( cut, cos it got long )

New Goals, for the First Four Months of Twenty-Ten

At work
• Learn to troubleshoot common client sequencing problems.
• Move into or learn a different area at work and/or a different skill set.
• Become more confident and able to deal with clients.
• Offer a few ideas about sequencing procedure and improvements to the national team rather than just the Melbourne lab.

At home
• Keep the house clean. This means doing some form of cleaning every weekend, whether it's vacuuming or mopping or even (shudder) dusting.
• Do more spontaneous baking! I like baking, and I don't do nearly enough of it.
• Get rid of all the cardboard boxes and foam packing lying around the house, and get rid of the clutter.
• Keep Mr Frosty (my chilli plant) alive.

Me
• Go for a half hour walk at least five days a week.
• Start eating better - more fruit and vegetables, smaller portions, less sugar, fat and oil.
• Save at least half of my take-home pay each fortnight.
• Contribute to the gourmand fund every fortnight.

In Azeroth
• Get a Battered Hilt or other weapons upgrade for Thysan's main spec
• Get dual spec for Jess, and experiment with frost and fire (or frost and fire AT THE SAME TIME. Whatever you feel like at the time!)
• Work on Loremaster for Thysan (30 lousy quests to go, grrr).
• Farm up Thysan a Disgusting Oozeling. And a Firefly.

Things to finish
• Thank you cards from the wedding.
• My cross stitch, and the binding on the patchwork quilt. (Yes, this means you
• Biting my nails

Dear Granda,

I want to thank you so much for being such a large part of my life. You have always been there for me, with helpful advice (or just to stop me running away with Gram's bag!), or with an incisive comment, or even just the solutions to the crossword.

I love you, and I'm grateful that I've been able to spend time with you, and for all the things you've done for me.

I will never forget the times we shared together, from sharing lunch, or walking along the Fremantle wharves, fishing in Yallingup, days out, replacing your washing line, reading your books. Going to the library to read while Gram searched the op shops. Having breakfast with you before school, and going out for afternoon tea after primary school. The time you accidently knocked down the basketball hoop at St Paul's when you were dropping Merri and I at achool so we didn't have to walk through the rain. Dancing at my wedding.

I love you, Granda, and this can in no way sum up all the special things you've done for me, or the special place you've held - and will continue to hold - in my life, but I just wanted to give you some kind of idea of it.

Love,
Amy.

--

My grandfather passed away this morning.

My granda is currently in hospital. It's kind of shit - he's always been as tough as an old pair of boots and never, ever complained about anything, much less done what anyone else said, but at the moment it's looking like he's done. He told my mum yesterday that he was tired of fighting, that he was ready to go - he's 89, he said, surely that's good enough for anyone.

He did refuse to sign a DNR, though, so maybe that's a good thing. I don't know, anymore. 2009 has just been utterly shite.

My mum seems to think he has a few more days, so - I don't know. This is so hard to go through again, being a continent away.