Grateful for Books (the fiction kind)

I'm a chronic reader, I think I always have been.

I can remember staying up half the night reading a book I couldn't put down, more than once as I was growing up.  Even as an adult I have woken with a book on my chest, after falling asleep while reading into the wee hours. Many times.

I'm a 'read the book, don't wait for the movie' kind of girl.

Do you know that feeling when you love a book so much you are disappointed to finish it, because you just wanted to keep reading it forever?  I must admit, I haven't had that since I finished The Girl Who Kicked a Hornets Nest more than a year ago.

Over the past few years I haven't read as many 'stories' as I would have liked to, I've had to spend too much time reading text books or researching for assignments. How did people do assignments without the internet? (That's a whole other post!)  Anyways, having been on a short break from uni and a three week break from work, I've managed to finish a couple of books (and start a new one).

First I finished Judy Nunn's Maralinga. This is a fictional story, centred around the nuclear testing carried out  in South Australia by the British Army during the 1950s.  The characters and specific events were fictional, the nuclear testing was unfortunately very true.  My mum lent me this book and I was mostly interested to read it because my uncle (mum's brother) was stationed at Maralinga during this time.  Sadly he died too young, of cancer, like literally thousands of other army personnel who had worked in the area at the time.

Next I read The Slap, by Christos Tsiolkas. This book was dramatised for TV by the ABC and while I didn't watch it, I'd heard a great deal about it so decided to purchase the book and read it.  Set in Melbourne, a man slaps an unruly child that isn't his own, during a BBQ at his cousin's house. The book tells the story through the eyes of eight people who were there.  It's an interesting, but confronting read. Lot's of sex, drug-taking and a bit of anger and violence thrown in for good measure.

Now, at the insistence of my youngest son, I've started Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Ben tells me that this is his favourite book "in the whole world", and that he plans to name his first born Charlie, after the main character. Whether it's a boy or a girl. He loves it that much. It is a series of anonymous letters, written by Charlie, to an unknown recipient and it tells the story of what it is like to grow up. I've only read 10 pages so it's too early to say whether I'll like it as much as my son does. Perhaps I'll let you know, when I have finished it...  which might take a while now because I am back to work and back to Uni. 

What books are you reading?

Linking up with Maxabella and Kidspot Village Voices for 52 Weeks of Grateful.

I went back to work, and I survived

After three weeks of annual leave, I went back to work yesterday.

Let me tell you, getting out of bed at 6am, after sleeping late for three weeks was a challenge. I'm not a morning person at the best of times, and the mornings are colder than they were three weeks ago!

I got to work to find a pile of it waiting for me. Work that is. I was very organised when I left for my hols, but weeks later that was forgotten. By lunch time I was ready to go home for a nap! And by 3pm I was more than ready for beer o'clock.

Needless to say, I made it through the day. I worked like a demon to get through everything on my list, and left feeling like I'd accomplished something.

And here I am, waiting for the train to take me into work, where I can do it all again. But the best thing about returning from annual leave on a Thursday, is the following day is Friday.

T G I F

Weekend, here I come!

Wordless Wednesday: Autumn Leaves

Our camp site in Bright was covered in leaves

One of the offending (but beautiful) trees

The streets are so pretty

Even the view from the Woolies carpark is outstanding!

Linking up with Trish at My Little Drummer Boys for Aussie Wordless Wednesday.

The people that you meet

We met some very interesting people during our recent two week road trip. Some were more... err... 'interesting' than others.

One thing is for sure, caravan people are a friendly lot.  They even have their own little wave, the 'caravan salute', performed as they pass each other on the road. A little bit like the royal wave, but not really.

People in caravan parks and camping grounds are very relaxed, most would yarn to you all day. If you let them. Many will tell you their entire life story. Again, if you let them.

Like Bill*, a nomad of two years who we met in a free camping ground, and who told us his life story in 10 mins. Including the part about his bleeding kidneys and upcoming operation (for said kidneys) all while finishing his bottle of beer. Bill had been at this particular camp ground for 2 weeks, so he was an authority on the locals.  He gave us the run-down on his neighbours across the way, a hippy and his spacey Asian bride (she just stood and stared at us) who spent a lot of their time "smokin' the tea leaves" and had been on the road since last September.

At another camp ground we met Frank* and his mate Big Dog, who have been travelling together since 2007! Frank has been everywhere and has also met a lot of interesting people. He proceeded to tell us one in ten camper vans is home to a single lady. Consequently, he has a good time on the road. If you know what I mean.

Not everyone we met was entirely quirky.  We chatted at length to a lovely retired couple from Balmain in Sydney's eastern suburbs. They are travelling around the country for 12 months while their daughter and son-in-law live in their house. The kids are saving money for a deposit for their own home. A lovely mum and dad.

Given that we travelled during school holidays, we saw surprisingly few families with school-aged kids.  Do families all travel overseas, or to Queensland, these days?

One category of traveller we saw a lot of was foreign backpackers, mostly from Europe. They were easy to spot, as they were either driving a Wicked camper van or crammed into a commodore station wagon, packed to the roof! One such group decided to set up camp centimetres from our van. We assumed they were using our light as they had snuck into the camp ground under the cover of darkness (probably without paying the required overnight fee!) Then there was the group of young men who snuck into the ladies amenities to shower and groom, laying low out of sight from the caretakers office...

Everywhere we went the conversations were similar. "How long have you been on the road?", "Where have you been?" and "Where is home?"  Trading stories is a way of life on the road, and everyone has time for chat.

My first vlog...

As I walked along the beach in Apollo Bay (Victoria, Australia) while holidaying last week, I was overcome by a moment of insanity. I recorded this video, on my beloved Samsung Galaxy SII.

I've not created or edited a video before, it is rather obvious that this is my first. It's terrible, but the scenery is gorgeous so I wanted to share it. I was walking in a public place holding my phone at arms length and talking to myself... to say I felt self-conscious would be an  understatement!

My attempts to upload it to YouTube at the time were unsuccessful. I'll blame it on the mobile broadband dongle-thingy.  So finally, here is Apollo Bay...  It's been a week since I left this piece of paradise.

Grateful for Home

Going away on a holiday is great, but getting home is better.

Over the past two weeks I've had a fantastic time. I've seen some incredible sights and have relaxed, rested and re-charged.

Having travelled 3343kms, living in a 6m x 3m caravan with my partner and his 14 year old son, washing dishes by hand and enjoying enduring caravan park/camp site amenities blocks, I was happy to arrive home to my own space, my own bed, my (now clean) bathroom, my dishwasher and my adult kids!

Dorothy was onto something with the realisation "There's no place like home".

Today I completed two weeks worth of house and yard work, including washing and restocking the groceries. I go back to work after Anzac Day, so with my house in order, I am ready for the 'stay-cation' leg of my annual leave.  I've got a novel to finish, a movie to watch, friends to visit, blog posts to complete and the weekend newspaper to read. Oh, and 10 chapters of my law text book to read too. But I'm trying hard to ignore that!

What are you grateful for this week? 

Linking up with Maxabella and Kidspot for 52 Weeks of Grateful.

Wordless Wednesday: Road Trip

Apollo Beach

Apollo Bay from Marriner's Lookout

Bells Beach

I've been to Bells Beach and have a pic to prove it

Driving through the Yarra Ranges

Linking up with Trish at My Little Drummer Boys for Aussie Wordless Wednesday. Click on over there and you'll find many other awesome photos!

Ten days away (and still counting)

I've been on the road, away from home, and away from my kids, for ten days.  I almost forget what they look like... but hopefully I'll recognise my house when I get back there later in the week.

After today, this will be the most consecutive days that I have been away from my boys in more than two decades. Not counting the two stints that my eldest had living out of home. It's safe for me to say that I miss them, they don't read my blog!

I miss the, "Hi mum, how was your day?", at the end of each day. I miss their faces.

I've exchanged text messages with both boys, just to check how they are coping without me. My eldest told me he has a new lip piercing, and attempted to send me a photo.  Lucky, my Samsung Galaxy SII doesn't seem to like to share photos with his iPhone.  I couldn't view it. I guess I have that to look forward to when I get home. Eager. Not.

My youngest just wanted to know what day I was coming home.  My answer was a bit vague, I only asked him how much food they had left. He seemed to think they have enough, which is funny when he doesn't even know when I will be home! I know they both get paid this week. They won't starve.

I'll be home in four or five days, and I'm pretty sure it won't take me long to forget that I missed my pair of big kids.  They still squabble, occasionally they whine, make enough noise to wake the dead and they leave a daily mess in my kitchen. Perhaps this extended period of independence in my absence has encouraged them to grow up that little bit more.  Time will tell.

I will definitely warn them of my imminent arrival, a day before it happens, to give them an opportunity to clean up!

Sydney Writer's Centre Best Australian Blogs 2012

Shortly after the launch of the Sydney Writer's Centre Best Australian Blogs 2012 Competition, I entered my blog. On a whim. I saw the entry prompt on Twitter, and BAM!  I entered. Without too much thought, except, "Are you insane? You're never gonna win!"

I don't expect my little blog actually stands a chance at winning anything.  Not this year anyway. I just thought it would be cool to bombard my friends, facebook contacts, Twitter followers and blog readers with requests to "Vote for me!"  I've never done anything like that before, so consider it a new, albeit futile, experience.

The voting period coincides with my road trip through Victoria.  Which is great in some respects, I've actually got some great content.  In my head.  If only I wasn't too busy enjoying the gorgeous weather and magnificent scenery along the pristine 'southern end' of this beautiful country I live in, to actually get some posts published.  Coupled with the patchy internet reception... I'm not doing so great in promoting my blog so far either.  So much for bombarding people with those "Vote for me" messages.  (If you like what you've read so far, and you haven't voted yet, just click the icon above. You'll find me on page 3.)

Vote for me!  Vote for me!

My posts are not eloquent and witty, like Bron over at Maxabella Loves, nor are they freaking hilarious and insanely clever, like Mrs Woog over at Woogsworld. I'm not openly honest and brave like Eden from Edenland, nor am I creative with words, pictures and cooking like Beth from BabyMac, or stylish and know how to wear a scarf 10 different ways like Nikki from Styling You, and I'm not a cool, hip mamma with great hair like Glowless from Where's my Glow?. I'm just ordinary me with an ordinary life, ordinary kids, ordinary posts and an ordinary blog. Although I like to think all those ordinaries add up to extra-ordinary.  Extraordinary*.

Entering the Sydney Writer's Centre Best Australian Blogs 2012 Competition makes me feel like a real blogger (whatever that means), a real writer, and I'll just be happy not to be awarded the 'wooden spoon'.  So thanks for voting.


*At least my mum thinks so, she voted for me.  Thanks mum!

Grateful for Balance

Like many mums, my daily life consists of work at work and work at home. Add studying towards my Masters, and I always have something that needs doing.

It is one week today since I left Sydney (and my adult kids) to head off on a caravan holiday, and my pace has slowed. Considerably. I was surprised to find that it only took me a couple of days to unwind, three days with no mobile reception will do that to you.

I've been going to bed early, sleeping late, walking in the bush, and on the sand. I've stopped to watch the sun set, enjoyed a glorious sunrise (albeit, by accident when I got up to go to the bathroom!), and gazed at some stars. I've seen some spectacular sights, and we're only half way through our road trip!

I'm so grateful for the freedom to travel across our incredible country, and the balance that a break from daily life brings. I so needed it. I'm grateful that my kids are old enough, and word is so far responsible enough, to take care of things at home in my absence.

I'm savouring every day.

Linking up with Maxabella and Kidspot for 52 Weeks of Grateful.  Click on over there to see what other lovely bloggers are grateful for this week.

Holidays can be exhausting

For the benefit of newcomers, and for those who may not have visited my blog in recent weeks, I am on a holiday. Of the road trip/sight-seeing variety. I am a tourist, complete with caravan, camera and penchant for stopping to take a photograph of anything, anywhere, at any moment.

And I am exhausted.

Over the past three days alone we have walked over 10kms, including several sets of steep cliff-side stair cases, and driven over 350km, not including the 900kms to get here! Over the past three days I have taken over 230 photos. Most of them are of rocks. Magnificent rocks.

I'm not complaining.  We're having an awesome time.

Each evening, after dinner and a glass of wine, sleep comes quickly. Shortly after 8pm.  I expected early nights on this holiday, and early mornings.  But we've been sleeping in, until after 8am some days!  The first few days were bleak and cold, so there wasn't any hurry to get up. But today, the weather cleared and we rose to blue skies, and lots of morning dew!

We are expecting the next few days to be warm and sunny, which is great given that we are in the picturesque Apollo Bay. Tomorrow we are not driving anywhere, or walking too far. It's a day of rest. A holiday from our holiday. I might even get to take that swim that I haven't had all Summer, because Sydney didn't get one.  But right now, it's past my bedtime!

Feel free to tell me about the most exhausting holiday you have been on.

Wordless Wednesday: Spectacular, Spectacular

Spectacular was the only word that came to mind while driving Victoria's Great Ocean Rd over the past two days. Considering I usually talk a lot, that itself is spectacular.

The Great Ocean Rd

London Bridge

The Grotto

The Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles

Linking up with Trish at My Little Drummer Boys for the Aussie Wordless Wednesday

In this for the long haul? Housing affordability for my kids

During my train commute to work last Thursday morning I read an article on news.com.au about Australia's housing crisis.  Essentially, the article was about affordability of housing in Australia, particular Sydney (where I live) and quoted a report, Homes for All - The 40 things we can do to improve supply and affordability provides practical recommendations aimed at making housing affordable, by Dr Tim Willams and Sean Macken.

In summary, the report states that:

• 20 years ago it took three times the median salary to buy a house in Sydney, today it takes nine times. This is higher than London and New York
• Two thirds of under 35s in Sydney will be excluded from the housing market
• Rents in Sydney are rising four times faster than inflation
• By 2020 NSW will have a housing shortage of an estimated 190,000 homes
• One fifth of the Australian population now owns half the homes 
• People in their 20s, 30s and 40s (!!) are increasingly living with parents because they can't afford to move out.

Not such great news for a mum with two 20-something year old sons.  It's not my plan to have them living at home until they are 35!

The report then goes on to outline 40 measures that the authors believe will create a more affordable housing market. It covers such things as development planning, finance, taxation policies and incentives.

My housing story

I left home at 18.  I got married and had my first son before my 19th birthday, my second before I turned 21.  My former husband and I rented in Sydney's north for more than a decade, we purchased our first home when I was 30. It was a home and land package on Sydney's central coast, that swallowed more than half our combined income. We divorced a year later, and the house was sold. Home ownership isn't all it's cracked up to be!

Shortly after I turned 35, after being forced to move twice due to rental properties being sold, I bought my current home. In a bushland suburb in Sydney's north. I had a little bit of help from my mum (love you mum!!), and as a single mum with teenage kids I worked hard to pay the mortgage and the bills.  I still do.

I don't buy the latest fashions, the newest technologies, take overseas trips (right now I am holiday in paradise... in a caravan), indulge in takeaway food or enjoy numerous nights out on the town.  I don't by crap that I don't need, and I don't even have foxtel! I don't have a credit card bill. I can't afford to.

