Travelling

Very grateful to be heading on a holiday...

I read a cute saying - and I don't know who said it:

If you don't like the path you are traveling then forge your own track.

I like that!  There are so many ways to live your life and so many options and opportunities.  We just need to ensure we choose the right things for ourselves.  I know that I've chosen poorly sometimes, but that is OK.  Life is an adventure!!

Traditions

It's Fran's birthday.  So we went to the Carter's house.  I love the fact that I always see Fran on her birthday!  So grateful for the wonderful traditions that I have in my life. Happy Birthday Fran!

Death of a son

Often at Christmas, as I Christian, I think about the death of God's only son.  Christmas is such an upbeat time (albeit busy) and it helps to really focus on what the birth of the child at Christmas means.

Earlier today, Sam discovered that one of her friends from school had died suddenly. He had felt unwell on Christmas day and his condition had deteriorated over the following days and he died at 6:42pm on 27 December - just three days short of his 17th birthday.  I am thinking of a mother tonight who has lost her dearly loved son.  I'm thinking of a family that will forever associate Christmas Day, a time of celebrating, with the death of a young family member.  I'm also thinking of Sam and her friends, particularly the boys, as they come to terms with the death of a friend.  Death is very difficult...

Sisters and Boxing Day

I went to the shops with my sisters on Boxing Day! It was lots of fun even though the only thing I purchased was a pair of shoes and a few little Christmas things.  So grateful for the time I spend with my sisters...

Christmas Day

I love Christmas.  And I love the photos!!!  It is said that a photo says a thousand words, so here is summary of my Christmas Day 2012.

Christmas Morning

Christmas Lunch

Christmas Dinner

I decided to say "no"

There are some things that I always do and one of them is to sing in the Christmas Eve service at Wesley.  This year I said "no".  I'm very grateful that I am able to say 'No' for something that I would always do, but I'm half regretting it now.  I always enjoy the service and I always enjoy the singing.  That being said, I am tired and had no energy to attend the practice last week!  So it's probably a good thing.

I now have lots of time to now get re-energised for 2013!  I am not going back to work until 11 February.

Harry Potter Party

Rachel had a Harry Potter Party to celebrate her 13th Birthday!  She and her cousins have been reading the books out loud with each other - such a lovely past-time.  I decided to get into the spirit of things by ensuring the food followed the theme!  I was very happy with my efforts.  I had to rush out of work to get them all done in time, but I think it was worth it.  I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd had additional time, but that's life!!!

Broomsticks (pretzels and cheese tied with chives)

Spiders (cupcakes covered with chocolate icing with liquorice legs)

Ginny / Rachel holding one of my golden snitch cake pops!
(I won't be making these ever again!!)

Puff pastry witches hats with spinach and ricotta filling

The Hogwarts Castle Cake!  (Not a bad attempt!  Not Brilliant either, but you get the idea!)

Gun control

It is impossible not to be saddened by recent events in Newtown, Connecticut, USA.  How one young, silly boy can think about hurting young children is horrific! How that same boy can have access to a weapon that it capable to firing a large number of bullets in a short period of time is unimaginable, and yet he did!  Guns - especially automatic weapons - have no place in a functional society.

Thank goodness for gun control laws in Australia.

Jumping

One of the things that I've often said about my childhood is that my parents didn't actually enjoy watching us play sports.  Now, that's not really a problem because we still DID the sports, they just didn't watch.  However, it did mean that we weren't able to do certain activities because they required parental assistance.  One of these activities was Little Athletics.  Every Saturday in summer I endure three hours watching and assisting my children in athletics.  I'd rather be in bed most weeks!  Anyway, yesterday I took some photos - which I enjoy - and I liked this photo of Tash in long jump!

A Shared History

I have a lot of friends that have been my friends for a lot of years.  I am sure that is pretty weird for a lot of people, but I like it!  I also like 'series' photos - you know, the photos you take from year to year from the same spot or with the same people!  The other day I realised that I had a photo of Natasha, Liana, Tegan and Chloe taken in February 1998 and another of them taken in November this year.  It's so cute!  I didn't even set it up!  Interestingly, each of these four children have a parent born in 1967!

Gangnam Style

I think that I'm pretty good at dancing Gangnam Style - the girls disagree, obviously!  But it is such a fun thing.  I've read a few articles about how it's just a one hit thing, yada, yada. But what a great one hit and how much fun has it given to people during the last six months.  There are lots of "one hit wonders".  If I was a singer, I would prefer one hit to no hits!  Anyway, I'm grateful to Psy for his Gangnam Fun!!!

Travel Agents

We have a lovely holiday organised in January!  Vietnam - here we come!  I'm so grateful that we've been able to get the whole thing organised by an agent in Hanoi.  All we have to do is turn up - and pay in USD!  It will be wonderful.  And if it's good, I'll be recommending her to everyone (noting that my friend recommended her to me because she was so happy with the two holidays that had been organised for her!).

