It's Been Too Long...

It's been forever since I last posted here, it seems that Facebook has taken over. While a great way to stay in touch it doesn't lend itself to longer, more thoughtful and thought provoking posts.

So, by popular request, well from two readers anyway and you know who you are...

I'm back and will try and post at least a couple of times a week.

Please keep my Aunt in your thoughts...she is critically ill and on life support. She has been unwell for a number of years and last week saw a sharp decline in her health. Decisions are being made about her prognosis in the next day or two.  She was/is my favourite Aunt, I was the flower girl at her wedding when I was four years old, (I'm on the left below), and spent a lot of time with her when I was young.

For those who believe in the power of prayer, she can use all the help she can get.

Update 10pm...

My Aunt died late this afternoon, life support was withdrawn.
Rest in peace Judy.

Three...

Here's the first photo of our three babies...Sienna, Grace & Harrison. Am so looking forward to my trip to Melbourne to see them next month. All is going well.

Did I Overreact...???

Matilda went out shopping with a friend yesterday. As far as I knew she was getting the train to her friend's home then her friend's Dad was driving them to the shopping centre.

When she got home she mentioned that her friend (who turned 16 on 29th March and sat for her Learner's Permit test the following day) had driven them to the shopping centre. This was only the second time she had been behind the wheel.

I'm afraid I reacted badly, I was quite horrified that her friend's father would consider taking Matilda in the car with his (brand new Learner )daughter driving. He may well have faith in her ability but I don't...how can a 16 year old learner driver with less than 2 hours driving experience possibly react well to situations other drivers put her in on the road...??? It's not like it is a quiet route either, it gets quite busy.

I have spoken to Matilda and after my initial reaction explained why I felt as I did and said that at no time was I happy with her being in a car with such an inexperienced driver and that it wasn't to happen again.

I have to take her to her friend's party this evening and am going to have to make my feelings felt to her parents, not really looking forward to that but they are very reasonable people so it should be okay.

Did I overreact..??

Thoughts please...

Waiting Anxiously...

t's 4.00am and I am wide awake. Since being in hospital my sleeping pattern is all over the place. I find myself awake at 3.00am and not being able to get back to sleep until about 6ish. It's easier to get up and do something quiet than toss and turn and wake John.

Easter was quiet for us...we didn't go away but instead chose to spend time at home on a few projects around here...renovating the kids bathroom for one. At Easter my thoughts always turn to camping and Mount Beauty (Victoria)...we used to camp with extended family & friends every Easter, the "gang" got bigger each year and "drinks" at 5.00pm around the fire were the best place on earth to be. It's God's Own Country up there and
the most relaxing holiday I ever have.

But I digress...or maybe not...

In the year before I moved to Queensland I let a much valued friendship slip through the cracks. I wasn't the only party at fault, there were events that transpired in both our lives that led me unable to offer the support my friend L. needed as her marriage fell to pieces around her. As time has passed it has become harder and harder to make contact.

The situation has been bothering me for three years now and over Easter I decided that it was time to try and "fix" it. I wrote to L. on the weekend...not an excuse but more an explanation of how things crumbled and an apology for my part in letting our friendship slide. I'm hoping that it can be somehow rescued...hopeful for forgiveness and reconciliation and a chance to rebuild.

L. and her family camped with us at Mount Beauty...they still camp there every year and have contact with my family. I was asked to be "Fairy" Godmother to her youngest son, a role I took on with the commitment necessary to fulfil it well. I feel so badly that I have just slipped out of their lives.

I wrote, then sat on it for a few hours. A little later I went back, edited, printed and posted it immediately. Had I let it lay around I would have found an excuse not to post it.

I'm waiting anxiously now, knowing that L. would have received it by yesterday, wondering what she made of it and how she will respond. I'm travelling to Victoria next month...my great wish is that L. will want me to visit, can find it in her heart to forgive and that we will be able to somehow put things right.

I have done my bit...the waiting is killing me. I am not, by nature, a very patient person.

Reunited...

I have been sitting on a “good news story” that has happened within my family for a little while now and now need to get it out there.

I have a brother, Mitchell, who is three years younger and two sisters, Cate & Sally, six and eleven years younger. Many years ago (25 in fact), there was a family misunderstanding and my brother left home and went to work interstate. Time passed and it became apparent that he no longer wanted anything to do with my Mum & Stepfather and by default his sisters too.

