The Waiting Man

Because I don't have the template for the forward/backward penguin meme & I don't have the time to go looking for it...

Had a meeting with my main client about my measuring contract, looking to raise my rate so I can actually make some kind of profit in the next financial year... Got turned down & told to wait, as there will be some form of compensation proposal next week

Actually, maybe I need the depressed bear meme for this one...

Back to work today... 4 measures & inspections that were designated 'urgent', so I was allowed to go to the sites & do my thing - following stricter guidelines about contact & communication, of course. Then scaling & drawing plans here at home in the afternoon, scanning, e-mailing... it was almost like hard work, after 2 weeks of nothing!

Tomorrow, I'll drop the original plans at one of the retail stores, on my way to get my 2nd vaccine shot

I did a Covid19 test yesterday & the result finally came through this evening - about 12 hours after all the previous ones, so I had a little panic about it, but of course, I'm fine. I have to get another test on Monday, to satisfy a pedantic client who won't let anyone on site without a test result that's less than 48 hours old, so yesterday's won't count. Annoying really, as the line-up at the testing site yesterday was the longest I've ever seen there & took about 45 minutes to get through. On the other hand, I suppose it means that even the "it can't happen here" brigade are finally taking it seriously

As mentioned previously, the 2nd Pfizer shot can apparently be a bit rougher &, in one anecdotal case, much more interesting than the first one, so we'll see what kind of shape I wind up in tomorrow afternoon. I hope I get the hallucinations... it's been a looong time since I had any good LSD & a little vacation from reality would be most welcome

Maybe L-SP should drive...

Stricter lockdown regulations mean that I'm having an enforced 2 weeks (at least!!) off from work. No 'non-essential' building works are allowed, which certainly means flooring installations & therefore means no measures, estimates or inspections for me. I've just spoken with the CEO of the company I contract to & he's closing all the stores 'til the end of July... or until this outbreak runs its course

I was out doing what's turned out to be my last measure for the month this morning & so was most of the Northern Beaches population. I have never seen so many people out walking, running, playing... even on a Saturday. It goes to show why gyms are such a growth industry - we're certainly seeing now just how many people usually do all their exercise indoors...

Sydney... for the foreseeable future:-

As of today, all of the Greater Sydney area & some outlying regions, are in lockdown, due to the Delta variant of the Plague spreading like... well, the Plague

It started about a week ago, with an airport driver infected by an aircrew he was, ironically, delivering into quarantine... he then went to a bunch of places in the eastern suburbs - an area notoriously reluctant to social-distance - & thanks to the Delta strain's higher contagion ability, it's spread to just about every part of town, with 2 locations in my northern beaches area listed as contagion sites... neither L-SP, nor myself have been to either of them. I had a Covid test a few days ago, when it looked like it was scaling up, just so I could reassure people I was 'clear' when I go into their houses for flooring measures etc... 2 days ago, masks indoors became mandatory, yesterday the eastern suburbs went into lockdown & today, the rest of the city has joined them

I'm not sure what it means for my work... Last year, it didn't affect my actual job, as flooring is linked to the building industry & so was considered 'essential'. It did lead to a 25% reduction in trade though, but at least I was getting paid regardless. This time, as a self-employed 'sole trader', if the clients dry up, so does my weekly invoice!!! The Federal government is no longer paying the 'JobKeeper' allowance, so FIIK (Buggered If I Know) where the money will come from...

You would think that we would have learned from the last lockdown that it doesn't automatically mean we're going to shit ourselves a whole lot more, but no...



Long-Suffering Partner took this photo today, in the aisle where the toilet paper (normally!!) is, alongside the disinfectant sprays & other cleaning products... The supermarket was full of the, by now, usual panic buyers with overloaded trolleys - mostly because of the 3 jumbo packs of bog roll in there - & boy, were the Boomers getting testy... obviously due to their sudden incontinence...

If I have to panic-buy anything in the coming days, it will probably be loaves of bread & jars of Vegemite, as that's all I'll be able to afford for my 3 square meals, when my work dials down...

Further to yesterday's viewing of the new, eexxppaannddeedd Justice League, here's a Buzzfeed article detailing all the differences between the 2017 version & Snyder's 2021 epic

Last week was a short work week & so is this one, though not quite as bad. Yesterday was officially a public holiday, but I had 2 measures to do, which made up a bit for losing Friday & Saturday last week. Still not a financial pleasure, but at least it staves off destitution for another week...

