Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 31 Finished and 30days digital journal challenge and complete!

Blogging!

http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html
Monday: Mosaic Monday – make a photomasiac to show and write about
Tuesday: Talkative Tuesday – tell us about yourself
Wednesday: Wordless Wednesday – post a photo and no words
Thursday: Thankful Thursday – write about what you are thankful/grateful for, Throwback Thursday
Friday: Friends on Friday – write about another creative you admire, Flashback Friday
Saturday: Some/Six/Seven Thoughts on Saturday
Sunday: Sunday Snippets (started by {tinniegirl}) – My week in photos… A collection of photos from your week. No need for words. Let the pictures tell your story

Today marks the final day of this Blogtoberfest Challenge and also the 30 days digital challenge. I am so happy and proud of myself for sticking it out. There were a few days there when I was unwell or just plain tired and I wanted to just sleep or die, and instead I made myself do a post. I doubt anyone is reading them but I kept on going!!

Tonights post is brought to you from Willowbend Caravan Park, Darling Street Wentworth New South Wales. Two reasons this tickles my funny bones.

We live in Darling Court and are holidaying in Darling Street on the banks of the Darling River!
Weeping Willows are my favourite tree, this park is called “Willow Bend” there is not a Willow in sight, well, as yet I am to see one.

As Caravan parks goes this is very basic, but its crowing glory is the beautiful Darling river which silently lays about 10 feet in front of me. I love riverside camping! We’ve spent the afternoon watching seas eagles glide overhead looking for their next meal, and we’ve had the locals come by for a chat, a white duck I’ve named Snow White she has a crook leg but she has a beautiful nature and her two friends/ bodyguards are teal mallards, they walk by her side they swim one in front of her and one behind her and they watch over her so the pea hens don’t get too cheeky, Snow, came up nice and close and sat at my feet, I fed her some bread and then when I made the salad I gave her lettuce and she quietly quacked her appreciation, she sat at my feet for close to an hour.

We have had a rotten few weeks illness and Mother-in-law worries and so when we got here today and set up we spent the first few hours just sitting, me I napped, I feel like I have lots of sleep to catch up on. Star Son was eager to fish, this time last year he learnt how to fish at Lake Menindee and he’s got the bug, last year he caught a gazillion carp and two undersized Yellow Belly. So today he puts his rod in and within an hour he’s landed his first Yellow belly, it was too small to keep, we took a photo and released it, but now he’s even more keen to start fishing tomorrow.

Rob and I are still coughing our lungs up, so today as we drove here we watched the temperatire gauge get higher, but the time we got here (6 hours drive time from home) it was 37.5 C it was hot!! I told him, within a few days we will be better. We went to the shopping center and brought some lovely juicy oranges, and then sat there and scoffed them, icy cold and very welcome. We will be buying more tomorrow.

Tomorrow we are heading into Mildura over the border back to Victoria and Mildura is famous for oranges and Grapes and wine and most fruits, so we are going to stock up on fresh fruits and spend the week eatkng clean!! Salad challenge starts tomorrow!!

But for now, its bedtime!! I will definately sleep well tonight!!

: He’s very patiently awaiting his fish

Journaling Prompts…

Oct29

Blogging!

Because you never know when you might need a good journal prompt!

30 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery

http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/30-journaling-prompts-self-discovery

Tags: Journaling

I often include different journal prompts on Weightless because I think it’s key to continually maintain a dialogue with ourselves. It’s part of building a healthy relationship, or rather a friendship, with yourself.

As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.”

Here are 30 prompts, questions and ideas to explore in your journal to get to know yourself better.

