A beautifully written piece about families, trials and tribulation and coping with it all.
Inspiring!!
Girl’s Night Out…..in the planning stage
I’ve decided my friends and I need a night on the town!
It’s been awhile since I’ve caught up with quite a few of the girls, life happens to us all. But I’m arranging for us all to have a night on the town once I’ve returned, and defrosted, from my holiday with my man.
No particular reason, other than to let our hair down and have some fun without being Mum for a few hours.
And if you’re going to have some crazy time, who better to share it with than your Girls??
Now to come up with some fun things to do and places to do them at!!
Let the games begin……..
What ANZAC Day means to me.
I’m proud to be Australian.
I’m thankful to the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, and to their families who sacrifice so much for the sake of many.
Whilst I was growing up I understood the sacrifices were sometimes ultimate, and this humbled me. My adoptive family had lost a few of our young men in both WW1 & WW2. From a young age, I took both ANZAC & Remembrance Day’s seriously as a chance to not only pay my respects, but to say Thanks.
Not so long ago, after my biological family found me, I learnt of a cousin (three times removed) who had lost his life on the shores of ANZAC Cove…..so far from home, but not alone. This has added an extra emotional attachment to such a respectful day.
Proudly, many within my family, on both sides, have served this wonderful country….and my youngest cousin is currently serving in our Navy.
It does upset me that my own children have very little respect for the traditions of ANZAC Day. It’s not much to ask any of us to get up a little earlier one day of the year, and to stand out in the cooler morning air to pay respects to many who stood up without hesitation to defend the rights of others. In my mind, it’s the least we can do….after all, the sacrifices of these brave and courageous men and women have allowed our Country to become the wonderful home we all enjoy now.
I am in awe of the young men, many around the age of my own daughters, who willingly stood up and showed such courage, honor, respect, integrity and mateship. Young men who left the shores of their country to fight in lands far away. When I visited our National War Memorial a few years ago, the reality of that sacrifice shook me to my core. Yet, I had the feeling then, as I still do today, that these young men would prefer us to remember them with a smile than with tears of sorrow. Maybe I’m wrong in that thought, but I believe many of them were larrikins who loved a good laugh, a joke among mates and a slight ‘flutter’ when the opportunity arose.
So tomorrow morning, as I stand and pay my respects, through the occasional tear that will creep down my cheek, I’ll think of these young men with a cheeky smile, and a twinkle in their eye….and be thankful for their courage.
Lest We Forget
Crazy moment
Today was my day to spend some time, and $$$, on myself….my fortnightly date with my nail salon!!
I love having this time to myself, away from the rest of life…an hour just for me to be totally girly!! The social aspect is pretty awesome as well, and a fringe benefit I must admit.
Today though, I was completely stumped.
Like most nail salons they do the works, manicures, pedicures, deluxe pedicures, tips, refills….the usual. Today I was chatting with a lady who was having her feet pampered…lovely lady, and certainly looking at her shoes, her feet deserved the pampering.
Crazy moment came when I realised she was having acrylic tips put on her toenails!!! WHAT THE!!!!!
Now for me, my toe nails are quite tough, but I keep them on the shorter side…..they are naturally long (in they cover most of my toe) so I have a really hard time understanding why anyone would wish to have their toenails longer.
Now don’t get me wrong…i’m all for neatly manicured/pedicured feet….especially as we’re able to wear sandals and open toe shoes for most of the year….but can anyone explain to me why anyone would have extensions on toes??
I thought it might appear to be rude of me to ask her why….after all we’re all there to relax and enjoy our ‘Me’ time.
So…….can anyone explain this to me?? Pretty please???
What NOT to wear at the gym.
I’m in total agreement with the writer…when I work out, I’m far more focused on what I’m attempting to achieve to pay any particular attention to fashion no-no’s on others…..
And the combinations I wear, well……let’s just be thankful most of the time I have the luxury of doing it in my home where there are no disapproving eyes that could possibly be scarred by the strange ensembles!!!
On that note……are there any “No-no’s” that you’ve noticed, or been guilty of doing??
I promise I won’t laugh….or tell!!
Huge support for little Sebby on social media | Clarence Valley Daily Examiner
My closest friend was telling me about this special little boy the other night….she went to school with his parents, and like so many from his home town, is very upset that something like this could happen.
Just wanted to share an inspirational story.
Thoughts & prayers with Sebby & his family through this difficult time.
Huge support for little Sebby on social media | Clarence Valley Daily Examiner.
Dance Therapy and the Art of Living
Lately, the world has been telling me to dance.
It started with the Sufi night at Shah Jamal, which is the tomb of Sufi Saint Baba Shah Jamal. This was trance dance and for me a mostly spectator sport. Every Thursday evening a combination of drumming, hashish smoke and spin dancing Sufis (plus many sweaty men and their accumulated body odor) fill the tiny tomb.
What a great attitude!!
Get your groove on people....and be happy! =)
Living in a Catch 22
“To be or not to be, that is the question…”
Was just chatting with The Man, who had a visit from an old workmate this morning. This workmate has undergone knee surgery where he’s had a plate inserted to repair the damage from a workplace injury. OUCH!!! He was telling The Man how difficult he’s been finding it, especially when the weather is as it is today…wet, cool and miserable. And the eternal Catch 22….exercising but balancing the fine line between helping yourself or hurting yourself.
For this gentleman, the risk of doing further damage is with the screws used on his plate rubbing against the tendons. He was telling The Man how this does his head in from time to time and makes exercising a delicate balancing act.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time The Man has heard this. We were told over a year ago that every time I move, I’m grinding a little bit more of my kneecap away. Which means every time I take a step, go up or down stairs (I live in a double story house….stairs are a part of life) walk……you name it, I’m hurting myself and doing further damage.
In my own little rebellion I guess, I refuse to take this laying down….pardon the pun.
My choices are to either not move at all, to prevent further damage and lose all the muscle tone I’m continually working hard at maintaining….OR….have a small quality of life and do what I can to help myself.
I’m facing a partial replacement of the knee….that’s just a matter of time before becoming a reality. Yes, I’m young to be facing such an operation….my doctor’s, my physio as well as my own research, have certainly made it clear to me how uncommon it is for someone under the tender age of 55 to have this type of surgery. So, for them to be prepared to do such an operation, I feel I need to pull my weight and do what I can to ensure it will be successful and give me at least another 8 years before undergoing a total replacement.
That requires exercise….which means damage.
Hence the Catch 22.
And on days like today, where it is cold, wet & miserable, my knees are letting me know that today there won’t be any conflict..they’re on strike!! So for today, I’m going to let myself have a break from my own personal rebellion, sit back and watch as much of my beloved sports as I can and prepare to take charge and squash this strike action tomorrow.
Tomorrow, we’ll face the Catch 22 again….and tomorrow I’ll probably come to terms with doing some more damage….at least though we’re limiting the damage that’s done…but it’s still damage.
Now where did I leave my coffee??
Sacha Drake…how to wear ankle boots this Winter
It is what it is….
Why are there days when we can just accept things as they are, yet there are other days when we question it all?
Today I cracked it…..I was only able to do just over 16 minutes on the exercise bike before I had to call it quits. Sixteen minutes before my knee got to the point where I had to stop and listen to it complaining.
Why is that something I would crack up over? Because most days I aim to do between 30 and 40 minutes, and most days I can handle that with the minimum of discomfort….not pain, just not really comfortable. Then there are days like today…..it is what it is.
Today I couldn’t accept that simple little fact.
Over the past eight years of investigations, treatments, surgeries, rehab, exercises and everything that comes with my travelling knees I’ve adjusted to the change in circumstances pretty well..for the most part. I’ve only just accepted that I am technically ‘disabled’ though I still believe that term doesn’t fully suit me. Mentally though, I don’t fully accept what’s happening.
I know most of the time I have to take it hour by hour….I can be fine then all of a sudden the entire outlook changes….one little movement can bring all the best laid plans crashing down.
But among all the adjustments I’ve become an observer. There are so many things that I’ve had to accept are no longer on my ‘To Do’ list….maybe one day in the future when I review it all I can rejoin those activities without fear or risk or damage, just not right now.
For me, being able to crank up the music and dance was a great stress relief….now I hear the music, feel the music and have to sit back and let it wash over me without being able to physically enjoy it.
I can’t power-walk when I’m agitated as the next step could have me plummeting to the ground and unable to move un-aided for another week or two.
And today, I couldn’t even cycle for longer than sixteen minutes before my body pulled the pin.
I know I should be thankful that I have two legs still….that despite it all, I have exceeded the expectations of my doctors and therapists in the fact that I can still move around un-aided for the most part and am not on the pain killers they expected me to be on.
And I am……for the most part.
But today, well I was that peeved that I wanted to break something, I sat down whilst recovering and cried tears of anger and frustration, and I’ve been telling my legs “Not today” when they didn’t want to take my weight when I needed to move again.
Today, well, I just want to scream, rant and shake my fist at it all. And this isn’t a really bad day, this is just a frustrating, painful, uncomfortable day.
Today it really is what it is.
Is there a plus side to today?? Yep, dinner is already on cooking for tonight (THANK GOD for slow cookers!!!) and the menthol in my lotions & potions are keeping my sinuses clear and giving my cold a run for it’s money. Which means no sinus headache today.
So despite wanting to rant and get angry, today I’m going to pull my shoulders back, hold my head up and keep saying “Not today”……because tomorrow is going to be fun! Tomorrow is going to be an adventure with my 2 year old nephew and his mummy. Tomorrow is going to make today look ridiculous.
And tomorrow night? Whilst I’m recovering with my heat/ice packs, strapping and pain meds, I’ll be enjoying a roast chicken and watching my Team playing footy.
It is what it is…..
