Lotti's World

TWO OF MY LOVES ......

2012-02-11T13:14:00.001+10:30

Two of my loves are Nature (love taking photos of flowers, trees, the ocean, anything to do with nature), and the library, my kids call it my second home. The library is a great place to study and also a great place to find good books, which as many of you know, reading is just about my favourite thing to do.

The other day I was down at the Tea Tree Gully library, had my camera with me and captured these shots. I love that the council have put so much thought into the gardens they have planted surrounding the buildings. Lots of shade and I love natives. It offers a cool place to go when it's really hot and is so nice to look at ... and if you are lucky enough and can park in the spots near there, some of the trees even offer shade for your car while you're in the library ..... BONUS. We are creatures of habit, we humans, or at least I think we are and I don't know about you, but I like to park in roughly the same spot all the time ... oh heck that makes me sound a bit obsessive, but I'm not really. My daughter thinks I'm crazy, but there is one spot in the car park that to me, is the perfect parking spot. I call it 'My Parking Spot'. Miss A constantly reminds me that it's not my parking spot, but I like to think that it is. Does anyone else do this? ... or am I the only one that's crazy here. I'm usually inside the library for 2 hours or more so I've decided I need a shady spot and that's the one, most especially on a really hot summer day.

They have also been so kind as to think of the native animals that might live in the area and have planted a box up in the gum tree right near the entrance. If you look closely you can see it, even if I didn't at first. I'm sure that box has been there for ages, but I've never noticed it until the day I took these photos.

I'd love to actually see a possum in there one day, although I'm sure being a nocturnal animal, I'm not likely to see one anytime soon.

FEEL LIKE I'VE FALLEN OFF THE WAGON ....

2012-02-08T01:42:00.000+10:30

What Wagon you might Say ???

Well it feels like I've fallen off the Blogging Wagon. I haven't blogged since the 15th of January, and it feels like it has been forever. Been so busy with studying and other things, that I just haven't got around to it. Man those assignments come thick and fast. Seems like you just get over doing one assignment and you're onto yet another.

Sometimes I feel like there has been a mental block there too where writing is concerned with regard to the blog. I'm sure I'm not the only one that's had this problem .... or ..... am I ??

I'm onto my last essay for the subject I'm doing at the moment and it's something to get my teeth into. The last assignment was a group assignment and whilst I didn't mind the topic, it certainly was a challenge. The challenge was working with other people in a group, but online. Two of the participants in our group were awesome, so helpful and both seemed to be committed to working in a group. The three of us worked so hard and then the other three seemed to think they would leave all the work to us, although one other person sort of got their act together at the end. It's hard too when most of your mark is reliant on what you all do as a group. Still, can't be responsible for what others do and the tutors had a written record of what we all did, so I'm sure they'll take that into account when marking our assignment.

Having said all that I have really enjoyed the topic and liked working on my own area. I have learn't so much about working online. I've found some lovely people out there in technology land who are willing to help. Some have done other subjects and so they were a little more familiar with what to do than I was. I felt like I was drowning, totally overwhelmed and out of my depth completely at the beginning, but now I feel heaps better and am finding that it's not so bad at all. I'm sure I still have heaps to learn owing to the fact that I'm only just starting out, but now I know that I will get there, I feel so much better. I'll come across other subjects where I'll feel out of depth, but this has shown me that somehow I'll get the hang of it at the end.

That's the part I feel good about, the fact that I know I can get the hang of things, even when at first it seems overwhelming. That I have the intelligence and ability to do it. It feels go to know these things and to realise that I've found this out about myself, by myself, without anyone telling me. So often the lessons that we learn in life are the lessons that come through doing something else. We learn them by ourselves and not by being told or being shown.

Hopefully I'll start blogging a bit more now and take the time to still blog despite my study. It's a bit of a challenge, but one which I'm not going to let get the better of me.

NOW WE KNOW ......

2012-01-15T23:59:00.000+10:30

Now we know
There is more truth than fiction here....

People born before 1946 were called

"The Silent generation"

People born between 1946 and 1964 are called

"The Baby Boomers"

People born between 1965 and 1979 are called

"Generation X"

And people born between 1980 and 2010 are called

"Generation Y"

Why do we call the last group "Generation Y" ?

Y should I get a job?
Y should I leave home and find my own place?
Y should I get a car when I can borrow yours?
Y should I clean my room?
Y should I wash and iron my own clothes?
Y should I buy my own food?

Couldn't resist sharing this with you ... and couldn't help thinking while it's not true of all kids from the Y generation, it's true of a lot of them.

It certainly was my giggle for the day.

THE GOLD FISH BOWL

2012-01-11T01:09:00.006+10:30

The gold fish bowl, or at least that's what I called it, for that's what I remember it as. I wonder what happened to that bowl? I wonder where it went? I only have memories of that bowl now. It sat atop the crystal cabinet that my grandmother got as an engagement present. It was large and round and made of glass. But there never were any gold fish in it, which was a curious thing really, for why do I remember it as the gold fish bowl. I guess I will never know.

I remember that bowl because it reminds me of my great grandmother Eva. I remember that bowl because inside of it was knitting .... needles and wool, among other things.

That bowl was magic to me, the magic of knitting, the magic of my grandmother. That was where I first learned to knit.

In that same room stood a piano, a beautiful upright piano, a piano that my grandmother played. My sisters and I would fight to have 5 minutes on that piano. Eva had a cake timer, which she would set for 5 mins in which the piano became yours. You could sit on that piano stool and play to your hearts content for a whole 5 mins, until the bell on the timer rang. It was at that point that you were usually unceremoniously pushed off the piano stool by one of your sisters whose 5 minutes would start as soon as the timer was set. Patience is not a virtue of children.

Eva was a wonderful pianist .... she could sit at that piano and play away without a piece of music in front of her and oh the sounds that came out of that piano. I could listen to her for ages playing. She'd play a tarantella and I'd dance away, as if in another world. I loved to sway to her beautiful music. I loved it so much.

I was the ballerina, dancing on stage for all the world to see.

I was the girl with the tambourine, banging loudly and skipping round in circles.

I was a flower swaying in the breeze.

I was anything I wanted to be when I danced to Eva's magical music.

Granny Cooper we called her ..... she baked the best cakes, she made the best jam, she baked the best pies. She wore 4711 Eau De Cologne ... not the greatest smell you might say, but if ever I were the smell that today, I know I would think of her.

Eva remains but a memory for me now, but a wonderful memory, and one which I will never forget.


Eva and Thomas Cooper

She really did give the most wonderful hugs.

ON ACHIEVEMENT ........

2012-01-08T22:24:00.006+10:30

Happy Flowers ... I call daisies Happy Flowers. I call them happy flowers because they make me smile.

I love them. They are so pretty ... all three bushes of daisies are from my garden.

Why you may ask am I talking about daisies ..... well because today I am feeling happy.

I had to finish writing my essay and submit it for uni today and I got it done. It may not seem like much of an achievement to some people, but this for me personally is a very big achievement. I have wanted to do this study for a long time now and was not confident that I could actually go with it, but so far everything is going well. I will not say that it isn't a challenge, because it is, but every time I overcome another hurdle, I feel like I am making it up the hill. I hope that I don't always feel like this is an insurmountable hill.

I love that I am learning and progressing. I love that I am actually achieving something. I love that I am showing myself that I can do it and that I am capable of the achievement. I know it won't always be easy, but in the meantime I'll enjoy what I can get and enjoy the great feeling of achievement.

When I was younger I didn't always feel that I was good enough. I didn't feel that I amounted to anything. So to sit here and know that I can and I am feels so good and makes me so happy.

So when I see these lovely flowers, they make me happy and make me think of good things. They make me think of the sense of achievement that I've always wanted and am feeling now, today. I love the path that I am on at the moment and I am going to take that path one step at a time.

”Man is always more than he can know of himself; consequently, his accomplishments, time and again, will come as a surprise to him.”
– Golo Mann

"Snail Mail" and the lost art of Letter Writing .....

2012-01-07T01:37:00.000+10:30

Since the advent of the internet and email, it seems to me that we write to each other less and less these days. I'm talking about the putting of pen to paper, writing a letter and posting it to someone by "snail mail". I can't remember the last time I actually did that myself.

I've been thinking about it lately and realise that there are people in my life that do not have email. They do not have Facebook or other forms of social networking. There are people that find modern technology overwhelming and all too hard to contemplate. They are mostly the older generation, the ones that have not grown up with computers, but rather with pen, paper and stamps.

When I first broke up with my ex-husband 16 years ago I didn't have a computer, so sending emails to anyone was not an option. I had several friends that I used to write to all the time and I'd wait in anticipation of their return mail. It was wonderful to have friends to write to and express my happiness and a lot of sadness at that time and feel their love and encouragement coming back in the return letters. I felt their arms around me through those letters. I felt the hugs that they could not physically give me in their words ..... and I truly loved receiving those letters. They were something that I so looked forward to. I used to write to my grandmother at the same time and she was a wonderful support to me through it all ... she has since passed away and I still have some of the letters that she wrote to me and occasionally read them with fond memories. Even when her writing got worse and she used to tell me "I have terrible handwriting now" (and they were sometimes hard to understand) ... I still read those letters and feel her love.

Letters were something that men or women used to write to the one that they loved. Perfume was often sprayed on the paper so that the scent of the person would permeate the air when the letter was opened. So that 'he' would know that 'she' was the love of his life.

Email is the easy way to write to someone these days, and since the advent of TWITTER and FACEBOOK it is now often a message on someone else's wall or a personal message .... or even a TWEET.

I had a friend who said to me a little while ago that she loves getting mail in the post and she has sent me a couple of little notes and a Christmas card. So I've decided to start writing letters to people more often. I've been thinking about this for a while and have decided that since it has been on my mind for quite a long time, that it's something that I need to do.

My mum doesn't use the internet, doesn't even have a computer, and even if she did have a computer she wouldn't know how to use it. Sadly my mother is in the early stages of dementia and learning new skills is impossible for her at this point. I speak to her on the phone a little less than I should and even though I know that she probably wouldn't write back to me, because she forgets to, at least she would have the pleasure of knowing what is going on in my life and receiving that in the form of a letter.

I think we live in an 'INSTANT' type world now .... a world where we often want everything ' yesterday '. We don't want to wait for things ... everything is urgent. We seem to have lost the patience of yesteryear and allowed this busy and sometimes crazy world to take over.

I love the internet and all the good things that it brings to life. I love blogging and without the internet that wouldn't be possible for any of us. But I also love the good old-fashioned art of letter writing and I've decided that this year I'm going to do more of it.

Not the right day for a toothache.......

2012-01-04T23:58:00.000+10:30

I had such plans for getting going on my blog with Project 365 .... one photo per day, every day for 365 days. I've done it before, but didn't get too far and so I wanted to try again. But that was not to be at the moment ..... I'll start from where I am when I do my first photo.

I'm feeling horrible tonight, irritable. I have been in pain for 2 days now. I went to the DENTIST today (hate even the very sound of that word) .... I have a very infected tooth and am now on Antibiotics and strong pain killers. They said that they couldn't take the tooth out because the local anesthetic would not work because of the infection. So I have to go back next Wednesday and have the tooth removed. Needless to say I will be glad to see the end of the tooth. In the meantime hopefully the Antibiotics will kick in and get rid of the infection.

I'm also in the process of writing an essay for Uni, which has to be submitted on Sunday. I intend to push on and get it written, because I don't want to have to ask for an extension at this point. If worst comes to worst I will ask for an extension, but only if I absolutely have to.

Well hopefully things will improve in the next few days and then I can start with my photo project and blog about other things as well.

I'm still working on my goal to read 52 book this year.

Have you read a good book lately?

Tell me about it .... I'm always looking for a good book to read.

THE JOURNEY TO ACHIEVEMENT : GOALS FOR 2012

2012-01-03T00:05:00.001+10:30


11/ 22 / 63 by Stephen King

Goals for 2012

It has taken me 2 days to get this post done. I had trouble with downloading photos, which was frustrating me no end. Anyway it's done now ... thank goodness.

Well it's that time of year when most people seem to either be reviewing the year that was and making goals for the coming year or just setting about preparing for the year ahead.

Whilst I'm reflecting on the year that has passed, I feel that the most important thing that I can do is to move forward, looking ahead to the goals that I want to achieve in the coming year. I do have quite a few that I want to achieve, but these are just three major ones that I'm working on.

NATIONAL YEAR OF READING
This year in Australia it is the National Year of Reading. Right up my alley, any excuse to find and read a good book. I love reading so much .... it has always been one of my favourite things to do. Books were my comfort when I was younger and reading at night by torch light was a frequent occurrence, without my mother’s knowledge of course.

So it is my goal to read at least 52 books this year which equates to one book per week. Not sure how I’ll go, since I have study to do as well, and that involves copious amounts of reading. But I would really love to give this goal a go, and since I love reading, what better goal to have.

My current book is 11 / 22 / 63, Stephen Kings latest novel. I'm finding it enjoyable so far and an interesting read.

ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS

Being organised is not one of my strong points. I wish I could say it was, but it is not. I love to be organised, I want to be organised and sometimes I can be, but most of the time I’m not good at it at all. I’ve been thinking how I can go about changing this and thought that I probably should make up my mind to take baby steps .... do it little by little.

Going Gung Ho into everything is definitely not a good idea for me. I often take off at great speed, full of enthusiasm and then come crashing down at full speed. Never a good idea. Better I think to take of slowly, build up gradually, and make the take off.

Have decided that I need to get rid of lots of things .... everywhere in my life and so that’s where I’m starting. I know this probably sounds very general, but it’s a start. I’m making a list of things I need to organise and working through the list one thing at a time.

STUDY AND MY DEGREE

My goal in 2012 is to continue with my degree - Bachelor of Behavioural Studies (Psychology). I started at the end of 2011 and am currently doing my first Study Period (SP). An SP accounts for approx 13 weeks. There are 4 SP’s in a year. I am on subject no. 1 which finishes at the end of February. Then I plan to do STATS, which should be fun because I have to say that I am not mathematically minded at all. Still I plan to give this a good go and I’m going to get the help I need and not give up no matter what happens. STATS will not make me drop out. After this subject the goal is to do 2 subjects per SP.

I am so determined to do this, as I’ve decided to take a different career path. I mean to succeed at this goal and put my heart and soul into it.

TRAVELLING

Miss 20 and I are also planning a trip to America. That is for around March / April 2013. I think I'll write more about that in another post. But the goal is on to get the money together.

So those are my goals for 2012
Don't know how I'll go achieving them, but it's a start.
I feel just by writing them down I'm making them concrete, set in cement so to speak. There are some goals however, that are not physical goals like achieving a degree or reading books or even saving to go on a holiday. One of my goals this year is to find peace in my life. Peace on an external level, but more importantly peace within. Peace with who I am as an individual. That means feeling comfortable and happy with who I am .... from the inside, out.

What Goals would you like to achieve in 2012 ?
What are your dreams and hopes ?

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER ..... and Uni results, an exciting day ...

2011-12-29T23:14:00.001+10:30

MOTHER

and

DAUGHTER

Willow Statue

This is what my daughter gave me for Christmas and I just love it.

These statues are so pretty.

Just quietly there were a few tears when I opened this one. She has a beautiful heart my Miss 20.

And she gave me a lovely pair of gold sleepers which I am now wearing all the time.

I am a frog collector, my friends know I collect them. Not real frogs, although not from a lack of encouragement on the part of miss 20, who thinks I should definitely have real frogs. Still thinking about that one. Just different frogs in varying forms.

Don't ask me why I love collecting them, but I just think there is something nice about them. Although I'm sure not everyone's cup of tea.

I got two frogs for presents this year.

So here's the other frog I got ....

There is a standing joke between some of my single friends and I that one day we will kiss a frog and he will turn into a handsome prince. She even gave us all packets of red lolly frogs a couple of years ago and said we had to kiss them and they would turn into handsome princes.

Looks like I've been led astray, either that or she actually believed that fairy tale. Either way there hasn't been much luck to date.

I just thought this guy might have finally been the lucky one. Oh, well, back to kissing lolly frogs.

Ooooops !! A slightly creased towel. Did want to take a photo before she used it. This is what I gave Miss 20 for Christmas ....... Eeaw from Winnie The Pooh.

Miss 20 loves Winnie the Pooh and especially the character of Eeaw. She and Eeaw are very alike, at least according to her. I think she relates to his rather anxious and depressed nature, and the fact that he never seems to have many friends. You should have seen her face when she opened the wrapping on this present. She was so happy.

It has been a busy and yet, relaxed week.

We had a lovely Christmas day and spent it together as a family.

We had two births in our extended family ...... a great niece and nephew .... one born just before Christmas and one born today.

Christmas has been and gone and we are heading into a new year.

I am so looking forward to the year ahead and in the next week I will start to set out my goals for the coming year.

