TFIF ...... Thank FUCK it's Friday

Forgive me father for I have sinned; it has been a few weeks since my last blog and I have much to whinge, whine, moan and bitch about - in a positive way though. (Pfffft! We'll see about that).

I've been back at work now for 3 weeks - 3 days a week and I'm loving it. I was so excited to be back in 'adult' company, have grown up conversations and interactions. Then I remembered: I work in a Government department - and not all conversations are from grown ups with adult intellect! LOL.

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I am so bloody happy to see the back end of this week; it all started with DSS (13yo) and his teenage ways driving me to distraction. I am empathetic to his angst; the 'changes' he is going through and how unfair our rules must seem. I mean: how awful that he has to go to school for 6 hours - 1.5 hours of which are spent having recess, lunch and acting all 'gangsta' with his 'bros'. Then he comes home and does a half arsed effort at 'homework' researching the origin of his name online. THE TRAGEDY of it all - I could hear him sighing from the other side of the house FFS!

YES I did say 'Back in my day.... we didn't have Google for homework I looked in an Encylopedia'.... to which I got a weird look - so I continued knitting the Tea Cosy I was making (that's how old he makes me feel).

This week he wanted a tattoo and an earring ..... I felt tempted to say yes to the earring ......'Left is right and right is wrong' (gay).....(old-school saying) and make him get it in the right ear. LOL. Anyway it all came to ahead that we were told we're super arseholes, unfair, and mean for not letting him. And his mates had been allowed to (I suspect each of his mates parents got same speech!). I ended up spending all Tuesday crying that despite years of 'trying' I'm really a nothing in his eyes. As long as I pay the pocket money and electricity bill (for X-Box/ Playstation) - I'm useless for anything else of course. Fast forward a few hours and I got a pretty good apology after hubby intervened.

DSS pulled his head in a for a day - maybe - but he is a work in progress (aren't we all!?). I refuse to give up even though he will push me to the brink of insanity and back ....daily! In my mind I am using this as a practice run for when the 'littlies' are teenagers. DSS also told me this week that he is going to live with us forever and save all his money (cos apparently we won't charge rent and give him food for free etc) and buy a Lambourghini. I told him: 'I'm going to buy a caravan and travel when you're 18' to which he replied: 'That's ok I love travelling and my 'Lambo' can stay in the annexe' Ahhhhhh YEAH - love his confidence but I don't fucking think so!

Speaking of cars - a few weeks ago ours needed a new water-pump; so after some research and getting a quote for the pump, labour and a service we were quoted $450....... a few hours later hubby picked it up and it was $900!!! Apparently it needed more work done; so instead of phoning us to ask - the mechanic just did it. (This was right before I started paid work again so a really bad time for an inflated bill).

Stinging from the mechanics fleecing we budgeted, 'went without', scrimped and saved. Finally this week I got my first full pay and 'BANG' hubby woke me up at 4am (he started at 4.30am that day) to tell me the car wouldn't start - battery stuffed. Joy .... Had to beg a lift from a girlfriend to drop kids at childcare then me at work. Thankfully she loves babies so I bribed her with 'pudding' cuddles!

Long story short: hubby's cousin is the Service Manager at the local Holden dealership so he brought a battery around last night..... 'Alternator is stuffed too' he said. So he took our 'sinkhole of money' vehicle and gave us a lend car. Got quoted around $600 incl parts and labour - joy again! Was still feeling half positive until about a kilometre from home after work the lend car conks out (our house is at the top of a steep hill).

Hubby rings his cousin who says 'Put petrol in it you tight arse'. 'It has 1/4 of a tank' hubby replied. <INSERT PAUSE> 'Oh shit sorry; shoulda told you that the fuel gauge is stuffed in the lend car' said forgetful cousin. Double joy........ me 9hrs at work, lugging chunky Ms 6mo (aka pudding) up the hill on my hip home. Am sure neighbours had good cack though!

I have been told by (adult) workmates however that said bills are nothing in the scheme of things in car ownership - to which I guffawed that buying a car is investment enough - after purchase the only thing you should buy is petrol and they should run forever. I was told: 'That is such a girl thing to say' (from a female co-worker). So perhaps I'm a little naive? Still - this week made me appreciate when things DO work.

Despite such a 'shitty' week.... I am feeling surprisingly upbeat and happy. I'm not sure if my intuition is sensing good things around the corner or if my coping skills are getting better in my old age (I hope both are the case). I feel like despite setbacks out of our control I can overcome anything - and that is empowering. Here's hoping you all had a fantastic week (unlike ours).

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COMPETITION

So despite said shite-ventures I'm feeling particularly generous this evening (thanks to hubby generously filling up my wine glass probably!)

I am going to give away a Arlington Milne Clutch (as pictured) worth $120

All you have to do is the following:

1. Follow my blog publicly
2. Comment below on how your week went this week!
3. Only open to Australian Residents.
4. Competition starts 10/2/2012 and ends at 12pm on 14/02/2012
5. Entrants can only enter once.
6. I will personally judge the answers and the one that makes me laugh or relate to the most will win.
7. Winner will receive a Arlington Milne Clutch as pictured above.

Good luck - and where the heck is hubby with my refill!?


***I Just want to add also that the 'Left is right, right is wrong' comment  above was NOT created by me - nor am I homophobic - in fact several of my greatest friends are 'gay'. I have no issue - blue, black, yellow, white, straight, gay, bi - I do not care. It's what's inside that matters***