BBQ schmarBQ

All week the weather forecast has said rain. Every day - rain. But in the reality it has rained but a few minutes of any one day. So when they said rain for satdee that was ok. It's our BBQ day. We will not be deterred by a few minutes of rain.

Except it's not just a few minutes. It started in the wee hours of this morning and has not stopped. It actually got heavier in the past few minutes as we discussed the fact we must go and pick up the spit which the butcher has slapped 4kg of lamb and chicken on to... Unfortunately I doubt that won't fit in the freezer... Ooh I just heard thunder. Good times...

So an inside BBQ it is! It's like being in England and having your plans for sunny BBQ trashed...

I would like to take this moment to suggest that mother nature shares her rain with WA. They could do with some help still.

I love Lime/Lindt

What does your man do to make you feel better when he's leaving you for a boys evening (and there may be some hormones involved...). He swings by the Lindt shop on his way home (which coincidentally is next door to Tiffany's) and buys me a giant Christmas tree bauble and a huge bag of mint and peppermint dk choc yumminess. Oh I love Lindt (& Lime).

If it wasn't for the potential hormones in play then I probably would have preferred a little green bag as opposed to a big blue one. But I am pretty chuffed sitting here on my couch, drinking tea, watching trashy Telly and eating yummy choc!

Another one?!

3 protests in a month. 2 in one day alone.

This is the start of the nurses protest. And will probably replace the other one on the steps of parliament once they've marched up there.

Maybe I should protest something - like visa conditions being prejudiced cruel and unfair!

Who's with me? We can wear purple tshirts and have a chavvy chant and a sing song. The nurses had music playing from the truck. Maybe I could have a truck with music too... Ooh what fabulous song could I pick... Hmmm...

Freedom of speech

This may have happened frequently in London. But I never saw it.

I did see an art exhibit at the Tate London about how half the gallery was 1 mile from parliament square so they didn't need permission to protest. Silly British parliament. How I miss Guy Fawkes night.

If anyone attempted the same plot in Ausland they would probably get a bigger sentence for the potential fire hazard/bush fire starter than they would on terrorism charges!
(the most fireworks I can buy are sparklers. Just sparklers. And nothing more than sparklers).

But this pic is my second protest seen in a month. Something about social work and children dying because of job cuts through neglect and abuse (the children dying, not the job cuts).

The last one was supporting wall streets protestors. And let's just say the police were not so kind on those ones in the end...

But this one had a lovely chant on the steps of parliament. And when they did the bit "when do we want it" there was beautifully bogan twanged "now" at the end of it. I couldn't stop giggling. Which is obviously not supportive. But it just sounded so cute/funny/bogan/Auslandish!

But the police were a lot nicer with these people. Probably because they all have jobs and don't just jump on the protest bandwagon because New York are doing it so it's cool!!

Suncream suncream everywhere...

Sunburn sucks. My two worst sunburns are as follows:

1 - Germany, ski trip in the early 90's. Blisters on my nose, ears and mouth. Painful stuff. Kerri, Tish and I ate our dinner through straws for a week. Laughing hurt, imagine being afraid of smiling in case you pop a blister. And we missed several good snow days - boo hiss!

2 - christmas day 2002, Bondi beach. It was rainy, it was chilly and there were clouds. Who knew?! My ass was a beautiful tomato shade of red. And the only thing that eased the pain was pressing my arse cheeks against a cold wall. An attractive sight eh!

There have been other sunburns. But those were the worst by far.

Now don't get me wrong. I am all for protecting my skin. Cancer is bad. Burns hurt etc. But... I want options.

In the land of high UV and hot hot summers (not to mention tragic bushfires like the controlled burn off in WA which is now out of control and burning down houses) it is obviously more important to observe sunscreen directions.

But I would also like to get a tan a well. As someone who plays with their sunscreen levels dependent on day and activity I like to have a variety of spf's on the shelf for varying areas, tan levels etc. Alas Ausland does not want to allow me that choice. SPF 30 that is my choice. And only one unless I want to cover myself in oily Hawaiian tropic every day.

I can buy sunscreen in aerosols, spray bottles, keyring options, giant vats, zinc, roll on, gel, cream, milk, squirt, spray and pump. But only in SPF 30.

I realize this promotes general usage of a high SPF. And I also understand that the UV is higher here. But seriously? Factor 30 or nothing?

I can kind of understand why there is so much vitamin D deficiency in this country. SPF 30, work and school hats are obligatory by law for the young uns and for any outdoor work. People forget they need 10 mins a day - arms and legs to top up their supply.

In my unemployment you would think I would be browner than brown already. But no. I am actually at an he where I get bored with lying around. And the UV makes it difficult to read a book.

I guess I shouldn't whinge too much - seeing how we now have sunshine and the UK has winter... Enjoy!