Zombie-ville

Yes folks, that's where I am living at the moment. This time of the month sure does suck. I am suffering from that most hideous of illnesses - PRS (pre referral syndrome). This malicious malady is characterised by excessive chocolate consumption, insomnia and the perverse need to get up at least half a dozen times during the night to check the RQ site to see if anyone has reported a cut-off date for referrals. I am seriously in need of some unbroken sleep, but I am pretty sure it won't be coming soon. Bring on those referrals, dammit!!!

Rumours at Last!!!

OK, for those of you who aren't a complete Rumour Queen addict like myself, here is (ripped directly from the RQ site - sorry!) the RQ rumour rating scale:


R1; A rumour that is very, very, very, suspect. I’m reporting it because it's out there, but I'm giving it zero weight.
R2: A rumour to keep an eye on.
R3: A rumour to pay attention to, but not enough behind it to say “this” is the way we are pretty sure it’s going to happen. Multiple conflicting rumours could all have a 3r Designation.
R4: Rumour that we feel good about. It comes indirectly from a source that is usually right, or it’s coming from multiple sources, but just not quite enough to give it a 5r Designation yet. This is the first rumour that I put my reputation behind.
R5: Very, very, very reliable rumour that is as close as we can get to fact. It comes from the place that is almost always right, or it comes from multiple sources all saying the same thing. This rumour also has my reputation behind it.

On the RQ site yesterday, there were finally some tasty rumours appearing about the next lot of referrals. Firstly, there is an R5 rumour that packages are on their way from China to the agencies. As to what is in these packages - it is an R3 that they are referrals (simply beacuase of the timing) but alternatively they could be TA's (travel approvals for people who received their referral last month). And as to the $64 000 question of the cut off date - it is an R3.5 that the cut off will be November 21st. One pissy day before our date of November 22nd. I had expected this, but it is still a kick to the guts, Oh well, what's another month's worth of sleepless nights and over-indulgence....

Rumour Wasteland...

This is VERY odd. Normally at this time of the month, rumours are coming thick and fast about the potential cut-off date, when referrals will be arriving, etc etc. So far this month there has been pretty much nothing. Earlier in July there was a flurry of rumours saying that the CCAA was going to shock the hell out of us and refer up until mid- December (HA!! AS IF!!), then we got the counter-balance rumour which said that they wouldn't make up to the 21st November. Since then - the silence has been deafening. One person did report on RQ today that their agency believes that referrals are still three weeks away. If this is the case, someone buy me a ticket out of here as I cannot bear the thought of having to wait another three weeks to see if, by some small miracle, we are in. So it's back to midnight sojourns to the computer, drinking too much red wine and snaffling far too much chocolate. Sigh... The sooner we get our referral the better, as if we wait too much longer I simply won't be able to fit into any of my clothes.

Poll results

Well done to those five people who correctly identified the Chinese character in my profile - it does indeed represent 'peace'. And, for those of you just dying to know, my tattoo is a peace symbol, emblazoned upon my upper thigh (i.e.butt cheek) when I was very young, stupid and pretending to be a hippy. Just a word of warning for anyone out there tempted to get a tattoo- they do not grow as you do. I am now about 10 kilos heavier than I was when I sabotaged my body with permanent ink, and have had two babies. Stretch marks and a warped peace symbol on your butt are NOT a good look...

Some People are Toads

I had to take DD to the doctor's (again) today. Last night she started going downhill and fortunately, the surgery was open for emergency appointments today. After waiting for about half an hour for the doctor, we came out, script in hand (chest infection, just like her brother) and went to get in the car. That's when I noticed that some little snot had graffitied his or her 'tag' on the side of my lovely new car. Grrrrrr. Mindless vandalism is one of the few things on this earth which I hate with a passion. The people who do stuff like this are the same people who rip trees up from the nature strip, pull people's mail boxes off, kick fences down and push street signs over. There is just no need for it. Moronic behaviour in the extreme, if you ask me. Anyway, this story does have a happy ending - the spray paint came off easily with some tea tree oil, thankfully saving me the hassle of having to go to the body works shop for a cut and polish. Honestly, some people should just grow up and get a life....

