I’m keeping a secret right now that I’m really struggling to keep to myself. The thing is, it’s not even a real or confirmed secret. I just have a very strong feeling that one of my friends has won the lottery, but I don’t feel like it’s something I can even ask her about. I mean, how much of a weirdo would I look if one day we were out and I just blurted, “Have you won the lottery?” I know for a fact if someone said that to me, I would think they were either delusional or trying to steal money from me.
My suspicions aren’t unfounded either. She is currently doing a lot of things that simply scream ‘new money’ to me. For example, she’s deciding to take a year sabbatical from work. Why? She loves her job and is in a promising career. Why just suddenly decide to pack it in for a year? Usually, she’ll brainstorm her plans with me before cementing her decision but this time she went right ahead. Another odd thing I noticed was she asked me to ask my mum if she knew any recommended builders near Mornington. My friend knows that my mum moved to Mornington a few years ago after her divorce from my dad. She also knows that my mum decided to buy some land and build a home. What I don’t understand is why my friend requires knowledge of a recommended builder. She doesn’t get paid much more than I do and I sure as hell wouldn’t even be dreaming of speaking to a builder right now, let alone in Mornington.
I’d say my suspicions really grew to the next level when I saw a text message from a builder who made reference to the term ‘luxury home contractors’. Not only is she quitting work, looking for builders, and planning to build in Mornington, she’s also in the midst of planning discussions with luxury contractors. This tells me that whatever she’s planning to build will be something phenomenal.
Does anyone have advice on how to ask what the deal is?
When we moved into our home ten years ago, we moved in with the mindset that we were going to renovate once we were financially comfortable. Saving hasn’t always been easy as it’s something we’re doing on top of paying our mortgage. There have been a few hurdles on the way that have also made it hard to save. For example, there have been a few career changes and redundancies, but we’ve always successfully bounced back. In the last ten years we’ve also expanded our family with three new additions, plus a dog! While I don’t regret this expansion whatsoever, it did set us back in terms of saving. It’s amazing how much your spending priorities change once you have kids.
Now, after ten years in the making, we can say that we’re ready to contact a bathroom renovations company. Melbourne has a few highly recommended companies, but we know exactly who we want to go ahead with. I guess one huge benefit of us not being in a rush to renovate is the fact that we were able to do almost ten years worth of groundwork researching which renovators we wanted to work with, what look we wanted the bathroom to look like and what materials we wanted to use.
The project starts next Tuesday. We could not be more excited, but also stressed. There’s a lot of preparation that needs to happen before a renovation. For example, we need to clear out the entire bathroom and move the contents into our other bathroom. We’re lucky to have two bathrooms as it helps to make the bathroom refurbishment process a lot easier. I don’t know what we’d do if we only had one bathroom. I think we’d need to order one of those bathrooms you see at outdoor festivals. Gosh, it’d be so embarrassing having one of those in our yard! The only downside to this renovation is that having one bathroom means we’re all sharing one bathroom. This isn’t a problem as our children are young, but if it was myself my husband with teenagers? What a nightmare!
For many years, I struggled to wrap my head around death. I knew it was something that was imminent, and something that everyone would experience, but I never knew how I would manage it. When someone would reveal to me they were struggling with the death of a loved one, I would never know how to react. Since going through it myself, I now find myself getting emotional for other people who are suffering from sickness, old age or death.
My neighbour is a lovely woman, but I can tell she’s lonely. Her husband passed away many years before I even moved into my home. From my discussions with her, I don’t believe she has any children. I have taken it upon myself to check in with her several times a week to see how she is doing. It’s as if my parents passing away has made me develop a need to help other elderly people. For example, I recently helped her arrange bathroom modifications. She’s very immobile and struggles with her balance at the best of times. Then one afternoon we were having tea and I noticed a big purple bump on the side of her head. It turned out that she had fallen in the shower earlier that morning. My heart sank at the thought of this poor lady in agony in the shower with no one to call out for.
I remember initiating the discussion of the bathtub modification. I could see her hesitate before asking me ‘how much is a bathtub cut out for elderly people in Sydney?’ She knew that the prices of things in Sydney had gone up and her pension would struggle. I told her not to worry and I’d get it sorted out for her. It felt nice to be able to help her. When I think of her, I think of my elderly parents who are no longer with me. I would’ve hated for them to suffer alone. They were lucky to have me, but what if they were like my neighbour? What would’ve happened then?
No one thought I’d do it, but they were wrong. Then once I got it going, they thought it wouldn’t last. They were wrong again. I’m proud to say that I went ahead with my diesel enthusiasts club, and not only have I gone ahead with it, but I’ve also amassed a total of 100 enthusiasts in the last six months. There’s even talks of taking this club national, with reps located in different states. The club is totally free to join. At times we might request people to throw some money in if we want to do an event somewhere that might need catering or things that we need to hire. Most people don’t mind chipping in. I think a lot of the enthusiasts just love being out with like-minded people in an environment where it’s socially acceptable to talk about cars as much as they like.
