I previous thought.  We both hate bugs.  We hear one flying through the air and we huddle.  And shudder.  And give a little squeal.  Bugs in Far North Queensland, I have to tell you, are about the size of your thumb.  Too big for my liking.

Sometimes Company quotes surprise you.  We have been figuring out what to do with my/our beloved car.  I know I would like it when I am down at our parents place before Monet and I head off overseas (about 6 weeks after Lyndon goes).  There were a couple of people lined up from back 'home' way whom we thought we'd fly up and pay fuel for back to Victoria.  But the quotes we got back from Car Transport companies are less than what we thought, so we figure we'll do it that way (and save 4000 kilometres on the odometer).  

I have discovered the delights of tea.  I'm in love with a good brew.  From a pot.  With proper loose leaves.  *I know*  I am surprised myself.

I loved the final of Project Runway Australia, but was disappointed to read that it was edited beyond belief.  Doesn't matter.  I was still happy that Juli won.  Lyndon loved her.  I loved her work(wo)manship.

You won't believe how dirty your walls are until you give them a good wash down with sugar soap.  My kitchen walls are gleaming. 

We are organising removal quotes for the coming week.  It is 'Operation Clean Up' this weekend.  But in all honesty, we don't have that much stuff.  Once I was a hoarder (ask my family!) but now I donate so much to the local Op Shop (or tip), I find it cleansing for the soul.  

I feel the need to 'eat out' sometime on the weekend.  We had Lyndon's mother here last week for seven nights (and how lovely it was).  We ate out for five nights, for two breakfasts, one lunch and two take out nights.  Last night was the first night Monet didn't ask me why we weren't going out for dinner.  If you are ever up this way and need a recommendation to a lovely meal, please email me.  

My daughter sings Madonna songs constantly.  It makes me smile.  It is a nice change from her singing theme songs from her favourite tv shows.  Trust me.  It is.

Monet also surprises me and herself at times.  As being a big four year old, I had her immunised yesterday.  I had explained the day before that she was to get a needle in her arm and why she was going to have one.  I had a dreadful time convincing her to a) get out of her bedroom, to b) get in the car and to c) get out the car.  There were tears.  A lot of them.  No amount of bribing worked either.  But I got her in the Medical Center.  And we sat patiently and we were called.  And she had simultaneous needles given in both arms and she didn't even whimper.  I was so proud.  And so was she.  I took her to K Mart and she chose herself a bloody 'Polly Pocket Runway Pets'.  At least it wasn't a Bratz doll.  She knows I hate Bratz.

Cairns weather has been a great treat this week.  We've been haunting the balcony again in the early evenings and having a 'sipper' (mmm, Four Sisters pleazzeee).  I know I was meant to spend my last weeks in Cairns doing this, as silly as that sounds.  But it feels right.  True. 

I cannot wait to move to Abu Dhabi.  The more I read about it, the more excited I become.  I hope it lives up to my expectation now...

Any snippets in your life I should currently know about?

Did You Know Cockroaches Can Fly?

(If you don't like creepy-crawlies, I will warn you that this post contains photos of 3)

Well, did you? I know they have wings and stuff but I didn't actually know that they used those wings to fly, dammit!! And how I found out? By spraying one which was on my laundry wall. It flew at me. AT ME. Now, if you don't live in the tropics of Queensland, you probably don't have any idea about the size of these cockroaches.

Queensland is famous for the Big Pineapple. The Big Mango. The Big Marlin Fish. Up the road we have a Big Peanut and there is a Big Banana with a Big Green Tree Frog on the road down to Innisvale. They like things big in this neck of the woods. Actaully, all around Australia you'll find 'big' things. Basically if an area is famous for something, usually produce, they'll biggify it into a tourist attraction, such as - Merino Sheep, Lobsters, Banana, Trout Fish, the list goes on. (Maybe some of my fellow Aussie readers could list more...) So to say that the Cockroaches up here are big is not an understatement.

Here's a photo of one found lurking outside downstairs.

It is about the size of close to 50 cent pieces. Big. *shudder*

Even the little lizards (skinks) are big around here. This one we spied while going to the pool the other day. Lucky this one (who was not even remotely scared of us!) was heading towards our next door neighbours storage shed and not ours (though I'm sure they hibernate in there too!)

Even the bugs around here are big. I don't have any photos of them to show you. But the noise they make are loud to suit their size. We even have Rhino-type gigantic Bugs up here, which have a horn-like growth between their eyes. *shudder again*

We have huge Orb spiders too. There was one in the Mango tree at Playgoup recently. It scared the bejeesus out of me when I spied it above our heads when I was pushing Monet on the swing.

Here is a photo taken on the walking track to Josephine falls, of an Orb spider. She'd be beautiful if she was not a spider.


