Post Christmas Wrap up

Hey peeps! How are you all?  Did you miss me? Well, I have missing visiting you all now have 168 posts to read. Prolific bunch aren’t you?

I hope those of you who celebrated Christmas had a nice time and enjoyed time with your friends and family.  I hope those of you who lost loved ones during the year managed to have great memories of those you lost and that your loss didn't; overshadow the enjoyment of the day.  The first year is the hardest and the sadness does lessen over time.  But I know that it’s very tough. So hugs to those of you, struggling with your grief.

So what have we been doing in my blogging absence? Well, the kids and I went to Sydney to have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my extended family.  It’s the fourth year in a row for us there.  The first was the one just before my mother died and that seems to have started a tradition.  Now my traditions are things like eating shortbread while putting up the Christmas tree and watching both lots of televised Carols (the Domain in Sydney ones and the Vision Australia ones from Melbourne). It seems the extended family Christmas is now one as well.  Mr E. didn’t come with us this year as he is unwell and it was touch and go whether he ended up in hospital on IV antibiotics.  Basically he decided that he’d prefer to be at home alone rather than end up in hospital in Sydney. So for the first time in 17 years Mr E and I were not together for most (if not all of Christmas Day). I’m still feeling a little unsettled about that but Mr E. is slowly getting better and will probably avoid a trip to hospital which is what we really want.

The kids and I went to the beach on Christmas morning, then to a morning tea, present opening and lunch with my family.  We had a lovely day.  The food was great and Boy Child ate PORK and HAM! Apparently ham tastes like cabanossi (huh?).  He even ate steak in public when we took out my Grandmother out on Christmas Eve.  How proud are we?  Very! He was also extremely helpful at the Christmas Lunch with carrying things, playing with the little kids and impressed many people by trying new foods.  Lots of people commented on how mature he is and how helpful.  We are so extraordinarily proud of him.

Girl child had fun playing with the cousins particularly the two littlest. She shared beautifully and was lovely.  She is very nurturing. We are very proud of her too.  Except maybe of the 5.45am wake up we had.  Not a great start when you have a full on day and a 3.5 hour drive in the evening.  But she was happy to find her stocking had a present in it. 

We made it home safely. Tired but happy that Mr E. was doing well and grateful that we had family to spend the day with.  I hope you all enjoyed your celebration, not matter what or where they were.

It’s been a Momentous week!

This week has been a very busy but exciting week.  As you know, Girl Child finally got over the chicken pox and managed to return to school for the last 3 days of Year 1. She was so excited to go back to school she was completely ready to leave at 6.30 am on Wednesday.  She got to hand out Christmas cards and say goodbye to her friends and her teachers. I had 3 days of freedom and even managed to do most of the Christmas shopping. Plus I got a haircut and even had some foils put in.

Boy Child finished Year 6.  It’s the end of his Primary School Life, next year he starts High School. He is growing up so fast! The graduation was on Thursday morning and Boy Child received an Academic Excellence Award.  We are very proud.

Thursday evening there was and Year 6 graduation Dinner and Disco.   Boy Child went.  He had fun with his friends, danced and ate roast beef!  Yes that’s right the boy, who has basically subsisted on nutella sandwiches and chicken nuggets and chips since he was 3, ate roast beef.  Scary, huh?

Even better than that it was the third day in a row that he had eaten foods out of his comfort zone.  Now he tried sausages back in October at a Birthday party (so he wouldn't upset the hosts by not eating) and he ate hot dogs at home here. This week he ate two sausages for dinner on Tuesday, tried steak on Wednesday, apparently ate 3 sausages at a school sausage sizzle on Thursday and then ate roast beef at his graduation dinner.  OMG!!!  I am so very proud of him.  This year he has tried a huge (for him) number of new foods – pizza, carrots, blueberries, watermelon, strawberries,  sausages, frankfurts and steak. Now some of those he doesn't like but the majority he has actually liked the taste of and is willing to try or again and for some even eat on a regular basis. Go Boy Child!  We love you very much and are so impressed that you have tried new things.  Oh yes,  and for finishing Primary school and getting an Academic Excellence Achievement Award.

Fat to Fit 16 Dec 2010

The last time I did this I was a little confused and apparently trying to get from Fit to Fat.  Well that's what my title was anyway.  I plead sickness and sheer stupidity lack of proof reading!

Last time my goals were:

1. To finish tidying the family room, yes again! Fail!
2. Try to walk to school or use the treadmill for 20 plus minutes 4 days of the week, if well enough. Fail although not completely. I did walk at least twice.
3. Go to bed before 10.30 pm at least 3 nights of the week. Success!  Okay illness may have had a lot to with that.
4. Try to eat less processed food. Have salad stuff to eat for lunch and will aim for at least 3 days for that. Success!  I had salad sandwiches and wraps a few times.
5. If I still feel like crud, seek medical advice.  I was told by 3 different people this morning to go to the Dr as I have now been sick for about 3 weeks and apparently sound just as bad as I did last Friday. Success again.  Okay, I actually went to the Dr twice and the second time got different antibiotics and a repeat as the first lot didn’t help much. 

Wow, not as bad as I thought.  I have now also lost a total of 800g!  WOOT! Which according to MyDr .com.au means I only need to lose 9kgs exactly to get to a BMI of 25. Now that BMI calculator lets you put in decimals which I like.  Also they say 25 is normal and overweight starts at a BMI of 26.

My aims for this week are:

1. To finish tidying the family room.  Do I sound like a broken record yet?  If this does not occur there will be no Christmas Tree!
2. Use the treadmill for 20 plus minutes or walk the dogs 4 days of the week .
3. Go to bed before 10.30 pm at least 3 nights of the week.
4. Try to eat less processed food. Have salad stuff to eat for lunch and will aim for at least 3 days for that.
5. Play with / spend some quality time with the children.

What are you going to do for yourself?

Join in with Lucy's Fat to Fit Blog hop.

