That's right, but you probably didn't hear it here first. It's hot, BLOODY hot here in the sandpit lately. So far, the hottest day I was here for was a blistering 49 big ones. Naturally, I was holed up in my apartment, wondering who'd be stupid enough to go OUTSIDE in such weather.
Thankfully summer seems to be passing relatively quickly this year. It's already the 1st of August, which makes me happy, sad and nostaligic all at once.
Happy because it's beautiful Jena's birthday today and she's turning 30 all over again! Out all last night drinking bubbles, she'll no doubt drag herself out of bed soon looking like a glamazon after having her hair done last week. After her first salon adventure since 1997 (yes I'm SERIOUS)we hit Rocky B's for some free bullfrogs to celebrate her new look...she was smokin'!!!
A little sad because in 91 days I'll be 27. Ya huh, I don't really know how I feel about that number. When I turned 23 I had huge issues with letting go of 22. Fast forward a few years and being 25 was just awesome....staring down the barrel of 27 doesn't feel so good but I'm sure if it's another fun-filled year like the last one has been I'll be just fine and dandy.
Nostalgic because this is the first time Jena and I will celebrate birthdays without little Ashliegh. I did a Melbourne flight last month and caugth up with our lovely little munchkin and it was just wonderful to see her so settled and happy and loving life back at home. She has a gorgeous apartment, a super cute boyfriend and a job she really enjoys. She took me out for dinner at a mouth wateringly good Thai restaurant and we had drinks at the cutest little rooftop bar where the waitors are all dressed like 70's tennis players/porn stars. We sipped on hot punch-like stuff served out of teapots as we sat under a huge heater and snuggled into the little blankets we were given to keep warm.
Cocktails a few nights later at the Hilton with her and Mark and Renee (who've both resigned in the past few years) were fanastic and turned into a photo shoot...if I can track down some of the pics I'll post them. 5 strong Chambord cocktails and more than my share of a bowl of wedges later and I was simultaneously feeling ready to rock that town and also incredibly ready for snoozing.
I have always maintained that I am AWESOME at manipulating our swap system and can get pretty much anything I want. It's been crisis time for the last few months, with the system pretty much shitting itself and no-one being able to swap much at all. Add to that the rostering dudes feeling it was fair and decent to slam me with a selection of utterly revolting night-time turnarounds, I've been almost tearing out my very carefully maintained mane of hair.
Thankfully something seems to be going right and some lunatic sent me a swap last month for some flights so bad I don't even want to think about them. As I opened the swap I idly wondered what on earth anyone could have to offer ME for the load of rubbish I had. Stunned into silence (rare for me, I know!), I saw she was offering me a MELBOURNE trip. Not wanting to get too excited, I figured it wasn't legal and set about testing it....VALID. Well, let me tell you, I nearly wet myself with excitement and accepted immediately, lest she might realise how much of a nutter she was sending me such an awesome offer and recall it. It was approved instantly and I wooped with excitement around the apartment and then sent word to Ash that I'd be comin' to town.
As luck would have it, this month's roster for me is AWESOME. Well, it'd want to be, with me being on top bid, but you just never know. Usually on top bid I get hit with 5 night-time rubbish, joint rest day flights and I just want to sit in the corner and cry. I put my bids in and didn't expect much and was again too shocked for words to discover I'd been given the Brisbane flight I'd asked for, as well as a Hong Kong, 36 hour Mauritius AND a Houston. Only one pissy little turnaround and it's only 45 minutes each way so it SO doesn't even count.
Sadly, I didn't get the Melbourne that Jena and I both bid for so we could be in Melbourne for Ash's 30th b'day bash but Jena DID get a Melbourne earlier than the party and I've managed to swap my way onto it!! So, with two b'days this month, we'll have plenty to celebrate and chat about and drink about when we're all together as a trio again.
Oh, and Jena and I have NEVER flown together in almost 4 years....I'm senior to her as well....is it so bad to stick her with Duty Free since I absolutely despise it?
