One of the best things about having 'grown up' kids is they don't need 24/7 supervision. Well, maybe they still need it, they just don't want or get it!
I arrived home late this afternoon after being away for almost 24 hours. As far as I know, both my boys spent the weekend at home, give or take an outing or two. Now I'd consider myself to be quite observational. As anyone who's lived through parenting teenagers would know, this is a learned necessity. So naturally, upon arriving home I immediately noticed the front windows were wide open (believe me this almost NEVER happens), my Aroma Glow lamp was melting fragrant wax in the loungeroom, the fresh fragrance permeating the air throughout the house... I have BOYS people... boys!
...and as I got out of my car I'm sure I heard 'shit, shit'
I enter the house to find my two man-boys and a mate casually sitting in the youngest's room playing xbox.
"Whasupp mum?" hmmm...
"What have you guys been up to?"
"Nothin' much..."
A blog about life after school lunches, mum's taxi and kid's sport
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Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
My jogging journey... Just do it!
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Recently I've been inspired by my younger brother's girlfriend. She's a runner, a REAL runner... like, she can run 100km, no joke! She makes me wish I could run, although I NEVER want to run 100km! Let's be realistic, she's almost 15 years younger than me and she's had a head start!
Anyway, two months ago my brother and his runner girlfriend were staying with me. Over bowls of pasta (with lashings of cheese!), garlic bread and glasses (read... bottles) of red wine our discussion somehow found its way to the topic of running. As it does. I confessed that I can't run, but would love to be able to. So Dave, who is also partial to a bit of physical excercise (he has no choice really) and Zoe gave me some tips on how to get started. SLOW was the main message. Start slow, jog to the end of the road (or as far as I can) and walk back. Then gradually increase how far I jog by going just one more house, until I can jog down and jog back. Easy!
That was two months ago! Zoe sent me a text about a week ago to check how I'm going with my running. Um... I hadn't started yet. It's been raining. For two months!
That excuse wouldn't hold up on a day like today though, so this morning I decided it was about time I started my jogging journey. I'm not getting any younger, or any fitter, while procrastination is my friend. I put on my shoes and off I went. My street is about 700m long, straight with a very slight decline. My house is about 250m from the end. I walked down to the end of the street to warm up, then turned around and jogged back to my house. Boy, was I glad to get home! I'm telling you, 250m felt like 100km! I was huffing and puffing, but I did it! Then I walked to the top of the street, turned and walked back as far as my house, then jogged to the end again. Finally I turned and walked home.
I think I travelled almost 2km, about a quarter of it jogging, first on the incline and then (thankfully!) on the decline. And three things I learned from the experience:
- Jogging home from the end of the street is up hill. There should be a sign 'Go Back, Wrong Way!'
- Cut my toenails BEFORE I jog, not after. (I apologise if this is too much information, but my toenails did need some attention)
- I need a new pair of Nikes!
My first goal in my jogging journey is to be able to jog the entire length of my street, downhill!
A Sunny Saturday!
How wonderful to wake up this morning to a gorgeous sunny Saturday!
After what seems like endless weekends of rain, I was desperate for a sunny day (weekend) to catch up on my washing. So today, my good old Hills hoist is leaning more precariously than usual, under the weight of almost an entire linen cupboard's worth of washing.
Hooray for a sunny Saturday, I can finally get my sheets and towels washed and dried!
What are you grateful for today?
After what seems like endless weekends of rain, I was desperate for a sunny day (weekend) to catch up on my washing. So today, my good old Hills hoist is leaning more precariously than usual, under the weight of almost an entire linen cupboard's worth of washing.
Hooray for a sunny Saturday, I can finally get my sheets and towels washed and dried!
What are you grateful for today?
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Getting back on the wagon
Twelve years ago when I started full-time work I gave up a number of things, many of them related to my role as a mum! Things like picking my boys up from school, shopping for groceries in the middle of the day, visiting the library, cleaning the house on a week day instead wasting precious weekend time... that kind of thing.
One other thing I gave up was donating blood. For several years, until I started my first full-time job, I was a regular blood donor. Once I was working 9 - 5, Monday to Friday and running around after two young boys I never seemed to be available when the red cross blood bank was in the neighbourhood. As my boys got older, I got busier with work and study and life in general. Donating blood was something that often crossed my mind, especially when I heard an ad on the radio or saw ads in print. But I didn't make the effort to get 'back on the wagon' (well, actually it's more like a bus!)
I'm among the 9% of the population whose blood type is O negative, so my blood is important for the nations blood supply... of course every healthy person's blood is important but O negative is the blood that can be given to anyone, if their own blood type isn't available. And I have enough of it to share!
So today... finally... I made it to the red cross mobile blood bank to give blood. I hate needles (who doesn't?) and I was tired, cold and should have been home getting washing done (now that the rain has finally stopped!), cooking dinner and studying, but this detour on my way home from work was relatively painless and I'm really glad I finally did it. The red cross staff and volunteers were very pleasant, caring and friendly... they even give out lollie bags! I'll be visiting them again, the next time they are in the neighbourhood.
To find out when the red cross mobile service will be near you go to http://www.donateblood.com.au/
One other thing I gave up was donating blood. For several years, until I started my first full-time job, I was a regular blood donor. Once I was working 9 - 5, Monday to Friday and running around after two young boys I never seemed to be available when the red cross blood bank was in the neighbourhood. As my boys got older, I got busier with work and study and life in general. Donating blood was something that often crossed my mind, especially when I heard an ad on the radio or saw ads in print. But I didn't make the effort to get 'back on the wagon' (well, actually it's more like a bus!)
I'm among the 9% of the population whose blood type is O negative, so my blood is important for the nations blood supply... of course every healthy person's blood is important but O negative is the blood that can be given to anyone, if their own blood type isn't available. And I have enough of it to share!
So today... finally... I made it to the red cross mobile blood bank to give blood. I hate needles (who doesn't?) and I was tired, cold and should have been home getting washing done (now that the rain has finally stopped!), cooking dinner and studying, but this detour on my way home from work was relatively painless and I'm really glad I finally did it. The red cross staff and volunteers were very pleasant, caring and friendly... they even give out lollie bags! I'll be visiting them again, the next time they are in the neighbourhood.
To find out when the red cross mobile service will be near you go to http://www.donateblood.com.au/
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Home, Sweet Home
Five years ago this week I moved into my new home. Not brand new (built in circa 1960!), but new to me. After renting for five years, and being forced to move twice due to a change of landlord, a friend suggested I look into buying a house. So I met with a mortgage broker and, much to my own amazement, discovered that I could actually afford (only just) to do it. What more, I had the budget to buy a house in the area in which I already lived and loved. Here I was, single mum to two teenagers, purchasing a house by myself. I was pretty stoked! (and a bit scared)
My house is a modest three bedroom home in a bushland suburb in the outskirts of Sydney, and it's mine (for as long as I keep paying back the money I borrowed from the CBA) and I am so grateful to have it. I'm also grateful to my friend who put the idea in my head, and to my mum who helped out with some financials and continues to work tirelessly in my gardens. I'm forever indebted to my dad who has spent hours of his time helping me with minor renovations over the past five years. My very own 'Bob the Builder' works for love, and a 'dinner date' at the local chinese restaurant.
I'm grateful for five years of perpetual 'home improvements'. There's always a room to paint, bathroom fittings to replace, doors to hang, walls to move, windows to dress and floor coverings and light fittings to change. (I currently have bare floorboards through half the house... probably not a good idea for Winter but is there ever a good time to pull up the floor?)
I'm grateful for all the people who have helped in ways big and small, and for all that I have learned along the way. And I'll be especially grateful when I can lay down the tools and paint brushes and say "It's finished".
This post is part of Maxabella's grateful blog hop. What are you grateful for this week?
