Sunday Stealing: Odd Jobs Day

 In an effort to get some odd jobs done after a mammoth sleep in the morning, I will be doing my fairly regular thing ofdoing a job, then doing a question. My strangely neuro-diverse brain responds to this - I get a lot of things I really should do done, and I feel good about myself. 

Questions, as always, come from Bev at Sunday Stealing. 

The odd jobs around the house are all mine. 

1. If your house was on fire, which three items would you save? (Odd job: But some chicken in the oven for lunch)

• Lucifer (my cat)
• My phone
• My limited amount of jewellery including Mum's engagement ring and my Pandora bracelets)

2. What is the strangest or most awkward date you’ve ever been on? (Odd job: Put the shoes that have accumulated in the hall into the cupboard)

Most dates I've been on have been awkward, but I remember going one of those internet dates with somebody from Coburg. There is a red flag already. There was an Egyptian exhibition at the museum. I was interested in the exhibit - not him. After five minutes of meetings he said to me,"You're one of those brainy birds, aren't you." It went downhill from there. 

3. What are your biggest fears? (Odd job: Pump up the Swiss Ball)

My biggest fears are Huntsman Spiders, dying alone and in pain and intimacy. Working on the last one with my shrink. 

4. How do you spend your time when you are procrastinating? (Odd job: Shred some documents)

I'm a master procrastinator. I can spend an age watching dumb videos and reels, or playing games on my phone. It's why I now have a two hour no-phone other than for calls time, and I'm doing all of these odd jobs. 

5. What has been your most memorable birthday so far, and why? (Odd job: Put away my tarot cards that are sitting on the back of the couch)

I spent my 50th birthday in Ubud, Bali with friends. It was wonderful. Even if I got mugged by a monkey and I was woken up by an earthquake (of which we have been having a few here in Melbourne recently). It was a good day, earthquake and all. It was only a little earthquake. 

6. What is your favorite snack? (Odd job: Clean out email inbox)

My go to snack has to be toasted cheese sandwiches. They're quick, easy, and the way I make them means they're not greasy. 

7. What was your first pet? (Odd job: Clean out email deleted box)

When I was a small child we had two cats. A black and white long-haired cat called Soxy, who used to belong to my grandparents. We also had a pure white short-haired cat named Fred. Fred was a complete bastard. He liked to sit on the balcony and swipe people as they went past. He loved my father and hated everybody else. 

8. What’s your favorite city in your country? (Odd job: Get lunch ready)

That's a toss up between Melbourne and Adelaide. In some ways, Adelaide is just a little Melbourne with slightly better weather and less traffic. 

9. Do you have a garden? (Odd job: Eat lunch)

No, unless you count the couple of pots of cat grass I have growing in the kitchen for the cat. 

10. What is your favorite thing about your home town? (Odd job: Do the dishes - I don't have a dishwasher)

The beaches and the bakeries. Both are top notch. 

11. What was the last book you read? (Odd job: Clean my teeth)

The last paper book I finished was Maggie O'Farrell's The Marriage Portrait. It was excellent. The last audiobook that I listened to was Kate Atkinson's Shrines of Gaiety. I enjoyed that one too. 

12. What is the best book you have ever read? (Odd job: Clean the toilet)

I can't say just one - come on. 

But my top five books that I've ever read are: 

• Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
• The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
• Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
• Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

13. Who is your favorite author? (Odd job: Put on some makeup ready to go out)

That's a toss up between Louis de Bernieres, Richard Flanagan and Maggie O'Farrell. 

14. Is there a food that you hate? (Odd job: Put things by the door ready to go out)

I'm really not fond of bananas. 

15. Do you get along with your neighbors?

Yes. I'm lucky. The family next door are very sweet and the boys downstairs, who have only lived there for a few months are quiet and friendly. What more do you need? 

16. Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

Only my ears are pierced and I have a small tattoo on my hip that nobody ever sees. 

Today's song: