**Before I get into my rambling, I'd like let you all know I'm participating in The Great Australian Internet Blackout  this week.  Which is why my blog was 'blacked out' with the linking window when you wandered in.  Legislation that is working it's way into being will mandate ISP level url filtering that will slow Australia's internet down by ridiculous amounts, which is uncool since our internet already lags behind much of the world for speed.  This legislation purports to be about child pornography, which there are already law enforcement organizations to handle, but it will also filter out many websites that have nothing to do with illegal activities.. while bring our usage to  a crawl.  They claim it's to prevent children from stumbling on x, y or z... well I'm here to say that is NOT the governments job!   Ensuring my childs net safety is MY responsibility as a parent and there are a variety of ways to do this without a nationwide ISP filter that is a ginormous waste of time & money.  And if some lonely guy wants to google big titted naked women from Idaho... well that's HIS business.  Now back to my regularly scheduled bliss***

Bliss is having the entire house to myself for an afternoon.   Today is Australia Day, and in true Aussie fashion.. I just can't be bothered LOL.  The family organized a get together at our cousins (who hath the new pool ;) for lunch & a swim.... but I just was NOT up for a housefull of people.  To be honest, I'm just generally overwhelmed at the moment and needed to NOT have to go anywhere just for ONE DAY.  So, my delightful husband... whom I spent the last 18hours being decidedly UNdelightful to :S, has taken all three boys and soldiered on to the pool party without me.   Break out the bubbly, it's 5pm somewhere! 

What do I have planned for the next several hours?  Nothing overly fab.. I'll go out & water my veggies, hang out a little washing and maybe fold the stuff that's on the line.  Then I plan to sit down with a homemade iced coffee and spend some quaility time with my cross stitch project.  I've had this project in the works for a LONG time, we're talking several years here, but it's been in it's pillowcase in a closet for about 2yrs and I just burnt out!   So now that the crafty burn out is gone, I'm going to get working in hopes that THIS is the year she is finished! (She is a lovely Goddess/angel type picture.. very looooong and a lot of work!)

 I've decided that lately far too much of my down time involves the computer, so that's coming to an end, as it has become a HUGE time suck for me!  I guess there's something about being able to blobb at a screen and do nothing much that is overly appealing to an overwhelmed &  sometimes stressed out mum!    So with that... I'm outta here to enjoy my peace & quiet!

So instead of my usual serious, and deeply lost in thought posts (lol), I am posting utter fluff.   Last Thursday I decided on a whim to ring a local salon and get a haircut.  I was already going out to get my nails done, so I figured why not make it a pamper afternoon.  I was so tired of my boring old, almost one length and no personality hair.. not to mention my fringe was a disaster.  We're talking to the tip of my nose if I let it, so it had to go.     

The young chick (not meant in a bad way at all... especially if you've noticed the subtitle of this blog ;) that did my hair was great, even offered to make me a mocha (loving this posh service these days) but I already had my trusty Gloria Jeans Creme Brulee.  I did mention this was a pampering afternoon, right? ;)  Must have creme brulee to complete that.  Low fat/cal/sugar be damned.   Anyway... back to Jamie.  She did a lovely job sprucing up my 'do' a bit... without taking off much length.  I gave her the distinct impression that I might go mental if more than about an inch came off then length of my hair... a few razor cut long layers were the only exception to this edict.  Since I rather like the cut, and did not come away looking like a 12yo boy, I shall return to her.  I shall NOT, however, ever pay 30dollars for a friggin blow dry style on top of paying for the cut already!  I nearly fainted when she dropped that one one me... and in her defence, she seemed rather embarassed at the absurdity of that price as well lol.  

I noticed my profile photo on here, and on facebook, was over THREE YEARS old!!!   So, I decided to attempt a reasonable self portrait.. and this is the result.  Yeah.. pardon the outstretched 'tuck shop lady arms' there lol...