Fiji - A Review of Sorts!

A little over a week ago, I was sitting in a hammock, reading a great book and listening to the sound of gentle waves lapping at the shore.  The only thing that could remotely annoy me were the ever present "mozzies", but even they were easily tamed with some local insect repellant.  My husband and I had seven whole days of peace and tranquility.  We had relaxation overload.  We met new friends and learnt a lot about different cultures.  It was an experience that I shall never forget, and one that I would most eagerly repeat, time and time again.  Our "honeymoon" we had waited almost ten years for, was amazing.  So here is my "sharing is caring" post - and a review of sorts - if only to get you all to visit this little peace of heaven!  Enjoy....

Leaving Melbourne at 2am was never going to be ideal, and try as I may, I could not get a wink of sleep!  So we landed in Nadi a bit worse for wear.  Greeted by a lovely driver, we jumped in his car and took a delightful slightly hair raising two and a half hour drive up the coast.  From there, it was a 30 minute boat ride, across the seas to a little island called Beqa.  And on that island was our destination - Lalati Resort & Spa.  Thankfully, we had these beautiful coconut drinks and a foot massage to greet us!  Oh, and singing and smiles from the local staff. 

This was the view from our room.  Literally steps away from the beach.  The sound at night, of the gentle high tide waves, was beautiful.

Looking out to the jetty from the social hub of the resort.  When I say social, I mean it's here that you can sit around with any or all of the other 16 guests.  Yep, the most guests at this resort at any one time is 18.  And I think that's what makes it so. damn. special.  Oh, and the fact there's no children - which was perfect for all the honeymooners and late honeymooners like ourselves!  You can slip in to the water from the jetty and snorkle to your heart's content.  We saw so many beautiful fish there and amazing big blue starfish!

My husband - just hanging around.

Some of the wonderful staff - Ollie, Josiah and Chantal.  They all live in surrounding villages on the island.  And they were all gorgeous souls!  Josiah was most impressed that I could upload a photo for him to Facebook - so he now has a profile pic!

On our fifth day, Josiah took us on a visit to his village - Lalati village.  It's only a five minute walk from the resort, but it was like stepping back a bit in time.  EVERYONE wore a smile.  And the kids were just divine!  We all had a hoot taking photos, singing and dancing.  Unforgettable.

And on this visit, we took a look inside their church.  Fijians are quite a religious bunch, with churches in each village.  This gorgeous little piece of handwork was inside, so I had to get a photo!

This is me with Captain Josiah after I'd been snorkelling.  We took a boat trip out to the middle of the ocean and were dropped on to the reefs.  To say I was shitting myself would be an understatement, but I sucked it up and relaxed.  It paid off.  We saw reef sharks and amazing fish.  The coral was beautiful.

And this is us with a local firewalker.  Yep, these fellas are known for their ability to walk on hot rocks that have been burning for seven hours.  Not even a flinch!

Excuse the grainy photo from my iphone, but this little cherub kept me company during a Kava drinking and dancing ceremony in the village! We had lots of fun taking photos!

There was no escaping patchwork for me!  This darling skirt was offered to me to wear when we went on a hike up a mountain to a beautiful waterfall.  We had to walk through another village to get there, and the local women do not wear pants, only skirts, so to show our respect, we had to wear skirts over our pants whilst walking through.  Certainly doesn't go with my runners!

And this my friends?  This is a photo of two extremely relaxed and re-juvinated human beings!  I took it just before we departed the island and headed back to the mainland.

I left Lalati with more than I came with.  Not in terms of possessions, but my heart was full.  The people I met and the places we visited just re-itereated to me how bloody lucky I am.  And how much "stuff" we have.  We left some of our stuff over there.  Basically because they needed it more than we do.  I wish I could have had the foresight to have taken lots more with us.

So there you have it.  A destination that I would strongly suggest you all get to one day!  

Have you been on a holiday lately?  Where would you suggest we dream of going to next?

Living with It.

Since Chloe started Kindergarten a few weeks ago, I have been blessed with a rather abundant amount of "me time".  Now I'm not telling you to make you jealous (although I would have been if I read that sentence a year ago!), nor any other reason.  I've embraced me time, and have avoided doing anything remotely close to housework as much as I can.  Except for laundry.  There's just no avoiding that.  Especially when there's six loads of it piled high in your living room......

I said to a friend last week "the silence is deafening".  Right now, all I can hear is the rumbling of our most attractive brown in-wall air conditioner.  That's it.  This morning, whilst wandering aimlessly around the grocery store, I started to think of all the things here at home that we are just "living with".  You know, things that you really should do something about, but you really just can't be arsed?  Yeh, them.  Here's just a few.....

Look familiar?  These are gorgeous ready made curtains from Spotlight.  But the stooooopid curtain rods have a join in them where you can extend them - and there lies the problem.  The curtain hooks get caught on the join, and they end up looking like this.  In three separate bedrooms......

When we were moving house, and renovating, we had many a discussion over where children would be sleeping and where I would be sewing.  I very gracefully begrudgingly gave up the 5th bedroom so the kids would all have their own rooms, which meant I have the shoebox (which is actually named storeroom on the plans).  I suggested at the time that I could use the upstairs living room, but Andrew said NO he would like my sewing room to be closed off when it needed to be.  Well........this is the entry to my sewing room.  It is one of the downstairs living rooms.  Fail.