Post It Note Tuesday #15

 

 

 

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Rich People’s Problems Dec 2010

I have done this previously but after my whining last post/s I thought I should do it again. After all, I occasionally often need a kick up the bum wake up call.    Cooper, Pepper and their Mum and Dad visited Cambodia recently so check out Big Brother, Little Sister particularly this post for a kick up the bum if you need one too.  As before the idea is to list problems that only rich (or first world, or affluent or comfortably well off) people have.

This week my rich people’s problems were:

• Not having  hot water for most of Friday… because I could make a phone call and a good looking  nice plumber came and fixed it within a few hours.
• Being in quarantine with Girl Child due to her Chicken Pox…because Chicken Pox is not small pox, polio or other nasty / very rare (where I live) disease.
• Being at home with Girl child (yes again)…because I work from home and don’t have to take leave to look after her. I also can’t be fired for not being at work for the last week and a half and I don't get pressured to send her back before she is well.
• Suddenly realising that Christmas is less than 2 weeks away and I haven't gotten presents for lots of people…but I have access to money and shops which many people do not.
• Our garage flooded with the rain…however, the water catchment areas are full plus the family and rest of our home is safe and dry.
• My frustration with our school (I seem to be a broken record on this at the moment)…but my children have a safe place to go to,  where they learn and play with friends etc.
• My difficulty accepting that my boy baby growing up and going to High School…we live in a country where children don’t have to work to support themselves or their families.

Have you had any rich people’s problems lately?  Or am I the only one?

Don’t push me ‘cause I’m close to the edge…

So here we are again.  Me whining. It may have something to do with Girl Child having been in Chicken Pox quarantine for 8 days.  I have escaped a few times to buy the essentials like chocolate bread and milk, etc.  Oh on the weekend  I also took Boy Child to all 3 dance concerts, his Martial Arts grading and a birthday party.

Luckily, life isn’t like my grandmother thinks it is and Mr E. is fully capable of looking after his children.  Of course when you ask Girl Child did she have a good day on Sunday (Boy Child and I were out most of the day) she says: Mum, it was really fun yesterday.  Every time I said I was sick Dad put on Barbie for me.  His response: Needed to keep her still.

Being stuck at home with Dad is much more fun that being stuck at home with Mum as there is way less TV and more house work type things.  On Tuesday she asked to go back to school. School? That place she has told me countless times that she doesn’t like… I must be boring.

Anyway, here are the whines.

Whine 1: Don't tell us you will keep a place at your school for Girl Child and we have until the end of the year to decide if you don't actually mean it. Thankfully, I rang to confirm that you had kept the place before I bought uniforms etc.  I’m really peeved about this.  There was no checking if we needed the place, nothing.  To me the end of the year is the end of the year not whenever you actually gave the place away.  If you had said let me know by Week 1 of Term 4 we would have had an answer then.  But you didn't! We don’t finish school here until next Friday. The current school hadn't gotten back to me on issues I’d raised with them a few weeks ago and I was waiting for their response.  Of course, our current school only started thinking about classes yesterday.  Note: School here finishes next Friday and I didn't ring the other school today either.

Whine 2: If you can’t go to a function due to your partners birthday perhaps you should say that when the time date is first suggested.  After all it’s not February 29, the birthday is on the some date every year. Then don’t ask someone to change it to another day and then once that is done ask for it to be deferred to next year!  Seriously there are 8 people going to this dinner.  While you think it does, the world doesn't actually revolve around you.

Whine 3: Please don't lie to me about things that I have seen happen.  And have seen them happen on several occasions. It’s amazing how fast you tried to back pedal when I named people and places.

I’m sure there are more but numbers 2 and 3 happened this morning and it just did my head in.

So, what currently has you close to the edge? I’m sure other people are feeling like this today as well.  Please share so I don't feel so alone!

Rolling with the punches… or not

I’m having one of those weeks.  You know the ones where things just seem to go wrong.  The ones where breaking open the cooking chocolate or diving into a bottle or pool of alcohol might just take the edge off.

Today is Friday.  Today I cried at school. Yep, me. Today I can’t roll with the punches.

All the things are minor but they have just added up. Remember this post and a few after it? My grandmother’s kidneys are failing again. She’s not in hospital at the moment but will probably need to go back on Pred which makes her face swell up.   Tuesday was the Paed appointment where we got the bad news that Dr T. is sick again and going away.  I mentioned that in my last post.  Boy Child was diagnosed with reflux.

Wednesday Mr E. came home early.  He was sick and after a Dr appointment and a visit to hospital he was diagnosed with a kidney stone which thankfully he passed.   We got home about 1 am.  Note to self: find an emergency babysitter!

Thursday was my Dr appointment.  The antibiotics I was given last Friday had helped a little but not enough.  I got stronger antibiotics and took Girl Child with me.  She has Chicken Pox or Hand, Foot and Mouth disease.  Ah joy! 

So today's phone call with Boy Child being really unclear and raving about how I had to bring him his drawings so they could be sold at school to raise money was the last straw.  There was quite a bit of ‘this stupid school that I hate’ thrown in there for good measure. It turned out that there had been a miscommunication and he was supposed to do something about two weeks ago which he didn’t and that meant he couldn't sell badges at the fete they were having etc., etc.  And I cried in front of his teacher, Ms S.

She felt bad for me being upset and I felt like an idiot.  Seriously it’s just all those little things that just tipped me over the edge.  I went back to the fete to get Girl Child a sausage (she was waiting in the car for me) and Ms S came back over to me.  Apparently Boy Child had asked her why I was upset.  He knew I was upset because I was crying but he didn't know why.  Ms S told him it was just a miscommunication and I was worried about Girl Child Mr E., etc.  Sometimes I forget how hard it is for him to understand people and emotions.  His anxiety seems to showing up big  time with the end of the year, the dance concerts, grading and transition to high school. If I lost it today, t’s no wonder that he is too.

So I have eaten the chocolate chips I bought to cook with and cried a bit more.  I’m still feeling like an idiot but then I feel like that quite often. Let’s hope next week is a better one.

So it’s the last day of NaBloPoMo for November 2010

I can’t say that I’m not glad it’s over but I’m glad that I did it again.  It will be nice to go back to blogging when I think I have something interesting to say or have something to vent about.

Congratulations to all those who participated and especially those who managed to post every day.  Congratulations to those NaNoWriMo participants.  I hope you have survived and managed to get to your word count.

I have another 2 days worth of antibiotics and I think I’m feeling slightly better now, although Boy Child’s paed did ask me how long I’d been sick and what antibiotics I was given.  So maybe I do still sound bad.  Boy had his check up today and is growing like a weed.  He may hit 180cm by the time he is 13!  Wow. 

Our wonderful Dr is unwell and will be taking a least 6 (probably more like 9 or 12) months off  in the new year to hopefully get well.  He is such a great man and he was there when Boy child was born.  It was sad saying goodbye to him today.  I hope his treatment works. 

Look! It’s new and pretty!

Thanks to Melissa and Carly I have a new look blog. I really love the rainbow because it’s bright, colourful and happy. 

I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to have a real blog makeover. The professional touch gives a much nicer look, don’t you think?  Much better than my dodgy efforts. LOL. I hope if I accidently stuff it up Carly can show me how to fix it again. 

How cool is it now? What do you think of the changes?

Day 15 of Op Self Actualisation

Today’s task is to set my playlist on random and share the first ten that play.

First up we have Pink ‘Cuz I can from the album I’m Not Dead. I’ve actually had this as my phone ring tune for a while.

Then we have The Radiators - You. I think this song is on here from when my MP3 player belonged to Mr E.  The Radiators are an Australian Band which has been around fro 30 years.  The song they may be best known for is Gimme Head.

For number 3 we have another Mr E. band TISM. This song is X-Treme Sports Can Kiss My Arse. It’s from the album De RigeurMortis which also has other such life enhancing songs like If You're Not Famous At Fourteen, You're Finished

Aha, another one of mine.  Ben Folds Five – Missing the War from the Whatever and Ever Amen.  This is the only Ben Folds Album I have.  I think think I should remedy that.

Number 5 is Blink 182 – Aliens Exist.  It is from the album Enema of the State. Another song courtesy of Mr E. but I’m enjoy listening to Blink 182. Those of you in Australia and have watched Foxtel may have heard a remake of this song as the SciFi Channel theme for a while.

So much for random.  The next song is another Blink 182 song  - What’s My Age Again? It is also from the Enema of the state Album (that’s the only Blink 182 I have on my MP3Player).

Okay now this is interesting. Currently playing we now have Slim Forever for Women.  Which I should listen to more frequently and then maybe it would help. 

Number 8 is The Whitlam's  - You Don’t Even Know My Name.

I actually just skipped another Blink 182 song to give you at Number 9 What you Feel (reprise) from Buffy the Vampire Slayer Once More with Feeling soundtrack.

The last song is PINK - Please Don’t Leave Me from Funhouse.

So what have we learnt here today?

• Apparently the MP3 player likes Blink 182.
• I should have deleted more of Mr E’s  music when I got the MP3 Player than I did.
• Apart from PINK it seems like we don’t have any albums in this house that were released after 2001. This is not true, just the more recent stuff didn't show up.

What are you listening to at the moment?

NaBloPoMo Day 27

Well November is drawing to a close, rather rapidly it seems. I’ve been busy today with Girl Child’s swimming lesson, someone dropping by and then going to a birthday party an hour and a quarter’s drive away.

I’m tired and will be going to bed soon. I just had to wait up long enough to take my antibiotic as I took the previous one a little later than I should have.  Plus I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t blogged as yet. So I’m blogging now and very briefly.

Oh, remember when I won the blog makeover run by Melissa over at Suger Coat It? Carly has been working on the new look and it should be unveiled shortly.  Everything I have seen so far looks great.  I hope that you think so, too.

Today I’m thankful for…

So, I live in Australia. We don't have Thanksgiving or pumpkin  pie or Black Friday Sales. Despite this I thought I should do a thankful post.

Today I am thankful for:

• A medical system that provides access to Doctors…who can diagnose illness;
• Antibiotics…to treat those illnesses as required;
• Friends..to share and celebrate things with;
• The ability to talk freely….and tell Girl Child’s school why we are considering moving her. The issues here aren't the only ones – I’m frustrated about lack of communication, the schools inability to actually walk the talk, etc;
• Boy Child…who is apparently awesome.  I was told this by no less than 3 people this afternoon. 
• The lovely lady who found Smiley Dog and took him to the vet on Monday after he ran away from home.
• Serious Dog…who didn't run away. 
• Hardware stores so I could fix the fence where Smiley Dog escaped. Still not sure why the fence into the neighbours yard was missing two palings, I suspect the boy next door had a bit to do with it.
• Mr E. having work until at least June next year. 6 monthly contracts are not that great for forward planning.

If you haven’t already done a thankful post, what are you thankful for today?

Fit to Fat 25 Nov 2010

Time for the Fat to Fit Blog Hop, again.

Last time my goals were:

1. To finish tidying the family room. Partially achieved
2. Keep the caffeinated beverages down to 3 a day. Most days
3. Try to walk to school or use the treadmill for 20 plus minutes 4 days of the week. Well at least twice for the walking but no tread milling. The children and I are still sick that has stopped some of the exercise.
4. Ensure I’m getting enough sleep and water. I had a nap yesterday, does that count?  Have the water thing down pat.  Mostly because mouth breathing makes me thirsty.
5. Try to eat less processed food.  I bought tomatoes and cucumber today.  I can see that with tuna or cheese or ham and carrots as lunch a few days in the next week.  I’ll aim for 3 days and celebrate any more than that. Definitely ate less processed food for lunch.  Had salad wraps twice and to be honest I can’t think any further back.

I do seem to have lost about 300gms.  Is that worth celebrating?

My aims for this week are:

1. To finish tidying the family room, yes again!
2. Try to walk to school or use the treadmill for 20 plus minutes 4 days of the week, if well enough.
3. Go to bed before 10.30 pm at least 3 nights of the week.
4. Try to eat less processed food. Have salad stuff to eat for lunch and will aim for at least 3 days for that.
5. If I still feel like crud, seek medical advice.  I was told by 3 different people this morning to go to the Dr as I have now been sick for about 3 weeks and apparently sound just as bad as I did last Friday

How are you planning to look after yourself this week?

Oops, I forgot the linky.

Why Blog?

It seems that some of my favourite bloggers are thinking about or spilling the beans on why they blog.  Corrine over at the Daze of My Life did this yesterday. Ratz was pondering whether she was a writer here. Over at The World According to Mel she was thinking about why she started blogging and the relevance now.
So these posts have actually made me do some navel gazing, again. Why did I start this blog? Was it to be one of the in crowd? Was it to put my thoughts out there and get other opinions? Was it to it make friends and influence people?  Now if this sounds familiar I think I’ve written on this topic before but I can’t find it to link to it.
Anyway these questions above bring me to even more…. what kind of blogger am I?  I’m not really a mummy blogger (although maybe you think I am), or a crafty, homemaker blogger.  I think I’m just a general blogger.
I think deep down I really wanted to get back into the habit of writing.  I used to write all the time but haven’t done it properly or with enthusiasm for what seems like a long time.  I like connecting with others and seeing into other people’s lives and worlds and maybe, just maybe lowering a few of my walls and letting others in to my world.
I have discovered that doing NaBloPoMo too often can make me feel burnt out and like everything I write is superficial and to some extent meaningless.  However, I guess it does get me into the habit of writing every day which would be very useful if I do participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) next year.
I hope that once this NaBloPoMo is over I will get back to writing some  more deeper topics rather than just whatever I can think of in order to meet the post every day commitment.
Anyone else want to do some blogger navel gazing?  Or tell me that I really am a Mummy Blogger? Go on…you know you want to.

Post It Note Tuesday #14

Hosted by That One Mom.

 

Day 14 of Operation Self Actualisation

The task for today is to post a picture of my family. So given we have just had family photo’s I thought I would post one of those.  Now given my need for anonymity I have edited the photo so it looks cool (okay that is debateable) and you would probably not recognise us.  So without further  ado, here are my beautiful Husband and children. Oh yes, that person on the left is me.

Sweet Sunday Blog Hop 21 Nov 2010

Tonight I am back on the bandwagon.  I’m joining back into Jaded Vixen’s Blog Hop.  Today’s theme is Literature.

1. What is your favourite picture story book? Bilby Moon by Margaret Spurling and illustrated by Danny Snell
   
2. What is the first novel you remember being really engrossed in? I think it was probably The Hobbit
   
3. The book you read, but hated every minute of? Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra.  I read in pretty much in one sitting because I needed to know how it ended.
   
4. Favourite Young Adult/Teenage/Adolescent novel? The Changeover by Margaret Mahy.  I really loved it when I first read it and often re-read it when I’m feeling nostalgic.
   
5. Top three novel recommendations? My favourite novels really depend on my mood.  So while I l really enjoy Lord of the Rings, The Cider House Rules, The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub I’ve really been on a Romance / Romantic Suspense kick for quite a while so I’ve also enjoyed Tami Hoag, Beverly Barton, Iris Johansen, Linda Howard etc.  So tonight I’d probably recommend Linda Howard: Kiss Me While I Sleep, maybe a Nora Roberts Paranormal Trilogy, and I guess I’d add of the ones above.
   
6. What are you currently reading and what is it about? I’m currently reading Ruby Beach Mindnight at Ruby Bayou (oops) by Elizabeth Lowell. It’s about a jewellery designer who is tasked with making a necklace for her friends wedding gift but the rubies she was given to use are very valuable and it appears everyone is trying to get them.  It’s one of a series but they also can stand alone.

So what is your favourite novel?  Or why don’t you play along with Jaded Vixen?

Dancing Mum - Fail

Tomorrow is the Dance Dress Rehearsal.  I think I may have the make up okay after 3 years but tonight I was sewing on 3 big sequins. Only 3!  It took a long time.  And then they were crooked. So I moved two of the three sequins and now I need to move the only one I haven’t moved yet. Arghhh! Oh well, at least I tried. 

There are no professional photo’s this year as some people apparently complained that they were too expensive last year.  While it does make things cheaper it means it’s left to my less than adequate photography skills.  But it does mean there will be no professional evidence if I do manage to make Girl Child up to look like the Joker as I did the first year – well so Boy Child likes to tell me (and she really did, a little).

This may be the last year for dance for Girl Child as she was crying tonight that she doesn't know her dance (one of them) and the she hates it and she is going to mess up.  The most interesting comment was “I want to do dance but not the concert ever again!” Said in only the way a 7 year old girl apparently having a life crisis can.

We know it’s just nerves, she was the same last year too, but that wasn’t until concert day.  I think she is getting in early this year just because she is tired and sick.  Oh well we will see how she goes.  If she wants to give it up that’s fine by me.  No more make up, no high pony tails with curls, etc,etc.

Thanks for all comments about my comments post and for the well wishes about the illnesses and the migraine.  I will hopefully get time to reply tomorrow – after dance!

My head hurts…

I think I might be having my first ever migraine.  Umm it seems like an odd thought to jump to but this afternoon my peripheral vision went all wavy for about 15 minutes even with alternate eyes closed.  So when Boy had a check up at the Dr this afternoon I asked him about it and he said if it did it even with different eyes being closed (which it did) then it could be the suggestive of a migraine.  My response: Oh, so that explains why my head hurts!