Grateful to be a mother

I never really pictured myself as a mother when I was "growing up".  It seemed to me that mothers were actually very old, and that would be a long way away!  But I enjoy being a mother and I'm grateful for that!  I was looking at photos that Natasha has on her phone and saw the image above.  It really amused me.  I remember as a young child wondering how it was that Mum was always able to find things.  And suddenly, when I became a mother (or so it seemed), I could suddenly find things!  Why is that?

Comfortable Shoes

I like wearing high heels.  I really do!  Partly it is because I'm so short, I like being a little taller!  Anyway, I went away for work and decided that I NEEDED to wear heels.  Except it was a bad idea because it was so hot, my feet were swelling and the shoes hadn't been worn for a while and so it wasn't good all around.  Ummmmmm......  So good to come home to comfortable shoes!

Birthdays

I love birthdays. I really enjoyed my birthday.  We had a short day because our Branch had a Christmas Party and we went barefoot bowling.  It was such great fun!  I don't even mind that I've got a higher number that is my age.  Sigh.  I'm grateful for fun birthdays...

View from a room

We really love our home's position.  It's in a very private position and the outlook is lovely!
Anyway, one of the girls has taken the photo below from our backyard (one of our 'rooms'!).  It's a great photo of the Murrumbidgee corridor.  So grateful for the positioning of this house!  (And on that note, I'm going to bed because it's already tomorrow!)

Extinction

Today I was reading an article about a little bad that was now extinct.  Apparently its one of the first Australian animals to become extinct in about 60 years - which is quite amazing, but also one of the points of the articles, because no animal should become extinct in a wealthy country like Australia.  I'm so grateful to people who spend their careers in order to save animals from extinction!

A few months ago Rachel did a report on another small animal that is in danger called the sandhill dunnart.  Gorgeous little thing!  So let's ensure we look after our environment as much as possible.  I don't want to read another story like the one I read today!

Gimme water!

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. 18^th Century English Proverb

A few years ago Canberra was in the middle of a pretty bad drought.  I remember going to pick up Natasha from pre-school and it had started raining and all of the kids in the class were clapping.  It's funny to think it now!  We are so reliant on water.  And it's so valuable.  I think that Canberra has almost forgotten how bad it got.  Anyway, we need to be grateful for the wonderful quality of water we have here and work towards ensuring that all people have access to fresh water.

One person, one vote

Look, I’m grateful that I have a vote.  But I’m about to gripe.  My vote, as a resident of the Australian Capital Territory, actually is worth less than most other Australian voters.  OK, so in the Senate we aren’t all that bad – but in many ways the Senate is designed to represent areas not population.  But it does cause a rather large anomaly.  In Tasmania there is one Senator for every 43,000 people – that number is 600,000 in NSW!  (ACT is in the middle of the list at 187,000 people per senator)  It’s in the House of Representatives that we are under-represented – and the House of Reps is more important!  We have two seats for a population of around 373,000.  So that’s about 187,000 people per seat.  As a general rule the number is around 150,000 for every other seat.  However, there are variances.  In Tasmania (maybe I should move), there are 102,000 people per seat – because of the ‘rule’ that each state will have a minimum of 5 seats.  It really annoys me.  Maybe I should just let it go…

Then again, one of my issues is that not only is my vote worth a little less, but our members have become slack and I'm not exactly sure what they are working for.  So it is statements like this that annoy me.  This being from our elected member:

"I campaigned as if Canberra was a marginal seat and since being elected I have worked as if it's a marginal seat,"

Grrrrrrrr............... (And I'm grateful that I can gripe!!!!!)

A (Half) marathon Walk

I went on a lovely walk through the Namadji National Park today.  It was absolutely beautiful.  The walk was part of a Marathon and Half-marathon bush run and I chose to enter the half marathon 'walk' option.  The track is extremely hilly.  Nearly 800 metres up and down - most of it over a three kilometre section.  Going down parts of the track I was quite literally scared, coming up I was exhausted!  My time was just over 10 minutes per kilometre.  I realised that I should have walked harder on the easier bits rather than trying to keep a steady pace.  Anyway, it was wonderful to walk without a backpack and to stop and grab a drink and lollies every few kilometres!  (Actually, now I know how the children feel!).  Plus, I even had some photos taken of me walking, which was an added bonus as I couldn't find the little camera and didn't want to carry the bigger camera!  As I said to Alan on our way home (he did run!) - if you are visiting Canberra you haven't really seen it until you get out of the city!  We are so fortunate to live in an area of natural beauty.  I'm so grateful for the beauty of the countryside and the accessibility!  If I can't run, I really do love walking...

Oh, I came first out of the women walkers and got a large Toblerone for my efforts!

Lunchtime truths

Today I had lunch with a friend from work.  We try to catch up every now and then.  I've been feeling a bit "sorry" for myself at work and she had a few sharp words to me about my attitude!  So it's time to start being proactive and regain the positive spirit that I SHOULD have!  (Grateful for the wise word my dear!)

White Line Fever

Earlier tonight the girls played a rather heated game of netball!  It was quite interesting to watch - this team had previously been undefeated (we've only played 3 games so far).  Some of the team members were women that are on the executive of the netball association and it was interesting to see how they reacted.  Very badly, in case you were wondering!  One in particular was appalling!  I'm wondering whether to say anything to her, but the time has probably passed.  I know that I used to suffer from White Live Fever - to the point where I didn't enjoy playing netball any more.  It was interesting to see it in other women.

One of life's lessons for team sport should be: 'it is only a game'.  Grateful that I learnt that one.  That being said, I was so glad that our girls won!

Alcohol sales to young people

I've been grateful to researchers before, and I'll be grateful to them again regarding alcohol and the effects on young brains.  I was doing a little bit of research into the age at which it became illegal to sell alcohol to miners.  I found this fantastic letter to the editor from Thursday 6 September 1928 regarding the issue.  The person wrote that amendments were needed to provide further reform in dealing with alcohol.  I was thinking what a sensible person he was until I got to point four and five of his wonderful plan.

Point 4 is to prohibit the sale of alcoholic liquor to women in any public bar.
Point 5 is essentially to ensure that women currently working in bars should be sacked.

I was staggered.  Why would such suggestions assist in alcohol reform?

So I'm grateful - a second time - that I live in slightly more enlightened times that generally treat women as equal to men.  It's funny because I agree with alcohol restrictions, but not at the expense of inequality!

Sigh...

Idiots

Sometimes it is nice to get cross at someone.  I was reading a really stupid article today and it made me think that the author was such an idiot.  I was showing Ian who said, yes, he's a tosser!  Do I want to be grateful for silly journalists?  No!!! But I'm grateful I can have an opinion and choose to say what an idiot he is!  I won't mention his name, because that would be mean...  And there is something nice about knowing that there are silly people out there!

Gratitude = Happiness

A few weeks ago I attended a short course (1 hour) at work on Making the Most of your Day – Time Management.  I was intrigued.  How much information could be imparted on this subject in one hour!  I was incredibly sceptical.  However, I found it was excellent – actually, I keep upgrading my assessment as time goes on.  This guy had some really good things to say and I have changed some of my work behaviours.  Plus, I’ve noticed some “errors” of my colleagues!  Anyway, the point of this post is not about this particular course, it’s about one that I wasn’t able to attend on Happiness.  I might have attended but it wasn’t held at my location.  So today I was looking at the powerpoint presentation for the course.  One of the slides was called ‘Positive Correlations with Happiness’ from work that Christopher Peterson had done.  There were a couple of items made me think!   Everyone can guess that level of income doesn’t actually make you much happier, neither does education or intelligence.  There is a moderate correlation between happiness and religiousness –it makes sense because potentially having something to believe in increases positive thoughts about life and the world.  Maybe the reason it doesn’t have a larger correlation is because religious people may also find it sad that others don’t share their view etc.  Another moderate is number of friends and level of leisure activity (no mention about level of fitness).  Some of the items that have a large correlation are things like: being employed (this has significant implications in times of high unemployment); sexual activity (!) and self-esteem.  The one that most surprised me was Gratitude!  So the more ‘gratitude’ you have the happier you are likely to be!  See, I knew there was another reason that people are asked to think about things they are grateful for!  It literally makes you happier!  Grateful to the people at work who put these things out!  And I CHOOSE to be happy! 

Machine that is changing my life

OK.  The elliptical trainer is amazing.  I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get a good piece of exercise equipment!  I went for a jog on Saturday - my first for some time.  The lungs were feeling great, but the knees were BAD!!!  So grateful that I'm able to keep fit on the trainer!

Is anything possible?

Anything isn't possible, but life does have possibilities...  My friend Pip shared the painting called White Doors on Facebook and it has really given me pause for thought.  There are always possibilities in our lives, or different paths (I'm being deep again).  But I do like this picture!  Grateful to Pip for posting!

(White Doors was painted in 1905 by Vilhelm Hammershoi)

My relationship

Probably the most important relationship in my life is the one that I have with Ian.  I think that the kids are probably the most important people to me, but somehow my relationship with Ian is more important than my relationship with them.  Maybe I'm being pedantic with semantics, but it's an interesting distinction.
Today I attended Glenn's funeral and it made me really appreciate my continuing relationship with Ian and how important it is for me to ensure that we nurture this.  And we'll be on our own this weekend - so that will be fun!  Grateful for time spent alone with Ian!

Confidor

Last year our Azaleas had 'lace bug'!  A very common problem, and one that can be fixed by a spray, or a couple of sprays, of Confidor!  Well, I followed the instructions, and I really thought that perhaps the lace bug had the better of my azaleas.  But I was wrong - and happy to be so.  This year we have the most beautiful azaleas in the yard.  They make me smile every time I go outside (they're in the front and the back!!).  It's lovely!  So grateful for Confidor!

My artistic photo!

In the backyard

Another backyard view

The Azalea I see every time I come home!

Live Life

It's been a very weird week: A marriage breakup, followed by the death of one of the girl's friend's parent.  Both events completely unexpected.  I feel a bit like my life has been tilted somewhat.  I know that lately I have complained about a few things - my job, my furniture, the fact my knees are stuffed for running, my weight (cause I like sugar!) - but really, what is my problem!  In reality I love my life!  I have people who love me, and I love.  I still dream and I can see the good in things.  I'm so lucky - I know that I've said this before, but I AM!!!  So I'll give whatever support I can to my friends at this time, while acknowledging that I am also sad!  And RIP Glenn...

Cherish Life

Sometimes when something bad happens, you become fixated on that one thing and "you can't see the forrest for the trees".  I was reading a review of the book that has just been released on Jim Synes' Life and he is basically quoted as saying: If you don't have cancer, cherish life; If you do, cherish it more.

I am grateful I don't have cancer, and I'm going to cherish life.  The rest will fall into place.

Tomorrow is going to be a lovely day and I can't wait!

ACT Election

I will be SOOOOOOOOOOO grateful when the silly ACT Election has happened.  All of the pathetic electioneering is driving me insane.  I honestly don't think either party will change very much.  I would vote liberal but I really don't like their education policy.  I would vote labor but they think they are invincible.  I am going to vote for a couple of independents!!!  Only a few more days to go!

Sunday relaxation

Had a lovely afternoon today and achieved almost nothing.  Well, I went on the "machine", and I purchased groceries for the week, but otherwise, not much.  SO grateful that I can spend time doing nothing and not feel guilty about it!

I also had a laugh about the saying below.  I just love it!!!  May my three beautiful children live by it!
  

Rain

I'm grateful for gentle rain.  I love the sound of our roof!

I'd just prefer no rain tomorrow so that we can fix one of the gutters that appears to be blocked.  Sigh!

3 Angles

I love a good laugh.  And so I was very amused when I realised that Rachel had changed my Facebook status when I'd forgotten to log off.  It was great - because of the spelling error.  Two letters mixed around can certainly change the meaning, and lots of people know that mistake.  Anyway, my status was:

"My children are truly angles - especially Rachel!"

My children really are wonderful, I could even say angelic.  I love the children they were and the women they are becoming.  So grateful for the three of them...

Tuesday already

Short week.  Thankfully.  Gotta be grateful for that!!!

Four leaved clover

When gardening today I found genuine four leaved clover.  And I don't think I've seen one for years!  I was very excited, but realised that a four leaved clover is actually a mutation.  Still, I felt very lucky!

Another walk around Canberra

I'm really enjoying walking around Canberra.  I hope to do a few more walks during the summer.  Yesterday we started at the base of Mount Taylor, walked up then across to Mount Arawang (which, I might add, isn't very direct), along the Cooleman ridge, up Narrabundah Hill (and it really is just a Hill!) and cross country to the top of Mount Stromlo.  It was 18km and we took 5 hours.  There were a couple of highlight besides the fantastic views of Canberra from various angles - the company, the eagle in the tree, the ruined telescope building at Mount Stromlo (Ian and I hadn't been there since the 2003 bushfires) and our Thai takeaway at the end (James, Ian and I inhaled the food while the kids just ate!).  So grateful for that Thai takeaway!!!

Tuggeranong from Mount Taylor

At the trig point of Narrabundah Hill

Destroyed by 2003 Fires - 1910 telescope building, Mt Stromlo

Beautiful little girls

I know three - and I'm not thinking of my own right now!  I love having access to O, L and C!  It's nice to have young nieces!  Natasha wrote in my phone: When you sing "now you're lost, lost in the heat of it all" and your baby cousin says "no I'm not lost in the heater" :')

In some ways this says as much about Tash as it does about the young niece!  But I'm grateful to have them around and I love them dearly!

All things new...

Revelation 21 is a lovely chapter of the Bible.  "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth", "and I heard a loud voice saying", "He will wipe away every tear, death shall be no more", "All things new".  Every time I read the words, I start to sing the lovely song based on this verse by Robin Mann set to the music from Robert Schumann ([Von Fremden und Leuten] Of foreign places and people from Scenes of Childhood).  It gives me goose bumps!  

The reason I mention this is that I was thinking about this verse and song when I was looking at the photos I took while walking between Pine Island and Point Hut, along the Murrumbidgee River.  It's a great walk and so beautiful - in a typical Australian landscape.  I'm grateful for the reminder that "God himself is here" and that "All things are new".

New Season of 'The Big Bang Theory'

Who thought of the idea?  It was absolutely lovely to use the 'machine that is changing my life' while watching the new season of 'The Big Bang Theory'.  I'm so grateful for people who can think of funny things and then translate that to a TV show.

Recipes - 21st Century style

I love that there are websites that people can post their favourite recipes!  Because then I can "search and find".  My kitchen smells great and I can't wait for dinner.  And if that isn't a positive benefit of the internet, I don't know what is!!!

Catching up with friends

We had a wonderful lunch on the deck.  It was slightly cool, but we just put on jumpers.  There were 20 of us and it was a fantastic lunch.  I just love catching up with the Knox family!  It was great to see Marlene, Caroline and Jolene and have a good laugh with them.  Especially when Mum and Ruth are also involved.  Just a lovely Sunday afternoon!  I made a very impressive coconut cake.  It looked great, but lost its structural integrity when I tried to cut it!  Quite funny!

AFL Grand Final

Today was the AFL Grand Final.  I quite like watching AFL - generally at night when there isn't anything else to do.  So I often don't end up watching the Grand Final.  Oh, and the last three years we have been overseas at the time of the Grand Final, so I haven't got up early or stayed up late in order to watch!!

Ian told me during our last September holiday that he insisted we were at home this year.  So I didn't plan a September holiday :(

Just as well, because Sydney Swans were in the game and they won!  I need to point out that I am a Sydney fan, but I almost can't bear to watch them play.  Particularly in the Grand Final.  But I watched the replay last night and enjoyed it immensely.  It was a funny game because one team would get in front only for the other team to catch up...

Anyway, I'm grateful for the buzz of seeing Sydney (I watched the last 90 seconds live!).  But acknowledging that the game had a loser and, as much as some people like to think, football isn't life!

Goooooooooooo SWANNIES!!!!!!

Cooking that works

Tonight I'm grateful that my quiche actually worked.  I felt it was a very nice dinner and I just threw the quantities together.  Maybe I'm getting better at quiche!

iPhone

The iPhone 5 has just been released.  I'm not sure if I can justify getting a new phone!  But Tash has just broken her iPhone 3, so she is desperate for a new phone.  The problem is that even knowing how much they are, I am almost (ALMOST) tempted to buy one for her on the basis that there isn't a better phone available!  Well, there might be, but I won't even know, because I'll still be using the iPhone 32 when I'm old!  Thank goodness for the iPhone dynasty!

Wonderful weekends

I had a wonderful weekend with my sisters.  We spent most of the time together - with only one little fight!  We also saw my grandmother, aunt, uncle, cousins and their children.  All very pleasant.  Byron Bay really is a lovely place to spend a weekend.  Except I did think that it was dark and 'seedy' at night.  There wasn't anywhere really nice to go!  Quite interesting.  I wonder whether over time it will lose its 'charm' because of this.
Anyway, we spent all Sunday morning at the Bangalow markets.  There are some wonderful things to buy there.  My favourite is the organic donuts.  They are massive!  Taste fantastic!  I almost could have had a second one, but that would have been piggy.  After we were sick of the markets we wandered up the main street of Bangalow.  It's all open.  I suspect that the third weekend in the month is their busiest day for the month.  There was a little shop that had a cute picture for sale with the caption "it's the little things that mean the most".  Which made me think of my blog.  I believe that it's perfectly acceptable for me to be thankful for really little things, because they are the things that often make life that little bit nicer.
That's not really what I wanted to focus on.  We went to another shop called 'Abracadabra'.  They had a sign on the counter saying:  "Please feel free to let your children touch things in the shop.  If they break that will be our problem."  And they weren't being sarcastic or anything, there was a genuine feeling that kids can touch things that might appeal to them!  I thought it was a lovely thing to write and it made me smile.  Unfortunately they were about to close and so I couldn't purchase anything else!  But if you happen to be in Bangalow, look out for 'Abracadabra'.

Brown Snakes

We went on a wonderful walk today.  It was just lovely!  We had breakfast at the Balcony, before heading out along the beach, which was actually quite crowded given the time!  We walked along the beach as far as you can go before hitting 'the pass' - a gap between two rocks, but you can't walk further than that!  The path then continues along the coastline, and it really is quite beautiful, before you head up to the Lighthouse.  Byron Bay Lighthouse is like most lighthouses - absolutely stunning against sky and ocean!  It must be a feature of lighthouses, or at least a feature of the lighthouses that I've been to!  We then decided to take the 'inland' path back to the beach.  Which is very pleasant, and much less populated!  We hit the beach again and walked back to the hotel.  It's a beautiful area (but I've already said that!).  The walk took about 2 hours and was probably only 6 or 7 kms!  We stopped a lot!  To take photos!  Oh, and there are a couple of attractive detours as well.

