I never finished my cruise chronicle but I totally don't care. I just want to update.

I'm home alone, Isis has gone to bed for the night, there's some yobos in my drive way having a domestic... I'd feel safer if Obi were home. But where is he? At work. Yes, that's right AT WORK! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO Yeah!

That situation seems to be more or less resolved, though I'm so scared something will go wrong. It's hard to let that anxiety go and just have faith. But here's the good news:

The job he's working tonight is through a temp agency for hospitality staff (so not in his field). They phone him on short notice and say "Can you work tonight/this week/whenever?" and then they give him an address and he goes and works somewhere in Sydney. Tonight it's a cafe inside a supermarket, he messaged me when he had his break - he's been stripping chickens. The awesome thing about this job is if he can't work, even if that's for months at a time, he just tells them he can't work and the job will still be there when he can. So, in between contracts we wont be quite so screwed! And it's got better penalty rates than my job does. (In Oz, there are lots of jobs where if you work the weekend they pay you more. I only get it on Sunday, but Obi gets it both days. Nice.)

Speaking of contracts, he's signed the paperwork for a career job too, starting at the end of March. He got both jobs on the same day. Anyway this is back with his old company but for a more senior position. It's only three months, but it's exactly what we need to get us back on track. The pay is ridiculous, but in a good way. I can't fathom anyone's time being worth that kind of money, but apparently it is.

Here's where we are at:
There'll still be no traveling for the wedding, as that falls in the middle of his contract and only a really stupid person takes holidays in the middle of such a short and hard-won contract. But he didn't want to go, and I'd rather keep the money.
There'll be no time off for Simmy's birth either, excepting for the actual event, but I'm sure I can manage alright. And if I can't I have great friends and Bec who I can rely on. I'm happy because I've already agreed with my Midwife for the reduced service, so I'm saving a bomb there, and I doubt she'd go back on her word even if she knew Obi was working. (I'm not rushing to let her know just in case though!)
There also, sadly, won't be any moving house before the birth, which I think I'm ok with. I think I can make it work for a couple of months, until we're in a better position. And I love our location, even if I'm over being in this particular unit.

I got a great deal on a cot for newbaby. $20 for it, the mattress (which I'm throwing out because it's disgusting and a SIDs risk) and a massive bag of random linens. Most of which I gave to Bec because it was stuff for a bassinet, or I thought she needed it more. I kept some sheets though. And this round doona/quilt/comforter thing. It's exactly perfect for me to use as stuffing for the baby play mat I've been sewing for a year now. Can't believe my luck on that!

I feel kind of free now... My hormones have been going crazy, pushing me to prepare for Simmy's arrival, but I have nothing fully ready. And I know that babies don't really need anything. She won't be naked. We have nappies and boobs. But we don't yet have a place for her to sleep. Or a car seat. She has nothing special that is hers. And my mate broke my bloody pram! Frustrating. Yes it's an old piece of shit I can't wait to be rid of, but now it's barely useable. But now at least I feel a little safe to buy a few extra things that while not necessary for survival will make my life easier.

Thinking of money though, bloody centrelink got me a good one today. Apparently in the 6 months after Isis was born they overpaid my family tax benefit, and today I got a letter saying "Hey we want this money back." It's a couple of grand, so of course I shat myself and ambled my large frame down to their office to sort it out, in the balmy 30 degree heat which I'd have enjoyed if I wasn't the size of a small barn.
At the reception I present my letter that has the exact same symbol and title as the sign directly behind the desk only to be told that they don't deal with their own debt recovery and that I need to phone them. So I sat my big arse down, borrowed their phone, and called centrelink from within centrelink. And then of course I waited a bloody age, all the while trying not to cry.

It's hard for me to do phones. I panic as it is. But add in some depressing hold music and repeated recorded messages that talk about paying back centrelink debts and other debt recovery services getting involved, a fussing toddler, not enough aircon and the constant need to freaking PEE and I was in a state. Luckily I held it together for the half an hour I waited on hold, and so did Isis. Once I got her out of the busted pram anyway. *Grumble*
And the lady I spoke to was not only nice, her English was flawless. She explained everything to me and I neither cried nor lost my temper. Nice work all round. In the end, this debt is my fault even if it couldn't have come at a worse time, however, as for some reason our income estimate never got updated in their system when Obi got unemployed (even though I have a record of exactly when I went and updated it >.<) I'm technically entitled to twice what I've been getting for the last seven months. So nice lady upped my payment, and then dedicated half of it to "pay back" this debt, for however long that takes. And I wont even feel it, at least not until next time I have to adjust everything with them.

Once this is paid back and Obi has a longer-term contract, I'd like to get out of the system entirely. It's like playing with fire and the accessibility is shit. It would be so much better if you could talk face to face with the people, but you either have to phone or do everything online and there's so much opportunity for you to make a mistake. I don't want the government up in my business anymore, but at the same time, right now I do need that money coming in (because Obi's real job pays monthly, and without the help making it to the end of April could be a real challenge)

But all in all, things are looking up. I'm having a baby soon. I'm already getting the occasional practice contractions. I don't have the horrible heartburn and crazy itching I had last time either, which is a relief I'm really looking forward to labour, I'm excited for it.

I'm also excited about decorating this baby cot. I can't have a nursery of course (and honestly what is the point of that shit? The safest place for your baby for the first 6 months is in your room, and then after that half the "fluff" in a nursery becomes a strangulation hazard. Alas I love them all the same.) but I can make a mobile and look at pretty quilts!

And while I'm at it, I need to find a tasteful way to baby proof my altar. I can't be leaving this cast iron cauldron on a glass table now that Isis can reach it, and that unsheathed knife should probably also go. Hmmm. Need ideas...