This was agonising for my Mum…her son was out there in the world, 18 years old and on his own. We had a general idea where he was and what he was doing but really knew nothing of his life…this was how he wanted it. My guess is that as years passed, it became harder to resume contact with family…before we knew it, 20 years had passed. I don’t think I wondered about him quite every day but certainly several times a week he was on my mind.

Last year I had a bit of an estrangement with my family, nothing permanent, but I was definitely on the outer for some months. I constantly thought of Mitch, knowing how awfully lonely it was not being able to just pick up the phone and say hello, wondering if how I felt was how he had felt. There was also an inheritance due his way, a gift from our grandparents…I felt he should have what was his entitlement.

Soooo…

I decided to try and find him. I enlisted the help of a cousin, someone Mitchell had grown up with and very much admired. He agreed to be the go-between. I placed a couple of ads on internet billboards and could not believe my luck when I had a response on the very same night I posted. A woman answered my ad and said that he was last living in a small town in South Australia. Quite unbelievable.

My cousin Neale took over and did some amazing detective work. He contacted several people from the town, including the publican and general store/post office owner. His concern was taken very much as genuine and these people were very helpful in directing him where to look next. He was also able to make out that these people thought very well of Mitchell and cared for him a great deal.

His search led him to a trucking company in NSW…we had known that Mitch was an interstate truck driver, so this made sense. Neale was able to speak to a supervisor there who eventually let on that Mitchell would be there at 10pm if he wanted to call that night.

Neale called and they spoke for a short while…they then continued to communicate over the next few weeks via phone. Eventually the inevitable rose…”What did Mitchell think about having contact with his Mum..??”

He thought about it and in the interim Mum wrote to him.

A short time passed and then quite out of the blue I get a call from my sister, Sally. Did I know where Mum & John were..?? Mitchell had phoned her, he was in Melbourne taking care of the legal will stuff and he was going to drop in on them, but they were nowhere to be found.

There was little time; Mitchell and his partner were flying out in a few hours. Eventually we tracked them down and the sped off to the airport for the reunion. It was sweet, very sweet…I haven’t heard Mum as happy as she was that night. They have had lots of contact since then and recently Mitchell & his partner came down for the weekend and spent almost all of it with the family, including a night out with Neale & his family.

I spoke to him on the phone, it was good to talk…I hope to catch up in person soon.

Here are a few pics from that weekend…they are just snapshots but such happy ones, too happy not to share…

I’m hoping for a huge family gathering next Christmas…

BTW...is Blogger being a bitch for anyone else this morning...???

Unwell...

I had a birthday this last week, it went by very much unnoticed. I'm now 46 years old, goodness me, it's the wrong side of 45, all downhill to 50 from now on in.

Actually my birthday was crappy, really crappy. Since the 24th I have been in hospital, 4 days of which I spent in ICU. Last Sunday I started to feel a little unwell, sore muscles like I had worked them hard. By Tuesday afternoon I had no power whatsoever in my legs and arms and by Wednesday am. it was extending to my fingers & toes and also my lungs, my breathing was very compromised. John took me to my GP, she was flummoxed as to what it could be so sent me off to Emergency and told me to pack a bag.

After hours in the ER, they diagnosed me as having very low potassium levels, I needed significant transfusions of potassium and it had to be done under strict ICU supervision as it can cause cardiac arrhythmias. So there I stayed for the next 4 days, I had a central line inserted, not fun at all.  By Sunday I was able to go to the ward and today I have been discharged.

The Endocrinologist has discovered a small tumour on my adrenal gland which is causing the problem, it also plays havoc with my blood pressure, causing erratic readings. I am going to have it removed in 7 weeks, a very simple day surgery procedure.  It's so good to be home, John has taken the rest of the week off to stay with me, then Easter will be here so I should be okay after then.  Sorry I have been absent, will be around a bit more now.  Much love to you all...(((((((hugs)))))))

In the midst of sadness in losing dear Christa I have some happier news to share...

Our triplets arrived last Friday the 26th March at 1.23pm, 1.24pm & 1.26pm. Harrison, Grace & Sienna were born at 33w4d (phenomenal effort Briohny), and are all around 4.5lbs & breathing room air unassisted. One of the girls has a few apnoea & respiratory probs but maturity will sort that out. For those who pray, could you say one for her please.

Can't wait for photos, will post when I have them.

Death Of A Dear Friend...Christa Bowen

I heard this morning that my very dear friend, Christa, died in a motor accident on Monday.

I first met Christa Bowen on the MISS Foundation Forum Boards in 2004 and she quickly became a firm friend, as she did to many people. She was beautiful, so clever, brilliant at her work (an Embryologist) and had time and a quiet word for everyone. But what brought her the most joy and pride in life was being with her family...husband Andy and their six year old twin sons Tyler and Austin. In 2003 she lost twin daughters, Caitlynn and Alexandra, at 22 weeks gestation. She and Andy tried so hard to have their little family...the irony of her being an Embryologist and her needing IVF to have children wasn't lost on her either.

Monday evening was just an ordinary evening, nothing remarkable about it. I'm sure she was just running to the shops to pick up a few extras they needed, it was about 7pm. As she pulled out of the carpark she was hit by a vehicle driven by an 81 year old man, he (allegedly) ran a red light. The force of the collision propelled her car into three other cars. I ache to think of her in pain or being conscious...my hope is that she was unaware of any of this.

"Blondie"...I am going to miss you so much, all at The MISS Foundation will miss your kind words and replies to their posts. I'll miss your quick wit, your feigned "blond dumbness" and your (wicked) sense of humour.

Farewell Honeybunch...our world is a much emptier place without you in it.

I Have A Calling...and other bits & pieces...

Well, rather I have been called...

My number came up for Jury Duty this week. When the very official letter arrived a while ago my first thought was "bloody revenue raising speed cameras" but on closer inspection it wasn't a speeding fine, thankfully. I have never been called before and have no reason to get out of it so I filled my details in and returned the letter. I have made it through Round 1 and have to make myself available from 9-11am for two weeks at the end of March. It will be at the Supreme Court, Brisbane. I'm kind of looking forward to it, hoping that if I have to be there I at least get a chance to be part of a jury. Any suggestions or sage words of advice from anyone who has actually been selected..??

Last time I posted we were heading off for two relaxing weeks at the beach. We had a fantastic time, very laid back...mostly we just enjoyed being together and away from routine and regularity. We swam, fished, did a few day trips, snoozed, read, barbecued, lazed by the pool, ate & drank...everything one should do while on holiday. It seems a long time ago now we have settled back into the new school year.

Haven't been online or had our landline phone service connected for over two weeks now...the hard drive bit the dust, as did our wireless router and network key. Quickly followed by the cordless phone, useless anyway as the VOIP was cactus, but it didn't have to go out in sympathy. We have all the new bits and now have a working phone but are still having great difficulty with the PC. John has spent hours online and on the phone to our ISP (who have provided excellent service thankfully) and he whenever he thinks he may have nailed it, it just doesn't happen. It has been so frustrating, I hadn't quite realised how computer dependent I had become. Oh, my (brand new) mobile died as well and we are waiting to hear who is going to take responsibility for repair, will it be Gray's Online, where it was purchased, or Motorola, who manufactured it..??

We have some exciting news...

John's oldest son Brad and his DIL Briohny are going to be parents again...!!! To triplets...!!! I am looking forward so much to having babies in the family again. Briohny is 27 weeks now and doing incredibly well, showing no signs of any of the potential complications of higher multiple pregnancy. Her feet get quite puffy and swollen at the end of the day but settle overnight or if she puts them up for some time. Her doctors are hoping she will make it to 32 weeks. If she gets that far, they will let her continue to 34 weeks but not beyond. So, somewhere between 24th March and Easter these little ones will make an appearance. Briohny & Brad are quite realistic about the possibility of complications and understand that, even despite the very best of care, they may not bring three babies home.

Oh, we know there are two daughters and a son in there...they have two sons already, Blake & Dylan are 11 and 10 and very much wanted a sister. They are lovely boys and will be terrific big brothers.

Will keep you posted...

Not a lot else going on here, Matilda & Myles have settled back into school and are enjoying the challenges of a higher year level. Footy & Cheerleading are back in full swing too...I think we get to eat dinner together three nights in a week now. Part of me loves that they are busy and committed to a team sport, the other part finds it disruptive to family time and frustrating to have to plan meals that taste good reheated. Any recipe suggestions for easy meals...??