Pottermania

Yes, Loyal Readers, I have succumbed. For many years now I have been an avid follower of the young wizard and his friends. Today bought that chapter of my life to a close. I have spent the last seven hours devouring the final chapter of Harry Potter. Oh. My. Gosh. What a read. If you haven't read any of the Potter books, I urge you to do so. They will rock your world. I am still reeling from the experience. What a ride......

A clue...

For all you intrepid investigators who are trying to figure out what the Chinese character in my profile represents - it has the same meaning as the tattoo on my backside. Has that helped you at all?????

Come on guys!!

Where is your sense of participation??!!! I have put up a little poll to the right - have a go, it's all in good fun! The winner will receive - a big ol steaming cup of nothing, but eternal satisfaction and inner glory...




MySpace Glitter Graphics

Early Rumour

OK, I know I have promised not to get excited about rumours, but this one is a doozy!! During my meanderings in the Realm this morning (the RQ blog) I found a rumour which made my eyes water. It is only an R1 rating, but, get this - the girl responsible for the rumour is one of my November BlogRoll pals (Kim) and she reports that her agency called her yesterday to check that her paperwork is in order, as they expect her referral in August. What's so exciting about this, you may ask?? This lady's LID is December the 5th!!! That would mean that for her to get her referral next month, we would also be in, along with many, many other deliriously happy people. The CCAA hasn't referred that many days worth of files since before the beginning of time, so I really should not be getting my hopes up, but Kim says that her agency is VERY conservative and never gives out information unless they are certain of it's authenticity. Doh - have officially lost the battle to not be excited!!!

600 days....

I have just logged on and realised (via my gaudy and over-the-top counter) that we have now been waiting for Alice for 600 days. Wow - to think that when our file went, we were expecting a wait of around 180-240 days!!! The positive news is that we (most likely) have only 30-60 days left to go before that extra special phone call. I really hope I haven't jinxed myself by writing this down. If all goes according to what I think should happen, we will be referred in early September, only 60 odd days away. A surprise referral could come in August, but I am putting my money on September. So - 600 days down, 60 to go. Will I make it before I go completely insane?? Highly unlikely. But hey, what's the fun in being sane all the time???!!!

Another Weekend

Not much to report today Loyal Readers. DD was at the doctor's (again) yesterday and seems markedly improved. She even managed to get back to school yesterday after almost the whole week spent at home (which I suspect she did not mind one little bit!) After the huge raft of blood tests plus icky stool sample, the Doctor came to the conclusion that she had the $356.50 virus - the one that they have no idea what it is, but they will still charge you $356.50 for the blood tests, thank you very much. Perhaps I should have studied harder at Uni and become a doctor????

Good ol' Grandma has taken DD and DS away again - this time only overnight (thank goodness). They have headed up to beautiful Cradle Mountain (see picture at top) for an overnight snow trip. I just hope the weather cooperates and they do actually get to see some of the floaty white stuff. DH has gone out to the golf course, I have yet another horrid cold, so I plan on doing very little that is a) productive or b) tiresome. Mmm, I think that eating chocolate and a nap sounds like the way to go.

Stool Sample + Naughty Dog = Crappy Day

Yesterday was interesting, that's for sure. Once again, DD is not too well. Normally, I wouldn't go running to the Doctor's for the slightest little bump or upset tummy, but when DD (normally a very hearty eater) had been off her food for a few days, combined with nausea, tummy pain and being very tired, alarm bells went off. So off we trotted to the (unpronouncable name) doctor. He was very thorough, and because DD has been overseas in the past month, ordered a huge raft of blood tests and a stool sample. DD asked what a stool sample was, and I told her. She had thought that it was some kind of injection. DS offered to give his poo instead, so I had to explain what a lovely, kind brother he was, but no, he couldn't volunteer his stool. Anyway, the time came to poop, and DD was most embarrassed about having to do it in a potty (after all, she is 10!). After the deed was done, she called me in and I began the delicate task of shoving poop into the sample jar, trying all the while not to upchuck. Managed to use a plastic knife quite successfully to accomplish said task, then I had to dispose of the rest of the sample ('cos that much poo just wouldn't fit into one small jar). Took the potty to the toilet, dumped it in the bowl, and then tried to use the plastic knife to scrape the rest out. BIG mistake. Instead of a clean potty, I ended up with poo flicked all over the walls. Gross......

