So here's my reply :) 

About a week has passed, time flies so quickly.  christmas just around the corner - I have started to prepare for that.  My computer died, I have ordered new ram and.. I have formatted and pulled it to bits and rebuilt it - ram will help keep it running better too, its really nice to have it empty again.

Got talking to my newish next door neighbour last night.  We started off on a really bad note - him complaining about my dogs, me complaining about his car in retaliation lol.  He is a charter fisherman.. I didn't want to be at odds with him, anyway we talked last night for a bit and now we get along fine.. which is great because I'm freinds with everyone else in the street.

Been spending a bit of time with a guy down the road, he's lovely, helped me a while back when I was having trouble with my ex.  Tonight I'm going to wire up his trailer for him - he has no mechanical knowledge or electrical - I feel a bit wierd helping out but hey.. if u can help.. u do.  He has a harley, I'm crazy about those things.. just the sound of them makes me weak at the knees, now that I'm single again at least I'm free to go riding with him sometimes!

I've spent a lot of time getting to know my other friend, he is so sweet, so funny, hoping he will come out with me Sunday night to a comedy night - it'll be nice to have someone with me instead of fronting up alone all the time.

I have a friend who had a lump and her ovary removed, she's been quite unwell, so have been keeping in touch with her, and caught up with another friend yesterday (Oz.. andee you know who she is) - she's doing well.. very excited about christmas and all those presents people will give her! LOL I don't think she'll ever grow out of that childlike excitement she has.

Getting ugly today (another ref for you Andee) - seriously ugly!  A bit like you had to the other day.. how did that go?  My inspection isn't for another month, but I have really let the place go and its time to make a difference again.

Life is on the up and up superfast.  I had a problem with my skin, since breaking up with the ex.. that problem is fast dissappearing - amazing really.. (skin picker).  Confidence is coming back and I'm finding it easier to get along with people again.  For so long I was so introverted and it was very unlike the me I know I should be.

Still not in contact with my family - thats sad in a way - yet very very peaceful, no more stress ie when they ring.. watch what I say type of thing.  I hated sidestepping around them all the time... so for now.. I accept the peace.

15yo is doing really well now, he gets agro sometimes - ie last night came home in a mood and I couldnt' wait for the boys' father to turn up.  He was harrassing Tom and I , so I went outside to wait for the exH, took Tom with me and we spotted the possom tails in the nests in the tree, cuddled and talked and enjoyed ourselves till their dad turned up.  Left Andrew inside alone, he ended up coming out and trying to make the peace.  Its best that way - remove yourself from the situation - and let them be a grump lol.  All in all though, the change in Andrew is massive, he has his 12mths intervention order in place, and will start counselling as soon as I can get him in.

I went and saw the school counsellor to talk about Tom so thta she will see him next year.  She is lovely and appears to know what she is doing.  I hope its a good experience for him.

Ordered a swimming pool for the boys for Xmas, not a huge one, but one so they can at least get in and cool down in summer - it gets so hot here!  We discussed it, its costing me about $700 so they know there won't be a lot more for chrissy.  They're happy with that, and happy to have a pool.  Its an intex.

5 cockateil eggs, still to hatch, they're changing colour so not far off now, thats exciting stuff in this house!

The kittens are a handful, but SO funny to watch.  I have to get rid of my little jack russell, he and my female poodle are trying to kill eachother - she isn't aggressive at all - so its him who has to go.  Massive jealousy problems I think.  He is still a puppy, might make someone a really nice gift?

Toms shingles has cleared up - the scarring is wierd looking - poor baby.  At least he didnt' have LOTS of sores, only a fairly small patch on his back.  I'm still wondering if more will come out.. he has other lumps on him.  Apparently a lot of kids are off school with chickenpox and his best mate had shingles too.