A post-processed double exposure, taken at the National Gallery, a while ago, but kind of illustrating how things feel at the end of the weekend & near the end of my billing week... This week is not going to be a financial pleasure for me, as there hasn't been much work put my way & there's none for tomorrow at this point. Meaning that since I started this whole contract measuring caper, I've lost more money than I've made. Given the relatively modest 'set-up' costs, which basically are only for a Business Number, a public liability insurance policy & then some stationery, that's somewhat alarming

I have applied for advertised jobs with the 2 largest flooring suppliers in New South Wales & arguably the country. There would be the pressure to perform, but there would be financial security & some fringe benefits. Alternatively/Additionally, I plan to visit a couple of other flooring stores in the area to see if they need measures done... anywhere, anyplace, anytime!!

The 2nd week in a row that Debtors Prison has screwed with my roster. In fact, it's probably the 52nd... though I can't claim that consecutively. Hell, if we're not thinking consecutively, it's probably the 104th, if not more. I've definitely been there too long!!

Radio silence from my Mother & Sister. which suits Long-Suffering Partner & I just fine. They'll need us looong before we need them. We're a pretty self-sufficient & resourceful pair. They... are not

The exotic musical instrument collection here at WaitingManor just increased, with the addition of a Hohner Melodica, which joins the kalimba, electric kazoo, cajon, slit drum, djembe, cigar-box guitar, mandola, resonator steel guitar, prayer cymbals, whirly tube (though I prefer the name 'Corrugaphone'!), egg shakers, Indonesian gong... & probably a few other things I can't see in here at the moment. L-SP found the melodica on a local website, going for just $40 (new ones are $125), with a case & 2 mouthpieces. I said yes before she'd even mentioned it was in a suburb about 40 minutes drive from home, but still worth it!! Though I do hope L-SP learns something else to play, other than the intro to 'The Final Countdown'...

We've been having a tropical heatwave in Sydney for the last few days, with tomorrow promising to be the hottest one so far - reaching 37 celsius on the coast & into the low 40s in the city's west. So - what are the odds I'll have to drive out there for work at some point tomorrow... probably early afternoon... I wouldn't even take that bet. I've definitely been there too long...

Day somethingorother of a work stint that is really only being broken by Christmas Day tomorrow... & possibly again only by New Years' Day next week. I've been at work every day since Thursday last week, with even my fractured weekend a thing of the past... We have a staff member away on holidays & given there's only 3 of us at full strength, having just 2 means no days off until their return... which I think is some time next year. Not to sound dramatic - I'm pretty sure it's some time in January

I hope..

I celebrated the Labour Day Public Holiday today, the way I have for around 35 years...

At work

Otherwise, an uneventful day, really. Here's a picture of the inside of my work utility wagon...


Just kidding... the work ute isn't quite that bad - it has much less rust... & cobwebs

This is actually the inside of the wreck we found on the desert road between Goodooga & Brewarrina, as featured in the last diary entry

Some serenity to accept the things I cannot change...

Pigg's Peake Winery NSW

Some courage to change the things I can...



If only I had the wisdom to know the difference...

Well, so much for Saturday being a busy day... not as things stand, it's not

We had a tyre-kicker & a friend of the Boss through the door today. That's it. Unfortunately, all the excitement was happening at the nearby mega-mall. 3 police cars, then 3 ambulances went shrieking past our doors, headed towards the mall. Via the shop-owner grapevine, it seems someone took a dive off the top floor & landed on the bottom one... the 2nd time it's happened since we opened here in 2017. Not that I'm suggesting the events are connected - we're not that expensive & quite friendly... well I am anyway

Taking our 4-legged houseguest for a walk up the road yesterday, it was difficult to avoid hearing a couple of, no doubt self-isolation-inspired, domestic 'disagreements', both involving older & younger generations. I predict a pay-rise claim by both teachers & early-childhood educators will be favourably heard & publicly supported when all this is over...

Civilisation is such a thin veneer

Had 'the discussion' with my Boss on Friday afternoon - the one that starts with "So, when we have to shut down, what happens?"

In a nutshell, we're going to stay open & running for as long as either the government lets us, or it's economically feasible. Given that today was devoid of feet through the door other than our own, it will be a close-run race... But, if we are forced to close, there are compensation packages that are available to us, that may not be if we just threw up our hands & the shutters, including the hint of a new announcement regarding Federal subsidising of wages, similar to what the government in the U.K. are doing

I get to keep my job a little longer... & may still get a reasonable 'wage'even after I don't...Yay?!?!!