The poo sample had to go to pathology right away, so off we went to deliver the specimen. In the hurry to leave, I failed to notice where the dogs were. We were out for a couple of hours, and all that time I had a distinctly uneasy feeling about the pups. Got home at lunch time and we were greeted by one very guilty-looking, slightly plump fox-terrier cross, who had (somehow) managed to escape from the yard. Her big Labrador sister was no-where to be seen. Turns out that DS had, in his hurry that morning to check if the bird bath was frozen over, let the dogs out and failed to mention it to me. Bonnie had made a run for freedom in my absence and had disappeared. Cursing and threatening death, I went inside and checked the answering machine. Sure enough, the very nice lady from the Dog's Home was on the message bank, letting me know that my repeat-offender Lab had been picked up by the dog catcher and was having a little holiday with them. $35 later a very shame-faced Labrador was home, looking very tired and guilty. Anyone want a Labrador, going cheap????

Beautiful Babies!!

I have just been time-wasting on the Rumour Queen site (now there's a shock!) looking at the most recent referral pictures. Honestly, it makes me tear up, looking at these gorgeous little people. One little babe was a January 2007 birthday, which made me wonder (not for the first time) how old Alice will be when we receive our joyous news. Although we are approved for a child aged from birth to 12 months, China tends not to take too much notice of this approval, and allocates babies as they see fit. Sometimes the oldest family in the group will receive the youngest baby, and vice versa. We are the youngest couple in our batch, and I have spent many hours wondering how old she will be. I would love her to be as young as possible, so as to maximise the time I can spend with her whilst she is still a wee babe in arms, but I know that God will bless us with the child that He sees fit. And that child may be 20 months old!! So, I will just have to keep on waiting and wondering for another 60 days or so - now that doesn't seem too far away, does it??!! I can feel myself coming over all excited again!

Cut off is the 14th...

Well, despite the holiday in the US for Independence Day, Rumour Queen has updated her blog to give the 14th November an R5 rating, which means that it is pretty much fact. In the States, adoptions are managed by private agencies, and some of these agencies have access to an internal, pay per view web page on which the CCAA updates referrals before they update their public site. I imagine that for RQ to give this an R5, one or more of the US agencies who has access to this internal site must have posted the information on their web page. When the CCAA announces the cut off date, they always include that date in the referrals, so that means we are now just seven days away. I still think that we won't see our referral until September, but next month's wait for news is sure to be agonising...'

The Rumours are Coming!!

After my miserable, whiny post of yesterday, I have awoken this morning to rumours coming out of the USA. Supposedly, a (an??) European agency has told their clients that referrals were mailed from China yesterday, and that they include allocations for families up until the 14th November. This means, dear friends, that we will more than likely see our referral in September. And, as I predicted many months ago, we will miss out on an August referral by one poxy day. Because the 22nd of November (our LID) is such a huge day in terms of the number of files logged in, I imagine that August referrals will have a cut off of November 21st. Won't I be a head case if that happens???!!!! Anyway, watch this spot for more updates - I'm heading into that time of the month when I spend far too many hours on the computer, waiting to see how much closer we are to our amazing referral phone call.
zai jian!

The Sound of Silence.

It is so quiet that it is almost deafening. I am talking figuratively here, not literally. It is the second of July, and there are NO rumours floating about regarding this month's allocations. Usually by this time of the month, we have been pulled from pillar to post by conflicting bits of information from various sources, but so far this month - nada, nyet, zip, zilch, NOTHING!!! Where are all the rumours??? In theory, we could be included in this month's round of allocations, as our LID is only 14 days away from where the CCAA referred up until last month. Realistically, we haven't got a hope of receiving our allocation, but we will be closer. But the big question is - how much closer will we be?? If they only refer another piddly 5-6 days worth of files, we will still be looking at a September/October referral. Ten days would be brilliant, but I simply can't see it happening. It is funny how low my expectations have become. A year and a half ago, if someone had told me that I would be thrilled at the prospect of the CCAA referring 10 days of files per month, I would have chortled with unrestrained mirth. You see, up until our file went to China, the CCAA was referring pretty much 30 days of files at a time. Since the 'Big Slow Down' though, things are very, very different. For example, since the beginning of the year, only a month and a half's worth of files have been allocated. ARRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!! Please, someone throw me a bone - I'm dying here....And I still haven't eaten any chocolate!!!