Monday, April 27, 2015

Who's on first?


We went to church this morning.

Which is to say, we went to a wedding, which was held at a church.  It was an Anglican service, so it struck me as bizarrely formal and packed with arcane regalia.  God help me if I ever go back in a Catholic church.

It was an unusual wedding.  The bride was an Anglican deacon.  And so was the bridegroom.  (And what's with that terminology?  Isn't a groom someone who brushes horses?) So there's probably an Abbott and Costello routine in there where the groom argues with the priest later on:
"I married my wife a year ago today."
"No, I married your wife. And you."
Hmm, perhaps not.

I worked a late shift last night so I was pretty wrecked.  During one of the many moments of religious contemplation, I closed my eyes and had a little quiet time.  Unfortunately for me, the Hatchling was sitting next to me, with an eagle-eye for detail.

"Dad!  WAKE UP!"

Made me feel so disreputable.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Meet me in the middle of the air


I am your true shepherd
I will lead you there
Beside still waters
Come and meet me in the middle of the air
I will meet you in the middle of the air

I will lay you down
In pastures green and fair
Every soul shall be restored
I will meet them in the middle of the air
Come and meet me in the middle of the air

Through the lonesome valley
My rod and staff you'll bear
Fear not death's dark shadow
Come and meet me in the middle of the air
I will meet you in the middle of the air

With oil I shall anoint you
A table shall I prepare
Your cup will runneth over
Come and meet me in the middle of the air
I will meet you in the middle of the air

In my house you'll dwell forever
You shall not want for care
Surely goodness and mercy will follow you
Come and meet me in the middle of the air
I will meet you in the middle of the air 

- Paul Kelly

Thursday, April 23, 2015

I am, you are, we are Australian


The Hatchling valiantly did her best to get me to chuck a sickie today and stay home to play Lego with her.  I won't pretend I wasn't tempted.

Hatchling
I don't want you to go to work today.

PTR
I know, but I have to go. There will be sick people who need my help.

Hatchling
I have an idea! You could call them and tell them that the other doctors will see them instead of you!

PTR
Yes! Err, I mean, that would be unfair on the other doctors. Sigh.

Still, coming up on Anzac Day as we are, I really think she's demonstrating what being an Aussie is all about!  So proud right now!

And I'd like to mention a devious idea I had today - it occurred to me that if I were to get to work half an hour early, the other people on my shift would see me working hard when they got there and assume that I was on the early shift.  Then when the early shift left, I could stick around for another half hour tidying up loose ends then piss off home early myself.  I won't pretend I wasn't tempted.  So proud right now!

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Once again, German has an unexpectedly apt word for what you have just experienced


Blutschlauchüberraschung (n.) - A feeling of wonder, as that elicited when emptying your pockets upon arriving home after an evening at work only to unexpectedly find a tube of blood, unlabelled, whose origin you do not recall.