My house is a modest three bedroom home in a bushland suburb in the outskirts of Sydney, and it's mine (for as long as I keep paying back the money I borrowed from the CBA) and I am so grateful to have it. I'm also grateful to my friend who put the idea in my head, and to my mum who helped out with some financials and continues to work tirelessly in my gardens. I'm forever indebted to my dad who has spent hours of his time helping me with minor renovations over the past five years. My very own 'Bob the Builder' works for love, and a 'dinner date' at the local chinese restaurant.
I'm grateful for five years of perpetual 'home improvements'. There's always a room to paint, bathroom fittings to replace, doors to hang, walls to move, windows to dress and floor coverings and light fittings to change. (I currently have bare floorboards through half the house... probably not a good idea for Winter but is there ever a good time to pull up the floor?)
I'm grateful for all the people who have helped in ways big and small, and for all that I have learned along the way. And I'll be especially grateful when I can lay down the tools and paint brushes and say "It's finished".
This post is part of Maxabella's grateful blog hop. What are you grateful for this week?
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Plot Thickens!
Another post for Write on Wednesday!
Write On Wednesdays Exercise 6 - Status Anxiety: Log onto your Facebook/Twitter page and write down the first status update you see. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Write the first words that come into your head after your prompt. Stop when the buzzer rings.
"The Plot Thickens!"...
Who would have thought that the situation would be so complicated? One day they think they've identified the culprit, but the next day they are thrown off the trail!
Each day it's a different parcel, everything about it is different. Different size, different colour, some heavy, some light. One day it's a very expensive piece of jewellry and the next, a sheet of paper. The residents of the house cannot work out who is leaving these 'gifts', so far the 'giver' has eluded identification.
And tonight, a twist in the already strange occurances... no parcel was left. Only the shrill ring of the doorbell to alert the family to a visitor. Upon opening the door, no-one was there. No parcel had been left today. What was this all about?
Write On Wednesdays Exercise 6 - Status Anxiety: Log onto your Facebook/Twitter page and write down the first status update you see. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Write the first words that come into your head after your prompt. Stop when the buzzer rings.
"The Plot Thickens!"...
Who would have thought that the situation would be so complicated? One day they think they've identified the culprit, but the next day they are thrown off the trail!
Each day it's a different parcel, everything about it is different. Different size, different colour, some heavy, some light. One day it's a very expensive piece of jewellry and the next, a sheet of paper. The residents of the house cannot work out who is leaving these 'gifts', so far the 'giver' has eluded identification.
And tonight, a twist in the already strange occurances... no parcel was left. Only the shrill ring of the doorbell to alert the family to a visitor. Upon opening the door, no-one was there. No parcel had been left today. What was this all about?
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Past halfway
I cheered when we reached Winter solstice about three weeks ago. And today is the 16th day of July. Winter is well and truly on the downward slide... six weeks till Spring!
This Winter has been so cold, everyone I talk to seems to agree. So much for global warming...
But soon the weather WILL get warmer. We're past halfway, and for that I am grateful!
Visit Maxabella's grateful Saturday blog hop, where you can add your own grateful post!
This Winter has been so cold, everyone I talk to seems to agree. So much for global warming...
But soon the weather WILL get warmer. We're past halfway, and for that I am grateful!
Visit Maxabella's grateful Saturday blog hop, where you can add your own grateful post!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Bingle...
On my way home from work tonight I witnessed a car accident. One car ahead of me in the lane to my right, an audi kept driving whilst the BMW in front of it had stopped in traffic (that's Sydney's upper north shore for you!). It was one of those moments you could see coming. I even said (out loud) "that car isn't going to stop!" and I instinctively slowed down. Fortunately the car in front of me must also have seen it coming, as they too slowed down... to their absolute benefit. The audi braked (too late) and turned sharply to the left, in an attempted to avoid a collision. Lucky the car in front of me was slightly behind the audi and didn't get 'collected' as it smashed into the left rear corner of the BMW and careered across our lane, to the outside lane before resting in the gutter.
Close call!
