A book I am reading...

I borrowed this book from the local library: In Every Pew Sits A Broken Heart - Hope For The Hurting by Ruth Graham. She has some very profound comments to make about suffering. I'm looking forward to reading more after I pop the kids into bed. 

THEN I look forward to watching the new series of DR WHO - yippee!!!!!!

(How's that for a striking contrast??!!)

Read this quote this morning too: "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." ~ William James

Friday - this makes me happy today...

This picture made me smile this afternoon. What a lovely room. I love the round "poof-thingy" in the middle of the room. 

Something else making me happy is that Eric enjoying his day at Preschool - I just phoned to check on him...

Something else making me happy is my daughter. I meant to post on her birthday yesterday. I'll have to get D to send me some more photos so I can send some pics of my poor grazed, toothy-smiling, pink, wheezy 7 year old girl. 

Something else making me happy is coffee...mmm.

Something else making me happy is doing a little cross-stitch. 

AND of course the fact that it's Friday is wonderful. I love the end of the week. Tomorrow I can "sort-of" sleep in. 

And to end - on a rather revolting note - my son did a poo on the toilet for the first time this morning. (He normally uses a little potty.) That's a pretty big achievement for my little one. He couldn't reach the paper of course so I had to get up to help him but it's wonderful to have him out of nappies & getting all that stuff under his belt - so to speak. Very proud of my two. They are growing up...

Hoping to post some BD pics soon. (And finally eat the cake that will old & hard that has been in the fridge since Wednesday because D wouldn't let us eat it until he was here - he was out all day yesterday & last night too...so I'm hoping we can eat that tonight...)

Asthma!

Took poor little Bonnie to the Drs today. She's had the week off school so far & her throat looked infected so I thought I'd better get her checked out - especially with D prone to infection at the moment...I've got some antibiotics for her. But he listened to her chest & said she's VERY wheezy. He asked some questions & after that dramatic episode a week or so ago where she couldn't seem to breathe well he said she may have ASTHMA...asthma? How can my daughter have asthma??? Part of me says "Don't worry, plenty of people have it these days & it can be managed well" but the other part says "She's my little girl & I watched my friend at school struggle to breathe with asthma & a friend's mum died from an asthma attack...I just can't face any more dramas in my life at the moment..." But that's me tripping out & going overboard I know. But I love her so much & it is so hard for me to see her sick...so very very precious that girl...

Big sigh...

Damn cancer...

D just told me that Jane McGrath passed away this morning (wife of a famous Aussie cricket bowler). 

She did so much to help others with cancer...

Damn cancer...

I saw her interviewed on Denton not long ago & she was a very funny & amazing lady...

Feel so sad...***tears***

D sent me a link to a site about a guy (Seth) who didn't even get home from hospital & only made it +92...

Saturday

How I love Saturday. I've been reading the SMH (paper) & I am still in my slippers - after midday!!! How lazy!!!

I am having a restful day after a busy few days. D went in for the opening of the new Apple store in the city on Thursday night. (See left) I think he had a blast with some of his best mates. He came home with his free t-shirt & an umbrella. We spoke for a while & he seemed OK...but then awoke about midnight & was violently ill. For about an hour I was pacing the floor, getting v-bags & reliving days from last year...so my Friday changed dramatically from shopping at Miranda, to caring for the sickie after getting both the kids to their days & shopping for things he might need...big sigh... He was so distressed & white, it brought back so many memories & that 'get it together' feeling because-you-need-to-help-him-even- though-you-feel-scared! I don't know what he ate, but it certainly upset his gut...another reminder that he needs to be careful & is still fragile...

He spent the day in bed but seemed a lot better by last night. Tonight he was booked to play piano at a friend's album launch...he has gone & said he thinks he can do it. If he takes it easy he should be OK...but I wish he wasn't going. I wish I could wrap him cotton wool & lock him in the house, but I know I need to let him live & do things he wants to do. But it's hard...it would be hard at the last minute for her to get a pianist & I know he feels a sense of obligation...but it's hard not to worry about him...

We all look forward to heading into the new Apple store at some stage as it just sounds fantastic!!!!!!! Lots of computer bays set up for kids all set with fun things to do. I bet the kids would have a blast...me too. 

It's Bonnie's turn to pick colour of the week & she chose: PINK!! Of course. Eric already wants to change to something else for his turn...Pink is probably appropriate for this week - for the birthday girl. Can't believe she turns 7 soon. It was only yesterday I was lying in L&D waking up after a snooze/resting as the sun came up & D was in the big chair next to me cuddling his new daughter. It was a memorable moment...that beautiful little pink face - so contented...our little Bonnie Maree!!! 

P.S. Oh & I love the wonderful pictures at Swallowfield!

Brrrrrrrrrrrr

It's freezing here. I just can't get warm. I look like the fellow in this cartoon. 

Watched a DVD called The Fountain last night...a bit bizarre, even for me, but some interesting themes...death, life, love, life after death...I'm off to school for a prayer meeting with some other mums....I've never been before so it's new for me...

P.S. And ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I missed the end of the final of Bed of Roses. D was fiddling around with our tv/recording machine & when I tried to watch it yesterday the end of the show had disappeared... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spooks

I'm now a fan of the ABC (BBC) series Spooks - nothing to do with the supernatural, it's about spies & conspiracy etc. I think it's something my Dad would have liked. I can imagine sitting down with him after tea & enjoying the show together & discussing it... 

I think it's up to Series 5 so yes, I have a little catching up to do...

Oh, and "hunk-of-the-day" is officially Rupert Penry-Jones...

I'm off to have a cuppa & watch the Rugby with D. Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi...although I might go for Ireland...hmmmm...that must be the Irish blood in me!?

P.S. And the colour of the week has been chosen by Eric. It's not easy being...GREEN!!!

Quiet Day

Another quiet Saturday. It's a freezing day. A day to snuggle up & stay warm. 

Tomorrow night there's another Jane Austen (see left) movie on ABC. Yippee!! Tonight is the final of Bed of Roses...

The kids & I are about to change the colour of the week on the colour table. We've had red & blue & purple - of course, Mum's favourite. 

Tomorrow I start my new Osteoporosis drugs. Heres to stronger bones. With that & some regular exercise I hope to be super fit this time next year...ahem!!

Organised?

I am chuckling at the Saturday morning post....

Did I clean up the junk around my computer? No.

Did I clean up the bench area? No.

Have I sorted through the medical papers piling up? No.

Have I done the ironing that has been sitting in the corner of the lounge room for over a week? No.

Did I watch those shows I wanted to on TV? Yes. 

Do I do hundreds of other chores like laundry (un-ironed of course), washing dishes, cooking meals, vacuuming etc? Yes. 

Big sigh....

I confess. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day. How did I work full time & get all this done? (I guess I didn't have children then. But I'd rather be where I am now...)

Speaking of children, Bonnie has been given yet ANOTHER day off school because she grazed all down one side of her face yesterday in a spectacular fall/trip running to art - he favourite lesson of the week. She face planted some rocks (I can't quite work out the mechanics of the fall or exactly where it was) needless to say she is a bit sore & sorry for herself. She had to be carried to the office & has some more wounds & bruises to add to her collection now. I don't have a photo, but picture a little one missing her two front teeth, with scabs all around her eye & down one side of her face (& body really) but a little 'poor me' smile on her face...I must admit that after last year I thought it might be something more dramatic - like a broken leg or arm. I was sort of relieved that it was a bad graze...however here am I complaining about a nick on my pinky when her whole face must be sore. The fact that she was asking for pain medicine & drank it without a complaint or fuss means that it must have really hurt. But hey, she got an ice-cream on the way home & got picked up early from school. 

An amazing friend just joined the world of blogging. You can read her thoughts here & here...

I'd better go & keep my two kids from destroying the lounge room while Dad sleeps in...how can he do that when they are both up & why am I not sleeping in?

How can something so small hurt so much?

This picture isn't actually MY finger. But I grabbed it for this post...

D bought a "stay sharp" knife to take camping - which I left in the sink last night all ready to be washed before I packed it back into our camping utensil bag...guess what's coming?

Well, I went to grab some potato peelings out of the sink when SLASH, I felt the pain & looked down to see blood pouring out of my pinky...how can such a tiny part of the body hurt so much? I had to wrap the finger up in a towel & tried for ages to stop the bleeding - meanwhile D is outside trying to pack up the trailer before the rain hit. I couldn't help him at all & Bonnie had to stay out there trying to fold huge bits of canvas. We tossed up whether or not to go & have to wait 10 hours in an emergency waiting room only to have them say it's OK, or stay at home & have dinner & then wait & see...my little daughter/nurse helped me put some "spray bandage" on it when there was a let up in bleeding & wrap a bandaid on it. 

Well, my pinky is still attached & tightly bound up in a strong bandaid...UGGG. Don't you hate it when you do things like that? You don't realise how much you use a hand - the whole hand - until something like that happens. All day I've had to try not to use it & keep it dry...a reminder to be more grateful for the use of my hands. 

And a reminder to be careful of a hidden STAY-SHARP KNIFE...they really are sharp...

My little one

A pic of Eric & Mummy feeding the ducks on our recent camping trip...my little last born...well, I think (as D was rendered infertile by the full body radiation)...I was just laying out Eric's PJs thinking how wonderful it is to be out of nappies at last...yet, he has grown so fast...he lay across my lap today & it only seems like yesterday he was so teensy in his little tiny newborn socks & he would only just stretch across me, now he hangs over both sides...

He's my cheeky little tough nugget of a boy - yet so soft. He can burst into tears at the drop of a hat. I love love love my daughter so very much, yet my boy is so fascinating...

