Well this year has certainly thrown everything possible at us.
Firstly in Feb this year I decided it was time to leave the Army after 21 years in the green!!! what was I thinking???
We moved from Sydney to East Gosford and realised rather quickly that we didn't fit into our house!! again what were we thinking?
So off to centerlink we go to sort out some benefits...........2 hrs later we reach the front of the que only to be told "sorry you have to register by phone first" WTF. Home we go and ring centerlink and 45 minutes later told we now have an appointment next week at the office in Gosford.
Well we didn't go. You see we got a job working together as assistant managers of a holiday park in Norah Head, NSW.
WOW what an opportunity we thought, it has always been something we have wanted to do. So off to Norah Head we move(only been in our own house for 6 weeks) to start a wonderful job and a chance of a lifetime, well that was short lived wasn't it!!! 2 weeks after starting the managers decided that they would go on holidays.........shit we thought left alone to run a 42 acre holiday park.
Survive we did only to have another spanner thrown into the works, 2 days after returning from holidays the male manager lost his cool with a patron of the park and all hell broke loose. Letters were written as high up as the Mayor for Wyong Shire(as the park is council owned). Needless to say next day the Head honchos from ATPM( the management company that has the contract with council) flew in and called for the managers resignation.........Holy shit been in the job for a month and now we are unemployed again!!! this was 1 week before Easter so here we go running a major park over a very busy fully booked out period with 1 month's training!
We were assured by the regional manager(who is also a manager of Toowoon Bay Holiday Park) that all will be fine, our jobs are safe etc etc etc. Well what a load of bullshit, what happened next was amazing, the assistant manager's from Toowoon had been given the contract to take over Norah, so we were offered their position at Toowoon, so we thought long and hard and decided to give it a go as Toowoon Bay is a far nicer place to live than Norah.
Pack boxes, organise a removalist.....oh shit here we go again upheaval time again, well 1 week to go we finally get our letter of offer and it read like this...............
Peak periods management team all on duty seven days. When the park slows down Assistant Managers can have two days off per week, but not together.
Outside of peak holiday periods assistant managers required to work 5 days from 7.30am until closing.
Mangers days off – assistant managers take over the running of the park, ensuring all issues are dealt with professionally.
Holidays – when we are on holidays you take on the responsibility of the park, ensure the park is maintained and staffed and all policies and procedures are followed. Assistant managers have 4 weeks holiday per year not during school holidays.
Our goals this year are to keep improving the park, increase occupancy and revenue. Neall and I are passionate about Toowoon and we require from you, enthusiasm, long hours and hard work. In return we will offer you a fun, happy work environment.
All this for a measly 75k per couple..........12 hour days 7 days a week and no flexibility for Kaitlyn.........I don't think so.
So we declined the offer and put our name in the hat to stay at Norah(as the new manager's had advertised and were interviewing for our position)
We kept our job at Norah and things were looking up.....we were going to get paid by ATPM for the time we managed the park alone(still waiting for that!) we stayed as contractors as this was the easiest way to do things until the new managers got sorted(they had a 3 month interim contract with ATPM) and then we would bring our contract to the table....promises promises never came 3 months went by, we kept asking to discuss our employment contract, but alas this was never achieved.
Well during this time Mum was put into hospital as she was quite ill with cancer, so off to Tassie we go to see Mum. The day after we get back from Tassie I get a call from my sister saying that Mum has taken a turn for the worst and wont see he day out................shit fuck shit!!!!! couple of hours later my niece calls and tells us Mum has passed away this was on the 24 June 2009.
God I miss you Mum
Well off to Tassie we go again go through all the usual stuff and when we get back we submit our invoice for the month only to be told we don't get paid for days not worked( 2 weeks worth for when in Tassie) as we are contractors. Holy shit.......so all up we are down $10k. Well be right I say to Fi things can only get better.
3 weeks later we are working yet another weekend, this time Kaitlyn is very sick, Fi's Parent's are not up(they came up weekends to babysit but had to do stuff this one) so we tag team to look after Kaitlyn and bring her into the office only to be frowned upon by the managers.
We had had enough of this shitty place and job so we went and told them that we are not prepared to continue with our contract on the current terms (12 hour days, 7 days a week, no super, no holidays, no sick leave and apparently no compassionate leave, regardless of pace or work to do all for $80k per couple) and we need to discuss our employment conditions, so the male manager says to us "so you will finish up at the end of the month then" that was 3 days before the end of July, so finish up we did, contract terminated 2 weeks to find a house to move into and leave that God forsaken job in the past where it belongs!!!!
So house we found move we did..........and here starts another chapter of our lives.
......................TBC
Friday, 11 September 2009
Saturday, 4 July 2009
WTF
Hmmmm, where do i start, some say I'm an arsehole and don't care, some say I'm a right cunt, some say fuck you behind my back or on blogs. but hey I'm not the one deleting memories from eulogies, I'm not the one being self centered and turning things around to make ppl feel sorry for them!!!.
Am I not allowed to grieve the way I want, why should i feel the fuck sorry for someone else when I am grieving for my Mum. After all this is my time to say goodbye to my Mum and to say what i will, it is my right to say it the way I want! DO i need to explain myself.......................