My favorite way to spend the day is…
If I could talk to my teenage self, the one thing I would say is…
The two moments I’ll never forget in my life are… Describe them in great detail, and what makes them so unforgettable.
Make a list of 30 things that make you smile.
“Write about a moment experienced through your body. Making love, making breakfast, going to a party, having a fight, an experience you’ve had or you imagine for your character. Leave out thought and emotion, and let all information be conveyed through the body and senses.” (A prompt fromBarbara Abercrombie ’s creative book Kicking In The Wall: A Year of Writing Exercises, Prompts and Quotes To Help You Break Through Your Blocks And Reach Your Writing Goals. )
The words I’d like to live by are…
I couldn’t imagine living without…
When I’m in pain — physical or emotional — the kindest thing I can do for myself is…
Make a list of the people in your life who genuinely support you, and who you can genuinely trust. (Then make time to hang out with them.)
What does unconditional love look like for you?
What would you do if you loved yourself unconditionally? How can you act on these things whether you do or don’t?
I really wish others knew this about me…
Name what is enough for you.
If my body could talk, it would say…
Name a compassionate way you’ve supported a friend recently. Then write down how you can do the same for yourself.
What do you love about life?
What always brings tears to your eyes? (As Paulo Coelho has said, “Tears are words that need to be written.”)
“Write about a time when work felt real to you, necessary and satisfying. Paid or unpaid, professional or domestic, physical or mental.” (Also a prompt from Abercrombie’s Kicking in the Wall .)
Write about your first love — whether a person, place or thing.
Using 10 words, describe yourself.
What’s surprised you the most about your life or life in general?
What can you learn from your biggest mistakes?
I feel most energized when…
“Write a list of questions to which you urgently need answers.” (This is probably my favorite prompt from Abercrombie’s book.)
Make a list of everything that inspires you — from books to websites to quotes to people to paintings to stores to the stars.
What’s one topic you need to learn more about to help you live a more fulfilling life? (Then learn about it.)
I feel happiest in my skin when…
Make a list of everything you’d like to say no to.
Make a list of everything you’d like to say yes to.
Write the words you need to hear.

Journaling helps us figure out who we are, what we need and what we want. It can help us make better decisions, and focus on the very things that support us in taking compassionate care of ourselves and others.

What are your favorite journaling prompts? What are your favorite ways to check in with yourself, to get to know yourself better, to get inspired?

– See more at: http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/30-journaling-prompts-self-discovery#sthash.QU33fXZz.dpuf

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 30- Thankful- Precious family

Oct29

Blogging!

http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html

Monday: Mosaic Monday – make a photomasiac to show and write about
Tuesday: Talkative Tuesday – tell us about yourself
Wednesday: Wordless Wednesday – post a photo and no words
Thursday: Thankful Thursday – write about what you are thankful/grateful for, Throwback Thursday
Friday: Friends on Friday – write about another creative you admire, Flashback Friday
Saturday: Some/Six/Seven Thoughts on Saturday
Sunday: Sunday Snippets (started by {tinniegirl}) – My week in photos… A collection of photos from your week. No need for words. Let the pictures tell your story

Thankful Thursday.

I am thankful for being able to assist in my Mother-in-law’s placement in Willowbrae nursing home yesterday. This day has been coming, no one wanted to face it, no one wanted to make the hard calls to say “It has to be done!” recently a few weeks ago she forgot to drink and got dehydrated and fell. Home help and the visiting nurses said “it’s time!”

My beloved is very close to his Mum it’s a beautiful thing to see, I only hope and pray my Star Son and I will be as close when I am old. Over the last few days my sister-in-law who is the hands on person dealing with her Mum would call my Bloke and say “Mum’s bucking it!” and that would be his signal to call her and chat about whats going on. My Sister-in-law has been amazing and strong but even she started to wear down towards the end. So when we all gathered last Sunday to start to pack for her impending move to the “Retirement home” because Mother-in-law had ever so proudly pointed out “I am NOT going to a nursing home I do not need to go to one of those!” She likes to remind us all about a few years ago when we took her on one of our “date days” my husband and I used to have them monthly and this one time we couldn’t get a baby sitter for Star son so we were taking him, we asked him “Wanna take Tanny (Mother-in-law) as a double date?” our son was maybe 9 or 10 years old, and he said “Yes!! lets take Tanny” and so we arrived at “The Icehouse” with a small child and an elderly lady who skated every Saturday in her youth and was where she met her Sweetheart Jock. But that was a loooong time ago. So I was really nervous, what if she fell? what if she had a broken hip? how would she live on her own? So as my Bloke laced her into the ice-skates I felt nervous and almost throwing up sick. I held my breath as My Bloke lead her onto the Ice and warned her “Be careful Mum no fancy moves!” he held her hand for a few laps and then he let her go and within seconds she was skating backwards and giggling “See I can still skate!” she crowed.. it was a great day!! I never let go on the rail the whole time and Star Son looked like the little penguin from “Happy Feet” it was a really fun afternoon and she was so excited all the way home to tell all her friends that at 84 or however old she was she could still skate! I went to that “Date day” with a crappy attitude that “Our Date day” was crashed and ruined by a kid and my Mother-in-law but as we got home I realized that it was a fun day and that I need to be less judgmental! My Mother-in-law talked about the “date day” for ages and so gradually we started asking Star Son and Tanny on more date days, then when Star Son didn’t want to come it was us three, we went to the Art Gallery to she the “Claude Monet” and we took her on Christmas picnics with our Red Hat Society Group!