For now... I'll take it

... not after midday today, you won't be...!

The Government has announced that all clubs, pubs, restaurants, cafés, theatres, cinemas & what they vaguely refer to as "non-essential services" will be closed from midday - enforceable by the thin blue line. Food places will still provide take-away & home-delivery, shopping centres will still be open, so people can still panic-buy at the supermarkets, only now the bottle shops will be hit by the thirsty hordes as well. Fortunately, I don't think there'll be much of a run on my 2 favourite things - Guinness & single malt scotch whiskey - one because it's unpopular & an acquired taste, the other because it can be a bit pricey, even for the Zombie Apocalypse Preppers

I bought coffee & something for breakfast in the local shopping centre food court this morning & the barista told me the food court seating area will be closed today as well, so I imagine this will be the case everywhere - lots of people eating in their cars, or while walking - giving the pigeons & seagulls a boom time in scraps... Gymnasiums will also be closed, so watch out for an increase in jogging traffic!

Schools in New South Wales are officially still open, but the State Premier is "encouraging" people to leave their children at home, where online learning will be available. I know a couple of teachers, at least one of whom will be quite pleased about the reduction in class numbers, if only for her mental health...

So, I haven't actually set foot in a pub, club, or cinema for quite a while, but there's something vaguely comforting about knowing the option was there - which I didn't even realise until the news that I can't go there any more. In reality, of course, this won't affect my life that much, based on usual behaviours, but it does add to the developing siege mentality that's taking hold everywhere. On the plus side, the drive to work on a Monday morning was an absolute breeze, compared to what it's like on a 'normal' day. Because, of course, Debtors Prison is still open, providing the essential service of fleecing people for flooring. Though I wonder for how long... & whether the business will be able to access some of the Government support packages to stay afloat (& pay me!!), or if it will be me who has to access the newly improved 'Newstart Allowance' - which is marketing-speak for unemployment benefit payments... Apparently that will be set at $1,100 per fortnight, for the duration - which is significantly less than what I normally earn, so fingers, legs & eyes crossed it doesn't come to that...

By the time I took this photo with my phone, I'd been up for about 90 minutes, fed 2 animals, inhaled a coffee, dropped L-SP at the bus stop & travelled about 20 kilometres

But a good sunrise can make you forget all that... except for the fact that I prefer sunsets - mostly because I don't have to get up early for them...


Another early start tomorrow, but not quite as early... nor as picturesque a direction - no seaside open spaces in the western suburbs of Sydney!

Ahh... Saturday, according to the calendar on the PC...

It's been a pretty draining week actually. Work has officially entered the end-of-year, crazy, "Oh my god, it's nearly December, the family are coming from out-of-town & this place is a mess. I know, I'll install new flooring everywhere, that shouldn't take long, right?!", period, so I've been doing a lot of driving around, then doing marathons on the computer estimating & quoting, then out on what I refer to as 'Fuckup Patrol', doing the rounds of various jobs in progress bringing more materials, or replacing wrong ones

L-SP has been on various day & night shifts, so I've hardly seen her for the last 7-8 days. We are, on the plus side, a lot closer to our mutual time off in early December & neither of us has killed a cow-orker yet

The work ute may be dead though... or at least, coughing up blood. I was driving home on Thursday evening & as I turned a corner, there was a clunk & all of a sudden it sounded like an entire Chapter of Hell's Angels were behind me & the ute lost a fair degree of get-up-and-go. There's obviously an exhaust/muffler issue & while I was able to nurse the now extremely loud invalid home, I took Laura to work on Friday, as the thought of driving the ute, with its horde-of-angry-motorcycles exhaust, in peak-hour traffic did not appeal. I may take it tomorrow though, just to get it out of WaitingManor's garage & make it someone else's problem & a none-too-subtle reminder to the Boss that we now really need that new ute he's been promising for 18 months

I made it rain today!! I did a load of washing & hung it out to dry this morning. It hasn't been a stinking hot day, for a welcome change & it's been a little cloudy, but good old Murphy ensured that, just after I decided everything needed maybe another 45 minutes on the line to be properly dry, it rained for 5 minutes. Maybe if I'd decided to wash the car, it would have rained a bit longer...