I guess it's about time I made another blog entry! I've been at my new job now for exactly 48 hours, long enough to form a decent enough first impression that I can share with you.

And, all in all, things are pretty good.

Today was my fourth 12-hour shift (I had last Wednesday and Thursday, and then yesterday and today) and I've definitely settled in, quite well I think! I'm noticing the long days- I get home by around 7.45pm, having been up since 5am, and feel like I could almost go straight to bed... but I think I'll get used to the early starts and long days soon enough, and it will help once I'm more familiar with the residents and general routines. Working in my villa at Strathmont is very very different to working in my former location out in the community so there are many new things to get used to, new routines to learn and of course, many new residents to meet and become familar with. I have to admit to being very homesick for Edwardstown; I really miss the residents there and think about them all the time (I'm trying to move on, I swear) but I can honestly say that I really like all the residents I have been working with so far and am really enjoying getting to know everyone. I recently had the opportunity to visit 2 of the new houses in Gilles Plains, the new residence for 10 of the people currently living in my assigned villa, and they are lovely. I feel very excited for these guys that they will very shortly have beautiful new homes to settle into!! I am also excited to be a part of the move from the villa to the community, as I know well enough all the great things that will come with it, for the residents and staff alike!

So tonight is almost my "Friday night" in a way- it's Tuesday night and I now don't go back to work until Friday morning!! !! Come on, everyone likes a day off or two

Hmm, what else can I report...? OMG, what about the incredible heat wave we have had recently??? It has been SOOO HOT, and our house is like a little oven. It's now 9.45pm and the house is still wide open; we're trying desperately to let some cooler air in ready for tomorrow's onslaught... the cats are still outside much to their delight, it's just too hot to keep them cooped up inside. Pandora wouldn't come inside last night, in fact she spent the entire night very happily perched on the roof. I brought her in at 5am this morning only because she reluctantly let me get on a chair and grab her (she is wise to our tricks, she only lets herself be grabbed if she really wants to be, when she feels like doing us a favour). I'm glad that no one was up and about at sparrow's crack today, to see me in my summer jamies standing on a chair, whispering with feigned affection, trying to coax one naughty white (kind of greyish) cat down from our carport roof. Feigned affection? Damn right... I was in my summer jamies standing on a chair at 5am trying to coax one naughty white (kind of greyish) cat down from our carport roof...

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS
GRATUITOUS USE OF EMOTICONS

This has nothing to do with anything, but have you noticed all of these cool little smilies around nowadays? ? ? ? You may have noticed I used a couple earlier in this blog entry.. and even though they're cute little things, they're mostly quite useless. What on earth do you think people talk about to think that using these emoticons is totally necessary? For example...



a) I have a paper bag on my head
b) I am far too ugly to ever show my face in the world
c) I have serious self esteem issues and need to get a life



a) I'm wearing white knickers today and I'm very pleased about it
b) I'm wearing underwear today (as opposed to every other day?) and they feel sooo good
c) I'm only wearing underwear today and I'm a little too excited about it



a) I'm listening to music with black headphones
b) The music I'm listening to through my black headphones is filling me with dread
c) Gee, I'd be happier wearing these headphones if they were white to match my knickers



a) I'm going to Germany for a holiday sometime soon
b) I'm growing a little moustache
c) Do you think Hitler wore white knickers?

One of my favourite, useless emoticons is Mr. T: . I wish I had a reason to use it in everyday chat conversations. Alas, I do not. I haven't seen The A Team since I was about 12 *sigh*... Here is one, however, that I can legitimately use:




SEE YOU!