Tanny can remember all of those things.. she can tell you word for word everything that happened that day at the Ice Rink, but she can’t tell you what she ate for breakfast or how to cook fish for dinner. That is the nature of dementia, long-term is great but yesterday is a fog.

Saturday we went armed with suitcases and sorted her clothes, packed them, and her shoes and various photos and a piece of art she painted and loves, some we took away but one suitcase we left there half packed to be finished Wednesday morning when we came to collect her, we had to be at the “Retirement home” between 10 and 10;30am so that she would be settled in by lunch time the powers that be believe that is the right way to do things. So since it was my baby sitting morning we had to take Squishy with us, which I really think was a blessing because she had something else to focus on!

Monday I got a phone call from Sister-in-law saying “Mum’s bucking it, can Rob call and talk to her” So I called him at work and told him “call your Mum she’s not wanting to go” he’s so good and patient and he was on the phone a good half hour with her chatting to her and finally he hung up and said “See you Wednesday Mum at 9;00 am”

So Wednesday, none of us had much sleep on Tuesday night, Rob and I are still sick and trying to get better… his really I think was to do with the stress of this whole situation. My Sister-in-law was sleepless worrying about it all. I know my Bloke hates the thought of “locking her up” but I keep reminding him, here she is safe, someone is making her eat, someone is watching her drink, if she falls she has immediate help. I guess I didn’t have the emotional tie to the situation.

After my first divorce, and the way it tore up the relationship with that Mother-in-law I said “I’ll never let anyone that close to me again!” The first Mother-in-law had been closer to me than my own mother. I had been calling THAT Mother-in-law Mum since I was 18 yrs old and when I split from her Son, she turned on me. I was more upset at loosing her and my father-in-law than loosing my ex husband. in the end we made a truce and spoke plainly to each other, she didn’t want to lose her Grandchildren and I didn’t want them to lose her! so we made friends again, So much so that when I had star son with The Bloke she became his Grandma too. I always felt like the “intruder” in the Bloke’s family, I can understand that of course, Tanny had watched me come into Rob’s like with three small children and then have another one quickly she obviously thought I was a “gold digger” and so it took her until she started getting dementia to like me. But like I said I didn’t care because I wasn’t letting anyone else get close to me. I was over “Mothers”

Suddenly “Date days” and lunches and little outings she must have figured out somewhere along the way maybe I wasn’t too bad. I don’t know or care, because suddenly we were closer and it was lovely. I think the thing that really made a difference was when Rob and I were to become Grand Parents and maybe it brought me a new level of connection with Tanny. We take the babies over to visit her so she can cuddle them and she often says to me with a chuckle “Stop smiling Kim, they are ONLY babies” but they are MY Grandbabies. So we used that weapon yesterday 10.5 month old Chase was our buffer..

When we got there she was asking “Did I know you were coming this morning?” Rob said “Yes Mums we are taking you to the retirement home today” and suddenly the room got heavy, she sits up straight and said “I’m not going!” and Rob said “Yes Mum we talked about this” and she said “Well I know we did but now I’m telling you I am NOT GOING” Uh oh.. this was not going to be so easy, and I was scared to look at Rob to see what he would do next, I made myself busy fussing over Chase. In a space of 5 minutes my beloved had convinced his frail Mother why she had to go and why we were doing to take her and how her chair and clothes and things were already there waiting for her. The Spark went out of her and she was suddenly like a little girl “What about my dog? What about the house? did you tell Mrs so so?” Rob asked about the Blue Suitcase that was half packed in the hallway the other day? Now unpacked and put away in the spare room, she as he raced around repacking that I suggested we go over and visit her neighbor to say Goodbye. I must confess that I have never been so glad to have anyone in the car and ready to go.

When we got there, Sister-in-law and brother-in-law were there waiting, and she was surprised to see them there. We went to her room and unpacked her suitcase and set her room up with her familiar things, the walls are already full of photos of husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But then it was time to leave her and walk away. Even I felt a bit teary at that even though logically we all know it’s for her best and she’s safe etc etc it’s a hard thing to do. My bloke drove home fighting tears, his hand shook, he had left his “Mums locked up!” I tried to say to him “Dont look at it like she’s locked up it’s not a prison” but she’s always been so independent, It is locking her up.

When Star Son got home from school we went back for a quick visit. I cut all the first roses of the season from my Garden to take to her, the smell in the car was beautiful. we took the flowers to her room, she wasn’t there and so we wandered back to the dining room to see if we could find her. There she sat in the middle of a group of four ladies, happily eating her dessert. She looked up and saw Star Son and squealed, she couldn’t get out of her chair fast enough to hug him, telling her new-found friends “Ohh! this is my precious family” it was about then that my eyes filled with tears. I hugged her and suggested we wait in the living room while she finished her dinner.. after all we wanted her to eat more so let her get on with it.

She came and found us and sat with her boy, my bloke, my big tough bloke, cried like a baby! as she tried to convince him that he had done the right thing bringing her there, she would be fine she tells him, “When I am settled in.” and then she suggested we go and look at her room, We had been there hours earlier.. “Have you seen how I have my own sitting room?” she asked us.

I hope she slept well and didn’t miss her “Nicky Noodle Nut” too much!

Blogtobertfest 2014- Day 29! is it allowed to be that easy??!

Oct29

Blogging!

http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html

Wednesday: Wordless Wednesday – post a photo and no words

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 27- Wedding plans, 10,000 steps and Salads galore…

Oct27

Blogging!

http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html

So back a few months ago, well back further than that even.. oh alright Back to April this year, my nephew (from my first marriage) got engaged and we went to their new house and ohh’ed and ahh’ed about how beautiful everything was, Robert and Ashley had a black and white theme and it was very elegant and subtle. Then we got an invite in the mail from the other nephew.. he was getting engaged, his was September, so Cory and Emma had a nice casual engagement party at the Gisborne Golf Club I had never been there, great function place. Looks like the colour theme was purples, another great night and then… his Sister! sent out engagement invitations, her party was two weeks later. Sarah and Nick had their party at the Gisborne Golf Club, another nice party venue.

Sarah’s mother is my ex sister-in-law Lindy, you may have read older posts about my sister-in-law Lindy who tells everyone I divorced her brother NOT her! We have always gotten on well and so we see each other a fair bit and Sarah is a hairdresser so she does my hair for me. So last time she was doing my hair we talked about themes for weddings and other choices etc and she pulls out her mobile and shows me “pinterest” I am a HUGE pinterest fan, so we looked at some different ideas and Sarah had a theme… have I mentioned I like themes?! Oh give me a theme and watch my heart skip a beat and my mind goes into overdrive “Oh WE could do this..” or “oh MY gosh.. look at this!” So Sarah has chosen a “Rustic theme” hmm yes YES!! So right away I say “Oh I can make that! imagine how much money you will save” I said..

So I came home and went through my supplies (AKA Junk Room/Art Studio) and found some stuff and whipped up a few different designs for Sarah to look at and had them ready to take to Cory’s engagement party to show Sarah and Nick. They will be similar but not quite like these… I am not going to show you “our” style just yet…

But this is the general Idea… for flowers and or candles.. on each table.. So what is “Rustic?” you might ask? Here is one answer I found… http://www.heartlovealways.com/2013/01/what-is-a-rustic-wedding-a-trend-or-a-style/

“There is something about a rustic style wedding that really pulls on my sentimental heartstrings. Rustic weddings are not trendy, or even a fad, but a style, a wedding style. One that is heartwarming, sweet, diverse, creative and oh-so-much more. Just like a vintage style wedding, rustic weddings are filled with textures, natural organics (think bark and trees), patterns and other characteristic details that you will become very familiar with as you follow along with us this month. We are so excited to feature a variety of some fabulous rustic weddings including glamorous, vintage, handmade, DIY, retro, beach, shabby chic and many more.” So what are some of the fun, distinctive details that define a rustic wedding? There’s burlap, lace, twine, cowboy (and girl) boots, suspenders, checks, plaid, wool, linen, mason jars, handmade wooden signs, moss covered monograms, sweet tea, homemade food and yes, barns. I could go on and on. Just wait until you see it all! Here’s just a small glimpse of what we’ve gathered in rustic goodness and a few sneak peeks too!

So now you know what “Rustic weddings” might be like… wait till you see our take on it.. Today Sarah visited me and brought some jars, we are all collecting jars to use for various things. She also asked me if I would make her bouquet and the bridesmaids bouquets.. yay! bring it on I love a good challenge… please watch this space for more progress reports.. wedding is March 2015.. I’d better get busy!! #SarahandNicksWedding

Today I went to Highpoint ( Highpoint is a huge shopping mall) with my daughter Jasmin, she is a store manager for a retail store called “typo” http://shop.cottonon.com/typoshop/ and she’s just found out she is being transferred to a bigger store, which suits her well because she’s from McDonald’s and thrives on the busy work days. So we wanted to go scope out the place (Like some secret agents or spies!) and do a trial run and get some timing idea so she can plan her days accordingly. So today I finally hit my 10,000 step target, since I’ve been sick I haven’t hit the magical 10,00 since last Friday.

We had a list of things we had to “scope out” firstly “where to park” this place is humongous and so ordinary parking is really carefully undertaken, if you lost your car I have no idea how you would re find it.. BUT ordinary parking is just 4 hours and she will have at least 6 or more hour shifts so where do workers park? where was the closest entry to “Typo” we gave up on this mission and Jasmin will ask her new Boss before Monday. We worked out it takes 35 minutes to drive there and home. She’s ok with that as it’s about what she does now, except it’s far more traffic.

Next crucial thing on her list was “coffee” how far away from her store is the nearest coffee place and “please” she was praying “let there be a “Muffin break”” she has a loyalty card and every 5 coffee is free, so about every other day she gets a free coffee! laughs! Yes it was a Muffin Break, she’s happy!!

and finally… the bathrooms.. where, and how many? if there are only a few cubicles she will know not to wait until she is busting to go..

So by the time we walked here, there, back that way, around this corner, found some lunch and then the car and got home, my 10,00 steps were buzzing their presence. Another day well spent.

Both the boys Rob and Will were home sick today, so it was nice to escape.

Then finally..Reannon over at “she who rambles” http://shewhorambles.com/2014/10/27/a-challenge-of-sorts/ For Reannon’s challenge we will be using the #shewhoramblessalad

Has come up with a new challenge.. she is going to “eat a salad every day in November” I can join this challenge AND keep to my Daniel plan eating healthy at the same time.. So I have put my hand up for THAT challenge. November is going to be a huge month.

The first week of November the boys and I will be away camping, we leave 31st October and back 8th November. we are heading over the border into New South Wales to “Wentworth” the first night and then onto “Menindee Lakes” the second night for the rest of the time. Last year we went there camping and had the most enjoyable time.. yep we’re going back!!

So I will be doing my “Salads” from there, I hope I have internet!!

Then on the 15th November I am attending a Zentangle art class with my cousin at the http://abbotsfordconvent.com.au/whats-on/classes-workshops/zentangle-intro-class It should be fun and I am excited to learn some. I teach myself a new patterns every so often to add to some snail mail or whatever.

Today has been a busy day!!

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 26- Almost Over and Singing in my head!

Oct26

Blogging!

http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html

Almost Over… Day 26 already and I am so proud of myself for keeping up every day journal-ling and blogging two challenges. I am finding all kinds of things to blog about, I think there has only been two days were I was stumped.. so I reverted to a journal prompt… whatever works I say as long as you journal/blog!

When I signed up I secretly wondered if I would keep going, life gets busy in our house, but I have made myself a little routine and I am happy with it, I am even going to do another month of blogging/journal-ling. I saw some where NaBloPoMo ( National Blog Posting Month) who knew?!

What is NaBloPoMo? http://nablopomoguideunofficial.blogspot.com.au/

NaBloPoMo stands for “National Blog Posting Month.” The goal of NaBloPoMo is for participants to write a post a day for an entire month.

Although November is the biggest month for NaBloPoMo (with prizes and everything!) people are invited to take up the challenge of writing a post a day during any month.

To help inspire bloggers, NaBloPoMo assigns a theme for each month, and also offers daily writing prompts, but these are optional. Bloggers are not required to write on a specific month’s theme or a specific day’s writing prompt. Any post about anything at all counts.

For additional information including the rules, and how and where to sign up, please see the NaBloPoMo FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions.)

I think I will give it a go. I am enjoying my blog, and I think they offer prompts and things as well.. I guess I’d better go do some more research!! OK. so I can blog here and link to Blogher.com or I can just blog here and be done with it.. but it’s kind of fun blogging with others and I love prompts.. you don’t have to use them. Here is the latest blog prompt (They only do prompts Mon-Fri)

Friday, October 24, 2014
If babyhood is spring and young adulthood is summer, which age do you consider to be the start to the “autumn” of life?

I would consider 50 to be the start of “Autumn” I say that because in our 20’s we are busy (some of us please no take offense!) trying to find our life partners and settle down, some of us are still partying and some of us are establishing careers. In our 30’s we are usually raising one or more or a passel of children and life goes speeding past in a blink of an eye. in our 40’s, careers are settled, children are mostly grown or over the infancy at least. So sometimes (well for me anyways) by the time I got to 45, it was all good, we are happily nesting in the house we now own, our children are all grown or on the way and are settled in jobs, in their lives and suddenly we start thinking about “Me” a bit more.. coffee with the girls, art classes etc etc. I have just turned 47 yrs old, I am a Grandmother of three and still raising a 12 yrs old. For me personally I say “bring it on!” I can’t wait to be 50 and Autumnal it has always been one of my favourite seasons, the other is Spring. I feel that when I get to 50 I am grown up!

So did you read yesterday or Friday’s post? I am sick, boy am I ever.. last night during the night I decided to talk to God since I was feverish and couldn’t sleep and I remember asking him “What do I need to do to be better?” and he said (or did he?!) “You have pneumonia and you need to go to hospital” I am really sick, I have not been sleeping, and I have been really feverish, but I think also maybe I was hallucinating as well. Because by the time I woke up this morning, every part of me hurt, my ribs from coughing, my chest from the “pneumonia” and ever other thing inside and outside of me, funnily enough even my hair hurt! So I stumbled my way to the bathroom to find painkillers and water and came back to bed and my husband asked “How are you hun?” I very clearly told him ( but remember I have no voice so it’s squeaky and alternating croaky) “I thought the ambulance would have been here by now” he was like “huh?” I said “I have pneumonia and I need to go to the hospital, people die from pneumonia” he grunted at me “You wish!” and rolled over. That’s it no sympathy… I dragged myself to the shower. It took me 3 hours to feel 1/2 way decent.

I noticed yesterday in the car and then again today as we went down to help pack my mother-in-law up (she is moving into a “retirement home” because she refuses to go to a nursing home so we all call it a “retirement home”) when I have no voice with which to sing, all the good songs come on the car radio.. so in the last two days my head has been having a great old sing along, and the rest of me has been deathly still and silent. I hate that! I love to go in the car and have singalongs with my husband and son… but with no voice it’s impossible. My daughter loves to tell everyone how she comes in and hears Mum singing Eminem’s song “Cleaning out my closet” at the top of my lungs. Two of her friends thought that made me a “Cool Mum” I think it makes me brain washed, but I like to sing, I’ll sing anything and usually badly.. except today and yesterday, no singing.. I think however, after last night hallucination I have turned a corner and I am on the mend… please let it be so!!

I really did not feel like going to my Mother-in-law’s today, I felt worse than death warmed over but I drugged myself up and off we went. In the end I am glad I forced myself to go just like I am glad I got out of the house yesterday and I forced myself to go on the picnic on Friday, I cannot wallow in self pity if I am out. Today was not about me, today was about my Mother-in-law who will soon be 87 years old, she is getting forgetful and slightly dementia riddled and so finally she has been convinced to go into “a retirement home” because she told my husband, her son, “Oh a nursing home? no way I would never go there!” So we all call it the “retirement home” and on her visit there last week she burst into song and they have all declared that they can’t wait for her to move in! Today was for my Sister-in-law who does everything for her Mum, all her banking, all her medical appointments and a gazillion other things, she is struggling with the decision and even thought we ALL know it’s the right choice she is feeling the stress. So I went and helped to pack suitcases and sort clothes and it actually helped me to feel better. On Wednesday my Bloke will take his Mum to her “retirement home” and settle her in, it’s going to be a huge step for everyone.

It’s been a weekend, it’s been busy, and it’s been yucky, the weather has been nice, but we’ve been too sick to care. On a brighter note though, I did manage to get a piece of art work finished.. Shonna is at http://twistedfigures.ning.com/ and she recently had a five week FREE course on Christian art which was so popular over 400 participants, she’s decided to make a whole community of Christian artists and do lots more of it. So today I worked on Week 2- Get Outta the boat! its based on Matthew

10387609_289796187896270_3086030551570088373_n

I am not a huge fan of abstract but I do like to be fair and give everything a try, so no paint brushes were harmed in the producing of this art piece.. it was all done with a credit card as a paint scraper! I’m pretty happy with how it turned out!! and now it’s time for more drugs and bed… hopefully I won’t wake up waiting for the ambulance in the morning!