Today I got the results of the first Uni assignment that I handed in and I got full marks. I was so excited. Like a little kid in a toy shop. I was so excited I wanted to cry. I got such good feed back from my Tutor and I was so relieved and excited to know that I had done the referencing perfectly.

So today and this week have been excellent.

Such a good mark and feed back has motivated an otherwise slightly lacking in confidence individual to keep going in her studies.

..... I know it's only the start, but it's the start of the future ....

Hope you have all had a good week.

What are your plans and goals for 2012 ?

What would you love to achieve ?

FAMILY, FRIENDS, FOOD, FEELINGS AND FUN ........

2011-12-24T19:52:00.000+10:30

Tonight is one of my favourite nights of the year .... Christmas Eve.

Since I was a small child, on Christmas Eve we have sat in front of the television and watched Carols by Candlelight from the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne.

Carols by Candlelight is an annual event on Christmas Eve, that is held to raise money for Vision Australia.

If you want to know more about Vision Australia

follow this link.

Thousands and thousands of candles held up in the air and waved from side to side.

Santa is always there to entertain the children of all ages.

Children sing by candlelight.

This years Vision Australia

Ambassador

One for the teens

HI 5

One for the kids

Tim

Campbell

Australian

Girls

Choir

Marina

Prior

and many more artists

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, places to go, people to see, but it's good to know that there is family to share the day with.

Working in the morning

My great niece is being blessed at church

{ family }

Will see my brother, his wife and their two little children

{ family }

Then I'm off to deliver a meal to a friend

Then on to have lunch with my son and his girlfriend and family at her place

{ more family }

Then I'm guessing it will be back home again

to sleep and recuperate.

Most people seem to need to find time to rest and relax after a pretty busy week.

Christmas to me is about the Saviour and his birth first and foremost, and the gift that he is to the world.

Christmas is about giving: gift giving and giving of your time.

Christmas is about

Family

Friends

Food

Feelings

Fun

To all my blog friends have a wonderful day tomorrow ..... Have a wonderful Christmas. Appreciate what you have. Enjoy the time that you have with your family and friends.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

AND

A HAPPY NEW YEAR

LIGHTED CANDLE BLOWING IN THE WIND

2011-12-22T00:56:00.003+10:30

A Lighted Candle

Blowing in the wind

Children singing

and

Adults too

Christmas Carols

My boss put on Carols by Candlelight at our work

She read Twas the Night Before Christmas

to the children and they loved it.

We had a BBQ and everyone came along and enjoyed themselves

Then miss 20 and I went to check out a few houses with lights all over them.

Some of the photos came out a bit blurry but I put up the photos anyway ... the lights look gorgeous.

All the trouble that people go to and the work they put in to making their houses and their streets look beautiful

These lighted reindeers were gorgeous and their heads were bobbing up and down

I've realised how magical all the lights make this time of year.... how pretty it makes everything look. I'm so glad miss 20 made me make the effort to drive down this street and have a look at the lights.

THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL

2011-12-21T00:33:00.001+10:30

I watched this short film clip the other day and I found it very touching. It is particularly pertinent during this Christmas time, the season of giving. I hope you enjoy it.

Christmas is a time of joy and happiness. It is a time when we all try to be a little kinder to one another. It is a time when we enjoy buying gifts and giving them to one another. In the world today we have people from many and varied denominations and of varying faiths and religious and spiritual practices. I personally am a Christian and at this time of year I celebrate the birth of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. To me he was the greatest gift that we have ever received.

His birth was a very humble one. He wasn't born in a fancy hospital with all the modern conveniences that we are used to today. He was born in a stable, surrounded by animals. To me this makes his birth even more miraculous, and more wonderful.

I am so grateful for the wonderful gift that my Heavenly Father gave me, that of the Saviour. I am grateful that he came to this earth and set such a wonderful example of love and sacrifice to us all. He was the perfect example and showed us all how we should live our lives. He taught us to give service and show charity to others.

I am grateful for the perfect example that he set. His example has made me want to be a better person, to love others more, to forgive others more and to be a little kinder to all those around me. I'm not perfect, but I'm striving to follow his example.

My hope is that we will feel the spirit of Christmas not only at this time, but in our hearts always.

WILL THE CHRIST CHILD COME ? .....

