DIY Break-in

Thrid time luck (I've written the frist part of this post three times now so hopefully this time it gets published).


I had just gotten home from house sitting for my youth pastor and his wife and I was in total DIY mood. It's probebly because my youth pastors wife is very creative and it is complely evedent throughout there house.

So I just got home and saw my perants for about 2 minutes before they were off to bible study. Dad mentioned something about my bedroom light being out and he would change it when he got home (because it's a little tricky).

I didn't pay much attention as per usual and sat down to watch my t.v. show which dad had recorded for me. Then once it had finished I went to unpack and realised my light was out. So I needed a screwdriver a philips head. But to my horror we only had flat heads in the house.

I had a 'light buld moment' I keep a screwdriver in my car for energencies and that would work just perfectly. So I grabbed my keys and headed outside looking through my car I had no luck and addmitting defete I turned to go back inside realising I had locked my keys in m car I was fustrated. Turning the door handel to return inside I became extreamly annoyed I had not only locked myself out my car but also out the house and my mobile was on the inside.

After calming down I had to work out how to break in to my house. So I work out that I could jump the fense. So I climbed up onto the bonet of my car and then onto our rain water tank. Lets just say I sprained my anckel and had to battle two spiders. All in all I got back into the house and I was armed with a philips head screwdriver.

I climbed up onto the stool and unscrewed the light cover to change the light globe. And there was light. Once I had changed the light globe I decided to renevate. I took the blades of the fan off the light and hung one of those big paper balls over it and I was impressed it looked pretty good.

Once Ihad done that I noticed that my windows had paint on them. We have the big old wooden window frames and when we painted last paint got on the glass enevatably. Because when your painting your so exhausted by the end of the job that you can never be bothered scratching the paint off the window. So I took the time and did it now they look great. Except now I need to scratch the paint of the windows on the outside.

My plans:

I indend on taking my paper cranes down (all 194 of them) they have been up for a while now and I need to make room for my ever growing collection of photos. I have just brought some fantastic looking gold photo frames and think it would look really cool if I hung them on the wall.

But I guess my future DIY plans aren't that exciting unless something unexpected happens while i'm looking for a hammer.

What do I need a hammer for you ask, well i'll keep you in suspence....


(or save you from bordem)

Anyway here's some pictures:






My new light









Fan blade after I detached it from the light










All paint removed (from the indside at least)

Geoffrey

Geoffrey is my car.

I know what your thinking you named your car how absurd. well I don't care if its a little nutty or crazy or whatever you want to call it I just figure if guys could name their cars then why couldn't I??? So I did after a lot of thinking I came to the conclusion that Geoffrey was a good name. Reliable and cute it seemed to fit my car.

So I brought Geoffrey when I was 16 all keen on getting a car and my license as you are at that age. He wasn't perfect but nothing is for that price is!!!

So the proud owner of a 'new' Daihatsu Charade soon learned that it's NOT cheep owning a car and that along with a hefty price tag came a lot of responsibility.

• Car insurance
• Rego
• and not to mention the learners test, lessons and of curse your P's etc.

the list goes on it's just so expensive to become independent these days.

Over the years Geoffrey and I have had many good times and some bad times.

Hes driven me to youth camps and on an amazing race to Aldinga. To the beach, the air port and city. For the occasional putter through the country side and back and forth to my cousins house in Seaford. All in all he has been a good car.

But then we have had our disagreements and lets face it he is getting a little old (for a car anyway). He's cracked his head, the water pump has gone, the clutch cable snapped, the radiator was blocked, the clutch needed replacing, and the wheel alignment was not aligned to say the least. As well as some injuries that I have inflicted myself such as cracking the diff housing (if that's the correct term), and a few minor bumps and bruises that occur form 'natural' wear and tear.

However the latest injury is by far the worst. And yes I know it might come as a shock to you but it was NOT my fault.

You see the other day I was driving to the shops to get this pair of Connies that I've just been dieing to get (another story for another time) and this guy pulls away from the curb, no indicator, no nothing. So I swerve to avoid this car Unsuccessfully I might add. And He plowed right into the side of Geoffrey, scraping from the back tyre right to the front the indent getting deeper down the side of my car. I was completely in shock and devastated at the crumpled sight of Geoffrey. It's all ok I was the only one in the car and I wasn't hurt; Geoffrey on the other hand...