No I fucking don't, but I feel I must.
You see mum passed away on the 24/06/09 after losing her battle with cancer for just over a year. Sadly I didn't get to spend much time with mum in her last year due to living and working interstate, and for this it seems I lost the right to have a great deal of input into the funeral often I was brushed aside by my sister and her daughter (as were other members of mum's family) so I kept to myself and kept what I wanted to say to myself just to keep the peace. After meeting with the celebrant who IMO was not interested in what we wanted or in taking notes for the eulogy, my sister, her daughter, my son and I went to lunch and jotted some ideas down for the eulogy and to say it went smoothly is an understatement!!!!! fucking family, after lunch I was given the task to type up the notes and send to my sister and niece for approval!!! Well type I did, write I did, send for approval I did.
That was on the eve of mums funeral.
The next morning I awake to an email from my sister saying "here you go mike, I have added a couple of small things. It is lovely" I open the eulogy and it is much the same as I wrote up the evening prior just some things added that mum wanted in as I had forgotten to add them. So off I send to the celebrant for him to add to the service.
About an hour later I get a call from big sis saying she and Vonnie(my niece) had edited the eulogy and would I like to read it before it is sent in.........yes please i say. I open with hesitation the "edited" version and fuck me a whole paragraph of my memories were gone!!!! words that my nan had written were gone, words that my uncle had written had gone, so edit I do, added back in that my Nan and uncles have given me as well. Off it goes to the celebrant saying oops had to do a re-run here is the final version, mind you this is on the morning of the funeral!!!!!
we go to the funeral........ what a day that was.
see the below blogs for the "other" versions to the story!!!!!!!
http://frogpondsrock.com/
http://somedaywewillsleep.com/
Comments have been made on the above blogs that "I have taken all of mums photo's" ( I only took the ones that mattered to me and you did say take what you want) if you want them back just ask!!! but if you want the ones of the Perth & Coogee trip you need to ask our uncles as I gave it to them as it is their memories not ours.
You stated that "I don't give a shit about my niece and I gave the look!!!!" well fuck me Kim understand what I am going through myself, Vonnie's illness was the last thing on my mind this week.
You say that I have to ease my guilt.....for what do I have to be guilty about.........getting a job at 17, for leaving home, for leaving Tassie, for being successfull at my chosen career - the Army, for being a War Veteran at 21 and understanding the true meaning of ANZAC day as opposed to just a piss-up and a day off work, for wanting a better life for my family.
Wake up and smell the roses.......I am sick to death of this fake facade, stop feeling sorry for yourselves and stop this morbid attitude, yes it is an awful thing that has and is happening, but hey lighten the fuck up and stop being so fucking negative.
Positive things happen to positve people
This is what I said at mum's funeral
"My thoughts remember when"
you are my light, my life, my memories, my mum love you
remember when i ran through the front glass door and rushing me to the Dr
remember when I jumped the BMX that Tony had built over the "white hill" and breaking my arm
remember when I locked myself in the car at Nyra's
remember when I had thrown grass clippings on passers by
remember when I stole that car, shot that kid with the slug gun
remember when I broke Kim's elbow
remember when I blew up the school with crackers.
Then I remember the look on your face in court......holy moly guacamole!!!!!
remember riding the horses and camping on Mt Wellington
remember building the house at Bagdad and exploring the land on horseback
remember me joining the Army and you attending my "march-out" and how proud you were
remember my wedding
remember the birth of Hayden and Nathan - look at them now mum how proud you must be
remember walking home with Tom and Jenny on new years eve and lying on the beach with a wine or 2
remember when I lost my wedding ring and duck diving with Ewan in the canal at Jenny's to find it
remember the birth of Kaitlyn and how proud we were
remember all the 10l casks of wine to be drunk
remember all, we will
you are our light, our life our memories, our mum, our nan our friend
we love you Mum, Nan, Lyn.
Kim & Vonnie if you read this I hope you understand... I do care for you I do love you, if you don't believe this then well.................. fuck me!!!
Am I not allowed to grieve the way I want, why should i feel the fuck sorry for someone else when I am grieving for my Mum. After all this is my time to say goodbye to my Mum and to say what i will, it is my right to say it the way I want! DO i need to explain myself.......................
No I fucking don't, but I feel I must.
You see mum passed away on the 24/06/09 after losing her battle with cancer for just over a year. Sadly I didn't get to spend much time with mum in her last year due to living and working interstate, and for this it seems I lost the right to have a great deal of input into the funeral often I was brushed aside by my sister and her daughter (as were other members of mum's family) so I kept to myself and kept what I wanted to say to myself just to keep the peace. After meeting with the celebrant who IMO was not interested in what we wanted or in taking notes for the eulogy, my sister, her daughter, my son and I went to lunch and jotted some ideas down for the eulogy and to say it went smoothly is an understatement!!!!! fucking family, after lunch I was given the task to type up the notes and send to my sister and niece for approval!!! Well type I did, write I did, send for approval I did.
That was on the eve of mums funeral.