I’ve since taken painkillers but I think I need to go to bed.  Luckily, if it is a migraine, it’s not a of those lie in a dark room and try not to throw up type.

Comments – how do you respond to them?

I really like getting comments so to everyone who comments on my blog a HUGE thank you! Today I was wondering is there some sort of blogger etiquette for responding to comments?

I’ve mostly been just replying to my comments as a comment itself (and generally about 2 days later) but I have noticed that a number of you actually send me a message about any comments I have left you.  And I really love that idea too.  Of course that only works when the person who has commented actually has a usable email address and not noreply@blogger.com for example.

So is there a rule, or a way of doing this that is right? Is there some thing some one does with comments that you think is really great? Or really poor form?  Ideas please people.  I really hope I’m not offending people by not replying straight away and not emailing you all individually.

Does anyone else do what I do and keep checking back (or subscribe to comments) to see if there is any response to something you have said?  Or am I just taking the blogging gig a little too seriously?

Maybe I should get Melissa to make me another button that says will comment for chocolate…

Day 13 of my Self Actualisation Project

The job for today is to write a letter to someone who has hurt me. There are a few letters which could fit this description but I think I’ll actually write the one that has been simmering away for a number of years.  Of course I really hope I never see this individual again so this is a lovely way to state my feelings, don’t you think?

Dear Moron,

I’m not sure that you or your actions actually hurt me, but I figure this is as good a time as any to write down how I feel.

I understand that terminal illness, funerals and weddings bring out the worst in people.  But generally hitting the terminally ill person (no matter how annoying that person is) is disgusting.  In fact, given that was only a small part of your bad behaviour at the time and the following months. Blaming your issues and behaviour on the terminally ill person was poor form. I’d like to say that you behaved appallingly.

In the days prior to the death of the terminally ill person you started to threaten us.  In fact your threats to harm myself and my family have left scars on my children.  All this time later they still have issues answering the phone. I resent that fact that as a supposed adult you behaved worse than my children did.  And they had a much longer and better relationship with the deceased person than you.

Your complete and utter disrespect for others and the legal system showed how juvenile and self centred you are.  I’m not sure why you think you are the centre of the universe. 

Well, perhaps I do.  You may have a mental illness triggered by events almost 40 years ago. If you do, it doesn’t give you the right to behave badly for the rest of you life.  Of course if you took the medications prescribed for you and didn’t self medicate with alcohol (especially in the amounts you did) things may improve for you.

A diagnosis of a mental illness does not excuse bad behaviour.  Bad behaviour is bad behaviour.  Especially when you chose to flaunt the medical advice and medications that you are given.

So, in short, you behaved badly, you injured a terminally ill person, you threatened my family and you broke the law several times.  If I never,ever see you again it will be too soon.

Regards,

E.

Post It Note, Tuesday #13!

Wow, anotehr week and it’s once again time for PINT! 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

Day 12 of Op Self Actualisation

For today’s post I have to share a photo of someone I miss.

Now this was a very easy one for me.  While I miss a fair few people, whether it’s because we live in different cities or because we have drifted apart, the person I miss is my Dad.  Now this is probably more at the front of my mind at the moment as a fellow blogger posted today that her father died recently.

 

   

 

So here is a photo of my Dad.  Oh, that’s Boy Child with him.  Dad died when Boy child was five and a half months old but I actually don’t remember how old he was when this photo was taken, maybe 4 months?  Boy Child was the absolute light of Dad’s life.  He loved him so very much.

I was very lucky to have my Dad and I have lots of good memories. The very few photo’s I have of Dad and Boy Child are so bittersweet. 

Day 11 of my Self Actualisation Project

The task today is to share of photo of my and my friends. Given I don’t do photo’s here I thought I’d do some descriptions. Actually I already did that here.

The friend I have had the longest is J.  So here is a photo of us. It’s  from about 16 or 17 years ago.  Gee, we are so young. 

 

 

How’s that? Are you proud that I actually managed to post a pic?

Watched Julie and Julia today

I do NOT want to learn how to de-bone a duck.  And the amount of butter used made me feel ill. Of course it’s probably the butter that makes the food taste so great but I could almost feel my arteries clogging just watching!

I’m thinking perhaps I should have watched it tomorrow just before or after Junior MasterChef Australia.  Seriously, have you seen how brilliantly these kids can cook? The oldest are 12!

Of course because I watched the movie today and Junior MasterChef is on tomorrow and then Monday night as well, so I get to have 3 days feeling inadequate in the cooking stakes. Luckily, I have some redeeming characteristics (suggestions, anyone?) but cooking is so not my forte.

Actually I didn't even have to think about cooking tonight as today is McHappy Day so we had McDonalds for dinner. I know a few people who have stayed at a Ronald McDonald House so it’s a cause close to my heart. 

I hope you had a nice Saturday. What did you do today? Or what are you planning to do?

Sickness…again and still!

It’s weird that it’s spring and many people I know are sick or getting over being sick.  Boy Child has had a virus which according to the GP was going to last 10 days.  Of course given his asthma and medical history he almost always ends up with a post viral cough.  So he has now been coughing for over 2 weeks but he managed to stay at school everyday this week.  Last week he only managed two and a half days.  Both Girl Child and I have gotten the virus and we too are coughing, having headaches etc.  Plus we have both suffering with hay fever which resulted in my having to pick her up from school about 2.15 on Tuesday afternoon as one of her eyes was all red and swollen.

Today Girl Child stayed home from school.  She was whining that she was sick and she was tried and grumpy (okay so was I!) so we kept her at home. She actually slept until 10.45  and we are hoping that having a good rest will help her recover from this illness.  I had a sleep in too and felt a bit better but still sound very croaky and am coughing but hopefully we will all be well soon. 

It seems that the cold and flu season has come late to us here let’s hope it (or whatever is causing us to be sick) goes away soon!

