Melbourne

I made a turtle coaster. I think he needs eyes.

Product review: Lime Mojito in a cask, from Aldi.

I got carded buying this for the first time in many years. This is classy stuff. Not sure I've ever actually purchased a cask before?

First sip: is this just lime cordial?

Several gulps later: oh there's the kick, this is really quite strong isn't it.

Verdict: goes ok. Pretty tasty. Would be better in a fancy glass with some mint and fruit and shit but I couldn't be bothered. 3.5/5 🍸🍸🍸, a solid almost-holiday in a cask.

How is it fair that I eat healthy for a week and feel like utter shit? Tempted to buy a cheesy crust pepperoni pizza from dominos...

Also another 35 applications done today.

Can we go back to the golden age of appliances where they sung a song when finished and then shut up pretty please

We have a washing machine from 2009 and it's very nice and respectful. It does its job, then it sings a lovely little song and then you won't hear from it again until you start pushing buttons. The dryer is much newer because the last one conked out. This one will make a long beeeeep that ascends in tone 3 times every 5 second until you go and open the door AND turn it off (just doing one of those isn't enough)

The air fryer makes an annoying sound, but isn't obnoxious about it like the dryer

Wild dreams leaving me with a raging sense of guilt i should not have. Wtf brain. Stop it

People keep expecting good behavior from AFL players. Why? Young men that have been put up on a pedestal for probably most of their lives, then given a lot of money, plus the celebrity status they now have.

Money and power doesn't usually equate to good behavior and yet people are shocked when they don't play nice. What do you honestly expect? They are just football players and perhaps if folks stop giving the game more importance than it warrants them maybe you won't create such big egos.

Oof. Walking to find the ginger ninja cut into my physical energy so badly I crashed and woke up at 11pm, extremely dehydrated and very late with Melbcat's supper and meds.

It might be that I can't afford the energy, just don't have the capacity to keep pursuing a cat I might not be able to catch. And I don't have the comfort level to engage with rescue groups. (This would involve using Facebook, speaking to strangers, doxing my location, and perhaps being asked to meet or cooperate with them.) Currently it's really difficult to even care for my own pet and myself.

There's also online friend group drama which I didn't cause and was not involved in... but am still stressed out by, and if I'm not careful I could be pulled into. I'm in an awkward position. (I absolutely have a side and am quietly distancing myself from someone due to their behaviour, but don't want to feed into any escalation). I really hope I'm making the right moves to classily bow out.

Definitely time to reinstall the electric blanket…

Watching the cat snoozing under the heater while I force myself to go outside for an hour of lunch break exercise in the cold.

Today is my day

Really don't feel like gym tonight but it's my second last training session before I'm on holidays for a couple of weeks so I'm telling myself to STFU and stop complaining.

Israel doesn't care what Australia thinks about Palestine. This is taking up way too much space in newspaper headlines.

I appear to have taken on too much at work.

It may still be 18 in my room, but I'm still going to sleep in a hoodie under 2 blankets with thick socks

18 outside = fine unless there's wind, 18 inside = I think I'm going to freeze

As much as I really want to live in Europe, I'm not sure I'd exist past the first week of autumn there

omg i saw three cats outside one meowed to wake me up i just put down a dish of kibbles

At the p's clearing out their rain tank filters from on top about 2.5m up.

Reminded me when I was a teen scaling them (wasted) at night without a ladder full ninja to sneak in when I forgot my keys as the laundry window which was never locked is directly above one. Used to get in so much shit for doing that.

Now it's sanctioned, with a ladder, sober and far less exciting.

I just kind of want to take my eyes balls out of my head and give them a rest in a jar of eyedrops. My vision is shocking today from pounding my pupils on a screen for about two weeks, not to mention my poor hips from sitting way way waaaay too much.

I miss my bike, my bed and would like to be somewhere apart from dorm rooms with slamming doors that start from some ungodly hour in the morning. Yep, yah Llab is tired. You know, whine, whine.

In other news, how are we? I escaped before the poor weather, please regale me with tales of your happenings… Pretty please… <3

Still attempting to negotiate an agreement between my brain, the cats, and the clock.

it is time i wash the winter jacket and blanket

In the supermarkets there used to be these mini cans of corn that came in a four pack. I haven’t seen them in ages. I hope it’s not discontinued. Those things were so convenient. I miss you little corn cans. Please come back!

I had the beginning of a root canal today and it was the first time I was in pain even with anaesthetic. Poor dentist had to squirt the stuff straight onto my tooth.

So afraid to bite anything using that tooth...

16 charming bookshops for a cosy day out in Melbourne

So anyone with a wood heater, advice on getting a roaring fire going because I am terrible at it and always have been.

Ahead full..

Hi all,

I want to run an idea by you to see if I am missing something.

My 4th Van Diemen's Valley book is releasing later this month and I was thinking of contacting local schools/ones I've done author talks with, to run a competition for the kids to write a short story for a chance to win signed copies of my books.

I want to get schools involved for exposure and advertising it to the kids but also to give it some sort of authenticity and allay any fears parents might have. I wouldn't need access to their details aside from their name as well. It's really just write a story, put your name on it, give it to the library, I can pick it up (or if they do it on computers, get it sent to me), decide on the winner and deliver the books to the schools.

I don't see anything really worrisome about it but wondering if there are any outsider perspectives on this/if it's a good idea or if I'm missing something that might concern parents/schools? Thanks,

@RustyRaven@aussie.zone?

Did you know the Wombat from Diary of a Wombat is called Mothball? It's in the dedications at the start I think

Morning all