RACQ? More like Misdiagnosis Anonymous

Warning.. this blog post is not as chipper as most! Hehe

For those who don't know, RACQ is a roadside assistance company that come and saves you if your car breaks down, has a flat tire, etc. This is the first year I have been a member because dad has always been in the same city and he is MUCH more useful than roadside assistance. A) Because he is free B) Because he always gets it right.

This year I have had two run ins with RACQ which have led me to believe they are a waste of money. Explanation:

1. One day in about March, I drove out to Springfield to see a friend and stopped into Coles to buy some ice cream. When I came out my car wouldn't start. I thought this was a perfect job for RACQ, so I called. After waiting around one and a half hours for his arrival, a little Indian man tells me that the remote in my key is broken and not communicating with the car so I need to get the car towed to a Holden dealer for a new key. So after spending half the next day towing my car all over the country to a variety of locations (because Holden were unable to help), I spent hundreds of dollars only to discover that there was an electrical problem bigger than ben hur and my car was basically a write off. Not only should the RACQ man have been able to tell me this, but if he had I would have saved a fortune.

2. On Friday afternoon, my car overheated as I was driving home from work. Realising I likely hadn't put water in my car recently enough, I called and told the operator I needed someone to bring me water. The guy comes, quicker than the last one, and with his filthy beard and grubby hands, he arrives with about 1L of water when he needed 5. Uh hello! I told you people I needed water! Anyway, then he also tells me that my radiator has a leak and I need to get it towed and either replaced or fixed. Great. So again, trusting that he is correct, I get the car to a nearby safe location. These people are mechanics right? I mean, if all it takes is greasy hands and a beard, sign me up!! So anyway, on Saturday, Josh and I spend the day buying a radiator and replacing it the one in my car.. ONLY TO DISCOVER it was actually a leak in the overflow container, not the radiator. Imagine my irritation after spending half a day and half a fortune. Again, if they guy just got it right, I would have bought a $10 part instead of a $300 part for my car.

So this is why I hate RACQ. Misdiagnosis Anonymous. This is why they are receiving some horribly nastily worded complaint letters today. And some phone calls. And will no longer get any of my money!

Perhaps you have a similar tale to share?

Bucket List

A few people have been writing these lately, and I thought I should write down a few ideas too! I'm sure it'll be a list that is constantly updating, but why not start now!

1. Have a family (this is on it's way)
2. Sing in a music group with my sisters.
3. Sing in a musical on stage.
4. Be able to run 10K.. fast..
5. Build and OWN our own home on acreage... have sheep.. a fireplace.. ya know.
6. Go to Indonesia with Josh.
7. Be good at playing the piano. Ie. be able to sightread stuff easily.
8. Have a home business I love that earns a lot of money!

Ok that's all I can think of right now, but it's a start! I'll add more later.

Questions

1. Why do we need a gall bladder?

Yesterday, I could barely move for about 8 hours as I writhed in pain of the abdominals. After a 3 hour wait in the emergency room (which yes is a horrible wait while writhing in pain), I come to find out that it's a fairly normal thing to happen when you're pregnant. Really? Because it didn't feel normal. When he asked me where my pain was from 1 to 10, I was like 'well I haven't given birth yet so I don't know where 10 is.. but this would have to be the worst pain I have ever felt... so 8 or 9'. Apparently your gall bladder can get sluggish and cause severe pain. Awesome. Which brings me to my next question.

2. What is the point of the emergency room?

I got there, couldn't speak, explained that I was pregnant, had to sit down for fear of fainting, had hurl all over my clothes (that was a special visual image for you all I'm sure) and was visibly in severe pain. It still took 3 hours for a doctor to see me. Now you tell me, does that sounds like I was seen to as if it was an emergency? Uh.. no. Of course, it wasn't really an emergency, but at that point in time they didn't know that. I could have been having a miscarriage or something, for all I, or they, knew. And the pain on those uncomfy chairs.. yikes! Which brings me to my next question.