Day 11 of NaBloPoMo

So it’s that time again. Time for the Fat to Fit Blog Hop.

Last week my goals were:

1. To tidy the family room It was attempted but did not get very far.
2. Finish folding the current clean washing (it’s much smaller than it was) and put it (or have it put in the respective rooms Washing all folded.  Mine and Boy Child’s put in the respective rooms.  Mr E. and Girl Child seemed to not listen to the instructions. Can I count this as a half?
3. Start cutting back on the caffeine (yes again!) 3 cups per day is plenty.  And probably more than enough. Only 2 today but the trip interstate meant lots of caffeine was imbibed (interesting word there..LOL).  I was doing well with this though.  another half maybe?
4. Do some more exercise.  At least 4 days in the week walk to / from school or use the treadmill for 20 – 30 minutes. Zero treadmill time.  Did walk home from school at least once but it has been raining a lot here. And Boy Child shared a cold virus with Girl child and I.  Apparently I sound awful. 
5. Go to bed before 10.30 on 3 nights. Oh yeah,  I did it!

Other things that happened this week:
I shipped off two shopping bags full of clothes Girl Child has outgrown to my cousin’s daughter.
I weighed myself and was pleasantly surprised.
My aims for this week are:

1. To finish tidying the family room.
2. Keep the caffeinated beverages down to 3 a day.
3. Try to walk to school or use the treadmill for 20 plus minutes 4 days of the week.
4. Ensure I’m getting enough sleep and water.
5. Try to eat less processed food.  I bought tomatoes and cucumber today.  I can see that with tuna or cheese or ham and carrots as lunch a few days in the next week.  I’ll aim for 3 days and celebrate any more than that.

What are you doing for yourself this week?

Lessons I learned today

Some members of the extended family will always call you by the nickname that you yourself stopped using as a child (in fact when I was 11).

Apparently it’s not just my grandmother who calls me by my mother's name… it’s very disconcerting.  However, according to Girl Child I don't look how she remembers my mother.  Girl Child was only 3 when Mum died so I’m not really relying on her memory.

Those camouflage a muffin top undies really do suck your stomach in and give you a nice waist BUT are not comfortable.

Some Funeral Directors have their own branded bottled water and they give out them out at funerals.

Thankfully, I can drive further with the low fuel warning light on than I expected. I did have to put 5 litres more in the petrol tank than I thought it held so those last few kilometres may have been driven on not much more than petrol fumes.

That’s all folks!

Post It Note Tuesday #13

Without the post its. Sorry, I’m currently using free WIFI at the golden arches half way to me destination.

Yesterday’s post was a rambling one. I was NOT posting under the influence!

Thank you McDonalds for free WIFI.  I’d not be able to post today without you.

Rain, I know we need you but can you please stay away until I get where I am going?  Thanks!

Suddenly realising that you have no GF food for breakfast tomorrow is not ideal.  I’m going to hope my grandmother has some fruit for me in the morning.

Family, I love you and I will see you sometime tomorrow evening.

I better get going before the rain starts again. Happy PINT everyone!

Another random post

Things have been going calmly, swimmingly even, and then things suddenly get complicated. Last week I had a phone call saying that a member of the extended family was ill. My grandmother was going to see this relative on Saturday but unfortunately our relative passed away on Friday afternoon. The funeral is on Wednesday morning interstate; about three and a half hours drive away (with no stops). So I will be driving down on Tuesday evening once Mr E. gets home from work. I have a busy day tomorrow with a work meeting and doing the work that I would normally do on Wednesday while I’m away.

I will stay Tuesday night at my grandmothers and take her to the funeral. Once the formalities are over I will take my Grandmother back to her place and then drive home. I won’t be s tired as I would be if I drove up and back in one day especially as I would have to leave home about 6 am so staying overnight with my grandmother is the best option for my fatigue and also to support my grandmother. I think it will be hard for her to see her baby brother’s wife laid to rest.

I know my aunt and uncle will be there but I will be the only of my grandmother’s grandchildren there. I guess that is fitting as I was the only one who lived with these people as a child. Not that I remember it at all. I was very young. Apparently there was even the possibility of my being adopted by these extended family members. Scary, really. Mr E. sometimes likes to look on the bright side so in his world if I had been adopted by them I wouldn’t have become an orphan until Friday instead of almost 4 years ago. Of course that had happened then I wouldn't have met him because I would have never been in the same place as him and I wouldn’t have fallen asleep on him in a nightclub.

Umm, I’m tired and rambling so good night, all.  Sleep well and for those of you just getting about your day, have a nice one.

Operation Self Actualisation Day 10

Today is about music. What do I listen to depending on my mood?   I need to give an example song for Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped and Mad.

So we are turning on my trusty MP3 player to give you a tour of my moods by music. Enjoy!

When I’m happy I like to listen to almost anything.  Okay, maybe not Death Metal or Country but I’m generally okay with most music.

The songs I listen to when I’m sad are often:

Ben Folds Five - Brick

The Whitlams – Buy Now Pay Later

 

Bored

The Doors – Pretty much anything on their Greatest Hits album

Hyped

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Once More with Feeling Soundtrack

Mad or angry

Pink – So what

Rogue Traders – I never Liked You

So there you go.  I’m a very complex character, don’t you think?

Day 9 of Operation Self Actualisation

The task for Day 9 is to share something I’ve been proud of in the past few days. Now I’m guessing that I am supposed to post things that I have done that I am proud of but first I’ll tell you about someone else.

I am proud that Boy Child had a blood test (the first one that he remembers) on Thursday and he coped really well.  Yes, he is 12 but he has lots of sensory issues and used to scream pretty much at the sight of a needle so this was wonderful.  Also he ate a hot dog last weekend and then asked for another!  I know hot dogs are not a great food choice but it’s not chicken.  Now we can add frankfurts to his list of acceptable (aka safe) foods.

