Good Monday.....Mostly

Got up yesterday to find Emily dressed for school and on the Wii fit exercising.  She said "Look at me, I've had a shower" (it's a struggle to get her to do that most days), "I've had breakfast and I'm exercising, I'm the golden child, now you have to give me more money".  So I did, just a bit extra on her lunch money.
Then a message finally came through from my oldest daughter, Ali, of Harvey her son.  He's getting so big. 
Phill decided to make me redundant and did all the washing and other stuff, he's been home for like four days, it's getting old but I try not to get irritated at him taking over, and just leave him to it.  To find him sitting on the lounge watching the Young and the Restless at 2pm was a bit disconcerting though.  Might buy him an apron and a hair net or something.
The calendars arrived that I ordered for the kids.  I got them from the RSPCA and 100% of the profits go to them which is great.  One is all cats and the other one dogs, with cute sayings on each month.  Got my parfait spoons too that I bought to go with the milkshake/sundae glasses we got from the Op Shop.
Then the happy news that we've been audited by the tax department and between us owe them over $5000 from the financial year 2008/2009 when Phill apparently earned too much or something.  It's all very odd and it's never happened before.  We'll be repaying Mr Tax man verrrrry slowly.  Barstards.
Did the kids burritos with puree cauli and broccoli in the meat and got a couple of pork loin chops for us, marked down, yay!  I just pan fried them and made a sage butter sauce with fresh sage from the garden.  It was really nice and the pork was tender and cooked perfectly.  Simple and easy.  Then the kids all had ice cream sundaes (Kim stayed for dinner).  Later I got talked into walking Kim home with Emily.  She lives on the other side of town and it nearly killed me.  I hate that she walks around town after dark.  Phill and Josh had gone for a walk but we should have just waited till Phill got back so he could drive her.  When we finally got home Josh had taken a tumble on the street, ripped his school pants, grazed his legs and hurt his wrist.  He's fronted up okay this morning and I didn't mention it lest he used it as an excuse to stay home.
I had a nice talk with Alison on the phone last night.  My other daughter is having problems with the father of her little boy Jake.  He has a new partner and a baby and they've bought a house and are the stabilising part of Jake's life.  He wants to have Jake more and he and Mandy are at odds over this and he's talking custody fight.  Times were that the courts almost always found in favour of the mother in custody challenges but that isn't the case anymore.  Mandy is living with the evil stepmother and she and Jake are sharing a windowless room and a bed and it's just not healthy.  Their lifestyle isn't ideal, especially now Jake is getting older.  Ali says Mandy is very much involved with the step family, even though her father is long gone, and they are a bunch of very shady types.  If she had applied for public housing when she first separated from the father early in the pregnancy she would be settled in a secure and affordable home by now.  But she wouldn't listen to me.  I hate to think what the result of a court battle will be.  And what would become of my poor lost lamb if she lost her son.

Here is my beautiful Kate, second from right, at an engagement party for one of her friends.  She must have straightened her hair for the occasion as it's normally long and gorgeously curly.  Not sure who those toddlers are are she's hanging with though.

Phill's home again today before going to work tonight.  I think I'll stay in bed and read and leave him to his drudgery.