Flu bug

Well it was official when the thermometer read 38.5 degrees celcius and I felt like my head had been tossed in a washing machine. I was sick with the flu. *cough cough* I don't fall sick very often but I feel everytime you move to a different town, you body needs to get used to lots of new things, new air, new water, new people you come into contact with etc.

There has been a bad bug going around Australia, it sounds like people everywhere are getting sick. They even put it on the news and the newspapers that there is a stomach bug going around. My poor lil sister in Melbourne even had to go to the hospital as she was getting more and more dehydrated. They gave her two bags of IV fluid! That is quite a lot. Thankfully she is better now :)

It has been pretty busy too, with those dramas at work, with the added excitement of a possum going on a rampage every night at the dental surgery, peeing and pooing everywhere. We set a trap for it and it looked very ashamed indeed at being caught. It was a cat sized thing with a cute face. My employer is going to drive out of town and set it free there. Meanwhile, it smells a bit like a zoo near the roof access where the trap was laid.

We also had our grand opening of the new surgery with drinks and hor d'oeuvres which were really yummy on thursday night. I kinda crashed after that ... I'm driving to Sydney later today as I have my first prac week for my course!!! I will be poking needles into peoples veins to try and get them to forget their dental experience. It will be a bit hard with needle phobes ... but we have cool patches that stick on skin to numb the area. And they really work!!

Hope I have some interesting cases to share here ... meanwhile, I think its back to bed for a bit of rest before the 2.5 hour drive.

*pant*

Work has suddenly gotten busy again. Was at work from about 8:30 am to 8 pm today just due to string of difficult cases. I offered to do my own denture repairs as it was quiet the last few weeks and all of a sudden, it got so busy, I didn't have time to do it at all today. So I had to stay back into the evening and do it then and so did my patient. I felt bad for making her wait so I only charged a fraction of the cost.

For other reasons, it hasn't been a great day either. A patient that I and my boss saw last week turned up with a face full of rash like symptoms and asked to speak to the practice manager. He allerged that he had been to the doctor who thought it was herpes. And he felt that he might have caught it from dirty instruments at our surgery. My boss had a look around and got him to open his mouth and there was no lesions inside at all. Hence, it was highly unlikely that he got it from the surgery. Second of all, all our instruments are autoclaved and sterile, hence it is impossible to get anything at all.

He was off to get a pathology report so it will be interesting to find out what exactly this thing is. Meanwhile, it is always stressful if you think someone might sue you, even if you know you have done everything by the book. Such is the life of a healthcare professional.

The week has been so busy I haven't had a chance to blog about my great weekend last weekend! Richard and I went away with Casey and Clare to a town called Mudgee which is one of the major wine growing areas of New South Wales. We visited 13 wineries all up but that wasn't even half of them! Will post more about it soon. This weekend, Richard's family is coming up to visit, thus I have to scoot soon to clean up the place. His family has an intersting habit of changing plans at the last minute. They said they wouldn't get here till late Friday night until this evening when they called and said that they would get here sometime early afternoon so now I need to think up and cook dinner for 5 for tomorrow as well as clean up when I had planned on doing it tomorrow evening after dinner. Outlaws .... can't live with them, can't shoot them. Don't even get me started on how his cousin and her husband arrived at our doorstep unannounced, having driven 3 hours to check out our area for something to do on their anniversary!

The post that almost wasn't- Cowra's Lachlan Hotel

I recall a few months back saying I would go a bit more into pub grub here in Oz. In the excitement of moving and going away, it was neglected. I am missing Cowra a bit. Even though work keeps me busy, we haven't made any good friends here yet. Well, in searching through memories, here is a fine example of your typical Ozzie hotel which I only got more intimately aquainted with in Cowra. (Remember hotel as in licensed accomodation, not as in 4 star sleeping establishment ... we *are* in the country here! For those who are confused, here is a link to an earlier post) In fact as you will soon see, the Lachlan's style of dining is not even labeled 'bistro'. It is more commonly known as 'counter meals' as these are ordered over the bar counter and you sit somewhere in the bar area and someone brings your order out shortly. I was way too scared to go into the few remaining ones left in Sydney due to its dim smoky interiors. However, in Cowra, everyone knows everyone and even little old ladies go in for lunch together.


The exterior of the Lachlan was only re-painted last year. It was also sold to new owners but they fortunately retained the two little old ladies who ran the kitchen. These two ladies are so quick that you have hardly placed your order and gone to the bathroom before they are calling your number! It is due to the efficiency of their service and the close proximity to the dental surgery I used to work at in Cowra that myself and some of the girls often frequented the joint.