When we built the new deck, we asked the builder for a quote on a gate so the dogs couldn't get up.  If my memory serves me correctly, his quote was over $1000.  For a gate.  So since June last year, we have tried a number of tactics to keep the dogs off.  This being the latest.  You may note the top left hand corner of the timber is broken?  Yeh - one of the dogs chews through it when there's a thunder storm.  Really need to get that gate built......really need not to be charged a fortune for it.

And the most hilarious thing we live with?  This.  The entire staircase was the colour of those stairs, and we decided we would paint them white and then carpet them.  Back in June, when the carpet was laid, the carpet layers made a mistake thinking we wanted it on the stairs, but after I explained that we needed to paint the staircase first, he told me he'd already put the spiky wooden strips down.  "Not a worry" I say.  "We'll paint it soon" I say.  June............March.  Eight months of avoiding spikes in your feet, warning small children, and hearing yelps from unwilling victims.

In our defence, we planned to get the painting done over the Christmas holidays.  But three people decided to get chicken pox, which meant my planned trip to the beach with them so Andrew could paint, got shelved.

Sooooooo, what are you living with that really does need to be done?

W.I.P. of a Different Kind

I don't know if you have noticed (If you're on FB) that Mr FB now asks "What's happening ................?" in the blank status space.  I've been giggling on and off about this for a couple of days now, because I'd really love to just blurt out what's happening here every time I see it, but know that the couple of hundred friends I have really do not want to know that Chloe just asked me to wipe her bum, or Cadyn is commentating his Playstation game.  They don't want to know that I'm stuffing my face with chocolate and sloshing down a Pepsi Max chaser.  And I certainly don't think I should bother sharing that I have just cleaned the shower or read more articles on Mamamia??

Well, tonight, in fact only minutes ago, I looked at it again and was about to give a spiel about what was happening here at home.  And I thought, No, I'll share it on the blog.  So here I am - raspberries to you FB!

So what IS happening??  A very strange thing is happening........my husband - he of the "not a home maintenance kind of man breed"- has all of a sudden become Mr Handy Man.  Before we went on holidays, I went to Bunnings and spent a small fortune on all matter of crappola in an effort to create motivation for finishing off a few things around the house.  One very hot day whilst at work, I called to see how his Sunday was going, and he was huffing and puffing.  "What are you doing?" I ask.  "I'm in the garden".........

*****Crickets*****

It turned out that he was in the garden for quite a few hours and also managed to oil the gate between the garage and house and also used the high pressure water machine I bought, to clean the front concrete path.  I was astounded, and very pleased.

When we returned from holidays on Saturday, as we were coming around the corner to home, he says "It's nice to come home to your own home".   O.K. then.  

Last night I informed him that we would be having a BBQ here in a couple of weeks, when my London bestie arrives in Melbourne.  She's moving back here after 15 years abroad, but will only be here for one night before going on holidays.  So a bunch of friends will be coming over.  A look of befuddlement greeted me, and he says "We'll have to buy a BBQ".  Yes, yes, we will have to buy a BBQ - because the husband I used to have left our BBQ out in the elements and is now rusty and dodgy.

Today, he calls me during his lunch break to say he's found a BBQ, and it's half price!  I've taught him everything he knows.  So proud.  He brought it home with him tonight and I helped him lug all of its 45 kilos in to the garage.  He then proceeded to tell me that before dinner he was going to clean to deck off, and then after dinner would be making another trip to Bunnings (this post is NOT sponsored by Bunnings) to get a couple more supplies, and would be punching the nails in that the builder never came back to fix, and would put a coat of oil on before bed.  O.K. then.

This is NOT the man I know!  But I LIKE him!

The "before" shot....

It really is so very, very lovely to see him so house proud, and actually getting amongst it..... Our home is one big work in progress!

Oh, and whilst I have your attention - Is there an easier way of getting those bloody dandelions out of the lawn other than digging them out one. by. one.????

The bane of my gardening existence!

The Wife

I've had this whirling around my head for days, and am now going to spill in all its glory.  It may not be pretty, but here goes....

I am a Wife.  I have a Husband.  We have a Family.  Those three statements are the most important in my life.  I take all three very, very seriously.  And I protect them ferociously.

I've felt as though I've had to protect them, come to their rescue, on a number of occasions.  And when I do - it is with great gusto.  Passion.  Emotion.  And imminent anger.

My husband and I went out Saturday night.  I drove an hour to drop our kids off, and an hour home.  I played music loud.  I put on a beautiful dress - AND HEELS.  Make-up, hair - the works.  I was going out as "the wife".

We met 15 others at a restaurant, I was introduced to people I had only ever met once before - fleetingly.  We had a beautiful meal, drank some lovely wine, and had some great conversations.  But I went in with my guard up.  I held on to my husband tightly and my senses were hyper-aware.

Then it happened.  The young, single, blonde made an evening that was about my husband - all about her.  And the intuition that I had had many months earlier was proven correct.  Once again, some 20 something girl thought it appropriate to drape herself over my husband.  In front of me.  In front of everyone.

My stomach lurched, my head was hurting.  I was embarrassed, felt like an idiot.  The comfortable atmosphere turned awkward and I was keen to make tracks.  But most of all - I was angry.  Pissed off that whilst my husband spends all day, every day, away from home earning a great living, so that we can have an awesome family life - this "woman" thought it appropriate to develop some sort of feelings for him, and even more alarmingly, thought it appropriate to display them in front of me.

