Friday 14 November 2014

“He could see the honey, he could smell the honey, but he couldn’t quite reach the honey.” - A.A. Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh)

Ooooooh. Blog layout update. It's slightly different to the previous layout. 

We had Miss J. stay with us last night. As always, it was super, uber, most excellent fun. Wine was drunk, talks were had and there was much merriment. During these happy times, Miss J. mentioned that I haven't blogged about any furniture renovation projects in a long time. I defended myself, saying that I live in a very small house, which is now full of furniture that doesn't need renovating. How sad. 

Hopefully we will move to a bigger house sometime after January, when our lease is up. Our current place is excellent in that it's a 15 minute walk to UTAS, and it has reasonable rent. However, the reason the rent is so reasonable is that we're right next to the southern outlet, which means that we hear cars and trucks going past all day long. Also, neighbours suck. We have the O'Crazies with their loud domestics on one side, the Squeaky McBedsprings on the other, in addition to someone in the building having shocking driving skills that has resulted in my car being hit 3 times while in the building's private carpark! AND THEY NEVER LEFT A NOTE. Come December I'll be keeping an eye on the rental market for a stand alone house. With a backyard and a shed, so I can attempt renovations once more! Renovating in my lounge room, or in our teeny tiny backyard (it's perhaps, 2 x 2 metres?) was challenging. 

So what have I been doing with all my post-honours free time, given that I have no renovation projects to fill it?

I've been crafting.



I'm making Christmas cards and tags, ft. tiny origami Saint Nicholas'! Some of them are blue. They're old school. 

Christmas cards in the stores are expensive. They want 10 of my moneys for a pack of 5 cards? No thank you. I valiantly decided to stand up to consumerism (or something) and make my own cards! However, with the cost of the card, the origami paper, the twine, and how long it takes me to make them (teeny tiny = mucho time taken) I'm not much better off. Also, all the colour on the origami paper is rubbing off on my desk and now it has red smudges all over it. Oh well. I guess I'll have to repaint it! Maybe mint green.

   
Delicious mint green desks.

But that won't be happening any time soon! I'm off to Bruny Island with the Honours cohort on Tuesday for a holiday! I get back Thursday (which just so happens to be the DAY FACE STARTS HIS PHD, OHMIGERD), then on Friday I'm catching the Spirit to the mainland! Family and mainland-friends visiting time. I'll be there until the 9th of December, and after that, high country brumby business begins! Yeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwww! Excitement is at maximum capacity. Field trips and dates will be finalised over the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Much love.

xx   

Tuesday 4 November 2014

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” - Albert Einstein

WE DID IT!!


Well done, us!

The thesis was due in at 9 am yesterday. We celebrated with bubbly at 10 am (because 9 am is far too early for bubbly), breakfast at 11 am, and naps at 12 pm.

I fell asleep at 6 pm last night, and have only just gotten up (it's 3:13 pm). Thesis-ing ruins your sleep patterns. 

I'm not really sure what to do now. The past 9 months of my life have been consistent research. I keep glancing over my shoulder at the huge pile of text books and journal articles piled on the floor. I feel a bit guilty for writing this rather than reading them. 

I don't think the freedom has quite hit me yet. 

Face will be starting his PhD in 3 weeks! That's two weeks notice at Sush, and a weeks holiday for Face. Then he must master the genetics of eucalypts! He's pretty pleased with himself. Research is far superior to working for an honest living. Honest livings mean you have sore and cracked hands from having them in dirty dishwater all day. This way only his brain will be sore and cracked.

At the moment it looks like I'll be at uni with him, but working rather than student-ing! My head supervisor has offered me a position as a field researcher over the summer. I'll be chasing brumbies all around the Victorian high country and gathering data on the herds. It's a test run to see if I'd like to do a PhD on the subject. I think yes

Very exciting things happening in the life of Kitkat and Face!

Much love. xx