2011-12-20T01:16:00.001+10:30

I shared this story a couple of years ago and I truly love it ..... it is a wonderful story ..... so I thought that I would share it again and hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

One Christmas we had an interesting experience that I would like to share. Halfway through December we were doing the regular evening things when there was a knock at the door. We opened it to find a small package with a beautiful ceramic lamb inside. We looked at the calendar and realized that the 12 days of Christmas were beginning!! We waited excitedly for the next night's surprise and only then, with the gift of a matching shepherd, did we realize that the lamb was part of a nativity set. Each night we grew more excited to see what piece we would receive. Each was exquisitely beautiful. The kids kept trying to catch the givers as we slowly built the scene at the manger and began to focus on Christ's birth.

On Christmas Eve, all the pieces were in place, but the baby Jesus. My 12 year old son really wanted to catch our benefactors and began to devise all kinds of ways to trap them. He ate his dinner in the mini-van watching and waiting, but no one came. Finally we called him in to go through our family's Christmas Eve traditions. But before the kids went to bed we checked the front step - No Baby Jesus!! We began to worry that my son had scared them off. My husband suggested that maybe they dropped the Jesus and there wouldn't be anything coming. Somehow something was missing that Christmas Eve. There was a feeling that things weren't complete. The kids went to bed and I put out Christmas, but before I went to bed I again checked to see if the Jesus had come - no, the doorstep was empty.

In our family the kids can open their stockings when they want to, but they have to wait to open any presents until Dad wakes up. So one by one they woke up very early and I also woke up to watch them. Even before they opened their stockings, each child checked to see if perhaps during the night the baby Jesus had come. Missing that piece of the set seemed to have an odd affect. At least it changed my focus. I knew there were presents under the tree for me and I was excited to watch the children open their gifts, but first on my mind was the feelings of waiting for the ceramic Christ Child.

We had opened just about all of the presents when one of the children found one more for me buried deep beneath the limbs of the tree. He handed me a small package from my former visiting teaching companion. This sister was somewhat less active in the church. I had been her visiting teacher for a couple of years and then, when she was asked to be a visiting teacher, she requested to go with me. I had learned over time they didn't have much for Christmas, so that their focus was the children. It sounded like she didn't get many gifts to open, so I had always given her a small package - new dish towels, the next year's Relief Society manual - not much, but something for her to open. I was touched when at Church on the day before Christmas, she had given me this small package, saying it was just a token of her love and appreciation. As I took off the bow, I remembered my friendship with her and was filled with gratitude for knowing her and for her kindness and sacrifice in this year giving me a gift. But as the paper fell away, I began to tremble and cry. There in the small brown box was the baby Jesus. He had come!

I realised on that Christmas Day that Christ will come into our lives in ways that we don't expect. The spirit of Christ comes into our hearts as we serve one another. We had waited and watched for him to come, expecting the dramatic "knock at the door and scurrying of feet" but he came in a small, simple package that represented service, friendship, gratitude and love.

This experience taught me that the beginning of the true spirit of Christmas comes as we open our hearts and actively focus on the Saviour. But we will most likely find him in the small and simple acts of love, friendship and service that we give to each other. This Christmas I want to feel again the joy of knowing that Christ is in our home. I want to focus on loving and serving. More than that I want to open my heart to him all year that I may see him again.

PEACE .... my wish for everyone this Christmas ....

2011-12-19T02:34:00.001+10:30

YAY ... YAY ... and one more time YAY !!! { jumping around doing the happy dance } ..... finally handed in my first essay for Uni. That certainly has made my day. Everything seemed to be on hold while I got that done. No one at home could talk to me .... I was off in another world. Well at least I had my nose buried in books. Oh well, now that's over I can breath a big sigh of relief { Phew } and take a breather before the next assignment, which isn't far away. Don't know how I'll go, but Que Sera Sera. It's all a learning curve. It can only go onward and upward from here.

Dark mulling clouds ....
Friday Evening ......
Continuing all over the weekend ...
Right about now I thought I might need to get the ARK out the front of the house ...
well just in case ....

Didn't see Noah anywhere about .... but I do have 2 cats ....

It came pelting down .....

Then all was quite on the Western Front and I put the ARK back in the garage.

I still didn't like the look of the clouds

Then today out came this beautiful Rainbow

Perfect after all that rain

Just to add to the festive cheer and keep in the spirit of Christmas we've added these additions to our decoration tally

This little duck is so cute. Miss 20 purchased this as a gift for my niece and nephew. When you put it in the water it has a sensor on the bottom and flashes, various different colours.

