The totally off-topic thread

[JohnK]

And when Johnk uses the app himself.. The wormhole will truly open.

I can open wormholes now!

 

[JessicaTam]

I can open wormholes now!

Pick the right one and you will be home in no time.

 

[Austman]

It is handy to remind me what room I am in.

Yes! And sometimes it even has a map to the hotel. And what time breakfast finishes. These can also be very useful.

 

[Katie]

Further update on my mum - Trip to Cairns is off (I just paid the final instalment for the private apartment), Dr appointment today confirmed she has the aggressive cancer and will need the next surgery ASAP - moved to Monday (had been penciled in for the day after our Cairns trip), they don't have a time yet, followed by 3 months Chemo immediately and then 1 year of "some other treatment" to quote my Dad.

Thinking of you, your Mum, and your family, shellthom.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Pick the right one and you will be home in no time.

While all the other ones will just return you to your desk at work

 

[JohnK]

Pick the right one and you will be home in no time.

Aahhh. But which is the right one?

 

[anat0l]

Cooked the most amazing honey-glazed belly pork tonight. Loved by everyone. So good... sweet, amazing crackling, moist...

Pray that I wake up alive tomorrow...


Apparently pork belly used to be a non-preferred cut, and was cheaper than a prime cut. Not that I would know, but if it wasn't on special, it would seem to cost the house.....

 

[whatmeworry]

Cooked the most amazing honey-glazed belly pork tonight. Loved by everyone. So good... sweet, amazing crackling, moist...

Pray that I wake up alive tomorrow...


Apparently pork belly used to be a non-preferred cut, and was cheaper than a prime cut. Not that I would know, but if it wasn't on special, it would seem to cost the house.....

My mother continually tells me how cheap lamb use to be in Australia. I suspect farmers diversifying and pressure from exports has made prices for most species of meat to rise.

 

[serfty]

My mother continually tells me how cheap lamb use to be in Australia. I suspect farmers diversifying and pressure from exports has made prices for most species of meat to rise.

In the early 80's I would purchase lamb shanks @$1 for 6 from a butcher shop in Dandenong.

 

[JohnM]

In the early 80's I would purchase lamb shanks @$1 for 6 from a butcher shop in Dandenong.

That's when they were dog food, not human food .

 

[anat0l]

My mother continually tells me how cheap lamb use to be in Australia. I suspect farmers diversifying and pressure from exports has made prices for most species of meat to rise.

This is another thing I don't get and was discussing with my sister the other night. We pride ourselves on being a lamb nation (apart from New Zealand, but we don't need to know what they do with their sheep), with lamb being a classic Australian meat which had a place on the Sunday dinner table, or even chops on the barbie.

These days it's a damn expensive piece of meat that only seems small change for the privileged*. So much for national tradition.....

* OK that's a bit extreme....

 

[JohnK]

In the early 80's I would purchase lamb shanks @$1 for 6 from a butcher shop in Dandenong.

And when I first started driving in the early 80's I used to go to wholesale butcher in Dulwich Hill and half a lamb was ~$15 and obviously whole lamb was ~$30.

That's when they were dog food, not human food .

They were never dog food. One of the best parts of the lamb.

 

[blackcat20]

It is handy to remind me what room I am in.

That's why, if I'm sharing a room, I keep the wallet and give th other person a card.

 

[Mal]

That's why, if I'm sharing a room, I keep the wallet and give th other person a card.

I just use my mobile. Dial the room number and cancel the call. Then its easy to check later (assuming batt doesn't go flat).

Haven't yet been in room 112 or 999 or any 'dodgy' numbers yet

 

[blackcat20]

I just use my mobile. Dial the room number and cancel the call. Then its easy to check later (assuming batt doesn't go flat).

Haven't yet been in room 112 or 999 or any 'dodgy' numbers yet

I've often written it in my phone notes. Handy when you move hotels every day or two. Otherwise I do tend to remember.

 

[serfty]

That's when they were dog food, not human food .

Not at all ... roasted/broiled - a good cheap feed!

As a kid growing up in the 60's/70's our family had a "shank roster" for the weekly lamb (/two tooth) roast.

It should be noted that $1 bought much more in the early 80's than it does these days (e.g. two pots/middies of beer in a pub).

... Otherwise I do tend to remember.

I simply remember as well - never been an issue.

 

[drross]

Much the same as lamb shoulder. The boss does a slow cooked version and the meat just falls off the bone.

 

[QF WP]

Further update on my mum - Trip to Cairns is off (I just paid the final instalment for the private apartment), Dr appointment today confirmed she has the aggressive cancer and will need the next surgery ASAP - moved to Monday (had been penciled in for the day after our Cairns trip), they don't have a time yet, followed by 3 months Chemo immediately and then 1 year of "some other treatment" to quote my Dad.
Rough day for them I guess, they only got the news tonight and then they had to drive 3 hours home via the home care nurse suffice to say they haven't processed it yet.
Given that I have the treatment plan now and its over a year I will stop with the updates.
Thanks all for the help and support and advice. It has helped me a lot, which in turn kept me strong and normal around my mum - which is what she wants.

Great idea not to let your mum dwell on the bad news, or let the cancer spread any further. I had the words "spreading, invasive and malignant" diagnosis given to me - the next afternoon I chose to have surgery. Even the sleeping tablet I took gave me no relief that night because I was working through the possible outcomes in my head and my body didn't allow me rest. The surgery sleep (2.5 hours) was fantastic - as was the next 10 days recovering at home. Having the surgery gave me hope that it was out an it was up to me to fight anything that was still left (thankfully none). My sincere best wishes to you mum for her surgery and to you for staying strong for her. Allow your partner to be strong for you - don't bottle it up.

I'm a mess right now.

I don't know if my sister will still come but I will still go to Cairns, I might cancel the 6 week trip to EU and Canada/America (USDM redemption) and maybe just book a 1 week trip for my cousins wedding. I don't want to be away for 6 weeks, but my cousin was counting on me and I want to be there for her as well.

Give yourself time to digest and process the changes in you mothers health and how that is possibly going to change your trips/holidays. But agree with Pushka, don't place your life on hold - your mum might feel terrible otherwise. It will make her happy to see you going off to your cousins wedding. You'll be giving her love to your cousin and apologies for not being able to attend. Take video and give to your mum on your return.

We were planning to get engaged - the ring design was put in mid march - but now it feels contrived… I want the ring so we will.

Do it - don't delay if it is right for you two. That is something that you are all looking forward to celebrating. You don't want to look back an say "we should have got engaged whilst mum was well enough to truly enjoy it".

 

[QF WP]

Check out these little spiders. Found around Perth Western Australian. Apparently the well decorated males do a little groovy dance to try to entice the females in and if the dance is not up to scratch then they end up being lunch instead!!

Looks like this male was snubbed - right at the end. At least he wasn't dinner.

Peacock Spider 7 - YouTube

 

[somebol]

Good luck to you mom and your family Shellthom