We are ok.  The husband and I.  We are lucky.  For a very smart man, he can be very naive when it comes to women.  His personality, charm and endearing nature is what I fell in love with - so it should be no surprise to me, nor him, that other women would be enraptured?  My intuition has been correct before, and he's been horrified upon this realisation.

I know I'm not the only one who has gone through this sort of a situation.  One of my friends said her waxing lady (yes, that's what I said) told her today that a male client had taken it upon himself to send her flowers, not once, but twice.  She is married.  So is he.  He said he sent them "just because", she won't dare tell her husband because, well because it's just fucking wrong!!!!

So I want to know - What is the appeal?  Why are married people so damn appealling to others?  Does a wedding ring not signify to others "CLOSED TO ADVANCES"?  Discuss......

Happy Father's Day - the late edition.

As I start to type this post at 10.44pm, my darling husband is finishing up ironing a week's worth of work clothes for himself.  I know it was a week's worth, because I sat on the lounge next to him watching Foxtel, and pulled out the hanger-upper part at the end of the ironing board when I noticed he was wandering around downstairs trying to find somewhere to hang the finished shirts.

Yes, today was is Father's Day in Australia.  And I made sure that the few hours I was home this morning before I left for work were as wonderful and relaxed as the man I am lucky to call my husband.  The 7.30 wake up call from Chloe holding her laminated hand prints and poem were enough to snap me out of my usual automatic response of "get back to bed!"  Instead, I directed her over the other side of the bed to wake her Daddy up.  The other kids followed shortly after, showering Andrew with their hand made cards and school stall bought gifts (Note: their new school's Father's Day stall kicks arse!!!!), and I then presented my gift - a pair of Hawthorn PJ pants.  These were purchased mainly for my own amusement, but the kids found them equally as amusing when he wandered downstairs wearing them.  Win win.

We headed to the shops for a quick morning tea, before I left him with the three kids and a trolley, bidding them farewell as I skipped towards my car.

I've heard Father's Day is supposed to be relaxing?  Well, I get the impression Andrew's wasn't so much.  I got that impression when I called at around 5.30pm from work to ask how his day was going? Oh, and what was for dinner?  I didn't quite fully get the response.  Something about him cutting back and pulling out all the plants in the backyard, finishing off the letterbox he somehow miraculously (impressively) put together yesterday and mowing the lawns.  Then I heard tacos, he was starting to cook tacos.  So I asked if he had taken the washing off the line........ Cue the sound of exasperation.

I wonder if that's what I sound like when he calls me in the early evening?

Anywho - I hope you've all had a FAB Father's Day and that above all else, you have spent the day appreciating the important men in your life.  All of the above drivel clearly spells out my appreciation and adoration, for the Father of my children.  I'm a very happy, and lucky, woman.  I've also taken the time today to phone my Dad in Queensland, who informed me it was a public holiday there on Friday, hence his card didn't get there in time.  Another phone call to my Step-Dad, whom I informed had a card sitting on our kitchen bench, that he would receive in due time.  And did a shout out to my Father in law on Facebook.  All Fathers covered.  Phew.

And to all of you who are missing an important man in your life.  I hope today brought some happy reflection.

How did you spend this Father's Day?  Did your other half bring the washing in and does he wear pj's??

Smart Chart

After what I would call GIVING UP on Monday, it seems my brainy husband put some thought to the situation we had found ourselves in - again.

Last year, our youngest son, Cadyn, went through a pretty hideous time.  He hit a wall at school, which then reverberated through our home, as he hit not only walls but anything else he could possibly cry at, throw himself on the ground at or yell at.  It was a living hell.  We ended up getting some great help for him, and he was assessed for a number of things.  Turns out he is one of the millions in the world who suffers from lives with anxiety.  I crossed out the suffering part because I don't like to think that his life is going to be full of suffering - so we'll try to help him to live with it instead....

Back to Monday......It had become very apparent, blatantly obvious actually, that Cadyn's anxiety had raised its ugly head again.  Who would have thought?  A new home, new school, new friends, ongoing renovations etc etc would be enough to do anyone's head in - but throw in some anxiety - and whallah! Melt-down!  Cue the giving up part.  Andrew was at the end of his tether too.  Except instead of him throwing his hands up in the air and crying, like someone I know, he must have stayed awake Monday night, and by the morning told me he had a plan.  Fabulous.  He would go to work and get together a routine/chores chart - with incentives.  Cool.

We have done rewards charts in the past.  With varying success.  But one thing we know about Cadyn is that he is rather goal orientated.  So why not give it another crack?  Later that morning, Andrew emailed me his "first draft".  I did giggle.  Past reward charts have been put together with some poster paper, textas, a ruler and some star stickers.  Nooooooo, not this one.

It's a spread sheet.........

I gave him a little of my input, but basically left it up to him to sort out.  What we were presented with (and I do not say presented lightly - it was a boardroom presentation, with the dining room being our boardroom - I was President) was a very well thought up and executed spread sheet.  On very big size paper.  Laminated.  Impressive.

Andrew dives in to his spiel explaining the dynamics of said chart and asks for the kid's participation.  Cadyn and Chelsea both eagerly start reading out the different parts of the chart, whilst I stood behind Andrew giggling at his spread sheet genius.  I did stop and ask the kids if they actually understood what the word "dispute" meant?  Nope.  A few small explanations later and the charts made perfect sense - even Chloe had some sort of idea!