So, did you know that Cockroaches fly? You'll be glad that the Cockroach didn't last long after flying full force at me. After I screamed and told Monet that Mummy was okay (just) I got the Cockroach back. Big time.

And did you know that Cockroaches can survive in a man-sized work shoe, with a man-size foot in it, and for that foot, in that shoe, could drive 20-odd kilometers to work and the cockroach could survive? You better ask Lyndon about that one. *shudder*

(Just in case you think that my house must be filthy to have Cockroaches inhabit my home, it isn't!! This is the Wet Tropics for you. You won't see a Roach for ages and then BAM, you see them. I think we might have to have the Pest Controler come around for a spray v. v. soon.)

Ribbit...

We had a little visitor on our balcony last night... (I'm just hoping I didn't blind the poor thing with my flash!!)


So, he wasn't that little. He was quite large in fact and he was lovely, even though I kept my distance. I didn't want him jumping onto me.

He is a Green Tree Frog, the largest one I have ever seen in nature. I've seen ones this size in the local zoo and we used to get them at work in Victoria when they'd hitch down a ride in Banana boxes from up here in Far North Queensland, (I worked in a supermarket), but they were never this size.

I told Monet this morning who visited us outside when she was sound asleep. She was pretty excited when I showed her the photos, it is a pity he came when she was tucked up in bed. I hope he returns at some stage, but I'm not sure Lyndon is too keen on him returning... *smirk*

My Little Gecko Catcher

Well, kinda. She was all prepared to catch the naughty baby Gecko which had found its way inside...I had spied a tiny Gecko on the wall, near our balcony door, but before I could think twice, it had darted up behind a print we have hanging on the wall.

Urgh. Do you know how much they make my skin crawl? Do you? I seriously don't mind them outside, where they belong and catch and eat the nasty green ants, the tiny moths, the flies etc., but inside I can't stand it. I know I would not be able to sleep soundly if I knew a Gecko was lurking around indoors (along with the GIANT creepy-crawly cockroaches we have up here). Bloody tropics.

Not that I'm whinging. Oh no, you all know I *love* it up here.

Lyndon happened to ring to say he was running late home from work but when he returns he'd get the Gecko. He knows I'm not the biggest Gecko fan.

I was going to be brave. I was. I was going to try and catch it and free it outdoors. But I think even Monet knows me too well.

"Don't worry Mum. I'll catch it....Here Gecko..." she said. True. She can be awfully cute sometimes. And then she did her Gecko impersonation which is something like a "Ttk, ttk" noise she makes with her mouth against the roof of her mouth. Yes, awfully cute.

She decked herself out with the fly swatter and a container. Too cute. Too funny.

I put her on "Gecko watch, if you see the Gecko, let me know" I told her, as I went to check on dinner in the oven.

And she did a damn fine job, my Monet Lulu.

"I see it, I see the Gecko!" she exclaimed after watching the print on the wall for a few minutes. Ahh, that's me girl.

She went and grabbed the long handled broom for me and I encouraged the baby Gecko to sprint its way outdoors. Monet helped by telling the Gecko to "go outside", which it obligingly did, with a little 'sweep of the tail'...

She couldn't wait to tell Lyndon what she did when he walked in the door. Somehow she was telling Lyndon that she caught the Gecko and put it outside, but we know the real story, don't we? (The real story being that Melody Mum is a big scaredy cat of a tiny gecko and Monet is a very Brave Gecko-loving girl!)

Gee, just as I go to post this post (!!) Monet calls out "I can see a Gecko". Another baby one. Inside. At least Lyndon is home. But Monet, being the big Gecko catcher she is, used the fly swat.... Maybe you can guess what has just happened...

I'm No Bug Lover. Hot Tip.

Okay, a bit of a phobia of mine I have to confess.

I don't like spiders. I don't like snakes. I don't like geckos. I don't like moths and I certainly don't like bugs. Except ladybirds. I like ladybirds and I like frogs too. Not dreaded cane toads though. It would be okay if cane toads were cute like frogs but they are not. They are U-G-L-Y. But back to bugs.... Urgh.

As you may have gathered I am not one for creepy crawlies. They make me scared at the mere thought. So you can imagine the fright I got when I spied this BIG grass-hoppy thing lurking on our balcony wall this afternoon, when I was speaking to my mother on the phone. This thing was big. I have seen (and not minded) grasshoppers before. They are okay when they are normal size, not GIGANTIC like this one.

The wet season is approaching quickly. First geckos on my windows, now big grass-hoppers on my walss. I wonder what else will be lurking on my first floor apartment balcony in the months ahead? Pythons? Cane toads? A gigantic orb spider? I shudder to think. I'm sure you'll hear it first though.

What makes your skin crawl?

Mr. Gecko

We had a visitor this afternoon on our window, that looks out onto our balcony... As long as he stays on 'that' side of the glass, Mr. Gecko doesn't worry me... It was actually pretty good to see a gecko from a different perspective.