Better fly, have to get organised for the day...I have Matilda home sick today, not moving far from the sofa. She had a gastric type bug late yesterday and last night and seems okay today but doesn't want to be too far from a toilet...at school that could be disastrous.

Heading Beachward...

Seems like I have only just signed back into the Blogosphere and I am now signing out for a couple of weeks.

Tomorrow we are heading down the coast to a sleepy little town, Cabarita Beach...located just south of the N.S.W. - Queensland border. The beaches are magnificent, wild at times but patrolled over Summer and we are a short drive from the Lamington National Park to the west and Byron Bay to the south. We spent a week there in September and enjoyed it so much that we signed up for two weeks this time. The apartment we stayed in has everything you need, only need to take clothing, toiletries and food. Last time there were a number of young teenage boys around...we didn't see Myles for the whole time we were in the apartment...he was in heaven.

Two weeks...two whole weeks of no real plans other than reading, sleeping and eating (we found the best fish & chip shop ever last time). John has 4 weeks off starting as of lunchtime tomorrow and we are all looking forward to spending time together away from the distractions of home. I purchased some books online with a gift card I received for Christmas and they arrived this morning...Julie & Julia by Julie Powell and Forbidden Fruit by Kerry Greenwood, just what I need for holiday devouring.

Will see how I go as far as internet access goes, I would prefer to leave the laptop at home and just check email every few days using the facilities there, we'll see.

Catch you in two weeks...hopefully rested & relaxed.

He's done it again...

Around 18 months ago I posted about a surprise delivery I received when home one afternoon.

Guess what, he's done it again...

This morning, (I hadn't long been up) we heard the parcel delivery man in the driveway. We are expecting a few deliveries, (new mobile phones, books I had ordered) so I expected it would be one of these.

But no, the delivery man is making his way to the door, utterly swamped by a rather large box, considerably larger than I had expected for what we had ordered. Upon investigation it appeared that the contents matched the photographs on the box and it contained this...
...a new espresso machine...I had no idea it was coming, not a clue...

Our last machine bit the dust a while back and we have been managing without one since then. It will be lovely to have a fully automated machine again with glorious, thick, black liquid at the press of a button.

I do love surprises...!!!

Happy 2010...

After a hiatus of sorts, I'm back.

There have been a number of reasons I took a break, which I won't go into here, some I can't even really put my finger on.

I have missed my corner of the Blog-O-Sphere and the friends I have made...I have been reading, sometimes commenting, so I am up with all of your news. Thanks to all of you who missed me and emailed to check I was okay. Your care and concern warms my heart.

Hope you all had as gentle and relaxed a Christmas as we did and that 2010 brings a little joy your way.

Sad...so very sad...

It's after midnight and I can't sleep, have tried to but had to get up, just couldn't get into deep sleep mode.

There's a lot on my mind weighing heavily...

Matilda phoned me from school at recess this morning to tell me that a Year 11 student had died last night, an apparent suicide. There was an emergency assembly called this morning and the school community was informed. The library was set up as a safe haven for students who needed support, any student who felt they needed to be there was encouraged to do so. Counsellors were at the school by 8am this morning and available to the students all day. I believe this will continue for the rest of the week. The young woman has a brother at the school, his friends had a counselling session to discuss ways to support him.

Such a tragedy, an utter waste of a young life, so much potential just gone. I believe the young woman had been sent home from school yesterday and was intending to discuss a number of important issues with her Mother. The discussion didn't eventuate, instead an argument ensued resulting in the young woman taking her own life. I'm not even sure that ending her life was what she intended to do, rather that she was distressed and needing attention & support. She had to get it some how, ANYHOW...

...so sad, so terribly sad...

My heart goes out to her Mother, her brother, her family.

Rest peacefully Sweetheart...

Madame...

My apologies for not being about much this week, for some unknown reason I couldn't log in to Blogger, am seriously thinking about switching to Word Press.

Please indulge me in a proud parent moment here...

