Eleven days until my 33rd birthday. When COVID started, I was 27 turning 28. My 30th happened during one of the lockdowns.

I've gone through 4 or 5 different calls centre jobs since 2019.

Now I'm studying animal care, with the plan to do either a Cert IV in Vet Nursing, or a Diploma of Animal Tech.

I spent only one year with my partner before COVID started. We've been together 6 years in Jan just gone.

It feels so long and no time at all. So much has changed.

I am grateful how I have managed to change my trajectory on a personal scale.

It's gonna be okay, eventually, and I hold enough hope about that for those who can't be hopeful.

I am eternally grateful for this community, a home made of code and human souls sharing their lives and advice. You've been amazing to me, even though I've been less than stellar at times.

Sending you all my love and good vibes! 💜💜💜

Starting new job tomorrow. Kind of nervous but excited.

Miss Meow approves of the new cushions.

Everyone in the block of flats next door have moved out (was sold, probably end up being townhouses), last dude to leave who has early onset dementia came and said goodbye which was a bit sad. Really nice guy and can't imagine the move for him is gonna be easy.

Other place next door on the other side (with a bunch of noisy kids which is all good) have moved out cause they're about to do renos.

Completely neighbourless, and the lack of noise reminds me of locky lockdowns which to be honest isn't the worst thing.

Which brings us the rave choon

I think I could get used to this

This is my neighbour's fence. Everytime he finds something worthy he staples on here. I've popped it under a spoiler because it's fucking hideous.

spoiler

Saw three Tawny Frogmouths at the park 😃 I love them.

I have some awesome gnochi from an Italian restaurant to sink my sore mouth into, some cheesecake, and a fluffy cat to annoy.

Life's good for now ❤️

Edit: as this is my last night of freedom before working again, I'm staying up one last time!!!

Lazy day. New job starts Tuesday so I'm getting up early tomorrow to get used to it. 6:30am.

So super early night tonight.

The embiggening appears to have worked. I think my feet look quite fetching.

I’ll now be wearing them until bedtime just to make sure they settle in to the peculiarities of my feet

Wow. Big sleep.

Lasagna. It is time.

I think I found a new hobby. I put the boxing on Wii and KO'd a few dickheads. I'm tired now.

got a case of standard dun wanna but i must meal prep before i go out for dinner and then I remember I bought chips and chocolate on sale yesterday

much quieter here, last place had 5 neighbouring houses doing renos, one is a major demolition, the other uses jack hammers

and no aggressive junkies here, no porch pirates so far, had a package sit on my porch all day, was still there

and last thing I saw in my street in Carlton, first time I saw a homeless lady pushing a shopping trolley with her belongings, I went up to her and gave her a 20, she spoke in a middle class accent

I do understand living in the suburbs ( which I haven't done in 35 years ) means that even if I don't see social problems that doesn't mean the problem has gone away 😔

The spinach recalls because of E. Coli remind me of when I got salmonella from spinach in the early 2010s. My ex and I were so so sick, dying on the couch watching TV together, when the news started talking about it - that's how we found out what we had and why we were sick 😂

It's the only time I've ever had salmonella.

0/10 do not recommend.

Apparently I had a deprived childhood. I have never made or worn an Easter bonnet or hat. I thought it was an odd new thing, but friends of the same vintage and similar geography tell me this had been happening for many decades, I've just somehow completely missed it. Huh.

Anyone here AFAB have luck with menstrual cups?

Good night everyone, sleep tight

just more cleaning and unpacking today

I think I'll start setting up my shell collection cabinet 🙂

it's a very blowy day here and it's makes the cats skittish 😃

I’m off to the market. Yaaaay

noises of feline mayhem & destruction

This was inevitable.

Had to do something pretty unfortunate this morning, so to balance it put, I finally got some lobster ramen. While the lobster itself was so-so (a bit tough) the lobster bisque ramen soup was the stuff my dreams are made out of!!

Now I need a long nap!

Among my recent purchases is a pair of canvas high tops. Because why the fuck not.

The process of stretching them slightly to get the fit just right - they ARE the right size, but feel just a smidge too small at the heels - is ongoing. I have stuffed…about four pairs of bundled up socks in these sneakers?

Goodnight all! I'm going to get horizontal and vegetate in my creaky old bed. Ciao for now.

We had a good day at the Zoo today, the tigers and monkeys were fairly active.

My biggest takeaway was the Norco Scene is the zoo's bike of choice. If I was Norco or a reseller I'd get on that for a campaign

🥬

Neighbours are already either up and drinking or haven't stopped. Given I heard them at 2am but they were quiet by 6am, I suspect they at least had a disco nap.

I went out and checked the yellow sticky traps. They got a few but the whiteflies were mostly clustered underneath the leaves and the traps had caught multiple long legged flies… aka the beneficial insects that eat the aphids. Plus one tiny katydid. They might have got a weird kind of ladybird yesterday (which I freed).

Not happy Jan. I’ve taken them down and won’t be using them anymore.

It was an aph-ocalypse under there on the worst plant so I ended up using a strong solution of natural dish soap to douse and scrub wherever they were. It ended up leaving a thin wet lather of detergent behind which might harm the plants and encourage mildew (already an issue) but is hopefully insecticidal. Fingers crossed it doesn’t affect the good bugs.

Melbcat wasn’t impressed that I was out there for ages while she had to stay inside, so she’s off in her bed. It’s a shame. She could have sat with me or sunbathed. But I need her to accept staying a fully indoor kitty and not expect to be let out.

My gum near the problem tooth is looking red and sore so I think there’s a problem again. Hopefully only a minor infection from a floss nick but I’ll have to get that sorted between everything else going on.