Sudokuaholics Anonymous 7

Hi Susan!

Will I love your smiley Suzy! I think the ones on the solid coloured background stand out beautifully.

Pipped at the post without even realising.

Those numbers move fast these days Susan, I always have to go back to check what I missed, which isn't as bad now that my connection is faster than it used to be!

I never did get back to you about that gap year, did I Suzy? I have mixed feelings - have seen too many talented students skip uni after a gap year, but understand that some don't feel up to another year of study and arent yet sure what they want to do.

I think the same way Susan, but am not sure how we'll cope if she doesn't qualify for Austudy. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

Is it still noisy at your house?

Mine is very quiet because everyone is exhausted.

Hi Bean, nice to see you again! Sorry that you're injured - burns are such nasty things; hope it heals quickly.

I have to be really really honest though, and say sometimes it annoys me. I know a professional couple - luxury home, OS holidays every year, pool etc. you know the rest. They forced their son to do a gap year by refusing to support him. He's now at uni on full student allowance plus rent subsidy. I support my son without any government help, plus part of my taxes support their son. They have way more money than I have. Too often it's used as a loophole by the rich.

Are they actually subsidising him now that they have used the system or is he really living on Austudy???

Ebob will have to live at home and commute to Uni on trains which intermittently have horrible things happen. I ran into a girl who is doing this and working in a local restaurant and she seemed to find it very manageable, in fact she like the extra study time the train ride gave her.

Suzy I burnt it cooking on an oven tray ...cooking is a health hazard!!!
Was healing nicely until I accidentally scratched it on Friday arvo and by yesterday I had a fever, swollen, hot and more painful than when I did it!!! [what they say about not popping blisters etc is sooo true -portal for infection] It oozed a lot last night but it looks like the good ol Bean Juice in my blood is doing its stuff - is less swollen this arvo.

For those following this discussion, Austudy (student allowance) is means tested on parents' income, plus any income from part time jobs the student earns. If your child takes a year off after high school and earns at least $17000, parents' income is no longer taken into account, and the student receives full government support.

I'm down to one more unused avatar plus 2 very pixelated ones... do I spend time searching for more or repeat the old ones? What to do, what to do?

Ouch Bean! There is not much you can do for a burn either. It definitely sounds infected if you got a fever etc. Bummer!!

They had to support him for the first 5 months (and the mum had the hide to whinge to me about it)because Austudy doesn't start until 18 months after school finishes. He survives on Austudy alone. Last I heard, it was $435 a fortnight, but he could be dipping into his savings. His parents were 'nice enough' to not charge him board in his gap year. He has no choice but to survive on Austudy, but lean student days make you appreciate your later income more I think. We've both been there haven't we!!!

And how! $49 a week in first year, $30 a week rent and food 'kitty', $10 bus and train fairs. Everything else from jobs during the christmas holidays.

Bean, maybe you should see a doctor. My son got a staph infection via a school sore 12 years ago. We almost lost him. Please keep a close eye on it.

Susan, are they making him HECS the fees too?

Suzy, I don't think it would be too draining to keep a child at uni without Austudy if the child is living at home. I say this, not knowing how much train fares etc. are. It's the cost of his accommodation that is the hardest for us. Textbooks aren't cheap but Son gets his 2nd hand whenever possible, then sells them again at the end of the year.

Thanks Susan...yesterday was NOT good. Went to bed feeling like I was coming down with the flu...today I have been very sensible...RICE...remember your first aid? I need to draw around the edge of the inflammation to confirm if it is going down or not and to the doctors in the morning if it is worse.

I'm outer here...catch you later...

Yep, he'll have to pay his HECS when he starts earning. In the end, I admire the young man who is committed enough to study despite his parents prioritising their luxuries over his education, but I think they just enjoy being selfish and getting something for nothing from taxpayers. In the end, their son will be a highly paid professional, and one day they'll leave him their money, but by then he won't need it.

Bean, you really should take care of yourself (brace yourself for bad pun) - we don't want you to end up a "has-Bean"!
Err, sorry, that was very bad...

Now we match better Suzy. Naughty Bean should have gone to the doctor yesterday.

Suzy, why don't you have one avatar for each day of the week if you don't feel like searching for more?

I think she should have too, but I think faced with spending Saturday in the emergency room while feeling bad I would have made the same decision! Especially since I don't trust our emergency rooms!

Isn't it like Qld where you can go to your own private doctor if you don't want to face the ER?

I could do that - much better than more searching!

If he's open on Saturday Susan - most aren't. At least not here. Many many years ago there was an after hours practice in town, but it is long gone.

We don't have an after hours practice where I live either, but there's always a doctor from one of the private practices on call. You might not get your own doctor, but you will get one who can start you on treatment straight away. There's always a pharmacist on call too. I must be off now, Chrissy part tonight.

Have fun Susan! Hope you're not the designated driver...

Of course I am! Think the MOTH would????

Bugger! Oh well, the party should be fun anyway... Sigh.

Have a great night anyway, Susan :)
I'm popping in in-between ironing shirts - boring, but necessary. Hubby's out mowing the lawns - hasn't been done for a while, so hope he doesn't get swallowed up. ;)

Judy, wish we had got around to doing the lawns this weekend, but life is all go at this time of the year. They still haven't been done.
Went out to a friends place this weekend to help him celebrate his birthday. We met a lot of their extended family and had a fabulous time. I was the DD, but still managed to toast the birthday boy a couple of times over the many hours we were there.
Thank you, Helen and Phil.

I can't do that vile thing that Judy dared to mention...I can't remember where I hid it while Rena and Amber were here!

I haven't really looked very hard mind you!

Oh yeah, and the sucky thing is missing too...

hehe

Hi Gail! I was just about to set off to the shops, but now Rob's gone instead, so I'm free to chat for a while!
When we go out I'm always the designated driver - I don't drink! It's not because I don't approve - I just don't like the taste much. Except Baileys, which is yummy, but I only have it on rare occasions. ;)

Hi all. Well, we went toy shopping today. Had a great time with hubby. Just like a little kid in a candy store.

The only downside was the weather. The weatherman claimed that we were only to get a dusting of snow. Dusting my heinie, there's at least 1-2 inches on the ground.

The sucky thing! (snigger!) We have had parquetry put down in the updated parts of the house, just so I don't have to bother with "the sucky thing'!