One point I did dispute, was the monetary value put on receiving a day full of ticks - with no crosses (very technical).  Each child has the opportunity to earn a dollar for every day they achieve all of their possible ticks.  I queried Andrew's maths abilities and asked him if he realised how much money that adds up to over a four week period for four kids?  $112!!!!!!!!!!  He reassured me there was no way that all four kids could achieve perfection for four weeks in a row.  We shall see.

Our new system was rolled out Tuesday night.  And much to my amazement, there has been an almost full 360 degree turn around!  I have children offering their services left, right and centre.  I see the mechanics ticking over in their little heads as they begin to dispute argue/annoy me, before stopping themselves in their tracks and reverting to angels.  I am certain we will not be sent bankrupt by our scheme, but I am also very certain that it's something we will be sticking with.  Oh, and I CANNOT WAIT to see the look on Lochie's almost 14 year old face when he sees his delightful chart stuck on his wall when he returns from his Dad's house this week!

So - how do you reign in your kid's behaviours?  Are you a poster paper or spread sheet kind of parent?

Whose Bright Idea??

Was it to get another farking cat???!!!!  And who was the farking idiot that agreed to it????  Urghhhhh.......

SOMEBODY began campaigning for a kitten back in April.  This somebody had been suckered in by his then soon to be nine year old daughter and her promises of caring and loving a kitten like no other human being in history had before her.  The same somebody then convinced me that it would be a great idea to get above mentioned daughter a kitten for her birthday.  A series of events occurred that ultimately ended in us getting a kitten for free, which we then surprised said daughter with as an early birthday present.....

I will admit that the cuteness of this little black puff-ball was so huge that it didn't take long for me to fall in love with her.  In fact, I wrote quite positively about our Ms Bella's arrival HERE.  Oh, how times change.....

 Fast forward to today, when I entered good old Pets Paradise for the umpteenth time since Bella's arrival, looking to spend yet another small fortune on crappola.  Today's purchase (thankfully at half price, not so thankfully because poor Pets Paradise is in receivership - whoops) was ANOTHER scratching post (because the same birthday girl decided it would be a good idea to sit on the first $50 scratching post, causing it to snap in half - sigh) in an attempt to divert Bella's attention from the gorgeous new lounges we bought only one month ago.

I also asked the question - "Do you have anything to spray on furniture or fittings to stop cats wrecking shit?"  The young girl said "no".   Oh.  Thanks.  For.  Nothing.  

But wait!  As I was about to walk off, she said they had something called "sticky paws".....ummmmm.  I followed her to the wall display where there was ONE packet of sticky paws left.  I was also followed by another woman who had overheard my request and was interested in finding a solution for her own damaged home.  What I discovered was that cats apparently do not like sticky surfaces!  So this solution is a trumped up version of double sided tape, which you can stick to any surface you do not wish your cat or kitten to demolish!  I snapped up the last packet (and did not look the other woman in the eyes for fear of being glared at) and went and paid for my bargain scratching post and sticky paws.  Sounds so wrong....

"Don't declaw....get sticky paws" - WTF??  Who declaws a cat?  

So this afternoon's quest was to cover my brand new, but already slightly tattered lounge in double sided tape.  During said quest I discovered that not only had the little shit of a cat (hear the love in my words?) attacked the corners of the lounge, she has given the whole side of it a good crack.  Little focker.....

I also sticky paw'd the side of the step that had been nibbled and clawed at.  I'm wondering if I could just cover the whole freaking house in double sided tape so the little turd can't wreck anything else??  Maybe the poor singular pot plant I own?  Yep, she's managed to almost kill that too!

Don't get me wrong.  I am not opposed to pets.  I  AM an animal lover.  But each and every time we get a new pet, I end up doing a lot of sighing, yelling, cursing and quite simply - regretting.

Our menagerie now consists of Bella - the now sticky paw'd kitten.  Ruby - the ten year old cat who it seems has decided will hiss at anything and anyone she pleases.  Tanza - the 11 year old corgi x bichon AND Hamish - the teeny tiny three year old toy poodle, who refused to toilet train and to this day will still cock his leg on anything he can possibly reach if let inside.  So he is now an outdoor dog and what you would call a Rasta Poodle.....just needs some reggae and a joint....

I digress.....  Tonight as I was picking up the cat food that Bella had so delightfully dragged on to the carpet to eat, I yelled out "I hate this fucking cat".......to which Andrew retorted "You hate all cats"....  Ummmm....... Look, I'm trying ok.

How on earth do people have patience to get past the kitten trials and tribulations?  Are all kittens bat-shit crazy, or just Bella?

With freedom comes responsibility...sort of

The freedom that comes with your children wanting to walk home from school by themselves is rather liberating.  There's an extra 30 minutes in my day that I do not have to spend in and out of the car.  I don't have to stop what I'm doing, run around like mad looking for Chloe's shoes and making sure doors are locked and everything's turned off.  I don't have to grab my purse and phone and keys and run through all sorts of inclement weather conditions to make it up our muddy driveway and throw Chloe in to the car.  It's fabulous.