Now I have to get quotes and go through the insurance jargon and all that stuff. And Geoffrey is still crumpled and their telling me that he might be considered a write-off. (Something about he will cost too much to fix). Don't they understand that I love Geoffrey I have an emotional attachment to him I don't wasn't him to become scrap metal. :(

So many things...

So lately my minds been a blur, a complete storm cloud just floating around up there. So I thought I'd share a few thoughts with you, in hope that it gives me some clarity.


I've been thinking about my future after the end of this year and where exactly God's taking me. I feel very passionately about youth and children's ministry and would love to be a Christian Pastoral Support worker (formerly known as a chaplain). But then I wounder am I good enough for a position like that would I help or hinder Gods mission in this world, In this job. Or am I just over thinking it all or worse under thinking it all. As I said earlier a storm cloud of thoughts.


We went to the Sons of Korah concert the other night... And it was fantastic by the way, bought the DVD, met the guys and got their autographs; over all a great night.
There style of music, although unique and fantastic reminded me very much so of Harold.
For those of you who don't know Harold, he was my step Grandad. But he meant more to me then just a step grandparent. Harold taught me my first chords on the guitar, how to make a backyard sun dial, he used to teach me about plants and birds and he would tell stories about his ever so interesting past. We would make all sorts of contraptions from scrap bits of wood in his shed, take long walks through out the countryside of Gladstone (where Nana and Harold used to live), and make back yard put-put with an old tin and a golf ball. Harold was beloved by his family and all who knew him.
This list by its self not so sad in fact its quiet a happy and fun list, however the sad part is that this time last year Harold went to be with our Lord and Saviour. I know hes in a better place but it doesn't mean I don't miss him.


Looking back this time last year was a sad and hectic time for me and my family.

Shortly after Harold passed on Christopher did also. Christopher was my cousins beautiful baby boy. He was just 5 months old when he went to be with Harold in heaven.

Just to throw a little more drama in the mix Dad went into hospital for his surgery. As I have blogged about previously.


So to make the big fat fuzzy confusion and emotion that happens to be my being at this particular time, just that little bit blurrier I'm so messed up with these feeling about a guy. I don't want to be the girl who can't function without a guy in fact I'm not that girl. But just when I think I'm ok and can 'move on' so to speak; he appears again and manages to tip the boat so we all end up wet and dripping and to pick our lives back up and go on.


I think that's just about everything in the stormy cloud of mine. so on that note I'll go.

blisters, holes and no real coffee.

Ok, so I haven't written a post in a long time, it's partly because I've been been house sitting and therefore very busy so I'm sorry but that's a post for another time.

Today I want to tell you about year 9 camp, although it happened almost 2 weeks ago.

So year 9 camp...

...ok so Friday, week 9, term 3, I was given a really big back pack, I'm talking the size of a small child. In this back pack I was to pack our tent, my half of the food and my clothes, two words came to mind good-E. Ok that only one word but you get my point.

So back at home I'm packing the Jumbo back pack, sleeping bag, spare clothes, blow up pillow, food etc. but I was lucky enough to keep the weight of my pack to about 20kg (that was considered light).

Day one.

The next morning I get up early and bump my pack into the car. Dad drove me to the school and the bus was there ready to take me away from civilisation for 4 days. We made a detour through Macca's drive through no the way there for my last cup of real coffee. And for those of you who know me, mornings without coffee do NOT equal a happy Steph.

On the bus... I waved good bye to Dad, drank the rest of the coffee and went back to sleep...

3 hours later and our last flushing toilet we made it to our starting point. this is where we learned the two words we would grow to hate 'packs up'.

We hiked maybe 15 minutes down the path before we got to Alligator Gorge were we drop our packs with a sigh of relief (that was far enough for me I was ready to go home). Then we went for a walk through the gorge. It was beautiful and we even saw a lizard which I just had to touch 'I had a Steve Irwin moment'. No, actually I had to touch it to make sure it was real. It just looked so fake like someone put it there to trick us or something??.

