Spring has sprung, the grass is riz...

Pinch and a punch, ladies and germs. It's the first few days of Spring (here, anyway) and the sneezing has begun. It should settle down over the next couple of days, but my sinuses don't enjoy that transition from no pollen in the air to OMG TOO MUCH POLLEN!!! Not to be dramatic, of course.

My mother and Snappy are away until tomorrow (Monday) afternoon. They've been gone since...Uh...Early Friday morning, I think. Away to Melbourne for their one year wedding anniversary. Hurrah. My brother was out much of Friday and didn't come home until yesterday afternoon (when we had to get the train to our dad's, but more on that in a tick), and he's gone again to hang out with some friends and will be back tomorrow morning or something sometime. Lovely. Ordinarily it wouldn't bother me at all, but lately I've been feeling...fragile, let's just say...and being home alone is not doing me any favours. Let's hope this craziness passes.

Anyway, so we went to our dad's late yesterday afternoon until this arvo which normally would have been fine, but because there was no one else home, as there usually is, the dog had a total breakdown. He really hasn't adjusted to the move very well (and why should he? He'd spent his whole life in our old house) and it super anxious almost all the time, but it's awful when he has to be here alone. He and I seem to be on the same page at the mo', lol. So Benjo and I were trying to leave yesterday and Rocky was just going off -- ripping at the shade cloth that covers the gate (lovely to deal with in a rented house), jumping, barking and trying to pull the gates open. We decided to rip into the shade cloth a little and secure the gates with heavy duty zip ties before pushing the bins in front of them so he wouldn't get out no matter what. Poor dog. He's recently been prescribed Valium (I must not raid the dog's stash...) and it seems to do him good in the mornings, but it's not as though 5mg goes very far throughout the day. Not even for a dog.

It was cool seeing my stepsisters again and catching up with Maddie and hearing about her World Youth Day experience and all the travel and the insanity. It sounds like she had an absolute blast and it's totally changed her outlook. I mean, sixteen year olds are supposed to be awful and broody, but really! Lol. But since she's been back it's been totally different. I think a change of perspective was helpful...Just getting out a bit and seeing that there is more to life and the world than school. I'm a little bit jealous, if the truth were known, but glad that it all was so beneficial for her. Heh, she'd been telling me that my souvenir was the greatest ever and that I'd really love it, and I had been wondering what it was...Various assorted saint cards (like baseball cards ;)) or Holy Water or something, but no. She was right. It's truly the best present ever. EVER. Want to know what it is?! 


It's a Pope bobble head. There is a distinct chance that I'm going straight to hell. Meh, I had a good run.