Off to put them both to bed. 

(They are watching the footy with D & Eric just said "Oh I go for the purple" & was told "That team is Brisbane!" Bonnie goes for "white" = St George. LOL. It's so wonderful that they can sit there with Dad & enjoy a cold night snuggled up together. They didn't get to do it much last year...)

Saturday morning

There's nothing better on Saturday morning than bringing the paper inside (it's delivered on the weekends), opening it up in my PJs & having a lovely hot cup of coffee while ABC FM is playing in the background. I remember sitting around the kitchen table growing up with mum & dad & reading together. I used to love the section about music &arts/books etc. Who'd have thought that years later - after they both have gone - I'd still be enjoying reading it on a Saturday morning....I wonder if my kids will follow in my footsteps?

David just made a fresh coffee for me too in my Mothers Day pressie - a little expresso maker. It's so lovely & he has his technique down pat. He puts boiling water in the bottom, puts it on the stove & then only leaves it on there for a super short time then lets it steam up off the hotplate while he heats up the milk in the microwave...it all looks very complicated to me but the TASTE is just fabulous. It's much cheaper than the $3 you pay down at the local shops too. 

(I pinched this picture off the internet. I don't like black coffee - I have all the vices: sugar AND milk!)

Well, back to my chores while the kids play with D's gameboy. I  am determined to make some headway with this clutter ALL AROUND MY COMPUTER & THE KITCHEN BENCH HERE. It's such a bad "Hot Spot" for me. Plus I so need to make a list of things to do. I want to be able to put my feet up tonight & watch Bed of Roses & Jane Austen's Persuasion on ABC TV tonight. 

Winter is here...

...but I want to be here...

Camping in the rain...

I'd like to say I was calm, happy, relaxed, enjoyed every moment, was Mrs Positive, full of laughter etc etc etc...(uggg) but to be honest I was cold, miserable, whiney & not much fun to be around...then there was the afternoon where I totally lost it, yelled at the kids (after they had been bickering all day) & yelled "THIS IS THE HOLIDAY FROM HELL"...David got out of bed - yes, he'd been sleeping all morning & then had gone back to bed after lunch leaving sleep deprived Lissy to deal with the unhappy tired wet kids - & realised that I needed a break & he drove into the town to get some things we needed. However I spent the time writing a very nasty diary entry about walking to get the car serviced the day before & how on Saturday I'd wanted to have a "rest day" (ha ha, maniacal laughter...AS IF!) but instead had been walking up & down the highway to sort out car issues & packing the hundreds of things you need when you go camping...but I won't get started on THAT. 

D took long service leave this week & was determined to take the trailer down to Kangaroo Valley. Rain started setting in Sunday night & the reports said it looked like rain all week...but we still went. The highlight for me was a glass of wine Monday night, & heading into the local shops Tuesday for a home roasted mug of hot coffee that was made in a place called "Jack's" - it was the best darn coffee I've had in AGES. Like my sister said, I like my creature comforts now that I'm heading toward the big 4-oh! I would trudge off to the toilets through the mud fantasizing about a little cottage somewhere with a fireplace, or some sort of heater. Did I mention the fact that the local wombats - nocturnal - decided they liked to crawl under our trailer & scratch their muddy backs on the edges & then poop everywhere???? Especially about 3am. More uggggg. However the kids & I did like feeding all the ducks who loved the rain. There was something lovely about throwing out bits of old bread for them. Bonnie tried to be very fair & made sure they all got some, from the grumpy alpha males up front, to the poor little young ones up the back who were lower down the pecking order...

I also am in the middle of weaning off some steroids so I'm stiff & sore enough without being out in the elements. This poor old body feels like it is getting ready to pack it in. My wrists & hands are so sore today. Not too sore that I can't type but it's hard to do much else. I went through box after box of tissues with my cold before we left & SURPRISINGLY I still have my cold? Can't imagine why...

But out of love for David we all headed off. We had a few laughs along the way. But if I hear the song "Mahnamanah" ONE MORE TIME I'm going to turn into a crazed Muppet! (This is Eric's favourite song at the moment. It was cute the first hundred times, then each rendition started to become like fingers down a blackboard...) There's no food in the house now that we've arrived home & Mount Washmore is growing in the laundry. Thank goodness for our dryer...& there's no sign of SUNSHINE for at least a week? Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

(Serious muttering under breath about whether I will be going away these coming winter holidays...or going out in that trailer again...5 weeks until the next school hols...)

Deep breath...tomorrow is Friday & there is Preschool for Eric & school for Bonnie. I'm going to calmly take them & then crawl into bed & rest with books, coffee, tissues, good music & the phone will be off the hook. If anyone dares disturb me...well, consider yourself warned. 

Please excuse this not-very-happy post. I'm off to do another load of laundry...or TEN...