Now on to me.  I am proud of the fact that I so far have not failed NaBloPoMo as yet.  Day 6 and I’ve posted every day.  Okay, last night I had forgotten and did have to get out of bed to post (does that excuse the short and sweet post?) but I did it.

I am proud that I have started tidying the family room as I planned to here. I haven't reduced my caffeine intake as yet but I am on track with the other stuff I guess. 

Who or what are you proud of?  I need to say that I’m proud of the other NaBoPoMo-ers .

Anna, Stacey, Jenn, and Solnushka are the ones on my Blog roll who I know are NaBloPoMo-ing this month. Why don’t you drop by and say hello?

200 posts!

So, I’m not prolific but I have managed to make it to 200 posts.  Thanks for sharing the journey with me.

I’m sure there will be lots more things to share but here are a few of my favourites, enjoy!

 

 

 

Day 4 of November NaBloPoMo

So do I join Lucy’s Fat to Fit Blog Hop?

Do I do Day 8 of the Self Actualisation Project? It’s about my short term goals.

Or do I say stuff it and go to bed?  After all it is 10.30pm and I’m tired.

Actually, I think I’m going to do the first two followed very quickly by the third.

So here we go.

Remember this post about my bad habits? Where I let everyone know how much I procrastinate and explains why the house is a mess and I failed dismally at Op Anniversary…

Well, I remember.  And I’m going to make a change.  I was looking thought some old photo’s and can see how tidy the house was when Boy Child was a baby and how much better I looked too.  So I am going to focus on cleaning up.  My house, my head and my body.  I am planning on spending tomorrow making the family room a welcoming place for people (not stuff!) and I hope that that will help the get into the head space for kick starting Op Anniversary again.  At this point I am hoping to be back fitter and healthier before Christmas. 

Every week on her blog, Adalita lists the things she did in the previous week and the things she plans to do and change in the upcoming week.I think that’s a great idea and it may even help me be more accountable.  Actually,Listen to teh  even vaguely accountable would be good.

My aims for this week are:

1. To tidy the family room
2. Finish folding the current clean washing (it’s much smaller than it was) and put it (or have it put in the respective rooms
3. Start cutting back on the caffeine (yes again!) 3 cups per day is plenty.  And probably more than enough.
4. Do some more exercise.  At least 4 days in the week walk to / from school or use the treadmill for 20 – 30 minutes.
5. Go to bed before 10.30 on 3 nights.

So what do you think about those as short term goals?

Op Self Actualisation Day 7

Today’s assignment is to share a picture of someone that has the biggest impact on you.

So I’m going to be quite maternalistic here and say these two:

 

Boy Child and Girl Child have changed my life.  Yes, I know it’s a stereotypical thing to say but it’s true.  The arrival of Boy child had a huge impact on us.  Going from a carefree couple to being responsible for another human being is a massive change even when it is anticipated.  And going from one to two children is another significant change. So Girl Child also made a huge impact in my life.

I think this quote says it best:

Making the decision to have a child is momentous.
It is to decide forever to have your heart
go walking around outside your body.

~Elizabeth Stone

My children have both taught me things. I hope when they are adults they will think that I taught them things too.  I really, really hope that they remember these things positively.

Who has had the biggest impact on your life?

Post It Note Tuesday #12

 

 

Brought to you by:

So it’s NaBloPoMo time again!

I think perhaps I’m a glutton for punishment, but I’m doing it again.  I think this is the third NaBloPoMo I’ve done this year. But it is on my Day Zero list so I’m going full steam ahead.

Now there is no Theme for this month and I’m not sure if this is going to help or hinder me in this.  But I still have some (the majority) of Op Self Act to go so that will help.  And I may actually get myself organised enough to have posts ready to go as well, how cool would that be? Anyone got any ideas for things I can write about?

So who else is a sucker? Any other NaPoBloPosters out there?

It’s my 1st Blogoversary and I’m excited!

So let’s celebrate.

http://weheartit.com/entry/3541971

With Fireworks,

http://weheartit.com/entry/3553040 

Balloons

 

http://weheartit.com/entry/4529824

and with this great looking rainbow cake.

To all my readers and followers, thanks for sticking with me. I have managed 195 posts in 365 days. Thank you for visiting, reading and commenting.

To those 100 or so bloggers I read, thanks for inspiring me, for making me think outside the box and especially sharing your joys and sadness, struggles and triumphs.

I really want you all to know how much I appreciate you.

My favourite Superhero

This is the task for Day 6 of this Self Actualisation project - I need to say who my favourite superhero is and why.

My favourite Super hero is Hugh Jackman Wolverine. It’s his arms, shoulders, abs, the way he fills out the jeans and ummmm… I think I’ll stop there and let the picture show you.

Image from http://www.movieplayer.it/gallery/116737

 

While Wolverine as played by Hugh Jackman is very appealing to me, I have actually liked Wolverine since watching the cartoons.  Yes, I like Wolverine even when he was dressed in yellow lycra. Yuk! Now my knowledge comes only from the cartoons and the movies not the comics so if you are a diehard X-Men comic reader and want to tell me I have completely painted him wrong feel free to comment.

The things that appeal to me (not the the physical I got that out of my system further up) about Wolverine aka Logan are:

• He speaks his mind
• By nature and circumstance he is a loner but is willing to become part of a group and build relationships
• He protects his friends and those who can’t defend themselves
• He stands up for what he believes in
• While he has done things that he is not proud of he has moved on and turned his life around

I think these are all good characteristics to have especially the learning from your mistakes and moving on. He has overcome so many difficult things and yet retained his humanity. I admire him.

So, my favourite Superhero is Wolverine. Who is your favourite superhero and why?

I’m a Winner!

I have been a little remiss by not posting this earlier and I am sorry for that.

The lovely Melissa from Suger Coat It recently ran a competition. There was a really great prize on offer.  You could win a blog makeover provided by Carly of Carly Lloyd Designs.  And I won!  Yay go, me!