Then, the car in front of me pulled over to the side... and I kept driving. For the next few minutes I wondered, "Should I have stopped?" The cars weren't going fast enough to cause too much damage. Perhaps the airbags inflated in each vehicle... luxury vehicles have such safety features that their occupants are sure to be adequately protected in the case of a 'rear-ender'... don't they? Anyway, what could I do except ask "are you ok?" or simply further obstruct traffic or get in the way? Surely there's a doctor, a lawyer (or anyone more important than me) driving home along the highway in Sydney's affluent northern suburbs at this time of night. Besides, I'm sure the 'towies' heard about it within seconds...
In a seperate incident... On the way home from a trip to Queensland late last year, we pulled over when we came across a ute wrapped around a tree on the Pacific Highway... that was one serious-looking accident, where the driver walked away unharmed, but we stopped to make sure everyone was out of the car and to ensure no help was needed...
Have you ever witnessed an accident? What did you do?
Close call!
Then, the car in front of me pulled over to the side... and I kept driving. For the next few minutes I wondered, "Should I have stopped?" The cars weren't going fast enough to cause too much damage. Perhaps the airbags inflated in each vehicle... luxury vehicles have such safety features that their occupants are sure to be adequately protected in the case of a 'rear-ender'... don't they? Anyway, what could I do except ask "are you ok?" or simply further obstruct traffic or get in the way? Surely there's a doctor, a lawyer (or anyone more important than me) driving home along the highway in Sydney's affluent northern suburbs at this time of night. Besides, I'm sure the 'towies' heard about it within seconds...
In a seperate incident... On the way home from a trip to Queensland late last year, we pulled over when we came across a ute wrapped around a tree on the Pacific Highway... that was one serious-looking accident, where the driver walked away unharmed, but we stopped to make sure everyone was out of the car and to ensure no help was needed...
Have you ever witnessed an accident? What did you do?
Look at the Stars
Write On Wednesdays Exercise 5: Write the Music - A bit of choice this week: Pick your favorite song and write down the first line of lyrics OR turn on the radio and write down the first line of lyrics you hear. Then set your timer for 5 minutes and write the first words that come into your head after your writing prompt. Stop when the buzzer rings!
My favourite song (this week!) is Yellow, by Cold Play. I heard this song on the radio earlier in the week, and it stuck in my head, probably because from time to time I miss my yellow Ford Escape (mum's taxi was traded in last December for a smaller vehicle).
Look at the stars...
they are so bright tonight. The clouds that covered the sun today have dissipated and left behind a gloriously balmy evening, with a beautiful light display. One of the things Marie appreciates about living in such a quiet and remote place is the darkness of night, no street lights to ruin the effect of the night's natural light source.
"Look, the moon is so clear and full tonight", she says. "Can you see the man? I'm sure he is smiling down on you. You've been so brave today," she said as she quickly reassured the small boy. Another visit to the doctor was almost too much for her to handle, it has been such a long and difficult road. But the boy has been so strong, and so brave. To have doctors poking and prodding and jabbing his tender skin as they analyse his symptoms and attempt to identify his condition, must be so...
Time's up!
Read more Write on Wednesday posts at
My favourite song (this week!) is Yellow, by Cold Play. I heard this song on the radio earlier in the week, and it stuck in my head, probably because from time to time I miss my yellow Ford Escape (mum's taxi was traded in last December for a smaller vehicle).
Look at the stars...
they are so bright tonight. The clouds that covered the sun today have dissipated and left behind a gloriously balmy evening, with a beautiful light display. One of the things Marie appreciates about living in such a quiet and remote place is the darkness of night, no street lights to ruin the effect of the night's natural light source.
"Look, the moon is so clear and full tonight", she says. "Can you see the man? I'm sure he is smiling down on you. You've been so brave today," she said as she quickly reassured the small boy. Another visit to the doctor was almost too much for her to handle, it has been such a long and difficult road. But the boy has been so strong, and so brave. To have doctors poking and prodding and jabbing his tender skin as they analyse his symptoms and attempt to identify his condition, must be so...
Time's up!
Read more Write on Wednesday posts at
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Anything to get warm!