Very cute.

Then we bought this guy.

Now I'm positive the department manager saw us coming

and we had signs on our heads reading

"SUCKERS"

yeah well that was us.

Miss 20 saw him sitting in the supermarket on the shelf near the main counter and fell in love with him .... but then she falls in love with anything cute and fury.

Well even I thought he was cute when we noticed that on his foot it said

PRESS HERE

and when we pressed his foot

he started singing.

Yep, he found a place in our house.

But this is my favourite Christmas purchase this year

I just love it.

I have wanted a nice nativity for a long time. I look each year, but never seem to have the money when Christmas comes around.

But then I found this

with the word

PEACE

written on it

and I just love it.

... and it even lights up ...

And that's my wish for Christmas for everyone

PEACE

MY CHRISTMAS ANGEL ....

2011-12-14T21:14:00.000+10:30

Fuzzy photo ..... empty tree
(some of the photos were a little blurry .. must be
tired).

A MUST HAVE ...... Star for the top of the tree

Miss 20 is right into Christmas ... she wanted the tree up, so finally last night we did it. I have really struggled this year with the whole Christmas thing, and it is so hard when your daughter loves it all so much. I want to be in the spirit, but don't quite feel it in my heart. So biting the bullet, I spent time with my daughter and we decorated the tree.

Went out and brought some new decorations.

I must say it looks very pretty

as Miss 20 says ... "isn't it purty mum"...... LOL.

Her happiness and joy does bring a little warmth to my heart. In her childlike way she instills in me a love of the true meaning of Christmas. She is so excited and happy to buy and give gifts to others. She has such a caring, kind and giving nature. Despite her challenges (she has Asperger Syndrome) she finds it in her heart to share with others. For that I am truly grateful and blessed.

She is my Christmas Angel

POM POMS and AGAPANTHAS ...........

2011-12-12T23:53:00.002+10:30

Hydrangeas

The secret to changing their colour is in the soil.

I went to a friend's house today and saw this beautiful sight.
These 3 Hydrangea plants were in the same garden bed, which I found quite fascinating as they were almost next to one another and still they were different colours. They look so pretty in the garden. I can still remember my great-grandparents having heaps and heaps of these plants everywhere in their garden and I can always remember how beautiful they looked. I used to call them pom poms, because that's what they looked like to me, large pom poms. When I saw these today, they so reminded me of my great-grandmother's home.

If you want your Hydrangeas to be bluer then they need to be in more acid soils and in more Ph soil they go more pink. If you want more information about Hydrangeas then go here. I found this site very informative and easy to read.


Agapanthas

Can't resist taking a picture or two of these. Another reminder of my great-grandparents house and the wonderful grandmother that she was to me. These lined the driveway all the way down to the house, alternating in white and blue. I become all sentimental when I see them, as they evoke such wonderful memories.

What wonderful memories do you have of your grandparents?

What things evoke wonderful memories for you?

OOPS .... Should I call this JOY JAM SATURDAY ......

2011-12-10T13:15:00.004+10:30

Joy Jam Friday .... if you want to find out more about this or would like to join in - you can go here to look.

I join this blog to radiate the energy of gratitude, thankfulness and celebration of everything that gave us joy this week. Together we will help send positive energy out into the world.

I know it's Saturday, but I was having a not so good slightly busy and very reflective day, which ended in tears and topic of my post yesterday.

I guess we all have those days sometimes. We all have those days when it's all too hard and we just have to let it out, deal with it and then move forward. It's not always easy, but we get back on track and move on eventually, mainly because we don't have much choice.

So here I am and here are the things that I am joyful for this week :

I brought myself a beautiful Christmas Decoration last night .... so pretty
(was going to show you a picture but I haven't got it yet, it's on order ... so picture to follow).

A brand new great Niece, born yesterday weighing 61b 4oz or thereabouts.

My studies and the fact that it is all getting a bit easier to understand.

Having a family get together last Saturday for my niece and nephews birthday

Receiving an email from my twin sister who is on a cruise in the Antarctic with her husband.

Go to the link above if you want to join in and can think of 3 to 5 things that have made you joyful this week.

Tears on the ground beside my feet .........