BUT

The responsibility that has now been given to my two middle children is great.  In fact, it's huge.  We practised the walk home a couple of times together before I took a big breath and agreed to their wish of walking home together.  I reiterated the importance of walking briskly towards the main road, so as to make it there whilst the crossing lady was still on duty.  I repeated myself more times than I care to remember, the importance of sticking together and crossing at official crossing points.  And I gave Chelsea the all important role of Key Holder.  She was so very proud that I had enough trust in her to hand her a key to the house.

Now it seems I must have failed in a couple of areas whilst preparing them both for not only walking home by themselves, but also arriving home to an empty house on occasion, when I have not yet returned home from work.  I DID tell them they had to call me as soon as they walked in the door, so I know they're safely home.  I DID tell them they are to lock the door behind them, and do not answer it for ANYONE.  Apparently, I did not make it clear that they weren't to take any detours on their way home.  And apparently, asking Chelsea if she has her house key as we are leaving in the morning, and her answering "yes", does not necessarily mean she has it.....as demonstrated this afternoon.

Last week, I was patiently waiting for my 4pm phone call from the kids.  I had just been telling a work mate about how well they were doing at their new school, and how they had been so very responsible.  4.05 came and went, so I called home.  No answer.  4.15 came and went, so I called home.  By the time they finally answered the phone at 4.25 I was less than amused and had quite frankly started having a little panic in the pit of my stomach.

Me: Cadyn, where have you guys been?

Cadyn: Ummmmm, I got kept back in class.

Me: For half an hour??

Cadyn: Ummmmmm, yeh.

I had a quick word with him about how worried I was and left it at that, for the time being.  I spoke with Andrew whilst we were both driving home from work and we both agreed someone was telling a porky pie.....

After dinner, we sat them both down and Andrew began his version of the Spanish inquisition.  He basically asked why on earth they took almost one hour to get home?

Cadyn:  Ummmm, I got kept back in class and blah blah blah blah blah....

Andrew and I spot the strange look on Chelsea's face, and at this point, Andrew holds his hand up to Cadyn, swiftly turns to Chelsea and asks "What happened Chelsea?"

Chelsea:  We stopped at the park on the way home for a play......

*****Crickets*****

The silence was then swiftly followed by many examples of what could happen to them whilst taking an unscheduled detour, without anyone knowing.  Nothing like a bit of scare tactics to make sure they get the point?  Takes stranger danger to a whole new level!

SO what did we learn from this exercise?  Well, I learnt that my kids are still quite naive.  Which is both a good and bad thing.  We never like to believe that our kids are growing up, but just when you accept they are, they do something that makes you realise they are still just babies.  I also learnt that they have not memorised any important phone numbers!  Whilst I was worried about some evil pervert snatching them from the park, Andrew pointed out that if either of them hurt themselves, and a good samaritan wanted to help - how could they if nobody knew our contact numbers?

Next step?  Writing our contact numbers in big black texta on the inside of their school bags!  Or alternatively, a trip to the tattooist......

How old were you when you were given such freedom and responsibility?  Do your kids you have tattoos?

Internet Dating Pioneer

That would be....ahemmmm.....Me! 

Eleven years ago, I dipped my toes into a new and unknown way of meeting people - Internet dating.  At the time, Ninemsn had a site which was free and relatively easy to use.  So I uploaded a photo, wrote a few short paragraphs and waited to see what would happen.......

Months went by, I never used the site and was getting rather fed up with revolting old men emailing me and was just about to delete my profile when BAM!!  I received a very interesting email........from a guy called Andrew.

Now unbeknownst to me (because I obviously took it all very seriously - not) I had put an age range into the computer.  So he started off his email with "You said you're looking to meet someone 22-30, I'm a month shy of 22, can I make the cut?"  Made me laugh the first time I set eyes on him his words.  I can't remember the whole email, I kick myself that I didn't save it somewhere, but I honestly don't think I would have believed anything would ever have come of it!

I allowed him to make the cut, and we emailed back and forth for a while, before moving on to phone calls.  I had absolutely NO IDEA what he looked like, because he had no photo on the site.  I found out later why he had no photo - he actually only signed up to contact ME!  You see, he and his work mates would spend lunch breaks scrolling through dating sites laughing at the profile pictures, wondering which website/magazine the person had stolen the image from!  And one day, as he was scrolling through - he saw ME!  All together now - AWWWWWWWW......

Anyway, I digress.  I still had no idea what he looked like and had to trust him when he said he didn't look like an ogre.  I was a 26 year old, soon to be divorcee with a three year old son - I really didn't have much to lose!  So I trusted him.....to a point.   When the time came to actually meet face to face, I told the friend I was living with that she would answer the door, and if he was feral, she was to tell him I wasn't there!  Mature yes?  His car pulled up, I ran and hid and next thing I knew, I was assured he was OK and went to the door to meet him.

Now I'd like to tell you that it was love at first sight, that fireworks erupted when I met him - but no.  He often reminds me of the little old peck on the cheek I left him with that evening.  Gotta keep a guy guessing yes?

The fireworks came..... with the first kiss.

Needless to say, that kiss led us to here.  Now.  The future.

This story has been told many times over, and no doubt, will be a million times more.  In the early days, it was VERY uncommon for people to meet, let alone tell people they met online.  Hence why I like to think of myself as a pioneer!

I love that we have a story.  That our relationship was built on trust from day one.  That it still builds and gets stronger as the years roll on.