Last Tuesday evening Matilda & I went to Parent/Teacher night at her school. I had never been before and decided that it would be the done thing to introduce myself and meet teachers I didn't know. Attending is optional, some teachers request an interview, particularly if the student is experiencing some difficulty at school. Matilda's school principal, (who also happens to be her best friend Maddy's Dad), impressed on me that it was just as important for parents of students who do well to attend as
those who aren't doing so well. Matilda brings home terribly "boring" school reports, always straight A's for Achievement, Conduct and Effort. We are very proud of her indeed, she will be able to travel any path her heart desires in life with the kind of results she is getting.

It was good to meet her Science & Maths teachers, especially as she is looking at Medicine as her University/Career choice. Her teachers both said she should easily be able to cope with the Maths, Chemistry and Biology required at Year 11 & 12 levels. She is also going to undertake Music Extension and (compulsory) English and keep French as her "fun" subject...yes, this makes 6 subjects, five are compulsory, any more than five is optional. This bodes well for University entrance as a new scheme has just come into play whereby if a student bundles Maths B or C, Music Extension and a Language they will a) increase their OP Score by 4 places and b) gain a dedicated place in the course of their choice at the University of their choice.

Never, ever let it be said that Matilda doesn't know what she wants...from birth she has been a very determined cookie and known exactly what she wants and makes plans to achieve this. At times it has been difficult to parent her because of this, especially when our ideas clashed. A woman I worked with, who had adult children, told me that there would be a really positive side to this determination and that I would see it in her teen years...so very true, I now see what she meant.

But I digress...

Our last interview of the evening was with her French teacher, one of the most delightful women I know. Madame is a passionate teacher and so very dedicated to her job & her students. She takes the girls to various French films, exhibitions and cafes on weekends and after school. She organises celebrations for various French Days, there is a (belated) Bastille Day dinner coming up shortly and each week in her own time she conducts French speaking classes for students to practice their conversational French. Each year she takes the students on a trip to either New Caledonia or Paris...alternating each year so in Year 9 & 10 the students go to New Caledonia and in Year 11 & 12 they go to Paris. Madame is always bringing in little French treats for the students...pastries she has made, chocolates & other special treats. Matilda and her friends just adore her and she them.

When I saw her last week at Parent/Teacher night I thanked her for the effort she put in recently when taking Matilda & her friends into South Bank, Brisbane after school so they could work on the film they were making to send to their sister school in Paris. They had to present an aspect of Brisbane that they loved. Madame arranged tickets for them on the Brisbane Eye, filmed them and took them to a cafe for hot chocolate and pastries afterwards...again, in her own time, (and with her own funds). She told me last Tuesday how much she adores having students like Matilda & her friends in her class. She says that in her later days, when in her nursing home, that she will look back and remember the girls with great fondness. What a special thing to hear.

Every school needs a Madame (Amy from R.M.F.L., if you are reading this I put you in the same class...okay), every student should have a teacher like Madame at least once in their lives, a teacher who is passionate about their job and her students. Fortunately Matilda will have Madame to teach her for the rest of her days at secondary school...she is very blessed indeed.

Because It's Too Good Not To Share...

I saw this on Kel's blog and thought it too good not to share so did so (with her blessing of course). It will bring a smile to your face and make you want to get up and dance,

Just Stuff...

Last weekend was busier than usual for me. On Saturday Matilda & I headed up the highway at 7am bound for Eumundi & the famed Eumundi Market, some 120km away. We left home sans breakfast, in anticipation of the foodie delights that the market has to offer but stopped briefly for a hot chocolate on the way.

Seems that on such a gorgeous Winter morning that every man/woman and their dog was at the market...After arrival at around 8.30am we headed straight for the very popular Tibetan Momo stall. Two gorgeous young Tibetan men sell around 700-800 serves (my guesstimate) of vegetarian Momos each Saturday. Momos are delightful Tibetan dumplings, either meat based or vegetarian, that can be steamed or deep fried. I discovered this recipe & photograph at Helen Yuet Ling Pang's blog, World Foodie Guide, a wonderful blog for lovers of all things food. It's well worth a look and has inspiring recipes...I lingered there for quite some time. The men at Eumundi have perfected their recipe...the dumplings were delightfully hot, a little spicy and filled with cooked to perfection vegetables, served with soy &/or sweet chilli sauce.

We wandered the market, lots of the stalls don't grab my interest...I particularly enjoy the stalls that display/sell original arts/crafts/artisan made furniture. There are some vastly talented people out there. We broke up our wanderings with little food stops along the way and came home with Olive & Fetta Bread, containers of mixed olives and a delightful salt scrub for ridding me of my Winter dry skin.