Well I'm off to get ugly - if anyone wants to know what thats about - ask Andee ;-)

But.. it wasn't so bad.  I have a new 'friend' who's name I won't release on here.  Anyway we don't see eachother often, but we do talk for hours, literally - tonight was 4 hours.  Hoping to catch up next week.  My theory is, don't let the boys meet anyone I might be 'dating' or whatever, until I know if they're stayers or not.  I wasn't out to look for anyone, this just happened to be a chance meeting and he is really very nice, a massive difference from the last bloke (thank goodness).  Slow and steady wins the race, its all above board and very formal for now - but I thought I'd at least relate.

So I thought I'd journal about it anyway - because I thought I'd never be interested in someone else again after my last relationship - but this person 'seems' to be very genuine - he has 2 kids one the age of Andrew, and an older daughter - knows the business of parenting and respects it and talks openly about his relationship with them.  We are the same starsign, I wonder if thats a bad thing.  So we talked and talked and talked, and then I decided to surf the net for a while, and here it is.. 1.25am.  Where are my kids?  Andrew is at his mates place because its his mates 17th birthday today (well yesterday) and Tom is with his dad.

Two televisions died, my big one (81cm) which I bought from a friend last xmas, and my portable, so my exHubby lent me one and said lets see what santa brings this year before you buy another one - aint he a sweetheart! They're getting a pool put in this weekend, he's very excited about it!

I worry about Xmas, I dont' have a lot of $$ at the moment because of the debts Andrew has built up with phones, and other concerns of his - plus him being at home all day every day is a drain - constantly eating - cooking - etc - ugh!  But I'll do the best I can .  Its starting to drain me a bit :(

Pets.. ugh!  Too many, but I love them all so much!  I neeed to thin them out a bit but I can't part with any of them, I know hoober has to go, really.. he just has to, but he is the most loyal little guy, he adores me.. (he is by my feet now) - what do I do! UGH  I'm doing it tough, I take in strays and giveaways then wish for the rest of their lives I hadn't done it.. but i just love animals SOOO much!  The kittens, they're adorable.. they are SO much fun!  I must take a pic and put it on here.

tom had another bout of headlice.. and so did I!! UGH!!  Treated us both today and will do so again in a week :(  Its annoying - but all part of the school process.  Poor Tom, he is growing his hair - hates having the lice treatment - so do I, my hair is longer!  I let him do my hair so he feels like h'es inflicting some suffering on me. 

Well I'm tired, I must hit the sack, I shouldn't have stayed up so late but when nobody is here I just cherish the peace, Andrew will be back in the morning so I should get some sleep.  I'm glad he got to go and Stay at his mates house tonight, he's working so hard on rebuilding himself, he deserves it :)

Night all

today wasn't too exciting, haven't felt too good for the last 24hrs, some kind of tummy bug I guess. BUT I did go out to do an interview with some people about the experience in court.  Interesting.  Almost scored a placement for school aswell but they decided against it because its hard to get new counsellors into 'old' cases so to speak.  Nevermind - I'll keep looking and ther eis one place that will take me.  Was gone all arvo till now, so not much else went on.  Slept all morning :)

This won't always happen, but wow what a lovely warm welcome I have got from this group.  Thank you!

And.. I earned some badges!  How cool are they!  Brings me to something I am doing for my 15yo.  Many many years ago (well ok 15yrs ago) I started sewing badges on a single bed woollen blanket.  This was an idea adopted from my mother, who has a blanket covered on both sides with badges.  My theme for my son is a little different than mums - hers is all scouting badges - my sons is based on places we've been, tags from clothing (ie levis etc) and he just loves it!  When the blanket is covered both sides of course - it gives 3 times the warmth.  He uses it every winter - and everywhere we go I ask for cloth badges to add to it.  Fun, and a really lovely reminder for him of the places he's been.

I didn't do this for my 11yo, but he was (and still is) a mickey mouse freak.  I am collecting collectables for him - some of the stuff we have now is pretty awesome - things his grandparents have handed down are irreplaceable.  A sweet collection - and something he cherishes.

Must fly more later.