rainbowtatt

How effing cathartic is it to cry? As in, cry properly?

While it sucks that there’s a need to cry, it does wonders when you let it all out—snot and all.

Mine’s been brought on by a series of bad things, some more trivial than others. Each I could manage on their own, but when they snowball, then I struggle to keep above it all.

Above all this, I know things will get better. Soon.

This weheartit-style post is brought to you by my hormones. Normal blogging will return shortly. Promise.

Tomorrow night I’m starting a five-week beginner’s yoga class with Black Lotus Studios. I’ve bought a stack of new clothes that will hopefully be appropriate to wear (no camel toes or wedgies to be found)

I’m really looking forward to going, and hoping that it gives me a real chance to wind down (and get flexible at the same time).

But I’m a bit worried that this story may turn into a reality:

I think most inner-westies know about the Olympia Milk Bar. It’s on Parramatta Road, Stanmore and hasn’t changed in the last 40+ years.

Seriously.

It’s famous for the retro decor (and all the old posters and boxes of old chocolates and soft drinks), but also famous for the scary guy who owns the joint. He’s got the nickname Mr Death and even though I’d never been in the shop before, I was already scared of him.

Dan went in YEARS ago (as in, 10+ years ago) and ordered a milkshake. He got yelled at by “Mr Death” because he dared to ask for more milk in his milkshake. And he didn’t go back… until last weekend.

You don’t go to the Olympia Milk Bar for fast service. It took a while, but eventually we were able to order two milkshakes ($2.80 each) and enjoy the interior while we waited.

I’ve done some googling and you can get coffee and tea here. But no cappuccino. He doesn’t “do” that fancy stuff.

Fair enough!

The milkshake turns up in a banged up metal/aluminium/whatever glass and while not the most flavoursome milkshake, it’s well worth it for the nostalgia.

Like Dan remembered from ten years ago, the glass was only about half full, but I managed to stop him from going up  to ask for more milk ;)

To be honest, I don’t know why people are scared of this old guy running the shop. He was polite enough to us and even smiled at one point!

Didn’t stop me from freaking out when I realised he saw that I was taking photos!!

Olympia Milk Bar 190 Parramatta Road, Stanmore

On Saturday we went to our first gallery exhibition opening.

I have quite an arty group of friends and future in-laws, but have never been to such a shindig before.

It was fun! There were cupcakes and glasses of champagne and Van’s jewellery to admire:

I’m a tad biased about Van’s work, though. Not only is she a future in-law, but she created my engagement ring, and is designing our wedding bands on Wednesday night.

Wednesday night!

But I’m really writing to show you this:

Yup, that’s a donut.

A half-eaten one.

And it’s made of concrete.

It’s by Will Coles, a guy whose art we’re VERY familiar with. We find his stuff around our neighbourhood.

We found another exhibition, right near Van’s, and it happened to be Will. WOO!

His stuff is what I suppose you’d call contemporary? Maybe one of my artist friends can help me…

We’re more familiar with Will’s concrete TVs, remote controls and mobile phones that get bolted to telegraph poles and footpaths… but we saw the donut and bought it on the spot. Our first real piece of art.

(Who said we’re supposed to save our pennies for the wedding?)

The gallery curator suggested we use it as a paperweight, but surely there are other uses that we haven’t thought of?

If nothing else, we can use it as a dust collector ;)

This is my (long-winded) bit for this week’s My Place & Yours :)

Today, a friend came up and asked

“Hey, did you know someone’s written on your car?”

Ummm, I’d kinda forgotten that Dan had woven his magic on the weekend (click the pic for bigger):

I didn’t realise how visible it was.

And it was visible.

I drove to work in that.

Before I knew it, someone else came up to me and commented on it and I bolted out into the company carpark – bottle of water and box of tissues in hand – and I “resolved the issue”.

Cause there were big wigs visiting today, and they probably saw it before I washed it off.

(I’m telling myself they didn’t see it, though)

At least it meant I was able to drive home again tonight with at least some of my dignity.

Dan and I are still laughing about it, though.

Sure, Mrs Beckinsale made this for her fair goddaughter:

But I’m telling myself that it’s for *me*.

Is it not perfect??

I’m only putting up a small pic, so you mightn’t be able to tell, but it’s even got “Laura” sewn onto the cupcake.

Major props to Liz for putting this in my Google Reader list for me!

We’re officially going on our first ever cruise. Squee!!

It’ll be our first overseas trip together (recent health risks = no flights), and I’m just so excited to be getting away from it all (quite literally, there’s hardly any interwebs in the middle of the ocean!).

We originally snubbed cruising as a holiday option because of the cost, but we’ve discovered that leaving from a port that isn’t Sydney is MUCH cheaper. Also, given the crap we’ve been through in recent months (read: we had to cancel our “proper” wedding, #stillprettycrankyabouthatthankyouverymuch and I had my mother moved into a nursing home). So, South Pacific honeymoon, here we come!

I can’t stop looking at photos of our destinations, which includes the Isle of Pines:

Can’t wait to get the sand between my toes and sniff some New Caledonian fresh air!

In the last few months  I’ve been going through the boxes of photos I have at home. And found some fabulous photos of myself.

Perhaps I’ll regret this, but I’ve been wondering if I have enough to turn it into my own personal meme, a-la Noice-ities:

This is me, circa 1989, crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge for an anniversary of some kind. I remember thinking I was so cool with that canvas backpack and the hoodie underneath my jumper and THE HAIR. Oh my god, the hair. I appear to be sporting a fetching camel toe, too.

Perhaps I should call it “Friday Fashion Faux Pas by Rah”? I have no doubt I have an infinite supply of pics to fit that category!

A few weeks ago, Bear and Elvis were given an expensive sheepskin rug to trial.

Here’s what Bear thinks:

At first, Bear would only fight the rug; then he ignored our attempts to sweeten the deal by putting it next to the heater (and masking it with polar fleece and even his beloved $10 pet rug).

And Elvis? Oh, he won’t even acknowledge the rug. He stays as far away as possible.

So, um, sorry guys, the sheepskin rug is full of fail! Cats really do have a sixth sense when it comes to ignoring all the expensive shit you buy them.

My fridge is a bit of a hodge-podge, really.

Right-hand side: drawings from nieces and nephews, some family photos, recycling calendar and lots of novelty magnets.

Front: more of the same, but movie quote magnets up the top and a variety of religious-themed magnets.

And the left-hand side a.k.a my view while washing up: featuring “Keep calm and yell assbutt”, a nod to my love of Supernatural and Misha Collins :))

There are LOTS more joining in with this week’s My Place & Yours – the last time I joined in there were only 8 brave souls! But I suppose exposing the way you dress you fridge is less frightening than showing the world how you look first thing in the morning ;)