When we got back we discovered that there are a lot of brown snakes around that area at the moment!  Thank goodness we didn't know that before we started!  I'm so grateful we didn't know.

Up, up and away

I am sitting in a Gold Coast hotel having flown here this evening.  Seriously, aren't engineering feats amazing!  So today I'll be grateful for being able to get between cities quickly and safely.

Sinusitis

I've got a sinus infection.  I hadn't been feeling very well for a while and could just tell that it was getting worse.  Anyway, I'll enjoy the rest of today and tomorrow sitting at home, doing nothing!  My doctor prescribed antibiotics - they really are the best way to feel better quickly!  So I'll be grateful for the wonderful healing powers of antibiotics. (And yes, I know we might end up abusing them - but I only take them when I need to!)
  

Lunch on the deck

Today was a lovely Spring day and we were able to eat lunch on the deck.  It really is the end of Winter.  Oh, I guess it will still be cold some days in the coming weeks, but the weather is only going to get better over the next few weeks.
Of course, the last major activity held on the deck was Mum's birthday in January, so to remind myself of how great the deck looks, I've put a photo below!

Albus Dumbledore

A couple of years ago I decided to read all of the Harry Potter books.  Not because they are great literary pieces, but because they were being talked about by everyone and I thought I needed to know what the fuss was all about!  I enjoyed them, but I haven't watched all of the movies yet!  And I don't think they are as good as something like the Narnia series.  But that's irrelevant, because a generation of kids were reading these book and enjoying them.

In one of the movies, Albus Dumbledore says:  "you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light".

Today I attended two grand finals (yes, that sort of day) and both of "my" teams had losses - and to the kids involved, it was shattering.  I think they have to remember that it's dark today, but "turn the light on" and remember the good stuff!!  It's hard to lose, but it isn't the end of the world, and it's a good thing to learn (doesn't even feel like that!).  I'm sort of grateful for that lesson!

How many fish are enough?

Today I was reading a few articles regarding the furore surrounding the “super trawler”.  The super trawler has been brought to Australia as part of a joint Dutch-Australian venture whereby a big boat has a 600 metre net hanging off it and sweeps up anything in its path before unloading in Tasmania to allow a company to get heaps more fish than they would otherwise, thereby increasing their profit and reducing the number of fish in the ocean (and so by that statement you can see where I fit on this issue).  Of course, the company in Tasmania are crying foul about not being allowed to do this and stressing that 60 jobs are at risk.  But can’t they just get smaller boats to catch the fish.  And perhaps Australian should expect to pay the real price of fish!  One photo caught my eye – it is of the super trawler in port with a dophin in the foreground.   How long did that photographer wait for the dolphin to surface?  How ironic, in my view, that a beautiful sea animal happens to be swimming behind the stationary trawler.  The same super trawler that would catch anything and everything in its nets were it in operation.  I’m grateful to the Australian Government for putting a (temporary) stop of this boat fishing in Australian waters. 

Don't be cynical...

This is a great saying!

"What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." - Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan, 1892.  I've seen it before but I was taken with it tonight because during the day I said to my workmates that I was become cynical and Peter said "No, don't become cynical, you can be skeptical!"  I don't think I'm totally cynical.  But I'm probably a little skeptical about my work at the moment!  That's not good.  I need to remember that ultimately we are trying to make a difference in an area that is fraught!  I'm grateful that I'm working with a great bunch of people who all want to make a difference!!   

Reasons

One of my friends on Facebook shared some words of wisdom - and she noted that there are "Lots of words of wisdom out there!!!" - which I thought were pretty good.

Everything happens for a reason,
Live it, love it, learn from it!
Make your smile change the world,
but don't let the world change your smile.

I really like this.  They are good words!  Sometimes it is very hard to NOT let events in the world, or in my world, bring me down.  I think I'm a pretty happy person most of the time.  A few years ago a friends told me that she thought I was the happiest person she knew - and somehow the way she said it made it sound like an insult.  But I am a pretty happy person and I know that smiling at people makes them feel better (just not in a creepy way!).  I'm grateful that I have things to smile about!

Jogging - come back...

I love jogging!  I love going out and being in my own world and just running along and getting great exercise at the same time.  Unfortunately, my knees are no longer up to running - and I can't bear to walk (I'm determined to try), cycling doesn't do it for me (I find it takes me too long to feel like I'm really exercising) and the gym I like didn't have the classes I like at the times that I liked.  I am forced to use the "machine that is changing my life".  It's doing well for me, but I still get sad about not being able to jog.  So I have to be circumspect and feel grateful that I don't have major health problems, I have all of my limbs and I'm feeling pretty good overall!