Today was so cold! As mentioned in a previous post, I don't like Winter... not at all. There's really nothing about Winter that I like, except maybe snowboarding, but I don't get to do that very often so it doesn't count.
After going out for breakfast this morning, BF and I bravely decided to go home and wash our cars. Well, he decided we'd wash our cars, I could have easily spent the afternoon on the lounge, under a blanket watching DVDs... as you do on a cold Winter's day.
I wasn't convinced that plunging my hands into a bucket of cold sudsy water was a good idea on such a cold day, regardless of how dirty my car was. But he was right, once we got moving, using a bit of 'elbow grease' and effort to clean weeks worth of road residue off my car, I wasn't cold anymore!
So instead of slothing on the lounge, I used up a bit of energy, got some exercise, and spent some quality time with my BF, each of us helping the other as we cleaned our cars inside and out... and I have a nice clean car!
After going out for breakfast this morning, BF and I bravely decided to go home and wash our cars. Well, he decided we'd wash our cars, I could have easily spent the afternoon on the lounge, under a blanket watching DVDs... as you do on a cold Winter's day.
I wasn't convinced that plunging my hands into a bucket of cold sudsy water was a good idea on such a cold day, regardless of how dirty my car was. But he was right, once we got moving, using a bit of 'elbow grease' and effort to clean weeks worth of road residue off my car, I wasn't cold anymore!
So instead of slothing on the lounge, I used up a bit of energy, got some exercise, and spent some quality time with my BF, each of us helping the other as we cleaned our cars inside and out... and I have a nice clean car!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
I'm grateful for school holidays!
This week I am grateful for school holidays. Not because I don't have to make lunches and get kids off to school... I'm passed all that! We're on permanent school holidays in my house. Yippee, another thing to be grateful for.
I'm grateful that other people's kids are on school holidays, and not because I get a kick out of another parent's pain... yes, I still remember what it was like trying to keep kids entertained, refereeing their squabbles and hearing... "I'm bored"... over and over again.
I usually commute to work by train but during these past few weeks, while it has been SO cold, I've chosen the warmth of my car over freezing my butt off on the train platforms. (Yes, I have digressed off the topic a little, but stay with me you'll see where I'm going!...) I do not enjoy the cold at all, in fact it's probably accurate to say I hate it (I'm a Summer baby!) so in recent weeks the Sydney morning peak traffic has been the lesser of two evils.
School holidays means less traffic - yay! (here's the grateful bit) In fact, I'm finding the Winter school holidays to have a similar effect on the roads as the Summer holidays do. Must be a combination of no school, family holidays to the snow fields and sickness (or sickies on a cold morning!) resulting in less people driving to work each morning.
I'm not a morning person. So most importantly, less traffic translates to a faster drive to work, which in turn translates to an extra half hour (sometimes more) in bed every morning! And I am so grateful for that.
Although one thing I can't quite work out is why traffic during the evening peak is as busy as normal... if people aren't driving to work in the morning, then why are they there on the way home?
Zip on over to Maxabella's grateful blog hop to see what others are grateful for this week...
I'm grateful that other people's kids are on school holidays, and not because I get a kick out of another parent's pain... yes, I still remember what it was like trying to keep kids entertained, refereeing their squabbles and hearing... "I'm bored"... over and over again.
I usually commute to work by train but during these past few weeks, while it has been SO cold, I've chosen the warmth of my car over freezing my butt off on the train platforms. (Yes, I have digressed off the topic a little, but stay with me you'll see where I'm going!...) I do not enjoy the cold at all, in fact it's probably accurate to say I hate it (I'm a Summer baby!) so in recent weeks the Sydney morning peak traffic has been the lesser of two evils.
School holidays means less traffic - yay! (here's the grateful bit) In fact, I'm finding the Winter school holidays to have a similar effect on the roads as the Summer holidays do. Must be a combination of no school, family holidays to the snow fields and sickness (or sickies on a cold morning!) resulting in less people driving to work each morning.