I don't earn a six-figure salary

I wear my clothes and shoes until they wear out, I drive a second hand Mazda 3 (Australia's most popular car for very good reason - it's awesome!), I spend much of my time studying, I take my lunch to work, I borrow novels from my mum, I cut my own lawn and clean my own house. I spend my leisure time on activities that don't cost much money - just get outside and enjoy this beautiful part of the world!

My mortgage swallows more than half my salary, add insurances, utilities, food, transport, charitable donations, orthodontics (only two payments to go!) a little bit a savings, and a bottle of wine here and there...  There's not a great deal left to play with.  I work hard for the money, and I will only spend it on things that are of value to me.

I get by. I work to live, I don't work just to pay my mortgage and I don't believe my life would be better if I had a higher disposable income. I'm happy.  However after more than 20 years of motherhood, I am looking forward to the day when my boys move out into the world (and not move home again!).

Both my boys are working full-time, I often advise them to save part of their salary for 'the future'.  Which really means 'to move out'.  They like to shop, they take after their dad.  Just the other day my youngest was horrified to realise how much he has earned in the past 10 months, compared to how much money is in his bank account.  He told me he needs to save more. Reality is in the payslip and the bank statement.

I'm not sure it matters whether my boys have opportunity to one day own their own home, or whether they rent all their lives. So long as they don't have to live with me forever, I'm satisfied. But I don't envisage being in a position to offer much financial help to my kids with respect to housing...  perhaps I might be in a different place if they are 35 and still living at home.  I might just pay them to leave.  Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Although desperate times may call for desperate measures!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone.  I hope you have a wonderful day, wherever you are, whatever you are doing. 

Stay safe, and eat as much chocolate as you want, it's only one day. 

Lisa x

The Note

By the time you read this post I will be on the road.  I've been away and left my boys to look after the house a couple of times, mostly for work and mostly for one or two nights.  This trip is 10 - 14 days.

I am a notorious note-leaver...  I leave notes for my boys on a regular basis, often because I don't see them.  I'm not convinced they read them though, but that usually doesn't deter me from trying! Although I resisted the urge this time, and surprised them by NOT leaving a note.  If I had written one...  this is what it would have said.

I'm on my way to Victoria!  I'll be back in a week or so.  I'm not sure how much mobile reception I'll have, but I'll try to check in every few days. I am trusting you both to look after the house, and each other. Don't let me down.


Feed the cat. Everyday.


The fridge and pantry are stocked full of food. Please cook/eat some of it before it goes off/stale.


Make sure you close the windows and lock the doors before leaving the house.  I have most of my valuables with me, but yours are still at home.


The dishwasher has a purpose. Please utilise it.


Please feed the cat.


Garbage night is Thursday, the bin with the red lid goes out every week.  Check what the neighbours are doing and if they put of the yellow lidded bin, please do the same.


Remember to bring the garbage bins in off the street on Friday.


Remember to feed the cat.


Keep out of my bedroom. It's my space.


You have a bed, sleep in it. Don't sleep on my lounge.


Don't let the letterbox overflow, please bring in the mail. At least once.
Please remember to feed the cat.


Remember you are an adult now, and therefore legally responsible for your actions.


In case of emergency, call your father because I don't want to know.


Play nice. Love you.


Love mum xx

Grateful to be on holidays

I'm looking down the barrel at 10 weekends, in a row.  I'm on holidays. Squeee!

For the next 10 - 14 days the {other} man in my life, his son and I will be on a road trip through Victoria and this will be our home.

Then I'll be back to my fixed address, to the aftermath of my sons at home for two weeks without me.  Cross your fingers for me won't you.

I'll have a few days to do some house and yard work, and to catch up on a mountain of reading for my final uni class (oh my lolly, I'm nearly finished!!), before heading back to work at the end of this month.

I'll be posting as much as I can along the way, depending on access to power and internet connection.  Do come back and visit me over the next two weeks, I promise to regale you with stories of our adventures.