I would like to think that I can tell this story to a couple more generations of my family.  So they can laugh at the antiquated ways of the early 2000's.  And that when I'm telling the story, Andrew will be beside me, holding my hand.

Then - 2001

Now!

Bigger is NOT Best?

I love an epiphany.  Actually I love the word EPIPHANY!  Rather catchy I think.  I had myself an epiphany a few days ago.  Friday night to be exact.  And it happened in the most unusual of places - Harvey Norman.  For those of you outside the realm of Australia or anywhere else this big chain store has planted itself, then it is literally a big chain store selling all variety of goods for one's home.  From batteries to fridges, lounges to cameras.  They've got the lot.  And no, this is not a sponsored post - although, hey, I wouldn't knock it back!

So the family and I toddled in there, the aim being to find a new fridge and TV for the new home.  Which, if you haven't been following, you can catch up HERE and HERE.  Our new kitchen has a much smaller fridge cavity, which means our humungous, kick ass, LEAKING fridge cannot come with us.  Sad, I know.  Anyhow, found the fridge no worries - my new best friend, Vonnie, was very helpful in giving me an even cheaper price than the already reduced one plastered on the front of said appliance, so I was a happy camper.  Next stop - TV's.

This is where it gets tricky.  Remember only a few years ago when you went to buy a flat screen TV and it was a million dollars????  Well, times have changed my friends.  You can now get yourself a ginormous extension of your husband's penis plasma/LCD for under $1000.  The one that was on special was $696.  Great brand, great quality....blah blah blah.  Down the back of the entertainment section was the "little" 31" flat screens.  For half the price.  Given that this TV was going to be put in the kid's playroom, and its only purpose was going to be for them to play video games and watch "normal TV" - not foxtel - I was quite happy with the smaller version.  My husband - not so much.

To cut a not so long story short - he left the decision up to me.  Approximately two minutes later I told Vonnie that it actually made me feel sick to think that we would have THREE big screen televisions in our house!  THREE.  I thought it was rather extravagant, and really did not feel it necessary......so directed her to the 31" at the rear.  When I rallied the kids to head in that direction, Lochie saw what I was getting and his reaction was:

"Is that all we're getting?  That little TV?  What about when we play split screen?"

----------crickets-----------

I turned to Vonnie and said "Well that just confirms my decision."

I was actually quite horrified to think my kids just "expected" we would get a whopper with the lot.  All the bells and whistles.  I don't want my kids to think they need the biggest and best of everything in life to lead a happy one.

WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE IS TRACKED DOWN MY OLD PLAYROOM TV AND PRESENTED IT TO THEM WITH A GOLD RIBBON!  SHAME IT WOULDN'T HAVE BLOODY WORKED ANYMORE!

I relayed my epiphany via Facebook and was further miffed to hear people's opinions.....  All saying I should have got the bigger one!

So - is BIGGER better??  Do you worry about your kid's expectations?  Does a TV's size mirror your husband/partner's penis size?

Breathing Life In...A Book Review of sorts.....

Tuesday, I shared THIS with you, and said I would be back to divulge more.  Here I am.  Still in a post-long-weekend-daze.  I spoke to my Mum earlier and she actually got choked up, talking about all the photos she had seen on Facebook, which displayed my weekend's antics.  Said she had not seen me smile so brightly in a while.  I agreed!  I relayed all the tales I had gathered, from all the familiar names she knew.  It was lovely to share.


She's SO right.  I have not been as happy, so blatantly cheerful, in quite some time.  I described it yesterday to work colleagues - I had time to BREATHE.  I'm tearing up just remembering.  I AM generally a VERY happy person.  I'm pretty certain most of my friends will tell you this.  But having the chance to just "BE" for four whole days, was one that has left me reeling.  Why?


I started Friday morning off with the usual school and creche run.  Popped in to the shops to grab a couple of things for the kids they needed, and then headed home to finish packing.  Mum came past and picked me up, for the trip to the airport.  Once safely inside the terminal, I pulled the book out of my bag that I had so patiently waited to open.  "50 Shades of Grey" stared up at me.  And so I began reading.....


Basically, I have not enough words I could pull from the thesaurus to give this novel the description is really deserves.  "Erotic Romance" is the class it has been slotted in to.  I have found it to be so much more.  I will sound like a typical guy who reads "Playboy" for the stories - but apart from the absolutely freaky, erotic, mind-boggling sex in this novel - the story really is great!  I couldn't put it down.  Didn't even realise I had landed in Queensland.....


This novel opened up many a conversation over the weekend.  With my closest of friends, whom I really have never spoken to much about sex.  Needless to say, the conversations were riveting.  But it also opened up the flood-gates.  Talking about our lives as a whole.  How we are women first and foremost, and then wives, mothers and friends.  How our marriages/partnerships should still be up there on the top of the priority list, but also, why they aren't at times.  It's because we are all so busy.  And not breathing.


Each of these beautiful women now have copies of the book, and its sequels.  Yes, there are three provocative, naughty and no-holds-barred books in the series.  I am almost finished the second (The husband bought the other two books for me whilst I was away!).  Eager much?


I sent my ever-patient husband a text today.  I told him I wouldn't be censoring my thoughts anymore.  He is FAR from concerned, I think he's revelling in it.  I'm breathing again.


So - I guess you could say this is my first ever "Book Review"?  Ummmm........just get it!  I guarantee it will open your eyes!