I'm not a morning person. So most importantly, less traffic translates to a faster drive to work, which in turn translates to an extra half hour (sometimes more) in bed every morning! And I am so grateful for that.
Although one thing I can't quite work out is why traffic during the evening peak is as busy as normal... if people aren't driving to work in the morning, then why are they there on the way home?
Zip on over to Maxabella's grateful blog hop to see what others are grateful for this week...
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The young woman and the stranger - W.O.W
"I can't stress how important it is that we behead this fiend", bellowed Oscar as he ran for his sword. One by one the men raced out the door and into the darkness, in pursuit of the offender.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth sat surrounded by her cousins, her closest and only friends. These young women were, for the most part, sheltered from the world and its ways. They had grown up with very little contact outside of the family compound, not unusual in these times.
Not two hours earlier seventeen year old Elizabeth had been frolicking in the long grass, running and skipping, the sun on her face and the wind in her long yellow hair. How happy and carefree she had felt. Elizabeth loved sunny Summer days, especially now she had completed her schooling and was ready to embrace her new freedom. But on this day, a stranger with piercing blue eyes and long sandy hair startled her as he stepped out from behind the tree and spoke...
Phew... Write on Wednesday, completed for another week. To check out other stories, written in 5 mins, click below.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth sat surrounded by her cousins, her closest and only friends. These young women were, for the most part, sheltered from the world and its ways. They had grown up with very little contact outside of the family compound, not unusual in these times.
Not two hours earlier seventeen year old Elizabeth had been frolicking in the long grass, running and skipping, the sun on her face and the wind in her long yellow hair. How happy and carefree she had felt. Elizabeth loved sunny Summer days, especially now she had completed her schooling and was ready to embrace her new freedom. But on this day, a stranger with piercing blue eyes and long sandy hair startled her as he stepped out from behind the tree and spoke...
Phew... Write on Wednesday, completed for another week. To check out other stories, written in 5 mins, click below.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
"Mum, where's my...?"
Few things irritate me more than 'adults' who cannot put away / look after / find their own belongings, especially when the 'adults' are my own children, and when they expect me to know where their things are! The 'Ãrritation-o-meter' climbs even higher when I get blamed for the alleged disappearance.
For years I've been trying to teach my kids to put their things away. It's not about having a tidy house (if you saw my house you would know it's not!). It is about taking care of your possessions and knowing where they are the next time you need them. Really, it's a no-brainer... when you put your stuff away... guess what?... you know where it is!
Now I'm not completely anal about everything having a place and being in it (if you saw my house you would know I'm not!). But when one individual has his belongings strewn from one end of the house to the next (no exaggeration) it kind of gets a bit much. Even more so when after moving some of his 'stuff' so I could vacuum the house, I get blamed when he cannot locate something he needs.
A) I didn't see it
B) I didn't move it, and
C) If you put it away, you'd know where it is now you need it!
For years I've been trying to teach my kids to put their things away. It's not about having a tidy house (if you saw my house you would know it's not!). It is about taking care of your possessions and knowing where they are the next time you need them. Really, it's a no-brainer... when you put your stuff away... guess what?... you know where it is!
Now I'm not completely anal about everything having a place and being in it (if you saw my house you would know I'm not!). But when one individual has his belongings strewn from one end of the house to the next (no exaggeration) it kind of gets a bit much. Even more so when after moving some of his 'stuff' so I could vacuum the house, I get blamed when he cannot locate something he needs.
A) I didn't see it
B) I didn't move it, and
C) If you put it away, you'd know where it is now you need it!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Grateful for??
I have struggled to be grateful for anything this week.
On Monday a dear friend and former work colleague passed away suddenly, after a very short (known) battle with cancer - a little over a week. Yep! Diagnosed one week... this beautiful lady who could light up a room with her smile, took her last breath not two weeks later. Not a great deal to be grateful for in that.
It was a terrible shock to everyone who knew her, especially her family. And oh, so sad...