Linking up with Maxabella and Kidspot for 52 weeks of grateful.  Pop on over to see what others are grateful for this week.
 

Easter Creativity

I've seen a few blog posts, tweets and facebook status updates pertaining to Easter hats (bonnets) and/or Easter treats for kiddies at school.  Given that my kiddies are far beyond the whole Easter hats & treats thing (one is a vegan, so he doesn't even eat chocolate - disgraceful!) I channelled my 'creativity' into quaint pathetic Easter gifts for my work colleagues.

It's been almost 15 years since I was forced eagerly created an Easter masterpiece, so I am a little rusty, but a packet of mini solid chocolate eggs, several paper bags, coloured textas and some old scrapbooking stickers was all I needed to create these...

I'll try to save you one.

Wordless Wednesday: Harbour Fun

Linking up with Trish at My Little Drummer Boys for Aussie Wordless Wednesday

Mum, when are you leaving?

So, I'm going away.  For an undisclosed period of time.  I'm leaving my two sons to look after my house, and the cat.  I'm taking my car.

I'm working with an undisclosed period of time because I don't wish to encourage the planning of any parties, get-togethers or gatherings. I figured if my boys don't know when I'll be home, they will be careful about what they plan.  In theory anyway.

Last night Mr 20 casually informed me that he's having some friends over on Friday night. I think he might have even used the word 'party'. I'm leaving on Friday. He obviously isn't wasting any time!

I ask who was coming, and said I looked forward to seeing them. He looked horrified.  "You're not going to be here on Friday night", he told me. "You're leaving on Friday".  I told him I'm leaving on Saturday, mostly just to see the look on his face. The last time he had friends over for a 'party' I kicked everyone out at 10:00pm.

Of course I was only stirring him, as I really am leaving on Friday.  I told him as much this morning, while also laying down the rules about how many people and which rooms they are permitted to use. I figure that if I can't trust my 20 and 22 year old kids to take care of our home, and each other, while I am away, then I'm displaying a lack of confidence in the job I have done as their parent.

I know they will enjoy having the house to themselves, without mum around to nag remind them about picking up their stuff or cleaning the kitchen.  They can leave the kitchen in a mess, for an undisclosed length of time, if they want to. I won't be there to see it! I will check in with them from time-to-time (I'm not leaving the country, only the state) just to make sure all is well, but I do trust them to take care of each other, our home and all the things in it, including the cat, because I know they can be responsible and respectful human beings when they want to be.

I'm very proud of both of them, I just hope I arrive home to a clean kitchen. When that time comes, I think I'll call ahead to warn them.

Movie Date

Saturday was spent with my mum. First we hung out at her house, doing my washing and having Facebook lessons (Me, teacher. Mum, student).  After lunch we went to see a movie.  

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

I had not seen so many 'seniors' in one cinema. Ever. I think I was the youngest person in the room, by about 20 years!  And it wasn't even tight-arse Tuesday...  although every day is discount day when you are a 'senior'.  $2.50 train travel and $8 movies are almost worth getting old for! Almost.

Considering the movie is about a group of British retirees who travel to India, to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the 'maturity' of the audience is no surprise really. The movie stars Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Celia Imrie, Tom Wilkinson, Ronald Pickup and Penelope Winton who upon arriving as hotel guests quickly discover it isn't exactly as the brochures depicted. Each character has their own life-issues that they are facing, or running from as the case may be. Each learns something about themselves, and about life, along the way.

It also stars Dev Patel (of Slumdog Millionaire fame) as the young and ambitious, and slightly quirky, hotel manager.

It's a wonderful, humorous, delightful movie. I enjoyed every second of it.  I just wish the lady next to me didn't talk throughout it... (I discovered that mature-age people talk through movies more than teenagers!)

In case you haven't seen it, here is the trailer. If you get the opportunity to see the movie, do it. It's worth it.