Crook as Rookwood

Well probably not that bad really.  I did go to bed, but was woken up at about 3.30am (what is it about the 3ams?) feeling really unwell, with severe stomach pains.  I tried everything, going to the loo, took a hot bath, and ended up heating up a wheat pillow and taking some painkillers.  After an hour and a half or so of agony the pain subsided and I fell back to sleep.  I don't know what it is but I still feel unwell this morning so am in bed and here I will stay till it's time to get the kids their dinner.  I wonder if it's a wake up call to tell me to take better care of myself?  We eat well most of the time but fall down sometimes, especially during holiday times like this.  And I know I haven't been getting enough exercise.  I recommend wheat pillows though, it never fails to give relief, just two minutes in the microwave.  I need to get a second one as I noticed this one cooled down fairly quickly last night under the a/c.
Bloody debt collectors, and now they're getting THEM offshore as well!  I have a Centrelink debt, due to them overpaying me my family payments, partly their fault as we continued to give them income updates.  I rang and offered X amount of dollars to repay and they wouldn't hear it.  They look at our income and not the other debts we have.  The woman at the Centrelink debt recovery was quite rude.  I waited till I got a letter from a debt collecting agency which came today and rang them and said they can take me to court because I have no money of my own, and all I can pay is the original offer.  I know how they operate, they'd rather get their money, albeit slowly than have a court battle, which in this case they couldn't win because Phill isn't responsible for my debts nor I for his.  They must think people are stupid.  He tried to get varying amounts of a deposit and I stuck to my guns till I got him down to a reasonable amount and then he agreed to the original offer.  This guy was obviously phoning from Pakistan or somewhere, I could barely understand him.  I will never take money from them again, even when this debt is paid off they can stick their family assistance.  Phill said he can claim it at the end of the year on his tax, but I will no longer be a client of theirs until it's old age pension time, and even then I am hoping our super is enough to live on.  Bastards.  He pays so much tax, and the taxation stuffed that up too, so we have had to go to a tax agent to fix it all up.
I'm going to make the old American "Sloppy Joes" for tonight, Josh went  through a phase where he wanted American style foods, and I found a recipe for this and he loves it and I can "health" it up by putting vegies in it.  I have cauli and carrot and green beans, I wonder what they're like cooked and pureed?  I haven't tried that yet, I have some sweet potato too I think. 
Okay going to rest now.
Later......

I was reading the local paper and saw a report of vandalism in town by teenagers.  They graffitied the outside wall of the local pool, the skatepark and the wall of the supermarket.  Now I'm not one to say
"oh this younger generation isn't it terrible?"  I was a teenager living in a small town too, smaller than this one, when my parents left Sydney for a small coastal village when I was 13.  We got up to some mischief, I think we pulled a street sign out and spat chewed up hot chips at passing cars.  That was about it apart from pashing boys in the cinema on a Saturday night.  But we have a lovely pool here, all outdoors and fresh and clean and it's FREE to get in.  Most council pools charge admission but not ours.  The skatepark was built for the bloody kids and yet they want to vandalise it.  They actually cut the wire fence to get into the pool and ripped the timer clock off the wall and threw a bin full of rubbish into the pool.  Ungrateful little mongrels.  Emily thinks she knows who it was but I know one thing for certain she wasn't involved.  After all trouble we've had with her, she is now a home body and she is home with us every night and I am so thankful for that.   I don't know what we're teaching our kids that they think it's okay to wreck public property that is there for all of us to enjoy.
The police got them thankfully but they won't have any serious charges laid against them.  I just hope our wonderful police put some sense into their heads like I think they did with our girl.  I know that they will have to make reparation and apologise to those who were hurt, out of pocket and inconvenienced by their actions.  I just hope that is enough.