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 25- To camp or not…and arting around!

Oct25

Blogging!

http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html

Some/Six/Seven Thoughts on Saturday.

I woke up feeling like death, I took Neurofen to even wake up and only then because my daughter had to go to work and I was on Grandma duties.
I forced myself to get out of bed and stumble down stars, but I think it was the best thing to do because otherwise I’d wallow in self-pity.
My voice is a croaking mess.. why do people insist of calling me when I can’t speak and when my voice is good, no one calls. I’m OK if I whisper.
My Bloke came home early from work yesterday (that next happens!) he was sick too.. and now my daughter Jasmin and so our house is in Quarantine
Today we went for a drive to look at some possible camp spots. we are leaving on Friday for a week and we have no destination locked in… part of me (like 3/4’s of me does not like this!!)
Tonight for some reason I got all the chores done and finished early so I wandered down to the Art Studio and got some work done…. OK So I watched week 2’s lesson from Shonna at Kingdom Come.
I then started the background.. enough done, I gave up!

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 24- Children’s week

Oct24

Blogging!

http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html

Children’s Week.

So Amber got a letter posted to her and it was an invitation to a day at the local Memorial Hall here in Sunbury, to celebrate “Children’s Week” and it was Sponsored by the Sunbury neighborhood house, Toy library, Local library and Goonawarra neighborhood house. And it was all free! There was an animal petting farm, it had the cutest ever miniature pigs, ducks, bantam chickens, a goat, some bunnies and a Shetland pony. So Chase and I walked down and met Amber and Scarlett and we went along, it was packed. The babies played with some maracas in the music session, Scarlett loved those and got the hang of it right away. Chase was more interested in the guitar, so the lovely lady let him have a play with it.

So the purpose of the day was to show people what sort of things are on offer within Sunbury. I think we are going to sign the babies up for the Music play group which is held on Friday mornings at the local health center and is free. So we were each given a show bag of goodies, a board book for the babies and another little book which for Chase was “Mr Happy” very appropriate. After we wandered around a while we went out to the Village green and set up a blanket and had a picnic lunch. The babies were well-behaved and we fond a nice shady spot, it was hot today I think up to 30C unusual for Spring weather.. well actually not really Melbourne’s favorite motto is “Don’t like the weather? wait 5 minutes” we got home before it got too much hotter though.

I am still feeling pretty awful, and most of my voice is gone and my chest is sore from coughing but I forced myself to go because It keeps my mind off how terrible I feel.

: Scarlett Olivia- Looking like her name sake “Scarlett O’Hara” she outgrew last years summer hat, time for a new one.

: Chase being very serious, he was having a banana

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 23- sick..

Oct23

Blogging!

Thankful Thursday.

I am thankful today and every day actually for my husband. He’s the best. He works out of the house he leaves home at 6:45 am and gets home about 5:45pm.

Long days, as his wife I have taken on the responsibility of being the homemaker and peacekeeper. We had this discussion once that he would prefer me to stay at home and be on hand for the children if they need me. If we both worked chances are we would have then had to have some form of before and after school care, so I would be working to pay for that.. What was the point? His wage paid the bills and we have always been frugal with our money, we do not wear designer clothes or shoes, we do not eat out at restaurants other than the occasional birthday treat. We live sensibly, we cook old-fashioned plain and simple meals. The one thing that my Bloke does insist on is when making big purchases, he likes to research and buy the best we can afford, he’s not afraid to shop around and to haggle and he’s good at it. Also with our shopping we will not scrimp on certain items, real butter, Nescafe Coffee and Vegemite, the rest of the shopping list I am not loyal to and will buy the store brands, oh and the meat! He will only buy a certain type of steak and so we buy it in bulk and package it in the serving sizes we need, its cheaper that way, once a month we do the meat shopping and then I get creative to make it into fun meals. That’s my job, BY choice, to stay home, clean house, make his home life as simple and hassle free as possible. I am happy with that, it’s all I have ever done.

So when I get sick which thankfully is not often, I am THANKFUL for My Husband, who not only goes to work, but then will come home, baby me, cook dinner for the kids and organise the various other things that need doing.