Just call it my belated b'day present to her...muhahaha!!!
Thankfully summer seems to be passing relatively quickly this year. It's already the 1st of August, which makes me happy, sad and nostaligic all at once.
Happy because it's beautiful Jena's birthday today and she's turning 30 all over again! Out all last night drinking bubbles, she'll no doubt drag herself out of bed soon looking like a glamazon after having her hair done last week. After her first salon adventure since 1997 (yes I'm SERIOUS)we hit Rocky B's for some free bullfrogs to celebrate her new look...she was smokin'!!!
A little sad because in 91 days I'll be 27. Ya huh, I don't really know how I feel about that number. When I turned 23 I had huge issues with letting go of 22. Fast forward a few years and being 25 was just awesome....staring down the barrel of 27 doesn't feel so good but I'm sure if it's another fun-filled year like the last one has been I'll be just fine and dandy.
Nostalgic because this is the first time Jena and I will celebrate birthdays without little Ashliegh. I did a Melbourne flight last month and caugth up with our lovely little munchkin and it was just wonderful to see her so settled and happy and loving life back at home. She has a gorgeous apartment, a super cute boyfriend and a job she really enjoys. She took me out for dinner at a mouth wateringly good Thai restaurant and we had drinks at the cutest little rooftop bar where the waitors are all dressed like 70's tennis players/porn stars. We sipped on hot punch-like stuff served out of teapots as we sat under a huge heater and snuggled into the little blankets we were given to keep warm.
Cocktails a few nights later at the Hilton with her and Mark and Renee (who've both resigned in the past few years) were fanastic and turned into a photo shoot...if I can track down some of the pics I'll post them. 5 strong Chambord cocktails and more than my share of a bowl of wedges later and I was simultaneously feeling ready to rock that town and also incredibly ready for snoozing.
I have always maintained that I am AWESOME at manipulating our swap system and can get pretty much anything I want. It's been crisis time for the last few months, with the system pretty much shitting itself and no-one being able to swap much at all. Add to that the rostering dudes feeling it was fair and decent to slam me with a selection of utterly revolting night-time turnarounds, I've been almost tearing out my very carefully maintained mane of hair.
Thankfully something seems to be going right and some lunatic sent me a swap last month for some flights so bad I don't even want to think about them. As I opened the swap I idly wondered what on earth anyone could have to offer ME for the load of rubbish I had. Stunned into silence (rare for me, I know!), I saw she was offering me a MELBOURNE trip. Not wanting to get too excited, I figured it wasn't legal and set about testing it....VALID. Well, let me tell you, I nearly wet myself with excitement and accepted immediately, lest she might realise how much of a nutter she was sending me such an awesome offer and recall it. It was approved instantly and I wooped with excitement around the apartment and then sent word to Ash that I'd be comin' to town.
As luck would have it, this month's roster for me is AWESOME. Well, it'd want to be, with me being on top bid, but you just never know. Usually on top bid I get hit with 5 night-time rubbish, joint rest day flights and I just want to sit in the corner and cry. I put my bids in and didn't expect much and was again too shocked for words to discover I'd been given the Brisbane flight I'd asked for, as well as a Hong Kong, 36 hour Mauritius AND a Houston. Only one pissy little turnaround and it's only 45 minutes each way so it SO doesn't even count.
Sadly, I didn't get the Melbourne that Jena and I both bid for so we could be in Melbourne for Ash's 30th b'day bash but Jena DID get a Melbourne earlier than the party and I've managed to swap my way onto it!! So, with two b'days this month, we'll have plenty to celebrate and chat about and drink about when we're all together as a trio again.
Oh, and Jena and I have NEVER flown together in almost 4 years....I'm senior to her as well....is it so bad to stick her with Duty Free since I absolutely despise it?
Just call it my belated b'day present to her...muhahaha!!!