The Paella Fella was hugely popular...

Arrived home to discover that John was preparing a delightful Asian style steamed fish dinner using a number of ingredients from our garden for the paste...lemongrass, ginger, garlic, turmeric & coriander on a bed of julienned vegetables and a little soy sauce...he wrapped it in a turmeric leaf and foil and baked it in the oven for 10-15 minutes. It was so good...even better that I didn't have to cook it myself.

Sunday was a gloriously sunny mid-Winter day, the kind of days that Queensland is famed for. It was 24C (75F)...a perfect day for 3/4 pants and a t-shirt, so lovely to wear a t-shirt again. The boys headed off to the football, (Myles games are just about always on Sundays) and Matilda & I headed off to the TSEXPO - Tertiary Studies Expo.

Matilda is heading into year 11 next year - only two more years of secondary school left for her (eek, how on earth did that happen..??!!). She is very keen to study medicine at University so off we went in search of information for her to consider and plan for. Perhaps it's a little early, but I thought it was a good idea for her to speak to various Uni's so she knows what she is in for. Academically, she is very clever, her mid-year school report contained nothing but A's and positive comments about how she is a delight to teach.

While at TSEXPO I spoke to the Midwives at The University of Queensland (UQ) about potentially returning to study and completing a Bachelor of Midwifery. This would be my dream job, you know, the one job that everyone desires that you would do if you could. I'm quietly excited about applying. I am going to apply and see what happens. I spoke to a beautiful woman, (who studied Midwifery in her mid-late 30's) who said that women & men in their 30's & 40's are considered favourably for the course due to their life experiences. I just have to work out how I could study and work for a few days per week. The course has only 3 contact days per week, one day set aside for self directed study and another for lectures, which are not compulsory and available online as both transcripts and streamed. Am thinking I could work some night shifts in a hospital/nursing home.

What an amazing privilege it would be, to be able to be there and assist a new little person coming into the world, to be there for the parents & families. My feeling is that a birth centre environment would be great for me to work in. I had such a positive experience at the Royal Women's Hospital Family Birth Centre when pregnant with Matilda, even though she ended up being an induced birth (two weeks post dates) with an emergency caesarean after 25 hours+ labour, the antenatal and post natal care I received was amazing.

Wish me luck...even if I defer for a year I will be able to get it together next year to begin studying the year after. John is very supportive which helps enormously and feels I should go for it, that if it is what I really WANT to do then I should do it.

Did you know that the average age of Midwives in Australia is 47 years old..?? If I start study next year I will be able to graduate before I will be 48 when I finish.

What else have we been up to...lets see...

School has resumed after a two week break. I really enjoyed the kids company these holidays. They were really in need of wind down time, just time to sleep in, read, watch a few DVD's, have a PJ day and just generally slow doen a bit. We didn't go out a lot...they had friends over to stay and went & stayed with their friends in return. On the last day of holidays I took them to Yum Cha (Dim Sum)...Myles had never been before. We did a little online research and found Landmark, reasonable close to home and apparently very good, a great range of choices and good prices.
We arrived around 11.30am and the place was packed...I estimate it seated around 300 guests and it was chock a block full. We took a ticket & waited our turn...some 20 minutes later we were seated. The best thing about Yum Cha is that the food starts to appear immediately, no ordering & waiting. Myles had a great time, found a lot he enjoyed to eat (as well as some things he didn't but he tried them which was more than he used to do). Both Matilda & Myles were very taken with the dessert trolley...I even let them go back for seconds of dessert...!!!

This weekend my sister, Sally and BIL, Chris will be in town on holiday...they are huge Yum Cha afficionados so we think we will take them to Landmark for lunch on Sunday.

I see a bit of a dumpling theme to this post...

That's about it for me...have spent enough time sitting here catching up on my reading this morning.

Play Me, I'm Yours...

I was sent a link to Play Me, I'm Yours... today in an email and was immediately entranced by the idea.

Luke Jerram is taking music to the streets and communities in the form of pianos, left for anyone who just happens along to play. He locates them at various sites...in shopping malls, skate parks, railway stations and laundrettes and they become the "property" of the community they are located in for the duration of their stay.

