How long has it been?
It's been so long since I posted LiveJournal has changed the post page...
Well, I got ADSL up and running yesterday and I am so relieved. No more tedious dial-up. No more sneaking around websites at work when I should be working.
And the reason I have ADSL? I moved into a flat as St. Kilda! Yay! I am living with two Italian flat mates (one Australian Italian and one Italian Italian - from Italy and everything! - only hear until the end of the year). It is a great place to live (says I after only one week) and I have a large room that all my shelves fit into and the tram is only 200 metres away, but I can't hear it at night! I am sending myself broke setting up. So far I have bought a modem/rounter, a toaster, an iron and ironing board, a few extension chords and power boards, about $100 worth of condiments/spices/herbs/sugar... all those essential foods that you don't normally have to buy all at once because they don't run out that often, but when you do have to buy all at once they put a hole in the budget, and some other stuff that I can't remember at this time of morning on a Saturday. Going out to get some furniture today.
Work is still going really well. I have a new supervisor because my old one got a promotion to be in charge of the larger and more complicated Serial Acquisitions Team.
I took my first holiday already to go home for Easter. My old boss paid for my flights because he wanted me to update all his databases, make him a catalogue, do the next few month's advertisments for Horse Deals Magazine and write the customer update emails for the next couple of months. I should have charged him consultants fees.
While I was home I managed to ride Jay twice. The first time I took him out down the road. He needed a run. I don't think the lady leasing him is bold enough to really let him have his head. We walk and trotted about 2 km to get to the dirt road, then I pushed him on and gave him his head. We did a nice relaxed canter for about a kilometre on the dirt road before I reined him in. I had him stand for a bit then walk on a bit before I turned him around. I buried both my hands in his mane and stood in the stirrups in forward position and sharply whispered "GO" in his ear. It was all he needed. He gave me his biggest, fastest canter - breaking into a four beat gallop a few times. It was fabulous. My boy loves to run. He doesn't get to often. I started pulling him up 200 metres before the dirt went back to black top. It took all 200 metres to get him down to a walk. From there we walked the rest of the way home.
I know it was a good run because half way home I had to dismount and take off one of his shoes which had loosened. He was due to be re-shod the next week, so it wasn't so bad.
When I went out to ride him again, he had lost another shoe in the paddock. I couldn't find it because most of the paddock was two inches deep in rain water. The arena was pretty dry, though. I pulled off his two remaining shoes and we did some dressage exercises in the area. He gave me one of the most lovely side passes he's ever done. The lady leasing him has managed not to wreck him, although I noticed he was a bit heavier on the bit when collected. I had to ask more often than usual for him to come up off it.
I went camping with my family over Saturday and Sunday. It rained most of the time, but it was a light, gentle rain that did not dampen our spirits. My mum really loved the Koko Black chocolates I got her for Easter, so did The-Sister-Whose-Glare-Can-Kill-At-50-Paces. Speaking of her, she got a tattoo of a tiger's eyes on her lower back. It is really good. I'm a bit jealous. She was born Year of the Tiger.
Well, that's things. I guess I should get ready to face the day.
Well, I got ADSL up and running yesterday and I am so relieved. No more tedious dial-up. No more sneaking around websites at work when I should be working.
And the reason I have ADSL? I moved into a flat as St. Kilda! Yay! I am living with two Italian flat mates (one Australian Italian and one Italian Italian - from Italy and everything! - only hear until the end of the year). It is a great place to live (says I after only one week) and I have a large room that all my shelves fit into and the tram is only 200 metres away, but I can't hear it at night! I am sending myself broke setting up. So far I have bought a modem/rounter, a toaster, an iron and ironing board, a few extension chords and power boards, about $100 worth of condiments/spices/herbs/sugar... all those essential foods that you don't normally have to buy all at once because they don't run out that often, but when you do have to buy all at once they put a hole in the budget, and some other stuff that I can't remember at this time of morning on a Saturday. Going out to get some furniture today.
Work is still going really well. I have a new supervisor because my old one got a promotion to be in charge of the larger and more complicated Serial Acquisitions Team.
I took my first holiday already to go home for Easter. My old boss paid for my flights because he wanted me to update all his databases, make him a catalogue, do the next few month's advertisments for Horse Deals Magazine and write the customer update emails for the next couple of months. I should have charged him consultants fees.
While I was home I managed to ride Jay twice. The first time I took him out down the road. He needed a run. I don't think the lady leasing him is bold enough to really let him have his head. We walk and trotted about 2 km to get to the dirt road, then I pushed him on and gave him his head. We did a nice relaxed canter for about a kilometre on the dirt road before I reined him in. I had him stand for a bit then walk on a bit before I turned him around. I buried both my hands in his mane and stood in the stirrups in forward position and sharply whispered "GO" in his ear. It was all he needed. He gave me his biggest, fastest canter - breaking into a four beat gallop a few times. It was fabulous. My boy loves to run. He doesn't get to often. I started pulling him up 200 metres before the dirt went back to black top. It took all 200 metres to get him down to a walk. From there we walked the rest of the way home.
I know it was a good run because half way home I had to dismount and take off one of his shoes which had loosened. He was due to be re-shod the next week, so it wasn't so bad.
When I went out to ride him again, he had lost another shoe in the paddock. I couldn't find it because most of the paddock was two inches deep in rain water. The arena was pretty dry, though. I pulled off his two remaining shoes and we did some dressage exercises in the area. He gave me one of the most lovely side passes he's ever done. The lady leasing him has managed not to wreck him, although I noticed he was a bit heavier on the bit when collected. I had to ask more often than usual for him to come up off it.
I went camping with my family over Saturday and Sunday. It rained most of the time, but it was a light, gentle rain that did not dampen our spirits. My mum really loved the Koko Black chocolates I got her for Easter, so did The-Sister-Whose-Glare-Can-Kill-At-50-Paces. Speaking of her, she got a tattoo of a tiger's eyes on her lower back. It is really good. I'm a bit jealous. She was born Year of the Tiger.
Well, that's things. I guess I should get ready to face the day.