It was pouring with rain for majority of the 7km that we walked to the first campsite. I was completely soaked along with all my belongings. But I am happy to say that I was the 5th person to arrive at the campsite. An enthusiasm that would die very quickly on this camp. I put up the tent and just chilled.

Day two. .

I put my feet in my shoes to find that they were so extremely sore, blisters, huge blisters had appeared on my feet. And I assure you that they only got worse as the camp went on.

The hike up to the battery and back was excruciating. It was like too many ks to even count and it was all up hill, and steep. My feet were throbbing and my asthma was playing up. (as you can tell nature and I are one. or not you make the judgment). But in all honesty the view when we got up there was breathtaking. And so worth it. And the bonus... on the way back we took the short cut so much quicker.

Unfortunately I felt sick after that delightful 'stroll in the park' and had to sleep the exherstion off, with the help of a few pannadol.

Day three...

The next morning I cracked I had to go to the toilet, so I went to a secluded spot dug a little hole and reluctantly went. I can tell you now it was worth holding on and I'll never, ever do that again.

[Sorry to those of you who have already read this it seems as though only half my post has posted and I am now finishing it off. Grrr]

So after my intimate experience with nature I got my much needed coffee hit. See my Mum had this brilliant idea that I could take coffee beans on camp, this eliminated the need to boil water. This task in a normal setting not so hard, but when on camp and with no coffee in the system this could prove quiet difficult or even dangerous, so the coffee beans were a good idea and they worked. Thanks Mum.

Today was the most relaxing day of camp. All we had to do was pack up our tents and walk to the second campsite. (ok the morning was kind of relaxing).

So were down at the river (it wasn't much of a river really but it had some water) cleaning all our cooking stuff when one of the girls found a frog. I love frogs, they're my favourite animal so I was over there in a shot. we managed to catch the frog and place him in a container along with rocks and a few tadpoles. I named him Franky Junior, Franky J for short.

The hike to the other campsite was long and hot which was a contrast to the first day but I can't say it was any better. I was the 5th to last person to the second campsite (clearly no enthusiasm was left). But it was good I shared a tent with some friends so I didn't have to pitch my own tent this was a nice change. I think knowing it was the last night made it so much easier.
And this campsite had ...... flushing toilets.

P.S. Franky J was safe and sound so there's no need to call the RSPCA

Day four....

We were up feed, coffeed and packed ready to leave but the bus wouldn't start. The bus driver had come the night before and slept in the bus, but he left something on and the battery went dead. We couldn't jump start the bus, (not the worlds easiest things to do) so we called the RAA. They rock up 45mins later and finally we can go home.

On the way home we stopped in a little town for lunch and I must admit I went a little crazy. It must have been the lack of junk food on camp. So we went to the bakery where I had a sprinkle donut (so good) and a juice, then across the road at the fish and chip shop I had a hamburger with the lot - minus egg, some of my friends chips and gravy and a chocolate milk. and after that I had a stomach ache.

Finally at home, well almost, at the school which is almost home. Anyway Dad picks me up and when I excitedly told him about my new pet Franky J he did his usual tut and roll. That's where he tuts and then rolls his eyes, you know hes not mad but hes just thinking here we go again.

So actually at home...

I get home and tell Mum about the frog and shes more excited about it then Dad was. So we go out and buy a tank and some crickets for Franky J to eat. We set it all up and he seems to like his new home. Then.....
I had to pone my Grandma and tell her I got a frog. See Grandmas frog-a-phobic and I new she wouldn't like it, but she took it surprisingly well and she said as long as he stays in his cage in my room that she was ok with it.

And then I slept and voled never to go on Flinders camp again.

Things I learned on camp:

• bring enough pairs of sock you'll need them
• pack ALL of your clothes in heavy duty garbage bags to avoid getting wet clothes and everything else
• pannadol and coffee are musts
• sleeping on the floor is NOT comfortable
• everyone ends up smelling so it doesn't matter if you smell as well
• flushing toilets should never be taken for granted
• the shoes you plan on wearing the entire camp should fit you properly
• it's illegal to take things out of a national park. whoops
• the idea of lugging everything you may need around in a giant back pack is absurd