A group of us girls went away for the weekend last week. Our dear friend was supposed to be with us, but she was ill and in hospital. We expected to see her when we got back, to regale her with stories of our escapades, and how we took her with us, in our hearts and minds. She would have loved that. But sadly, we didn't get to tell her.
This week has been tough.
However, as I now sit and reflect (trying my hardest to emit something that resembles gratefulness) I am comforted by the special bond of friendship between a motley group of women, who have worked together over several years, whose relationships have extended beyond the realm of 'friend' into that of family (just without the shared genepool - thankfully! LOL). This week we have cried together, and laughed together. We've hugged, we've ranted, we've been still, we've loved, we've asked "why?"... we've remembered, and we always will.
This week I am grateful for my wonderful friends, especially for the gorgeous lady with radiant smile, infectious laugh, shining eyes, caring nature and beautiful heart.
Rest in peace, Darl. XO
...now if you need something to cheer you up, head on over to Maxabella's 'Grateful Saturday' blog hop and put a smile on your dial.
On Monday a dear friend and former work colleague passed away suddenly, after a very short (known) battle with cancer - a little over a week. Yep! Diagnosed one week... this beautiful lady who could light up a room with her smile, took her last breath not two weeks later. Not a great deal to be grateful for in that.
It was a terrible shock to everyone who knew her, especially her family. And oh, so sad...
A group of us girls went away for the weekend last week. Our dear friend was supposed to be with us, but she was ill and in hospital. We expected to see her when we got back, to regale her with stories of our escapades, and how we took her with us, in our hearts and minds. She would have loved that. But sadly, we didn't get to tell her.
This week has been tough.
However, as I now sit and reflect (trying my hardest to emit something that resembles gratefulness) I am comforted by the special bond of friendship between a motley group of women, who have worked together over several years, whose relationships have extended beyond the realm of 'friend' into that of family (just without the shared genepool - thankfully! LOL). This week we have cried together, and laughed together. We've hugged, we've ranted, we've been still, we've loved, we've asked "why?"... we've remembered, and we always will.
This week I am grateful for my wonderful friends, especially for the gorgeous lady with radiant smile, infectious laugh, shining eyes, caring nature and beautiful heart.
Rest in peace, Darl. XO
...now if you need something to cheer you up, head on over to Maxabella's 'Grateful Saturday' blog hop and put a smile on your dial.
Friday, July 1, 2011
The economic situation
Both boys were out of work for a few weeks, and although one is completing his first week 'on the job', and the other his second... no-one has been paid yet! But I thought I'd get in early, before payday and before they spend all their hard-earned dough. Having not contributed to the household funds for a month I could easily expect that they may both 'forget' about that little detail, if they were not reminded.
Being a new financial year, and as the household expenses are going up (...and up... and up), I decided it was also time to increase the 'stay at home with mum' rate to $100 per week - not unreasonable. Surely $100 isn't much for a roof over the head, food in the belly (mostly cooked for them), electricity, water, internet... and the use of all the conveniences and appliances. Pocket change!
One young man was accepting of the slight increase, and committed to meeting this obligation as soon as his pay cheque comes in... The other doesn't seem to think it's fair. Fair? Fair?
Not fair to who?
You see he is a vegan, so he doesn't eat (or use) any animal products. None. He even cuts the leather patch with the label on it off the back pocket of his jeans! So because he doesn't eat all the foods that my other son eats, he thinks he shouldn't have to pay as much. I suppose he has forgotten that he eats bread, pasta, rice, pasta sauce, fruit & vegetables, noodles, margarine (milk free - purchased by ME especially so he can eat it!), vegemite, peanut butter (there's no butter in it, really), tomato sauce, baked beans, tea, sugar, coffee (MY freshly ground coffee!!)... and the rest. And he uses the toothpaste, the soap, tissues and the toilet paper!
So now I am seeking a creative compromise. One that is fair to my vegan son who sometimes purchases soy products for himself to eat, fair to his brother who does the right thing and diligently contributes to the household budget, but most of all fair to me because I am usually the one who ends up out of pocket! My name is on all the bills.
Any ideas?
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