2011-12-10T01:15:00.004+10:30

Sometimes things happen in our lives and they are impossible to understand ... we have to accept them for the way they are because we have no control over them. There are moments when we are strong and able to deal with those things and then there are other moments when the pain and hurt and sadness is much harder to put away ..... that is when the tears come. If only for a brief moment and then we let them go again and try to feel gratitude for what we do have rather than what we don't have.

A woman sits alone, staring over at the children playing in the playground. She watches them as they climb on the play equipment, their joyous laughter filling the air. She watches them run and fall, then get back up and keep going, filled with an abundance of energy that she could never hope to find.

She watches as they climb the rungs of the ladder to the top of the slide, intense looks on their faces, working feverishly to reach the top. Little knees bending, legs twisting around to be put out in front of their little bodies, edging their way to the very top of the slide. Suddenly their bodies are hurling toward the bottom of the slide, when suddenly they slow, put their feet firmly on the ground and go running around to the bottom of the ladder enthusiastically, to repeat the feat. Smiles on their faces, they feel bliss at the exhilaration of their achievement.

One child momentarily falls and begins to cry, then a lady, obviously not his mother, but his grandmother, rushes to his side, throwing her arms around him and hugs him close to her body. Then there is the sound of shushing, the sound that offers comfort to little ones when they hurt themselves. The sound that only mothers and grandmothers can make. The child clings to his grandmother, calling to her, wailing and crying about how he has hurt his leg and he needs a band-aid. The grandmother says to the child "Grandma will kiss it better" and then proceeds to lay an endless supply of kisses on his face and then on his knee. The child slowly stops crying and then starts to laugh as his focus becomes the kisses rather than the hurt.

As the woman on the seat sits and watches this scene play out, she thinks of her own grandchildren somewhere. She thinks of those beautiful little ones that she may never know and wonders what they are like. She wonders will she ever feel the joy of truly being a grandmother. She will never know what it is like to be a grandmother for the first time, for that opportunity has been and gone. She will never have the chance to hold that small and innocent bundle in her arms. To stroke that tiny little face, and tell that perfect bundle that she loves them and that she is glad to have them as part of her family. To feel the inexplicable joy of knowing that through her own children, life will go on and that the world is a better place for having this child in it.

She sits and watches and thinks to herself that she hopes that this grandmother appreciates what she has ..... but as she sees the grandmother hug and hold and comfort this child, she knows that this child is truly loved.

As tears roll down her face and drop onto the ground at her feet, she prays for a miracle in her life .......

Really getting into Christmas now ......

2011-12-07T00:17:00.000+10:30

Santa giving gifts

Today was the day to get into the spirit of Christmas, even though I hadn't been feeling like it. We had our work Christmas Party today. I work as a personal carer and the party was for Clients and Carers alike

Lollies

It turned out to be a lovely day and everyone enjoyed themselves. It was nice to see that people that might otherwise have no one to spend Christmas with got the share in a celebration.

Christmas Tree

Christmas is a special time of year but there are those out there that don't get to have Christmas with anyone and that is sad. So today was a really nice day of sharing with one another: conversation, food, assisting those that needed it and seeing them enjoy themselves.

Decorations

Santa and elves

Merry Christmas Balloons

More Decorations

Nuts and Pretzels

Christmas Crackers

BBQ Lunch

Soft Drink

Christmas Bells

Salad

Potato Salad

Fried Onions

Bread and Butter

Children Playing

Time to get Christmasy...........

2011-12-06T09:03:00.003+10:30

I think it's time to get Christmasy (is that even a word)? I went to a friends house for dinner last week and had a wonderful time. Love you R.

Photos are a little blurry, but I've chosen to use them anyway.

She has this beautiful tree in her house. When it's off it looks like nothing but a dark green tree, but then you turn it on and it comes to life.

Constantly changing colour and
looks truly beautiful. I could
watch it all night. So pretty

I must admit I've found it a little hard this year to get into the spirit of Christmas and I'm not sure why. I love the meaning of Christmas and what it stands for, at least from my perspective. I wish I didn't feel the way I do and I'm trying very hard to get into the spirit of things.

In light of that I went out and brought this fabric to make my daughter a skirt. It was her choice of fabric and there is something very Christmasy about it, which I really love.

I then went out and bought these two lovely decorations and at $2 each they were so pretty I couldn't resist.


And of course a star, which was Miss A's choice for the very top of the tree.