This morning I woke up with a cough, I should have known it would come, because I had sick Amber and Scarlett here all last week looking after them, then last Friday Star Son came home from school white as a sheet, and crying saying “I think I’m going to faint” so he was sick Friday, all weekend, Monday and Tuesday I had him home from school with a racking cough, fever and vomiting, I should have known I’d get it too.

All day the cough persisted and then about 3:00pm the headache came, I had warned my Bloke “If I get a headache I’m taking Chase and going to bed” which is exactly what I did, cold chills, fever, uh oh! I’m in trouble. So I took some Neurofen and had a cat nap.

The Bloke got home unexpectedly early by 5:30pm and like a General he marched in, took over the Grand baby and the Star Son and fed me Cider. He made dinners for everyone, cleaned the kitchen, and sent me to bed. Miraculously now 5 hours later I still have the cough but I am feeling less achy.

I am thankful for my Husband. Who or what are you Thankful for on this Thursday??

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 22- 30 Days Digital Journalling Challenge..

Oct22

Blogging!

http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/p/blog-page.html

Wednesday.. Wacky Wednesday… Hump day,

What ever you call it it’s the half way mark of the week… for me it means a half day because my daughter works the morning and then in home by lunchtime to take care of Squishy.

Today I actually got a few things done.. and then went down into my studio cum junk room and “thought” about doing some art. I say “thought about it” because I didn’t actually do anything, I moved some stuff from one side of the studio to the other, then I moved some more stuff from one end to the other, then Chase and I played the Rattles and I played the Native American flute and we giggled and took some photos but no art got done.

: Reading a book while Grandma cleaned

So that was basically the day but I did spend more than 10 minutes down there, and I might have gotten some art done except my sister-in-law called and so that was the end of that. To be totally honest I don’t even know where to start down there so I keep putting it off, which of course is NOT getting it done… ho hum..

Journal prompt time…

From Louise Mathewson,

Kim, today’s prompt begins with a sentence stem to complete and/or repeat several times:

“I reclaim ______________.”

Complete the sentence, describing a thing such as a toy, a relationship, an object or force in nature, a game you played when little. Use colors, shape, touch, to describe with as much detail as you can, including all your senses if possible.

I reclaim…

I reclaim the time, when I shared with you the dream of mine..

the one you mocked and sneered at, and said horrible things that

broke my heart, the voice that still invades my mind.

I reclaim the Love I gave you, all my life I loved you

it wasn’t enough, I wasn’t enough, nothing was enough.

I reclaim the day of my Father’s funeral when you made

me stand at his head and then looked down at him dead

and you said “he looks so beautiful!” You made me stand there, you forced my hand

I wanted to run, you made me stand, there, looking at the only person

who loved me for me, the only one who let me be, anything I wanted to be.

I wished I was there with him, rather than here with you.

I reclaim the title of “Daughter” and that bullshit line “Bloods thicker than water”

I reclaim my lineage to you, whatever you are I want to be the opposite of YOU.

I reclaim any good thoughts I had about you. I reclaim the thoughts of you,

they haunt me and they make me sad, I feel guilty and I feel bad,

But I didn’t ask to be born, you had the choice, now I reclaim my Voice.

I reclaim my voice to say, I don’t like you, not today, or tomorrow or yesterday too

I am going to be a much better Mother than you.

I am going to be a Mother that listens, and hugs, that doesn’t keep secrets and hides things under the rug.

I am going to tell my children how much they mean to me, and ask them to share their hopes and fears.

I reclaim any link I had to you, so when it’s your birthday I won’t think of you.

I won’t let your voice inside my head, I won’t think about you with dread,

Now you are gone, long gone and dead, I reclaim myself from your tangled web.

Ooh! hmmm.. that turned a little bit different from what I thought… oh well!

Kim L Hine

She's off on another Tangent (digressing suddenly from one course of action or thought and turning to another) it's a "Kimmy" thing..

Archives

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 31 Finished and 30days digital journal challenge and complete!

Journaling Prompts…

30 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery

http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/30-journaling-prompts-self-discovery

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 30- Thankful- Precious family

Blogtobertfest 2014- Day 29! is it allowed to be that easy??!

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 27- Wedding plans, 10,000 steps and Salads galore…

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 26- Almost Over and Singing in my head!

What is NaBloPoMo? http://nablopomoguideunofficial.blogspot.com.au/

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 24- Children’s week

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 23- sick..

Blogtoberfest 2014- Day 22- 30 Days Digital Journalling Challenge..