None of this would’ve been possible without the advice from the best diesel mechanic close to Raceview. He’s helped me a lot with my diesel car and given me a lot of insight into diesel cars in general. In fact, a lot of the enthusiasts that are part of the club have joined the club through his introduction. He does work on all our diesel cars. Some mechanics just have the knack and passion to be able to identify and fix any issue. Everyone here at the club says it. I think one club session turned into a mechanic enthusiast session more than a diesel vehicle session! That’s totally fine by me.
I recently needed a clutch repair by a professional mechanic on my car and everyone at the club was so ready to give advice and help me out. I of course took the car to my trusted mechanic. I’m sure there are other mechanics out there who could also do a great job, but I know this guy is the best. As he is a fellow diesel enthusiast, I know he’ll put care and attention into every diesel repair he does. Others at the club have reported this same customer service.
Do you ever look at your partner and think about what future you will have together? I used to always look at my partner and start wondering how our kids would turn out. For example, whose eyes will they inherit? Whose hair colour will they have? Will they need glasses? Who am I kidding, both myself and my husband are as blind as bats – of course they will need glasses! Lo and behold, our eldest child is six years old and we are quickly seeing the need to book a children’s optometrist. We’ve noticed that our daughter is displaying many of the similar signs I displayed when I was younger and was struggling with vision. I’ve noticed she’s squinting a lot, and when I ask her to read out a sign from afar she says it’s blurry. I was exactly like this at her age. Unfortunately, my parents, being immigrants, thought this was normal behaviour for a child. I told them for years that I thought I needed glasses. They refused to believe me and said that I simply needed to concentrate more. It wasn’t until I was midway through high school and had gotten a teacher to convince my parents to take me to an eye doctor that they started believing me.
I don’t want my daughter to have the same struggles I did throughout schooling. I remember being sat in the front row throughout primary school and still struggling to see. It really impacted my ability to learn and my confidence for many years. My husband says he has stories very similar to this. Between my eyesight anecdotes and his poor vision, there was no way we were going to have a kid that wasn’t ever going to need to visit the optometrist. Cheltenham, where my parents live, has an optometrist I have visited a few times. I’m thinking of taking our daughter here as I know they work a fair bit with children, so they will be great at helping her feel at ease.
It’s my first time living out of home. It’s an interesting experience and journey that I have been on for the last six months. It’s amazing how different your priorities are when you live out of home. When I was still living with my parents, all the money I earned was essentially ‘spending money’. I’ve had to cut back on my spending now as times are dire and I simply can’t afford the upkeep of a frivolous lifestyle.
I had toyed with the idea of renting an apartment but when I saw this unit up for grabs I just had to have it. If I had gone with the apartment option I wouldn’t have been able to bring my dog with me. I know some people are happy to live in apartments with a dog, but I simply could not do that. I’d feel terrible leaving him in an apartment all by himself. At least he can roam around in my unit.
I recently had to call a drain plumber. Melbourne has all these new-build homes, like the one I’m living in, that are all built so quickly from cheap materials. This place, for example, was definitely made with some dodgy pipes. I’m the first person to live here and the pipes in the bathtub seem to be clogged. I use the bathtub once every two weeks to bathe my dog and I’m already seeing the drains clogging.
My parents are trying to say that it’s my fault the drain is gurgling water back to me. They believe the dog hairs have caused a blockage in the pipes but I don’t see how this is possible. I’m washing my dog, not shaving it! Whatever the issue, I’ve arranged for a drain cleaning. Melbourne is the home of a very reputable plumber who I trust to get the job done. Unfortunately for me, this means more expenses. While I’m loving the freedom I’m getting living in my own place, I am not enjoying the money I have to pay. Hopefully, I can get reimbursed by my landlord.
Wow, this Architect of the Rings show has really stepped up its game in the last few weeks. Today was the season finale and I honestly can’t quite believe it is over already. It seems like only two months ago that I was writing negative reviews about how horrible the show was, due to it not following the sacred lore of the original creator of this world. Those elves with pixie cuts really ticked me off! James Taken never said anything about elves with pixie cuts!
As I already alluded to, however, I may have jumped the gun a bit when I went on Old Tomatoes and said that it was “The worst thing ever conceptualised – everyone involved in this dumpster fire should be put on a spaceship and sent straight into the sun for crimes against humanity.”
It turns out that perhaps they had an architect behind this show after all. And speaking of architects, the season finale finally showed us the grand architect of the powerful rings – the great house builder, Calen Brimbor – at his absolute best. When the warrior elf maiden, Gabriella, began travelling in search of the best Bayside-based architects, believing that they would be able to help her wounded friend, I knew that something great was going to happen. Finally, I could see it. This wasn’t some piece of art created by a toddler throwing paint onto a canvas at random. No, it was all by design, put together deliberately, piece by piece like something you assemble over time. A desk from a Swedish furniture store, perhaps?