Here's a few videos of the pianos in various locations...I love the "I'm A Believer" video, which was shot in Carnaby Street, London...members of the public have been handed lyric sheets and invited to join in...



...and an older gent strutting his stuff...



The pianos friendly & non-intimidating presence seems to encourage people to drop everything and play, to make music for themselves and others, to not be self conscious about performing in public.

It made me smile this morning...

It's A Very Rocky Road Indeed...

Have just busted Myles trying to pull a swift one again...it's been happening quite a bit of late, to varying degrees, sometimes with potentially serious consequences.

This time it's kind of funny though.

He has Home Economics at school tomorrow...during term time they have cooked a number of great recipes so this being end of term they are preparing a treat.

This is the recipe that he brought home for Rocky Road...

200g Raspberry Lollies
200g Peanuts
200g Marshmallows
200g Snakes/Jelly Lollies
460g Milk Cooking Chocolate

This morning I asked him to write out me a list of the things he needed so I could go to the supermarket and pick them up today. He often forgets and remembers once dinner is over etc. on Thursday night and someone (usually John) has to go out into the cold to get what he needs.

Last thing you want to do once you have settled in by the fire for the evening.

He disappeared into his bedroom and this is the list he came up with...somewhat modified...

800g Raspberry Lollies
800g Marshmallows
800g Snakes/Jelly Lollies
500g Milk Cooking Chocolate

*Peanuts omitted as he is highly sensitive to all nuts but he cleverly decided to replace them with Rice Bubbles instead.

It didn't "add up" at all to me...why would you quadruple the lolly part of the ingredients and only add 40g of extra chocolate, the ingredient that is meant to be melted so as to bind it all together. Using Myles rationale the chocolate should have been increased to 1840g, almost 2kg...!!! My estimation of the cost of Myles' list was around $32.00.

After checking with his friend Bryce's Mum on the phone, it seemed that the boys were planning a junk-food-fest..!!! Bryce hadn't been quite so eager and avaricious...he had only doubled the ingredients and his Mum had no idea.

This was a much more clever attempt at pulling a fast one...but still didn't work, I'm still a step or two ahead...!!!

What Every Baby Needs...

This just blows me away...the Korean/English translation is hysterical though...


Bomo, The World First Indoor Robot Baby Carriage.




The smart Bomo which tends the baby at the vicinity of the mother gives pleasure and omfort to the baby, and gives the tired young mother and father a moment of leisurely time to enjoy a cup of coffee.

Function of Cradle

When the curiosity filled baby amusing itself facing the mother eye-to-eyes, it acts as a spacious chair, but when the baby fell in sweet sleep, it becomes a peaceful and comfortable cradle.

Function of automatically Swing

The function of the world first, gently rocking to-and-fro motion (not the ordinary swing motion but a horizontally sliding motion) when the baby woke up, makes the baby pleasantly amusing. The distance of the movement can be adjusted.

Function of automatically maneuvering

When it is switched on to the automatic mode, within the vicinity of the mother, it changes automatically, from the comfortable baby cradle to a robot car, and maneuvers by itself through the room, dodging the furnitures and walls, thus giving the young baby the fun of riding a car, and gives the mother doubled. leisurely time and pleasure.

Function of manual maneuvering

The young baby can ride it on the Automatically maneuvering mode, and for the more active older brothers or sisters, it has the function of manual maneuvering mode, which uses the accelerator pedal, and steering wheel like a real car. And even in case when the car is going to bump into an obstacle due to the clumsy driving, it automatically stops and backs up. Thus, it never bumps into the obstacles, both in automatic mode and manual mode.

Function of charging the power

It has a long battery life of, 3 days (2 hours/day) with 3 hours charging.

Function of Cover sheet

It is easy to cover or take off, and cleans well in plain water. And more than all, it is composed with the Nano Silver technology which protects the baby?s skin with the function of anti-biotic and anti-odor, by 99.9%

From now on, all the mothers in the world will call this Bomo the Indoor Robot Baby Carriage, which will with them for over a decade.

"In My Daughter's Eyes..."

Do you have a very favourite photo of your child or children..??

You know, one that just is "them" all over, that when you look at it, it brings tears to your eyes for the sheer clarity with which it represents your son or daughter.