Old Friends

Today T was doing something with our two dear friends L & E.  Anyway, the arrangements got muddled and they ended up being in a rather funny position that meant I was called  back to help them. I mean, the details aren't important and they aren't the point.  The point is that in ten years, maybe even twenty years, they can retell that story and it will still make them laugh.  I can't say that for sure, but I suspect it will be the case.  There is something incredibly special about friends that have been friends for a long time.  And you don't have to live in each others pockets for it to be like that.  Today I spent time with a friend that I met at University.  We didn't see a lot of each other for a very long time, but always saw a bit of each other because of a mutual friend.  We now are seeing each other much more - and enjoying it (well, I am!).  It's a nice feeling.  Grateful for old friends...

Clean Water

Today I paid our water and sewage account for the quarter.  It was $434.01 - that's less that $5 a day for five people to have clean water out of a tap and dirty water disposed of away from the house.  We completely take it for granted.  Canberra water is particularly nice.  We don't have a filter - I can't taste the difference between filtered and non-filtered anyway!  My sister has filtered water in Sydney and you can definitely taste the difference!  The water from the tap is obviously still drinkable, it just tastes nicer after being filtered.

Water is the most important thing required for life.  I'm grateful in a live in a city where it's "on tap".  Enjoy...

Cousin Helen

Cousin Helen made me laugh out loud today.  I was at work at the time, reading a post that she had liked on Facebook!  Thanks for making me laugh Helen!!!

When people suck the life out of you, wouldn’t it be nice if they took some fat too?

Oh, and it wasn't just me that she made laugh, because I sent it to the three wonderful women that I currently work with and made them laugh as well.  Life is good when a cousin on the Gold Coast can make me laugh at work!

Silver in the Sun

“As I look back the old remembered ways –

Some hours shine out like silver in the sun;

A spangled brightness lighting up the days,

And marking them with beauty, one by one.

Yet, as I lived them – strange I did not know

Which hours were destined thus to live and shine,

And which among the countless ones would grow

To be peculiarly, for ever mine.”

From Silver in the Sun by Grace Noll Crowell, 1927.

We don't know what the future holds.  We don't know what moments will become important, so we need to treasure the moments that make us smile.  And when I saw this photo, it made me smile.  (And doesn't the garden look wonderful!).  I'm grateful for magical moments... 

Scrutiny

It seems that it is bigs news that a young single man has got drunk and naked.  I'm talking about Prince Harry, of course.  I am so grateful that I don't have the level of scrutiny in my life that he has in his.  I guess that he has lots of advantages that I don't have - wonder how many loads of washing he has put on - but I don't envy him.  I had a lot of fun when I was young, I would have hated to have read about it in the "news".  Who cares!  Let this guy have some fun!  Obviously no one will be able to take him seriously now...

It's a sporting life!

I can't resist putting another netball photo on my blog.  Yesterday, in the major semi-final for Div 2 - Green, Rachel played a beautiful game and her team won convincingly.  I probably didn't take as many photos as I should have because I was too busy watching the game.

I've said before that I love watching the netball, but I'm looking forward to the end of the netball season.  It just becomes tiring!  Although, I won't get my Saturdays back because sport goes on and on...  A friend of mine wrote a status on Facebook asking if she was a terrible mother because she was so happy about the football/netball seasons finishing.  One of the many comments she received stated: "The best game of the season is the first game and the second best game is the last!"  That's a pretty good summary.  So I'll be excited in two weeks time (with a week off in between) when the netball season finishes.  Notwithstanding that the summer season will soon commence as will Oz-Tag and Little Athletics.  Sigh...

Spring has arrived

It's Spring.  And I'm so grateful.  I really don't enjoy Winter.  I know that a date doesn't immediately change the weather, but it is a beautiful sunny Saturday and so I'm happy.  And yes, it was COLD last night - it got to -5 degrees celsius!

It's Friday - almost the best day of the week.

TGIF!
I think I've been grateful before that it's a Friday, but that was when I was really busy at work.  Now I'm really busy with other stuff outside of work, so it's a different type of thanks!  That's my theory anyway!

The value of time

The year is flying by!  I don't like it.  I feel that part of it is my fault.  I'm wishing the year away because I'm getting excited about January - when I'm having time off work, and going on a good holiday!  Ridiculous really!  Fact is that I will never have this time again.  I will never be 44 and have 12, 14 and 16 year old children.  It's time that I need to enjoy.
I remember at Uni one of the more interesting assignments in economics that I undertook was an attempt to articulate the value of time!  I also remember that I didn't do very well in the assignment because I became obsessed with the feelings rather than concentrating on the facts!  I still don't regret that because time is often about feelings.  Anyway, I'm grateful for time and for THIS time!