Do YOU read?  Do you take the time to catch your breath?

Husband Love

Still school holidays here.  And Winter has struck.....which in turn means everyone will inevitably get cabin fever.  My darling husband came up with the idea of taking the kids ALL THE WAY over the other side of the city to visit him at his new work place, and go out for lunch.  So, seeing as though there were only two available days left to do this, yesterday, I packed the kids up (and if we weren't meeting him for lunch, we would have needed to pack one) and prepared them for the trip - To visit Daddy!

Forty-five minutes of mind-numbing freeway later, and ending up in the middle of no-frickin-where, we arrived at his work.  He really was not joking when he told me he worked in the middle of a paddock!  You are probably wondering what on earth he does for a job?  Or couldn't care less? He's in logistics.  

***crickets***

Logistics - the storing and moving of shit from one place to another.

He runs a whole big mother-trucking warehouse where said logistics take place.  He's the Boss.  The head honcho. The big cheese.....

Anyway.  I digress.  The visit was successful.  The kids surely think the warehouse is a gigantic version of hide and seek, and are impressed that Dad has his own kick-ass office, where he gets to boss people around all day.  They left him something to remember their visit.....

The main point of this post, cos I know you're wondering, is to profess my gratefulness to thy husband.  Although he has always worked a fair drive from home (he actually drives that freeway in peak hour both ways!), it was not until yesterday that I fully appreciated just how much time he spends commuting.  To make a living.  For us.

On occasion, I have been known to bitch chat about how much I do for the family.  All the running around, the cooking, cleaning, washing, washing and washing, as well as my own part time job.  And as much as it irks me at times, I would not change a damn thing.  

Tonight, I'm sending out some special Husband Love.  Thank you dear husband for sucking it up each and every day, and getting the job done! Bravo!

Have you ever taken the time to thank your other half for all they do?  Or are you the other half and do you ever get thanks?

Disclaimer...........Don't get me wrong - I'll still tell him he should bow down to me for everything I do - maybe just not so often....

My Easter Sunday.....

Happy Easter.  Happy Birthday.  Happy Me.  Sorta......

Today marks the 37th year I have been on the earth.  And surprisingly, that was not so hard to write.  As I edge closer to the big 4....0..... I find myself gasping for air.  And it's not actually until I wrote that, I realised maybe that has something to do with how I am feeling today.  Rather ho-hum.  It certainly doesn't help having to share your birthday with a friggin bunny!  But them's the breaks......

A lovely friend of mine Ms Gemma over at Pretty Bobbins asked a question a little earlier.  "Do your kids really believe in Easter?"  Hmmmm...... I shared with her that I asked the same thing of my husband last night.  Ms Chelsea will be nine years old next month, and she is an intelligent human being.  As we were gnawing on a carrot and delicately rearranging the kid's notes to the bunny whilst tipping out the milk they had left, I questioned how such an intelligent little girl hadn't cottoned on to the Bunny yet?  I mean, how on earth does a bunny manage to spread foil wrapped chocolate eggs oh so precariously through our front yard?  How does the same bunny manage to leave presents inside on the coffee table for them too?  Really?

I cannot for the life of me remember when I stopped believing.  I do recall us kids getting caught out one year, finding Mum's stash of Christmas presents in her walk in wardrobe.  In my defence, my older sister found them, and encouraged made me participate in the pulling them out part.  I think we were told Christmas would not be happening that year!  But it did....

I also can't remember when Lochie stopped believing.  Is that bad?  He is only 13, so surely it was only a few years ago that he worked it out?  My memory is failing......is that part of getting old?

I have been feeling guilty the past week, about my lack of interest in Easter.  My lack of enthusiasm for Easter craft, Easter cooking, Easter anything.  I stashed all the easter eggs outside in the hood of the pram that sits on our front step, so that when I was woken for the third time overnight, at 6am, I could just go out like some crazed, pyjama-wearing, easter egg throwing Mother.  Then crawled back in to bed.

Once the kids were awake, and had ceased trying to be quiet, I opened my eyes to feel the familiar thumping in my head, accompanied by the blurred vision.  Fabulous.  Migraine.  Happy Birthday to me!  I followed it up by standing in my front yard, eyes squinted whilst feigning my excitement about kids crawling under plants to discover eggs.  Note to self - open eyes at 6am when throwing easter eggs in the dark!

I sound rather bah-humbug don't I?  Things have brightened a little.  I took my sad-ass to the shopping centre and punished myself with a 40 minutes chinese massage.  That dude found every single sore spot that existed.  Or perhaps I am just a walking sore spot?  Purchased some pharmaceutical supplies and then called for the husband to bring the kids and meet me for lunch.  The haze has lifted, and I may even laugh at some stage today!  Oh sorry, I did laugh - when I received text messages from Andrew telling me Chelsea was begging for a kitten.  Very frickin funny....

So - back to Easter.  We now have a kitchen full of chocolate, and no more mention of the bunny.  And nobody has asked what happened to Jesus today.  How do you celebrate Easter, if you do?  And what does it mean to you?

Happy Easter!

Random instagram photos taken whilst out to my birthday lunch.  Minus one child!

