New Pics online

Got some new pictures of La Famille Chatteur on my Flickr account.
I've obviously been slack, I've had two friends ask within a week of each other.
Click on Twistidd Photos link on the right.
We've been having a lovely time - well I have been. Nice break from work. Hot today, followed by the obligatory afternoon thunderstorm - a pattern that seems to be recurring everytime we have a hot day here in Sydney.
Not that I mind, we'll all sleep well tonight. Especially K, who hasn't had her afternoon nap yet.
Hmmm...
Oh yes, if I were given a mark on potty training, to date it would be an F.
Sigh.

Xmas is finally over!

Something goes a bit wrong at Xmas time. I once spoke to a policeman and asked it what it was like working on Xmas day. He said "Oh, usually quiet in the morning, couple of murders in the afternoon." I was astounded and he added "well, you get families together, you know."
Our Xmas was a riot of eating more than anything. The Xmas spirit a little lacking chez ma soeur, as she and hubby have lost their jobs due to the mill closing down. I'm sure it's all going to work out, they're just not used to the uncertain times.
My heart goes out to them, they look so stressed and unhappy.
Hubby somewhat underwhelmed by Xmas chez Kerr and vows not to do it again. He might have a point, at that.
New Year tomorrow, I wonder what that will bring?

Feeling better

I'm actually starting to feel better. I've had a horrible cough for the past two months, and my Doctor thinks it might have been whooping cough (but I think that's bollocks) mostly to the fact that it hasn't cleared up. Had a chest x-ray last week just to make sure it wasn't something more serious.
What really helped was a super early night I had on Wednesday when I was supposed to be working on a paper (sorry Lucila). Woke up and the cough is still there but muchly reduced. I've taken a well deserved week off and spent some quality time with Djamel and Kate.
Kate has become a Daddy's girl and Mummy doesn't cut it anymore. :(
Djamel's quite liking it and I now feel how he was feeling at the beginning of things, so it's quite a good balance really.
Met with the Prof last week and he agreed to be an associate supervisor. Yay! Mary is hard to contact and is very busy so this is a good thing.
I took Kate and he was very sweet about the whole thing, if not a little bemused. Okay, Xmas is on its way, presents to be bought etc etc. My sister and her husband had celebrated the last day in their jobs today, due to the liquidation, so a new chapter in their lives too, methinks.
So change, ever change.

It appears that I have a daemon. Which is curious because the old tiger has been my totem for years, seems he's back.

A Perfect Day

D came home Saturday night and wanted to know if I would like to go on a boat on Sunday. So we bundled little missy up and went on the most fantastic Sydney Harbour cruise.
It transpires that his collegue has a rich daddy who owns a cruiser. So a private party with some of D's work friends turned into the most perfect of days.
We wandered around Roseville Chase, down past Balmoral and out into the Harbour proper. Then past the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and into Darling Harbour. Then out and around to the fish markets for a lovely fresh fish, lobster, prawn, octopus lunch. Wow.
You don't get many days like that, a complete tonic after the madness of the end of semester.

Yay for friends!

Academic schmacademic

Been madly writing papers and book chapters for the past few weeks.
I've just submitted a book chapter for a peer-reviewed book in Design Patterns for E-Learning, which is cool, although I'm a bit nervous about how it will go.
My CHI paper looks like it won't make it though, oh well. Chalk that one up to experience and keep on going.
I also had a major holdup with my ethics application, but that is now through, thank goodness and I have to update it, by next week, so I'm going to be busy busy busy.
I suspect my supervisor is never going to be happy with me, so I'm just going to keep on keeping on and hope for the best.

Sooo tardy

So, my ethics application took 4 months to get. I have a book chapter due in this week.
I have been exhausted, sick with a cold and laryngitis.
My co-author has just gone overseas for a family funeral. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, but we'll get there.
In other news, baby Kate spent a Sunday afternoon at the hospital two weeks ago with a crack on her head. It was classed as quite unexceptional except for her bizarre reaction to it which is called "pallid breath holding" and means she went all quiet after she hit her head.
Work is going well with this crop of animators looking to be very good. Fingers crossed.
I've re-enrolled in the PhD so I'd better pull the finger out and get some things done. I've enlisted a couple of designers to help out, which is good.
I'm actually having quite a nice time of it lately, with the exception of a few health issues. D is as lovely as ever.