Decisions

I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to make decisions for myself.  I just need to remember to make them!  Sometimes you make a decision by not making a decision...

Weekend of netball

Well, another year of representative netball has finished!  Both girls ended up having relatively disappointing championships - but that is part of the experience.  Natasha's championships ended today with a loss in the semi-finals, where they were playing the number one team.  Potentially there could have been an upset, but it was always unlikely!  I always end up analysing the games WAY too much and thinking about all of the permutations!  Anyway, it is over and I need to relax!  What a weekend!  I'm so hyped up I think I need the relaxing bath more than Tash!  :)  Next year will be Natasha's last year - and I'll be very sad about it all ending for her, but I'm getting ahead of myself!!

Facebook

I really enjoy Facebook.  I find it a great way to keep in touch with people and find out what friends are up to.  I know that it can be a little impersonal, but that is also part of the fun.  I particularly like looking at people's photographs.  You can look through them as fast or as slow as you like!  In 2007 I asked someone on our holiday in New Zealand to please take a photo for me and to send it to me.  I then asked him if I could put the said photo onto Facebook - because it was a good photo!  Anyway, we became Facebook friends and keep in touch.  He has just spent three days in Canberra with us and it's been quite to have an international visitor (aside from the fact that Sam and Rachel joined messes when they shared a room).   It's a positive thing and I'm grateful for the connections that Facebook allows me!

It's a blog!

I want to say a big thanks to my cousin Andrew who has kept me entertained with his blog for many years.  And before that his witty letters, and before that I didn't exist!  Andrew was part of my inspiration for starting my blog!  He wrote every day - well most days - and he was brutally honest.  This year his blog has been a little short on substance and much more reliant on funny photos with captions.  I figure that's because he is happy, so I don't mind!  Anyway, this evening before I got onto my blog, I was looking at his blog and he had one of those (generally) fantastic 'cards'.  This one said:

I appreciate this!!!  This is me!  Thanks for the laugh, Andrew!

The iPhone

I love my iPhone.  I don't need to say more than that!  If you have an iPhone you will know what I mean and if you don't, well, either I don't want to make you jealous by going on, or you might actually think that your phone is better.  In any case, I thought I should acknowledge that the phone is now fixed (rice works!) and, while I didn't miss it for the three days, I'm glad I'm BACK!!!!  I just love my iPhone!

Intergenerational soul passing!!!

Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.  G.K.Chesterton

I am very fortunate that I had supportive parents who were great role models and took an active interest in my education.  In the last part of my career we've often had to look at some of the issues around education - or lack of it.  I'm not just talking about school, even though that is vital, it's also about "life skills" - manners, money management, food preparation - and the list goes on!  I'm so grateful for my education.  I hope that I pass on my education to my children!

Oil and Water

Oil and Water don't mix.  It's true.  I've also discovered that iPhone and Water don't mix either.  Very depressing!  I accidentally put my drink bottle in my bag without putting the lid on properly.  The iPhone seems to have suffered the most - fortunately the camera is OK.

But never fear, Natasha has done some 'web' research and discovered that a SURE (!) fix for a waterlogged iPhone is to place affected iPhone in a ziplock bag of rice!   Apparently we have to wait for 3 days....  I don't know if I can survive without my iPhone for 3 days.  No.  That's not true; it won't be that difficult!  We'll just have to wait and see!  In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy being uncontactable!!!  Will be grateful for the opportunity.  I just hope that there isn't any appointment that I have in the next three days that I've put in my iPhone diary and not synched with my computer!!!! Gulp.  Time will tell with all of the above!

Happiness

"You are invited to the August Health and Wellbeing Seminar on 

Happiness where you will discover how happiness is more than 

just a set of circumstances.  

This session is about learning the steps you can take now to help 

you along the way to real happiness through the detailed findings 

from some of the leading researchers in happiness. 

Debug the myths surrounding the link between money and happiness and experience the difference a change in mind set can really make."

I received the above in an email about sessions at work on happiness.  I scoffed!!  I think I'm happy enough without going to a seminar to find out how I can become happy.  So I guess I'm grateful that I'm happy!!

Dreaming a little....

I've discussed this before, but I love organising holidays.  Maybe I haven't mentioned it before on this blog - because up until now, I haven't been organising a holiday this year.  Right now, today, I've been organising three different holidays - four if you count a three day trip as a holiday!  I think this is my record!  Can you be grateful for the fun of organising a holiday?  Well, I am!!!!  Not sure whether all options will actually happen, but sometimes that isn't the point!

And once you've finished planning, the actual doing is pretty fun as well!  The above photo was taken in Capri, Italy in September 2010.  It feels like a long time ago now - but it was just wonderful and I loved it.  I hope that we can go back again one day...