(insert resized pic of interior here. grr blogger!! old one pushed sidebar out and now can't upload new one)

The interior is extremely dim but if you can make it out, the board has the usual menu as well as room for specials to be written up on the right side. In a tiny corner of the blackboard, it is written "Established 1843" I always thought that was prety cool. The fluoro lights on the left side is actually illuminating a salad bar with a small selection of salads. These are usually green, pasta and coleslaw. However, I always opted for the cooked vegetables because the selection changes daily. They have a million and one ways to bake, boil and roast different vegetables. I even grew to like chokoes!

The daily special is usually rissoles or some sort of casserole and you get that for a bargain $6.60 and it is served with 2 slices of bread and salad or vegetables. I did not get to have one before I left nor did I get to take better photo of the menu :( Hopefully this gives some idea anyway. There is also the daily roast for $10 and the carvery changes daily.


This was Richard's choice one Saturday that we had lunch there together. It is the crumbed snapper with veggies. It is always beautifully done, the fish still sweet and firm and moist on the inside, and a nice tasty crunch on the outside. It is on the regular menu and it is usually about $12

The lady that usually takes my order did not work on Saturday and so when I ordered the steak dianne, I was surprised when I got about half a cow on my plate.

I did not realise that the usual lady orders a half serve on my behalf and it is a nice managable size. I should have realised when I usually pay $10 instead of the usual $15 for the meal. This steak was just about hanging off the sides of the plate, and I noticed, was about the same shape as Australia (Tasmania not included). Eek! I ended up packing some home for the dogs. It is a no nonsense what you see is what you get steak. So by about halfway (though I order med rare), the jaws and tummy get really tired. It is by no means tough, just ... beefy. The dianne garlic sauce is really yummy though, and made fresh too. (One needs lots of mints afterwards)

Well, in short counter meals are a great way to get a large quick meal and they have been a way of feeding tradesmen and farmers ... since the 1800s! No pubs really close currently to where I work, thus a lot of the girls actually bring lunch in. Thus I have begun to do so too.... *sigh* guess its a lot healthier. Tuna with green salad tomorrow. Hope the scales at least show the sacrifice the gut is making this winter!

My first meme

This is my first meme and I am doing it only because there are so many scattered bits of news here and there and everywhere that I can't decide which to post about first so, characteristically of me, I am procrastinating that and jumping on this meme instead :) So all thanks to Clare here is a 5x5 meme

5 items in my fridge

1. Yoplait no fat yogurt
-trying to up our daily calcium intake
2. broccoli
-I have this thing with always having to have broccoli in the fridge. As soon as I am almost out, I buy another 3 little 'tree's. I even have backups in frozen format. No offsite backup though...
3. Flora buttery taste
-Most of you will know it as "I can't believe its not butter" Its not the healthiest thing you can buy but since Richard likes having something to spread on his bread, its a better alternative than the real thing.
4. diet soda
-*gasp* even though I am a dentist!!! Well I make sure I drink lots of water after to wash away the acid! No holes in the last 10 years :)
5. assorted condiments from Singapore
-half of which are different types of chilli. Currently there are 6 different types of chilli blends mmmm

5 Items in my closet

1. Skeleton
-okay just one plastic skull
2. Board games
-They occupy one whole closet by themselves. Always an open invite for friends to come over and play (no we don't have twister)
3. Ex-box
-no not an x-box... a box full of ex's photos, gifts, cards etc. I guess I am too sentimental to throw them away just yet. It is sealed up though ...
4. Camping/BBQ gear
-for the once in a blue moon that we go ... though we wish it was more often
5. Fireworks
-Cause they are illegal!! Don't know when and where we will be able to let them off !!

5 items in my car

1. Box with change of clothes, blanket, paper towels, rope (it *is* a 4wd!!), first aid kit and flashlight.
-read point 4 above
2. Crumbs
-I always eat breakfast in the car ... sad but true
3. Street directory
-habit from my pizza hut driving days
4. Bottled water
-rehydrate self, cool down car or fill up wiper reservoir
5. Dog mesh thingy. See here
-So we can let the dogs be safely ventilated when parked under shade

5 Items in my purse (assuming purse = handbag)

1. bunch of tictacs
-from when box somehow opened in bag
2. Asthma reliever
-'nuff said
3. Dell Axim x50v PDA
-I love it!!!
4. Mobile phone
-Cell phone for those in the US of A
5. Wallet
-except rare occasion when forgotten and very dearly missed then!

5 people who are thusly tagged
1.Ms Flatfeet
2.Kirk
3.Ron
4.Doc Mommy
5.Katie