3. Why does anyone do this to themselves?

We spend 9 months vomiting, feeling sick, getting fat, having horrible digestinal problems, and a range of other strange and uncomfortable things. Then, it practically murders us getting it out! Yet most women want to do it.. not only once, but multiple times! I am one of these sick, ridiculous women. I guess it's the fact that our bodies are capable of creating life, and the wonderful baby we create at the end of it all. Which, of course, brings me to my next (and final) question.

4. WHAT HAVE I DONE!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(This is a happy AHH, but still, freaking out slightly!)


This is my 'gulp' face...

Introducing....

Fun, huh?!

Peanut Butter Sandwich

I have always been pretty impartial to peanut butter. But as of Thursday, I no longer like it at all...

It began when I decided to have a little snack before heading to the gym. I didn't want to get hungry there (because it was about dinner time) and I also didn't want to have eaten a full meal. So I just made a slice of bread with peanut butter. Then, I went outside to play with the dog. You know, gotta love the dog before you go out or she gets all whiney.

Well, very soon after being out there and running around, I felt the peanut butter was coming back up. So I ran and made it to the garden. Phew. Out came some peanut butter sandwich in a rather violent motion. The dog thought this was great and got down there to lick it up. That is gross enough. But, unfortunately another 'incidence' of peanut butter was on it's way out to land in the same location... which now was right on top of the dog. Yes, I threw up on my puppy!!

I was too repulsed that I couldn't clean it off her then... so I left it. I'm so disgusting! I went to the gym, and on the way I called Josh and told him the story. After laughing hysterically, he reminded me of how repulsive I was for not bathing her straight away. Don't judge! I couldn't do it!!! I felt fine at the gym... after all I was just doing yoga...

Once I came home, I was less repulsed and ready to wash the dog. So I got out the hose, gave her a spray, and got rid of at least most of it.

She got a real bath today. I had to wait for Josh to come home. Poor thing (yes, both of them)....

Flowers are a girl's best friend.

My current brilliant idea is to become a wedding florist. I know - "Katrina, you have 2 degrees. Isn't that enough?" Frankly, no. I want it all!

Every mormon woman in Brisbane (and it's surrounds) at present seems to be or be becoming a photographer.. weddings, babies, etc. So I thought, perhaps a florist might complement that booming (and rather saturated) market. Good thinking, eh?

I have researched and found that to be a wedding florist or learn those skills, there are no short TAFE courses as I hoped there would be. There, sadly, are only year and eighteen month long courses that cost like $4000. Not interested! I've invested enough money into an education for now...

So.. This is my plea. Do you, or do you know anyone, who knows how to make wedding flowers that could invest a few hours to show me the basics? The rest I could learn as I go... but I need some basics. So... THINK! And let me know who, or what, you know :)

To buy or not to buy....

So, my delicious husband and I are wanting to buy a block of land. Now, the title is a little misleading because we've already decided we want to buy... we just need to decide on which one! This is the tough part.

We, for the past fifty Saturdays in a row (okay, so maybe like four Saturdays... but it feels like more) have been visiting the area we want to buy in and looking around the estates, annoying real estate agents, and looking at land. I used to think, "It's just land.. there's no house yet, so surely it's easy to choose!" WRONG! It's hard to choose the perfect one. Do you want a larger block or a nicer view? Do you want a perfect rectangle or a bit of shape? Do I want it here, or there? Should we pay the extra $30,000 for the PERFECT block or settle for something a little less than perfect and save a bunch of money. Which one will Ruby (our gorgeous new puppy) like best? These are the thoughts.

Well, whichever block we decide on, it'll happen soon! Be excited! Then, soon after (or maybe a bit later... whatever we decide - AHH DECISIONS!) we will build our dream home... which by the way we have already chosen :)

While it is hard to decide, I am grateful for this decision. I could be deciding between which cardboard box to slide into at night for a bit of shelter, or whether to eat that mouldy piece of bread or this rotten mandarin (EW!). We are very blessed and have the ability to meet our needs and even some of our wants. It may take hard work, but it's worth it.