This is my favourite photo of Matilda (besides to the very first ultrasound pic that showed she was still in there at 8.5 weeks gestation and her heart was beating as it should be. I'd had a bleed and didn't realise how very attached I was to this baby until that moment, but that's another post altogether...and I'll share it one day.)


It was taken in September 2005. I was on a month's sick leave, (I had not long had my gall bladder removed), when we decided to go for a walk & picnic up on Mount Alexander (not far from where we used to live in Castlemaine, Central Victoria. We had had our picnic and were waiting for the hot chocolate (that we had carried in the thermos) to cool down. She snuggled up behind me and we had a "Thelma & Louise" moment with my camera.

With just a little cropping, this was the result. I have this photo in a number of places at home, framed & scrapbooked, colour & black & white. I scrapbooked it with the lyrics to this song,

"In My Daughter's Eyes..."
By Martina McBride

In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I want to be
In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes
Everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light
And the world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me
Gives me strength when I'm weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes

And when she wraps her hand around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about

It's hangin' on when your heart
Is had enough
It's givin' more when you feel like givin' up
I've seen the light
It's in my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes
I can see the future
A reflection of who I am
And what we'll be
And though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone
I hope you'll see
How happy she made me
For I'll be there
In my daughter's eyes

I'd love to see all of your favourite photos...post them on your blogs, along with what makes them so special to you.
Leave a comment or link back here if you like.

BTW...this makes post number 100 !!!

Absurd Surds & Karma...

Matilda was sitting at the dining table tonight doing her homework utterly frustrated. She had quite a lot to catch up on as she was absent from school all of last week with the 'flu...not a heavy cold as many mistake for the 'flu, but real Influenza, she was so ill, poor love.

It was "Surds" that were frustrating her...she asked if I remembered learning about Surds and yes, I do but I can honestly say that in the 30 years since I was in Year 10 at high school, I have never, ever needed to know what a Surd was, much less have any use for them. I'm surprised they still teach such outdated and useless (IMO) maths. If anyone can tell me otherwise please do, I'd love to know a use for Surds.

Answering her questions took me right back to Year 10 maths and the sleazebag teacher I had...Mr. A, (name withheld to protect the guilty) ugh. Just writing his name makes my skin crawl. He was a very short man, wore thick glasses and had a huge moustache which often had lunch remnants trapped within. He was a heavy smoker and always reeked of cigarette smoke, his breath was quite foul. When I was in year 10 teachers were still allowed to smoke in classes, hard to believe really. It was well known and discussed among the female students that he liked to stand very close and peer down the front of our school uniforms. He would press his groin right up against the girls while checking their work and was far too touchy-feely. None of the girls ever went into his office, just off the maths room, alone, it wasn't safe. To my knowledge his highly inappropriate behaviour was never brought to the attention of the Principal. When discussing doing so among my group of friends it was felt that we would not be believed or supported so no action was taken.

I was telling Matilda about him and she was incredulous that this could happen and no action be taken. Thankfully, she and her friends won't ever be likely to have to deal with this sort of behaviour by someone in a position of power. From many discussions we have had over the years she knows that if ever anyone behaves inappropriately, whether it's at school, home, friend's home...wherever, that she will be believed and supported.

Incidentally, I Googled my year 10 maths teacher's name and discovered that he has taught at a huge number of schools over his 40 years of teaching, averaging one school per 18 months or so. He retired this year as he has lung cancer.

Karma can be such a bitch, can't it..??

***Quick update on us...

Have been rather absent of late...am still recovering and am off to see a GI Medico as my liver function is nowhere near what it should be...my energy levels are gradually getting there but it's a slow process. I also had 5 days in Melbourne last week visiting family & friends, it was so lovely to be away by myself...lovely to get home too though. While I was away Matilda came down with the 'Flu...she was really ill, couldn't get out of bed for several days and had all last week off school. She is recovering too, albeit slowly but was quite happy to go back to school today, Monday being a holiday was handy.

Have been reading all of your blogs and commenting very little, it's not personal, just taking time to get back on track. I really thought I would be much better by now and am frustrated that I'm not.

Much love...xoxo

P.S. Please pop on over to my dear friend Carla's new blog and say hello. She's an amazing woman, a newly published writer...she blogs in English, her second language...don't know how she does it all.