Being Blonde AND Brainy

I'm really amused and annoyed at myself right now!  I've just returned home from dropping Lochie off at basketball training.  And whilst that in itself was enough to have me in tears - I mean, really, when did my little boy turn in to a tallish, lankyish version of his old self?  I jumped in the car to return home to be greeted with a little red light, a beeping noise and my the car's temperature gauge almost bursting out of the dashboard!  Hmmmmm.  Whilst panic was setting in, I rang my husband.  Why? Not because I thought he could fix it (we are both mechanically challenged) but because I was worried I would konk out somewhere.  He was still at work on the other side of the city, and the two middle kids were at home whilst I made the ten minute return trip to the basketball stadium!!

About that time I had to make a choice.  Do I continue home in the hope I make it?  Or do I pull in to the service station to see what the problem was scratch my head and vacantly look under my bonnet?  I chose the second option.

Now I know this much about cars - they have a radiator.  Said radiator should be full of water.  Said car should be serviced at regular intervals so that mechanically minded employee can ensure it has water.  Let's just say........it was not full, because it hasn't been serviced in quite some time.  Whoops.

Whilst I stood there looking at empty radiator water container thingy, I remembered you should not open a radiator cap thing whilst they are hot.  So I stared a bit longer before a fellow who looked like he may vaguely know what he is doing pulled up next to me.  And I did what any blonde woman with a small child in their car would do, when they have no idea what to do.  I said:

"Excuse me?  I have a dumb blonde question: If the light is flashing and beeping and the temperature is super hot does that mean my radiator is empty?"

As I started speaking, I wanted to slap myself!  This lovely gentleman made light of my dumb blonde reference and was actually impressed amused that I even knew what a radiator was.

Thankfully, he took over the situation.  Got some big piece of rag type fabric from his van (do all middle aged men carry rags in their cars!?!) and calmly opened the radiator cap which was by this time a steaming furnace.  TWO BIG WATERING CANS later - and my radiator was full again!  She was bone dry.  Again - whoops.

Sooooo........the next dilemma.  Do I take my delightful 1999 Ford Station Wagon to be serviced and pay what will probably be a small fortune?  Or do I take the small fortune and trade her in for a later model baby?  Decisions, decisions.

Do you make jokes on your own behalf when you're feeling a bit silly and awkward?  

NO MORE BLONDE JOKES FOR ME!

Randomness

Today's post is brought to you by the letter C.  For CAT.  The same cat that just opened the bathroom door whilst I was sitting on the toilet.  Not only do I have to contend with children invading my privacy, I also have a cat who doesn't care..... It made me think of all the randomness I have come across today, whilst going about the million other things I accomplished.  Have you ever thought of all the things you have managed to get done in one day?  Write a list - it can be pretty impressive.

*  Whoever it was that invented the recorder....should have it shoved somewhere the sun doesn't shine.  Seriously.  Chelsea has waited oh so patiently to get to Grade 3, so that 1. She can join the choir and 2. She can play the recorder.  The singing I can deal with - she actually has a lovely voice and can belt out a tune no worries.  The recorder on the other hand has become one of the many banes of my existence.  If I hear "Hot Cross Buns" one more time, I could be put away for recorder snapping......and I don't mean taking a photo of it!

*  In keeping with family entertainment, apparently we have a tribe of show ponies.  This last week has brought many a show for our thorough enjoyment.  The build up to these "shows" is intense.  Andrew and I are given handmade tickets, and told to hold on to them for safe-keeping.  The rehearsals go for all of 20 minutes, and then it's SHOW TIME....

Watching 3 children bounce around a trampoline is highly entertaining, especially when the old "double bounce" comes in to play, and the 3 year old goes flying...

*  When Lochie was nine, he decided he wanted to move to Darwin with his Dad.  After much soul-searching, I let him go.  It was the longest two years of my life, and the months between school holidays would go so slowly, and the week he would fly in to spend with us would go ever so fast.  One of those visits, he took some chalk and did this, on the side of our garage....

Admittedly, I was a tad annoyed when I saw what he had done, but was smart enough not to wash it away.  Years later, it brings a smile to my face.  Especially now that he is a teenager and will probably never admit publicly to loving us all again.....

*  We have lived for the past few years with our hot and cold water tap backwards.  Everyone in this household is used to them.  It's only when we get visitors that we remember how backwards we are.  What is funnier is when it's your retired plumber Dad points it out......but doesn't change it over for you!

*  I live with a fanatical Hawks supporter.  Oh, and my husband.  I never thought anyone could be more sports mad than Andrew, but Cadyn has overtaken him, in leaps and bounds.  I have kept the walls in our back room in check for a few years.  But I know he's itching to fill all of them with paraphernalia.  Cadyn's bedroom walls - and windows - are plastered in posters, and given that when he can't find any footy or cricket on the television, he will watch (and commentate) darts - I don't think there's any hope for his future wife.....

 

*  This is something I've been working on for a special showcase over at Handmade Love.  Handmade Showcase is full of super talented people and the challenge is to all use the same collections of fabrics to come up with creations that the public can then go in to a ballot to purchase!  This gorgeous Vivienne skirt is now just waiting on a top half to compliment it.  I love it.

*  This used to be an office/dining room.  Now it's not.  Whoops.

*  I just overheard Cadyn ask Chelsea if she knew what a porn was?  Ummmmm........I froze and waited for the rest of the conversation.....turns out he was talking about chess club - PHEW!

What randomness have you come across lately?  Do you want to snap a recorder when you hear one?