The next morning I awake to an email from my sister saying "here you go mike, I have added a couple of small things. It is lovely" I open the eulogy and it is much the same as I wrote up the evening prior just some things added that mum wanted in as I had forgotten to add them. So off I send to the celebrant for him to add to the service.
About an hour later I get a call from big sis saying she and Vonnie(my niece) had edited the eulogy and would I like to read it before it is sent in.........yes please i say. I open with hesitation the "edited" version and fuck me a whole paragraph of my memories were gone!!!! words that my nan had written were gone, words that my uncle had written had gone, so edit I do, added back in that my Nan and uncles have given me as well. Off it goes to the celebrant saying oops had to do a re-run here is the final version, mind you this is on the morning of the funeral!!!!!
we go to the funeral........ what a day that was.
see the below blogs for the "other" versions to the story!!!!!!!
http://frogpondsrock.com/
http://somedaywewillsleep.com/
Comments have been made on the above blogs that "I have taken all of mums photo's" ( I only took the ones that mattered to me and you did say take what you want) if you want them back just ask!!! but if you want the ones of the Perth & Coogee trip you need to ask our uncles as I gave it to them as it is their memories not ours.
You stated that "I don't give a shit about my niece and I gave the look!!!!" well fuck me Kim understand what I am going through myself, Vonnie's illness was the last thing on my mind this week.
You say that I have to ease my guilt.....for what do I have to be guilty about.........getting a job at 17, for leaving home, for leaving Tassie, for being successfull at my chosen career - the Army, for being a War Veteran at 21 and understanding the true meaning of ANZAC day as opposed to just a piss-up and a day off work, for wanting a better life for my family.
Wake up and smell the roses.......I am sick to death of this fake facade, stop feeling sorry for yourselves and stop this morbid attitude, yes it is an awful thing that has and is happening, but hey lighten the fuck up and stop being so fucking negative.
Positive things happen to positve people
This is what I said at mum's funeral
"My thoughts remember when"
you are my light, my life, my memories, my mum love you
remember when i ran through the front glass door and rushing me to the Dr
remember when I jumped the BMX that Tony had built over the "white hill" and breaking my arm
remember when I locked myself in the car at Nyra's
remember when I had thrown grass clippings on passers by
remember when I stole that car, shot that kid with the slug gun
remember when I broke Kim's elbow
remember when I blew up the school with crackers.
Then I remember the look on your face in court......holy moly guacamole!!!!!
remember riding the horses and camping on Mt Wellington
remember building the house at Bagdad and exploring the land on horseback
remember me joining the Army and you attending my "march-out" and how proud you were
remember my wedding
remember the birth of Hayden and Nathan - look at them now mum how proud you must be
remember walking home with Tom and Jenny on new years eve and lying on the beach with a wine or 2
remember when I lost my wedding ring and duck diving with Ewan in the canal at Jenny's to find it
remember the birth of Kaitlyn and how proud we were
remember all the 10l casks of wine to be drunk
remember all, we will
you are our light, our life our memories, our mum, our nan our friend
we love you Mum, Nan, Lyn.
Kim & Vonnie if you read this I hope you understand... I do care for you I do love you, if you don't believe this then well.................. fuck me!!!
Friday, 10 October 2008
Monday, 18 August 2008
Swimming
Today was another exciting day for Kaitie and I, we had our first swimming lesson together. What a great 1/2 hour it was as well, Kaitie managed to float by herself for a whole 5 seconds(apparently that is really good for her first time) cant wait for next week!
Haven't got any Pics tis a bit hard when you are by yourself maybe next week as Mummy and Nan are coming along as well.
Haven't got any Pics tis a bit hard when you are by yourself maybe next week as Mummy and Nan are coming along as well.
Friday, 8 August 2008
My Day as a Father 2 Chooks
Hi ya,
Well on Sunday just gone, I was having some alone time, as Fi was looking after little Kaitie for the afternoon. So as it happens I went to the local markets and bought some fruit and vegies and the like..........Also a new sticker 4 the car.... dadsathome.net..........and low and behold on the way out I saw these little chooks crammed into a smal cage and .........saved 2 of them.
Well on Sunday just gone, I was having some alone time, as Fi was looking after little Kaitie for the afternoon. So as it happens I went to the local markets and bought some fruit and vegies and the like..........Also a new sticker 4 the car.... dadsathome.net..........and low and behold on the way out I saw these little chooks crammed into a smal cage and .........saved 2 of them.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Welcome
Hi All and Welcome to Dads @ Home
When I exchanged places with my wife when her maternity leave finished I discovered there was little to no support for dads.
All info I found related directly to mums at home or for mothers groups. So I developed this site along with a group and Page on Face book to provide a place for like minded stay at home dads to hopefully find and share information for us dads at home.
Cheers
Mick
Check out my site: www.dadsathome.net
When I exchanged places with my wife when her maternity leave finished I discovered there was little to no support for dads.
All info I found related directly to mums at home or for mothers groups. So I developed this site along with a group and Page on Face book to provide a place for like minded stay at home dads to hopefully find and share information for us dads at home.
Cheers
Mick
Check out my site: www.dadsathome.net
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