Actually I didn't do much, just entered and I won on a toss of a coin due to the votes being tied. But it is so terrific that Melissa and Carly got together to offer this opportunity to us. And I am very grateful.

So in the near future you will be seeing a new look Whining, all thanks to Carly (go check out her blog and design gallery) and Melissa.

So this is for you both:

 

A huge thanks to you both for giving me the opportunity to get Whining made over. I’m excited to see what Carly comes up with.

Somewhere I have been

It’s Day 5 of this self actualisation project (I never said they would be consecutive days, now did I?) and I’m supposed to share a picture of a place I have been.

Now, I haven’t actually travelled that extensively. I have been to Singapore with a side trip to Malaysia, I’ve been to some islands in the South Pacific. But I have been to every state in Australia (except the Northern Territory - which isn’t a state anyway).

Sydney Harbour Bridge - Image from Wikipedia

I’ve probably spent the most time in Sydney.  After all that’s the place where I was born and I still have family there.  So going to Sydney generally involves staying with family and almost always a trip to the beach.  No, not Bondi (I can’t actually remember the last time I was even at Bondi) but Boy Child loves the ocean so it’s somewhere we often go, even in winter but he rarely swims there then.

So this is a place I have been, a place where family is, the place I was born.  It’s the same city that Mr E. was born in too.  I left Sydney aged 8 and have never lived there again.  But it is a place we visit.

Bad habits…

This is Day 4 of the Self Actualisation challenge. The topic is write about a habit you wish you didn't have.

Ah, I thought this one will be a cinch.  While I really don’t drink, have never actually smoked more than a few puffs and don’t gamble, I have lots of other bad habits.  Problem is which one to choose?  Which ONE out of the many do I wish I didn't have?

Should I write that I like to keep things?  I kept all of Boy Child clothes from Size 0000 and up and even after Girl Child wore them I still kept them? The only reason they are no longer in my house is because of the devastating Victorian Bushfires in 2009, commonly referred to as Black Saturday.  I donated 6 huge garbage bags worth of outgrown children's clothing.  It would have been more be my cousins have girls younger than my Girl Child and they get hand me downs of Girl Child’s clothes.

Should I write about the pile of clean washing on a lounge? It seems to grow exponentially every few days and even when it’s folded it never seems to go anywhere.

Should I write (once again) about the fact that I love chocolate and seem to have redeveloped my coffee habit?  I had cut back on both but it seems that they have insidiously crept back in to my life.

Image from Dreamstime

 

I will spare you all of those and talk about the thing that is the root of all evil many issues in my life.  My ability to procrastinate.  That is what has helped cause the mountain of clean washing and the re-emergence of the coffee and chocolate into my life. That is what caused Op Anniversary to fail dismally the first time around. And explains how I had somehow kept years worth of outgrown children’s clothes in my house.

So, I procrastinate.  A lot.  So that is the bad habit that I wish I didn't have.  Because if I didn't procrastinate so much the mountain of washing would be put away, OP Anniversary would have been a complete success and I would be wearing my wedding ring for the first time in 7 years and perhaps I would feel comfortable enough invite people over.

I just did an online quiz and apparently I am….

A Perfectionist.

You are the perfectionist procrastinator. Perfectionists fear failure or not doing a good enough job. They suffer from too high standards. Lest it be less than perfect, perfectionists have trouble starting or finishing a project. However, if the procrastinator does not get an "A," the fact that he or she did not give him or herself enough time to properly do the project excuses the procrastinator from not having done a perfect job. "If I had started earlier..." is a common lament from the perfectionist trying to excuse him or herself.

Yes, I can see that.  If I don’t try, I can’t fail (or can’t screw it up) is exactly how my brain works. I really  need to to do something about this because both Boy and Girl seem to have the same trait.

So what are your tips to beat procrastination?  Are you like me and don’t start something in case it’s not right or not perfect? How have you beaten the procrastination bug? I need help!

I was tagged

CardiffScot from Confessions of a Somewhat Confused Scot has tagged me in this 8 meme.  She has given me 8 questions to answer after which I get to tag 8 other people and ask them 8 questions as well.

The questions I have to answer are:

1) Have you ever had any part of your body surgically removed? Yes.  My gallbladder.

2) What is your favourite quote? I don’t have a favourite one most of the time but today I really like Pooh Bear’s You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.

3) Where in the world would you most like to visit? Wales, Cornwall etc. Places from the Arthurian Legends.

4) Where in the world would you most like to live? I really don’t mind the city where I currently live.  I can’t really see myself living elsewhere.

5) What's the best book you've ever read? I guess it depends how you define best. I really enjoyed the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  I read it at least once a year for about 10 years.

6) What's your favourite tipple? As this post shows I don't drink much alcohol.  But when I do indulge I would choose Strongbow Sweet. It’s cider.

7) What's your pet peeve? Judgemental people.  Especially people who seem to think that they need to share their views with the world when it’s not relevant or necessary.

8) Where were you born? Sydney, Australia.

I am going to tag some of my newer blog finds.

Kimberly from All Work And No Play Makes Mommy Go Something Something

Diane from Be Still a Minute

Heidi from Heaven is a Bookstore

Debby from Just Breathe

Allison from Life in A Pink Fibro

Jammie from The Neat Things in Life

The Bag Lady from Confessions from a Paper Bag

Deb from Diminishing Deb

Here are the questions I want you to answer:

1. How do you / will you know when you are all grown up?
2. As a child what did you wnat to be when your grew up and are you doing it?
3. You could have an entire day 24 hours to do whatever you wanted (no expense spared).  So what would you do?
4. Someone invents a new cocktail and they want to name it after you.  What are the main ingredients?
5. How many blogs are you currently following or subscribed to?
6. Why did you start blogging and is the reason you started still relevant?
7. What is your favourite item of clothing?
8. If you had to give up blogging or chocolate what would you chose? Is it a hard choice?

Enjoy!