Update

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I haven't really anything to write about. My life has been pretty much uneventful, which I guess is a good thing.

I had a difficult couple of months when I was feeling down and homesick, but that's pretty much passed.

Easter - made hot cross buns and ate far too much chocolate. On Sunday the morning staff gave us an Easter egg hunt. We each had a clue which led to a little bundle of chocolates. Great fun! We ate so much chocolate because relatives of a patient gave us a box of Lindt balls. Yum!

Work's going really well. I've been asked to be a clinical coach for a third year nursing student. It's been awhile since I've had a student. We finally got our back pay. We got a new contract in October, and we've only just had the new pay rates implemented. Lovely pay last week. I put the extra in my holiday fund.

Had an impressive thunderstorm last night - lots of lightning. Not really surprising given how humid it had been. We've still had some really warm days.

Been on a bit of a classic movie binge this month. So far I've seen:

High Noon
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
His Girl Friday
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
From Here to Eternity
The Unforgiven
42nd Street


I've been trying to work my way through 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. I'm not going to see all of them because many don't appeal. I'm am aiming to see a quarter of them. While it's still subjective, I prefer it to the various top 100s because it's international. Quite a few of them I'd seen before, but others I've made a special effort to see. Susan, you'll be pleased to know that there are quite a few Cary Grant movies listed. Not all of the movies are easy to get hold of, but I've found that by being patient, they seem to turn up. Plus, my favourite movie theatre screens some of the classics so I've been able to watch them on the big screen. I'm just watching them randomly as I'm able to get hold of them. From what I've watched this month, only one movie wasn't out of that list. I'm not sure how many I've seen, but last count had me around 120.

I've also started watching the complete collection of North and South. (The one based on the John Jakes trilogy) I always loved the first miniseries, the second was okay, but the third one stinks. I've always thought that James Read was gorgeous. Susan, did you know that he played Cary Grant in Poor Little Rich Girl - The Barbara Hutton Story?



I've gotten into the BBC series Life on Mars. I've watched the first series, and once I've downloaded the 2nd, I'll start watching that. Although, it might be easier to buy the dvds. (Which I will once they're released in Australia, unless I go for region 2). Brilliant, brilliant show, that I strongly recommend. I'm also slowly working my way through series 5 of Spooks. Then there's Torchwood. Only one episode to go for this series, and Aunty Beeb is making us wait 2 weeks for it! Arrrgh! This series has been a major improvement of the first one. Then there's Doctor Who to look forward to. I've been spending a lot of time on the TW Australia Forum, where I've been participating in my first RPG. *g* Although, we did have a warm up with a group story. Basically, we each took a character and posted in the form of emails. Lot's of hilarity and late nights ensued.

Music - nothing really new. Bought The Hollies Greatest Hits. All the favourites are there. I've always had a soft spot for Jennifer Eccles. Probably because I always thought her name was Jenny Fereckles. LOL! It took me a bit to find a CD with I'm Down on it. That song always makes me sad. It's about someone finding out he's adopted. Very moving. When we first got our stereo back in 1985, the first 2 LPs Mum chose were The Hollies and Crystal Gale. She had to pick something that my dad would like too. Dad's music is more country - especially Johnny Cash, while Mum's more of a rocker. She has a Black Sabbath CD. *g* People are often impressed when I tell them Mum listens to Black Sabbath and Twisted Sister. It kind of makes me cool by default.

Managed to get through a few books. A couple of Doctor Who novels, 2 books by Irene Nemirovsky. Still have quite a few books on my To Be Read pile.

So, that's pretty much it for the moment. :)