Anyway, my point is that Gabriella’s search for professional residential architects based in Melbourne meant that the story was set up for the most epic of finishes. Because if there’s one thing architects do well, other than making luxury houses, it’s crafting magical rings. We were about to see one of the biggest moments in this fictional world’s history. And although I do disagree with the choice to rename some of the locations after well-known Melbourne suburbs, I can look past that if it means an epic ending. And that is absolutely what we got.
I skidded to a stop on the upper deck, out of breath and out of time.
‘Corporal!’ the captain called out, her baritone ringing out even above the shrill of the klaxon. ‘I need a report!’
‘Major damage, sir,’ I obliged, clinging to the handrail of the staircase as the ship was rocked by another burst of fire. ‘Multiple decks reporting.’
‘Structural?’ she asked me, eyes flicking from me to an engineering screen.
‘Nothing yet,’ I reported, as a huge explosion rocked us in space, throwing me and a handful of other standing officers halfway across the bridge.
Gasping, the wind truly knocked from my ribs, I forced a hand under myself, feeling the sharp sting of broken glass burrowing under the skin of my palm. A pair of strong hands grasped under my armpit, dragging me to my feet. I looked up and saw the captain, her face bloody and battered, teeth locked in a determined snarl.
‘Don’t worry, Corporal,’ she growled. ‘It wasn’t the main window that broke – although do you know of any nearby businesses offering glass replacement?’
I laughed, wincing at the pain of it.
‘Not in this system, sir,’ I wheezed.
‘Pity,’ she shook her head. Her eyes snapped up, locking onto her commanding officers as she barked orders to evade and return fire.
‘Captain!’ her second in command called back, ‘we need to evacuate!’
‘Not on my watch, Commander Payne!’ she hurled back. ‘We just got those lovely new glass balustrades from Melbourne installed – I’ll be damned if we lose them, or anybody else on this ship!’
‘We’re outmatched!’
‘We haven’t even started,’ she snarled.
She turned, surveying the damage of the bridge, the dozen crewmembers lying unconscious on the glass-dusted carpet. Her gaze flicked down to me, cradling my aching ribs, blood from my hands staining my uniform.
In that moment, I saw the fire bloom inside of her, watched it twist and claw and crackle its way to the surface as she shot to her feet.
‘Gentlemen,’ she whispered, white-hot with rage. ‘To your stations.’
We have some news. Huge news. In case you’re not aware, the last ten years have been absolutely crucial for this business. There have been some ups and downs, and highs and lows. That, of course, is the nature of the game when it comes to a start up.
You’re receiving this letter because we want to say thank you. Thank you for believing in us and joining us on our journey. Whether you’re an employee or a customer, you’ve helped give our little dream purpose each and every day. For that, we can’t thank you enough.
As our business continues to grow, so will our location. We ask anyone who knows any top-rated office interior designers near Melbourne to get in touch. We have big plans to expand our office space and would love to get as many people involved as possible. You guys help build the basis for our business, so we want you all to help us influence the values we carry into work each day. We feel the best way to do this is by getting you guys to help create our office space.
We have a few ideas of what we would like our new office to look like. Ultimately, we are wanting to encapsulate all our branding elements while still having a homely feel. They say work is where we spend most of our time, so why not try to make the office a comfortable environment?
We have been visiting other offices, in secret, to gain inspiration on some popular Melbourne office fitout designs. You guys know us though – no matter what we do, we’re going to outdo everyone else.
In the next few days, we ask that you keep your eyes peeled for a mood board which we will share to our socials. This mood board will be communal and you’ll all have VIP access to add some inspiration.
By the way, two parties in this business are totally unaware that we want to make these renovations, so let’s keep things a bit hush! Thanks!
I’m currently on the hunt for a new car. Not because I want one, but unfortunately because I need one. My last car was written off in an accident that wasn’t my fault. Well, I like to say it wasn’t my fault. It depends who you ask. The other party is adamant it was my fault. Taking the never-ending insurance debate out of it, I now need to find a new car. Looking at cars is somehow a lot less fun when it’s something you need to do. Usually, I’d be scouring the internet for various types of luxury sports cars, but now I’m just looking at pieces of junk while hoping for the best. All I know is that there is no way I’m getting any car without having a pre-purchase inspection done first. There are so many dodgy people on the internet and working in used car yards. I’m definitely getting a second opinion.
I’ve just heard so many horror stories about people buying used cars and then discovering all these issues with only a week’s worth of driving. Then it’s a matter of good luck trying to get in touch with the person who sold it to you! They’ve always either moved away, had their phone number disconnected, shut their garage down or blame the new owner for the car troubles. I’ve already spent enough money on this accident – I’m not prepared to spend even more repairing a car that was already in poor condition. That’s why I’m getting a trustworthy mechanic near Morayfield to inspect any vehicle before I purchase it.
I think I have found a car I like. It’s in decent condition and doesn’t have too much mileage. The owner is only selling because they currently have two vehicles and simply need to rid themselves of one due to moving to a new home that doesn’t have room for two cars. I can’t notice any real cosmetic issues with the car, and everything sounded in working order on the test drive. Guess I’ll wait and see what the mechanic says.